A majority of Israelis believe that ending the war with Iran under the current conditions would undermine the country’s security, according to a new poll from the Israel Democracy Institute.

The survey, conducted between April 26-30, over two weeks into the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, found that 64% of Jewish Israelis said ending the war in its current state is “only slightly or not at all aligned” with Israel’s security interests. Nearly half of Arab Israelis (48.5%) said the same.

Despite ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations and a fragile ceasefire, most Israelis expect a return to further escalation. Overall, 62% of respondents said they believed a return to widescale conflict was likely, including roughly two-thirds of Jewish respondents (64%) and 52% of Arab respondents. Since the survey was conducted, the ceasefire has grown more precarious, with both sides alleging violations.

In the first week after Israel and the U.S. launched joint strikes on Iran’s top officials, 80% of Israelis — including 93% of Jewish Israelis — said they supported the war against Iran.

The latest survey also points to shifting perceptions of U.S. influence over Israeli decisionmaking. A majority of Jewish Israelis now believe the Trump administration exerts greater influence over Israel’s defense policy than the Israeli government itself, with that share rising from 45% in October 2025 to 56.5% in the newest survey. Over the same period, the percentage of Jewish Israelis who see their own government as the primary decisionmaker in its military actions dropped from 24% to 15%.

Among Arab Israelis, views moved in the opposite direction: The share who believe the U.S. holds greater influence fell from 39.5% to 25.5%.

Meanwhile, the survey revealed pessimistic attitudes as they relate to U.S.-brokered talks between Israel and Lebanon, including the ongoing ceasefire. Nearly 80% of Jewish Israelis believe there is a fairly low to very low likelihood of reaching a “stable diplomatic defense arrangement with the Lebanese government, that will include the disarming of Hezbollah.” Among Arab Israelis, 45% believe the likelihood of a deal between Beirut and Jerusalem is fairly high to very high.  

The poll also pointed to deepening concern among Israelis from across the political spectrum over the recent decline in positive attitudes toward Israel in the U.S., with a majority of respondents — 72% — calling the decline “somewhat or very worrying for Israel.” The survey reported no difference in this issue among Jews and Arabs. 

The poll surveyed a representative sample of Israeli adults, including 601 Jewish respondents and 150 Arab respondents.

Younger voters are significantly more likely to hold antisemitic beliefs and critical views of Israel compared to older generations, according to a new survey. 

The Yale Youth Poll, an undergraduate-led research group based at Yale University, polled over 3,400 American voters, more than half of whom were under 35, between March 9-23. 

Respondents were presented with paraphrased statements on Israel from several prominent figures across the political spectrum: neo-Nazi podcaster Nick Fuentes, anti-Israel Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).  

Among all voters, 35% agreed with the statement “America should end the slavish surrender to Israel, its wars, and its demands for foreign aid,” which is paraphrased from comments Fuentes made in a video. But among the youngest respondents, agreement rose to 55% of voters ages 18-22 and to 52% among those 23-29 years old.  

Similarly, 34% of voters agree with Tlaib’s characterization of Israel as an “apartheid state” engaged in “racist oppression” of Palestinians. This agreement spikes sharply among younger voters, rising to 55% for those 18-22 and 54% for those 23-29. 

With 59% support, Schumer’s statement — that “Israel is a democracy and the safe haven of the Jewish people, but they have a moral obligation to ensure humanitarian treatment of Palestinian civilians,” — was the only one to garner majority approval. It was the most popular position across the political spectrum, agreed upon by 66% of Democrats and, notably, 55% of Republicans. 

Most respondents said they disagreed with several antisemitic conspiracies and statements of Holocaust distortion. However, 25% of voters agreed that “Jews have an extremely organized international community that puts their own interests before those of their home countries.” Furthermore, roughly 3 in 10 voters said they support Christian nationalism (27%), believing the U.S. should be declared a Christian nation, and 31% said that being Christian is key to being “truly American.”

Two-thirds of voters rejected all three antisemitic statements presented to them in the survey, which were “Jews in the United States are more loyal to Israel than to America”; “It’s appropriate to boycott Jewish American-owned businesses to protest the war in Gaza”; and “Jews in the United States have too much power.” 

Agreement was higher, however, among young, non-white and male voters, as well as those who rely on social media for news. Ten percent of voters ages 18-34 agreed with all three statements, compared to just 2% of voters 65 and above. Black voters were most likely to agree with at least one statement (46%), followed by Asian (39%), Hispanic (37%) and white (29%) voters. 

A recently conducted survey assessing how Jewish voters view leading Israel advocacy groups finds that public opinion is divided over the effectiveness of outside engagement in American elections. 

The Mellman Group poll, commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) and released last week, surveyed 800 registered Jewish voters between March 13-23. It found a narrow 39% plurality agreed that it “was more important than ever” for pro-Israel groups to play a leading role in speaking out against candidates who oppose a close U.S.-Israel alliance, while 37% of respondents feared that such advocacy risks making things worse.

The split largely was along partisan lines: While two-thirds of Jewish Republicans and 59% of Jewish independents backed strong pro-Israel political advocacy, just 28% of Democrats shared the same view. A near-majority (46%) of Democrats feared that pro-Israel electioneering could turn voters against Israel. 

AIPAC’s super PAC, the United Democracy Project, has been playing a leading role in influencing contested primaries, predominantly on the Democratic side.  

But while the group’s aggressive spending in last month’s Illinois Democratic primaries drew outsized attention in the national press, only 11% of Jewish respondents said they were paying a “great deal” of attention to pro-Israel groups’ activity in primaries. Over half of Jewish respondents (51%) said they were paying no attention at all or “not much” attention to pro-Israel engagement in politics. 

The poll also tested the public perception of the three leading Israel advocacy groups in Washington: AIPAC, Democratic Majority For Israel and J Street. AIPAC held the highest favorability rating (39%), with 29% viewing the longtime pro-Israel group unfavorably, while 32% said they were unsure. 

While Republicans and independent Jews overwhelmingly view AIPAC favorably, opinion was split among Jewish Democrats, with 29% viewing the group favorably, 37% viewing AIPAC unfavorably and 33% saying they were unsure. 

DMFI boasted the highest net favorable rating among Jewish respondents, with 32% viewing the Democratic Party’s pro-Israel group favorably while just 16% viewed it unfavorably. Its numbers were strongest with Jewish Democrats and weakest with Jewish Republicans.

J Street, which came out last week against funding Israel’s Iron Dome missile-defense system, held a net unfavorable rating, according to the poll. Just 18% viewed the group favorably, while 19% viewed it unfavorably, with a 46% plurality having never heard of the progressive group. 

Nearly half (47%) of young Jewish women reported dating less as a result of increased antisemitism and other negative consequences of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks, according to a new survey by Jewish Women International. 

Over one-third (36%) of respondents said they’ve ended existing romantic relationships due to these dynamics, while 18% said they’ve stopped online dating altogether. 

Many of the Jewish American women surveyed, who were between the ages of 20 and 34, reported other negative impacts to their romantic relationships including strained conversations (75%), arguments (53%) and decreased contact or connection (39%). 

One respondent described ending a relationship over “our differing levels of Zionism” and while another experienced “tension in our relationship” on the “first anniversary of Oct. 7.” One said she “ultimately ended my relationship with my partner because he was always so angry about Gaza but never showed any anger toward antisemites, toward Hamas, or even to an antisemitic gunman who killed two of my peers.”

A vast majority (71%) of respondents said they’d changed what they’re looking for in a dating partner in the aftermath of the attacks, which for several meant seeking out exclusively Jewish partners,

“I decided to only date Jewish to avoid any blatant antisemitism, and also to ensure that there would be common ground,” one wrote. “Before October 7, like, sure, I wasn’t opposed to going on a date with someone who wasn’t Jewish, and exploring that opportunity. And now — not really so much,” another said. “Felt deeper connections to Jews I know and are strangers. Exclusively wanted to date only Jews,” another wrote.

Jewish singles have been grappling with the impact of increasingly heated antisemitic rhetoric on dating apps and among potential romantic interests for years now, as several told Jewish Insider in 2024 that they too had pivoted to seeking a Jewish partner as they waded through politically charged rhetoric on dating profiles.

Even more than their dating lives, survey respondents experienced negative impacts to their mental health (75%) and friendships (74%), with 80% reporting decreased contact in their platonic relationships. For those on college campuses, 68% said their sense of belonging was damaged in the aftermath of Oct. 7, and 63% said the same of their relationships with their classmates.

In professional settings, 39% of respondents said they’d felt pressured to minimize their Jewish identity and 18% said they’d removed Jewish content from their resumes. Several said in written responses that they’d been drawn to work in Jewish advocacy by their experiences. 

“JWI has dedicated significant time and resources to a comprehensive national survey of the impact of antisemitism and misogyny on young Jewish women. Based on our findings, young Jewish women feel disenfranchised in the workplace, ostracized in social circles, and compelled to erase their Jewish identities for fear of personal safety,” said Meredith Jacobs, CEO of JWI, who added that the organization will focus its programming on “post-traumatic growth.” 

“As the mothers of the next generation of the Jewish diaspora, the support these women receive will directly impact the future of Jewish peoplehood,” Jacobs continued.

The 514 respondents were largely reached through JWI’s networks, including focus groups at the organization’s leadership conference, between Nov. 11-Dec. 22, 2025.

Nearly two-thirds of Jewish Americans say they feel less safe than a year ago, according to the American Jewish Committee’s newly released annual survey of Jewish public opinion, reflecting a heightened fear of antisemitism in the aftermath of several high-profile attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions. 

As notable: About one-third of American Jews reported being a target of antisemitism — whether it was physical or in a virtual space. Nearly one-fifth said they would consider leaving the country as a result of antisemitism, a number that’s been on the rise over the last several years (up from 6% in 2024). 

Young American Jews between the ages of 18-29 have faced the brunt of rising antisemitism, with 47% saying they were a target of antisemitism over the last year, compared to 28% among those 30 and over.  

At the same time, about two-thirds (65%) of Jews overall said they felt safe attending Jewish institutions, while 60% said they were not worried about being a victim of antisemitism in the next year. 

The polling, conducted by SSRS between September and October 2025, shows that both reported antisemitic incidents and fear of facing antisemitism have plateaued but are still near historic highs, when compared to the AJC’s previous surveys. (SSRS surveyed 1,222 Jewish respondents in one survey between Sept. 26-Oct. 29; it separately surveyed 1,033 U.S. adults between Oct. 3-5.)

Antisemitism continues to be particularly prevalent on college campuses, where 42% of students have reported anti-Jewish hate during their time in school — up from 35% in the AJC’s 2024 survey. The vast majority of Jewish parents (80%) said that the level of antisemitism on a campus plays a role in deciding where their student will attend college.

There’s also a noticeable gap between the near-universal view among Gen Z Jewish Americans that antisemitism is a problem (93%) and the significant but much smaller share of non-Jewish young Americans who think it is a problem (61%).

In addition, there is a noticeable spike in American Jews being exposed to explicit antisemitism when scrolling on social media. Over half of Jewish respondents (54%) said they’ve dealt with antisemitism on Facebook — up seven points in the last year. Over one-third (38%) said they’ve experienced antisemitism on YouTube — an 11-point spike in the last year. And two-fifths of Jewish respondents said they’ve experienced antisemitism on Instagram — up eight points since 2024.

Also significant: The survey asked Jewish respondents whether the phrase “globalize the intifada” — one that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has pointedly declined to condemn — would make them feel unsafe. The vast majority (69%) of American Jews said it would either make them feel “very unsafe” or “somewhat unsafe.” 

Among non-Jews, interestingly, the poll found very few (only 13%) had seen or heard the phrase “globalize the intifada” at all in the last year — possibly a reflection of why Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the slogan didn’t become a bigger political problem for him.

But among the general public, there was a wide awareness of how such virulently anti-Israel sloganeering is intermingled with antisemitism. More than three-quarters of overall respondents (79%) said that believing Israel has no right to exist is antisemitic, while about two-thirds said that anti-Zionist slogans like “Free Palestine” and “globalize the intifada” were connected to antisemitic incidents. 

A significant majority of Jewish Israelis feel that it is safer for them to live in Israel than abroad, according to a new survey by the Israeli Voice Index, reflecting heightened concerns about antisemitism overseas.

While 76% of Jewish Israelis feel that their home country is the safest place for them, only 32% of Arabs feel the same, with 35% of Arab respondents answering that both are equally safe and 29% seeing life abroad as safer.

Researchers at the Israel Democracy Institute, which released the findings of the survey on Tuesday, said the gap in perceptions is likely linked to high levels of violent crime in Arab communities and what they described as an inadequate state response.

The survey also found overwhelming support among Jewish Israelis for Israeli government involvement in protecting Jewish communities abroad. Ninety percent said Israel should pressure foreign governments to ensure the security of Jewish communities, 80% supported sending Israeli emissaries abroad, 62% favored direct involvement in security arrangements for Jewish events and 50% backed financial support for Diaspora communities. Support for such measures was significantly lower among Arab Israelis.

The survey was conducted by the Viterbi Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at the end of last month, about two weeks after 15 people were killed in a terror attack targeting a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia.

The survey included 752 men and women with a ±3.57% margin of error. 

Younger voters hold overwhelmingly more critical views of Israel and of the Jewish people than older generations, a new survey finds in keeping with other recent research on the issue, with antisemitic beliefs strongest among the most conservative cohort.

The Yale Youth Poll, an undergraduate-led research group based at Yale University, surveyed over 3,400 American voters for their views on Israel, Zionism and antisemitism between Oct. 29-Nov. 11, with over half of respondents under the age of 35. 

On a basic assessment of whether the American Jewish community has had a positive or negative impact on the United States, over half (54%) of all respondents answered positive, while the same was true of only around a third (35%) of 18-22-year-olds.

In a list of antisemitic statements — including “Jews in the United States are more loyal to Israel than to America,” “It’s appropriate to boycott Jewish American-owned businesses to protest the war in Gaza” and “Jews in the United States have too much power” — 70% of respondents overall disagreed with all three; however, only 57% of 18-22-year-olds and 60% of 23-29-year-olds said the same. 

Among those ages 18-34 who self-identified in their responses as “extremely conservative,” a sizeable majority of 64% said they agreed with at least one of the listed statements, far more than any other subgroup of younger voters — 38% of 18-34-year-olds overall said the same, already a notable minority.

Younger people also had overwhelmingly negative views of Zionism: Given a list of possible definitions of the ideology, respondents overall most commonly identified the “positive” definitions, including “self-determination and statehood for the Jewish people,” “the continued existence of Israel in the face of calls for its destruction” and the Jewish people having an equal “right to statehood,” as accurate.

Among voters ages 18-22, however, the most commonly selected definitions described Zionism as “maintaining a Jewish demographic majority in Palestine by driving out the native Palestinian population,” (36% vs. 17% of all respondents), creating “a nation-state where Jews get more rights than others,” (33% vs. 15% overall) and “a form of racism and apartheid against Palestinians” (31% vs. 13% overall). Fifteen percent of respondents under 30 said they believe that Israel should not exist, compared to 5% overall.

The younger cohort’s view of what qualifies as antisemitism was also distinct — asked if comparing the Israeli government’s policies to the Nazis constitutes a form of anti-Jewish prejudice, 46% of 18-34-year-olds said no, compared to 28% of respondents overall. Seventeen percent of younger voters said they did not believe use of the phrase “globalize the intifada” was antisemitic, compared to 12% overall, and 67% said calling the war in Gaza a genocide did not constitute antisemitism, compared to 47% overall.

Nearly half (46%) of 18-22-year-olds think the U.S. should cut off all military aid to Israel compared to 23% of all respondents. This hostility to Israel, as with most of the survey’s findings, decreased with age to only 13% of respondents aged 65 and older.

Antisemitism in America has plateaued after a sharp rise in anti-Jewish hate incidents in the immediate aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel — yet fewer Americans are pushing back against it, according to a survey released Thursday by the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate. 

About 25% of the population has consistently held antisemitic attitudes since June 2024, the 2025 Antisemitism Landscape Survey reported. That’s a notable rise from the recent past, but the survey found that the growth of antisemitic views has slowed significantly.

The survey, which has been conducted twice a year since June 2023, polled 7,028 American adults from Aug. 1-Sept. 30. It found that 58% of respondents think antisemitism is a minor problem or not a problem at all, a sizable majority, though one that has remained fairly steady for the past two years. 

“This is an alarming moment for the United States,” said Adam Katz, president of the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate, a nonprofit founded by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, which recently rebranded from the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism. “At a time when national data shows clear increases in antisemitic incidents and hate crimes, our survey results show a decline in the number of Americans who see antisemitism as a major problem.” 

Katz called the stabilization of Americans expressing antisemitic attitudes a “glimmer of hope that hate is no longer spreading.” 

At the same time, the report found that the number of Americans willing to speak out against antisemitic behavior is dropping compared to before Oct. 7. 

The number of “allies” to American Jews — defined as “well informed and aware of antisemitism, already activated to stand up to Jewish hate” — stayed consistent at 9% between December 2024 and August 2025, though that’s down from 15% in June 2023. 

The number of Americans categorized as “haters” — defined as “blatantly prejudiced against Jews and tend to be outspoken about it” — decreased slightly from 11% in 2024 to 10% in 2025, though that’s up from 6% in 2023. 

Nearly half (46%) of Americans think Jews can “handle antisemitism on their own,” which has stayed largely consistent since 2024. 

Only around a third (33%) of respondents expressed belief that other people will disapprove of them if they don’t stand up for Jews who are experiencing prejudice, a number that is consistent with the December 2024 poll and slightly less than 39% in December 2023. 

Polling was conducted while the Israel-Hamas war was still underway, with many participants  expressing the view that supporting Jews might be interpreted as siding against Palestinians.

Belief in classic antisemitic tropes — such as “Jews are penny pinchers” and “Jews run the media” — are softening slightly, the survey found, although they are still higher than 2023 numbers. 

The last year has featured several high-profile attacks on Jews around the U.S., including the arson attack against Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home, the Washington shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum and the Colorado firebombing of a hostage solidarity event. 

President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities in June, dealing a significant blow to the Islamic Republic’s weapons program, is viewed favorably by 60% of Americans, according to a newly released survey commissioned by the Ronald Reagan Institute.  

The decision to bomb Iran’s nuclear program was one of the most popular policies the Pentagon has made in Trump’s second term, according to the survey. Of the 10 policies tested, only two (using force against drug traffickers in Latin America and issuing gender-neutral standards for combat roles) had a higher net approval rating.

Despite the widespread support for the airstrikes, there is a partisan divide in support. Republicans overwhelmingly supported the military action, while 39% of Democrats did so. 

The survey also painted a mixed picture about the state of U.S.-Israel relations, finding that two-thirds of Americans consider Israel to be an ally, including 57% of Democrats. The share of respondents calling Israel an ally is down six points from the institute’s survey last year. When it comes to sending weapons to Israel, half of respondents were supportive — with a 68% supermajority of Republicans, but just 35% of Democrats. 

If Hamas refuses to demilitarize Gaza, however, 54% of Americans would favor further Israeli military action, including 42% of Democratic voters.

“Overall, the American people know who is the ally and who the adversary is in the Middle East,” Roger Zakheim, the director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute, told Jewish Insider. “Even after the impact of Israel’s lengthy war against Hamas in Gaza, you still have close to a supermajority [in the U.S.] viewing Israel as a strong ally, which is reassuring for Jerusalem.”

The findings are part of a wide-ranging examination of American public opinion on national security issues, indicating a consistent American preference to maintain engagement in the world. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents said the “it is better for the United States to be more engaged” in international affairs, with just 33% disagreeing. 

Notably, support for the U.S. sending weapons to Ukraine as it defends itself from Russian attacks wins widespread support, with 64% in favor — a nine-point jump from last year’s survey. Ukraine is also viewed as an ally by three-fourths of respondents. Only 17% said they thought Russia was an ally, while 79% viewed the country as an enemy.  

When asked which country poses the greatest threat to the U.S., China held a sizable lead, with nearly half of respondents naming Beijing, while 26% ranked Russia at the top. Only 3% said Iran posed the greatest threat.

The poll of 2,507 adults was conducted jointly by Beacon Research, a Democratic firm, and Shaw & Company Research, a Republican firm, between Oct. 23-Nov. 3. The two polling firms also conduct Fox News’ polling. 

It was released in the run-up to this year’s Reagan Defense Forum, which is being held this Friday and Saturday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif.

In the aftermath of the deadly Oct. 7 attacks two years ago, American Jews were pulled off the sidelines and got much more involved in Jewish life — a trend, dubbed “the surge,” that has continued into a second year, according to a survey released this spring. 

But a further breakdown of that survey data, shared this week by the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), shows that the impact of “the surge” is waning more quickly among Jews from minority populations, including LGBTQ Jews, Jews of color, Jews with disabilities and financially vulnerable Jews, than it is among the broader Jewish community. 

The survey found that 31% of Jewish respondents said this year that they are engaging more with the Jewish community now than before Oct. 7, down from 43% last year — still significant post-Oct. 7 growth, but slightly down from the immediate aftermath. But among historically marginalized populations, that decrease was even more pronounced. 

“We’re sad and disheartened to see that these marginalized groups are engaging so much less than they were at this time last year,” JFNA’s chief impact and growth officer, Mimi Kravetz, told Jewish Insider on Wednesday. “It’s still higher than baseline. There’s still people showing up more. But there has been a more significant drop among these most marginalized groups.” 

Roughly one-fifth of people with an LGBTQ+ member of their household say they are now engaging more with the Jewish community in 2025, down from 49% from the year before. Among Jews who are not white and Ashkenazi, 30% of people are “surging” this year, a decrease from 57% the year before. Thirty-two percent of financially vulnerable Jews are “surging” now, compared to 49% a year earlier. 

Across these different populations, there is no single answer as to why there was a sharper decline in engagement than among the broader Jewish community. The Jewish leaders analyzing this data have not yet identified what they think accounts for the disparity, but they have some ideas — and suspect that some of the differential can be explained by simmering tensions over Israel.

Overall, the JFNA survey found that roughly one-third of American Jews believe conversations about the war in Gaza are “negatively impacting community engagement and belonging,” according to a presentation for Jewish community stakeholders hosted by JFNA on Tuesday. Thirty-five percent feel that if they shared their views on Israel, they wouldn’t be welcome in the Jewish community. 

But just because people are sometimes afraid to voice their opinion, that doesn’t mean they are all in alignment. Similar percentages of American Jews feel the community is too hard-line in its support for Israel (39%) and feel that it is not outspoken enough in its support for Israel (34%). 

Among LGBTQ Jews, or those who live with someone LGBTQ, “we do see a slightly lower sense of pride and emotional attachment to Israel, and we do see that they are more likely to believe that the community is too hard-line in its support of Israel,” Kravetz offered as one possible explanation for why the community is now “surging” less. 

That’s different from financially vulnerable Jews, who are “more likely to feel pride in an emotional attachment to Israel than the general Jewish public,” Kravetz said on the webinar. One challenge for them may be a sense of feeling uninformed compared to others in the community. 

“They’re actually far less likely to say that this issue of the community and Israel is affecting their sense of engagement and belonging,” she added. “They are much more likely, though, to say that they don’t know enough to participate in the conversation.” 

But the Israel hypothesis falls short when looking at why Jews of color are “surging” less than a year ago. “Their views actually mirror the general population,” said Kravetz. But part of that may account for diversity within the broad “Jews of color” umbrella — which encompasses Mizrahi Jews, Black Jews, Latinos and more. 

The data is particularly concerning for Jewish leaders who had invested in understanding diverse segments of the community and helping them feel more included. But the same barriers that existed before Oct. 7 are still present.

“What’s really affecting their sense of surge and engagement and belonging are the same things that affected them prior to Oct. 7, and those are that they need to see a reflection of themselves in leaders and other participants,” said Kravetz. “They need space to show up as their whole self, whatever that looks like for them. They need to see visible evidence of diversity and inclusion policies and practice, and that those policies will be followed, and they need to know before they enter.” 

Much of the antisemitism on college campuses is fueled by faculty and staff — both on campus and within professional academic organizations — according to a survey released on Wednesday by the Anti-Defamation League and the Academic Engagement Network. 

Seventy-three percent of the 209 Jewish faculty members polled from universities around the U.S. reported observing antisemitic activities or statements from faculty, administrators or staff on campuses, including calls to boycott Israel and doxxing campaigns. Forty-four percent said they were aware of an organized Faculty for Justice in Palestine chapter on their campus.

“My chair is pro-Hamas (explicitly so) and has turned our department into an encampment, full of ‘river to the sea’ slogans and propaganda,” an anonymous faculty member shared in the survey. “When I and a few other Jewish faculty objected, the chair organized about 50 people to verbally attack us, including one who told me that we had all the money and power. Consequently, my department is a hostile work environment, and I can no longer attend events or participate in departmental life there.”

Another wrote that they are “attacked in all directions” and “no longer feel safe on campus.”

Due to these experiences, more than one-third of all of the surveyed respondents (38%) reported having felt a need to hide their Jewish and/or Zionist identity from others on campus. Twenty-five percent of those who are members of academic associations said they feel pressure to hide their identity in those groups. 

The study comes as calls for the adoption of academic boycotts of the Jewish state have gained momentum in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks and the ensuing Israel-Hamas war, within several professional associations and among some prominent classroom professors. 

Last month, the American Association of Geographers faced pressure from its members to adopt a boycott of Israel, and shortly after, the head of the American Association of University Professors said that the United States should not send defensive weapons to Israel amid its war against Hamas, which he called a genocide in Gaza. 

“What we’re seeing is a betrayal of the fundamental principles of academic freedom and collegiality. Jewish faculty are being forced to hide their identities, excluded from professional opportunities, and told by their own colleagues what constitutes antisemitism — even as they experience it firsthand. This hostile environment is driving talented educators and researchers  away from careers they’ve dedicated their lives to building,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement about the survey.  

“Colleges and universities are meant to be open, safe learning environments where faculty and students alike feel comfortable sharing ideas and having open discourse,” said Miriam Elman, AEN’s executive director. “It’s disturbing, but perhaps unsurprising, that Jewish and Zionist faculty on campuses across the country are experiencing antisemitic hostility and retaliation for their beliefs.” 

“What’s even more alarming,” Elman continued, “is that much of this animosity is driven by the faculty and staff themselves, creating an unsafe work environment for their colleagues and an unwelcoming learning environment for their students. Administrators must address these issues head-on and take meaningful action to protect the flow of free ideas and open inquiry on their campuses, or their institutions will suffer for generations to come.”