https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-s-spring-2026-poll-press-release <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> U.S. JEWS VOTING DEM IN CONGRESS MIDTERMS </strong> </p> <p> <strong> YET QUESTION WHAT PARTY STANDS FOR, ESP. ON ISRAEL </strong> </p> <p> <strong>   </strong> </p> <p> <strong> JEWISH R </strong> <span> ’ </span> <strong> s MOST ID </strong> <span> ’ </span> <strong> d AS PRO-ISRAEL, NEW POLL SHOWS </strong> </p> <p> <strong>   </strong> </p> <p> <strong> United in Support of Israel </strong> <span> ’ </span> <strong> s Right to Exist as Jewish Homeland </strong> </p> <p> <strong> But Mixed Concepts of Zionism </strong> </p> <p> <strong>   </strong> </p> <p> <span> Jews see too much Israel criticism playing into antisemitism </span> </p> <p> <span> While most Jews feel too many Israel supporters use antisemitism claims </span> </p> <p> <span> to avoid legitimate policy debate </span> </p> <p> <strong>   </strong> </p> <p> <strong> WASHINGTON </strong> <span> <span> – The latest Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) poll shows American Jews are voting heavily Democratic in the midterm election for Congress. At the same time, Jews have questions about what the Democratic Party stands for, particularly on Israel. Jewish Republicans, on the other hand, are most identified as being pro-Israel, which is also one of their biggest image advantages over Democrats. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> Meanwhile, amid debates in the Jewish community over Israel, war in Iran and election politics, American Jews are united in support of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and homeland for the Jewish people. However, there are mixed signals over the concept of Zionism, with the majority seeing Zionism favorably, but only a third calling themselves Zionists. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> There is also concern about how antisemitism is becoming a part of the increasingly heated discussions over U.S.-Israel issues, by both sides. A large majority of U.S. Jews see too many critics of Israel using language about Jews that play into antisemitism, whether intended or not. At the same time, a majority of Jews feel too many supporters of Israel use claims of antisemitism to avoid legitimate debate over policy. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> These analyses are based on the final release of the findings of a national survey of 800 Jewish registered voters, with an oversample to yield 600 Jewish women. The survey was conducted for JEI by The Mellman Group using a high-quality online national panel from March 13-23, 2026. The margin of error for the sample as a whole is +/- 3.5% at the 95% level of confidence (higher for subgroups). </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> Previous JEI </span> </span> <a href="mailto:https%3A//www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/u-s-jews-identify-as-both-pro-israel-critical-of-its-govt" target="_blank"> analyses </a> <span> <span> and </span> </span> <a href="mailto:https%3A//www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/american-jews-expect-to-discuss-iran-war-antisemitism-at-passover-seder-tables-among-four-new-questions-poll-says" target="_blank"> releases </a> <span> <span> centered on U.S. Jews’ pro-Israel identity and their criticism of the government, support for pro-Israel spending in the primaries and the popularity of AIPAC, DMFI and J Street. Also, on what American Jews would likely discuss at the Passover seder tables. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screenshot+2026-04-14+141412.jpg" alt=""/> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> The Democratic Lead In The Jewish Vote Is More Than In The Last Two Trump Presidential Races, But Not Yet Up To The Midterm Margin During The First Trump Administration </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> <span> National polls have been showing Democrats opening large leads in the generic vote heading into the November midterm elections. This first poll on the Jewish vote for the midterms shows Democrats getting 74% of the Jewish vote, compared to 22% for Republicans, and 4% undecided among likely voters. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span>  </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> This is a shift from the last two Presidential elections where Republicans, with Trump at the top of the ticket, made slight gains among Jewish voters, closing the margin to -44 points in 2020 and -42 in 2024. But it is still not up to the level of the 2018 midterm results in the first Trump administration, when exit polls showed Jews voting Democratic for Congress by a 64-point margin (82%-18%). The margin in 2018 was the largest in decades, second only to the 2006 midterms when Democrats won the Jewish vote in the midterms of President George W. Bush’s second term by 76 points during the Iraq war. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screenshot+2026-04-14+142846.jpg" alt=""/> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> Nearly All Jews Believe In Israel </strong> <span> ’ </span> <strong> s Right To Exist As The Jewish Homeland </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Despite these somewhat mixed signals on zionism, 87% of American Jews say they believe in Israel’s right to exist as the Jewish homeland, including 80% feeling strongly. Only 6% do not. This broad and intense support extends across demographics including Democratic (84%, 75% strongly), Reform (87%, 80% strongly) and Non-denominational Jews (83%, 73% strongly). Even among the younger Jews 72% believe in this, 63% strongly. Among those who say they are not Zionists, 76% believe in the Jewish state’s right to exist, 68% strongly. </span> </p> <p> <span> <span>  </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> Some of this points to different interpretations, even contradictions, on how Zionism is defined or understood. It also raises questions about whether the word itself is becoming stigmatized, even if views on Israel’s right to exist are unchanged. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Picture1.1.1.png" alt=""/> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> Most Jews See Zionism Favorably, But Only A Third Call Themselves Zionists. </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Most Jews (55%) have a favorable view of Zionism, with 26% unfavorable, and 17% not sure. Favorability for Zionism is higher among Republican Jews (74% favorable), Conservative Jews (67%), Orthodox (65%), as well as those with the strongest sense of Jewish identity (66%) and connection to Israel (85%). There are more mixed results among Democrats, 47% of whom are favorable, with 32% unfavorable and 19% unsure; and younger Jews (52% favorable, 34% unfavorable, 14% not sure). </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> While the majority are favorable towards Zionists, just over a third (34%) consider themselves one. Nearly half (48%) say they are not Zionists, including 27% who feel that way strongly. Another 17% are not sure. Those most likely to call themselves Zionists include Orthodox Jews (58%), those who say being Jewish is very important to them (47%), Republicans (45%), and Conservative Jews (41%). Those more likely to say they are not Zionists include Democrats (Yes 30%, No 52%), Reform Jews (29%, 52%) and those without a denomination (28%, 52%). Over a third of younger (36%) and middle-aged (38%) Jews call themselves Zionists, slightly more than older Jews (30%), but a 52% majority of younger Jews say they do not. This also higher than those middle-aged (45%) or seniors (48%). </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> <span>  </span> </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screenshot+2026-04-14+143104.jpg" alt=""/> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> Majorities of Jews See Antisemitism Becoming Too Much A Part of The Debate Over Israel, From Both Sides. </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> There is broad concern about antisemitism in discourse surrounding Israel. An overwhelming (83%) believe critics of Israel use tropes about Jews that play into antisemitism, whether intentionally or not. This concern is shared by over 80% of demographics including party, gender, age, and denomination. There are some differences in intensity, with 62% of Republicans agreeing strongly, compared to 55% of Democrats; or 65% of seniors feeling strongly, compared to 48% of younger Jews. But clearly there is broad agreement on this. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> At the same time there is also a majority, albeit a smaller 55% majority, who believe that even supporters of Israel are also contributing to the problem by using accusations of antisemitism to deflect legitimate criticism of Israeli policy. Democrats are more likely to say this (59%), than Republicans, but even 47% of Republicans share this concern. The majority here holds across both gender and age. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Clearly the use of language, rhetoric and context around antisemitism as well as Zionism are having an impact on the debates over US-Israel issues and bear watching in future research. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> Jewish Women Are More Democratic, Fueling The Midterm Margin </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> The partisan divide is even bigger among women. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of Jewish women identify as Democrats, including 50% who are strong Democrats, and 24% who identify as Democratic Socialists. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Likely Jewish women voters are supporting the Democrats in the generic vote: 78% </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> <span> Democratic, 19% Republican, and only 3% undecided. The Democratic vote margin increases significantly with age among Jewish women. Women ages 18-29 vote +46 Democratic, rising to +60 among those 40–59 and +58 among those 60 and older. These margins exceed those of the overall Jewish electorate, where voters ages 40–59 and 60+ both register a +48 Democratic advantage. The strength of Jewish identity also follows a consistent pattern. Among women who place lower importance on being Jewish, the Democratic advantage is +74, compared to +61 among the overall electorate. Among those who place higher importance on being Jewish, Jewish women still lean more Democratic than the overall electorate, at +41 versus +36. </span> </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> <span> Jewish women are also more likely to disapprove of Trump’s job performance and the current U.S military action against Iran. They are four points more likely than the overall electorate to disapprove of Trump’s job performance (77% vs. 73%) and the U.S. military action in Iran (59% vs. 55%). </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span>  </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> These findings underscore that Jewish women are not only more Democratic across key demographic and attitudinal dimensions but are also more likely to hold views that reinforce Democratic alignment, helping to fuel the party’s broader electoral advantage. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/SPRING.+PART+I+POLL.jpeg" alt=""/> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> Despite The Vote, Jews Have Questions On What The Democratic Party Stands For Today </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> The Jewish electorate continues to be decidedly Democratic, with 69% identifying as Democrats, 24% as Republicans, and only 7% as independents not leaning toward one party or the other. Republican Jews have a more favorable view of their party than Democratic Jews do of theirs. Nearly all Republican Jews (88%) see their party favorably, including 40% very favorably; and only 11% unfavorable. Among Democratic Jews, just over three-quarters (78%) are favorable, and only a third (32%) is very favorable, with nearly one in five (19%) feeling unfavorable about their party. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Jewish voters also have more questions about what Democrats stand for today than Republicans. Among Jews voting Republican in the midterms, 87% said they understand what the Republican party stands for today, with 36% saying they understand very well, compared to only 13% who said they did not know or were unsure. Among Jews voting Democratic in the midterms, only 71% had a good understanding of what the party stands for, compared to 29% either not understanding or unsure. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Even with Democratic Jews having questions about their own party, there is more clarity and unity about how they see the GOP. Nearly all Jewish Democrats (94%) have an unfavorable view of the Republican Party, including 80% very unfavorable. This reverse partisanship is also seen among Republican Jews, but at slightly lower levels, with 84% having an unfavorable view of the Democratic party, 59% very unfavorable, and 12% with a favorable view. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> American Jews’ perceptions of the two parties largely favor Democrats, reflecting the large disparity in party identification. Jews identify Democrats most with abortion rights, healthcare, working to ensure fair elections, and fighting for the middle class. These are also traits where Democrats have their biggest advantage over Republicans. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> But Republicans now have an advantage over Democrats in being identified as pro-Israel and preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The two biggest changes in perceptions of the parties since the JEI poll of Jews during the last Trump midterm in 2018 are on Iran and Israel. With the Trump Administration now conducting a war against Iran, there is a 29-point increase in Republicans on stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> The next biggest change since 2018 is the 22-point drop in perceptions of the Democratic Party as being pro-Israel. In fact, being pro-Israel and fighting antisemitism are two of the least descriptive phrases about Democrats, along with “strong” and “gets things done”. Even among Jewish Democrats, those same four items (pro-Israel, antisemitism, strong, and gets things done) are the least descriptive of the party. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> In contrast, the strongest perceptions of the Republican party with the Jewish community are around being pro-Israel, which is the most descriptive item, followed by preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons, patriotic, strong, and fighting antisemitism. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> The biggest image advantage for Republicans over Democrats is that Democrats are much more likely to be seen as “too critical of Israel”. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> The Mellman Group </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Named “Pollster of the Year” three times by the American Association of Political Consultants, The Mellman Group has provided sophisticated opinion research and strategic advice to political leaders, public interest organizations, Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies for over 30 years. All told, The Mellman Group has helped win over fifty senate and gubernatorial races, and nearly one hundred House race contests. More at  </span> <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.gqh-2BaxUzlo7XKIuSly0rC9V2lpn68FG5PWobt6UrLeMqw6gmCDqQ-2FEKElj9iJSalmMGY_qpEVFE7IFA0dYep8UU22D-2BbZa5ySkP-2FMwwtYIf-2Fe-2BgDyC3R6VNWDRh0p473M0X3rh8m6h1KJ1eJC91cp5zmpzoeM-2B0hj8gYoUAHcHrrgr-2BWwIVaQ6pyvjH46nbe08kOLOtTTjKSvc-2BJZSUfg4bum6xB-2FRCdgCjdJBSrSb84B0NQYqCjwPk6AiVbKpQr2-2BrG-2F7YDzlTNCMzG2QocsGWyxkL2phViB7O3lLq-2BZeHThDNySlUeZhFeOE3MCz6bqdOmJ-2BWDD993E-2Ba2FwLFmTHZM8ZaarquXln3UMJPo6-2BIlZ7y7Wa0DJEvHz8RJ8DnS0u6KgS6CZB6Hpr8VxNFh8JETsg-3D-3D" target="_blank"> https://mellmangroup.com/ </a> <span> . </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> Jewish Electorate Institute </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> JEI is the foremost resource on Jewish voter political preferences, producing the top research, polling, and analysis critical to understanding the Jewish electorate. Chair Barbara Goldberg Goldman said, “The findings in this poll are consistent with our prior research. They underscore the critical reality that the Jewish community is not monolithic. Its concerns and interests extend well beyond Israel and the current war with Iran. At the same time, these results highlight an urgent need for greater education about Israel’s history and a clearer understanding of what Zionism actually means and how it came into being. This poll is also another reminder that the Jewish vote cannot and should not be taken for granted. Jewish voters are thoughtful and engaged.” </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> </div> Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:40:26 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-s-spring-2026-poll-press-release Press Releases thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-s-spring-2026-latest-poll <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> Jewish Voters Highly Engaged, Prioritize Domestic Issues; Strong Support for Israel and Caution on Military Action and Advocacy </strong> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> This recent March 2026 national survey finds that American Jewish adults overwhelmingly affirm Israel’s right to exist while also expressing caution about the current U.S. military escalation in Iran. Views on pro-Israel political spending, however, remain mixed. AIPAC has an overall favorable impression of 39%, DMFI 32%, and J Street 18%. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <strong> Some key findings also include the following: </strong> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <ol> <li> <span> Turnout and partisanship: Registered respondents report their very high intention to turn out for the November 2026 midterm elections. About seven in ten identify as Democrats (many strongly), roughly one in four compared to Republicans, with the remainder being made up of Independents. Democrats hold a substantial advantage in hypothetical congressional votes in respondents’ districts. </span> </li> <li> <span>  Donald Trump receives broad net disapproval, and Benjamin Netanyahu is viewed unfavorably by more respondents than favorably. </span> </li> <li> <span> <span> Israel and Zionism: There are mixed signals over the concept of Zionism, with the majority seeing Zionism favorably, but only a third calling themselves Zionists. Roughly seven in ten hold a favorable view of Israel; 87% endorse Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish homeland. Most see Zionism as Jewish self‑determination, though only a third self‑identify as Zionist. A surprisingly large number are unsure about the definition of Zionism.  </span> </span> </li> <li> <span> Foreign policy and military action: A majority of respondents oppose current U.S. military action against Iran and say the president should have sought congressional approval for strikes. Many prioritize preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons but favor clear objectives and oversight over unilateral escalation. </span> </li> <li> <span> 2026 Midterm Elections &amp; Party Affiliations: American Jews are voting heavily Democratic in the midterm election for Congress. At the same time, Jews have questions about what the Democratic Party stands for, particularly on Israel. Jewish Republicans are most identified as pro-Israel, which is one of their biggest image advantages over Democrats. </span> </li> <li> <span> Pro‑Israel advocacy and spending: Opinions are split on outside groups spending in primaries—about a third support such spending, a third oppose it, and many are undecided. Respondents are nearly evenly divided on whether aggressive outside intervention helps or harms U.S.–Israel relations. </span> </li> <li> <span> Antisemitism and public debate: A large majority say some criticism of Israel slips into antisemitic tropes, and a significant share also believes some defenders wrongly label policy criticism as antisemitism. There is also concern about how antisemitism is becoming a part of the increasingly heated discussions over U.S.-Israel issues, by both sides. A large majority of U.S. Jews see too many critics of Israel using language about Jews that plays into antisemitism, whether intended or not. At the same time, a majority of Jews feel too many supporters of Israel use claims of antisemitism to avoid legitimate debate over policy. </span> </li> <li> <span> Domestic Issues are Important: Democrats are viewed positively on healthcare, abortion rights, fair elections, and middle class advocacy, while Republicans are viewed as pro-Israel but excessively conservative and unwilling to oppose the President.    </span> </li> <li> <span>  The sample of respondents:  The current distribution of Jewish voters by party affiliation: 69% Democratic, 24% Republican, and 7% Independent. Poll respondents are mixed gender, highly educated, and religiously plural within Judaism (Reform and unaffiliated are the largest). About one‑third belong to a synagogue, but religious practice varies. </span> </li> <li> <span>  Jewish women Voters:  There are more female Democrats likely to hold reinforcing views, contributing to the party's electoral advantage, thereby fueling the midterm margin. The partisan divide is even larger among women. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of Jewish women identify as Democrats, including 50% who are strong Democrats, and 24% who identify as Democratic Socialists. Likely Jewish women voters are supporting the Democrats in the generic vote: 78% Democratic, 19% Republican, and only 3% undecided. The Democratic vote margin increases significantly with age among Jewish women. Women ages 18-29 vote +46 Democratic, rising to +60 among those 40–59 and +58 among those 60 and older. These margins exceed those of the overall Jewish electorate, where voters ages 40–59 and 60+ both register a +48 Democratic advantage. The strength of Jewish identity also follows a consistent pattern. Among women who place lower importance on being Jewish, the Democratic advantage is +74, compared to +61 among the overall electorate. Among those who place higher importance on being Jewish, Jewish women still lean more Democratic than the overall electorate, at +41 versus +36. Jewish women are also more likely to disapprove of Trump’s job performance and the current U.S. military action against Iran. They are four points more likely than the overall electorate to disapprove of Trump’s job performance (77% vs. 73%) and the U.S. military action in Iran (59% vs. 55%). </span> </li> </ol> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> Jewish voters combine strong civic engagement and a clear Democratic preference with nuanced views that favor protecting Israel while insisting on democratic oversight, strategic clarity, and careful political tactics. Well-positioned issues that resonate for candidates and organizations in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections include emphasizing support for Israel alongside respect for congressional authority, clear policy goals, and sensitive messaging on antisemitism.  </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> "This poll reinforces a simple truth that the Jewish community is not monolithic, and the Jewish vote should not be taken for granted. Their concerns extend beyond Israel and Iran. It also indicates a critical need for education about Israel's history and the meaning of Zionism. These needs have never been more urgent than they are today," said Barbara Goldberg Goldman, JEI Chair. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> These analyses are based on the final release of the findings of a national survey of 800 Jewish registered voters, with an oversample to yield 600 Jewish women. The survey was conducted for JEI by The Mellman Group using a high-quality online national panel from March 13-23, 2026. The margin of error for the sample as a whole is +/- 3.5% at the 95% level of confidence (higher for subgroups). </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> </div> Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:39:08 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-s-spring-2026-latest-poll Research thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jta-most-american-jews-oppose-aipac-spending-in-democratic-primaries-survey-finds <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <span> The survey was released one week after another conducted by the Mellman Group and commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that a majority of American Jews have “not heard much” about the role that pro-Israel lobbying groups have played in this year’s early midterm primaries. </span> </p> <p> <span> <span>  </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> The poll, which surveyed 800 registered Jewish voters March 13-23, found that just 11% of American Jews had heard a “great deal” about “the role pro-Israel groups have played in the early 2026 primaries,” while 27% said they’d heard “some” about it. </span> </p> <p> <span> Meanwhile, 62% said they’d either heard “not much,” “none at all” or that they don’t know. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> </div> Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:41:29 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jta-most-american-jews-oppose-aipac-spending-in-democratic-primaries-survey-finds News thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/politico-the-dnc-is-meeting-and-israel-is-at-the-forefront-once-again <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <span> Democrats’ internal feud over Israel is rearing its head on the party’s biggest stage — again. </span> </p> <p> <span> <span>  </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> Critics of Israel’s military actions and the pro-Israel lobby’s  </span> <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/17/aipac-illinois-primary-israel-democrats-divides-00829743" target="_blank"> interference in recent Democratic primaries </a> <span>  are setting up thorny test votes at the Democratic National Committee’s spring meeting in New Orleans on Thursday, where members will debate resolutions recognizing a Palestinian state, conditioning military aid to Israel and condemning the “growing influence” of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and other dark-money groups. </span> </p> <h3> <span> <br/> </span> </h3> </div> Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:56:35 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/politico-the-dnc-is-meeting-and-israel-is-at-the-forefront-once-again News thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/u-s-jews-identify-as-both-pro-israel-critical-of-its-govt <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                              MEDIA CONTACT:  </strong> <span> info@jewishelectorateinstitute.org </span> </p> <p> <strong> TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2026                                   </strong> <span> 202-695-0531 </span> </p> <p> <span> </span> </p> <p> <strong>   </strong> </p> <p> <strong>   </strong> </p> <p> <strong> U.S. JEWS IDENTIFY AS BOTH PRO-ISRAEL &amp; CRITICAL OF ITS GOV’T </strong> </p> <p> <strong>   </strong> </p> <p> <strong> Jewish Repub’s, Indi’s Support Pro-Israel Spending in Primaries; Dems Less So </strong> </p> <p> <strong>   </strong> </p> <p> <span> AIPAC popular among R’s, not as much among D’s; DMFI better liked by D’s </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> WASHINGTON – As the Democratic National Committee sets to convene in New Orleans this week and consider resolutions on Israel and its AIPAC lobby, a new poll for the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) finds the majority of American Jews identifies as both pro-Israel and critical of the Israeli Government. There is limited awareness of the spending by pro-Israel groups in the 2026 primaries, with only one in ten saying they have heard a great deal about it. Attitudes split on partisan lines with majorities of independent and Republican Jews supporting this spending, while a plurality of Democrats is opposed. But still, the majority of Democrats are either not sure or supportive, the poll finds. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> These are among the top findings of a survey of registered Jews nationally for the JEI by The Mellman Group, several others of which were released last week before Passover. A fuller release of all its findings will come on Friday, after the holiday ends. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Further, attitudes about AIPAC and DMFI, the pro-Israel groups spending the most in these primaries, are also split on partisan lines, with AIPAC slightly underwater among Democrats, and popular among Republicans. DMFI is less known but better liked among Democrats. J Street’s numbers are relatively even but measurably smaller. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> <span> This analysis is based on the findings of a survey of 800 registered Jewish voters nationally. The survey was conducted for JEI by The Mellman Group using a high-quality online national panel from March 13-23, 2026. The margin of error for the sample as a whole is +/-3.5% at the 95% level of confidence (higher for subgroups). </span> </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> Majority of U.S. Jews Identifies as Both Pro-Israel and Critical of Israeli Policies </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> <span> An overwhelming 86% of American Jews describe themselves as generally pro-Israel. However, fewer than one-quarter (23%) say they are both pro-Israel and supportive of Israeli policies. A 63% majority identifies as pro-Israel and critical of the Israeli government policies – split roughly equally between those who are critical of some policies (32%) and those critical of many (31%). Just a combined 14% say they are not generally pro-Israel (9%) or do not hold a view (5%). </span> </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> This trend is not dissimilar to one in the JEI poll that shows Jews are also generally patriotic towards America but also critical of some government policies, numbers for which will be released Friday. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> <span>  </span> While pro-Israel sentiment extends across party (84% of Democrats, 90% of independents, 94% of Republicans), Democrats are considerably more likely to be critical of Israeli policies (73% critical) than independents (44%) and Republicans (39%).  </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Picture1.1.png"/> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> Relatively Few are Paying Close Attention to the Pro-Israel Role in the 2026 Primaries </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Despite the media coverage of the involvement of pro-Israel groups in the recent primaries, few Jews have been following this closely. Just 38% say they have heard at least some about these efforts; and only 11% have heard a great deal. The majority (62%) say they have not heard much, including 32% who say they have heard nothing at all or are unsure. This limited awareness extends across party with similar numbers across Jewish Democrats (12% great deal, 27% some) and Republicans (10% great deal, 27% some) and slightly lower levels among independents (6% great deal, 25% some).  </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> <span> There is a bit more awareness among younger Jews, the Mellman poll for JEI finds.. Nearly half (49%) of those under 40 years old say they have heard something about the pro-Israel involvement in the 2026 primaries. Less than one-fifth (17%) say they have heard a great deal. </span> </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> Given More Information, There Are Clear Divisions Along Partisan Lines About Spending Millions to Elect The Most Pro-Israel Candidates – Though Nearly One-Third Are Unsure </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> <span> After hearing that “pro-Israel groups have spent millions of dollars against candidates in primary elections who they believe are not supportive enough of the U.S.-Israel relationship,” opinions are divided. A narrow plurality of 37% supports the involvement, with 32% opposed and 31% unsure. </span> </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> <span> The few who have already heard a great deal about the primaries are majority opposed (60%), compared to only 32% support. But the bigger difference is on partisanship. The pro-Israel spending in the primaries is supported by majorities of both Republicans (73%) and independents (50%). Democrats, on the other hand, are plurality opposed (24% support, 42% oppose), with over one-third (34%) not sure. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span>  </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> There is a slight difference by age groups. Net support is slightly higher among seniors at +10 (38% support, 28% oppose). The middle aged, 40-59 years old, are +4 (36% support, 32% oppose). And the youngest cohort, under 40 years old, is slightly lower net support at +3. But all these differences are slight, and in line with partisanship which is the bigger driver here.  </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <br/> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Picture2.png"/> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <span> <span> A Narrow Plurality Believes it More Important Than Ever to Get Involved in The Primaries, but The Plurality of Democrats Believe “Heavy Handed” Tactics Will Make Things Worse. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> A narrow plurality (39%) believes that “with increasing anti-Israel sentiment and threats to Israel, it is more important than ever for pro-Israel groups to play an active role against candidates who are not supportive enough of a strong US-Israel relationship.” Nearly as many (37%) think that “these heavy-handed efforts by pro-Israel groups in primary elections make things worse by turning voters against a strong US-Israel relationship, and they should stop”. Nearly one-quarter (24%) are unsure. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> Views again diverge based on party. A 46% plurality of Democratic Jews believes this spending will make things worse, while only 28% say it’s more important than ever to take action, and 26% are not sure. Majorities of Republicans (67%) and independents (59%) say it is more important than ever to take action. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> AIPAC’s Image is Net Favorable Overall, but Less Favorable Among Democrats; While DMFI Is Less Known, but Better Liked by Those Who Know Them </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> The two groups most involved in the pro-Israel spending are the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the Democratic Majority For Israel. Two-thirds (68%) of American Jews know enough about AIPAC to have an opinion, with 39% favorable, 29% unfavorable and 32% unsure. Again, there is a partisan divide. Republicans are majority favorable (66% favorable, 10% unfavorable); as are independents (50% favorable, 19% unfavorable). Democrats are more evenly divided and net unfavorable with 37% unfavorable, 29% favorable, 33% unsure. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> DMFI is less well known, with name ID at 48%, but those who know them are 2:1 favorable (32% favorable, 16% unfavorable). As a Democratic organization, they are best known and best liked among Democrats (34% favorable, 13% unfavorable). They are also net favorable among independents (31% favorable, 18% unfavorable) but only barely so among Republicans (25% favorable, 24% unfavorable). </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> J Street, at 18% net favorable and 19% total unfavorable is almost exactly even but much less known. Nearly have of respondents (46%) say they have never heard of them. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> As noted at the top here, this is the second release from this new JEI poll. Complete results to come Friday. </span> </span> <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/2025-poll" target="_blank"> https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/2025-poll </a> <span> <span> </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> The Democratic National Committee is scheduled to consider a resolution at a regular meeting, this week in New Orleans, that “condemns the growing influence” of AIPAC. Meanwhile, other resolutions about Israel may come up from the floor. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> The Mellman Group </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> Named “Pollster of the Year” three times by the American Association of Political Consultants, The Mellman Group has provided sophisticated opinion research and strategic advice to political leaders, public interest organizations, Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies for over 30 years. All told, The Mellman Group has helped win over fifty senate and gubernatorial races, and nearly one hundred House race contests. More at </span> </span> <a href="https://mellmangroup.com/" target="_blank"> https://mellmangroup.com/ </a> <span> <span>   </span> </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> Mellman Executive Vice President Michael Bloomfield observed, “These numbers provide some helpful context about how American Jews are thinking about US-Israel issues. Almost all of them identify as pro-Israel, but most are critical of the Israeli government. They also differ on how best to move forward the U.S.-Israel relationship. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> “This poll shows that for all the discussion about the role pro-Israel groups are taking in the primaries, there is still relatively little awareness of this for now. Given more information, the plurality of Jewish Democrats is worried these tactics could backfire. But still the majority are either unsure or believe getting involved in these primary races is more important than ever.  </span> </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> “This is a developing dynamic which bears watching as things play out in the Middle East and in the 2026 campaign here at home.” </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> Jewish Electorate Institute </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> JEI is the foremost resource on Jewish voter political preferences, producing the top research, polling, and analysis critical to understanding the Jewish electorate. Chair Barbara Goldberg Goldman said, “Our latest poll underscores a critical truth: strong support for Israel does not preclude thoughtful criticism of its government or policies. American Jewish voters draw a clear distinction between the country and its leadership—and they expect that nuance to be understood. Supporting Israel and questioning its government are not contradictions. Just as importantly, this poll is a reminder that the Jewish vote cannot and should not be taken for granted. Jewish voters are thoughtful and engaged.” </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> See </span> </span> <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/" target="_blank"> https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/ </a> <span> <span> for more. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> For more media information only, contact info@jewishelectorateinstitute.org at 202-695-0531.  </span> </p> </div> Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:48:46 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/u-s-jews-identify-as-both-pro-israel-critical-of-its-govt Press Releases main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-new-poll-donald-trumps-iran-war-unpopular-with-jewish-americans <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> A majority of Jewish Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump’s decision to wage war against Iran, according to a new national survey released Monday by the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI). </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> The poll, conducted in mid‑March among 800 registered Jewish voters, found that 55 percent disapprove of U.S. military action against Iran, while 32 percent approve, and the remainder say they are undecided or conflicted.  </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> <span>  </span> </strong> </p> <h3> <span> <br/> </span> </h3> </div> Tue, 31 Mar 2026 19:51:50 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-new-poll-donald-trumps-iran-war-unpopular-with-jewish-americans News main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-polls-shows-jewish-voters-oppose-u-s-military-action-against-iran <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> A Mellman Group pollon behalf of the Jewish Electoral Institute (JEI) found that 32% of Jewish voters back the current military action against Iran, while 55% disapprove and 13% remain undecided. Support tracked closely along partisan lines, with 83% of Republicans, 49% of independents and 13% of Democrats approving the war.  </strong> </p> <p> <strong> <span>  </span> </strong> </p> </div> Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:45:07 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-polls-shows-jewish-voters-oppose-u-s-military-action-against-iran News main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-poll-shows-majority-of-american-jews-oppose-iran-war <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> The Jewish Electorate Institute poll largely conforms with surveys of the general U.S. public, which have found that most Americans oppose the war against Iran, with sharp partisan divisions between Republicans and Democrats. </strong> </p> <p> <span> <span>  </span> </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> </div> Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:40:33 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-poll-shows-majority-of-american-jews-oppose-iran-war News main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jns-poll-suggests-majority-of-american-jews-oppose-iran-war <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <span> Most American Jews oppose the U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran, according to a poll released on Monday. </span> </p> <p> <span> The Jewish Electorate Institute found that 55% of Jewish respondents said that they opposed the war, 32% approved and 13% were undecided. </span> </p> <p> <span> <span>  </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> When asked for a more detailed breakdown of their feelings about the stated objectives of the conflict, a similar number of Jews (31%) said that they supported action against Iran, because the Islamic Republic cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, and 41% said that they were opposed, “because we should not go to war without clear provocation” and objectives. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> </div> Mon, 30 Mar 2026 18:51:16 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jns-poll-suggests-majority-of-american-jews-oppose-iran-war News thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/american-jews-expect-to-discuss-iran-war-antisemitism-at-passover-seder-tables-among-four-new-questions-poll-says <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <strong> EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE                                       CONTACT: </strong> </p> <p> <strong> Monday, March 30, 2026, 07:00 am                  info@jewishelectorateinstitute.org </strong> </p> <p> <strong>                                                                                        202-695-0531 </strong> </p> <p> <strong>   </strong> </p> <p> <strong>   </strong> </p> <p> <strong> AMERICAN JEWS EXPECT TO DISCUSS IRAN WAR, ANTISEMITISM AT PASSOVER SEDER TABLES, AMONG FOUR NEW QUESTIONS, POLL SAYS </strong> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <strong> Majority Oppose the War, One-Third Support It, Some Feel Torn </strong> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> Nearly 3/4 Say Trump Needed Congress’ Approval </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <strong> Washington, DC – </strong> <span> <span> </span> </span> <span> A new survey of American Jewish opinion, on the eve of the Passover holiday, shows the majority of American Jews expect the Iran war to be a topic at Seder this week. One-third of Jewish voters approve of the war, with a majority disapproving, and some feeling torn. Nearly three-quarters feel President Trump should have sought Congressional approval beforehand. There are also concerns about the long-term impact of the U.S. and Israel conducting this as a joint operation. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> The poll of 800 registered American Jewish voters nationally, 88% of whom say they will almost certainly or very likely vote in the November 2026 general election for Congress, were surveyed online by the Mellman Group from March 13th-23rd for the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), a nonprofit which enjoys an extensive record of survey research of the American Jewish community. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> Those polled indicated the war with Iran and antisemitism in America are the two topics most likely to come up at Seder or other Passover gatherings this week, with hate crimes in the U.S. and the topic of Gaza and the Palestinians trailing behind. </span> </span> </p> <p> <strong>   </strong> </p> <p> <strong> Most Expect the War, Antisemitism to Be Topics at Seder </strong> </p> <p> <strong>   </strong> </p> <p> <span> Asked how likely these “four questions” were to come up at Seder this week, a 60% majority said the war was very likely to be discussed, including 31% saying it was almost certain to come up. This majority extended across party, age, Jewish denomination, and strength of Jewish identification. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> A slightly smaller 56% majority feels it is very likely that antisemitism in the U.S. will also be such a frequent topic of Passover discussion this year, while hate crimes in the U.S. (at 43%) and the issue of Gaza and the Palestinians (at 40%) lag among the four questions. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> The survey was conducted using a high-quality online national panel from March 13th-23rd, 2026. The margin of error for the sample as a whole is +/-3.5% at the 95% level of confidence (higher for subgroups). It was part of a larger poll, the results of which JEI will be releasing in the coming weeks. </span> </p> <p> <strong>   </strong> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Picture1-4d7d72c1.png" alt=""/> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> A Majority Disapproves of Military Action Against Iran, with Some Torn </strong> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> A 55% majority disapproves of the U.S. action against Iran, compared to 32% who approve. Feelings are intense, with nearly 49% disapproving strongly, and 26% approving strongly. There is a clear partisan divide, with 74% of Jewish Democrats disapproving and 83% of Republicans approving. There is also a split by denomination – with 83% of Orthodox approving, while a plurality of Conservative movement Jews disapproves (48%) and majority disapproval among Reform (67%) and self-described non-denominational (56%) Jews. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> Jewish men are more supportive of the war than women. Women disapprove by a more than 2:1 majority (26% approve, 59% disapprove), while it is a closer split among men (40% approve, 49% disapprove). Given three choices, nearly one-third (31%) say they “support the war because we cannot allow a nuclear equipped Iran.” On the other end of the spectrum, 41% say they are “opposed because we should not go to war without clear provocation and clear objectives.” And nearly one-in-four American Jews (23%) say that they are “torn because while Iran is a threat to peace, this is not the way to handle it”. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> Among Jewish Democrats, 28% feel torn. Among all those who disapprove of the war, 24% said they feel torn. And, among the 14% who weren’t sure on the initial approval/disapproval question, over half of them (53%) say they feel torn. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <strong> A Larger 3:1 Majority Believe Trump Should Have Sought Congressional Approval </strong> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> Nearly three-quarters (73%) say President Trump should have sought Congressional approval before launching military strikes on Iran, compared to only 22% who believe he was right to act without Congress. And even among those supporting the war, 29% believe Trump should have gone to Congress, including 22% of Republicans and 30% of the Orthodox. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <strong> A Majority is Worried that Conducting the War Jointly with Israel Could be a Long-Term Problem Prompting Concerns About the Role of Jews in U.S. Foreign Policy </strong> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> Nearly one-third (32%) believes joint operations are a “good thing because it will be a more effective operation and more likely to accomplish shared goals.” But 54% believe that joint operations are “bad because it will be a long-term problem prompting concerns about the role of Israel and American Jews in U.S. foreign policy.” This concern is highest among Democrats (70%) and those against the war (83%). </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> Supporters of the war are also more positive about joint operations, with overwhelming </span> </p> <p> <span> majorities seeing it as good (81%) rather than bad (12%). But there is still some concern even among Republican Jews (79% good, 15% bad) and Orthodox Jews (74% good, 21% bad). </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> As noted near the top here, this is the first release from this new poll. More to come soon. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> Named “Pollster of the Year” three times by the American Association of Political Consultants, The Mellman Group has provided sophisticated opinion research and strategic advice to political leaders, public interest organizations, Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies for over 30 years. All told, The Mellman Group has helped win over fifty senate and gubernatorial races, and nearly one hundred House race contests. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> Mellman Executive Vice President Michael Bloomfield observed, “These results are a reminder that American Jews are not monolithic. There can be difference, and in this case strongly held on both sides, with a middle group torn between mixed feelings. In today’s political environment, partisanship is a very strong driver of views. That is true across the country across demographics, including American Jews.” </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> JEI is the foremost resource on Jewish voter political preferences, producing the top research, polling, and analysis critical to understanding the Jewish electorate. Chair Barbara Goldberg Goldman said, “American Jews are deeply concerned by the direction of our Country, the latest JEI poll says. The exponential and ongoing rise in violent antisemitism and hate crimes now occurring during an unpopular war is causing Jewish Americans to feel less safe. As we approach the 250th anniversary of American democracy, the Jewish electorate, while just 2-3% overall, is already highly engaged and will continue to punch above its weight. Their vote should not be ignored.” </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> See </span> </span> <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/" target="_blank"> https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/ </a> <span> <span> for more. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> For more media information, contact </span> </span> <a href="mailto:info@jewishelectorateinstitute.org"> info@jewishelectorateinstitute.org </a> <span> <span> at 202-695-0531. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> -30- </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> </div> Mon, 30 Mar 2026 14:12:04 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/american-jews-expect-to-discuss-iran-war-antisemitism-at-passover-seder-tables-among-four-new-questions-poll-says Press Releases main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/statement-from-the-jewish-electorate-institute-on-the-antisemitic-cold-blooded-murders-in-sydney-australia <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE </strong> </p> <p> <span> December 15, 2025 </span> </p> <p> <span> Media Contact: </span> </p> <p> <span> Steve Rabinowitz </span> </p> <p> <span> press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <strong> Jewish Electorate Institute Statement on Antisemitic Murders in Sydney, Australia </strong> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> Washington, D.C. - The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) mourns the victims, stands in solidarity with the Jewish community in Australia, and reaffirms our commitment to confronting antisemitism wherever it appears—through education, accountability, and collective moral clarity. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> JEI condemns in the strongest possible terms the antisemitic violence that led to the murders at Bondi Beach in Sydney. This horrific act is not only an attack on innocent lives, but an assault on the values of human dignity, pluralism, and safety that democratic societies depend upon. We remain committed to advancing civic engagement, democratic values, and accountability to ensure that antisemitism—wherever it emerges—is confronted early, forcefully, and without political qualification. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> Antisemitism—whether expressed through rhetoric, intimidation, or violence—has no place in civil society. When hatred is allowed to fester unchecked, it endangers not only Jewish communities but the broader social fabric that protects all minorities. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> As a nonpartisan organization committed to civic engagement and democratic norms, JEI calls on leaders, institutions, and communities across the political spectrum to speak out clearly and consistently against antisemitism and all forms of hate, and to take meaningful action to prevent violence before it occurs. Make our voices heard by urging elected officials, civic leaders, educators, faith communities, and civil society organizations to act with clarity and resolve. Condemn antisemitism unequivocally. Invest in education that confronts hatred and misinformation and strengthens protections for vulnerable communities. Reject the normalization of rhetoric that dehumanizes or incites violence. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> Silence and ambiguity enable hate to grow. Collective, principled action can stop it. We must take action now!  </span> </p> <h3> <span> <br/> </span> </h3> </div> Mon, 15 Dec 2025 14:37:54 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/statement-from-the-jewish-electorate-institute-on-the-antisemitic-cold-blooded-murders-in-sydney-australia Press Releases main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-supports-jcrc-of-greater-washington-and-executive-director <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE </strong> </p> <p> <span> December 5, 2025 </span> </p> <p> <span> Media Contact: </span> </p> <p> <span> Steve Rabinowitz </span> </p> <p> <span> Bluelight Strategies </span> </p> <p> <span> steve@bluelightstrategies.com </span> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> JEI Supports JCRC of Greater Washington and Executive Director </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Washington, D.C. - The Jewish Electorate Institute is deeply disappointed by the recent controversial remarks directed specifically at the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington (JCRC) and its Executive Director.  </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> The JCRC remains one of the region’s most respected and effective advocates for the Jewish community, a distinction made possible through the steadfast, strategic, and principled leadership of its Executive Director Ron Halber and Board of Directors. We stand firmly in support of their critical work and the integrity with which it they serve our community. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> The JCRC has championed vital advocacy on issues of security, education, antisemitism, social justice, and the U.S.–Israel relationship, all while fostering meaningful partnerships across government, faith communities, and civic institutions. With steady hands, strategic vision, and unwavering moral clarity they have strengthened the organization’s impact and ensured that the values and concerns of the Jewish community are heard at the highest levels. The JCRC’s accomplishments—rooted in thoughtful engagement, coalition-building, and tireless dedication—stand as a testament to Ron Halber’s and his board’s outstanding stewardship and the organization’s indispensable role in our region. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> </div> Fri, 05 Dec 2025 20:29:36 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-supports-jcrc-of-greater-washington-and-executive-director Press Releases main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-s-voice-in-national-policy-conversation <div data-rss-type="text"> <h2> <span> <span> JEI's work continues to be noted in national-level debates, and is proud to continue to be recognized in national media, including </span> </span> <span> The New York Times </span> <span> <span> this month. Our grassroots work is resonating in national-level policy conversations. As policy debates evolve, JEI remains committed to fostering informed civic engagement, interfaith dialogue, and community mobilization. </span> </span> </h2> <p> <span> "...Mr. Goldman and Mr. Espaillat also represent districts with substantial Jewish populations, according to  </span> <a href="https://www.jewishdatabank.org/databank/search-results/study/1245" target="_blank"> <strong> research by the Jewish Electorate Institute </strong> </a> <span> . (Mr. Goldman’s district also includes large pockets of immigrant Muslim voters from Bangladesh and other countries.)" </span> </p> <p> <span> Continue to the article </span> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/nyregion/israel-congress-mamdani-challengers.html" target="_blank"> <strong> here </strong> </a> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <h3> <span> <br/> </span> </h3> </div> Mon, 01 Dec 2025 18:30:11 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-s-voice-in-national-policy-conversation News thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-statement-on-young-republican-telegram-chat-messages <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE </strong> </p> <p> <span> October 16, 2025 </span> </p> <p> <span> Media Contact: </span> </p> <p> <span> Steve Rabinowitz </span> </p> <p> <span> Bluelight Strategies </span> </p> <p> <span> steve@bluelightstrategies.com </span> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> JEI Statement on Young Republican Telegram Chat Messages </strong> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> Washington, D.C. — The Jewish Electorate Institute, the non-partisan political elections analyst, condemns in the strongest terms the hateful, racist, antisemitic, and misogynistic messages exposed in a leaked Telegram chat among leaders of Young Republican groups across the country, as reported in the media over the past several days. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> These messages that celebrate violence, invoke imagery of gas chambers, employ racial and gender slurs, and glorify brutality are beyond grotesque. That they emerged in a space used by GOP-affiliated youth leaders underscores the alarming normalization of extremism and dehumanization within parts of the conservative movement. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> JEI is also deeply troubled by the lackluster response on the part of some elected officials. To deflect and attack a candidate from the opposing political party, instead of condemning the hateful rhetoric, directly plays a dangerous game of whataboutism, thereby minimizing the gravity of these revelations. It signals that distraction rather than confronting racism, antisemitism, and misogyny within their ranks is an easier path than assuming </span> </p> <p> <span> responsibility. Leadership requires moral clarity, not partisan deflection. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> The White House, Senate, and House leadership of both political parties must forcefully repudiate this conduct, sever ties with those involved, and make clear that bigotry, misogyny, and incitement to violence have no place in American political life, let alone in America. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> The Jewish Electorate Institute stands with the communities targeted in these vile messages, and with all Americans who expect their leaders to meet hate with courage, not cowardice. Silence in the face of bigotry is complicity. </span> </p> </div> Thu, 16 Oct 2025 14:45:56 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-statement-on-young-republican-telegram-chat-messages News,Press Releases main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-joins-communities-across-the-world-in-heartfelt-gratitude-as-hostages-return-home-from-gaza <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE </strong> </p> <p> <span> October 13, 2025 </span> </p> <p> <span> Media Contact: </span> </p> <p> <span> Steve Rabinowitz </span> </p> <p> <span> Bluelight Strategies </span> </p> <p> <span> steve@bluelightstrategies.com </span> </p> <p> <span> <span>  </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <h3> <span> JEI joins communities across the world in heartfelt gratitude as hostages return home from Gaza. </span> </h3> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <span> <span>   </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> Washington, D.C. - Two years after the tragedy of October 7, this moment brings both relief and reflection. We honor the lives lost, the bravery of those who fought to defend Israel, and the resilience of families who endured unimaginable pain.  </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> Throughout this long and painful period, the Jewish people have stood together — united by shared purpose, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and the sanctity of life. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> We are grateful to President Trump and his administration for their leadership in helping to facilitate this agreement and to the United States for its steadfast partnership with Israel. We also acknowledge the groundwork laid by Secretary Antony Blinken and others in the Biden Administration that contributed to this outcome. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> As we look ahead, we do so with determination and clarity of purpose. It remains critical that all bodies and remains of those hostages who perished be returned and soon, that Israel maintain the means to defend itself, that Hamas be fully disarmed, and that future negotiations be grounded in accountability, transparency, and security for all civilians. </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <span> While significant challenges remain, this moment of reunion and renewal offers an opportunity to strengthen regional stability and advance a future of security and cooperation for Israelis and Palestinians alike. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span>   </span> </p> </div> Mon, 13 Oct 2025 17:28:13 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-joins-communities-across-the-world-in-heartfelt-gratitude-as-hostages-return-home-from-gaza News,Press Releases thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-voices-hope-as-israel-and-hamas-move-forward-with-peace-framework <div data-rss-type="text"> <h1> <span> JEI Voices Hope as Israel and Hamas Move Forward with Peace Framework </span> </h1> <h3> <span> <br/> </span> </h3> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <h3> <span> Washington, DC —  “We are watching with great hope and cautious optimism as Israel and Hamas move forward with an agreement that envisions the return of all Gaza hostages and lays the groundwork for a new chapter in the region.  </span> </h3> <h3> <span> <span>  </span> </span> </h3> <h3> <span>  “This moment could mark the beginning of the end, a turning point toward a more stable and secure future for Israelis and Palestinians alike. We anxiously await the results of this agreement with hope that it brings relief to families, accountability for violence, and a path toward lasting peace.” </span> </h3> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> </div> Thu, 09 Oct 2025 19:47:48 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-voices-hope-as-israel-and-hamas-move-forward-with-peace-framework News,Press Releases thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-denounces-deeply-concerning-comments-by-va-house-education-chair <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/banner-3ba951c1.png" alt="Faces"/> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <span> August 8,2025 </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: </span> </p> <p> <span> Contact: Steve Rabinowitz </span> </p> <p> <span> Email: steve@bluelightstrategies.com </span> </p> <p> <span> Phone:202-265-3000 </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> JEI Denounces Deeply Concerning Comments by VA House Education Chair </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Washington, DC — The Jewish Electorate Institute denounces the deeply concerning statements by Virginia Delegate Sam Rasoul (D-Roanoke), who also serves as the appointed Chair of the Education Committee in the Virginia House of Delegates, and who labeled Zionism “evil” and a “supremacist ideology.” Zionism represents the Jewish people’s fundamental right to self-determination in our ancestral homeland—framed within the context of democratic legitimacy and moral clarity. This mischaracterization undermines Jewish identity and distorts a core democratic value. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> As a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to understanding and empowering the American Jewish electorate through research, polling, and civic engagement, we urge Virginia’s leadership to reaffirm standards of responsible public service and to reject rhetoric that fuels division. Political discussion should challenge policies, not legitimate identity or core values. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> ### </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> <span>  </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> ABOUT THE JEWISH ELECTORATE INSTITUTE (JEI) </span> </p> <p> <span> JEI is an independent, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization that surveys, interprets, reports, and educates policymakers and the public about the perspectives, voting behaviors, and motivations of the American Jewish electorate. JEI undertakes all its work and reports its findings without bias or favor concerning any political group or particular ideology. Through its polling, studies, seminars, focus groups, and educational programming, JEI is the leading non-partisan voice explaining the positions and voting behaviors of the American Jewish electorate. </span> </p> </div> Fri, 08 Aug 2025 18:52:28 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-denounces-deeply-concerning-comments-by-va-house-education-chair News,Press Releases https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/antisemitism-is-a-warning-sign-are-we-listening <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <span> In the nearly two years since Hamas’s brutal Oct. 7 attack on Israel, American Jews have watched a disturbing rise in antisemitism take place across America — and crucially, among some of our longtime allies. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> For decades, Jewish Americans stood at the forefront of progressive causes, marching for civil rights, fighting for reproductive freedom and advocating for immigrants and the marginalized. My Jewish faith is what first drove me to public service. The Jewish concept of tikkun olam — our responsibility to repair the world — is not just a religious tenet but a moral call to action. It’s why we’ve always shown up to defend others.  </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Yet now, as antisemitism surges to record levels, many progressive organizations and leaders who once stood with us have gone quiet; or worse, turned their backs entirely. </span> <span>   </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> It’s no longer just about Israeli policy. The line between anti-Zionism and antisemitism has been crossed so many times it’s barely a line at all. “Zionist” has become a stand-in for “Jew,” and the message is clear: Unless you disavow the world’s only Jewish state, your place in many progressive spaces is no longer welcome.  </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> The picture is sobering. There have been calls to ban “Zionists” from Pride events. Many women’s groups have shrugged at Hamas’ rape of Israeli women. And the Democratic nominee for mayor of America’s most populous city has a pattern of antisemitic rhetoric and has refused to condemn the hurtful call to “globalize the intifada,” a rallying cry that has been used to incite violence against Jews. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> This didn’t happen overnight, but the silence from many who claim to fight for justice has been deafening and deeply painful. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> I know what it feels like to be targeted for who you are. In January 2020, shortly after I became the first woman and the first Jewish Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, the FBI uncovered a plot to assassinate me. Two members of a neo-Nazi domestic terrorist group had targeted me. It was the most serious of many threats I received during my time as Speaker. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Thankfully, law enforcement intervened in time. But the threat was real, and it reminded me that hatred knows no single party or ideology. We’ve long seen this kind of extremist hate on the right, but today that same danger is rising on both extremes of the ideological spectrum. Antisemitism spreads under different names but with the same devastating consequences. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Now, with the recent war between Israel and Iran, we’re likely to see a fresh wave of anti-Zionism and antisemitism. It is already giving rise to a new round of dangerous conspiracy theories laced with antisemitic tropes: accusing American Jews of dual loyalty; suggesting we control foreign policy; and portraying Jewish political engagement as part of a shadowy cabal influencing Washington. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> This is a moment of moral testing. Will our leaders speak clearly and forcefully against antisemitism, even when it’s politically inconvenient? Will those who champion diversity and inclusion apply those values to Jews as well? And will we be honest about how bad actors have exploited division, stoked extremism and enabled those who traffic in hate? </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Just as many Americans oppose President Donald Trump’s leadership while still loving this country and believing in its promise, the same is true for Israel. You can criticize or reject Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government and still support Israel’s right to exist, to defend itself and to thrive as a Jewish and democratic state. That distinction matters. Criticizing a government is not the same as condemning a people; but when it comes to Israel, that line is too often deliberately blurred. We must be able to hold leaders accountable without fueling hatred or questioning a nation’s fundamental legitimacy. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Antisemitism is not merely a problem faced by Jews — it is a bellwether for the health of our democracy. When a society tolerates hatred against one group, it gives license to hate others. When threats against public servants go unchallenged, violence becomes normalized. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> I was reminded of that tragic reality when my friend and former counterpart, former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, was executed in her home along with her husband, Mark. Authorities say her killer was a politically motivated extremist who had compiled a list of Democratic lawmakers. Melissa was a principled leader and a friend. Her death was a heartbreaking loss and a flashing red warning sign for the tolerance of hate in our democracy.  </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> We cannot afford to treat this moment as normal. It is time for our allies to rejoin us. To speak up when we are threatened. To see antisemitism for what it is: a growing, dangerous force that must be confronted head-on.  </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Because if we wait until it affects everyone, it will already be too late. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> Eileen Filler Corn is a JEI Board Member and Former Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, and the only ever Jewish speaker in VA  </strong> </p> </div> Thu, 03 Jul 2025 19:10:03 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/antisemitism-is-a-warning-sign-are-we-listening News thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/letter-to-house-judiciary-committee-on-anti-semitism <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> July 1, 2025 </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> <span> U.S. House Committee On The Judiciary </span> </strong> </p> <p> <strong> <span> 2142 Rayburn House Office Building </span> </strong> </p> <p> <strong> <span> Washington, DC 20515 </span> </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> Now in our ninth year, the nationally and internationally recognized Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization, continues to serve as the barometer for the Jewish electorate. We are therefore </strong> </p> <p> <strong> honored to submit the following Comments for the Record to the U.S. House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee in support of its June 24, 2025, hearing on antisemitism - Rising Threat: America’s Battle Against Antisemitic Terror. This </strong> </p> <p> <strong> hearing, punctuated by the moving testimony of Matt Nosanchuk, reminded us that Jewish safety in America is not a political football - it is a national imperative. </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> Nosanchuk, a former senior official in both the Obama and Biden Administrations and a lifelong advocate against antisemitism, laid bare the stark realities we face. The murder of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, who were attending a Jewish community event just blocks from his home, brought the crisis home - literally and painfully. It also underscored a chilling truth: this could have been any one of us. Antisemitism today does not discriminate based on geography, profession, or even political identity. Nosanchuk rightly challenged both ends of the political spectrum. </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> From the right, we've seen rising indulgence of white nationalist rhetoric, normalization of Nazi imagery, and an embrace of conspiracy theorists. When antisemitism is tolerated—or worse, weaponized—by public officials and influential institutions, it emboldens violence and undermines the rule of law. The example of the pardoning of the person wearing a “Camp Auschwitz” shirt at the riot on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, was not just shocking to the Jewish community – it was symptomatic of a deeper, corrosive tolerance for hate. </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> From the left, antisemitism also too often masquerades as political critique. When Jews are asked to renounce their ties to Israel to participate in coalitions, or when pro-Palestinian activism turns violent against Jews, with intimidating targeted rhetoric and violence, that’s not solidarity – it’s exclusion and scapegoating. Our Jewish identity should never be a precondition for political participation. </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> What we need is not partisan grandstanding, but comprehensive action. That includes implementing the Biden Administration’s well-thought-out National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, restoring funding for civil rights enforcement at the Justice Department, and condemning hate, regardless of its ideological source. Nosanchuk’s call for education, prevention, and cross-community solidarity is exactly right. </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> In closing, it’s our view at JEI that using antisemitism as cover for draconian immigration or university policies erodes the democratic institutions that have allowed Jewish life to flourish. Fighting hate must not become an excuse to violate civil </strong> </p> <p> <strong> liberties - ours or anyone else’s. Our safety as Jews has always been linked to the safety of others. In this perilous moment, we must demand more than soundbites. We must demand seriousness, solidarity, and above all, solutions. </strong> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> We are grateful to the Committee for having held this vital hearing at a perilous moment for American Jews. </strong> </p> <p> <strong> <span> <br/> </span> </strong> </p> <p> <strong> <span> Sincerely, </span> </strong> </p> <p> <strong> <br/> </strong> </p> <p> <strong> Barbara Goldberg Goldman </strong> </p> <p> <strong> Chairperson </strong> </p> <p> <strong> The Jewish Electorate Institute </strong> </p> </div> Tue, 01 Jul 2025 13:55:35 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/letter-to-house-judiciary-committee-on-anti-semitism Activities,News thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-statement-on-escalation-and-support-on-israel-security Washington, DC — As hostilities between Israel and Iran intensify, the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), a nonpartisan political nonprofit, is calling on Congress to take all necessary measures to support Israel’s security, halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and help bring the hostages home. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE </strong> </p> <h3> <span> June 18, 2025 </span> </h3> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <span> Media Contact: </span> </p> <p> <span> Steve Rabinowitz </span> </p> <p> <span> Bluelight Strategies </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> steve@bluelightstrategies.com </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <strong> Jewish Electorate Institute Urges Congressional Action as Israel-Iran Hostilities Escalate </strong> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> Washington, DC — As hostilities between Israel and Iran intensify, the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), a nonpartisan political nonprofit, is calling on Congress to take all necessary measures to support Israel’s security, halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and help bring the hostages home. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> In a formal statement delivered to Congressional leaders, JEI emphasized that “October 7th marked the deadliest assault on Jews since the Holocaust — a turning point for regional stability.” With Iran’s nuclear program approaching the threshold of weaponization, JEI warned that the threat to Israel’s survival is no longer hypothetical, but imminent. </span> </p> <p> <span> JEI reiterated its strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself against existential threats and called for the immediate, unconditional return of all hostages held in Gaza. Their continued captivity, the group stated, is “a moral and humanitarian crisis.” </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> “At this pivotal moment, the United States must stand resolutely with its democratic ally,” the statement reads. JEI urged Congress to reaffirm bipartisan support for Israel’s safety, confront Iran’s destabilizing actions, and strengthen U.S. leadership in advancing peace and security throughout the region. </span> </p> <p> <span> <span>  </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to researching and representing the priorities of Jewish American voters, advocating for strong U.S. leadership, democratic values, and a secure Israel. </span> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <strong> <span>  </span> JEI STATEMENT ON ESCALATION WITH IRAN </strong> </p> <p> <strong> AND SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL’S SECURITY </strong> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> Washington, DC — As hostilities between Israel and Iran escalate, the Jewish Electorate </span> </p> <p> <span> Institute (JEI), the nonpartisan nonprofit, calls on Congress to take all necessary measures to </span> </p> <p> <span> support Israel’s security, stop Iran’s nuclear program, and help bring the hostages home. </span> </p> <p> <span> The October 7th Hamas terror attacks — the deadliest assault on Jews since the Holocaust — </span> </p> <p> <span> marked a turning point in regional stability. Now, Iran’s nuclear program has almost reached the </span> </p> <p> <span> weaponization point of no return - an intolerable threat to Israel’s survival. Today, as Israel </span> </p> <p> <span> faces an expanding threat from Iran and its proxies, the United States must stand resolutely with </span> </p> <p> <span> its democratic ally. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> We support Israel’s right to defend itself against existential threats and underscore the urgent </span> </p> <p> <span> need for the immediate, unconditional return of all hostages held in Gaza. Their continued </span> </p> <p> <span> captivity is a moral and humanitarian crisis. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> At this pivotal moment, we urge Congress to reaffirm its bipartisan commitment to Israel’s </span> </p> <p> <span> safety, oppose destabilizing actions by Iran, and strengthen America’s role in advancing longterm </span> </p> <p> <span> peace and security in the region. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> JEI will continue to advocate for strong U.S. leadership in defense of our allies and our shared </span> </p> <p> <span> democratic values. </span> </p> </div> Wed, 18 Jun 2025 21:02:22 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/jei-statement-on-escalation-and-support-on-israel-security News,Press Releases thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/death-of-israeli-diplomats <div data-rss-type="text"> <h3> <span> Death of Israeli Diplomats </span> </h3> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <blockquote> <span> "The Jewish Electorate Institute is shocked, dismayed, and deeply heartbroken by the murders of two young Israeli diplomats last night in Washington, DC. These two bright lights - Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim - represented the best of us. We are all in mourning. </span> </blockquote> <blockquote> <span> Sadly, this is what it means to be a Jew in America in 2025. And as a Jewish organization dedicated to explaining to the American people how Jewish voters think, as well as to researching the views of Jewish voters, we believe that it’s crucial for all Americans to understand that this is a moment of crisis both in the Jewish community and for our country.  </span> </blockquote> <blockquote> <span> This is why we must emphasize that, according to a recent poll that we conducted, 56% of American Jews disapprove of President Trump’s handling of antisemitism. Our country is facing an antisemitism crisis and we implore our leaders to take actions that push back against all forms of antisemitism while protecting our institutions more effectively. To this end, we call on the president to rescind his proposed cuts to the non-profit security grant program. </span> </blockquote> <blockquote> <span> The American Jewish community clearly wants action. The current situation is intolerable for our entire community and must be ended. We call on all Americans to join us in rejecting the growing threat of antisemitism that threatens to engulf us all. </span> </blockquote> <blockquote> <span> Baruch Dayan HaEmet. May the names and memories of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinski be for blessings."  </span> </blockquote> <p> <br/> </p> </div> Fri, 23 May 2025 04:07:08 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/death-of-israeli-diplomats thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/2025-poll POLL: JEWISH AMERICANS OPPOSE TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS BY OVERWHELMING MAJORITIES - Poll Briefing Today/Thursday 4/24 at 1pm - U.S. Jews Oppose Executive Orders and other actions by factors of 3, 4, and even 5-1 <div data-rss-type="text"> <h3> <span> NATIONAL ONLINE SURVEY OF JEWISH REGISTERED VOTERS </span> </h3> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <span> Poll Briefing Thursday 4/24/2025 at 1pm  - </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> U.S. Jews Oppose Executive Orders and other actions by factors of 3, 4, and even 5-1 </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> Washington, DC – By overwhelming margins, American Jews oppose President Trump’s Executive Orders and other actions on virtually all current issues surveyed, according to a new </span> </span> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/25fre0421-f_National_Jewish.pdf" target="_blank"> <strong> poll </strong> </a> <span> <span> by the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), an independent, nonpartisan organization dedicated to explaining the views of American Jewish voters. By a factor of exactly 3-1 (72-24%), American Jews disapprove of the job President Trump is doing and by a similar margin (72-23%), they believe the country is moving in the wrong direction. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> These are among the findings of a new survey of 800 registered American Jewish voters, conducted for JEI by the Mellman Group from April 15-18. The numbers have a margin of error of +/-3.5% and is representative of known national age, gender, education, geography, racial and ethnic group, and Jewish movement affiliation. (The 10% who identify as Orthodox are broken out below.)  </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> • The poll results can be found </span> </span> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/25fre0421-f_National_Jewish.pdf" target="_blank"> <strong> here </strong> </a> <span> <span> . Detailed crosstab results from the poll can be downloaded </span> </span> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/National_Jewish_Tables_by_Banners_04_21_25_.xlsx" target="_blank"> <strong> here </strong> </a> <span> <span> . And a one-page description of the poll can be found </span> </span> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/25mem423-f_JEI.pdf" target="_blank"> <strong> here </strong> </a> <span> . </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <strong> (1) POLL BRIEFING INVITATION:  </strong> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> J </span> <strong> oin JEI and the Mellman Group for a poll briefing today, Thursday, April 24 at 1pm EDT.  </strong> </p> <p> <strong> You can join the briefing here: </strong> <span> <span> </span> </span> </p> <p> <a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86126188187?pwd=Pz26edIgurYCAet4pjVZsa6v35FpBt.1" target="_blank"> https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86126188187?pwd=Pz26edIgurYCAet4pjVZsa6v35FpBt.1 </a> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <strong> (2) QUOTES FROM JEI LEADERS and POLLSTER:  </strong> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> “This poll makes it clear that President Trump’s executive actions – across the board – are wholly rejected by American Jewish voters. The president should not ignore these results, including on his handling of antisemitism, as they reflect significant political risks for both him and his party in upcoming elections,” </span> </span> <span> says the Honorable Martin Frost, a former Member of Congress and JEI’s Honorary Chair and Chairman Emeritus. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> "For too long, political assumptions about American Jewish voters have clouded our understanding of the views of American Jewish electorate. While America Jews might differ on a myriad of issues, they have consistently played a notably high turnout in local, state, and national elections across the country. I’m proud that JEI has produced empirically sound non-partisan data that captures, at this moment, the pulse of the American Jewish electorate. This poll serves as a valuable resource and helps inform our nation’s policymakers and the public with important insight into what American Jews are thinking, right now, on the most crucial issues of the day," says Barbara Goldberg Goldman, JEI’s Board Chair. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> “American Jewish voters are deeply distressed about the direction in which Donald Trump is taking the country and oppose many of his key policies. Indeed, a majority of Jewish voters disapprove of his job performance overall and disapprove of the way Trump is handling antisemitism,” </span> <span> <span> says Mark Mellman, CEO of the Mellman Group. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <strong> (3) POLL RESULTS: </strong> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> On the question of tariffs on goods imported from foreign countries, JEI’s poll finds that American Jews disapprove of the way President Trump is handling this controversial and quite current issue by a 77-16% margin, a factor of nearly 5-1. Also in the headlines is the president’s Executive Order allowing the federal government to deport individuals without a court hearing, an issue that 23% of American Jews support, while 71% oppose, the JEI poll finds. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> Even fewer Jews, 12-77%, support cutting Medicaid to reduce government spending. Similarly, they oppose cuts to the Social Security Administration by 79-18% and cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs by 79-16%, also a factor of nearly 5-1. 74-23% also oppose the dismantling of the Department of Education and 75-21% of American Jews oppose cuts to federal funding of Planned Parenthood, the JEI poll finds. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> On the issue of supporting the president’s Executive Orders against specific law firms, the JEI poll reports only 15% support the order, while 71% oppose it. And 74% oppose the Executive Orders that cut federal agency budgets without Congressional approval, while 18% approve. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> The one slightly bright finding for the president in the JEI poll is that American Jewish approval of his handling of antisemitism in America – 31% – is his highest approval rating of the survey across all demographics (except Orthodox Jews). Overall, 56% disapprove of his handling of antisemitism. Among younger Jews aged 18-29, nearly all of whom are either currently or were recently in college, where the fight against antisemitism has been a communal focus, 33% approve of his handling of the issue, nearly the same number as across all age groups. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> Importantly, amongst Orthodox Jews, the JEI poll finds that they are the most strongly supportive American Jewish segment for President Trump, with over 71% saying they approve of the job he is doing as president and fewer than 20% saying they disapprove. They also generally support most of the president’s recent Executive Actions more than they oppose them. 65% of Orthodox voters identify as Republicans, 27% as Democrats, and 8% as Independents. 67% of Orthodox voters also say they voted for Donald Trump for President in 2024 while 21% voted for Kamala Harris. Many more crosstabs can be found here. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> Statistically, 60% of all respondents consider themselves liberal, 13% moderate and 27% conservative. Approximately 70% said they think of themselves as a Democrat, 23% Republican, and 7% Independent. 10% consider themselves Orthodox, 19% Conservative (movement), 38% Reform, 2% Reconstructionist, and 31% of no particular Jewish denomination. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> The JEI poll also finds only one-third of American Jews (33%) say they are a member of a synagogue or temple, while fully two-thirds (67%) say they are not. And in the 2024 presidential election, 69% of all American Jews say they voted for Kamala Harris and 26% said they voted for Donald Trump. Only 3% said they didn’t vote. </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <strong> (4) ABOUT THE JEWISH ELECTORATE INSTITUTE (JEI): </strong> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <strong> JEI is an independent, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization that surveys, interprets, reports, and educates policymakers and the public about the perspectives, voting behaviors, and motivations of the American Jewish electorate. </strong> <span> <span> JEI undertakes all its work and reports its findings, without bias or favor concerning any political group or particular ideology. Through its polling, studies, seminars, focus groups, and educational programming, JEI is the leading non-partisan voice explaining the positions and voting behaviors of the American Jewish electorate. </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> <br/> </span> </p> </div> Thu, 24 Apr 2025 13:21:49 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/2025-poll News,Research thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/letter-to-u-s-senate-committee-on-health-education-labor-pensions-entered-into-the-record-at-the-antisemitic-disruptions-on-campus-ensuring-safe-learning-environments-for-all-students The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) is honored to submit the following Comments for the Record to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions in support of the Antisemitic Disruptions on Campus: Ensuring Safe Learning Environments for All Students hearing being held on Thursday, March 27, 2025. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> March 27, 2025 </strong> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor &amp; Pensions </span> </p> <p> <span> 428 Dirksen Senate Office Building </span> </p> <p> <span> Washington, DC 20510 </span> </p> <p> <span> <br/> </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) is honored to submit the following Comments for the Record to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor &amp; Pensions in support of the </span> </span> <span> Antisemitic Disruptions on Campus: Ensuring </span> </p> <p> <span> Safe Learning Environments for All Students </span> <span> <span> hearing being held on Thursday, March 27, 2025. </span> </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> JEI is an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that conducts surveys, and interprets, reports, and educates the public and legislators alike about the perspectives, voting behaviors, and motivations of the American Jewish </span> </p> <p> <span> electorate. JEI undertakes all its work and reports its findings without bias or favor with respect to any political group or ideology. Through its polling, studies, seminars, focus groups, and educational programming JEI is the leading nonpartisan </span> </p> <p> <span> voice explaining the positions and voting behaviors of the American Jewish electorate. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> This is why we are so grateful to the Committee for holding this important hearing. As you know, the spike in antisemitic incidents nationwide is cause for deep alarm in both the American Jewish community and broader American society. The </span> </p> <p> <span> drivers of antisemitism are diverse, yet their impact severe. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) most recent report tracking anti-Jewish hate crimes, published in September 2024, in 2023 “… single-bias anti-Jewish hate </span> </p> <p> <span> crime incidents rose to 1,832 incidents, a sharp increase of 63 percent from 2022, and the highest number ever recorded by the FBI since it began collecting data in 1991.” In addition, “… although Jews only make up around two percent of the U.S. </span> </p> <p> <span> population, reported single-bias anti-Jewish hate crimes comprised 15 percent of all hate crimes and 68 percent of all reported religion-based hate crimes in 2023.” It's clear from these statistics that antisemitism in the U.S. is not only on the rise, but that without strong action taken to defeat it, will be here with us to stay. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Because of this unacceptable situation, JEI commissioned a researcher shortly after the November 2024 presidential election to conduct a national post-election survey via online interviews of over 1000 American Jews who voted in the 2024 </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> election (margin of error: +/-3.3%). </span> </span> <span> See </span> <span> <span> </span> </span> <a href="/"> www.JewishElectorateInstitute.org. </a> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Among its many findings, the survey revealed interesting statistics on American Jewish voters’ concerns about antisemitism in America, post-October 7th. For example, 70% of those polled who voted for the Democratic presidential </span> </p> <p> <span> candidate felt extreme concern about antisemitism, whereas just 27% of those who voted for the Republican presidential candidate were extremely concerned about antisemitism in America. However, some 45%, a plurality, of both Republican and Democratic voters equally saw antisemitism as a serious threat. On the question of ‘how much antisemitism do you think there is in America?,’ voters for both the Republican and Democratic candidates showed that 64% of those polled believed that there was “a lot” and 30% believed there was “some.” </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> The November 2024 survey also revealed that large majorities of both Republican and Democratic voters believed that antisemitism in America had increased, and nearly a third had experienced it personally in the year prior. In fact, 80% of those polled acknowledged that, compared with five years earlier, there was considerably more antisemitism in the U.S. at present. In addition, concerns about campus antisemitism were much more intense, with 71% of those polled either </span> </p> <p> <span> “extremely” or “very” concerned about antisemitism on college campuses. Given how these numbers reveal antisemitism to be a serious and growing problem in America today, JEI is very pleased that this hearing is being held and </span> </p> <p> <span> will gladly work alongside this Committee to help alleviate this major disruptive issue for all our Nation’s citizens. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> <span>  </span> </span> </p> <p> <span> Sincerely, </span> </p> <p> <span> Jewish Electorate Institute </span> </p> </div> Thu, 27 Mar 2025 19:20:26 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/letter-to-u-s-senate-committee-on-health-education-labor-pensions-entered-into-the-record-at-the-antisemitic-disruptions-on-campus-ensuring-safe-learning-environments-for-all-students Activities thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/letter-to-u-s-senate-judiciary-committee-entered-into-the-record-at-the-never-to-be-silent-stemming-the-tide-of-antisemitism-in-america The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) is honored to submit the following Comments for the Record to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary in support of the Never to be Silent: Stemming the Tide of Antisemitism in America hearing being held on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <strong> March 4, 2025 </strong> </p> <p> <span> Senate Judiciary Committee </span> </p> <p> <span> 224 Dirksen Senate Office Building </span> </p> <p> <span> Washington, DC 20510 </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) is honored to submit the following Comments for the Record to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary in support of the </span> <span> <span> Never to be Silent: Stemming the Tide of Antisemitism in America </span> </span> <span> <span> hearing being held on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. </span> </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> JEI is an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that conducts surveys, and interprets, reports, and educates the public and legislators alike about the perspectives, voting behaviors, and motivations of the American Jewish </span> </p> <p> <span> electorate. JEI undertakes all its work and reports its findings without bias or favor with respect to any political group or ideology. Through its polling, studies, seminars, focus groups, and educational programming JEI is the leading nonpartisan </span> </p> <p> <span> voice explaining the positions and voting behaviors of the American Jewish electorate. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> This is why we are so grateful to the Committee for holding today’s important hearing. As you know, the spike in antisemitic incidents nationwide is cause for deep alarm in both the American Jewish community and broader American society. </span> </p> <p> <span> The drivers of antisemitism are diverse, yet their impact severe. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) most recent report tracking anti-Jewish hate crimes, published in September 2024, in 2023 “… single-bias anti-Jewish hate </span> </p> <p> <span> crime incidents rose to 1,832 incidents, a sharp increase of 63 percent from 2022, and the highest number ever recorded by the FBI since it began collecting data in 1991.” In addition, “… although Jews only make up around two percent of the U.S. </span> </p> <p> <span> population, reported single-bias anti-Jewish hate crimes comprised 15 percent of all hate crimes and 68 percent of all reported religion-based hate crimes in 2023.” </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> It's clear from these statistics that antisemitism in the U.S. is not only on the rise, but that without strong action taken to defeat it, will be here with us to stay. Because of this unacceptable situation, JEI commissioned The Mellman Group </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> shortly after the November 2024 presidential election to conduct a national post-election survey via online interviews of over 1000 American Jews who voted in the 2024 election (margin of error: +/-3.3%). </span> </span> <span> <span> See </span> </span> <a href="/"> www.JewishElectorateInstitute.org. </a> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Among its many findings, the poll revealed interesting statistics on American Jewish voters’ concerns about antisemitism in America, post-October 7th. For example, 70% of those polled who voted for the Democratic presidential </span> </p> <p> <span> candidate felt extreme concern about antisemitism, whereas just 27% of those who voted for the Republican presidential candidate were extremely concerned about antisemitism in America. However, some 45%, a plurality, of both Republican and Democratic voters equally saw antisemitism as a serious threat. On the question of ‘how much antisemitism do you think there is in America?,’ voters for both the Republican and Democratic candidates showed that 64% of those polled believed that there was “a lot” and 30% believed there was “some.” </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> The November 2024 poll also revealed that large majorities of both Republican and Democratic voters believed that antisemitism in America had increased, and nearly a third had experienced it personally in the year prior. In fact, 80% of those polled acknowledged that, compared with five years earlier, there was considerably more antisemitism in the U.S. at present. In addition, concerns about campus antisemitism were much more intense, with 71% of those polled either </span> </p> <p> <span> <span> “extremely” or “very” concerned about antisemitism on college campuses. </span> </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Given how these numbers reveal antisemitism to be a serious and growing problem in America today, JEI is very pleased that this hearing is being held and will gladly work alongside this Committee to help alleviate this major disruptive </span> </p> <p> <span> issue for all our Nation’s citizens. </span> </p> <p> <br/> </p> <p> <span> Sincerely, </span> </p> <p> <span> Jewish Electorate Institute </span> </p> </div> Tue, 04 Mar 2025 19:05:01 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/letter-to-u-s-senate-judiciary-committee-entered-into-the-record-at-the-never-to-be-silent-stemming-the-tide-of-antisemitism-in-america Activities thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7846 Harris’ share of Jewish vote declines, but still within recent historical range (Washington) – A new non-partisan survey by the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) released Thursday shows very high levels of Jewish voters backing Kamala Harris and Democrats in the 2024 elections. The poll, conducted for the Jewish Electorate Institute by The Mellman Group from October … <h3> Harris’ share of Jewish vote declines, but still within recent historical range </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> (Washington) – A new non-partisan survey by the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) released Thursday shows very high levels of Jewish voters backing Kamala Harris and Democrats in the 2024 elections. The poll, conducted for the Jewish Electorate Institute by The Mellman Group from October 30 to November 8 among more than 1000 respondents, reveals that 71 percent of Jewish voters cast their ballot for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, with a comparable. In comparison, only 26 percent voted for Donald Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While many of the findings are consistent with other major polls from the election and exit polls, this JEI survey’s large sample size and methodology provided an especially unique, valuable and reliable measure of Jewish voter behavior. It also gave previously unreported insight into voters’ motivations in casting their ballot.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The JEI poll evinces high rates of continuing support for Israel and mounting concerns about antisemitism, though these issues appear to have had limited impact on voting behavior. Nearly all Jewish voters (87 percent) describe themselves as pro-Israel, with most supporting Harris. However, Trump won among those who identify most strongly with Israel, and who cited Israel as a key reason for their support. Harris voters cited a wider range of reasons for their support of the Vice President, with Israel and antisemitism ranking in the lower tier. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish voters continue to support Democratic candidates by a substantial margin, while Republicans have made modest gains in recent cycles. Nonetheless, Democrats turned in their weakest performance among Jewish voters since 2012, with some polls indicating drop-offs in Jewish support ranging from four to 11 points over 2012 to 2024.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Since 2012, Jewish support for the Democratic Presidential candidate has ranged in a narrow band from 69% to 71%. Republicans hit their recent high in 2012 but made slight gains in 2020 and 2024 after losing significant support in 2016. Using the averages for 2024, the margin for the Democratic candidate declined by six points since 2016. Comparing the three surveys of Jewish voters conducted by the same researcher in both 2020 and 2024 on a one-to-one basis, shows a decrease of 4 to 11 points in the Democratic margin in each poll since the last election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll found considerable variation among Jewish voters’ behavior based on Jewish denominational self-identity. Reform (84 percent), Conservative movement (75 percent), and non-denominational/unaffiliated Jews (70 percent) strongly supported Harris, while Orthodox communities broke overwhelmingly for Trump (74 percent).  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Despite Harris having a higher favorability factor and being seen as stronger than antisemitism, Trump holds a slight edge in support for Israel, which was one of the top reasons to vote for him. Trump voters also cited support for him due to his opposition to Iran, as well as immigration (61 percent) and economic (55 percent). Meanwhile, Harris voters cited Trump’s threat to democracy (80 percent) and her defense of abortion rights (63 percent) as the most important reasons to vote for her. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> No significant differences were found in the electoral behavior of women and men, with 72 percent of women and 70 percent of men supporting Harris. Variations among age groups were also evident: the 60+ demographic gave 74 percent of its votes to the Democratic nominee in this presidential election, compared to 70 percent of those 18-39. Higher synagogue attendance also appeared to correlate with reduced support for the Democratic candidate: 81 percent of Jews never attending services selected Harris, while 61 percent of those going more than once a month did so. Less than a quarter (22 percent) voting, in general, for almost all or mostly for the Republican Party, and 6 percent of voters report casting a split ticket. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> ### </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish Electorate Institute, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, promotes civic engagement and voter participation among American Jews and has been commissioning polls since its inception a decade ago.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Mellman Group has been producing high-quality polling for over two decades. Mark Mellman is the past president of the American Association of Political Consultants.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This analysis is based on a national post-election survey of 1,093 Jewish voters who cast ballots in the 2024 presidential election. Interviews were conducted online by YouGov through their randomly selected panel during October 31-November 8, 2024. The sample utilized a matching method to reflect the Jewish electorate; screening for Jewish identity and having already voted. The margin of error is +/- 3% at the 95% level of confidence, and higher for subgroups.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/24mem1113-f2-JEI.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> 24mem1113-f2 JEI </span> </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/24mem1113-f2-JEI.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> Download </span> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:18:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7846 Research thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7830 NOVEMBER 17, 2024 12:31 ET BY GABY WINE A new poll of Jewish voters has revealed that the Orthodox community voted overwhelmingly in favour of Trump, with 74 per cent casting their vote for the Republican president-elect. The president-elect was also given the backing of Jews who identified most closely with Israel, who said that Trump’s … <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/twitterImage-b92a1ef0.jpeg" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/twitterImage-b92a1ef0.jpeg" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> NOVEMBER 17, 2024 12:31 ET </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> BY  <a href="https://www.thejc.com/author/gaby-wine-eexcfh2l" target="_blank"> GABY WINE </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new poll of Jewish voters has revealed that the Orthodox community voted overwhelmingly in favour of Trump, with 74 per cent casting their vote for the Republican president-elect. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The president-elect was also given the backing of Jews who identified most closely with Israel, who said that Trump’s stance was one of the main reasons for their voting choice. Forty-eight per cent of all respondents of the Jewish Electorate Institute’s survey saying they believed Trump would be a stronger supporter of Israel than Biden. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But, according to figures, released by the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute, the Orthodox community was the only Jewish group which backed Trump by a majority. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Reform, Conservative and non-denominational and unaffiliated Jews all gave their vote to Democratic candidate Kamala Harris at a rate of 84, 75 and 70 per cent respectively. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> These numbers suggest that non-Orthodox Jews were one of the most consistently supportive constituencies for Democrats. By contrast, nearly every other socio-economic group shifted their vote to Trump from the 2020 elections, most notably Hispanic voters, who awarded Trump an additional 25 points, according to an exit poll by Edison Research. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While the JEI poll, which surveyed 1,000 Jewish respondents between October 30 and November 8, said that Democrats “turned in their weakest performance” from Jewish voters since 2012, with drop-offs in support ranging from four to 11 points, the figures showed that Trump only made modest gains among Jewish voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Kamala Harris still had the overwhelming support of the Jewish population in general, with 71 per cent of their vote going to the Democratic candidate compared to 26 per cent for Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street, a pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy organisation, wrote soon after the election: “Mainstream Jewish voters remain a steadfast pillar of Democratic support, rejecting the MAGA [Trump’s “Make America Great Again” mantra] agenda despite cynical efforts to divide our community with fear-mongering over Israel and antisemitism.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> However, the direction of the “Jewish vote” has been contested since the start of the election. An exit poll carried out by  <em> Fox News </em>  showed that Trump won 32 per cent of the vote among the Jewish community, which would have been the strongest show of support for a Republican candidate since the 1988 election of George W. Bush. But it would still only mark a two percentage point improvement for Trump since the 2020 election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A poll of Jewish voters conducted by the Orthodox Union’s Teach Coalition said that the race between the two candidates was much closer among Jewish voters in some states than in national polling, with Harris winning by just seven points among Jews in Pennsylvania and eight points in New York. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Jewish votes are up for grabs in key contested races and states,” the group wrote. “They are not voting monolithically or overwhelmingly Democratic.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish Electorate Institute commissioned the Mellman Group, which is run by Mark Mellman, the president of Democratic Majority for Israel, to carry out its poll. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> Sun, 17 Nov 2024 17:31:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7830 News thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7810 Harris’ share of Jewish vote declines, but still within recent historical range (Washington) – A new non-partisan survey by the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) released Thursday shows very high levels of Jewish voters backing Kamala Harris and Democrats in the 2024 elections. The poll, conducted for the Jewish Electorate Institute by The Mellman Group from October 30 to … <h3> Harris’ share of Jewish vote declines, but still within recent historical range </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> (Washington) – A new non-partisan survey by the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) released Thursday shows very high levels of Jewish voters backing Kamala Harris and Democrats in the 2024 elections. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, conducted for the Jewish Electorate Institute by The Mellman Group from October 30 to November 8 among more than 1000 respondents, reveals that 71 percent of Jewish voters cast their ballot for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, with a comparable. In comparison, only 26 percent voted for Donald Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While many of the findings are consistent with other major polls from the election and exit polls, this JEI survey’s large sample size and methodology provided an especially unique, valuable and reliable measure of Jewish voter behavior. It also gave previously unreported insight into voters’ motivations in casting their ballot. The JEI poll evinces high rates of continuing support for Israel and mounting concerns about antisemitism, though these issues appear to have had limited impact on voting behavior. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Nearly all Jewish voters (87 percent) describe themselves as pro-Israel, with most supporting Harris. However, Trump won among those who identify most strongly with Israel, and who cited Israel as a key reason for their support. Harris voters cited a wider range of reasons for their support of the Vice President, with Israel and antisemitism ranking in the lower tier. Jewish voters continue to support Democratic candidates by a substantial margin, while Republicans have made modest gains in recent cycles. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Nonetheless, Democrats turned in their weakest performance among Jewish voters since 2012, with some polls indicating drop-offs in Jewish support ranging from four to 11 points over 2012 to 2024. Since 2012, Jewish support for the Democratic Presidential candidate has ranged in a narrow band from 69% to 71%. Republicans hit their recent high in 2012 but made slight gains in 2020 and 2024 after losing significant support in 2016. Using the averages for 2024, the margin for the Democratic candidate declined by six points since 2016. Comparing the three surveys of Jewish voters conducted by the same researcher in both 2020 and 2024 on a one-to-one basis, shows a decrease of 4 to 11 points in the Democratic margin in each poll since the last election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll found considerable variation among Jewish voters’ behavior based on Jewish denominational self-identity. Reform (84 percent), Conservative movement (75 percent), and non-denominational/unaffiliated Jews (70 percent) strongly supported Harris, while Orthodox communities broke overwhelmingly for Trump (74 percent). Despite Harris having a higher favorability factor and being seen as stronger than antisemitism, Trump holds a slight edge in support for Israel, which was one of the top reasons to vote for him. Trump voters also cited support for him due to his opposition to Iran, as well as immigration (61 percent) and economic (55 percent). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Meanwhile, Harris voters cited Trump’s threat to democracy (80 percent) and her defense of abortion rights (63 percent) as the most important reasons to vote for her.No significant differences were found in the electoral behavior of women and men, with 72 percent of women and 70 percent of men supporting Harris. Variations among age groups were also evident: the 60+ demographic gave 74 percent of its votes to the Democratic nominee in this presidential election, compared to 70 percent of those 18-39. Higher synagogue attendance also appeared to correlate with reduced support for the Democratic candidate: 81 percent of Jews never attending services selected Harris, while 61 percent of those going more than once a month did so. Less than a quarter (22 percent) voting, in general, for almost all or mostly for the Republican Party, and 6 percent of voters report casting a split ticket. <br/> <br/> ### <br/> <br/> The Jewish Electorate Institute, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, promotes civic engagement and voter participation among American Jews and has been commissioning polls since its inception a decade ago.  <br/> <br/> The Mellman Group has been producing high-quality polling for over two decades. Mark Mellman is the past president of the American Association of Political Consultants. This analysis is based on a national post-election survey of 1,093 Jewish voters who cast ballots in the 2024 presidential election. <br/> <br/> Interviews were conducted online by YouGov through their randomly selected panel during October 31-November 8, 2024. The sample utilized a matching method to reflect the Jewish electorate; screening for Jewish identity and having already voted. The margin of error is +/- 3% at the 95% level of confidence, and higher for subgroups.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> See below for attached memo by The Mellman Group </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/24mem1113-f2-JEI.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> 24mem1113-f2 JEI </span> </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/24mem1113-f2-JEI.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> Download </span> </a> </p> </div> Sun, 17 Nov 2024 00:04:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7810 Research thumbnail main image https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7828 POLITICS November 16, 202311:17 AM ET Sarah McCammon Nearly three-quarters of Jewish Americans said they approve of President Biden’s response to Israel’s war against Hamas, in a new survey by the Jewish Electorate Institute, which calls itself “an independent, non-partisan organization dedicated to deepening the public’s understanding of Jewish American participation in our democracy.” The survey of … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> POLITICS <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/448294256/sarah-mccammon"> </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/448294256/sarah-mccammon"> November 16, 202311:17 AM ET </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/448294256/sarah-mccammon"> Sarah McCammon </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Nearly three-quarters of Jewish Americans said they approve of President Biden’s response to Israel’s war against Hamas, in a  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/november-2023-national-survey-of-jewish-voters/"> new survey </a>  by the Jewish Electorate Institute, which calls itself “an independent, non-partisan organization dedicated to deepening the public’s understanding of Jewish American participation in our democracy.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey of 800 Jewish voters was taken about a month after Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel left more than 1,200 people dead, according to the Israeli government. Israel has responded with attacks on Gaza that Palestinian officials say have killed more than 11,000 people. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Eighty percent of survey respondents also said they support a  <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/11/04/1210645209/week-in-politics-house-approves-14-billion-in-aid-for-israel-offset-by-cuts-to-t"> proposal to send </a>  more than $14 billion in U.S. military aid to Israel. </p> </div> <h3> Some agreement across party lines, with a generation gap  </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, a pro-Israel group that supports Democrats, says Biden’s response to the war has garnered broad support from American Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Jewish voters are very supportive of the president’s policy as it relates to Israel and how he’s handling the war,” she explained. “And that appears to even supersede any partisan divides.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While a strong majority of Jewish voters have  <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/exit-polls-point-to-trump-gains-among-jewish-voters/"> historically voted </a>  for Democrats, Republican voters as a whole express  <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/11/15/1212913674/poll-israel-hamas-war-biden-democrats-republicans"> stronger support </a>  for Israel. Republican presidential candidates have expressed staunch support for the war effort, including at the most recent  <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/08/24/1195579704/the-first-gop-debate-yielded-heated-exchanges-comedy-and-even-a-dash-of-policy"> primary debate </a> , which was co-hosted by the Republican Jewish Coalition.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Soifer says support for Democrats remains strong despite what she called a “misconception…that somehow because Republicans have tried to politicize this, that Jewish voters may be leaving the Democratic Party or may be leaving their support of President Biden amid this crisis” – an idea she called “patently false.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey also revealed a  <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/6-41a8a430.png"> significant generation gap </a>  in support for Biden’s handling of the war. Voters over age 36 were far more supportive than younger voters, a trend that’s also been showing up in the U.S. population as a whole.  </p> </div> <h3> Support for Biden, but not Netanyahu </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Meanwhile, more than six in 10 Jewish voters expressed an unfavorable view of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose  <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/11/11/1212502220/israelis-rush-to-help-after-hamas-attacks"> approval ratings in Israel </a>  have  <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/11/11/1211767117/israel-netanyahu-growing-opposition-hamas-war-gaza"> also fallen </a>  since the Hamas attack. Ninety-one percent also said they believe it’s possible to be “pro-Israel” while criticizing Israeli government policies. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The overwhelming majority of Jewish voters surveyed, 93 percent, said they’re worried about rising antisemitism, and  <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Untitled-design-24-05fc2032.png"> more respondents </a>  said they trusted Biden and Democrats to fight antisemitism as compared with former President Donald Trump and Republicans.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Meanwhile, an NPR/PBS  <em> NewsHour/ </em> Marist poll released this week shows that a  <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/11/15/1212913674/poll-israel-hamas-war-biden-democrats-republicans"> growing number  </a> Americans – 38 % – believe Israel’s military response to the Hamas attack has been too much. Most of the growth in that number came from Democrats. In that survey, another 38% thought Israel’s response had been about right, and 17% said it was too little.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> Sat, 16 Nov 2024 16:17:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7828 News thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7790 October 10, 2024 With the November election less than a month away, we’re focusing our attention on the under-the-radar — but highly consequential — battle for the House, where the GOP’s narrow majority is hanging in the balance and will be determined by a small number of battleground-district races, Jewish Insider Editor-in-Chief Josh Kraushaar writes. As we’ve noted, Jewish voters make … <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/c4f68f9d-23cf-47a5-9452-afff71321f2c_1-1751f92b.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h3> October 10, 2024 </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <a href="https://jewishinsider.com/2024/10/daily-kickoff-bob-caseys-summer-lee-headache/"> With the November election less than a month away </a> , </b>  we’re focusing our attention on the under-the-radar — but highly consequential — battle for the House, where the GOP’s narrow majority is hanging in the balance and will be determined by a small number of battleground-district races,  <em> Jewish Insider  </em> Editor-in-Chief Josh Kraushaar writes. <br/> <br/> <b> As we’ve noted,  </b> Jewish voters make up a political force in about one-fourth of the 42 most-competitive House races ( <a href="https://1jewishinsider.cmail20.com/t/t-l-sjrjuhl-ydhlkkjikh-u/" target="_blank"> as designated by the  <em> Cook Political Report </em> </a>  ratings).  <br/> <br/> <b> According to a new analysis published last month by the Jewish Electorate Institute,  </b> Jewish voters comprise a significant percentage of the electorate in two New York districts — 19% in the Westchester County-based seat held by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and 14% of the vote in the Long Island-based seat held by Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY). <br/> <br/> <b> Lawler’s district has the fifth-largest share of Jewish voters in the country, </b>  while D’Esposito’s district ranks eighth. The other politically competitive district to rank in the top 25 of largest Jewishrepresentation is the lower Hudson Valley district of Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY), where 10% of the district’s voters are Jewish. Another district of note: The suburban Phoenix seat of Rep. Dave Schweikert (R-AZ), where about 9% of the district voters are Jewish. <br/> <br/> <b> The next tier of districts all feature around 4-5% Jewishrepresentation, </b>  which could certainly make the difference in close contests. The suburban Las Vegas seat of Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV) is next on the list, followed by the Los Angeles-area seat of Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA), the northern New Jersey seat of Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) and the exurban New York seat of Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY). <br/> <br/> <b> Rounding out the list of lawmakers representing swing districts </b>  with politically pivotal Jewish constituencies are: Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA) in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) outside Pittsburgh and Jahana Hayes (D-CT) in suburban Connecticut — along with the open Orange County, Calif., seat of outgoing Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA). <br/> <br/> <b> There’s little doubt </b>  that lawmakers’ support for the U.S.-Israel alliance and commitment to fight against antisemitism could make a difference in what are expected to be close contests.  <br/> <br/> <b> For instance:  </b> Lawler’s leadership on  <a href="https://1jewishinsider.cmail20.com/t/t-l-sjrjuhl-ydhlkkjikh-o/" target="_blank"> issues of concern </a>  to the Jewish community has given him a good chance to win a second term, even though his district comfortably backed President Joe Biden in 2020. His Democratic opponent, former Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-NY), has also been a vocal supporter of Israel of late — and was one of the more prominent Democrats to speak out against neighboring anti-Israel Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) in his bid for reelection. <br/> <br/> <b> Over the next month, </b>  we’ll be profiling many of these critical races — and reporting closely on the lawmakers’ records, their challengers and the salience of Middle East policy and antisemitism on the campaign trail. With the battle for the House potentially coming down to a few seats, the impact of the Jewish vote has rarely been greater. </p> </div> Thu, 10 Oct 2024 20:30:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7790 News thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7781 JEI New Analysis of National Survey of Jewish Voters A new analysis from the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) indicates that Jewish voters could play a decisive role in determining control of Congress and the White House in the 2024 elections. Conducted by Population Mapping Consulting and Research alongside the Jewish Demography Project at the … <h3> JEI New Analysis of National Survey of Jewish Voters </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new analysis from the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) indicates that Jewish voters could play a decisive role in determining control of Congress and the White House in the 2024 elections. Conducted by Population Mapping Consulting and Research alongside the Jewish Demography Project at the University of Miami, the September 2024 analysis reviews available data to calculate the influence of Jewish voters across all 435 Congressional districts and key swing states. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish voters, who now comprise over 5.5 million Americans, are expected to have an outsized impact in several tossup districts and battleground states. The total Jewish population has grown from about 6 million in 1970 to over 7.7 million in 2024. With Jewish adults of voting age representing approximately 77% of the total Jewish population – and also routinely turning out in disproportionate numbers – their influence is expected to be particularly strong in key Senate and Presidential races. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Key Findings: </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> Estimated Jewish Population by County, 2024 </em> </b> <em> : </em> <em> <br/> </em> <em> This map shows the distribution of Jewish populations across U.S. counties, highlighting regions with the highest concentrations, particularly in urban areas like New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> Jewish Population by State, 2024 </em> </b> <em> : </em> <em> <br/> </em> <em> This table provides detailed data on the number of Jewish residents in each U.S. state, along with their percentage of the state’s total population and the overall U.S. Jewish population. </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish voters are not only concentrated in high-profile states but also in other key, swing Congressional districts. For example: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> Estimated Percent Jewish Population for Districts of the 119th U.S. Congress </em> </b> <em> : </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> This map illustrates the percentage of Jewish residents in each Congressional district, with key states such as New York, New Jersey, and California standing out as having districts with significant Jewish populations. </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Jews turn out and vote in just about the highest percentages of any ethnic American bloc,” says JEI board chair Hope Eastman. “Combined with this year’s election map and its key races, Jews are positioned to play an even more disproportionate role than usual.” </p> </div> <h4> Methodology: </h4> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This national survey was conducted by Population Mapping Consulting and Research and the Jewish Demography Project at the University of Miami in September, 2024 for the Jewish Electoral Institute. The survey identified Jewish populations across all 435 Congressional districts and Washington, DC, using innovative methodologies to account for previously undercounted Jewish populations in rural and suburban areas. The top target races were determined by the Cook Political Report and analysis from the New York Times. </p> </div> Thu, 10 Oct 2024 17:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7781 Research https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7734 A new survey from the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute indicated that 67% of Jewish voters would vote for President Biden’s reelection were the ballot held at the time of the poll. The survey, conducted from April 16-21, 2024, by GBAO Strategies, measured the attitudes of the American Jewish electorate regarding their preferences on subjects including … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new survey from the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute indicated that <b> 67% of Jewish voters </b> would vote for President Biden’s reelection were the ballot held at the time of the poll. The survey, conducted from April 16-21, 2024, by GBAO Strategies, measured the attitudes of the American Jewish electorate regarding their preferences on subjects including political identification, views on candidates for the 2024 presidential election, and the threat of antisemitism.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Respondents compared President Biden with former President Trump and third-party candidates in a 2024 general election scenario. In a head-to-head matchup, 67% of Jewish voters say they would support President Biden over former President Trump, who would have the support of only 26% of Jewish voters.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Respondents also indicated high levels of attachment to the State of Israel and the Democratic Party. 57% percent of respondents described themselves as Democrats, 27% as independents, and only 14% identified as Republicans. 81% of Jewish voters processed being somewhat or very emotionally attached to Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Other key takeaways from the poll include: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/Jewish-Electorate-Institute-National-Jewish-Survey-Topline-Results-042124.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> Click here for the survey data </span> </a> . <br/> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/JEI-Survey-Analysis-050124.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> Click here for a PDF of the survey </span> </a> . </p> </div> <h2> Very Democratic &amp; Liberal Constituency </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/JEI-Survey-Analysis-050124-1-f92c493d.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/JEI-Survey-Analysis-050124-1-f92c493d.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Biden Has Overwhelming Lead Over Trump Among Jewish Voters </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide4-7f0a1725.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide4-7f0a1725.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Jews Hold Positive Views Of Biden/Democrats &amp; Are Very Negative Toward Trump/Republicans </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide7-50eb907d.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide7-50eb907d.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Future Of Democracy Is Top Issue For 2024 Election, Followed By Abortion, Inflation/Economy, &amp; Israel </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide8-bedcd55b.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide8-bedcd55b.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Democracy Is The Top Issue For Reform, Conservative, No Denomination </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide9-fa083d17.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide9-fa083d17.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Biden Job Approval Is Strong; Highest Among Older Voters </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide12-42886298.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide12-42886298.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Attachment To Israel High </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide24-7ca324c8.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide24-7ca324c8.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Concern About Antisemitism Is Universally High Among American Jews </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide29-1a5c7cb7.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide29-1a5c7cb7.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Biden &amp; Democrats Continue To Be More Trusted To Fight Antisemitism Than Trump &amp; Republicans </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide30-eb8936d7.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide30-eb8936d7.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Bigotry Seen As Serious Problem In US &amp; On Campuses; Antisemitism Viewed As Bigger Problem Than Racism &amp; Islamophobia </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide32-b645674b.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide32-b645674b.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Younger Voters Less Concerned With Antisemitism Than Older Voters </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide33-1-f8c35f03.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide33-1-f8c35f03.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Methodology </h2> Mon, 05 Aug 2024 23:07:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7734 Research thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7728 Read this informative article in the Haaretz, an Israeli Newspaper <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2024-06-26/ty-article/.premium/american-jewish-voters-still-roundly-prefer-biden-to-trump-polls-find/00000190-554d-def3-a5b6-df6f190f0000"> <b> Click here to read the full article. </b> </a> </p> </div> Mon, 05 Aug 2024 23:05:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7728 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7731 Click here to read the full article. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://forward.com/fast-forward/627843/polls-jewish-voters-biden-trump-israel/"> <b> Click here to read the full article. </b> </a> </p> </div> Mon, 05 Aug 2024 23:04:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7731 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7736 New JEI Survey Mirrors Similar AJC Poll Taken Weeks Apart Washington, DC – President Biden continues to draw on broad support from the American Jewish community, according to a poll, results of which were released today by the Jewish Electoral Institute (JEI). JEI is an independent, non-partisan organization dedicated to deepening the public’s understanding of … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> <em> <b> New JEI Survey Mirrors Similar AJC Poll Taken Weeks Apart </b> </em> </p> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Washington, DC – President Biden continues to draw on broad support from the American Jewish community, according to a poll, results of which were released today by the Jewish Electoral Institute (JEI). JEI is an independent, non-partisan organization dedicated to deepening the public’s understanding of Jewish American participation in our democracy. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The JEI poll of 800 Jewish Americans all but mirrors a similar poll taken weeks apart and also released this month by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) of 1001 Jews online. The two polls ask virtually the same questions and summaries of findings of key questions from both polls are attached. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Over 60 percent of respondents in each survey say they would vote for President Biden’s reelection were the ballot held at the time of the poll (JEI 67-26%; AJC 61-23%). Both polls also indicate that President Biden is trusted far more than his Republican opponent to fight antisemitism, with more than twice as many American Jews selecting him as the better choice to lead on that important issue (AJC, 55-20%; JEI, 58-20%). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “President Biden will again be able to draw on solid, unwavering backing of Jewish Americans this fall,” said Martin Frost, the chairman of JEI and a former congressman. “What both polls demonstrate is that despite press coverage and speculation to the contrary, American Jews largely remain committed to this administration and to the Democratic Party.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> JEI’s poll also indicates high levels of attachment among American Jews to both the state of Israel and the Democratic Party. Fifty-seven percent of respondents describe themselves as Democrats; 27 percent describe themselves as independents; and only 14 percent identify as Republicans. A whopping 81 percent professed being “totally attached to the state of Israel.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> JEI’s poll was conducted by the polling firm GBAO among 800 Jewish American adults from April 16-21, 2024. Its findings are attached. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> AJC’s survey, released June 10, was based on interviews conducted online between March 12 – April 6, 2024 and carried out by SSRS among 1,001 American Jewish adults. Findings are also attached. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Both polls reflect representative samplings of Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform movement Jews and those of no particular denomination or other. They also accurately split political party affiliation among American Jews, with substantially more identifying as Democrats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/Jewish-Electorate-Institute-National-Jewish-Survey-Topline-Results-042124.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> The full JEI survey data can be found here </span> </a> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.ajc.org/news/ajc-survey-shows-american-jews-are-deeply-and-increasingly-connected-to-israel"> <b> The findings from AJC’s survey can be found here </b> </a> </p> </div> Mon, 05 Aug 2024 23:01:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7736 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7833 By Jacob Kornbluh June 27, 2024 Jewish Americans overwhelmingly favor and trust President Joe Biden over former President Donald Trump. But a pair of recent polls show a small slip of Jewish voters toward Trump compared to previous years, which may indicate that the president is struggling among both stalwart supporters of Israel and opponents of … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> By  <a href="https://forward.com/authors/jacob-kornbluh/?amp=1"> Jacob Kornbluh </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> June 27, 2024 </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish Americans overwhelmingly favor and trust President Joe Biden over former President Donald Trump. But a pair of recent polls show a small slip of Jewish voters toward Trump compared to previous years, which may indicate that the president is struggling among both stalwart supporters of Israel and opponents of its military campaign in Gaza. In a contest as close as this presidential election is shaping up to be, even such small losses could make the difference on Election Day. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> One of the polls, released on Wednesday by the non-partisan Jewish Electoral Institute, of 800 Jewish American adults, showed Biden leading Trump 67% to 24% in a head-to-head matchup, and 64% to 26% when a third-party candidate was an option. The poll was conducted by GBAO Strategies between April 16 and 21, via text and web. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> It matched an  <a href="https://www.ajc.org/news/survey2024"> online poll of 1,001 Jews </a>  by the American Jewish Committee which showed Biden with a 61-23 lead over Trump.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> These numbers represent a modest but gradual shift from Biden to Trump compared to the 2020 election and last year, predating the Israel-Hamas conflict. <br/> <br/> According to an  <a href="https://jstreet.org/press-releases/election-night-poll-shows-jewish-voters-overwhelmingly-supported-joe-biden-trumps-margin-even-worse-than-16-election/#.YEF1M5NKj9E"> exit poll </a>  commissioned for  <a href="https://jstreet.org/"> J Street </a>  after the 2020 election, 77% of Jews voted for Biden, while Trump garnered 21%. In the recent  Jewish Electoral Institute poll, respondents said they favored Biden over Trump 74%-20%. In  <a href="https://forward.com/fast-forward/551948/survey-jewish-voters-strongly-favor-biden-over-trump-in-possible-2024-rematch/?amp=1"> last year’s survey </a> , Biden was at 72%.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish Electoral Institute poll, by the same polling firm used by J Street, also showed a more negative attitude toward the president. Overall, 58% of Jews viewed Biden favorably, versus 39% who viewed him unfavorably, down five points since last year. The poll was given to media outlets without additional data that could show the makeup of Biden’s base of support,  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While not statistically significant, the trends may indicate waning Jewish support for the incumbent president amid the war in Gaza.  </p> </div> <h2> Will Israel matter in Election 2024? </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Biden’s predicament with Jewish voters could emanate from either  or both ends of the spectrum of views on Israel. The pro-Israel constituency that traditionally votes for Democrats is frustrated with his administration’s criticism of Israel and a spat over weapons transfers. Left-leaning Jews are disillusioned by his handling of the conflict.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This could potentially influence outcomes in crucial battleground states. Jewish voters are  <a href="https://forward.com/fast-forward/465289/report-shows-younger-jews-are-less-partisan-but-democratic-support-remains/?amp=1"> estimated between 1% to 3% of the electorate </a>  in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Wisconsin — states that Biden won in 2020 by less than 3%. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Recent surveys suggest that while Jewish Americans don’t view Israel as a higher priority than abortion rights and the fight to preserve American democracy, they are watching Biden closely over his dealings with the Jewish state. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A poll  <a href="https://demmajorityforisrael.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ImpactofHamasIsraelWarBiden-1220.pdf"> commissioned for the Democratic Majority for Israel </a>  in December indicated that 44% of Jews were more likely to vote for Biden because of his staunch public support of the Jewish state. And an  <a href="https://jppi.org.il/en/%D7%9E%D7%93%D7%93-%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%9D-%D7%94%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95%D7%93%D7%99-%D7%9C%D7%97%D7%95%D7%93%D7%A9-%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%A5-2024/"> online survey </a>  of 800 Jews conducted by the Jewish People Policy Institute in March showed that 69% of those intending to vote for Biden thought Israel should enter Rafah to eliminate Hamas, despite Biden’s warning against it.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Wednesday’s poll also showed that 81% of those surveyed feel emotionally attached to Israel.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Former Rep. Martin Frost, a Democrat from Texas who chairs the Jewish Electoral Institute, said there is a silver lining for Biden in the recent polls: “American Jews largely remain committed to this administration and to the Democratic Party.” </p> </div> Thu, 27 Jun 2024 11:55:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7833 News thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7632 Click here to read the full article. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/08/us/j-street-lobby-israel-gaza.html"> <b> Click here to read the full article. </b> </a> </p> </div> Mon, 08 Apr 2024 14:46:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7632 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7586 Click here to read the full article. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jta.org/2023/11/16/politics/polls-show-american-jews-approve-of-bidens-handling-of-israel-hamas-war-while-americans-do-not"> Click here to read the full article </a> </p> </div> Thu, 16 Nov 2023 19:23:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7586 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7584 Read this informative article in Haaretz, an Israeli Newspaper <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2023-11-16/ty-article/.premium/u-s-jewish-voters-overwhelmingly-back-bidens-handling-of-israel-gaza-war-new-poll-shows/0000018b-d7ef-dffa-adef-f7effc400000"> Read the full article here </a> </p> </div> Thu, 16 Nov 2023 19:21:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7584 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7485 A new survey from the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute found that 74% of Jewish voters approve of President Biden’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas. The survey, conducted from November 5-9 by GBAO Strategies, measured the attitudes of the American Jewish electorate in response to Hamas’s attack on Israel, the threat of antisemitism, … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new survey from the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute found that <b> 74% of Jewish voters approve of President Biden’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas. </b> The survey, conducted from November 5-9 by GBAO Strategies, measured the attitudes of the American Jewish electorate in response to Hamas’s attack on Israel, the threat of antisemitism, and their preferences for the 2024 presidential election.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Respondents compared President Biden with former President Trump, both in terms of their handling of antisemitism and in a hypothetical 2024 general election. By a 39-point margin, Jewish voters said they trust President Biden more than former President Trump to fight antisemitism. In a head-to-head matchup, 68% of Jewish voters say they would support President Biden over former President Trump who would have the support of only 22% of Jewish voters – an eight-point decline in Jewish voters’ support for Trump compared to a similar poll before the 2020 election.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Broad support for President Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war extends to his proposed aid package and calls for humanitarian pauses, with 80% of American Jews expressing support for President Biden’s $14.4 billion request to Congress for military aid to Israel and 68% supporting the United States’ calls for a humanitarian pause to enable safe delivery of food, medicine, and water to Gaza. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Other key takeaways from the poll include: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://jewishelectdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/JEI-National-Survey-Topline-Results-110923-1.pdf"> Click here for the survey data </a> . <br/> <a href="https://jewishelectdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/JEI-Survey-Analysis-Nov23-3.pdf"> Click here for a PDF of the survey </a> . </p> </div> <h2> Very Democratic &amp; Liberal Constituency </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/1-a69061f6.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/1-a69061f6.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Jewish Voters Are A Base Vote For Biden </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/4-2d7fbc68.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/4-2d7fbc68.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Thinking about the next election for U.S. President in November 2024, if the election for President were being held today just between the following candidates, for whom would you vote? </em> </p> </div> <h2> Strong Biden Approval Across Jewish Population </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joe Biden is handling his job as president? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/5-171295f0.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/5-171295f0.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Overwhelming Approval Of Biden’s Handling Of The War, With Huge Age Gaps </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joe Biden is handling the war between Israel and Hamas? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/6-41a8a430.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/6-41a8a430.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Positive Views Of Biden &amp; Democrats Contrast Sharply With Very Negative Views Toward Trump &amp; Republicans </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/7-30ea2ad3.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/7-30ea2ad3.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Strong Support For US Actions In Aftermath Of October 7 </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Below are some actions that the United States government has taken. For each one, please indicate whether you support or oppose this action. </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/8-d97332c5.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/8-d97332c5.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Very Strong Support For US Actions Across Denomination </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Below are some actions that the United States government has taken. For each one, please indicate whether you support or oppose this action. </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/9-6f06da18.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/9-6f06da18.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Young Voters Hold Different Views Of US Actions Than Other Age Groups </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Below are some actions that the United States government has taken. For each one, please indicate whether you support or oppose this action. </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/10-4dc71959.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/10-4dc71959.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Entirety Of Jewish Population Closely Following News Coverage </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> How closely are you following the news coverage of Hamas’s October 7th attack against Israel and the war between Israel and Hamas? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/19-1a7b7086.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/19-1a7b7086.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Attachment To Israel Has Increased Significantly </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> How emotionally attached are you to Israel? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/20-1-13cf951b.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/20-1-13cf951b.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Attachment Grows Across Demographics, Particularly Among Conservative &amp; Orthodox </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> How emotionally attached are you to Israel? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/21-1-631e6e78.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/21-1-631e6e78.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Strong Belief That One Can Be Critical Of Israeli Policy Or War Conduct While Still Being Pro-Israel </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/22-d9df462e.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/22-d9df462e.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Younger Jews &amp; Orthodox Express Different Views Than Others </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/23-12aca879.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/23-12aca879.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Overwhelming Majority Support Aid To Israel And Israel + Ukraine </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/24-4e3efa41.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/24-4e3efa41.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Large Rise In Degree Of Concern Over Antisemitism </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> How concerned are you about antisemitism in the US? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/25-5591bc8b.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/25-5591bc8b.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Concern About Antisemitism Spans Denomination, Age, Gender, And Has Increased Among Certain Groups Since June </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> How concerned are you about antisemitism in the US? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/26-0ea8da0b.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/26-0ea8da0b.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Biden And Democrats Are More Trusted To Fight Antisemitism Than Trump And Republicans </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Who do you trust more to fight antisemitism? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Untitled-design-24-05fc2032.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Untitled-design-24-05fc2032.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Antisemitism Is Considered The Biggest Problem, More So In The US Than On Campuses </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/28-32aaeb44.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/28-32aaeb44.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Older People More Concerned With Antisemitism In US &amp; On Campuses Than Younger </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/29-58b1b5bf.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/29-58b1b5bf.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Denomination Breakdown Of Jewish Population </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screenshot-2023-11-15-at-2.15.38-PM-926aaff1.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screenshot-2023-11-15-at-2.15.38-PM-926aaff1.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Methodology </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> Thu, 16 Nov 2023 12:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7485 Research thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7565 WASHINGTON – A new survey from the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute found that 74% of Jewish voters approve of President Biden’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas. The survey, conducted from November 5-9 by GBAO Strategies, measured the attitudes of the American Jewish electorate in response to Hamas’s attack on Israel, the threat … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> WASHINGTON </b> – A new survey from the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute found that <b> 74% of Jewish voters approve of President Biden’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas. </b> The survey, conducted from November 5-9 by GBAO Strategies, measured the attitudes of the American Jewish electorate in response to Hamas’s attack on Israel, the threat of antisemitism, and their preferences for the 2024 presidential election.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Respondents compared President Biden with former President Trump, both in terms of their handling of antisemitism and in a hypothetical 2024 general election. By a 39-point margin, Jewish voters said they trust President Biden more than former President Trump to fight antisemitism. In a head-to-head matchup, 68% of Jewish voters say they would support President Biden over former President Trump who would have the support of only 22% of Jewish voters – an eight-point decline in Jewish voters’ support for Trump compared to a similar poll before the 2020 election.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Broad support for President Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war extends to his proposed aid package and calls for humanitarian pauses, with 80% of American Jews expressing support for President Biden’s $14.4 billion request to Congress for military aid to Israel and 68% supporting the United States’ calls for a humanitarian pause to enable safe delivery of food, medicine, and water to Gaza. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <a href="/p7485"> <span> The full survey data can be found here. </span> </a> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Other key takeaways from the poll include: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> JEI Chairman Martin Frost </b> said, “This poll is different from many other polls of the population in general and demonstrates graphically the importance of the Jewish vote. There are significant concentrations of Jewish voters in swing states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia and Nevada and the strength of the Jewish vote could make the difference in 2024.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> ### </p> </div> Thu, 16 Nov 2023 12:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7565 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7479 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/new-york-anti-overhaul-activists-launch-week-of-protests-as-netanyahu-arrives/"> here </a> </p> </div> Tue, 19 Sep 2023 16:09:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7479 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7477 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-rosh-hashanah-message-trump-says-us-jews-voted-to-destroy-america-and-israel/"> Read the full article here </a> </p> </div> Mon, 18 Sep 2023 16:07:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7477 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7468 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/11/us/israel-protests-americans.html"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Mon, 11 Sep 2023 21:57:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7468 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7458 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://forward.com/news/559108/biden-netanyahu-israel-gaza-franklin-foer-book/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Thu, 31 Aug 2023 21:51:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7458 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7455 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://therealnews.com/on-israel-and-palestine-public-opinion-is-finally-changing-when-will-us-policy-change-with-it"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Tue, 15 Aug 2023 21:49:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7455 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7460 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.policymagazine.ca/will-israel-be-an-issue-in-the-2024-election/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> Mon, 14 Aug 2023 21:52:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7460 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7453 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://forward.com/news/557160/biden-netanyahu-israel-judicial-overhaul-jewish-voters-2024/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Thu, 10 Aug 2023 21:47:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7453 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7446 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.heritagefl.com/story/2023/08/04/news/israel-passes-first-law-weakening-supreme-court-following-months-of-civil-strife/18555.html"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Fri, 04 Aug 2023 21:41:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7446 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7449 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/workers-circle-resigns-from-conference-of-presidents-others-not-expected-to-follow/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Thu, 03 Aug 2023 21:43:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7449 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7444 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://americanisraelite.com/2023/08/03/after-pivotal-judicial-reform-vote-us-jewish-groups-unleash-their-newfound-voices-on-israeli-domestic-policy/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Thu, 03 Aug 2023 21:39:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7444 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7441 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.algemeiner.com/2023/07/27/are-extreme-anti-israel-activists-representative-of-all-american-jews-the-guardian-thinks-so/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Thu, 27 Jul 2023 21:37:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7441 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7451 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/american-jews-priorities-are-clear-so-why-dont-we-see-them/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> Tue, 18 Jul 2023 21:44:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7451 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7433 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-07-12/ty-article/.premium/trump-netanyahu-was-first-to-congratulate-biden-now-cant-get-invited-to-white-house/00000189-4a7c-d085-a1bf-cafce0f20000"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Wed, 12 Jul 2023 19:56:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7433 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7429 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jewishaz.com/community/ukrainian-refugee-couple-comes-to-phoenix-with-help-of-local-jews/article_a3bf6a02-1f58-11ee-b432-c33dc1daf118.html"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Mon, 10 Jul 2023 19:55:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7429 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7427 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://forward.com/fast-forward/553561/donald-trump-orthodox-israel-2024/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Mon, 10 Jul 2023 19:54:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7427 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7431 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-first-take-on-the-2024-election-a-jewish-perspective/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Tue, 04 Jul 2023 19:56:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7431 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7462 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/poll-finds-us-jews-overwhelmingly-back-biden-over-trump-in-2024-rematch/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Mon, 26 Jun 2023 21:54:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7462 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7425 Read the full article. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-747779"> Read the full article. </a> </p> </div> Mon, 26 Jun 2023 19:54:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7425 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7421 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://floridapolitics.com/archives/620369-poll-3-out-of-4-jewish-voters-disapprove-of-ron-desantis/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Mon, 26 Jun 2023 19:53:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7421 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7423 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/poll-finds-us-jews-overwhelmingly-back-biden-over-trump-in-2024-rematch/?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=twitter"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Mon, 26 Jun 2023 19:53:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7423 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7419 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/2023-06-26/ty-article/.premium/poll-shows-72-present-of-jewish-voters-favor-biden-over-trump/00000188-f791-d6ce-abb9-f7f765bd0000"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Mon, 26 Jun 2023 19:52:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7419 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7417 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://forward.com/fast-forward/551948/survey-jewish-voters-strongly-favor-biden-over-trump-in-possible-2024-rematch/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Mon, 26 Jun 2023 19:48:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7417 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7405 WASHINGTON – Today, the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) released its first national survey of Jewish voters in 2023, conducted by GBAO Strategies between June 4 and June 11. It included interviews with 800 self-identified Jewish voters. Last year, in April and September 2022, JEI conducted similar surveys, allowing for baseline comparisons of views among … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> WASHINGTON </b> – Today, the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) released its first national survey of Jewish voters in 2023, conducted by GBAO Strategies between June 4 and June 11. It included interviews with 800 self-identified Jewish voters. Last year, in April and September 2022, JEI conducted similar surveys, allowing for baseline comparisons of views among the Jewish American electorate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among other results, the poll found that Jewish voters remain very focused on the cultural issues that divide the country – democracy, abortion, and guns – in addition to inflation and climate change. The future of democracy was the leading issue (among 37%) shaping how Jewish voters will vote in 2024. Abortion continues to be a defining issue among Jewish voters, with 88% believing it should be legal, and 80% concerned that women no longer have the constitutional right to abortion. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> President Joe Biden leads former President Donald Trump 72% to 22% among Jewish voters in a potential 2024 rematch. Biden’s job approval rating is 67%, while 80% of Jewish voters disapprove of Trump. Other prominent Republicans performed only slightly better than Trump, with 76% disapproving of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and 68% disapproving of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In addition, Jewish voters are concerned about the Israeli government’s proposals for judicial overhaul. Among voters who knew about these changes, 61% believe the changes would weaken Israel’s democracy, 24% believe they would make no difference, and 15% say they would strengthen Israel’s democracy. 72% of Jewish voters feel emotionally attached to Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/june-2023-national-survey-of-jewish-voters/"> </a> <a href="/p7326"> <b> Click here for the full survey data </b> </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> JEI is chaired by former Congressman Martin Frost (D-TX), who represented the 24th District of Texas from 1979-2005. Frost was chair of the House Democratic Caucus from 1999 to 2003 and Chair of the National Endowment for Democracy during President Obama’s second term. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> ### </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> To speak with Jim Gerstein or a representative of JEI, please contact <a href="mailto:press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org"> <b> press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org </b> </a> . </p> </div> Mon, 26 Jun 2023 11:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7405 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7326 The non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) released its first national survey of Jewish voters in 2023, conducted by GBAO Strategies between June 4 and June 11. It included interviews with 800 self-identified Jewish voters. Among other results, the poll found that Jewish voters remain very focused on the cultural issues that divide the country – … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) released its first national survey of Jewish voters in 2023, conducted by GBAO Strategies between June 4 and June 11. It included interviews with 800 self-identified Jewish voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among other results, the poll found that Jewish voters remain very focused on the cultural issues that divide the country – democracy, abortion, and guns – in addition to inflation and climate change. Abortion continues to be a defining issue among Jewish voters with 88% believing it should be legal and 80% concerned that women no longer have the constitutional right to abortion. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/Jewish-Electorate-Institute-National-Jewish-Survey-Topline-Results-061223-1.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> Click here for the survey data </span> </a> . <br/> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/JEI-Survey-Analysis-062023_Pollster-Version.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> Click here for a PDF report of the survey </span> </a> . </p> </div> <h2> Demographic Data </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Demographics-0d0ff1c0.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Demographics-0d0ff1c0.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Ideology and Party Identification </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Ideology-6a241290.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Ideology-6a241290.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> 2024 Presidential Vote: Biden vs Trump </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Thinking about the next election for U.S. President in November 2024, if the election for President were being held today just between the following candidates, for whom would you vote? </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Trump-2024-4508c77a.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Trump-2024-4508c77a.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Biden Job Approval </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joe Biden is handling his job as president? </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Approval-2-59c61b0e.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Approval-2-59c61b0e.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Approval-Years-80f5ece5.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Approval-Years-80f5ece5.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Favorability </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Favorability-0e29e769.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Favorability-0e29e769.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Issue Priorities </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Please indicate which two of these issues are today most important to you when deciding how you will vote in the November 2024 election. </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issue-Priority-1-7502c425.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issue-Priority-1-7502c425.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Issue priority by denomination: </b> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Priorities-Denomination-3cf58764.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Priorities-Denomination-3cf58764.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Issue priority by age </b> : </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Priorities-Age-8cec0b1a.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Priorities-Age-8cec0b1a.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Abortion </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Do you think abortion should be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases, or illegal in all cases? </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Abortion-45ae1d94.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Abortion-45ae1d94.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> Jewish voters are more supportive of legal abortion than registered voters </b> . </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Abortion-US-991150b4.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Abortion-US-991150b4.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Constitutional Right To An Abortion </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As you may know, the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision last year. How concerned are you about women no longer having the Constitutional right to an abortion? </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Constitutional-Right-To-An-Abortion-8fde81a9.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Constitutional-Right-To-An-Abortion-8fde81a9.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Party Trust </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Which party do you trust to do a better job with each issue? </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Trust-c2fdaa5a.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Trust-c2fdaa5a.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Trust – Antisemitism </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Who do you trust more to fight antisemitism? </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-Trust-8dbb3627.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-Trust-8dbb3627.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Biden’s Messaging </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Below is a list of things that President Biden has said or done. For each one, please indicate whether this is a convincing reason for you to vote for Biden’s reelection. </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Messaging-9f1facb2.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Messaging-9f1facb2.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Denomination </b> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Denomination-9d1b13d6.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Denomination-9d1b13d6.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Age and Gender </b> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Age-and-Gender-801afc75.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Age-and-Gender-801afc75.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Favorability: Netanyahu </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Netanyahu-fec254d5.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Netanyahu-fec254d5.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Israel Attachment </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> How emotionally attached are you to Israel? </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israel-attachment-6d5cb8a9.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israel-attachment-6d5cb8a9.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Issue Priorities: Israel </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issue-Priority-Israel-4421f3f5.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issue-Priority-Israel-4421f3f5.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Israel’s Supreme Court </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> How much have you heard about the changes to Israel’s Supreme Court and the judicial branch that have been proposed by Israel’s government led by Benjamin Netanyahu? </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israel-SC-e82cfb2d.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israel-SC-e82cfb2d.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Israeli Democracy </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> (IF HEARD A LOT, SOME, NOT TOO MUCH) Based on what you know or have heard, do you think the changes to the Supreme Court and judicial branch would strengthen Israel’s democracy, weaken Israel’s democracy, or make no difference? </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israeli-Democracy-56e2818f.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israeli-Democracy-56e2818f.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Party and denominations: </b> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israel-Democracy-Demographics-7be09281.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israel-Democracy-Demographics-7be09281.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Age and Gender </b> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Democracy-Age-Gender-29ee4b6e.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Democracy-Age-Gender-29ee4b6e.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> Fri, 23 Jun 2023 17:47:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7326 Research thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7306 Click here to watch JEI Board Chair Hon. Martin Frost speaks about working with former President Jimmy Carter on NBC 5 DFW. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/lone-star-politics-feb-26-2023/3202735/" target="_blank"> <b> Click here to watch JEI Board Chair Hon. Martin Frost </b> speaks about working with former President Jimmy Carter on NBC 5 DFW. </a> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Untitled-design-1-1024x538-42d5df9e.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> Sun, 26 Feb 2023 13:18:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7306 News thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7292 WASHINGTON – With less than two months until the pivotal midterm elections, a new poll of Jewish voters finds that 43% of Jewish voters report that they, a family member, or close friend have a physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, chronic pain or another condition that is a barrier to everyday living and that of … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> WASHINGTON </b> – With less than two months until the pivotal midterm elections, a <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/Jewish-Electorate-Institute-National-Jewish-Survey.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> new poll </span> </a> of Jewish voters finds that 43% of Jewish voters report that they, a family member, or close friend have a physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, chronic pain or another condition that is a </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> barrier to everyday living and that of those who personally report such disabilities.  Among Jewish voters who have a disability, 15% say that their disability limits their participation in politics or voting. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The national survey of 800 Jewish voters conducted by GBAO Strategies on behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) was conducted online between August 25 and September 1. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll found that disabilities can limit accessibility of voting and physical accessibility of campaign events, and that lack of captions on campaign videos and advertisements and lack of screen reader accessibility for campaign or election-related websites can limit the participation of some voters with disabilities. <del> </del> <ins> </ins> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> To speak with pollster Jim Gerstein of GBAO Strategies or a representative of the Jewish Electorate Institute, please contact <a href="mailto:press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org"> press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> ### </p> <p> </p> </div> Mon, 03 Oct 2022 18:37:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7292 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7464 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://religionnews.com/2022/09/15/poll-jewish-voters-are-highly-motivated-and-concerned-about-american-democracy/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Thu, 15 Sep 2022 21:55:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7464 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7272 Contact: press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org New Poll: Jewish Voters Strongly Support President Biden and Congressional Democrats, Adamantly Oppose Dobbs Decision The new data finds the future of democracy and abortion as the top issues on the minds of Jewish voters, with an overwhelming preference for congressional Democrats WASHINGTON – With less than two months until the pivotal midterm … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Contact: </b> press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> New Poll: Jewish Voters Strongly Support President Biden and Congressional Democrats, Adamantly Oppose Dobbs Decision </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> The new data finds the future of democracy and abortion as the top issues on the minds of Jewish voters, with an overwhelming preference for congressional Democrats </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> WASHINGTON </b> – With less than two months until the pivotal midterm elections, a new poll of Jewish voters finds strong support for President Biden and Congressional Democrats, demonstrating higher approval ratings from these voters than among the general population, with 70% saying they approve of President Biden’s job performance and will support a Democratic candidate in November. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The national survey of 800 Jewish voters conducted by GBAO Strategies on behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute was conducted online between August 25 and September 1.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll also found an 82% disapproval of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, an overwhelming rejection of efforts to ban access to abortion care. A majority of respondents said that the Dobbs decision adds to their motivation to vote in November. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish voters surveyed also expressed continued concern about the January 6 insurrection, with most respondents following the Select Committee’s hearings closely and a majority saying that the hearings have made them more motivated to vote. While 71% of respondents reported an emotional attachment to Israel, most of these voters also noted that domestic issues, including the future of democracy and abortion access, are more likely to be priority factors when voting. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Key findings of the poll released today include: </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Despite the political divide in the country overall, most Jewish voters share priorities and beliefs on the key issues that will decide elections in November,” <b> said former Rep. Martin Frost (D-TX), Chair of JEI. </b> “Especially on securing the future of democracy, protecting abortion access, and taking action on gun safety, an overwhelming majority of Jewish voters are motivated to vote in November for candidates who share their values.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> To speak with pollster Jim Gerstein of GBAO Strategies or a representative of the Jewish Electorate Institute, please contact <a href="mailto:press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org"> press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> ### </p> </div> Thu, 15 Sep 2022 16:59:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7272 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7231 The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) released a national survey of 800 Jewish voters conducted by GBAO Strategies on behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute was conducted online between August 25 and September 1. The new poll of Jewish voters finds strong support for President Biden and Congressional Democrats, demonstrating higher approval ratings from these … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) released a national survey of 800 Jewish voters conducted by GBAO Strategies on behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute was conducted online between August 25 and September 1. The new poll of Jewish voters finds strong support for President Biden and Congressional Democrats, demonstrating higher approval ratings from these voters than among the general population, with 70% saying they approve of President Biden’s job performance and will support a Democratic candidate in November. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Despite the political divide in the country overall, most Jewish voters share priorities and beliefs on the key issues that will decide elections in November,” <b> said former Rep. Martin Frost (D-TX), Chair of JEI. </b> “Especially on securing the future of democracy, protecting abortion access, and taking action on gun safety, an overwhelming majority of Jewish voters are motivated to vote in November for candidates who share their values.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Key findings of the poll released today include: </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/Jewish-Electorate-Institute-National-Jewish-Survey.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> Click here for the survey data </span> </a> </b> . <br/> <a href="https://jewishelectdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/JEI-Survey-Analysis-091522.pdf"> </a> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/JEI-Survey-Analysis-091522.pdf" target="_blank"> <b> Click here for a PDF report of the survey </b> </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Demographic Data </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Demographics-1-0a9716ba.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Demographics-1-0a9716ba.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Ideology and Party Identification </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Ideology-and-Party-Identification-1-b079e063.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Ideology-and-Party-Identification-1-b079e063.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Voter Motivation </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> Rate your level of motivation to vote in the November election on a scale from 0 to 10. </em> </b> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Motivation-48b3bed6.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Motivation-48b3bed6.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Congressional Vote </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> Thinking about the elections this November, if the general election for U.S. Congress were being held today, for whom would you vote? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Midterm-Vote-72d14604.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Midterm-Vote-72d14604.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Biden Job Approval </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> Do you approve or disapprove of the job Joe Biden is doing as President? </em> </b> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Approval-f304d134.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Approval-f304d134.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Favorability </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Favorability-53667cfd.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Favorability-53667cfd.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Issue Priorities </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> Please indicate which two of these issues are most important to you when deciding how you will vote in the November 2022 Congressional election. </em> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issues-e0abf193.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issues-e0abf193.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Issues Priorities by Denomination </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> Please indicate which two of these issues are most important to you when deciding how you will vote in the November 2022 Congressional election. </b> </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issues-by-denomination-4466d89d.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issues-by-denomination-4466d89d.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Issues Priorities by Age </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> Please indicate which two of these issues are most important to you when deciding how you will vote in the November 2022 Congressional election. </b> </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issues-by-age-a533d892.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issues-by-age-a533d892.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Roe v. Wade </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> Do you approve or disapprove of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and allows states to ban abortion? </em> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Roe-v-Wade-d84d13c3.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Roe-v-Wade-d84d13c3.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Roe v. Wade – Motivation </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> Has the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade made you more motivated to vote, less motivated to vote, or made no difference on your motivation to vote in the November 2022 mid-term election? </em> </b> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Roe-v-Wade-Motivation-a78fd757.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Roe-v-Wade-Motivation-a78fd757.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> January 6th Hearings </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> How closely have you followed the Congressional hearings investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/January-6-7433c2bd.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/January-6-7433c2bd.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> January 6th Hearings – Motivation </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> Have the January 6 hearings made you more motivated to vote, less motivated to vote, or made no difference on your motivation to vote in the November 2022 mid-term election? </em> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://jewishelectdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/January-6-motivation.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://jewishelectdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/January-6-motivation.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Gun Laws </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> Do you think gun laws in the United States are too restrictive, not restrictive enough, or about right? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Gun-Laws-6f3edc21.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Gun-Laws-6f3edc21.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Gun Reform Proposals </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Gun-Reform-Proposals-42d49e13.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Gun-Reform-Proposals-42d49e13.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Antisemitism </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> How concerned are you about antisemitism in the US? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-Concern-15f9d93d.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-Concern-15f9d93d.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> Are you more concerned about antisemitism that originates from left-wing groups and individuals or antisemitism that originates from right-wing groups and individuals? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-Concerns-2-8ae77292.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-Concerns-2-8ae77292.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> Who do you trust more to fight antisemitism? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-Trust-8803d742.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-Trust-8803d742.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Israel Attachment </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> How emotionally attached are you to Israel? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israel-Attachment-50668a4b.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israel-Attachment-50668a4b.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Israel Priority – Reasoning </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> (Among respondents who did not cite Israel as one of their top two issues) Earlier in this survey, you did not cite Israel as one of your top issues determining your vote in the November 2022 Congressional election. Which of the following reasons best explain why Israel is not one of your top issues? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israel-Reasoning-cb93bce2.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israel-Reasoning-cb93bce2.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Re-entering the Nuclear Agreement with Iran </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> As you may know, President Trump withdrew the United States from the nuclear agreement that the United States made with Iran and five other countries. This agreement lifts economic sanctions against Iran in exchange for Iran dismantling its nuclear weapons program and allowing international inspectors to monitor Iran’s facilities. Some people think that we should re-enter the agreement, and some people think that we should not re-enter this agreement. Do you support or oppose the United States re-entering this agreement? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Iran-Deal-7c8710e8.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Iran-Deal-7c8710e8.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> <div> <div> <figure> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Iran-Deal-April-v-Sept-4d65563b.png"> <img/> </a> <figcaption> Support for re-entering the Iran deal is consistent with JEI national survey of Jewish voters from April 2022 </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> <div> <p> </p> </div> <div> <p> </p> </div> <div> <p> </p> </div> </h2> <div> <p> </p> </div> <div> <p> </p> </div> <div> <p> </p> </div> Thu, 15 Sep 2022 16:59:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7231 Research thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7226 Read the full article here. Mon, 27 Jun 2022 18:14:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7226 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7223 By Ben Samuels Read the full article <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Ben Samuels </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2022-06-24/ty-article/.premium/u-s-jewish-leaders-decry-supreme-courts-nixing-of-abortion-rights-as-moral-failure/00000181-966b-db6b-afbf-f76fb3d80000" target="_blank"> Read the full article </a> </b> </p> </div> Fri, 24 Jun 2022 18:05:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7223 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7210 Watch the full article here <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Watch the full article <a href="https://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/climate-action-activists-target-d-c-banks-on-fossil-fuels/" target="_blank"> here </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> Wed, 04 May 2022 20:46:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7210 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7208 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://jewishinsider.com/2022/05/supreme-court-abortion-ruling-jewish-groups/" target="_blank"> here </a> </p> </div> Wed, 04 May 2022 20:45:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7208 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7206 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-pence-republicans-court-jewish-voters-20220502-aqohzldkynd2ba63mlr5bbyx2y-story.html" target="_blank"> here </a> </p> </div> Mon, 02 May 2022 20:42:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7206 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7212 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-few-us-democrats-view-top-ally-poll-suggests" target="_blank"> here </a> </p> </div> Thu, 21 Apr 2022 20:46:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7212 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7204 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://mondoweiss.net/2022/04/u-s-jews-favor-return-to-iran-deal-and-dont-care-about-israel-as-a-political-issue/" target="_blank"> here </a> </p> </div> Thu, 14 Apr 2022 20:41:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7204 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7202 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jewishpress.com/news/jewish-news/new-survey-finds-jewish-support-for-biden-dropped-17-only-0-5-concerned-about-israel/2022/04/14/" target="_blank"> here </a> </p> </div> Thu, 14 Apr 2022 20:40:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7202 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7179 Read the full article here By Aaron Bandler A new poll released by the Jewish Electoral Institute (JEI) on April 13 found that 63% of American Jews approve of President Joe Biden. The recent JEI poll surveyed 800 American Jewish voters from March 28-April 3. Sixty-three percent of respondents said they approved of Biden’s presidency, while 37% … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> <a href="https://jewishjournal.com/news/united-states/346985/poll-63-of-american-jews-approve-of-biden-presidency/"> Read the full article here </a> </em> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> By Aaron Bandler </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new  <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/Jewish-Electorate-Institute-National-Jewish-Survey-Analysis-041222.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> poll </span> </a>  released by the Jewish Electoral Institute (JEI) on April 13 found that 63% of American Jews approve of President Joe Biden. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The recent JEI poll surveyed 800 American Jewish voters from March 28-April 3. Sixty-three percent of respondents said they approved of Biden’s presidency, while 37% said they did not. Sixty-one percent also said they would vote for a generic congressional Democrat, while only 26% said they would vote for a generic congressional Republican. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On the issue of inflation, 32% blamed it on “profiteering” by corporations, 31% said inflation was the result of supply chain disruptions and 23% said “increased government spending” was to blame. Regarding Critical Race Theory, 68% said they agree with the Democratic Party’s view that “we should not allow politicians to censor teachers from teaching the complete facts about historical topics like slavery and racism” while 27% said that they agreed with the Republican Party view that “we should ban critical race theory in our schools because it divides our country, teaches kids to be ashamed of America, and tells white kids they should feel guilty.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Other issues about which respondents were asked included the Iran nuclear deal and antisemitism. Sixty-eight percent said they supported re-entering the deal while 32% are opposed. On antisemitism, 45% said they trust Democrats more to fight antisemitism, while 20% said they trusted Republicans more on the issue. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) President Halie Soifer hailed the poll results as a victory for Democrats, writing in an email to supporters that “President Biden’s approval rating (63%) is 21% higher with Jewish Americans than the American electorate generally (42%), and his approval is 9% higher among Jewish Americans than President Obama’s was in 2015, when it was 54%.” She added Jewish support for Republicans “remains abysmal, with 73% viewing the GOP unfavorably.” “Donald Trump’s unfavorability rating is even higher, at 77%, and 79% of Jewish voters hold Trump responsible for January 6th. On foreign policy, 72% approve of Biden’s handling of the war in Ukraine, and 68% support the U.S. re-entering the Iran nuclear deal.”  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Soifer then declared that “the Democratic Party continues to be the political home of Jewish American voters because the Democratic Party’s policies and values reflect those of Jewish Americans. Jewish voters not only continue to strongly identify with the Democratic Party but are also driven by their intense and growing opposition to the Republican Party and its leadership. While some may twist the results of this poll to attack Democrats, the numbers tell a different story.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) President Matt Brooks argued in a statement that the poll actually showed that “thoughtful Jewish voters are coming to realize that “the Biden presidency has been a disaster for this country,” pointing to a 12% decline in support for a generic congressional Democrat among Jewish voters from a JEI poll the year before. That  <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/JEI-National-Jewish-Survey-Topline-Results-July-2021.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> previous JEI poll </span> </a>  from May 2021 found that 68% of American Jews would support a congressional Democrat, and that 80% of American Jews approve of the Biden presidency. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “These results are especially striking considering that the questions and question order in JEI’s poll are skewed to produce pro-Democrat results,” Brooks said. “When a reliably Democratic outfit publishes a poll showing such an embarrassing drop in Jewish support for Democrats, you can just imagine what an unbiased poll of the Jewish community would show.”  </p> </div> Wed, 13 Apr 2022 23:33:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7179 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7200 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/politics/poll-joe-biden-approval-rating-jews/2022/04/13/id/1065657/" target="_blank"> here </a> </p> </div> Wed, 13 Apr 2022 20:38:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7200 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7198 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://jewishjournal.com/news/united-states/346985/poll-63-of-american-jews-approve-of-biden-presidency/" target="_blank"> here </a> </p> </div> Wed, 13 Apr 2022 20:23:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7198 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7196 Read the full article here. <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/04/13/poll-biden-approval-among-jewish-voters-drops-from-80-to-63/" target="_blank"> here </a> </p> </div> Wed, 13 Apr 2022 20:10:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7196 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7169 Read the full article here By Ron Kampeas The good news for Joe Biden is that a majority of U.S. Jews approve of the job he is doing. The bad news is that the number in a new poll, 63%, is a sharp double-digit drop from where he was last year. A poll released Wednesday … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> <a href="https://www.jta.org/2022/04/13/politics/jewish-approval-of-biden-drops-to-63-from-80-last-year"> Read the full article here </a> </em> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> By Ron Kampeas </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The good news for Joe Biden is that a majority of U.S. Jews approve of the job he is doing. The bad news is that the number in a new poll, 63%, is a sharp double-digit drop from where he was last year. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A poll released Wednesday by the Jewish Electorate Institute, a group led by prominent Jewish Democrats, showed Biden’s approval rating down from  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/07/13/politics/sizeable-minorities-of-us-jewish-voters-believe-israel-is-guilty-of-genocide-apartheid"> 80% in a poll by the same organization last July. </a>  His disapproval rating this year is at 37%, up from 20 percent last July. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Both polls were carried out by GBAO Strategies. The Jewish Electorate Institute put a positive spin on the numbers. “Jewish Americans continue to support President Biden and the Democratic Party at levels higher than the general American voting population, a trend that appears on track to continue in this year’s midterm elections and in the future,” said the group’s chairman, Martin Frost, a former Jewish Democratic congressman from Texas. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Biden’s approval numbers generally have dropped precipitously in the last year, a result of a botched exit from Afghanistan, a persistent pandemic and inflation that his government can’t stem.  <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-approval-rating/"> His approval rating generally is hovering at 42% </a> , the lowest of his presidency. Jewish voters generally favor Democrats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> One area Biden scores well among Jews is in his handling of Russia’s war against Ukraine, with 72% approving. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Support for Democrats on a generic congressional ballot also dropped from 68% to 61% while support for Republicans rose from 21% to 26%. Both parties are already campaigning heavily in Jewish communities where shifts in the vote can change the make-up of Congress, where Democrats have a thin majority. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The pollsters reached 800 registered Jewish voters via text from March 28-April 3 and the margin of error is 3.5 percentage points. </p> </div> Wed, 13 Apr 2022 11:08:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7169 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7080 The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) today released the results of a survey conducted on behalf of JEI from March 3 through April 3 of 800 self-identified registered Jewish American voters by GBAO Strategies, a research-based strategic counsel for candidates running for office, non-profits, and other organizations seeking to better understand public opinion.  JEI Chair Martin … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) today released the results of a survey conducted on behalf of JEI from March 3 through April 3 of 800 self-identified registered Jewish American voters by GBAO Strategies, a research-based strategic counsel for candidates running for office, non-profits, and other organizations seeking to better understand public opinion.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> JEI Chair Martin Frost said that this poll demonstrates that Jewish Americans continue to support President Biden and the Democratic Party at levels higher than the general American voting population. Key findings include </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> JEI is an independent, non-partisan organization dedicated to deepening the public’s understanding of Jewish American participation in our democracy. JEI is the foremost resource on Jewish voter political preferences, producing the top research, polling, and analysis critical to understanding the Jewish electorate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/Jewish-Electorate-Institute-National-Jewish-Survey-Topline-Results-040322.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> Click here </span> </a> </b> for the survey results </p> </div> <h2> Key Findings </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/Jewish-Electorate-Institute-National-Jewish-Survey-Analysis-041222.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> Click here </span> </a> </b> to download a PDF of the survey <br/> <b> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/Jewish-Electorate-Institute-National-Jewish-Survey-Topline-Results-040322.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> Click here </span> </a> </b> to download the topline results of the survey </p> </div> <h2> Demographic Data </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Demographic-Data-1-6ef0f3d7.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Demographic-Data-1-6ef0f3d7.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Ideology and Party Identification </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Demographic-Data3-975aeb4f.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Demographic-Data3-975aeb4f.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Generic Congressional Vote </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> Thinking about the elections this November, if the general election for U.S. Congress were being held today, for whom would you vote? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Congress-Generic-Ballot-5d2adbed.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Congress-Generic-Ballot-5d2adbed.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Favorability </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Favorability-31f418a0.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Favorability-31f418a0.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Trump’s Influence on the GOP </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> How much influence do you think Donald Trump has over the Republican Party? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Trump-Influence-1bcb458f.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Trump-Influence-1bcb458f.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Biden Job Approval (Overall) </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Darker shade = Stronger intensity </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Approval-copy-4132ae7b.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Approval-copy-4132ae7b.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Biden Job Approval (Ukraine) </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Approval-Ukraine-copy-131dcf77.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Approval-Ukraine-copy-131dcf77.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Issues Priorities </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> Please indicate which two of these issues you want President Joe Biden and Congress to focus on. </b> </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issues-Priorities-17d26ba5.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issues-Priorities-17d26ba5.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Issues Priorities by Denomination </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issues-Breakdown-747573e4.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issues-Breakdown-747573e4.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Issues Priorities by Age </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issues-by-age-bb418c66.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issues-by-age-bb418c66.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> FL, GA, and TX Voting Laws </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> As you may know, Republican legislatures in Florida, Georgia, and Texas have recently passed laws impacting access to voting and changing the way elections are conducted. Democrats say these laws target people of color and make it harder for them to vote. Republicans say these laws are necessary to stop election fraud and ensure election integrity. </em> <b> <em> Do you support or oppose these new laws in Florida, Georgia, and Texas? </em> </b> </b> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/GA-FL-TX-Laws-797f22e6.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/GA-FL-TX-Laws-797f22e6.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> January 6 Responsibility </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> How responsible do you think Donald Trump is for the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol? </em> <em> How responsible do you think the Republican Party is for the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol? </em> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Darker shade = Stronger intensity </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Jan-6-1f62fe7a.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Jan-6-1f62fe7a.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Filibuster </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> Do you support or oppose eliminating the filibuster in the U.S. Senate? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Darker shade = Stronger intensity </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Filibuster-9cdefa54.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Filibuster-9cdefa54.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Roe v. Wade </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> How concerned are you that the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn the Roe v. Wade decision that made abortion legal? </em> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Darker shade = Stronger intensity </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Roe-c620d94b.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Roe-c620d94b.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> School Policies </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> Who do you think should set the policies for public schools on issues such as which books should be allowed in public schools, how to teach American history, and whether students should be required to wear masks in class? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Schools-Brekdown-7448d8bf.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Schools-Brekdown-7448d8bf.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Critical Race Theory </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> As you may know, there is a public debate over how public schools should teach American history. Below are statements from Democrats and Republicans regarding this debate. Which statement comes closer to your own point of view even if neither is exactly right? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/CTR-e4ae4fd2.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/CTR-e4ae4fd2.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Concern Over Antisemitism </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> How concerned are you about antisemitism in the US? </em> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Darker shade = Stronger intensity </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-a9d90006.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-a9d90006.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Antisemitism – Trust </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> Who do you trust more to fight antisemitism? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-Trust-5affc57e.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-Trust-5affc57e.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Cause of Inflation </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> As you may know, inflation has risen over the past several months. Below are some reasons that people may give for why inflation is rising. Among these reasons, which one do you think is the single biggest reason why inflation is rising? </b> </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Inflation-1-c33c92f0.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Inflation-1-c33c92f0.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Issue Priorities – Domestic Over Foreign Policy </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> Please indicate which two of these issues you want President Joe Biden and Congress to focus on. </b> </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Domestic-1-acacda3a.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Domestic-1-acacda3a.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Re-Entering the Iran Nuclear Agreement </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> As you may know, President Trump withdrew the United States from the nuclear agreement that the United States made with Iran and five other countries. This agreement lifts economic sanctions against Iran in exchange for Iran dismantling its nuclear weapons program and allowing international inspectors to monitor Iran’s facilities. Some people think that we should re-enter the agreement, and some people think that we should not re-enter this agreement. </em> <b> <em> Do you support or oppose the United States re-entering this agreement? </em> </b> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Darker shade = Stronger intensity </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Iran-Deal-6259e38b.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Iran-Deal-6259e38b.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> Wed, 13 Apr 2022 10:40:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7080 Research thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7165 WASHINGTON – The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) today released a new poll showing that Jewish American voters support President Biden and the Democratic Party at significantly higher rates than American voters generally. The poll, which surveyed 800 registered Jewish American voters, was conducted between March 28 and April 3, 2022, by GBAO Strategies, a research-based … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> WASHINGTON – </b> The <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/"> Jewish Electorate Institute </a> (JEI) today released a <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/Jewish-Electorate-Institute-National-Jewish-Survey-Topline-Results-040322.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> new poll </span> </a> showing that Jewish American voters support President Biden and the Democratic Party at significantly higher rates than American voters generally. The poll, which surveyed 800 registered Jewish American voters, was conducted between March 28 and April 3, 2022, by GBAO Strategies, a research-based strategic counsel for candidates running for office, non-profits, and other organizations seeking to better understand public opinion.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “This poll demonstrates that Jewish Americans remain staunchly supportive of the Democratic Party, intensely opposed to the Republican Party, focused primarily on domestic policy issues, and opposed to efforts to degrade our democracy and voting rights at the state level. Though Jewish voters have strong emotional ties to Israel, they remain most highly motivated to vote by the issues of climate change, voting rights, jobs and the economy,” <b> said JEI Chair, former Rep. Martin Frost </b> . “Jewish Americans continue to support President Biden and the Democratic Party at levels higher than the general American voting population, a trend that appears on track to continue in this year’s midterm elections and in the future.”  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://jewishelectdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Jewish-Electorate-Institute-National-Jewish-Survey-Topline-Results-040322.pdf"> <b> Key findings include: </b> </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The full results of the poll can be found <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/Jewish-Electorate-Institute-National-Jewish-Survey-Topline-Results-040322.pdf" target="_blank"> <span> here </span> </a> and at <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/"> jewishelectorateinstitute.org </a> . For more information or to speak with a representative of JEI, please contact <a href="mailto:press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org" target="_blank"> press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org </a> .  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> JEI is an independent, non-partisan organization dedicated to deepening the public’s understanding of Jewish American participation in our democracy. JEI is the foremost resource on Jewish voter political preferences, producing the top research, polling, and analysis critical to understanding the Jewish electorate. </p> </div> Wed, 13 Apr 2022 09:51:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7165 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7065 Read the full article here. Despite the odds that California’s embattled Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom will defeat an effort to recall him on Tuesday, Democratic organizations, including the Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI) and the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA), as well as the party’s leading politicians are not taking the race for granted. … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> Read the full article <a href="https://www.jns.org/jewish-voters-seen-as-crucial-bloc-in-california-recall-election/"> here </a> . </em> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Despite the odds that California’s embattled Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom will defeat an effort to recall him on Tuesday, Democratic organizations, including the Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI) and the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA), as well as the party’s leading politicians are not taking the race for granted. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to campaign on Newsom’s behalf on Monday, following Vice President Kamala Harris, a California native, last week, among many other Democratic leaders. While there are no issues that are seen as specifically Jewish in the race, the state’s total Jewish population is only second to New York, making Jews an essential voter block to activate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On Sunday, the JDCA led a phone-banking effort with its supporters contacting Jewish voters across California to vote “no” on the first question on the  <a href="https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/2021-ca-gov-recall"> ballot </a>  of whether to recall the governor and will continue its effort on Monday with a celebrity guest, podcaster and former speechwriter for former President Barack Obama, Jon Lovett. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> DMFI on Thursday distributed a news release expressing what Democrats feel is at stake in this off-cycle recall election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “If Gov. Newsom receives less than 50 percent of the vote, Republicans will install a radical right-wing Trump backer, probably talk radio host Larry Elder, currently polling at only 25 percent,” said DMFI president Mark Mellman in the release. “Like too many Republicans these days, Mr. Elder holds a number of extreme—and outright dangerous—views, antithetical to those held by the vast majority of Californians: he opposes a minimum wage of any kind, supports overturning  <em> Roe v. Wade </em> , wants to eliminate all welfare and entitlements, and has promoted misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. In an ordinary election, such a candidate would lose by a landslide in California, but thanks to the state’s unique constitution, which only requires 12 percent of voters to force a recall, the chances of a Gov. Elder are far too high.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> According to a recent study by the  <a href="/p6603"> <span> Jewish Electorate Institute </span> </a> , California is home to approximately 900,000 adult Jews—most of whom, like elsewhere in the country, are Democrats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> Read the full article <a href="https://www.jns.org/jewish-voters-seen-as-crucial-bloc-in-california-recall-election/"> here </a> . </em> </b> </p> </div> Tue, 14 Sep 2021 12:05:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7065 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7063 Read the full article here. By Douglass Bloomfield Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the man who wants to be the next Speaker of the House, is driven by the twin demons of ambition and fear. He has long dreamed of becoming speaker and he is terrified that former president Donald Trump might give his blessing to someone else. McCarthy, … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Read the full article <a href="https://www.jpost.com/opinion/should-kevin-mccarthy-be-speaker-of-the-house-opinion-679195"> here </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Douglass Bloomfield </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the man who wants to be the next Speaker of the House, is driven by the twin demons of ambition and fear. He has long dreamed of becoming speaker and he is terrified that former president  <a href="https://www.jpost.com/us-elections/donald-trump-beats-joe-biden-in-2024-election-poll-678896"> Donald Trump </a>  might give his blessing to someone else. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> McCarthy, a Californian Republican, is in many ways the polar opposite of the woman he seeks to replace – and threatened to “hit her” with his gavel. It goes far beyond gender and party; what drives his contempt for the first woman speaker, Nancy Pelosi, are the qualities that make  <a href="https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/republican-representative-compares-nancy-pelosi-to-the-gestapo-677688"> Nancy Pelosi </a>  a strong and historic leader. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> If Republicans take back control of the House next year, McCarthy wants to make sure Trump backs “my Kevin” and not someone like Ohio’s Jim Jordan, an ambitious Trump favorite and right-wing firebrand who lost his bid for the job in 2018 to McCarthy. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That is behind the House minority leader’s rush to Mar-a-Lago to kiss the royal ring right after US President Joe Biden’s inauguration and recant earlier criticism that Trump “bears responsibility” for the January 6 insurrection. Having transformed himself from critic to defender of the Big Liar, he recently told a TV station in his Bakersfield, California, district that the FBI and a Senate committee cleared Trump of any role in the attacks on the Capitol by his followers. Totally false.He’s even tried to blame the sacking of the Capitol on Pelosi for not keeping the doors locked. He is so frightened of what an impartial investigation of the January 6 events will reveal – not only about Trump but of his own role – that he has sought to sabotage a bipartisan 9/11-type commission and then a special House inquiry. Both moves were major blunders costing him and Republicans any opportunity to influence the investigations. Six weeks ago, he announced House Republicans would launch their own probe, but so far bupkes. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When the House panel asked 35 telecom companies to retain social media records of some House Republicans seeking to prevent Congress from certifying the presidential election, McCarthy threatened retribution if they complied and he became Speaker. Democrats and independent legal experts accused him of trying to impede a legitimate congressional investigation, a potential felony.His name is reportedly on the list of those telecom accounts because of his conversations with Trump on January 6. The committee also wants records on extremist groups and militias present at the insurrection and McCarthy, no doubt, is also worried about revelations of their connections to members of his caucus, particularly 11 who openly supported efforts to overturn the election. Pelosi objected when he tried to put two of them on the House committee, Jordan and Jim Banks of Indiana, because they are potential witnesses. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While there have been no consequences for those who embraced the Big Lie, lionized the violent protesters or who may have helped them and pushed efforts to block the election certification, there is an intense campaign – led by McCarthy – to punish those who seek the truth about January 6. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Capitol Police are preparing for a new rally planned by pro-Trump forces at the Capitol on Sept 18 in support of the insurrectionists currently in jail. Rep. Madison Cawthorn, a North Carolinian Republican, has called them “political prisoners” and “hostages” and speaks of trying to “bust them out.” He told a group in his home state that “we have a few plans in motion” for more Washington demonstrations. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When Alabama’s Rep. Mo Brooks said he could “understand citizenry anger directed at dictatorial socialism” while a Trump supporter threatened to blow up the Library of Congress last month, McCarthy was silent.McCarthy has done little to tamp down such over-the-top talk by his flock. He criticized Holocaust comparisons but took no action in the face of frequent and continuous antisemitic tropes, particularly among the notorious 11, to say nothing of Trump himself. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Rep. Paul Gosar, who described the insurrectionists as “peaceful patriots,” has been denounced by his siblings for “anti-Semitic diatribes” and Islamophobia. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a recidivist despite visiting the Holocaust Museum; she came up with the Jewish space laser conspiracy and attempted to organize a caucus dedicated to protecting “Anglo-Saxon traditions.” Cawthorn has lamented the problems he’s encountered trying to convert Jews. McCarthy himself has accused Jewish billionaires of trying to “buy” the 2018 elections. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That may help explain why a recent poll of Jewish voters for the Jewish Electorate Institute showed a 52% favorability rating for Pelosi but only 10% for McCarthy. It also goes to telling why there are only two Jewish Republicans in the 117th Congress and nationally Jews vote 75-80% for Democrats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Capitol Police are preparing for a new rally planned by pro-Trump forces at the Capitol on Sept 18 in support of the insurrectionists currently in jail. Rep. Madison Cawthorn, a North Carolinian Republican, has called them “political prisoners” and “hostages” and speaks of trying to “bust them out.” He told a group in his home state that “we have a few plans in motion” for more Washington demonstrations. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When Alabama’s Rep. Mo Brooks said he could “understand citizenry anger directed at dictatorial socialism” while a Trump supporter threatened to blow up the Library of Congress last month, McCarthy was silent.McCarthy has done little to tamp down such over-the-top talk by his flock. He criticized Holocaust comparisons but took no action in the face of frequent and continuous antisemitic tropes, particularly among the notorious 11, to say nothing of Trump himself. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Rep. Paul Gosar, who described the insurrectionists as “peaceful patriots,” has been denounced by his siblings for “anti-Semitic diatribes” and Islamophobia. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a recidivist despite visiting the Holocaust Museum; she came up with the Jewish space laser conspiracy and attempted to organize a caucus dedicated to protecting “Anglo-Saxon traditions.” Cawthorn has lamented the problems he’s encountered trying to convert Jews. McCarthy himself has accused Jewish billionaires of trying to “buy” the 2018 elections. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That may help explain why a recent poll of Jewish voters for the Jewish Electorate Institute showed a 52% favorability rating for Pelosi but only 10% for McCarthy. It also goes to telling why there are only two Jewish Republicans in the 117th Congress and nationally Jews vote 75-80% for Democrats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Read the full article <a href="https://www.jpost.com/opinion/should-kevin-mccarthy-be-speaker-of-the-house-opinion-679195"> here </a> . </p> </div> Mon, 13 Sep 2021 18:34:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7063 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6993 By Yair Lapid The speech I gave before the Global Forum for Combating Antisemitism earlier this month in Jerusalem has provoked unusual uproar. As I see it, the furor is surfacing too late. Reports gauging hatred of the Jews in the world are unprecedented and horrifying. The year 2019 set a record for the number … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Yair Lapid </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The speech I gave before the Global Forum for Combating Antisemitism earlier this month in Jerusalem has provoked unusual uproar. As I see it, the furor is surfacing too late. Reports gauging hatred of the Jews in the world are unprecedented and horrifying. The year 2019 set a record for the number of hate crimes directed at Jews, and 2020 did not witness a drop in the figures, despite the coronavirus pandemic (which even generated a new blood libel, to the effect that the pandemic was being deliberately spread by the Jews). And it’s already clear that the data for 2021 will surpass those of the two previous years. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In Poland, <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/europe/.premium-polish-senate-approves-softened-version-of-holocaust-restitution-bill-1.10023985" target="_blank">  legislation was approved  </a> that borders on Holocaust denial. In Muslim countries, blood libels against Jews are routinely purveyed. In Eastern and Central Europe, Jews are being attacked on the streets, cemeteries are being desecrated and synagogue windows are once again being smashed. In liberal circles in the United States and in Europe, the Jews – the most attacked people in history – are considered part of the “forces of oppression.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In recent years, we have lost not only the sympathy of the world but also the sympathy of many of the world’s Jews. According to a poll published earlier this month (and commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute), 25 percent of American Jews think Israel is “an apartheid state” and 22 percent believe Israel is “committing genocide against the Palestinians.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The previous Israeli government – under whose watch this collapse took place – did not manage to shape a coherent policy to address the fight against antisemitism. Over the past decade, official Israel repeatedly failed in its attempts to respond by using old tools in the face of this new and ugly wave. The world is no longer shocked that the  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium.HIGHLIGHT-the-holocaust-isn-t-helping-america-confront-fascism-1.10001990" target="_blank"> Holocaust occurred </a> , and there is an alarming erosion in the sense of guilt and global responsibility for the murder of the six million. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I see part of my job as Israel’s foreign minister – if not my main role – as addressing the need to find ways to deal with the crisis of  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-anti-semitism-1.5598882" target="_blank"> modern antisemitism </a> . We need to conduct a thorough discussion about the state of antisemitism and how to address it. Without that, there is no Israeli public diplomacy, there is no coherent Israeli story and there is no way to enlist the world’s support. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As the reactions to my speech have proved, any effort to approach such a discussion – cautious as it may be – touch on our most painful and sensitive places, including the memory of the Holocaust. Of course, that doesn’t at all justify the baseless argument that “the antisemites will use the speech against us.” Antisemites don’t need any argument to attack Jews. They will do so in any event, and we must not censor ourselves on such a critical subject. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The State of Israel is in need of a dramatic and fundamental change in direction in its fight against antisemitism, and it must acknowledge that in recent years, it has sustained abject failure in that battle. And a change in direction won’t take place without open debate on the issue. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The first question we must ask ourselves is what antisemitism is. Astonishingly, that question has never had a simple answer. Antisemitism is too ancient and too broad in scope to allow a uniform definition. How exactly would we link the hatred of Jews that led to pogroms in Alexandria in 38 C.E. and the hatred of Jews that led to a demonstration by young supporters of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement on the streets of Madrid? </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the absence of another definition, I accept the slightly cumbersome definition of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance that antisemitism is “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I also support the <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/.premium.HIGHLIGHT-a-new-definition-of-antisemitism-is-out-and-the-antisemites-love-it-1.9685765" target="_blank">  IHRA’s explanation  </a> that disproportionate attention to Israel or efforts to apply a standard to Israel that is not applied to other countries constitutes antisemitism. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As noted, it’s a cumbersome definition, but my grandfather Bela Lampel – whom a Nazi soldier seized from his home and who ultimately died in the gas chamber at the Mauthausen concentration camp – would have understood it well and would have signed off on every word. On the other hand, I have chosen to focus the urgent discussion of how to deal with modern antisemitism on a narrower question: Is antisemitism a unique phenomenon or is it part of a broader phenomenon of racism and xenophobia? </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> There are two accepted responses to that question. The traditional one is that antisemitism is a unique case in the history of humanity. Defining it as racism misses the scope of the phenomenon and the historical continuity of its presence. Antisemites don’t hate Jews in the same way that Hutus hated and murdered Tutsis in Rwanda, or even the way the Nazis hated and killed the Roma or homosexuals. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> ( <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-lapid-s-speech-on-antisemitism-admitted-something-jews-rarely-admit-1.10010757" target="_blank"> In my speech </a> , I caused a misunderstanding to the effect that the motives for all these killings are identical, in my view. This column is an opportunity to rectify that: Clearly not all murderous hatreds are similar. What I intended to state was that there is a deep racist basis to any violent attack on other people just because they are outsiders, and that no one has an exclusive claim to pain). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Based on that outlook, the hatred of Jews is not only a murderous emotion but also an ideology with deep historic roots. It’s true that there is a racist basis to antisemitism, but it doesn’t involve a universal racism that has by chance targeted the members of a single people. It is a unique form of hatred that can only have one possible target: the Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> According to that view, the Holocaust – the most horrible event in the history of the nations – was no temporary outbreak of organized hatred but rather the unavoidable manifestation of an orderly ideology holding that Jews have no place in the world. The systematic extermination was made possible because it was carried out against Jews. It could not have been committed in such a way or on such a scale against another human group. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The fact that the Holocaust was an organized event proves that it could happen again. The effort to portray it as a one-time occurrence is mistaken and dangerous. If we don’t know how to defend ourselves (by ourselves – we cannot count on others), the attempt to annihilate us could repeat itself in the future. Even in our times, the new antisemites are not focusing on the State of Israel as a result of something we have done, but only because Israel constitutes the biggest concentration of Jews in the world. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Then there is the second point of view, holding that antisemitism is the supreme, monstrous embodiment of the racism that exists in the world, that it is no different from other racist monstrosities in substance, but rather only in its historic persistence and in the scope of horrors that it has caused. According to this view, antisemitism is not only a racist phenomenon. It is the largest and most absolute manifestation of racism in human history. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Its permanent core, which never changes, is xenophobia. It is not a worldview that finds expression in a violent form but quite the opposite. It’s violence masquerading as a worldview. The many people who participated in the Nazi death machine, including Poles, Lithuanians,  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-the-key-to-hungary-s-infatuation-with-hate-mongering-authoritarian-orban-1.8919482" target="_blank"> Hungarians  </a> and Croatians, never read a word of Nazi theory. They acted out of dark hatred of the foreigner, not based on an organized worldview. As historian Benzion Netanyahu wrote: “The instinct of hatred was simply hardened into a doctrine….” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That doctrine frequently changes, because hatred of the Jews needs to be justified again every time. There is nothing that we have not been accused of – from the killing of Jesus to sexual harassment of Christian women, from controlling the global economy to ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians. In our time, it is accepted to differentiate between “red antisemitism” (of the radical left), “white antisemitism” (or the traditional antisemitism, of the right) and “green antisemitism” (Islamist antisemitism). But all of them are simply excuses. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jews are in fact different from other peoples – and there is no reason to pretend otherwise – but differences don’t justify hatred and certainly not an organized effort at mass extermination. Racism is not recognition of the fact that people are different from one another. Racism is the argument that this difference makes them inferior or that it legitimizes violence toward them. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As Jews, as members of the second and third generation after the Holocaust, as Israelis, we must not ignore the fact that in recent years, the world has lost patience with discussing the Holocaust (even giving rise to a new term: Shoah fatigue). That process has put us on the defensive. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Fear that this unique and traumatic part of our history will be blurred and ignored has caused us to demand more and more relief and concessions from the world instead of stepping up our own commitment to the war against racism. Of every kind. This is not the way to do it. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> What is causing impatience is that the Holocaust has come to lack context. If it’s not part of the struggle against racism, nothing can be done about it other than to offer sympathy. There is a limit to the number of times and the number of years the world will continue to share in our sorrow. We must change our approach and make the Holocaust a global lesson regarding all manifestations of racism. If the memory of the Holocaust becomes the major engine in the war against global racism, it won’t lead to an erosion of awareness over the Jewish tragedy. Quite the contrary. It will highlight it and grant it moral power. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That is why I believe that there is actually no fundamental contradiction between the two perspectives. And furthermore, they complement one another: Antisemitism is indeed a unique phenomenon in human history, but it can only exist in a world in which racism has not been eradicated. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Antisemitism is not just racism, but it is also racism. Its existence in the world presents a danger to the world. As  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/MAGAZINE-elie-wiesel-nobel-prize-laureate-holocaust-survivor-dies-at-87-1.5323939" target="_blank"> Elie Wiesel  </a> wrote: “Someone who hates one group will end up hating everyone – and, ultimately, hating himself or herself.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish people did not emerge from the Holocaust with a single conclusion but with two. The first conclusion is that we must survive at any price. No one will come to save us. No one will fight our wars. We must live because life is the decisive response to hate. We must live by virtue of our own power in an independent country with a strong army that is not afraid of using force to defend itself and that does not apologize for its power. We are determined never again to be the victim. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The second conclusion is that we must be moral people, and more than anything, our morality is assessed when the situation is not moral – during wartime, during a time of confrontation. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> It’s true that there is a tension between these two conclusions, but that tension is healthy, and one that substantially shapes our lives. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Too many among us are concerned that the battle against racism will commit us to a restrictive ethic of tolerance. As I see it, it’s not a limitation but an advantage. If antisemitism is racism, Israel needs to be at the forefront of the fight against racism. We need opposition to racism to be part of our policy in every field – military, diplomatic and civil. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The fight against racism needs to be part of our set of considerations in choosing our friends in the world, in the way in which we deal with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in how we relate to the minorities living among us. We also need to lower the level of hysteria in the face of criticism. Maybe every antisemite would oppose Israeli policy in the Gaza Strip, but not everyone who opposes Israeli policy in Gaza is an antisemite. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The distinct advantage of the combination of approaches is the capacity to enlist new partners. If we want the world to continue to deal actively with hatred of the Jews – and more than that, hatred of the Jews who live in Israel – we must emerge from our isolation. We must enlist the Western world to stand at our side, to give the battle against antisemitism a contemporary context – not by separating the memory of the Holocaust from all of the tragedies that racism has caused, but by actually putting it at the top of such a discussion. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> We should be seen as relating to the Holocaust as a moral lesson, one on which we don’t have the right to loosen our grip for an instant. Only such an approach will permit us to enlist all those whom we have given up on in recent years: young people on American college campuses, the Western European political establishment, the liberal media, international organizations. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> We must not give up on anyone. We must not throw up our hands when it comes to anyone. The facts (for the most part) are in our favor. Our enemies, most notably Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah, are murderous groups whose declared desire is to annihilate the Jews – as well as members of the LGBTQ community, Christians and moderate Muslims. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> They hate women. They hate democracy and promote racist theories. Their natural partners are proponents of white supremacy and neo-Nazism around the world. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Instead of taking refuge in our historical uniqueness, we must utilize that uniqueness to enlist anyone who opposes the culture of blood and death promoted by the world’s racists. We must say to anyone who defines themselves as opponents of racism: You cannot be liberal if you are against the Jews and Israel. You cannot define yourself as a democrat if you align yourself with the darkest forces against democracy. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> If antisemitism is racism, those who systematically act against the Jews and the State of Israel – are racist. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-is-antisemitism-racism-1.10033287"> Read more </a> </p> </div> Mon, 26 Jul 2021 16:36:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6993 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7038 By Yonat Shimron (RNS) A Jewish advocacy group has condemned a resolution adopted at a meeting of the United Church of Christ on Sunday (July 18) that calls the continued oppression of the Palestinian people a “sin.” The American Jewish Committee denounced the UCC resolution, a “Declaration for a Just Peace Between Palestine and Israel,” saying the measure “demonizes … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Yonat Shimron </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> (RNS) A Jewish advocacy group has  <a href="https://www.ajc.org/news/ajc-condemns-united-church-of-christ-ucc-resolution-slamming-israel"> condemned </a>  a resolution adopted at a meeting of the United Church of Christ on Sunday (July 18) that calls the continued oppression of the Palestinian people a “sin.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The American Jewish Committee denounced the UCC  <a href="https://www.generalsynod.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Palestine-Israel-Just-Peace-Declaration.pdf"> resolution </a> , a “Declaration for a Just Peace Between Palestine and Israel,” saying the measure “demonizes Israel, fails to offer a credible path to Israeli-Palestinian peace, and undermines advances in Christian-Jewish relations.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The condemnation is the latest skirmish between Jewish advocacy groups and liberal Protestant denominations, including the United Church of Christ. Six years ago, the UCC, a denomination of about 800,000 members, drew the ire of Jewish groups and the Israeli government when it approved a resolution calling for divestment from companies that profit from Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and a boycott of products from Israeli settlements. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The latest resolution is part of an increasing chorus of criticism aimed at Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. On Monday, Ben &amp; Jerry’s said it would  <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ben-and-jerrys-ice-cream-palestinian-territories-d8488b4c9c19dac11e2c253530d63014"> stop selling its ice cream </a>  in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem, saying the sales in the territories sought by the Palestinians are “inconsistent with our values.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The West Bank and east Jerusalem were captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Some 700,000 Israeli settlers now live in the two territories. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> American Jews have also grown increasingly critical over Israeli policies toward the Palestinians, including its expansive settlement construction. A  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/july-2021-national-survey-of-jewish-voters/"> survey </a>  commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that 34% of American Jews agreed “Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is similar to racism in the United States.” Some 25% agreed “Israel is an apartheid state” and 22% agreed “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The UCC’s most recent resolution, adopted at its General Synod by 83% of its delegates voting online, is more restrained than previous resolutions. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Rev. Allie Perry, who chairs the UCC Palestine Israel Network steering committee, said the resolution is a theological response that reaffirms the denomination’s commitment to human rights, equal rights and international law. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> It was drafted as a response to  <a href="https://www.cryforhope.org/media/attachments/2020/06/30/cry-for-hope-english.pdf"> “A Cry for Hope,” </a>  a Palestinian Christian document adopted by a coalition of concerned Christians from different churches. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “It’s a theological document,” said Perry. “It grounds us in our faith with the conviction that all people carry the image of God.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The resolution, adopted 462-78 with 18 abstentions, reads: “We affirm that the continued oppression of the Palestinian people remains, after more than five decades of oppression of the Palestinian people, a matter of theological urgency and represents a sin in violation of the message of the biblical prophets and the Gospel, and that all efforts to defend or legitimate the oppression of the Palestinian people, whether passive or active, through silence, word, or deed by the Christian community, represent a fundamental denial of the Gospel.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The AJC has sharply criticized several Protestant denominations, most notably The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), for what it calls “anti-Israel resolutions and initiatives.” Presbyterians like other mainline Protestant groups have expressed varying levels of support for the anti-Israel Boycott Divestment and Sanctions movement, which seeks to mobilize international economic and political pressure on Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The new UCC resolution, which also refers to Israel’s “apartheid system of laws and legal procedures” and demands an end to U.S. military aid to Israel, was one-sided, according to the AJC. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “It pretends there aren’t two parties to the conflict,” said Rabbi Noam Marans, AJC’s director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations. “That is not the way to get to peace. Peace is between two parties contending over a piece of land they both claim.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Marans also said he was concerned by the denomination’s use of the word sin, which he said has not served Jewish-Christian relations well in the past. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/jewish-group-condemns-united-church-of-christ-resolution-on-israel-palestinians/2021/07/19/f2b6ea4c-e8df-11eb-a2ba-3be31d349258_story.html"> Read more </a> </p> </div> Mon, 19 Jul 2021 19:41:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7038 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7020 By Ron Kampeas Sharon Nazarian has a theory about why a recent Washington, D.C., rally against antisemitism struggled to reach as large an audience as organizers had intended. The Anti-Defamation League, for which Nazarian is senior vice president of international affairs, co-sponsored “No Fear: A Rally in Solidarity with the Jewish People,” along with several … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Ron Kampeas </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Sharon Nazarian has a theory about why a recent Washington, D.C., rally against antisemitism struggled to reach as large an audience as organizers had intended. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Anti-Defamation League, for which Nazarian is senior vice president of international affairs, co-sponsored “No Fear: A Rally in Solidarity with the Jewish People,” along with several other of the largest American Jewish organizations. But  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/07/08/united-states/a-rally-against-antisemitism-hopes-to-present-a-united-front-but-its-message-on-israel-has-driven-away-some-left-wing-groups"> it drew just 2,000 people </a>  on Sunday. By comparison, a rally in 2002 at the height of the second intifada drew more than 100,000 participants.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Nazarian says the traditional mainstream organizational focus on, and lionization of, Israel is becoming a liability and turning people away. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “This narrative about Israel needs to be a more realistic one, one that [brings] attention to the strengths of the state, and to its weaknesses,” said Nazarian, a philanthropist who is president of a family foundation that funds research into education. She added that the rally was put together on short notice in the heat of the summer, at a time that the coronavirus pandemic is still a factor. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Two days after the rally,  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/07/13/politics/sizeable-minorities-of-us-jewish-voters-believe-israel-is-guilty-of-genocide-apartheid"> a poll of U.S. Jews </a>  was published with some surprising findings: 25% agreed that “Israel is an apartheid state,” 34% agreed that “Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is similar to racism in the United States” and 22% agreed that “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians.” The numbers only climb among younger Jews: More than a third of those under 40 gave Israel the “apartheid state” label. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The numbers are striking given  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2019/12/03/politics/why-israel-isnt-a-top-consideration-for-us-jewish-voters"> American Jewry’s longstanding and steadfast support of Israel </a> , even throughout times of right-wing governments, such as the ones led for years by recent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that have pushed policies that clash with the majority of their individual beliefs. But American criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza over multiple military conflicts in the last decade — most notably in 2014 and May of this year — has steadily grown harsher, and this year saw an unprecedented public outcry, accentuated by <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/05/12/culture/from-gal-gadot-to-trevor-noah-heres-what-celebrities-are-saying-about-the-israel-gaza-violence">  several influential celebrities </a> . Many feel more comfortable agreeing with influencers and others who label Israel’s military response to rockets fired from Gaza as “genocidal” — even if  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/05/26/israel/people-are-accusing-israel-of-genocide-these-human-rights-lawyers-beg-to-differ"> human rights experts caution that the term is an exaggeration </a>  in this case. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “What we’re missing, even the centrist organizations, is that for years now we’ve been hearing these sensationalist labels, and the reason we didn’t engage with it was because it was on the fringe, it was taboo, and we thought it would stay there,” Nazarian said. “What has happened now as a result of the May conflict is the real mainstreaming of this language.”  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Another factor over the last year, since the murder of George Floyd, is the burgeoning awareness of racial disparities among Americans. Many of Israel’s critics have increasingly framed Israel’s conflict as one of racial injustice. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “We have to understand the building blocks, the framing,” Nazarian said. “And really the conflation of a lot of what we saw in the post-George Floyd kind of anti-racism activism that we as a Jewish community of America participated in.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Many “No Fear” rally speakers explicitly conflated some of the harsher criticisms of Israel with antisemitism, and that disinclined some groups from accepting the invitation to participate, including the liberal pro-Israel lobby J Street.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Rather than engage with young people and try to put the reality of the situation in context, and admit problems that are going on, they’ve chosen to deny that there are problems, and to attack those who raised them,” said J Street’s president, Jeremy Ben-Ami. “That has resulted in polarization. Rather than engaging people who have questions and criticism, they push them away.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Those who did participate in the rally and responded to a request for comment on the Jewish Electorate Institute National Survey of Jewish Voters doubled down on their assertions and emphasized education, arguing that the Jewish community needed to do more to educate younger Jews about Israel — and to push back against characterizations that they said originated with its enemies. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “A main source of disconnect between segments of American Jews and the reality of Israel is deficient education,” David Harris, the CEO of the American Jewish Committee, one of the rally’s sponsors, said in an email.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Harris pointed to an AJC poll last month that showed only 37% of respondents described their Israel education growing up as “strong,” and to separate data showing that young people increasingly are getting their news from social media “where untruths are rampant,” he said.   </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Clearly, greater efforts at educating American Jews, especially younger cohorts, about all aspects of Israeli society, and connecting them with their counterparts in Israel, are critical for ensuring nuanced understanding about Israel and strengthening Israel-Diaspora relations,” he said.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Harris pointed to AJC programs aimed at reaching Jews under 40. So did Adam Teitelbaum, the executive director of the Jewish Federation of North America’s Israel Action Network. JFNA was also a sponsor of the rally. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The best way to combat this phenomenon is to meaningfully and authentically engage young Jews with questions such as ‘what do you think apartheid means?’; ‘what is the best path forward?’; and ‘how can Israel address real security concerns while still fighting for peace?’,” Teitelbaum said. “Young people recognize that the situation in Israel is complicated. We at JFNA and through the Israel Action Network know that when Jewish Federations and Israel educators approach young people’s questions with compassion and authenticity, they engage meaningfully and elect to become changemakers themselves.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The removal of subtlety from the discourse is what kept Americans for Peace Now away from the rally, said its president, Hadar Susskind, even though his group was approached to participate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Organizations look at many members of the Jewish community, including particularly younger ones, and disregard them, or, you know, answer them in ways that are at best dismissive and at worse, call them antisemites,” Susskind said in an interview. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Susskind said his group rejected terms like “apartheid” and “genocide,” but said that energy dedicated to countering those terms would be better spent by the Jewish community grappling with Israel’s status as an occupier of Palestinian areas and people. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The answer to this isn’t another college fellowship to show people the sandy white beaches in Tel Aviv, it’s ending the occupation,” he said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Some of the “No Fear” Jewish organizations reflexively say that they accommodate criticism.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The No Fear antisemitism rally included a number of voices and was meant to be a broad tent,” Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, the CEO of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and the Rabbinical Assembly said in a statement. “Our movement is firmly and proudly Zionist and supportive of the State of Israel and its people. Our movement is also a big tent and includes many different voices on Israel, all coming from a place of love and support for Israel, even when critical.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Daniel Mariaschin, the CEO of B’nai B’rith, another of the rally’s sponsoring organizations, called for the classic strategy of playing up Israel’s strengths. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “We must restore pride by re-doubling our efforts at Jewish education: formal and informal, biblical to contemporary, in classrooms and at the dining room table, at summer camps and on excursions to Israel,” Mariaschin said in an email. “Are we celebrating, enough, Israel’s many contributions to contemporary civilization in innovation, medicine, and agriculture, and its wide open, but sometimes fractious democracy?” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Crosstabs of the recent survey shared with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency by the pollster, GBAO Strategies, show that among those who described themselves as emotionally attached to the country, a substantial minority buy into the harsh criticisms. Among those with strong ties to Israel, 19% agreed that Israel was an apartheid state. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Halie Soifer, the CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, one of the sponsoring organizations,  said she was frustrated attending the rally to hear most of the speakers condemn antisemitism of the left. The survey showed most respondents, 61%, perceived the antisemitic threat to come from the right. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Soifer, whose JDCA is affiliated with the group that commissioned the poll, the Jewish Electorate Institute, said the emphasis on anti-Israel rhetoric from the left at the rally was emblematic of why the establishment was failing in its outreach to younger Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “To the extent that those at the rally focused on antisemitism emanating from anywhere other than the right, it demonstrates a disconnect between the focus of some Jewish organizations and the priorities of American Jews,” Soifer said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/07/15/united-states/more-american-jews-are-calling-israel-an-apartheid-state-and-big-organizations-are-struggling-to-fight-the-trend"> Read more </a> </p> </div> Thu, 15 Jul 2021 22:55:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7020 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7024 By Jeremy Sharon The recent outbreak of antisemitic incidents in the US has been a fearful reminder that this ancient hatred can rear its monstrous head at any time and in any place, however enlightened the era, and however advanced the society. Just this week a hassidic man was violently assaulted in broad daylight in Brooklyn, New … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Jeremy Sharon </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The  <a href="https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/nypd-antisemitic-attacks-skyrocketing-in-new-york-city-673083" target="_blank"> recent outbreak of antisemitic incidents </a>  in the US has been a fearful reminder that this ancient hatred can rear its monstrous head at any time and in any place, however enlightened the era, and however advanced the society. Just this week a hassidic man was violently assaulted in broad daylight in Brooklyn, New York, struck with a wooden plank and punched. Earlier this month,  <a href="https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/fireworks-thrown-at-hassidic-yeshiva-students-in-upstate-new-york-report-673107" target="_blank"> fireworks were thrown at hassidic youths in upstate New York </a> , a swastika and a Nazi SS insignia were scrawled on a statue in Jamestown, New York, gravestones in Dundalk, Maryland, were spray-painted with swastikas, and a Chabad rabbi in Boston was stabbed eight times and nearly killed in an attack believed to have an antisemitic motive. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This appalling sequence of events in the course of just half a month is illustrative of the alarming rise of pernicious and violent antisemitism in the US over the last three months, following the recent war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. But the physical violence is only part of the equation, with antisemitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric being spewed in numerous real-world and online forums, which has led to concerns for the morale and resilience of the Jewish community, especially among the youth. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The organized Jewish community and its institutions have been shaken by this eruption of anti-Jewish hatred, and the various organizations that constitute the core network of US Jewry are now taking several avenues to tackle one of the most challenging times for the community in recent history. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> ERIC FINGERHUT, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, says that a new level of antisemitic intensity has been reached, although he questions whether antisemitic sentiment itself has increased or merely just become more open. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Regardless, he says that the reality on the ground for Jews in the US and Canada is that antisemitism is being felt more intensely. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The current wave of antisemitic violence has been born of a “perfect storm,” says Fingerhut, coming against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic, which stoked online antisemitism; the racial justice movement in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, which also gave rise, on its extreme edges, to a radical anti-Israel movement; and finally Israel’s war in May with Hamas in Gaza. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And all of this played out against the background of severe political polarization in the US, a divisive election, and the January 6 insurrection on Capitol Hill by Trump supporters.“ </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The recent war with Gaza lit the whole combustible mixture, and gave these [antisemitic] forces a focal point to unleash hatred, and they did,” says Fingerhut. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Having said that, Fingerhut, who is currently in Israel with a JFNA delegation, says that people’s daily lives have not changed dramatically, and that US Jews are largely going about their daily lives in a similar manner as before. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But he says that his organization is focusing strongly on security needs after the series of antisemitic assaults on Jews over the last three months.Fingerhut says that this focus increased dramatically with the Tree of Life massacre in Pittsburgh in 2018, and subsequent attacks in Poway, Jersey City and Monsey, but that the recent spate of events has underlined the need to ramp up security measures for Jewish communities.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Being in Israel is a reminder that Israel long ago built a level of security against attacks that we don’t have in the US,” says Fingerhut.“In North America, we never needed to build that level of security, but that’s what we’re doing now; that’s where we are in the Jewish community.“ </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The security situation is a real departure. I have no qualms saying that this is the case. It’s a No. 1 priority for all of us.”BUT BEYOND boosting physical security for Jewish communities, there is also a need to tackle the phenomenon of antisemitism on a practical level. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, says that the recent surge in antisemitic incidents has served as a wake-up call to the American Jewish community.“ </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> It has resulted in communal unity towards the recognition that we need to use all of the resources we have to combat antisemitism and educate the American people about the dangers of Jew hatred,” he says. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Daroff says such efforts have involved enlisting government officials, politicians, and civic leaders, but also sports stars and social media influencers.“It is important to have these kind of people speak out about antisemitism, because they influence public opinion and help meld it,” he says.“ </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Hate is not something people are born with; it’s something they learn,” he continues, arguing that getting onside those with the ability to impact large numbers of people was critical in the fight against the resurgence of antisemitism. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Daroff says that the Jewish community is overwhelmingly united in its fight against antisemitism, noting its widespread adoption of the working definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The IHRA definition has been adopted by 29 countries, the European Union and numerous local governments and institutions around the world, as a way to clearly define antisemitism in order to accurately monitor its prevalence.It has, however, faced pushback by left-wing, progressive groups and anti-Zionist activists, because of examples that determine that antisemitism includes calling Israel “a racist endeavor” and, in their view, apply double standards to Israel’s actions, among other examples. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Critics, including among some Jewish groups, have said this stifles free speech and have fought back against the adoption of the definition. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Advocates for the IHRA definition have, however, pointed out that it explicitly states that manifestations of antisemitism “might include” targeting of the State of Israel, and that criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country “cannot be regarded as antisemitic.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Daroff points out that it has been implemented by 51 of the Conference of President’s 53 organizations, and says opposition to the definition is not part of the mainstream Jewish community, and is also “misguided,” particularly in light of the rash of antisemitic assaults that arose during Israel’s war with Gaza in May.“ </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Two of the IHRA examples point to the fact that anti-Zionism has become a proxy for antisemitism, and that while it is impolitic to call someone a dirty Jew, it is unfortunately not impolitic to call someone a dirty Zionist,” he says. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The definition says that just because someone changes the terminology to try to squeeze through a censor’s reading does not mean that something is not antisemitic.“ </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The experience of the last couple of months since the IDF operation speaks very much to the legitimacy of these examples, since synagogues around the world had their windows smashed because of Israeli governmental action.“ </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jews are being attacked because of the perceived actions of the Israeli government, and you’re seeing across the world a true demonstration that oftentimes antisemitism shows itself out by anti-Israel agitation and speech.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> BUT ASIDE from combating antisemitism on a defensive level through increased security and tools such as IHRA, efforts are also under way to establish a bulwark against what is seen as an increasing problem – the effect antisemitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric and activities is having on Jewish youth. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Fingerhut says that young Jews are being negatively affected by the wave of antisemitism and anti-Zionism they have witnessed of late, in particular over social media, where they spend so much of their time and receive so much of their information. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This concern is illustrated by a  <a href="https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/us-jewry-failed-to-teach-its-youth-about-israel-here-is-the-result-673846" target="_blank"> poll released this week </a>  by the Jewish Electorate Institute which found, in a study of 800 self-identified Jewish Americans, that 25% believed Israel to be an apartheid state, including 38% of under-40s, and 22% believed Israel to be committing genocide against the Palestinians, including 33% of under-40s. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Fingerhut is somewhat dubious about the study, saying he is unsure whether people, especially youth, are aware of exactly what the racist South African apartheid government actually was.But he says it demonstrates the kind of problem the Jewish community is facing. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “When people hear, over and over again, that Israel is an apartheid state, people are going to believe it,” he says.“It’s a warning sign that this claim is unfortunately making progress, and we should not assume that people won’t take it seriously.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And he says it highlights the need for action, to reinforce Jewish identity and affinity with Israel within the Jewish community in the face of the antisemitic and anti-Zionist onslaught.“Now we not only have to build Jewish identity, but we also have to make it resilient enough to withstand this external attack and ensure that Jewish youth feel part of the Jewish people,” says Fingerhut.“ </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> We want them to know that we have their back, that they are part of something bigger, that they don’t have to question the connections to the Jewish people they’ve built from summer camps, campus Hillel houses, and through their families, and that we will sustain them through the challenges they are facing.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/tackling-antisemitism-outbreak-in-the-us-on-several-fronts-674041"> Read more </a> </p> </div> Thu, 15 Jul 2021 22:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7024 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7022 By David Horovitz According to a new poll of US Jewish voters, 25 percent consider Israel to be an apartheid state, and another 22% aren’t certain one way or another. In the same survey, taken two weeks ago and published Tuesday, 22% said “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians,” and a further 16% weren’t sure if … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By David Horovitz </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> According to a new  <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/poll-finds-a-quarter-of-us-jews-think-israel-is-apartheid-state/"> poll </a>  of US Jewish voters, 25 percent consider Israel to be an apartheid state, and another 22% aren’t certain one way or another. In the same survey, taken two weeks ago and published Tuesday, 22% said “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians,” and a further 16% weren’t sure if we are or not. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute, a group led by prominent Jewish Democrats, the survey was carried out against the background of May’s 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas and other Gaza-based terror groups, which triggered a major spike in incidents of antisemitism in North America and elsewhere. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> We can agonize and argue over the value of opinion polls in general and this one in particular, which  <a href="https://jewishelectdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/JEI-Survey-July-2021.pdf" target="_blank"> questioned </a>  800 people with a 3.5% margin of error, and posed what might be termed leading questions: “Israel is an apartheid state,” it  <a href="https://jewishelectdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/JEI-National-Jewish-Survey-Topline-Results-July-2021.pdf" target="_blank"> stated </a> , for instance, then asked respondents if they agreed or disagreed. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But the findings should not be nitpicked away. That more than a fifth of US Jews in the poll accuse Israel of genocide cannot be shrugged off. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey was taken in the aftermath of a conflict against Hamas, an Islamist terrorist organization that is not engaged in a territorial dispute with Israel, but rather avowedly seeks our state’s destruction; that killed its own people in seizing power in Gaza after Israel withdrew from the territory; that has a despicable history of carrying out suicide bombings throughout Israel directed at civilians; that uses Gazans as human shields against Israel’s efforts to thwart its rocket fire and assault tunnels, and that redirects any and every relevant Gaza resource to its war against Israel at the expense of its citizenry. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Weeks after Israel faced off against this blatantly amoral terrorist army, a sizable proportion of the world’s largest Diaspora community, citizens of our closest and most important ally, has nonetheless apparently drawn a radically skewed picture of what is going on here. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Understanding the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict does require a little bit of effort. You have to care enough to look deeper than headlines that highlight relative death tolls and maps that display tiny Gaza alongside larger Israel. There’s history and context and dueling narratives and hitherto irreconcilable claims to the same territory. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For all my concerns about where we may be headed if we cannot find a secure means of separating from most of the Palestinians, I find it hard to believe that anyone with genuine intellectual honesty can definitively brand Israel an apartheid state — though I know people who do. And I truly do not see how anybody who has invested the smallest modicum of effort in understanding our realities can determine that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians. Yet that’s what lots of American Jews apparently now consider to be the case. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A multitude of factors, some of them far beyond Israel’s control, have led to poll findings such as these. But self-evidently, Israel would help its standing if it explained itself more effectively. It’s no panacea; there are limits to even the most adept public diplomacy. But Israel appears to have given up even trying, as highlighted by its staggering ineptitude in the course of the latest conflict and its aftermath. </p> </div> <h3> Hobbling Israel’s public diplomacy </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Israel’s abiding inability to articulate its own case to the global public is so entrenched, and has been so long a cause of despair to its supporters, that many who agitated over the years to prioritize this second battlefield have long since given up. But the seeming determination by successive governments to undermine Israel’s cause by neglecting and hobbling the country’s public diplomacy, notably but not exclusively in the United States, would appear to have plumbed new depths of late. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The latest conflict found prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s longtime former spokesman Mark Regev, back on the media frontline after his term as Israel’s ambassador to the UK, bolstered by “volunteers” including ex-ambassadors Ron Dermer and Michael Oren. Ostensibly complementing this effort to explain the war and its context was the IDF and its Spokesperson’s Unit. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But the IDF’s prime focus was not on detailing for an international audience the context in which Israel had resorted to a widescale response to Hamas’s initial rocket barrage at Jerusalem and the subsequent barrages of thousands of rockets at much of the country. Rather, it was seeking to deter Hamas and Gaza’s other terror groups, by impressing upon them the IDF’s might and potentially devastating capabilities. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Its fundamental unfitness for the purpose of international outreach was emblemized both by its attempts to deceive world media, and thus Hamas, with false information about a ground offensive early in the conflict, and by its inability to quickly produce compelling public evidence of why it was deemed necessary to destroy an entire Gaza high-rise that it said was a Hamas military asset but where the world’s largest news agency, the Associated Press, also had its offices. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Meanwhile, in the United States, Israel’s two main, immensely demanding diplomatic posts — ambassador to the US and ambassador to the UN — were filled, absurdly, by one man, Gilad Erdan, who avoided almost all of an avalanche of interview requests, apparently because he was concerned that his English, though serviceable, is not entirely up to the task. The office of consul general in New York was unfilled (a new appointment was made in late June). Other major international diplomatic posts, including the ambassadors to Canada, France and Australia, were also vacant. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Netanyahu’s governments for years marginalized the Foreign Ministry as part of the prime minister’s centralization of control and, most recently, were so preoccupied with survival and electioneering as to widely neglect international public diplomacy — ironically so, given Netanyahu’s articulacy and worldliness. Preoccupied with endless domestic bickering, Israel’s political leadership did not internalize and still does not seem to have internalized how problematically the most recent Gaza-Israel conflict played out internationally, notably including the wave of antisemitism it unleashed. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The bickering and point-scoring has, sadly and unsurprisingly, continued into the era of the new, Naftali Bennett-led coalition — with the PM and his predecessor trading blame and accusations over Iran, COVID-19 and just about everything else — and so too, thus far, the neglect of international public diplomacy. A month in office, the prime minister has no English-language spokesperson. Erdan has announced plans to step down as ambassador to the United States but a replacement has yet to be named, and other key ambassadorial positions have yet to be filled. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Taking charge of his ministry last month, Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid  <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/lapid-vows-to-rebuild-international-ties-after-reckless-last-government/"> lamented </a>  that, in recent years, Israel had “abandoned the international arena. And then we woke up one morning to find that our international standing has been weakened.” The Jewish Electorate Institute survey offers alarming evidence of this process, this crisis. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll indicates that a substantial proportion of even our own worldwide Jewish nation is reaching false conclusions about the modern Jewish state. The Israeli leadership must urgently help provide the tools for a better understanding of what goes on here — with a properly staffed and resourced public diplomacy establishment. That won’t produce an immediate sea-change in international public sentiment, but it will help. As May’s mini-war dismally showed, currently, in the space where Israel should be setting out its case, there is mainly a vacuum. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/genocide-apartheid-a-poll-israel-cannot-allow-itself-to-ignore/"> Read more </a> </p> </div> Thu, 15 Jul 2021 17:25:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7022 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7015 By Jennifer Rubin The disgraced former president liked to brag that he would pull Jewish voters away from their traditional home in the Democratic Party. Republicans imagined they had created a “Jexodus,” thanks to the same former president’s indulgence of then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing nationalist government. Most informed observers at the time thought this was … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Jennifer Rubin </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The disgraced former president  <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/08/22/753131249/trumps-disloyalty-claim-about-jewish-democrats-shows-he-doesn-t-get-how-they-vot" target="_blank"> liked to brag </a>  that he would pull Jewish voters away from their traditional home in the Democratic Party. Republicans imagined they had created a “ <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/03/22/jexodus-is-gop-fantasy-that-doesnt-mean-jews-will-vote-democratic-forever/?itid=lk_inline_manual_2" target="_blank"> Jexodus </a> ,” thanks to the same former president’s indulgence of then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing nationalist government. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Most informed observers at the time thought this was bunk.  <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2019/03/12/republicans-are-trying-make-jexodus-happen-most-jews-still-vote-democratic/?itid=lk_inline_manual_4" target="_blank"> The Post </a>  reported in May 2019:Polling data and experts interviewed by The Washington Post do not show a Jewish exodus from the Democratic Party in the Trump years. They show a demographic group that continues to vote at exceedingly high rates for Democrats — as it has for decades. That number actually ticked up when Trump was elected, with 71 percent voting for Hillary Clinton and only 24 percent voting for him in 2016.“This is something people have talked about for decades,” Matt Boxer, a professor at Brandeis University who has studied Jewish political involvement, said of the push for Jews to leave the Democratic Party. “But there’s no evidence when you look at survey data.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Indeed, Republicans’ cult-like reverence for a racist, xenophobic liar continued to turn off the  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2020/11/16/politics/how-did-jewish-americans-vote-polls-offer-imperfect-takes-but-the-big-picture-is-clear" target="_blank"> vast majority of American Jews.  </a> While the notoriously partisan Republican Jewish Coalition claimed President Biden drew “only” 60 percent of the vote in 2020, a poll commissioned by left-wing J Street put the number at  <a href="https://jstreet.org/press-releases/election-night-poll-shows-jewish-voters-overwhelmingly-supported-joe-biden-trumps-margin-even-worse-than-16-election/#.YO376hNKjUI" target="_blank"> 77 percent </a>  (echoing past polling from the Pew Research Center). If the latter is more accurate, Jews are about as loyal to the Democratic Party as  <a href="https://news.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/324410/religious-group-voting-2020-election.aspx" target="_blank"> White evangelical Christians  </a> are to the GOP. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new poll suggests either the J Street poll was correct — or that Jews have returned in even stronger numbers to the Democratic Party. The  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/july-2021-national-survey-of-jewish-voters/" target="_blank"> Jewish Electorate Institute </a>  survey of more than 800 self-identified Jews found that 80 percent approve of Biden’s job performance and that they favor Democrats for Congress by a 68 percent to 21 percent margin. American Jews approved of Biden’s handling of the recent Israel-Hamas conflict (62-21 percent) and of his relations with Israel in general (74-26 percent). Support for a two-state solution remains quite high (61 percent), as does aid for Israel (71 percent), but slightly less than aid to the Palestinians (58 percent), which Biden resumed. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> However, like the country at large, there is a massive chasm running through the Jewish community: Orthodox Jews remain overwhelmingly conservative politically, support Donald Trump and put Israel at the top of their priorities; the rest of the Jewish community (religiously Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist and unaffiliated) lean strongly Democratic. Eighty-two percent of the American Jewish community identify as progressive (18 percent), liberal (32 percent) or moderate (also 32 percent). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among non-Orthodox Jews, 96 percent favor a Democrat for Congress and 86 percent approve of Biden’s performance. In the same vein, 69 percent of Republican/Orthodox Jews disapprove of Biden’s performance, his handling of the Hamas war and his handling of the U.S.-Israel relationship.Advertisement </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> There is one common concern among shared by each Jewish religious branch: antisemitism. More than 90 percent of both Republican/Orthodox and Reform Jews are worried about bigotry against their communities, though they differ on the nature of the threat. Orthodox Jews are convinced it comes from the left, while others see it coming from the right. Put differently: The former think “the Squad” is the problem; the latter think the threat comes from violent White supremacists such as those who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 and massacred Jews at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue. The divide in the Jewish community flows in part from each group’s priorities. For Orthodox Jews, the top three priorities are antisemitism, jobs and national security. For the rest, voting rights, climate change and jobs top the list. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> It is not surprising then that on issues of democracy, non-Orthodox Jews voice grave concern about anti-democratic threats while Orthodox Jews follow the Republican party-line positions. Ninety-seven percent of Jewish Democrats are worried about voter suppression laws compared to 50 percent of Jewish Republicans (still high for Republicans generally). When asked whether they support legislation that would “expand voter access, make a national standard for voting rights across the country, and reverse the impact of the new election laws passed by the Florida and Georgia legislatures,” 93 percent of Jewish Democrats but only 35 percent of Jewish Republicans said yes. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/07/14/jews-with-one-big-caveat-really-like-biden-voting-rights/"> Read more </a> </p> </div> Wed, 14 Jul 2021 15:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7015 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7005 By Josh Axelrod American Jews largely support the new president and his handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, despite Republican broadsides on the issue, according to the first major poll of Jews during President Joe Biden’s term. The survey, conducted by the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute and released July 13, polled 800 Jews, 80% of whom approved of Biden’s job … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Josh Axelrod </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> American Jews largely support the new president and his handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, despite Republican broadsides on the issue, according to the  <a href="https://jewishelectdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/JEI-National-Jewish-Survey-Topline-Results-July-2021.pdf" target="_blank"> first major poll of Jews </a>  during President Joe Biden’s term. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey, conducted by the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute and  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/july-2021-national-survey-of-jewish-voters/" target="_blank"> released </a>  July 13, polled 800 Jews, 80% of whom approved of Biden’s job performance so far. Three-quarters of respondents said they specifically liked how Biden was handling U.S. relations with Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The results demonstrate that Jewish Americans trust Biden more than Trump by at least a three-to-one margin on key issues including fighting antisemitism, handling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue,” the group wrote in a press release. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In May, tensions in the region flared up as Israel attempted to evict several Palestinian families from East Jerusalem, attacking Palestinian worshipers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the holiest sites in Islam, in the process. In the 11 days of  <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-57205968" target="_blank"> rocket and air attacks </a>  that followed, at least 230 Palestinians, including 65 children, and 12 Israelis, two of whom were children, were  <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-cease-fire-hamas-caac81bc36fe9be67ac2f7c27000c74b" target="_blank"> killed </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Biden’s approach during the conflict was one of extreme caution, asserting Israel’s right to defend itself while simultaneously encouraging then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to wind down the violence and calling for a ceasefire.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Despite that approach, Republicans largely  <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-israel-palestine-hamas-democrats-republicans-criticize" target="_blank"> heaped criticism </a>  on Biden throughout the conflict. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “A weak foreign policy emboldens terrorists and makes the world less safe. America’s leaders must be clear: we stand unequivocally with our ally and friend, Israel,” Mike Pompeo, secretary of state under former President Donald Trump,  <a href="https://twitter.com/mikepompeo/status/1393245364640227330" target="_blank"> tweeted on May 14 </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “These attacks prove that Biden’s weak leadership is reversing the historic progress the Trump administration made towards peace in the region and has signaled to known terrorist organizations, like Hamas, that they can get away with attacking our nation’s strongest ally in the Middle East,” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel  <a href="https://gop.com/rnc-statement-on-violence-against-israel/" target="_blank"> wrote in a statement on May 12 </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Nikki Haley, Trump’s former ambassador to the United Nations,  <a href="https://twitter.com/NikkiHaley/status/1392493600466997252" target="_blank"> tweeted on May 12 </a> , “Hamas has watched Biden downgrade our relationship with Israel and then restore funding to the PA and the UN’s most corrupt agency without reform. Now, they are testing him. While terrorist rockets rain down on Israeli civilians, Biden is nowhere to be found.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Yet, Tuesday’s poll indicates those Republican attacks failed to stick with Jewish voters, with 62% of Jews supporting Biden’s handling of the recent conflict. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Haley’s reference to Biden  <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-palestinians-usa-exclusive/exclusive-u-s-to-restore-more-than-200-million-in-aid-to-palestinians-sources-idUSKBN2BU23M" target="_blank"> restoring $150 million </a>  in funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the relief group that provides humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees which Trump choked off support for in 2018, is also at odds with Tuesday’s findings.  <a href="https://jewishelectdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/JEI-Survey-Analysis-071021.pdf" target="_blank"> Sixty-two percent of Jews </a>  support that decision, according to the poll. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among Jewish Americans, support for Biden in general contrasts starkly with Trump’s approval ratings during his four years in office. The former president, who took an aggressive tack on Israel, pulling out of the Iran Deal and moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, earned  <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/225380/trump-approval-highest-among-mormons-lowest-among-muslims.aspx" target="_blank"> approval </a>  from little more than a quarter of American Jews  <a href="https://news.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/317381/religious-identity-2020-presidential-election.aspx" target="_blank"> throughout his presidency </a> .  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> By comparison, former President Barack Obama’s  <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/188837/jews-support-obama-stabilizes-two-year-drop.aspx" target="_blank"> approval </a>  among Jewish Americans dropped from 77% at the start of his first term to 54% by the time he left office. And former President George W. Bush’s  <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/11806/partisanship-presidential-approval-among-jewish-population.aspx" target="_blank"> approval sank </a>  from 56% to 39% in the early 2000s. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump, for his part, has long  <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/08/21/trump-keeps-pushing-anti-semitic-stereotypes-he-thinks-hes-praising-jews/" target="_blank"> attempted </a>  to court Jewish voters despite simultaneously pushing antisemitic stereotypes and rhetoric critical of those he perceived as somehow “disloyal.” He  <a href="https://www.jpost.com/american-politics/donald-trump-says-more-american-jews-should-have-voted-for-him-671444" target="_blank"> lamented </a>  in June that Jews had turned out in droves for Biden during the 2020 election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “You know what really surprised me?” Trump told an Orthodox Jewish magazine. “I did the Heights, I did Jerusalem, and I did Iran — the Iran Deal was a disaster, right? And I also did many other things. Jewish people who live in the United States don’t love Israel enough. Does that make sense to you? I’m not talking about Orthodox Jews. I believe we got 25% of the Jewish vote, and it doesn’t make sense. It just seems strange to me.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump perhaps overestimated the degree to which Jewish voters prioritize Israel as a voting issue: Only 4% of respondents in Tuesday’s poll ranked Israel in their top two issues they want Biden and Congress to concentrate on, with climate change, voting rights and the economy scoring the highest. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://americanindependent.com/republican-attacks-jews-jewish-voters-overwhelmingly-approve-joe-biden-handling-of-israel-palestine-gaza-hamas-international/"> Read more </a> </p> </div> Tue, 13 Jul 2021 19:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7005 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7009 By Yonat Shimron,  Renée Roden The signs — hot neon pink banners flashing over Times Square in Manhattan — are bold and unapologetic: “Being woke and antisemitic is like being a vegan who eats veal.” “Here’s an idea: Let’s ask everyone who’s wondering if antisemitism is real to wear a yarmulke for a week and then … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Yonat Shimron,  Renée Roden </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The signs — hot neon pink banners flashing over Times Square in Manhattan — are bold and unapologetic: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Being woke and antisemitic is like being a vegan who eats veal.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Here’s an idea: Let’s ask everyone who’s wondering if antisemitism is real to wear a yarmulke for a week and then report back.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “We’re just 75 years since the gas chambers. So no, a billboard calling out antisemitism isn’t an overreaction.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Up for more than a month in New York, the slogans will go up this week on Market Street, a major thoroughfare in Philadelphia; on bus shelters in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.; and on digital kiosks in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood, as well as in Coral Gables.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> They are the brainchild of  <a href="https://www.jewbelong.com/"> JewBelong </a> , an 8-year-old group that works to help disengaged Jews feel more a part of the 4,000-year-old faith. (The group’s tagline: “JewBelong: for when you feel you don’t!”) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Co-founders Archie Gottesman and Stacy Stuart have made marketing news before: The two were behind provocative billboards that addressed hot-button issues such as gay culture, right-wing politics and abortion rights for Manhattan Mini Storage, which Gottesman’s family owns. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Fighting antisemitism is less controversial. “Antisemitism has been spreading like wildfire,” said Gottesman. “It’s unacceptable not to say something.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/july-2021-national-survey-of-jewish-voters/"> survey </a>  of 800 American Jewish voters released Tuesday (July 13) by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that 90% are concerned about rising antisemitism. A  <a href="https://www.adl.org/news/press-releases/adl-poll-american-jews-are-increasingly-concerned-about-antisemitism-in-wake-of"> poll </a>  last month of 600 American Jews by the Anti-Defamation League, meanwhile, found that 60% reported witnessing behavior or comments they personally deemed to be antisemitic. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> JewBelong is spending close to $400,000 on the ads in the hopes that it might raise consciousness about the need to uproot hatred of Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Gottesman said slogans such as “Black Lives Matter” and “Stop Asian Hate” were the inspiration for the campaign. While the antisemitism slogans are longer and punchier, Gottesman said she hoped they might lead people to snap photos and post them to social media. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Gottesman decided against highway billboards, reasoning that people might not have enough time to read the slogans while going by at 65 mph. Digital kiosks, where people can buy tickets for travel, order food or charge a cellphone, seemed better options. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This is the first time JewBelong has tackled antisemitism. The New York-based organization’s main effort is to offer user-friendly guides to Jewish holidays, rituals and teachings. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> So far, the New York City response has been mostly positive, Gottesman said. Someone recently contacted JewBelong to say she was driving from three states away to see the ads. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “There’s an undercurrent of Jews in America who feel scared and a little unheard,” Gottesman said. “If JewBelong is giving them some love, then I think we’re doing important work. We really, really stand against hate. It’s important to speak out. It’s a frightening space.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Benjamin Rivera, a diamond seller in New York City, said he hadn’t noticed the pink ad at Times Square but said he’s heard a lot about growing antisemitism from some of his Jewish clients. “It’s always unfortunate,” said Rivera, 53. “Any interracial things happening like that — it shouldn’t be, whether Jewish or Asian.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://religionnews.com/2021/07/13/reeling-from-rise-in-antisemitism-jewbelong-fights-back-with-hot-pink-digital-ads/"> Read more </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/cws/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Freligionnews.com%2F2021%2F07%2F13%2Freeling-from-rise-in-antisemitism-jewbelong-fights-back-with-hot-pink-digital-ads%2F" target="_blank"> </a> </p> </div> Tue, 13 Jul 2021 17:45:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7009 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7002 By Ron Kampeas A survey of US Jewish voters taken after the Israel-Gaza conflict finds that a sizable minority believes some of the harshest criticisms of Israel, including that it is committing genocide and apartheid. Among respondents to the survey commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute, a group led by prominent Jewish Democrats, 34 percent agreed that … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Ron Kampeas </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A survey of US Jewish voters taken after the Israel-Gaza conflict finds that a sizable minority believes some of the harshest criticisms of Israel, including that it is committing genocide and apartheid. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among respondents to the  <a href="https://jewishelectdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/JEI-National-Jewish-Survey-Topline-Results-July-2021.pdf" target="_blank"> survey </a>  commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute, a group led by prominent Jewish Democrats, 34 percent agreed that “Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is similar to racism in the United States,” 25% agreed that “Israel is an apartheid state” and 22% agreed that “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among younger voters included in the survey released Tuesday, agreement with those statements was higher, though still in the minority. The poll found that 9% of voters agreed with the statement “Israel doesn’t have a right to exist.” But among voters under 40, that proportion was 20%. A third of younger voters agreed that Israel is committing genocide, a position that even human rights lawyers who are critical of Israel say is extreme; more than a third agreed that Israel is an apartheid state. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The findings are striking as mainstream pro-Israel organizations struggle to make the case that Israel is central to Jewish identity and that criticism of it often veers into antisemitism. They suggest that many American Jews agree with statements by some of Israel’s harshest critics on the left made during the Gaza-Israel conflict in May, including in some cases by a handful of Democratic members of Congress who were then criticized by their colleagues. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey of American Jewish political sentiment was wide-ranging, finding wide approval for President Joe Biden and deep concern about Republican efforts in Georgia and Florida to tighten access to the ballot booth. When it came to measuring criticism of Israel, the poll first asked respondents whether they thought each of the four critical statements was antisemitic; those who said a statement was not antisemitic were then asked if they agreed with it. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Of the four statements, only in one case, did a majority — 67% — agree that it was antisemitic to say, “Israel doesn’t have a right to exist.” For the other three questions, more respondents disagreed that the statement was antisemitic than agreed. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey of 800 voters, conducted by GBAO Strategies from June 28 to July 1 online and via texts, has an overall margin of error of 3.5 percentage points; the replies of those under 40 have a margin of error of 6 percentage points. (The margin of error for the Orthodox subgroup was 11.6 percentage points.) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While the proportion of respondents agreeing with critical statements about Israel was higher than many pro-Israel advocates have characterized, at least one finding is in line with that of another recent survey. Asked if they felt emotionally attached to Israel, 62% of respondents to the Jewish Electorate Institute survey said they did and 38% said they did not, numbers that matched those in the Pew study of 4,700 American Jews released in May. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The new survey presents the latest challenge as the new Israeli government endeavors to repair ties with a US Jewish community that to a degree became alienated from Israel during the 12 years Benjamin Netanyahu was prime minister. Surveys have found that Israeli and American Jews know little about one another. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> One statement in the survey, echoing a claim by former President Donald Trump, that “Jews who vote Democratic are disloyal to Israel” was also put forward to respondents to assess whether it is antisemitic; mainstream Jewish organizations have suggested that it is. However, while a vast majority of respondents, 77%, disagreed with the statement, only 26% said they believed it is antisemitic. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Asked about the two-state solution, 61% of survey respondents said it was their preferred outcome. But 19% said they preferred annexation of the West Bank that would deny Palestinians the right to vote in national elections, while 20% said they preferred “establishing one state that is neither Jewish nor Palestinian” and encompassing Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Gaza is currently controlled by the Hamas terror group. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Democratic lawmakers who lashed out at Israel during the conflict, including Representatives Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib, have also raised the prospect of cutting aid to Israel. While a substantial majority of survey respondents, 71%, said it was “important” to provide financial assistance to Israel, a smaller majority, 58%, said it would be appropriate to restrict aid to Israel so it could not spend US money on settlements. A majority, 62%, support Biden’s reversal of Trump’s policy of cutting off aid to the Palestinians. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey showed continued support among Jewish voters for Biden and for Democrats, commensurate with an American Jewish Committee poll taken just before the Gaza conflict. In the latest poll, Biden earned 80% job approval, and 74% approval on how he is “handling relations with Israel.” He got 62% approval ratings for how he handled the recent Israel-Gaza conflict. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among the Orthodox, who largely voted Republican in the 2020 presidential election, Biden had 31% approval overall, but notably a higher number — 44% — for how he handles Israel relations. He earned 37% approval among the Orthodox for how he handled the recent conflict. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Asked whether they would prefer a Democrat to a Republican in a vote for Congress in next year’s midterm elections, 68% favored a generic Democrat and 21% favored a Republican. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Democratic leaders Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer got 54% and 52% favorability ratings respectively and while Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell each got 10%. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On the domestic front, respondents placed high the issues of climate change, voting rights, jobs, and the economy, and the coronavirus pandemic. Strikingly, 83% of respondents said they were concerned about Republican efforts in Georgia and Florida to tighten access to the ballot booth, which Democrats say are aimed at inhibiting minority voters. Some 76% of respondents backed federal legislation backed by Democrats that would block the state efforts to restrict voting rights, and 62% supported eliminating the Senate filibuster to allow the Democratic majority to pass the legislation. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Concern about antisemitism in the United States was high, at 90%, and more voters, 61%, believed the threat came from the right than they did from the left, 22%. Voters who felt said the threat was equal from both sides came in at 12%. Among the Orthodox, 69% said the threat came from the left, 10% from the right, and 18% from both sides. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jweekly.com/2021/07/13/survey-a-quarter-of-us-jews-agree-that-israel-is-an-apartheid-state/"> Read more </a> </p> </div> Tue, 13 Jul 2021 17:30:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p7002 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6931 By Jacob Kornbluh Eight in 10 American Jews approve of President Biden’s performance during his first six months in office, according to a new poll published on Tuesday, and most support his management of the recent conflagration between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip and the broader Mideast conflict. The poll of 800 … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Jacob Kornbluh </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Eight in 10 American Jews approve of President Biden’s performance during his first six months in office, according to a new poll published on Tuesday, and most support his management of the recent conflagration between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip and the broader Mideast conflict. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll of 800 registered voters commissioned by GBAO Strategies for the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute showed that 74%of Jewish voters approve of the way Biden is handling the U.S.-Israel relationship and 62% support the way he managed the recent flare-up between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip; 21% oppose the administration’s handling of that war. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> At the same time, 61% support the two-state solution to the conflict, according to the poll, and 62% support the Biden administration’s restoration this spring of U.S. aid to the Palestinians that was cut by President Donald Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And 9 in 10 of those polled are concerned about the rise of antisemitism in the U.S., though 38% feel safer as a Jewish person living in the U.S. since Biden became president. Asked about the origins of antisemitism, 61% said they are concerned about threats from the political right, and 22% from the left. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey was conducted between June 28 and July 1 via online and text-to-web with a margin of error of ±3.5%. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> An  <a href="https://t.co/5FCOGD7hml?amp=1" target="_blank"> exit poll conducted by the same firm </a>  for J Street suggested that Jewish voters supported Biden over former Trump 77% to 21% in the 2020 election. But  <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-did-us-jews-vote-polls-offer-imperfect-take-though-big-picture-is-clear/" target="_blank"> another exit poll </a> , by the Associated Press, found that 68% of Jews voted for Biden and 30% for Trump, and yet another, sponsored by the Republican Jewish Coalition, put Jewish support for Biden at 60%. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Support for Biden on Israel issues appears to have risen considerably from  <a href="https://forward.com/fast-forward/454326/biden-leads-trump-67-30-among-jewish-voters/"> a pre-election survey </a>  by the same Jewish Electoral Institute in which 46% of Jewish voters said they trusted Biden over Trump in handling U.S.-Israel relations. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Former President Barack Obama also enjoyed a high approval rating among Jews in his first year. A  <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/118120/obama-approval-high-among-muslims-jews-catholics.aspx" target="_blank"> Gallup poll </a>  published in May of 2009 showed Obama with 79% approval. But that  <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/188837/jews-support-obama-stabilizes-two-year-drop.aspx" target="_blank"> dropped </a>  to 66% in 2010 and 54% during his 2012 re-election campaign. Trump had a 21% approval and  <a href="https://www.ajc.org/survey2017" target="_blank"> 77% disapproval rating </a>  among Jewish voters during his first year as president, according to a survey conducted by the American Jewish Committee. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Overall, Biden is viewed favorably by 70% of Jewish voters, according to the new survey, 10 points lower than the 80% who approve of his performance so far; Trump’s favorability is at 18%. Reflecting the Democratic tilt of the Jewish-American electorate, the poll found only 10% have favorable views of the Republican congressional leaders, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have favorability ratings above 50%. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Other highlights: </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <a href="https://forward.com/fast-forward/472835/jewish-voters-overwhelmingly-approve-biden-new-poll-shows/" target="_blank"> READ THE FULL ARTICLE </a> </b> </p> </div> Tue, 13 Jul 2021 15:21:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6931 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6929 By Ron Kampeas  A survey of U.S. Jewish voters taken after the Israel-Gaza conflict finds that a sizable minority believe some of the harshest criticisms of Israel, including that it is committing genocide and apartheid. Among respondents to the survey commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute, a group led by prominent Jewish Democrats, 34% agreed that … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Ron Kampeas </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p>  A survey of U.S. Jewish voters taken after the Israel-Gaza conflict finds that a sizable minority believe some of the harshest criticisms of Israel, including that it is committing genocide and apartheid. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among respondents to the survey commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute, a group  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/about/"> led by prominent Jewish Democrats </a> , 34% agreed that “Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is similar to racism in the United States,” 25% agreed that “Israel is an apartheid state” and 22% agreed that “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among younger voters included in the survey released Tuesday, agreement with those statements was higher, though still in the minority. The poll found that 9% of voters agreed with the statement, “Israel doesn’t have a right to exist.” But among voters under 40, that proportion was 20%. A third of younger voters agreed that Israel is committing genocide, a position that even  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/05/26/israel/people-are-accusing-israel-of-genocide-these-human-rights-lawyers-beg-to-differ"> human rights lawyers who are critical of Israel say is extreme </a> ; more than a third agreed that Israel is an apartheid state. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The findings are striking as <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/07/08/united-states/a-rally-against-antisemitism-hopes-to-present-a-united-front-but-its-message-on-israel-has-driven-away-some-left-wing-groups">  mainstream pro-Israel organizations struggle to make the case that Israel is central to Jewish identity and that criticism of it often veers into antisemitism </a> . They suggest that many American Jews agree with statements by some of Israel’s harshest critics on the left made during the Gaza-Israel conflict in May, including in some cases by a handful of Democratic members of Congress who were  <a href="https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/calling-israel-apartheid-and-terrorist-is-antisemitic-say-4-jewish-democrats-targeting-party-colleagues"> then criticized by their colleagues </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey of American Jewish political sentiment was wide-ranging, finding wide approval for President Joe Biden and deep concern about Republican efforts in Georgia and Florida to tighten access to the ballot booth. When it came to measuring criticism of Israel, the poll first asked respondents whether they thought each of the four critical statements was antisemitic; those who said a statement was not antisemitic were then asked if they agreed with it. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Of the four statements, only in one case, did a majority — 67% — agree that it was antisemitic to say, “Israel doesn’t have a right to exist.” For the other three questions, more respondents disagreed that the statement was antisemitic than agreed. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey of 800 voters, conducted by GBAO Strategies from June 28 to July 1 online and via texts, has an overall margin of error of 3.5 percentage points; the replies of those under 40 have a margin of error of 6 percentage points. (The margin of error for the Orthodox subgroup was 11.6 percentage points.) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While the proportion of respondents agreeing with critical statements about Israel was higher than many pro-Israel advocates have characterized, at least one finding is in line with that of another recent survey. Asked if they felt emotionally attached to Israel, 62% of respondents to the Jewish Electorate Institute survey said they did and 38% said they did not, numbers that matched those in  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/05/11/israel/as-gaza-conflict-escalates-heres-what-american-jews-think-about-israel"> the Pew study of 4,700 American Jews released in May </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The new survey presents the latest challenge as the new Israeli government endeavors  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/06/02/israel/netanyahu-changed-the-way-americans-view-israel-but-not-always-in-the-way-he-wanted"> to repair ties with a U.S. Jewish community that to a degree became alienated from Israel </a>  during the 12 years Benjamin Netanyahu was prime minister. Surveys  <a href="https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/israeli-and-american-jews-know-little-about-each-other-new-study-finds"> have found that Israeli and American Jews know little about one another. </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> One statement in the survey, echoing a claim by former President Donald Trump, that “Jews who vote Democratic are disloyal to Israel” was also put forward to respondents to assess whether it is antisemitic;  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2019/08/21/united-states/jewish-groups-see-trumps-disloyalty-remarks-as-dangerous-and-textbook-anti-semitism"> mainstream Jewish organizations have suggested that it is </a> . However, while a vast majority of respondents, 77%, disagreed with the statement, only 26% said they believed it is antisemitic. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Asked about the two-state solution, 61% of survey respondents said it was their preferred outcome. But 19% said they preferred annexation of the West Bank that would deny Palestinians the right to vote in national elections, while 20% said they preferred “establishing one state that is neither Jewish nor Palestinian” and encompassing Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Gaza is currently controlled by the Hamas terrorist group. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Democratic lawmakers who lashed out at Israel during the conflict, including Reps. Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, have also raised the prospect of cutting aid to Israel. While a substantial majority of survey respondents, 71%, said it was “important” to provide financial assistance to Israel, a smaller majority, 58%, said it would be appropriate to restrict aid to Israel so it could not spend U.S. money on settlements. A majority, 62%, support Biden’s reversal of Trump’s policy of cutting off aid to the Palestinians. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey showed continued support among Jewish voters for Biden and for Democrats, <a href="https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/biden-scores-70-percent-approval-rating-among-american-jews">  commensurate with an American Jewish Committee poll  </a> taken just before the Gaza conflict. In the latest poll, Biden earned 80% job approval, and 74% approval on how he is “handling relations with Israel.” He got 62% approval ratings for how he handled the recent Israel-Gaza conflict. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among the Orthodox, who largely voted Republican in the 2020 presidential election, Biden had 31% approval overall, but notably a higher number — 44% — for how he handles Israel relations. He earned 37% approval among the Orthodox for how he handled the recent conflict. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Asked whether they would prefer a Democrat to a Republican in a vote for Congress in next year’s midterm elections, 68% favored a generic Democrat and 21% favored a Republican. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Democratic leaders Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer got 54% and 52% favorability ratings respectively and while Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell each got 10%. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On domestic issues, respondents placed high climate change, voting rights, jobs, and the economy, and the coronavirus pandemic. Strikingly, 83% of respondents said they were concerned about Republican efforts in Georgia and Florida to tighten access to the ballot booth, which Democrats say are aimed at inhibiting minority voters. Some 76% of respondents backed federal legislation backed by Democrats that would block the state efforts to restrict voting rights, and 62% supported eliminating the Senate filibuster to allow the Democratic majority to pass the legislation. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Concern about antisemitism in the United States was high, at 90%, and more voters, 61%, believed the threat came from the right than they did from the left, 22%. Voters who felt said the threat was equal from both sides came in at 12%. Among the Orthodox, 69% said the threat came from the left, 10% from the right, and 18% from both sides. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/07/13/politics/sizeable-minorities-of-us-jewish-voters-believe-israel-is-guilty-of-genocide-apartheid" target="_blank"> READ THE FULL ARTICLE </a> </b> </p> </div> Tue, 13 Jul 2021 15:19:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6929 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6971 By Michael Arria A new poll of Jewish voters in the United States found that a quarter of them believe Israel is an apartheid state. The survey also indicates that support for Israel is declining among the group, specifically among younger Jews. The Jewish Electorate Institute asked 800 Jewish voters about Israel and U.S. policy. Some notable findings: … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Michael Arria </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-07-26-at-11.01.49-AM-f52f221e.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-07-26-at-11.01.49-AM-f52f221e.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new poll of Jewish voters in the United States found that a quarter of them believe Israel is an apartheid state. The  <a href="https://jewishelectdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/JEI-National-Jewish-Survey-Topline-Results-July-2021.pdf"> survey </a>  also indicates that support for Israel is declining among the group, specifically among younger Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish Electorate Institute asked 800 Jewish voters about Israel and U.S. policy. Some notable findings: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When applied strictly to younger Jewish voters, these numbers all rise. 38% of Jews under 40 think Israel’s an apartheid state, 43% think Israel’s racism is comparable to the United States’, and 33% think the country is carrying out a genocide against Palestinian people. In fact, 20% of Jewish voters under 40 said that Israel does not have a right to exist. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> 38% of respondents said they aren’t emotionally attached to Israel. These numbers also jump among younger voters: 41% of Jews under 40 said they didn’t have an attachment. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> 54% of Jewish voters said that they’re very concerned about antisemitism, but the survey suggests that right-attempts to smear progressive House members and Palestine activists have largely failed. Just 22% of respondents said that antisemitism was originating from left-wing groups and individuals while 61% said it was coming from the right. 77% disagreed with former president Trump’s assertion that Democratic Jews are disloyal to Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> 71% of respondents said they support the U.S. sending aid to Israel, but 58% said it should be restricted to deter settlement expansion. Again, the numbers shift among younger Jews. Just 60% of them said aid was important. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://mondoweiss.net/2021/07/new-poll-25-of-u-s-jews-think-israel-is-apartheid-state/"> Read more </a> </p> </div> Tue, 13 Jul 2021 14:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6971 News thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6977 The findings are striking as mainstream pro-Israel organizations struggle to make the case that Israel is central to Jewish identity and that criticism of it often veers into antisemitism By JTA and Ron Kampeas A survey of U.S. Jewish voters taken after the Israel-Gaza conflict finds that a sizable minority believe some of the harshest … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The findings are striking as mainstream pro-Israel organizations struggle to make the case that Israel is central to Jewish identity and that criticism of it often veers into antisemitism </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By JTA and Ron Kampeas </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A survey of U.S. Jewish voters taken after the Israel-Gaza conflict finds that a sizable minority believe some of the harshest criticisms of Israel, including that it is committing genocide and apartheid. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among respondents to the survey commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute, a group led by prominent Jewish Democrats, 34 percent agreed that “Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is similar to racism in the United States,” 25 percent agreed that “Israel is an apartheid state” and 22 percent agreed that “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among younger voters included in the survey released Tuesday, agreement with those statements was higher, though still in the minority. The poll found that 9 percent of voters agreed with the statement, “Israel doesn’t have a right to exist.” But among voters under 40, that proportion was 20 percent. A third of younger voters agreed that Israel is committing genocide, a position that even human rights lawyers who are critical of Israel say is extreme; more than a third agreed that Israel is an apartheid state. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The findings are striking as mainstream pro-Israel organizations struggle to make the case that Israel is central to Jewish identity and that criticism of it often veers into antisemitism. They suggest that many American Jews agree with statements by some of Israel’s harshest critics on the left made during the Gaza-Israel conflict in May, including in some cases by a handful of Democratic members of Congress who were then criticized by their colleagues. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey of American Jewish political sentiment was wide-ranging, finding wide approval for President Joe Biden and deep concern about Republican efforts in Georgia and Florida to tighten access to the ballot booth. When it came to measuring criticism of Israel, the poll first asked respondents whether they thought each of the four critical statements was antisemitic; those who said a statement was not antisemitic were then asked if they agreed with it. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Of the four statements, only in one case, did a majority — 67 percent — agree that it was antisemitic to say, “Israel doesn’t have a right to exist.” For the other three questions, more respondents disagreed that the statement was antisemitic than agreed. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey of 800 voters, conducted by GBAO Strategies from June 28 to July 1 online and via texts, has an overall margin of error of 3.5 percentage points; the replies of those under 40 have a margin of error of 6 percentage points. (The margin of error for the Orthodox subgroup was 11.6 percentage points.) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While the proportion of respondents agreeing with critical statements about Israel was higher than many pro-Israel advocates have characterized, at least one finding is in line with that of another recent survey. Asked if they felt emotionally attached to Israel, 62 percent of respondents to the Jewish Electorate Institute survey said they did and 38 percent said they did not, numbers that matched those in the Pew study of 4,700 American Jews released in May. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The new survey presents the latest challenge as the new Israeli government endeavors to repair ties with a U.S. Jewish community that to a degree became alienated from Israel during the 12 years Benjamin Netanyahu was prime minister. Surveys have found that Israeli and American Jews know little about one another. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> One statement in the survey, echoing a claim by former President Donald Trump, that “Jews who vote Democratic are disloyal to Israel” was also put forward to respondents to assess whether it is antisemitic; mainstream Jewish organizations have suggested that it is. However, while a vast majority of respondents, 77 percent, disagreed with the statement, only 26 percent said they believed it is antisemitic. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Asked about the two-state solution, 61 percent of survey respondents said it was their preferred outcome. But 19 percent said they preferred annexation of the West Bank that would deny Palestinians the right to vote in national elections, while 20 percent said they preferred “establishing one state that is neither Jewish nor Palestinian” and encompassing Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Gaza is currently controlled by the Hamas terrorist group. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Democratic lawmakers who lashed out at Israel during the conflict, including Reps. Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, have also raised the prospect of cutting aid to Israel. While a substantial majority of survey respondents, 71 percent, said it was “important” to provide financial assistance to Israel, a smaller majority, 58 percent, said it would be appropriate to restrict aid to Israel so it could not spend U.S. money on settlements. A majority, 62 percent, support Biden’s reversal of Trump’s policy of cutting off aid to the Palestinians. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey showed continued support among Jewish voters for Biden and for Democrats, commensurate with an American Jewish Committee poll taken just before the Gaza conflict. In the latest poll, Biden earned 80 percent job approval, and 74 percent approval on how he is “handling relations with Israel.” He got 62 percent approval ratings for how he handled the recent Israel-Gaza conflict. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among the Orthodox, who largely voted Republican in the 2020 presidential election, Biden had 31 percent approval overall, but notably a higher number — 44 percent — for how he handles Israel relations. He earned 37 percent approval among the Orthodox for how he handled the recent conflict. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Asked whether they would prefer a Democrat to a Republican in a vote for Congress in next year’s midterm elections, 68 percent favored a generic Democrat and 21 percent favored a Republican. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Democratic leaders Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer got 54 percent and 52 percent favorability ratings respectively and while Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell each got 10 percent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On domestic issues, respondents placed high climate change, voting rights, jobs, and the economy, and the coronavirus pandemic. Strikingly, 83 percent of respondents said they were concerned about Republican efforts in Georgia and Florida to tighten access to the ballot booth, which Democrats say are aimed at inhibiting minority voters. Some 76 percent of respondents backed federal legislation backed by Democrats that would block the state efforts to restrict voting rights, and 62 percent supported eliminating the Senate filibuster to allow the Democratic majority to pass the legislation. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Concern about antisemitism in the United States was high, at 90 percent, and more voters, 61 percent, believed the threat came from the right than they did from the left, 22 percent. Voters who felt said the threat was equal from both sides came in at 12 percent. Among the Orthodox, 69 percent said the threat came from the left, 10 percent from the right, and 18 percent from both sides. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/a-quarter-of-u-s-jews-agree-that-israel-is-an-apartheid-state-in-new-survey-1.9995986"> Read More </a> </p> </div> Tue, 13 Jul 2021 14:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6977 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6967 By Ron Kampeas A survey of U.S. Jewish voters taken after the Israel-Gaza conflict finds that a sizable minority believe some of the harshest criticisms of Israel, including that it is committing genocide and apartheid. Among respondents to the survey commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute, a group led by prominent Jewish Democrats, 34% agreed that … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Ron Kampeas </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A survey of U.S. Jewish voters taken after the Israel-Gaza conflict finds that a sizable minority believe some of the harshest criticisms of Israel, including that it is committing genocide and apartheid. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among respondents to the survey commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute, a group  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/about/"> led by prominent Jewish Democrats </a> , 34% agreed that “Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is similar to racism in the United States,” 25% agreed that “Israel is an apartheid state” and 22% agreed that “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among younger voters included in the survey released Tuesday, agreement with those statements was higher, though still in the minority. The poll found that 9% of voters agreed with the statement, “Israel doesn’t have a right to exist.” But among voters under 40, that proportion was 20%. A third of younger voters agreed that Israel is committing genocide, a position that even  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/05/26/israel/people-are-accusing-israel-of-genocide-these-human-rights-lawyers-beg-to-differ"> human rights lawyers who are critical of Israel say is extreme </a> ; more than a third agreed that Israel is an apartheid state. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The findings are striking as <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/07/08/united-states/a-rally-against-antisemitism-hopes-to-present-a-united-front-but-its-message-on-israel-has-driven-away-some-left-wing-groups">  mainstream pro-Israel organizations struggle to make the case that Israel is central to Jewish identity and that criticism of it often veers into antisemitism </a> . They suggest that many American Jews agree with statements by some of Israel’s harshest critics on the left made during the Gaza-Israel conflict in May, including in some cases by a handful of Democratic members of Congress who were  <a href="https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/calling-israel-apartheid-and-terrorist-is-antisemitic-say-4-jewish-democrats-targeting-party-colleagues"> then criticized by their colleagues </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey of American Jewish political sentiment was wide-ranging, finding wide approval for President Joe Biden and deep concern about Republican efforts in Georgia and Florida to tighten access to the ballot booth. When it came to measuring criticism of Israel, the poll first asked respondents whether they thought each of the four critical statements was antisemitic; those who said a statement was not antisemitic were then asked if they agreed with it. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Of the four statements, only in one case, did a majority — 67% — agree that it was antisemitic to say, “Israel doesn’t have a right to exist.” For the other three questions, more respondents disagreed that the statement was antisemitic than agreed. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey of 800 voters, conducted by GBAO Strategies from June 28 to July 1 online and via texts, has an overall margin of error of 3.5 percentage points; the replies of those under 40 have a margin of error of 6 percentage points. (The margin of error for the Orthodox subgroup was 11.6 percentage points.) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While the proportion of respondents agreeing with critical statements about Israel was higher than many pro-Israel advocates have characterized, at least one finding is in line with that of another recent survey. Asked if they felt emotionally attached to Israel, 62% of respondents to the Jewish Electorate Institute survey said they did and 38% said they did not, numbers that matched those in  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/05/11/israel/as-gaza-conflict-escalates-heres-what-american-jews-think-about-israel"> the Pew study of 4,700 American Jews released in May </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The new survey presents the latest challenge as the new Israeli government endeavors  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/06/02/israel/netanyahu-changed-the-way-americans-view-israel-but-not-always-in-the-way-he-wanted"> to repair ties with a U.S. Jewish community that to a degree became alienated from Israel </a>  during the 12 years Benjamin Netanyahu was prime minister. Surveys  <a href="https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/israeli-and-american-jews-know-little-about-each-other-new-study-finds"> have found that Israeli and American Jews know little about one another. </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> One statement in the survey, echoing a claim by former President Donald Trump, that “Jews who vote Democratic are disloyal to Israel” was also put forward to respondents to assess whether it is antisemitic;  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2019/08/21/united-states/jewish-groups-see-trumps-disloyalty-remarks-as-dangerous-and-textbook-anti-semitism"> mainstream Jewish organizations have suggested that it is </a> . However, while a vast majority of respondents, 77%, disagreed with the statement, only 26% said they believed it is antisemitic. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Asked about the two-state solution, 61% of survey respondents said it was their preferred outcome. But 19% said they preferred annexation of the West Bank that would deny Palestinians the right to vote in national elections, while 20% said they preferred “establishing one state that is neither Jewish nor Palestinian” and encompassing Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Gaza is currently controlled by the Hamas terrorist group. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Democratic lawmakers who lashed out at Israel during the conflict, including Reps. Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, have also raised the prospect of cutting aid to Israel. While a substantial majority of survey respondents, 71%, said it was “important” to provide financial assistance to Israel, a smaller majority, 58%, said it would be appropriate to restrict aid to Israel so it could not spend U.S. money on settlements. A majority, 62%, support Biden’s reversal of Trump’s policy of cutting off aid to the Palestinians. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey showed continued support among Jewish voters for Biden and for Democrats, <a href="https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/biden-scores-70-percent-approval-rating-among-american-jews">  commensurate with an American Jewish Committee poll  </a> taken just before the Gaza conflict. In the latest poll, Biden earned 80% job approval, and 74% approval on how he is “handling relations with Israel.” He got 62% approval ratings for how he handled the recent Israel-Gaza conflict. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among the Orthodox, who largely voted Republican in the 2020 presidential election, Biden had 31% approval overall, but notably a higher number — 44% — for how he handles Israel relations. He earned 37% approval among the Orthodox for how he handled the recent conflict. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Asked whether they would prefer a Democrat to a Republican in a vote for Congress in next year’s midterm elections, 68% favored a generic Democrat and 21% favored a Republican. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Democratic leaders Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer got 54% and 52% favorability ratings respectively and while Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell each got 10%. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On domestic issues, respondents placed high climate change, voting rights, jobs, and the economy, and the coronavirus pandemic. Strikingly, 83% of respondents said they were concerned about Republican efforts in Georgia and Florida to tighten access to the ballot booth, which Democrats say are aimed at inhibiting minority voters. Some 76% of respondents backed federal legislation backed by Democrats that would block the state efforts to restrict voting rights, and 62% supported eliminating the Senate filibuster to allow the Democratic majority to pass the legislation. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Concern about antisemitism in the United States was high, at 90%, and more voters, 61%, believed the threat came from the right than they did from the left, 22%. Voters who felt said the threat was equal from both sides came in at 12%. Among the Orthodox, 69% said the threat came from the left, 10% from the right, and 18% from both sides. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/07/13/politics/sizeable-minorities-of-us-jewish-voters-believe-israel-is-guilty-of-genocide-apartheid"> Read more </a> </p> </div> Tue, 13 Jul 2021 12:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6967 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6924 WASHINGTON — The first major poll of Jewish voters since Joe Biden became President and since recent hostilities between Israel and Hamas demonstrates that Jewish Americans continue to overwhelmingly identify as Democrats and support President Joe Biden with an 80% rate of approval. It is the first poll of its kind to demonstrate that Jewish … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> WASHINGTON </b> — The <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/july-2021-national-survey-of-jewish-voters/"> first major poll </a> of Jewish voters since Joe Biden became President and since recent hostilities between Israel and Hamas demonstrates that Jewish Americans continue to overwhelmingly identify as Democrats and support President Joe Biden with an 80% rate of approval. It is the first poll of its kind to demonstrate that Jewish Americans rank voting rights as a key priority. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll also demonstrates that three-quarters of Jewish voters support the way Joe Biden is handling relations with Israel, and are more concerned about antisemitism originating on the right than on the left by a three-to-one margin. Jewish voters also continue to prioritize domestic policy issues, starting with climate change, and are highly concerned about Republican voter suppression efforts. On that issue, a majority of Jewish voters support eliminating the Senate filibuster in order to pass federal voting rights legislation. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, conducted online by GBAO Strategies on behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), surveyed more than 800 self-identified Jewish American registered voters between June 28 and July 1. The results demonstrate that Jewish Americans trust Biden more than Trump by at least a three-to-one margin on key issues including fighting antisemitism, handling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Key findings of the poll released today include: </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Full results of the poll can be viewed here: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “While our country is experiencing increased polarization, the results of this poll send a clear message that the Jewish community is nearly unified in its political views and priorities on a wide range of issues, including Israel,” <b> said Ralph Grunewald, chair of JEI. </b> “Whether it be concern about protecting democracy and voting rights, or our shared commitment to fighting antisemitism and supporting Israel, this poll demonstrates near unity among Jewish voters.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll confirms that an overwhelming majority of American Jewish voters – close to 90% – believe that one can be pro-Israel while also being critical of some of the policies of the Israeli government. The poll also shows that the overwhelming majority of Jewish voters feel emotionally attached to Israel, that 74% of Jewish voters approve of President Biden’s handling of relations with Israel, and 62% support his decision to resume humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. Meanwhile, they are more likely to rank domestic policy issues such as climate change, voting rights, and the economy as top issues of concern. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> To speak with pollster Jim Gerstein of GBAO Strategies or a representative of the Jewish Electorate Institute please contact <a href="mailto:press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org"> press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org </a> . </p> </div> Tue, 13 Jul 2021 11:23:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6924 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6815 The first major poll of Jewish voters since Joe Biden became President and since recent hostilities between Israel and Hamas demonstrates that Jewish Americans continue to overwhelmingly identify as Democrats and support President Joe Biden with an 80% rate of approval. It is the first poll of its kind to demonstrate that Jewish Americans rank … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The first major poll of Jewish voters since Joe Biden became President and since recent hostilities between Israel and Hamas demonstrates that Jewish Americans continue to overwhelmingly identify as Democrats and support President Joe Biden with an 80% rate of approval. It is the first poll of its kind to demonstrate that Jewish Americans rank voting rights as a key priority. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll also demonstrates that three-quarters of Jewish voters support the way Joe Biden is handling relations with Israel, and are more concerned about antisemitism originating on the right than on the left by a three-to-one margin. Jewish voters also continue to prioritize domestic policy issues, starting with climate change, and are highly concerned about Republican voter suppression efforts. On that issue, a majority of Jewish voters support eliminating the Senate filibuster in order to pass federal voting rights legislation. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, conducted online by GBAO Strategies on behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), surveyed more than 800 self-identified Jewish American registered voters between June 28 and July 1. The results demonstrate that Jewish Americans trust Biden more than Trump by at least a three-to-one margin on key issues including fighting antisemitism, handling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/JEI-Survey-Analysis-071321-b9eae516.pdf" target="_blank"> Click <span> here </span> for a PDF report of the survey. </a> <br/> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/JEI-National-Jewish-Survey-Topline-Results-July-2021-d5563e44.pdf" target="_blank"> Click <span> here </span> for the survey data. </a> <br/> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/files/uploaded/JEI-Survey-Methodology-35e27302.pdf" target="_blank"> Click <span> here </span> for the methodology. </a> </p> </div> <h2> KEY FINDINGS: </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Demographic Data </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Demographic-Data-4aa0c9c2.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Demographic-Data-4aa0c9c2.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Ideology and Partisanship </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-07-12-at-11.50.09-AM-6360a9bd.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-07-12-at-11.50.09-AM-6360a9bd.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Congressional Vote </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Thinking about the elections in 2022, if the general election for the U.S. Congress were being held today, for whom would you vote? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Favor-8600f4a0.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Favor-8600f4a0.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Favorability </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Favorables-65d68a64.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Favorables-65d68a64.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Biden Job Approval </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joe Biden is handling his job as president? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/1-1-31a696de.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/1-1-31a696de.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Biden Approval on Israel Relations </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joe Biden is handling relations with Israel? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/2-1-93ef54b2.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/2-1-93ef54b2.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Approval of Biden’s Handling of Recent Israel-Hamas Conflict </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Thinking about the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, do you support or oppose how President Biden handled the conflict? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Israel-f42b7164.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Israel-f42b7164.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Israel-Party-a6bc9b86.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-Israel-Party-a6bc9b86.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Issues Priority </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Below is a list of issues facing our country today. Please mark which TWO of these issues you want President Joe Biden and Congress to focus on. </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issues-Priority-9d0d85e6.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Issues-Priority-9d0d85e6.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Attachment to Israel </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> How emotionally attached are you to Israel? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israel-Attachment-295e09e1.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israel-Attachment-295e09e1.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> </p> </div> <h2> Being Critical of Israeli Government Policies </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> People often talk about being “pro-Israel”. Do you think someone can be critical of Israeli government policies and still be “pro-Israel”? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Pro-Israel-Critical-9afa57a3.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Pro-Israel-Critical-9afa57a3.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> </p> </div> <h2> U.S. Aid to Israel </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> How important is it to you that the U.S. provide financial aid to Israel? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-07-12-at-1.59.41-PM-76820e3a.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-07-12-at-1.59.41-PM-76820e3a.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> U.S. Aid to the Palestinians </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Do you support or oppose the U.S. providing the same amount of financial aid that it gives Israel, but restricting it so that Israel cannot spend U.S. aid on expanding settlements in the West Bank? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Aid-to-Pals-96ac9907.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Aid-to-Pals-96ac9907.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-07-12-at-12.59.04-PM-fe816df0.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-07-12-at-12.59.04-PM-fe816df0.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Two States Vs. One State Options </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> In your opinion, which of the following would be the best resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/2-vs-1-states-1-927fd5e4.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/2-vs-1-states-1-927fd5e4.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Future of U.S. – Israel Relations </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> As you may know, Israel recently held an election that resulted in a new government, led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid who will rotate as Prime Minister and replace Benjamin Netanyahu who served in this role for the past 12 years. Do you think the new government in Israel will strengthen or weaken relations between Israel and the United States, or will it make no difference? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/US-Israel-Relations-f676b007.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/US-Israel-Relations-f676b007.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Antisemitism </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> How concerned are you about antisemitism in the U.S.? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-c62ff77c.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-c62ff77c.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Antisemitism Concerns </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Are you more concerned about antisemitism that originates from left-wing groups and individuals or antisemitism that originates from right-wing groups and individuals? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/AntisemitismConcerns-7c1cade8.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/AntisemitismConcerns-7c1cade8.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/AntisemitismConcerns-Breakdown-ecdce3b6.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/AntisemitismConcerns-Breakdown-ecdce3b6.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-Breakdown-Age-fa87e4ce.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Antisemitism-Breakdown-Age-fa87e4ce.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Jewish Safety </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Overall, do you feel more safe, less safe, or no difference as a Jewish person living in America since Joe Biden became President? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Jewish-Safety-044b9a43.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Jewish-Safety-044b9a43.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Israel and Antisemitism </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Below are some statements about Israel. For each one, do you agree or disagree with the statement? If you disagree, do you believe the statement is antisemitic or is not antisemitic? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israel-and-Antisemitism-bd72687e.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Israel-and-Antisemitism-bd72687e.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> </p> </div> <h2> Biden Vs. Trump Trust </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> (Split) For each of the following issues, please indicate whether you trust Joe Biden or Donald Trump to do a better job with this issue. </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-vs-Trump-5071001f.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Biden-vs-Trump-5071001f.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Party Trust </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> (Split) For each of the following issues, please indicate whether you trust Democrats in Congress or Republicans in Congress to do a better job with this issue. </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Party-Trust-1e541674.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Party-Trust-1e541674.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Florida and Georgia Voting Laws </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> As you may know, Republican legislatures in Florida and Georgia have recently passed laws impacting access to voting and changing the way elections are conducted. Democrats say these laws target people of color and make it harder for them to vote. Republicans say these laws are necessary to stop election fraud and ensure election integrity. How concerned are you about the impact of these laws on our elections? </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/FL-and-GA-Voting-Laws-d7ed7bc9.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/FL-and-GA-Voting-Laws-d7ed7bc9.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Federal Legislation on Voting Rights </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Do you support or oppose federal legislation that would expand voter access, make a national standard for voting rights across the country, and reverse the impact of the new election laws passed by the Florida and Georgia legislatures? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Federal-Legislation-571ba0d8.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Federal-Legislation-571ba0d8.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <h2> Filibuster and Voting Rights </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> (IF SUPPORT) As you may know, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation supported by President Biden that would reverse the impact of the new election laws passed by the Florida and Georgia legislatures, but the legislation does not have the 60 votes in the U.S. Senate to overcome a filibuster. Do you support or oppose eliminating the filibuster in order to pass this legislation? </em> </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Filibuster-3e15b52e.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Filibuster-3e15b52e.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Please contact press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org </em> <em> for any press inquiries </em> . </p> </div> <h2> <div> <p> </p> </div> </h2> <div> <p> </p> </div> Tue, 13 Jul 2021 11:01:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6815 Research thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6791 READ ON MOMENTMAG.COM BY NATHAN GUTTMAN 1. The Jewish vote is in. Again.  So much has happened since Americans went to the polls four months ago, and quite frankly, no one misses the days leading up to the election. But let’s try to take just one more look at the eternal question bewildering the Jewish world ever … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> READ ON <a href="https://momentmag.com/jewish-independent-voters/?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=getresponse&amp;utm_content=Jews+in+the+Middle%3A+Who+Are+the+Jewish+Independent+Voters%3F&amp;utm_campaign=Moment+Minute"> MOMENTMAG.COM </a> </em> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> BY  <a href="https://momentmag.com/author/nathan-guttman/"> NATHAN GUTTMAN </a> </p> </div> <h3> 1. The Jewish vote is in. Again.  </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> So much has happened since Americans went to the polls four months ago, and quite frankly, no one misses the days leading up to the election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But let’s try to take just one more look at the eternal question bewildering the Jewish world ever since: How did the Jews vote? </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The issue was  <a href="https://momentmag.com/post-trump-era-edition-how-jews-became-more-divided-and-why-it-doesnt-have-to-be-this-way/" target="_blank"> discussed, argued and debated </a>  back in November, with the same decades-old storyline. Yes, Jewish Americans once again voted overwhelmingly for the Democrats, but was there a shift in voting trends? Professional Jewish Democrats and Republicans will continue debating this question until the cows come home (or at least until their donors agree that results trend in a way that proves their success).  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But there’s another way of looking at the Jewish vote. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The American Jewish Population Project at Brandeis University compiled, at the request of the nonpartisan Jewish Electorate Institute, an <a href="/p6732"> <span>  analysis of the Jewish vote </span> </a>  based on the broadest available database of voter information. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The report goes a little deeper than most post-election surveys and provides an insight into the voting pattern of Jews in eight key states, as well as a very interesting look into Jewish voters who define themselves as independents. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> According to the <a href="https://jewishelectdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Jewish_Independents_Report_JEI_02-22-21.pdf" target="_blank">  report </a> , 32 percent of Jewish American voters are independent, meaning they are not affiliated with either party. This makes independents the second largest political group among Jewish voters, after Democratic (50 percent) and way more than Republicans (16 percent). </p> </div> <h3> 2. Who are Jewish independents? </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Being independent is not synonymous with being a swing voter. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Forty-five percent of Jewish independents lean toward the Democratic side, 39 percent lean Republican and only 16 percent say they have “no lean,” meaning they could go either Democratic or Republican. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Why would Jewish voters choose to be independent and not identify with the party they lean toward? </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The most common way of interpreting political independence is seeing it as representing the gap between the belief in a certain ideology, and support for the party that advances this ideology. For example, one may like low taxes and small government economic policies, but not be a big fan of the GOP, which fights for these issues. This person will likely vote Republican, but would rather not carry the burden of the party’s entire set of beliefs. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For most members of the group, being independent provides space for deniability. It means they do not have to commit to supporting everything the party stands for, or every action it takes. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the case of Jewish independents, deniability could be key in several major areas: support for Israel (as in, “yes, we vote for Biden but won’t affiliate ourselves with the Democratic Party because of Ilhan Omar’s views on Israel”); progressiveness (“as true Bernie liberals we cannot be part of a party led by Biden and Pelosi”); and Trump (“sure, we believe in the GOP’s fiscal policies, but not in the party that elected Trump as its nominee”). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For practical purposes, these independents are not all that different from any other voter who identifies as either Democratic or Republican.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But the small subset of independents who are truly undecided could make a difference, and according to the data presented in the new report, Jewish independents may have played a key role in the past two election cycles. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Authors of the paper looked at the key battleground states. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In Michigan, there are roughly 37,000 Jewish voters who define themselves as independents. Of them, 15 percent, or 5,500 voters, are true “no lean” independents. Michigan went to Trump in 2016 by a margin of just over 10,000 votes. It’s easy to see how swinging Jewish voters could have helped make this happen. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump won Florida by 371,000 votes in November, but what if Biden would have been more successful with the roughly 46,000 Jewish independents who have no particular leaning? </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Or, take a look at Wisconsin. There are 14,000 independent Jewish voters in the state, 18 percent of whom have no leaning. That means more than 2,500 Jewish votes up for grabs. Hillary Clinton lost the state by 22,000 votes in 2016 and Biden won it by 20,000. Think just how important these 2,500 Jews were in making the difference. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> These numbers could make parties rethink their discourse with Jewish voters in swing states. Targeting Jewish voters as a whole as either Democrats (with ‘tikkun olam’ talk on social justice and immigration,) or die-hard Republicans (with endless Israel-related messaging,) likely misses those very few—but all so important—undecided independent Jewish voters, who could eventually swing the state. </p> </div> <h3> 3. Young, Jewish and independent </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Another noteworthy aspect of Jewish political independents is age. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The younger you are, the more likely you are not to be affiliated with either party. Forty-two percent of Jews between the ages of 18-24 are independents. The percentage declines consistently with older age groups. Among Jewish voters over 65, only 27 percent describe themselves as independent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Younger people are less inclined to affiliate with any institution, let alone one of two establishment parties. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish community knows this all too well and has experienced the exact same phenomenon with young members. They tend to affiliate less with denominations, synagogues and organizations, making for the eventual decline of many legacy institutions. Political parties are just another victim of younger Jewish American’s disdain for old-time establishments. </p> </div> <h3> 4.  Why Israel’s upcoming election may matter to American Jews </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> You think you’re tired of talking about American politics? How about having to, for the fourth time in two years, dig into the ins and outs of Israeli elections? </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> By now, everyone knows the drill: The elections are all about Netanyahu. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On the one side, there’s the Bibi camp, made up of his Likud Party, the right-wing settlers and the ultra-Orthodox. They all want everything to remain just as it’s been, and are touting Netanyahu’s role in securing millions of coronavirus vaccines—making Israel the world leader in vaccinations—as a reason to reelect him. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On the other side is the anti-Bibi camp, ranging from Arab parties, moderate leftists, the reinvented Labor, neo-liberals, centrist generals and newly found disillusioned Likudniks. They all share the belief that Netanyahu, facing a trial on three counts of corruption-related charges, can no longer lead the country. Apart from that, they agree on nothing. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> There are many details, nuances and scenarios, but they all have little to do with the lives of Jewish Americans. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Except for one. Perhaps. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Last week, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled in favor of granting citizenship to non-Jewish residents who undergo Reform or Conservative conversion to Judaism. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> It’s a tiny step in a years-long battle over the recognition of non-Orthodox Jewish denominations in Israel. (Ben Sales, at <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/03/04/israel/orthodox-and-secular-israelis-are-fighting-over-jewish-conversion-why" target="_blank">  JTA </a> , has a great explainer on what the ruling means.) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This brings us back to the upcoming elections. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The fierce reaction from Israel’s Orthodox parties (including, comparing non-Orthodox Jews to <a href="https://www.jta.org/2021/03/04/israel/dogs-death-and-clowns-israeli-orthodox-politicians-are-again-attacking-reform-jews" target="_blank">  dogs </a> , courtesy of United Torah Judaism, a coalition partner of Netanyahu) and of Netanyahu himself, who called the ruling “very troubling” and of politicians from his party vowing to overturn the ruling, served as an important reminder that American Jews—who are largely Reform and Conservative—have skin in this game. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The March 23 elections will determine Israel’s path forward on many aspects, some of them pivotal to its security and democracy. But they will also signal the direction the nation chooses when it comes to its relationship with the Jewish diaspora, and that’s a good enough reason to keep a close watch. </p> </div> <h3> 5. What are Jared and Ivanka up to? </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Kushner, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2021/03/05/jared-kushner-donald-trump-sot-ac360-vpx.cnn" target="_blank">  reports, </a>  is taking a break and is no longer part of the inner circle advising his father-in-law, former president Donald Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Ivanka Trump, has made clear she <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/18/us/ivanka-trump-florida-senate.html" target="_blank">  will not seek </a>  Marco Rubio’s Senate seat, but she may be aiming for <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/03/will-trump-dump-pence-if-he-runs-in-2024.html" target="_blank">  higher places </a> . According to another report, Donald Trump is considering his daughter Ivanka as a potential 2024 running mate. </p> </div> Tue, 09 Mar 2021 15:23:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6791 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6790 Read on The Forward By Jacob Kornbluh In the weeks after last fall’s presidential election, the heads of the Jewish Democratic Council of America and the Republican Jewish Coalition both filled social-media platforms and email inboxes with seemingly contradictory declarations of victory. Halie Soifer, chief executive of the Democratic council, touted an exit poll conducted by J … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://forward.com/fast-forward/465289/report-shows-younger-jews-are-less-partisan-but-democratic-support-remains/"> Read on The Forward </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> By <a href="https://forward.com/author/jacob-kornbluh/"> Jacob Kornbluh </a> </em> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the weeks after last fall’s presidential election, the heads of the Jewish Democratic Council of America and the Republican Jewish Coalition both filled social-media platforms and email inboxes with seemingly contradictory declarations of victory. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Halie Soifer, chief executive of the Democratic council,  <a href="https://twitter.com/HalieSoifer/status/1324025118390181894" target="_blank"> touted an exit poll </a>  conducted by J Street that  <a href="https://jstreet.org/press-releases/election-night-poll-shows-jewish-voters-overwhelmingly-supported-joe-biden-trumps-margin-even-worse-than-16-election/#.YEF1M5NKj9E" target="_blank"> showed </a>  Jewish voters supported Joe Biden over Donald Trump by an overwhelming 77-21 percentage point margin. The spin was that Jews in battleground states put Biden over the top. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> At the same time, Matt Brooks, executive director of the Republican group, took a victory lap highlighting a different poll that showed  <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/exit-polls-point-to-trump-gains-among-jewish-voters/" target="_blank"> Trump picked up 6% more Jewish support </a>  compared to 2016. Hey, we may have lost the White House, was Brooks’ counter-argument, but we are increasing our share of the Jewish vote. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Now, the Jewish Electorate Institute  <a href="/p6732"> <span> has released </span> </a>  the most comprehensive look yet, based on data from 1,541,000 Jewish adults in hundreds of national surveys, The researchers from Brandeis University’s Steinhardt Social Research Institute found that a third of American Jews identify as independent rather than with either political party, and that Jews in the swing states of Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, and Wisconsin split in similar patterns to their overall states. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Here are three takeaways: </b> </p> </div> <h4> Taking the middle road </h4> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> More than three out of 10 Jews (32%) identify themselves as independent. Half % align themselves with the Democratic Party and 16% declare the Republican Party their home. The “independents” are almost evenly split when asked if they lean toward the Democratic (45%) or Republican (39%) parties. </p> </div> <h4> Younger voters moving away from partisanship </h4> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among Jewish voters aged 18 to 24, 42% identify themselves as independent, 44% Democratic, and 14% Republican. But a greater portion of these young Jewish independents lean Democrat — 50% — compared with 34% who lean Republican. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In comparison, among Jews over age 65, 27% consider themselves independent. Note to Brooks: As more Jewish voters move away from the Democratic Party, there may be more room for moderate Republican candidates to gain support in key swing states. </p> </div> <h4> Purple Jews </h4> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the swing states won by Trump — Florida and Ohio — a third of Jewish voters identify as or lean Republican. In both states, less than 60% of Jews surveyed either said they were Democrats or Independents who lean Democratic — below the 65% national average. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the states Biden won with a comfortable margin, Jewish identification with the Democratic Party matched the national average. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And in Arizona and Georgia, the two states that Trump won in 2016 but went blue in 2020, 55% and 54%, respectively, identify as Democrats or said they were Independents who lean Democratic. In those states, 39% (Arizona) and 38% (Georgia) identify as Republican or are Independents who lean Republican. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="/p6732"> Read the full detailed report  <span> here </span> . </a> </p> </div> Mon, 08 Mar 2021 15:24:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6790 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6732 At the request of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute, researchers at the American Jewish Population Project at Brandeis University’s Social Research Institute conducted an analysis of hundreds of national surveys of US adults to describe the Jewish electorate in each of the 435 districts of the 116th US Congress and the District of Columbia. Surveys … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> At the request of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute, researchers at the American Jewish Population Project at Brandeis University’s Social Research Institute conducted an analysis of hundreds of national surveys of US adults to describe the Jewish electorate in each of the 435 districts of the 116th US Congress and the District of Columbia. Surveys include the American National Election Studies, the General Social Survey, Pew Political and social surveys, the Gallup Daily Tracking poll, and the Gallup Poll Social Series. Data from over 1.4 million US adults were statistically combined to provide, for each district, estimates of the number of adults who self-identify as Jewish and a breakdown of those individuals by age, education, race/ethnicity, political party self-identification, and political ideology. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The following reports present a portrait of the Jewish electorate in eight states: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, as well as a portrait of Jewish adults ages 18 to 34 and political independents. </p> </div> <h2> Full Arizona Report </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-11.29.06-AM-12d7f19d.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-11.29.06-AM-12d7f19d.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> The majority (~80%) of Jewish adults in Arizona resides in five congressional districts that include parts of Tucson, Phoenix, and other metropolitan areas within Maricopa County. The majority (55%) of Arizona’s Jewish electorate identifies with or leans toward the Democratic Party compared with 65% of the Jewish electorate nationally. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> </p> </div> <h2> Full Colorado Report </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-11.31.54-AM-95a085b1.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-11.31.54-AM-95a085b1.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> The majority (~56%) of Jewish adults in Colorado resides in three congressional districts that include much of the metropolitan areas of Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins. Nearly two thirds (64%) of Colorado’s Jewish electorate identifies with or leans toward the Democratic Party compared with 65% of the Jewish electorate nationally. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> </p> </div> <h2> Full Florida Report </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-11.59.37-AM-8f5d4c06.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-11.59.37-AM-8f5d4c06.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> The majority (~73%) of Jewish adults in Florida resides in seven congressional districts on the southeastern coast that include the metropolitan areas around Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Palm Beach. Over half (59%) of Florida’s Jewish electorate identifies with or leans toward the Democratic Party compared with 65% of the Jewish electorate nationally. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Full Georgia Report </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-12.37.31-PM-5ac08fe6.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-12.37.31-PM-5ac08fe6.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> The majority (~68%) of Jewish adults in Georgia resides in congressional districts within the Atlanta metropolitan area. More than half (54%) of Georgia’s Jewish electorate identifies with or leans toward the Democratic Party.³ This is lower than the Jewish electorate nationally (65%) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Full Michigan Report </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-12.40.03-PM-cb597135.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-12.40.03-PM-cb597135.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> The majority (~77%) of Jewish adults in Michigan resides in congressional districts that include the metropolitan areas around Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Lansing. Nearly two thirds (61%) of Michigan’s Jewish electorate identifies with or leans toward the Democratic Party compared with 65% of the Jewish electorate nationally. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Full Ohio Report </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-12.41.40-PM-345f087c.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-12.41.40-PM-345f087c.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> The majority of Jewish adults (~60%) in Ohio reside in congressional districts that include the metropolitan areas around Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. The Jewish electorate predominately identifies with or leans toward the Democratic Party (56%). About one third (32%) identify with or lean toward the Republican Party. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Full Pennsylvania Report </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-12.44.42-PM-6faa3f2f.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-12.44.42-PM-6faa3f2f.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> The majority (~78%) of Jewish adults in Pennsylvania resides in eight congressional districts. All, with the exception of PA-18, are located in an Eastern region of the state known as the Delaware Valley. About two thirds (67%) of Pennsylvania’s Jewish electorate identifies with or leans toward the Democratic Party compared with 65% of the Jewish electorate nationally. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Full Wisconsin Report </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-12.47.09-PM-f2f7cbff.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-10-at-12.47.09-PM-f2f7cbff.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> Over half of Jewish adults in Wisconsin (~57%) reside in just two of the state’s congressional districts, spanning the metropolitan and suburban areas of Milwaukee and Madison. Two thirds (66%) of the Wisconsin Jewish electorate identifies with or leans toward the Democratic Party compared with 65% of the Jewish electorate nationally </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Full Report on Political Independents </h2> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-26-at-11.27.33-AM-69d6a583.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-26-at-11.27.33-AM-69d6a583.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The American Jewish electorate has a reputation of being stalwart supporters of the Democratic Party and indeed, estimates of political identification show that three times as many Jewish adults are Democrats than are Republicans (50% vs 16%, respectively). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Independents comprise the second largest group. Of the 32% of the Jewish electorate who are Independent, when asked if they lean toward either the Democratic or Republican Party, most lean Democrat (45%). Just 16% of Independents, or about 5% of all Jewish adults, lean neither Democrat nor Republican. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <h2> Full Report on Jewish Young Adults </h2> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Identification with the Democratic Party is highest among Jewish adults ages 25 to 34 compared with the youngest age group of 18 to 24 year olds (49% vs. 42%, respectively). Few young adults in either age group are Republican; 14% of 18 to 24 year-olds and just 12% of 25 to 34 year-olds are Republican. </p> </div> <div> <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-26-at-11.31.52-AM-80980ded.png" target="_top"> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2021-02-26-at-11.31.52-AM-80980ded.png" alt="" title=""/> </a> <span> </span> </div> Fri, 12 Feb 2021 14:32:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6732 Research thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6657 By Omri Nahmias “This year’s election will be decided in a few battleground states: Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, and Minnesota; Jews live in significant numbers in each of these states, especially Florida, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Georgia,” said Ralph Grunewald, the Chair of the Jewish Electorate Institute.  “In each of the battleground … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Omri Nahmias </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “This year’s election will be decided in a few battleground states: Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, and Minnesota; Jews live in significant numbers in each of these states, especially Florida, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Georgia,” said Ralph Grunewald, the Chair of the Jewish Electorate Institute.  “In each of the battleground states, if Trump and Biden run close races in them, Jewish voters can absolutely make the difference in determining the winner.  Remember that Jews tend to vote at a higher percentage than other voters, plus Jews tend to vote Democrat.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Grunewald noted that JEI polls do not indicate that Jews are more divided in 2020 than in previous election cycles.  “Our JEI polling does not indicate any significant wedge in the Jewish community, a finding supported also by polls that were released in the past few weeks by the American Jewish Committee, Pew Research Center, and J Street,” he added. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jpost.com/us-elections/in-the-us-elections-jewish-voters-have-concerns-other-than-israel-647454" target="_blank"> READ THE FULL ARTICLE </a> </p> </div> Fri, 30 Oct 2020 12:56:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6657 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6648 By Michael Crowley Democrats call such talk wishful thinking, arguing that voters currently care little about foreign policy. They also note Mr. Trump’s unpopularity among American Jews, citing a poll released last week by the Jewish Electorate Institute, which found that he trails his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., 67 percent to 30 … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Michael Crowley </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Democrats call such talk wishful thinking, arguing that voters currently care little about foreign policy. They also note Mr. Trump’s unpopularity among American Jews, citing a  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-biden-leads-trump-67-30-percent-among-jewish-voters/" target="_blank"> poll </a>  released last week by the Jewish Electorate Institute, which found that he trails his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., 67 percent to 30 percent among Jewish voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/20/us/politics/trump-israel-arab-election.html"> READ THE FULL ARTICLE </a> </p> </div> Sun, 20 Sep 2020 12:22:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6648 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6650 By Abe Silberstein First, a poll of Jewish voters conducted by the Jewish Electorate Institute found Joe Biden leading Donald Trump by a roughly two-to-one margin. 67% of American Jews told pollsters they plan to vote for Joe Biden in November, and 30% plan to vote for Donald Trump. READ THE FULL ARTICLE <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Abe Silberstein </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> First,  <a href="https://forward.com/fast-forward/454326/biden-leads-trump-67-30-among-jewish-voters/"> a poll of Jewish voters </a>  conducted by the Jewish Electorate Institute found Joe Biden leading Donald Trump by a roughly two-to-one margin. 67% of American Jews told pollsters they plan to vote for Joe Biden in November, and 30% plan to vote for Donald Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <a href="https://forward.com/opinion/454693/what-to-do-with-the-trump-jews/"> READ THE FULL ARTICLE </a> </b> </p> </div> Fri, 18 Sep 2020 12:34:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6650 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6654 Jews traditionally vote in large numbers for the Democratic nominee in presidential elections. A poll this week carried out by the Jewish Electorate Institute showed Joe Biden getting 67 percent of the Jewish vote and Trump 30 percent. READ THE FULL ARTICLE <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jews traditionally vote in large numbers for the Democratic nominee in presidential elections. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-leads-trump-67-30-among-jewish-voters-survey-finds/#gs.fscpyy" target="_blank"> A poll this week </a>  carried out by the Jewish Electorate Institute showed Joe Biden getting 67 percent of the Jewish vote and Trump 30 percent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-elections-trump-american-jews-vote-israel"> READ THE FULL ARTICLE </a> </b> </p> </div> Wed, 16 Sep 2020 12:40:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6654 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6652 By Gabe Kahn That’s not based on speculation, although it certainly could be. Rather, it’s based on a new poll conducted by the Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group on behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), which found that 67 percent of Jewish voters plans to back Biden on Nov. 3, against 30 percent who support … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Gabe Kahn </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That’s not based on speculation, although it certainly could be. Rather, it’s based on a new poll conducted by the Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group on behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), which found that 67 percent of Jewish voters plans to back Biden on Nov. 3, against 30 percent who support the president (the other three percent of respondents answered that they were undecided). This despite an oft-heard (and defensible) claim that Trump is a great friend to Israelits greatest ever, according to several conservative pro- Israel groups, including the Zionist Organization of America and the Massachusetts Republican Jewish Committee. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “We found that the president’s policies toward Israel did not impact or sway Jewish voters toward Trump,” said Fred Yang, founding principal of Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group. “The fact is that Jewish voters trust Joe Biden more on every issue, and believe President Trump is to blame for the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic. This is one of many reasons Jewish voters are overwhelmingly supporting Joe Biden in the election.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Every issue,” the survey found, includes Israel, as Jewish voters trust Biden over Trump on U.S.-Israel relations 46 percent to 32 percent. The 14-percent margin was the lowest of any specific policy item in the survey. Still, the fact that Trump is not leading on Israellike many Evangelicals and their single-minded devotion to a pro-life agenda, so-called “One Issue Voters” in the Jewish community seem content to overlook Trump’s foibles because of what they consider to be unprecedented support of the Jewish state in the White House should be considered a veritable coup d’état for Biden. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The online survey of 810 voters nationally who self-identify as Jewish and indicate that they are likely to vote was conducted from September 2 to 7 and has a margin of error of ±3.5 percentage points, according to JEI. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Some other bullet points from the poll: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> • 67 percent of Jewish voters disapprove of Trump’s job performance. This is about 15 percent higher than the American electorate as a whole. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> • 70 percent of Jewish voters view Biden in favorable terms, more than 20 percent higher than the American electorate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> • Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris matches Biden in favorability among Jewish voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> • A majority of Jewish voters believe that Trump deserves the greatest blame for the spread of coronavirus, and less than a quarter of Jewish voters trust Trump on the federal government’s response to the pandemic. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> • Nearly two-thirds of Jewish voters trust Biden more on anti-Semitism, and one quarter of Jewish voters trust Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> • 88 percent of Jewish voters self-identify as pro-Israel, and a majority of Jewish voters are critical of at least some of the current Israeli government’s policies. Democratic and Republican Jewish voters identify as pro-Israel at the same level. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> • Jewish voters prioritize domestic policy issues over Israel when asked which issues are most important. Less than one-fifth of respondents said Israel is one of the most important issues when deciding which candidate to support. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> • The Israel-UAE agreement had no effect on a majority of Jewish voters’ view of Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> • Unlike other constituencies, most Jewish voters plan to vote before election day and feel comfortable with non-in-person voting methods. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <a href="https://www.thejewishadvocate.com/articles/poll-american-jews-prefer-biden-to-trump-on-every-issue-israel-included/"> READ THE FULL ARTICLE </a> </b> </p> </div> Wed, 16 Sep 2020 12:38:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6652 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6642 By Amir Tibon Former Vice President Joe Biden has a significant lead over President Donald Trump among Jewish American voters, but Trump’s support within the Jewish community today is greater than it was in 2016, according to a new poll released Monday by the Jewish Electorate Institute. The poll, which included online interviews with more than 800 … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> By Amir Tibon </em> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Former Vice President Joe Biden has a significant lead over President Donald Trump among  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-jews-in-america-1.5599108" target="_blank"> Jewish American </a>  voters, but Trump’s support within the Jewish community today is greater than it was in 2016, according to a new poll released Monday by the Jewish Electorate Institute. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, which included online interviews with more than 800 self-identified Jewish American likely voters, shows  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-Biden-1.8810655" target="_blank"> Biden </a>  receiving 67 percent of Jewish votes, whereas  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-donald-trump-1.5599319" target="_blank"> Trump </a>  would receive 30 percent in the  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-us-election-2020-1.5599315" target="_blank"> November election </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-poll-u-s-jews-locked-behind-biden-but-there-s-also-good-news-for-trump-1.9154431"> READ MORE HERE </a> </em> </b> </p> </div> Mon, 14 Sep 2020 17:55:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6642 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6640 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is leading President Donald Trump 67-30% among Jewish voters, according to a new online poll conducted by Garin-Hart-Yang Research Associates for the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) and published on Monday. The poll, conducted between September 2 and 7 with a margin of error of ±3.5%, also shows Jewish voters … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is leading President Donald Trump 67-30% among Jewish voters, according to a new online poll conducted by Garin-Hart-Yang Research Associates for the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) and published on Monday. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, conducted between September 2 and 7 with a margin of error of ±3.5%, also shows Jewish voters — by a margin of 46-32 — trust Biden over Trump in handling U.S.-Israel relations.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> <a href="https://jewishinsider.com/2020/09/poll-biden-leads-trump-67-30-percent-among-jewish-voters/"> READ MORE HERE </a> </em> </b> </p> </div> Mon, 14 Sep 2020 17:54:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6640 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6613 WASHINGTON — With less than 50 days until Election Day, Jewish voters remain steadfast in their support for Joe Biden, with a new poll indicating that an overwhelming majority of Jewish voters will cast a ballot for Biden in November. The poll, conducted online by Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group on behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> WASHINGTON </b> — With less than 50 days until Election Day, Jewish voters remain steadfast in their support for Joe Biden, with a new poll indicating that an overwhelming majority of Jewish voters will cast a ballot for Biden in November. The poll, conducted online by Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group on behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute, surveyed more than 800 self-identified Jewish voters between September 2 and 7. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="/p6614"> Full results of the poll can be viewed here. </a> <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/2020-national-survey-of-likely-jewish-voters/" target="_blank"> <b> </b> </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As President Trump hosts a signing ceremony today for an agreement to normalize relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, this poll shows Trump’s Israel policies have had no effect on Jewish voters. While 88% of Jewish voters identify as pro-Israel, Jewish voters prioritize U.S. domestic policy issues over Israel in this election. They also trust Joe Biden more on Israel issues than Donald Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Other key findings of the poll released today include: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The Jewish vote has not significantly changed since JEI’s last poll in February, with the exception of increased concern about coronavirus. We found that the president’s policies toward Israel did not impact or sway Jewish voters toward Trump. The fact is that Jewish voters trust Joe Biden more on every issue, and believe President Trump is to blame for the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic. This is one of many reasons Jewish voters are overwhelmingly supporting Joe Biden in the election,” said Fred Yang, founding principal of Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Consistent with data from the Jewish Electorate Institute’s previous surveys in <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/national-survey-of-likely-jewish-voters-in-2020/"> early 2020 </a> , <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-domestic-issues-dominate-the-priorities-of-the-jewish-electorate/"> May </a> <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-domestic-issues-dominate-the-priorities-of-the-jewish-electorate/"> 2019 </a> and <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/american-jews-remain-strongly-supportive-of-the-democratic-party/"> October 2018 </a> , the new poll found nearly nine-in ten (88%) of respondents surveyed describe themselves as generally pro-Israel. As with previous polls when Jewish voters were asked about the issues that are most important when selecting a candidate, Israel remains among the lowest priorities compared to domestic policy issues such as health care and, Medicare, Social Security, and most recently, government response to the coronavirus. <br/> <br/> To speak with pollster Fred Yang of Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group or a representative of the Jewish Electorate please contact Meredith MacKenzie at <a href="mailto:mmackenzie@westendstrategy.com"> mmackenzie@westendstrategy.com </a> . </p> </div> Mon, 14 Sep 2020 12:03:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6613 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6614 On behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), Garin-Hart-Yang conducted an online survey of 810 Jewish voters nationally who self-identify as Jewish and indicate that they are likely to vote in the November 2020 election. The survey, which was conducted from September 2 to 7, 2020, has a margin of error of ±3.5 percentage … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), Garin-Hart-Yang conducted an online survey of 810 Jewish voters nationally who self-identify as Jewish and indicate that they are likely to vote in the November 2020 election. The survey, which was conducted from September 2 to 7, 2020, has a margin of error of ±3.5 percentage points.   </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Topline Analysis of the Data Regarding the Jewish Electorate </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <u> Detailed analysis of selected findings of the JEI survey are as follows </u> </b> . <br/> <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 1.   Jewish voters overwhelmingly disapprove of President Trump’s job performance, </b> with more than three-in-five saying they strongly disapprove of Trump. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-09-14-at-7.53.52-AM-c8476388.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Ninety-two percent of Biden supporters strongly disapprove of Trump, while just two-thirds (64%) of Trump supporters strongly approve of Trump’s performance. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish voters remain strongly anti-Trump, and more so than the overall electorate.  According to a CNN national survey from August 28 to September 1, Trump’s performance as president was measured at 41% approve and 53% disapprove. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 2. </b>    <b> Joe Biden and Kamala Harris both have favorable ratings among 70% of Jewish voters, while Donald Trump and Mike Pence receive nearly similar unfavorable ratings. </b> <strong> </strong> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-09-14-at-7.54.49-AM-86d25dc7.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Joe Biden’s approval rating is 10% higher than the February 2020 survey, and 40% higher than Trump’s rating. The August 28 to September 1 CNN national survey referenced earlier showed Biden with a 48% favorable and 43% unfavorable rating.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 3.   The low number of “undecided” responses (3%) suggests a Jewish electorate that is pretty much locked in place. </b> Biden leads among nearly every major subgroup except obvious ones (e.g., Republicans). Two-thirds of Jewish voters say they will vote for Joe Biden over President Trump, and three-quarters of Jewish women say they favor Biden. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-09-14-at-7.55.11-AM-76ba2a9a.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 4.   Domestic issues, such as the coronavirus, Medicare, and Social Security, health care, the economy, and the rise of anti-Semitism are the top issues for Jewish voters. </b> When asked about the issues that are most important when selecting a candidate, Israel remains among the lowest priorities for Jewish voters. <a href="#_ftn1"> [1] </a> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-09-14-at-7.55.38-AM-513bd643.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 5.   When asked to compare trust in Biden or Trump on a number of issues, Biden leads Trump on every item tested, although there is some variation. </b> <b>   </b> Biden has overwhelming leads on the electorate’s pressing priorities of coronavirus, health care, and climate change, but Biden also enjoys solid leads on economy/jobs and issues related to Israel. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-09-14-at-7.56.05-AM-0b3c70e3.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The recent CNN survey shows Biden leading Trump by comfortable margins in 6 of the 7 issues tested, while Trump has a narrow 49%-48% lead on the economy among the national electorate.  However, Jewish voters prefer Biden over Trump by 25% percent (as noted in the chart above) on the economy. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 6 </b> <b> .   The low importance of Israel as a voting issue in 2020 does NOT mean a corresponding diminution of Jewish voters’ support for Israel. </b> Nearly nine-in-10 (88%) of respondents surveyed describe themselves as generally pro-Israel, which is at the same high level as in the Jewish Electorate Institute’s 2019 and 2018 surveys. Democrats (87%) and Republicans (87%) characterize themselves as pro-Israel at the exactly the same level. While respondents are strongly pro-Israel, we find that half of the Jewish electorate are critical of at least some of the current Israeli government’s policies. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-09-14-at-7.56.21-AM-06e4d85d.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 7 </b> <b> .   A substantial proportion of Jewish voters personally feel less safe than they did at the start of the Trump presidency and believe that Jewish Americans are less safe than they were four years ago. </b> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-09-14-at-7.56.29-AM-2460cc49.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Furthermore, Jewish voters believe by better than two-to-one that Jews will become less safe if Donald Trump is reelected, with four-fifths of Biden supporters saying Jews will be less safe, versus 71% of Trump supporters who believe they will be safer. Sixty percent of Jewish voters trust Joe Biden more on the rise of anti-Semitism and white nationalism. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-09-14-at-7.56.42-AM-f3b05dea.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 8.   A sizeable proportion of Jewish voters place importance on issues of systemic racism and police brutality. In addition, the survey shows Jewish voters have positive impressions of the protestors for racial justice and Black Lives Matter </b> . </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-09-14-at-7.57.57-AM-c0e91835.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Younger Jewish voters (ages 18-29) have slightly more positive views of the protestors and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement than the overall electorate (the CNN national survey, for example, showed BLM’s image as 51% favorable and 38% unfavorable), and older Jews have positive feelings toward both groups by better than two-to-one.  Almost two-fifths of Jewish Republicans have positive impressions of the protestors and BLM. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 9.   More than 90% of respondents said they’re almost certain to vote in the 2020 election. </b> When asked how they will cast their ballot for the election, 63% will vote absentee or early in person, and just <b> </b> 28% say they will vote on Election Day. <strong> </strong> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-09-14-at-7.58.10-AM-65d1adef.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A little less than two-fifths of Jews under age 60 plan to vote on Election Day (compared to just 17% of Jews age 60+), but a plurality of these younger Jews still plan to vote by some form of absentee ballot. <br/> <br/> Unlike polling that’s been conducted among other voter groups or the general voting population, Jewish voters express a high level of comfort with the various means of non-in-person voting (an important factor in the era of coronavirus), with in-person voting having the least amount of comfort. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-09-14-at-7.59.03-AM-1024x566-16cd930b.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="#_ftnref1"> [1] </a> These results are virtually identical to the 2019 polling we conducted for the Jewish Electorate Institute, when we asked about Israel in a slightly different way: “How important will a candidate’s position on Israel be for you personally in deciding who you will vote for in the November 2020 election?” </p> </div> Mon, 14 Sep 2020 12:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6614 Research thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6611 About one-third of American Jews live in just 20 of the country’s congressional districts. Nearly half of those districts are in New York, and all but one of them is represented by a Democrat. Meanwhile, the district with the most Jews in the country is also the site of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s Florida estate. … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> About one-third of American Jews live in just 20 of the country’s congressional districts. Nearly half of those districts are in New York, and all but one of them is represented by a Democrat. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Meanwhile, the district with the most Jews in the country is also the site of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s Florida estate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Those are among the findings from a  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/national-profile-of-the-jewish-electorate-in-2020/"> recent study </a>  analyzing Jewish voting patterns. Key findings from the study, which was conducted by the Jewish Electorate Institute and the Steinhardt Social Research Institute at Brandeis University, were published online Aug. 25. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The study, like previous others, found that Jewish voters are more Democratic and politically liberal than the country at large. It also found, similar to earlier research, that Jewish voters tend to be older than average. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> What’s new here is that the researchers were able to identify not only how Jews vote but where they cast their ballots. The study found that the majority of Jewish adults live in four states — New York, California, Florida and New Jersey. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “In all of the so-called battleground states, not only Florida but places like Pennsylvania and Ohio and Michigan, those are states where if something similar to 2016 happens in 2020, Jews are large enough in number in those states where they could make a difference,” said Leonard Saxe, director of the Steinhardt Social Research Institute. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Approximately one-third of Jewish adults, about 1.8 million, are concentrated in just 20 congressional districts among the 435 across the United States. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The district with the most Jewish voters, Florida’s 21st, is drawing a lot of attention this year for its race between two Jewish candidates, the Democratic incumbent Rep. Lois Frankel and Laura Loomer, an anti-Islam provocateur who  <a href="https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/laura-loomer-jewish-provocateur-known-for-anti-muslim-rhetoric-wins-primary-in-florida"> won the Republican nomination </a>  and  <a href="https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/lara-trump-campaigns-with-laura-loomer-jewish-congressional-candidate-who-said-shes-a-proud-islamophobe"> Trump’s endorsement </a> . Loomer released an  <a href="https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/republican-congressional-candidate-laura-loomer-uses-holocaust-imagery-to-attack-jewish-opponent-over-black-lives-matter-support"> ad this week that used Holocaust imagery </a>  and Yiddish to attack Frankel as an opponent of Jewish interests. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The district covers southeastern Florida cities such as Palm Beach, Boynton Beach and Delray Beach, and includes 152,000 Jewish adults, according to the study. In total, the district has about  <a href="https://dos.myflorida.com/media/703356/5-2020-pri-party-by-congressional-district.pdf"> 524,000 registered voters </a> . According to the study, the district is 24.3% Jewish, and more than half of those Jewish adults are older than 65. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The two adjacent districts down the South Florida coast, the 22nd and 23rd, also crack the top 20 for Jewish voters. Both are also represented by Jewish Democrats: Reps. Ted Deutch and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, respectively. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Most of the other districts in the Jewish top 20 are in New York and New Jersey, including seven in New York City and two on suburban Long Island. The second-largest Jewish district overall, New York’s 10th on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, has 151,000 Jewish adults and is represented by longtime congressman Jerry Nadler, a Jewish Democrat. The other New York City districts cover large swaths of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The lone district on the list represented by a Republican, Rep. Chris Smith, is New Jersey’s 4th, which includes the heavily Orthodox city of Lakewood. That district is about 10% Jewish, with 51,000 Jewish adults, according to the study. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The rest of the top 20 districts are in Los Angeles County and the suburbs of Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Overall, eight of the top 20 Jewish districts are represented by Jews. Saxe said the list of the most Jewish districts is a key data point ahead of the 2020 census, which will likely lead to congressional redistricting. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The concentration of Jews and whether that concentration is allowed to continue, whether it’s not, will be an important issue,” he said. “In those districts where Jews are 10% or more of the population, they’re also a very significant force in choosing members of Congress.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jta.org/2020/09/10/united-states/this-map-shows-the-20-congressional-districts-with-the-most-jews"> <span> <b> READ MORE HERE </b> </span> </a> </p> </div> Thu, 10 Sep 2020 14:30:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6611 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6603 Summary At the request of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute, researchers at the American Jewish Population Project at Brandeis University’s Steinhardt Social Research Institute conducted an analysis of hundreds of national surveys of US adults to describe the Jewish electorate in each of the 435 districts of the 116th  Congress and the District of Columbia. … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Summary </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> At the request of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute, researchers at the American Jewish Population Project at Brandeis University’s Steinhardt Social Research Institute conducted an analysis of hundreds of national surveys of US adults to describe the Jewish electorate in each of the 435 districts of the 116th  Congress and the District of Columbia. Surveys include the    American National Election Studies, the General Social Survey, Pew Political and social surveys, the Gallup Daily Tracking poll, and the Gallup Poll Social Series. Data from over 1.4 million US adults were statistically combined to provide, for each congressional district, estimates of the number of adults who self-identify as Jewish by age, education, race/ethnicity, as well as political party self-identification and political ideology. </em> ¹ </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> <b> Key Findings </b> </p> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> <b> 1.   The majority of the Jewish electorate is in four states – New York, California, Florida, and New Jersey. </b> </p> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> There are over 1.2 million Jewish adults in New York state, nearly 900,000 in California, 722,000 in Florida and just over 400,000 in New Jersey. <br/> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/ajpp-cd-estimates-kf1-05-20-20-b00a05ca.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-08-14-at-12.07.00-PM-970939d8.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> <b> 2.   Jewish adults identify predominantly as liberal and with the Democratic Party. </b> </p> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Democratic Party is the most popular political party among Jewish adults with a total of 65% identifying as or leaning toward the Democrats. About one in three Jewish adults identify as or lean Republican (29%) while just 4% identify as Independent who do not lean toward either party. Regardless of party self- identification, the majority (71%) of the Jewish electorate typically votes for the Democratic candidate in presidential elections. ² </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A plurality of Jewish adults identify as liberal (45%) when asked about their political views. A little over a third of Jewish adults identify as moderate (36%), and about a fifth identify as conservative (19%). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> <b> 3.   Jewish adults are also more likely to identify as Democrats and liberal when compared to the national average. </b> </p> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Nationally, half of US adults identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party (50%) and about one-quarter identify as liberal (26%), far fewer than Jewish adults (65% and 45%, respectively). </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-08-14-at-12.11.49-PM-db72f40e.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> <b> 4.   Most states have a majority (50% or more) of the Jewish electorate identifying as Democrats and the Democratic Party is the most popular party among Jewish adults in 44 states plus the District of Columbia. </b> </p> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The tendency among the Jewish electorate to identify with the Democratic Party is pervasive in American politics where 9 in 10 states show a plurality of Jewish adults identifying as Democrats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-08-14-at-12.17.58-PM-1024x483-2d68ada0.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> <br/> <b> 5.   Approximately 1.8 million Jewish adults, just under one-third of the total Jewish electorate, live in twenty congressional districts. </b> </p> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Of the top twenty districts by Jewish population, nearly half are in New York — NY-10, NY-3, NY-12, NY-17, NY-4,NY-9, NY-6, NY-8, and NY-11. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The remaining districts with large Jewish populations are found in seven  states including Florida, California, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts,  Maryland, and Pennsylvania. FL-21 has the greatest number of Jewish adults at 152,000. With the exception of NJ-4, these districts are represented by Democrats and all but two (NJ-4 and NJ-5) are Democratic-leaning districts. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-08-14-at-12.20.28-PM-92569bca.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> <br/> <b> 6.  The Jewish electorate in districts with the largest Jewish populations also leans Democratic </b> . </p> <p> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-08-14-at-12.24.31-PM-1024x640-e564842d.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The percentage of Jewish adults who identify as Democrats ranges from 66% in NY-10 and 63% in NY-12 to a low of 42% in NY-4. In these districts where Jewish adults represent a strong Democratic base, an additional group ranging from 9% of Jewish adults in NY-10 to 17% of Jewish adults in districts FL-22 and FL-23 lean Democratic.³ </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> <br/> <b> 7.  The Jewish electorate tends to be older than US adults overall. </b> </p> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In Florida, where just more than one-quarter (26%) of all adults are aged 65 years and older, over 40% of the Jewish electorate are aged 65 years or older. The pattern is similar in other states, including Arizona and Maryland where 35% and 33% of the Jewish electorate, respectively, are aged 65 years and older compared to 23% and 21% of all adults in those states. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-08-14-at-12.33.50-PM-1024x572-5935db73.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> <b> 8.  Congressional districts with the largest numbers of Jewish adults also have predominantly older Jewish populations. </b> </p> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the top five districts outside of New York, over 50% of the Jewish electorate is age 55 or older. In FL-21, over 50% of the Jewish electorate is aged 65 years or older. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/ajpp-cd-estimates-kf8-05-20-20-1024x381-7701f542.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> <b> Conclusion </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Results from the analysis of hundreds of independent surveys provide a portrait of the Jewish electorate across the 435 congressional districts of the 116th Congress both in terms of the size of the electorate, demographic composition of the electorate, as well as political orientation in terms of party self-identification and political views (liberal/conservative). New York,  Florida, and California  have the highest percentages of Jewish adults among the electorate, ranging from 24% in FL-21 (152,000 Jewish adults) and in NY-10 (151,000 Jewish adults) to 9% in MD-3 (54,000 Jewish adults). The Jewish electorate in these districts is predominantly older. Over 50% of the Jewish electorate in FL-21 is aged 65 years or older. Results also indicate that more Jewish adults identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party (65%) than as Republican (29%), and liberal (45%) than as conservative (19%). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <br/> ¹ Methodology: Individual-level data from all surveys were combined using Bayesian Multilevel Modeling with Poststratification. Poststratification included geographic distributions of respondents by zip codes within congressional districts, and demographic characteristics of age, educational attainment, race/ethnicity, population density, as well as interactions of age by educational attainment, population density by age, and population density by educational attainment. Modeling is based to Jewish adults who self-identify as Jewish when asked about their religion. Estimates of “Total Jewish Adults” are obtained by adding to the model-based estimate, independent estimates of the percentage of Jewish adults who do not identify religiously as Jewish. This percentage can range from a low of 10% to a high of 30% depending on the region. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> ² Eleven of the surveys included in the AJPP data synthesis asked about voting in the previous presidential election. Meta-analysis of these eleven surveys indicated that just over 71% of Jewish adults voted for the Democratic candidate regardless of party self- identification. This estimate is identical to Pew Research Center’s analysis of national exit poll data (2016), which found that 71% of Jewish adults voted for the Democratic candidate (source: <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/11/09/how-the-faithful-voted-a-"> https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/11/09/how-the-faithful-voted-a- </a> preliminary-2016-analysis/) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> ³ State-level proportion of Independents who lean Democrat or lean Republican applied to congressional districts. </p> </div> Tue, 25 Aug 2020 15:13:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6603 Research thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6497 By Aiden Pink A recent poll of American Jews from the Jewish Electorate Institute found that Biden performed only slightly better in head-to-head hypothetical matchups against Trump than Sanders did. But it also found that Biden’s approval rating, at 60%, was tied with Buttigieg’s for first place among the Democratic field, while Sanders landed in last place … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Aiden Pink </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/national-survey-of-likely-jewish-voters-in-2020" target="_blank"> recent poll </a>  of American Jews from the Jewish Electorate Institute found that Biden performed only slightly better in head-to-head hypothetical matchups against Trump than Sanders did. But it also found that Biden’s approval rating, at 60%, was tied with Buttigieg’s for first place among the Democratic field, while Sanders landed in last place with only 52% approval (though still far above Trump’s 28%). <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://forward.com/news/national/440944/joe-biden-jewish-support-democratic-primary/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Thu, 05 Mar 2020 22:34:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6497 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6492 By Ari Hoffman This week, the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute released a poll squarely aimed at the politics of Jewish American voters. Its conclusions offer a roundhouse refutation to the alarmists of all political stripes who insist that American Jews are a community in need of a politics of extremism. The first major finding is that American … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> <b> By Ari Hoffman </b> </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This week, the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute  <a href="/p6614"> <span> released a poll </span> </a>  squarely aimed at the politics of Jewish American voters. Its conclusions offer a roundhouse refutation to the alarmists of all political stripes who insist that American Jews are a community in need of a politics of extremism. <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The first major finding is that American Jews remain overwhelmingly Democratic, this despite overt Trump Administration efforts to court Jews, and even the President’s own claim that Democratic affiliation is a prescription for disloyalty. <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://forward.com/opinion/440694/jews-love-israel-but-dont-vote-on-it-and-other-things-everyone-gets-wrong/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Mon, 02 Mar 2020 14:47:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6492 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6445 New Poll: Jewish Americans Will Overwhelmingly Vote for Any of the Leading Democratic Candidates Over President Trump Jewish voters feel less secure and blame Trump for rise of anti-Semitism WASHINGTON – A new poll shows that Jewish Americans will overwhelmingly vote for any of the six leading Democratic candidates in head-to-head matchups against President Donald … <h4> New Poll: Jewish Americans Will Overwhelmingly Vote for Any of the Leading Democratic Candidates Over President Trump </h4> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> <em> Jewish voters feel less secure and blame Trump for rise of anti-Semitism </em> </p> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> WASHINGTON – </b> A new poll shows that Jewish Americans will overwhelmingly vote for any of the six leading Democratic candidates in head-to-head matchups against President Donald Trump, with <b> 68% of Jewish voters saying they disapprove of the president </b> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, conducted by Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group on behalf of the non-partisan <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/"> Jewish Electorate Institute </a> last week, also found that <b> 71% of Jewish voters disapprove of President Trump’s handling of anti-Semitism and white nationalism, and 56% believe he is at least partially to blame for targeted attacks on synagogues. </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> In head-to-head matchups against Trump, Jewish voters support all the Democratic candidates by more than a 2:1 margin, with very little difference in Jewish support for any of the Democratic candidates in a match-up against Trump: </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> More key findings include: </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="/p6445"> Full poll results are available on <span> JEI’s website </span> </a> : </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “This poll shows us that the partisan breakdown of the Jewish vote has remained largely unchanged throughout the time that President Trump has been in office. While Jewish voters have differing opinions about the major Democratic candidates, the poll demonstrates that they will overwhelmingly support any of the current Democratic candidates over President Trump at nearly equal levels, and that Israel is not driving the Jewish vote,” said Frederick Yang, founding principal of Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> To speak with Fred Yang or additional spokespeople about the implications of the poll, please contact press@infojewishelectorateinstitute.org. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> ### </p> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> Sat, 29 Feb 2020 09:59:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6445 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6490 A new poll of American Jewish voting intentions in November’s elections published on Friday contained few surprises, confirming that a large majority of US Jews disapproved of President Donald Trump’s administration and planned to support whoever the Democratic Party’s candidate ended up being. Conducted by the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), the poll surveyed 1,001 self-identifying Jewish … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new poll of American Jewish voting intentions in November’s elections published on Friday contained few surprises, confirming that a large majority of US Jews disapproved of President Donald Trump’s administration and planned to support whoever the Democratic Party’s candidate ended up being. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Conducted by the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), the  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/national-survey-of-likely-jewish-voters-in-2020/" target="_blank"> poll </a>  surveyed 1,001 self-identifying Jewish voters by telephone from Feb. 18-24. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among its findings were that Jewish voters would back each of the leading Democratic candidates at essentially the same level in head-to-head match-ups against Trump. In addition, a majority of Jewish voters viewed all of the leading Democratic candidates favorably. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On the issue of Israel, the JEI poll found that Jewish voters prioritized “domestic policy issues over Israel when asked which issues are most important to them in selecting a candidate.” <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While nearly all respondents described themselves as supporters of Israel, the survey noted that “a majority also identify as critical of at least some of the current Israeli government’s policies.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In a climate of rising domestic antisemitism, the survey revealed that “Jewish voters feel less secure than they did two years ago, and they hold President Trump responsible for their insecurity.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Support for the Republican Party among Jews is not negligible by any means, with 25 percent of voters identifying with the GOP. However, support for the Democrats stood at more than 65 percent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Jewish Democrats are overwhelmingly united against President Trump (6% approve, 93% disapprove), and while Jewish Republicans give President Trump more support (81% approve), 12% of Republicans say they disapprove,” the poll reported. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among the Democratic contenders, Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg led the favorability rating with 60 percent each. Bernie Sanders ranked last, at 52 percent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Sanders’s unfavorable rating (45 percent) among Jewish voters is more than 20 points lower than President Trump’s (68 percent),” the poll noted. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> <a href="https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/02/28/new-poll-clear-majority-of-us-jews-would-back-any-democratic-candidate-against-trump/"> Read the full article here. <br/> </a> </em> </b> </p> </div> Fri, 28 Feb 2020 21:50:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6490 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6488 Despite how it was phrased, the Israel question wasn’t really for American Jewish voters anyway. According to a poll released Friday by the Jewish Electoral Institute, Jewish voters continue to identify as strongly pro-Israel, but still rank a candidate’s stance on Israel at the bottom of a list of 16 policy priorities (protecting Medicare and Social Security, … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Despite how it was phrased, the Israel question wasn’t really for American Jewish voters anyway. According to a  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/national-survey-of-likely-jewish-voters-in-2020/" target="_blank"> poll released Friday </a>  by the Jewish Electoral Institute, Jewish voters continue to identify as strongly pro-Israel, but still rank a candidate’s stance on Israel at the bottom of a list of 16 policy priorities (protecting Medicare and Social Security, and health care, rank at the top).  <a href="https://www.bendthearc.us/votersurvey" target="_blank"> Another poll </a>  found that the number one issue for Jewish voters was defeating Donald Trump. The Jewish Electoral poll also found that Jewish voters give Sanders the lowest favorability rating out of the field of candidates, but it still stands at at 52%. The Forward  <a href="https://forward.com/news/national/440533/elizabeth-warren-rabbis-jewish-support/" target="_blank"> recently found </a>  that, among rabbis at least, the bulk of their donations went to Elizabeth Warren. <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/miriamelder/bernie-sanders-jewish-2020-michael-bloomberg"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Fri, 28 Feb 2020 21:31:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6488 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6486 By Eric Cortellessa Democratic presidential frontrunner Bernie Sanders would overwhelmingly outperform US President Donald Trump with US Jewish voters in a head-to-head match-up this fall, according to new polling from the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI). The self-proclaimed democratic socialist would defeat Trump with the demographic group 65% to 30%, despite only 52% of American Jews having … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Eric Cortellessa </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Democratic presidential frontrunner Bernie Sanders would overwhelmingly outperform US President Donald Trump with US Jewish voters in a head-to-head match-up this fall, according to  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/national-survey-of-likely-jewish-voters-in-2020/" target="_blank"> new polling </a>  from the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The self-proclaimed democratic socialist would defeat Trump with the demographic group 65% to 30%, despite only 52% of American Jews having a favorable view of Sanders and 45% having an unfavorable view of him, the survey found. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump is far more unpopular with the US Jewish community. Sixty-six percent of the poll’s respondents disapprove of the job he’s doing in office. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Indeed, according to JEI, every 2020 Democratic presidential candidate would defeat Trump handily with Jewish voters in a general election. Former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg would win 69% to 31%; Bloomberg 67% to 28%; Biden 67% to 31%; and Warren 65% to 32%. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Sanders, however, leads the pack after winning the New Hampshire primary and Nevada caucuses and claiming the highest number of pledged delegates to date. At the same time, he is surging nationally. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> From left, Democratic presidential candidates, former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and former Vice President Joe Biden, participate in a Democratic presidential primary debate at the Gaillard Center, Feb. 25, 2020, in Charleston, South Carolina (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, conducted by Garin-Hart-Yang Research Associates on behalf of JEI, took place from February 18-24. The online survey of 1,001 self-identified Jewish voters who indicate that they are likely to vote in the November election has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Only 32% of Jewish voters characterized Israel as “one of the most important” issues to them in the upcoming election. Of far greater concern to the respondents are healthcare, medicare and social security, and gun safety. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> US Jewish voters, nevertheless, remain highly supportive of the Jewish state: 91% said they were generally pro-Israel, while 56% identified themselves as “critical” of the Netanyahu government. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey also found that the vast majority of American Jews identify as Democrats over Republicans — roughly 62-25%, with the rest having no party affiliation. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “While Jewish voters have differing opinions about the major Democratic candidates, the poll demonstrates that they will overwhelmingly support any of the current Democratic candidates over President Trump at nearly equal levels, and that Israel is not driving the Jewish vote,” said Frederick Yang, one of the pollsters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While a large majority of US Jewish voters disapprove of Trump’s performance on domestic policy issues — from taxes to healthcare and reproductive rights — a slim majority approves of his management of US-Israel relations. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Fifty-one percent of Jews said they approved of his Israel policies; 39% said they disapproved. A slightly larger majority (52%) said they approved of his decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty of the Golan Heights. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/new-poll-sanders-would-beat-trump-handily-with-us-jewish-voters/"> Read the full article here. </a> </p> </div> Fri, 28 Feb 2020 21:30:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6486 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6484 JTA – No matter who is running on the Democratic presidential ticket in 2020, he or she is likely to get the Jewish vote by a wide margin, according to a new survey. The survey, released Friday by the Jewish Electoral Institute, found that two-thirds of Jewish voters said they would choose any Democratic candidate … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> JTA – No matter who is running on the Democratic presidential ticket in 2020, he or she is likely to get the Jewish vote by a wide margin, according to a new survey. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey, released Friday by the Jewish Electoral Institute, found that two-thirds of Jewish voters said they would choose any Democratic candidate over President Donald Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey was conducted Feb. 18 to 24, a period that included Sanders’ announcement that he would not attend AIPAC’s annual conference next week. After the announcement,  <a href="https://twitter.com/LevineJonathan/status/1231754696584499200"> some pundits suggested </a>  that nominating Sanders would result in Jews preferring the Republican candidate for the first time in contemporary American history. (Four years ago, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton received  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2016/11/09/politics/70-percent-of-jewish-voters-favored-clinton-poll-finds"> 70% of the Jewish vote. </a> ) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But the survey found that even though Jewish voters view Sanders more unfavorably than they his Democratic rivals, they disapprove of Trump far more. While 45% of Jewish voters said they had an unfavorable view of Sanders, who has tied or won the Democratic primary’s first three nominating contests, 61% said they strongly disapprove of Trump (down from a high of 71% in the survey group’s 2018 survey) and 65% would vote for him over the president in an election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A majority of respondents said they believe “President Trump at least is partially responsible for the targeted attacks on synagogues in recent years,” and 45% said they believed Trump was emboldening far-right extremists and white nationalists, up from 38% a year ago. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey found that a majority of respondents — 66% of whom identified as Democrats and 26% as Republicans — favored Trump’s positions on a handful of Israel issues, including his overall performance on “U.S.-Israel relations.” But while 91% of respondents said they are “generally pro-Israel,” only 32% indicated that Israel is one of their most important voting issues.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The online survey of 1,001 self-identified Jewish voters who indicate that they are likely to vote in the November election has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> <a href="https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/new-survey-indicates-jewish-americans-will-vote-for-any-democrat-including-sanders-over-trump"> Read the full article here: </a> </em> </b> </p> </div> Fri, 28 Feb 2020 16:53:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6484 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6482 Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders would beat U.S. President Donald Trump by 35 points among American Jewish voters according to a new poll from Garin-Hart-Yang Research Associates for the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI). The survey, published Friday, finds Sanders beating Trump 65-30 percent among the 1,001 American Jews polled. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Vice President Joe … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders would beat U.S. President Donald Trump by 35 points among American Jewish voters according to a new poll from Garin-Hart-Yang Research Associates for the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/national-survey-of-likely-jewish-voters-in-2020/"> survey, published Friday,  </a> finds Sanders beating Trump 65-30 percent among the 1,001 American Jews polled. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Vice President Joe Biden beat Trump 67-28 percent in the poll. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Sanders is leading in the April 28 New York state Democratic primary according to a new Siena Institute poll released this week. While he is leading the state with 25 percent of the vote compared to Bloomberg’s 21 percent and former Vice President Joe Biden’s 13 percent, Sanders is losing the Jewish vote with only six percent of support. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/sanders-trump-bloomberg-wins-polls-1.8591012"> Read the full article here. </a> </em> </b> </p> </div> Fri, 28 Feb 2020 16:47:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6482 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6480 By Jacob Kornbluh Democratic frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) would beat President Donald Trump 65-30% among Jewish voters, according to a new poll of 1,001 American Jews conducted by Garin-Hart-Yang Research Associates for the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI).  Not close: While Trump hits 30% against the remaining candidates, the poll shows he would receive only … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Jacob Korn </em> bluh </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Democratic frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) would beat President Donald Trump 65-30% among Jewish voters, according to a new poll of 1,001 American Jews conducted by Garin-Hart-Yang Research Associates for the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI).  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Not close:  </b> While Trump hits 30% against the remaining candidates, the poll shows he would receive only 28% of the Jewish vote in a hypothetical match-up against Michael Bloomberg, who — like Joe Biden — would receive 67%.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Not well liked:  </b> 52% of American Jews have a favorable view of Sanders, compared to 45% who view him as unfavorable, the survey shows. Sanders enjoys higher support among young Jews, ages 18-39. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is not far off with a 54/40% favorable/unfavorable rating. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Rating Trump:  </b> The poll, conducted February 18-24, showed that 68% of American Jews disapprove of Trump’s job performance. Nonetheless on issues related to Israel, more Jews approve of Trump’s handling of the issue than disapprove. Of those polled, 51% approve of his handling of U.S.-Israel relations, compared to 39% who disapprove. Surprisingly, a plurality — 44-40% — back Trump’s decision to support Israel annexing the West Bank, following a mapping process.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Firing up the base:  </b> Among Jewish Republicans, Trump received 81% approval.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Gold medal: </b>  Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg received the highest favorability rating (60%-28%) of all of the Democratic 2020 hopefuls. The survey projects he would receive the highest support among Jewish voters in a general election against Trump (69%-31%).  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/national-survey-of-likely-jewish-voters-in-2020/"> <b> </b> </a> <a href="/p6614"> <em> Read the full polling data here. </em> </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Conclusions:  </b> Pollster Frederick Yang said in a statement, “While Jewish voters have differing opinions about the major Democratic candidates, the poll demonstrates that they will overwhelmingly support any of the current Democratic candidates over President Trump at nearly equal levels, and that Israel is not driving the Jewish vote.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Spin:  </b> Halie Soifer, executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, said in a statement, “This non-partisan poll makes it clear that the top priority of Jewish American voters is defeating Donald Trump and electing Democrats who share our values.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> <em> <a href="https://jewishinsider.com/2020/02/sanders-would-easily-beat-trump-among-jewish-voters-poll-shows/"> Read the full article here. </a> </em> </b> </p> </div> Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:35:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6480 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6451 On behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), Garin-Hart-Yang conducted an online survey of 1,001 Jewish voters nationally who self-identify as Jewish and indicate that they are likely to vote in the November 2020 election.  The survey, which was conducted from February 18 to 24, 2020, has a margin of error of ±3.2 percentage … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On behalf of the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), Garin-Hart-Yang conducted an online survey of 1,001 Jewish voters nationally who self-identify as Jewish and indicate that they are likely to vote in the November 2020 election.  The survey, which was conducted from February 18 to 24, 2020, has a margin of error of ±3.2 percentage points. JEI has conducted two other national surveys among Jewish voters (in 2018 and 2019), and it used the findings of those surveys to provide a baseline comparison of political preferences and views among the Jewish electorate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Topline Analysis of the Data Regarding the Jewish Electorate </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This memorandum presents the 11 key findings of the JEI survey. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 1.   A consistent majority of the Jewish electorate identify as Democrats. </b> A consistent 25% of Jewish voters identify as Republicans, and a consistent +65% identify as Democrats. These numbers have not changed outside the margin of error since 2018. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-02-27-at-5.12.23-PM-b917238d.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 2.   Jewish voters overwhelmingly disapprove of President Trump, </b> with nearly three in five saying they strongly disapprove of Trump. These numbers have remained fairly consistent since he took office. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-02-27-at-5.12.29-PM-c376ff1a.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish Democrats are overwhelmingly united against President Trump (6% approve, 93% disapprove), and while Jewish Republicans give President Trump more support (81% approve), 12% of Republicans say they disapprove. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 3. </b>   <b> Jewish voters are generally supportive of all of the leading Democratic candidates at nearly equal levels </b> . While Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg lead the favorability rating with 60% each, Bernie Sanders ranked last, with more than half (52%) still viewing him favorably. Bernie Sanders’s unfavorable rating (45%) among Jewish voters is more than 20 points lower than President Trump’s (68%). </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-02-27-at-5.13.31-PM-ca1fc18a.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 4.   Two-thirds of Jewish voters say they will vote for a generic Democratic candidate over President Trump in the 2020 general election. </b> These numbers are similar to when Trump is pitted against any of the actual Democratic candidates. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-02-27-at-5.13.40-PM-99f66de4.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 5.   </b> Despite uniform support for every Democratic candidate versus President Trump, Senator Bernie Sanders is a slightly more polarizing figure than his fellow Democratic candidates. Sanders has higher unfavorable ratings among some key subgroups, but he finds strong support among younger Jewish voters. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-02-27-at-5.14.36-PM-ca455f44.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But, in keeping with Jewish voters’ overwhelming sentiment to vote out Trump, the Sanders vote in the trial heat looks fairly similar to the generic vote by these same subgroups: </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-02-27-at-5.14.47-PM-e54e3bcd.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 6 </b> . While there are some issues for which President Trump’s performance is viewed as favorable by a majority or plurality of Jewish voters, this is not translating into support for him. <b> The polling data on Donald Trump’s electoral prospects among Jewish voters suggest that the issues on which a slim majority of Jewish voters have a favorable view (namely, those related to Israel) are not driving the Jewish vote. </b> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-02-27-at-5.15.44-PM-f02ca6bc.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 7. Domestic issues, particularly healthcare, Medicare, and Social Security, remain the top issues for Jewish voters.  </b> When asked about the issues that are most important when selecting a candidate, Israel remains the lowest priority for Jewish voters. <a href="#_ftn1"> [1] </a> <br/> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-02-27-at-5.15.52-PM-836664f2.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="#_ftnref1"> [1] </a> These results are virtually identical to the 2019 polling, when we asked about Israel in a slightly different way: “How important will be a candidate’s position on Israel be for you personally in deciding who you will vote for in the November 2020 election?” </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-02-27-at-5.16.35-PM-238417ce.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> (Interestingly, there is little meaningful generational difference, as 21% of both Millennials and Jewish voters age 65 and older say that Israel is one of the most important issues to them.) </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 8. The low importance of Israel as a voting issue in 2020 does NOT mean a corresponding diminution of Jewish voters’ support for Israel. </b>   A near universal 91% of respondents surveyed describe themselves as generally pro-Israel, which is at the same high level as in the 2019 and 2018 surveys.  While respondents are strongly pro-Israel, we find that 56% of the Jewish electorate are critical of at least some of the current Israel government’s policies. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-02-28-at-7.33.22-AM-1-207b92c7.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 9. A substantial proportion of Jewish voters personally feel less safe than they did two years ago, and they believe that Jews in the United States are less safe than they were two years ago. </b> </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-02-27-at-5.16.50-PM-679ae79c.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This is another finding in which there is little difference between demographic groups’ perceptions of insecurity in the Jewish community due to the rise of anti-Semitism: millennials feel less secure by 56% to 9%, which is not much different from voters age 65 and older (60% less secure, 3% more secure.) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 10. President Trump’s disapproval ratings for issues are highest when it comes to his handling of anti-Semitism and white nationalism (71% of voters disapprove, including one-third of Republicans.) </b> President Trump is viewed by a significant percentage of Jewish voters as part of the problem fueling the rise of anti-Semitism. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A plurality (45%) express concern about President Trump’s emboldening far-right extremists and white nationalists, a notable change since 2019.  More than one in four Republican voters express concern about Trump’s actions and about “Republicans tolerating anti-Semitism” in their ranks: </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-02-27-at-5.17.40-PM-e35edefa.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Similarly, President Trump and the GOP are viewed to some extent as contributing to rising anti-Semitism, and 56% of Jewish voters believe he is at least partially to blame for targeted attacks on synagogues: </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-02-27-at-5.18.01-PM-f786f8b8.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 11.   Jewish voters continue to channel their concern about issues, such as rising anti-Semitism, into political action </b> , with virtually similar results by key demographics such as age, with a plurality of voters indicating that the best way to improve Jews’ security in the United States is by “helping people with the right values get elected.” </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Screen-Shot-2020-02-27-at-5.18.37-PM-c15a950a.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> Fri, 28 Feb 2020 10:19:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6451 Research thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6422 <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide-1-bafd4f79.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide-2-3-26eac86a.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide-3-3-5bd1858e.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide-4-3-f155f871.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide-5-3-295df9f3.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/SLIDE-6-FINAL-2-31ff38d0.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide-7-3-e90cf60a.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide-8-3-5d6e2320.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide-9-3-800b6601.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide-10-3-f349d60e.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide-11-3-632e14ef.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide-12-3-c87bdbe5.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/SLIDE-13-FINAL-1-cfd57eb4.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/Slide-14-3-de32c98f.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> Wed, 23 Oct 2019 18:08:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6422 Research thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6316 By Camryn Bell, Blue Fay and Ryan Tuozzolo In a survey conducted this year by the Jewish Electorate Institute, 73 percent of Jewish Americans reported feeling less safe since President Donald Trump’s election; in the wake of notable recent increases in anti-Semitic hate crimes in the United States, these anxieties are not unfounded. In the … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Camryn Bell, Blue Fay and Ryan Tuozzolo </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In a survey conducted this year by the Jewish Electorate Institute, 73 percent of Jewish Americans reported feeling less safe since President Donald Trump’s election; in the wake of notable recent increases in anti-Semitic hate crimes in the United States, these anxieties are not unfounded. In the midst of this fear, the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, the first and largest of its kind, serves to amplify a set of narratives whose right to be spoken proves increasingly contested. During the past two weeks, the festival featured 65 films that do just that and bring them to the Bay Area. And though this year’s series comes to a close Sunday, the conversations its content sparks and the kinship it fosters will outlast the rolling of the final credits. Through discussions with two of the leading voices behind the festival, as well as suggestions for coming screenings, The Daily Californian has compiled an inside look at the event.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> —  <em> Ryan Tuozzolo </em> </p> </div> <h4> Comedy as survival: An interview with ‘Tel Aviv on Fire’ director Sameh Zoabi </h4> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> He believes that people caught in the conflict miss leading a normal life. “People want it,” he said. “But we don’t have the leadership to take us there.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> —  <em> Blue Fay </em> </p> </div> <h4> ‘Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles’ director Max Lewkowicz discusses universal appeal, longevity of musical story </h4> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> There’s a tapestry of common threads throughout “Fiddler on the Roof” that allows the show to reach across any perceived boundaries. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> —  <em> Camryn Bell </em> </p> </div> <h4> The Daily Californian’s viewing suggestions for the final days of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival  </h4> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The festival ends Sunday, but that doesn’t mean you don’t still have a chance to see some highlights from the collection in theaters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> —  <em> Ryan Tuozzolo </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.dailycal.org/2019/08/01/in-its-39th-year-san-francisco-jewish-film-festival-toasts-an-emphatic-lchaim/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Fri, 02 Aug 2019 15:40:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6316 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6308 By Josh Chazin Donald Trump served up a silver platter for Democrats, and they said “No thanks.” At a moment when the Democratic Party was experiencing intra-party conflict, Trump couldn’t help but intervene anyway. He tweeted on Sunday what can only be described as an open show of racism at four progressive, female, Democratic congresswomen … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Josh Chazin </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Donald Trump served up a silver platter for Democrats, and they said “No thanks.” At a moment when the Democratic Party was experiencing intra-party conflict, Trump couldn’t help but intervene anyway. He tweeted on Sunday what can only be described as an open show of racism at four progressive, female, Democratic congresswomen of color – three of whom are American-born – by telling them go back to the places “from which they came.”  <br/> <br/> In doing so, he also dubbed them as “anti-USA” and “anti-Israel” in the same tweet, a futile attempt to use Israel as a shield by demanding the congresswomen apologize to not just America, but also to Israel for their “foul” language. Yet in return – and maybe in character – Democrats stood up only for their progressive colleagues, not for their strongest ally in the Middle East. They may not get a silver platter like this again.It’s no secret that despite Israel being a relatively bipartisan issue, it is a wedge issue within the Democratic Party. Trump’s utilization of Israel as a pawn in a racist political stunt presented, by far, the most obvious opportunity for Democrats to give Israel public backing and distance themselves from the notion that the left is completely made up of antisemites.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> So what did the Democrats do? They passed an almost completely party-line House resolution condemning Trump’s racism toward the congresswomen. And not a single Democratic House member publicly decried Trump for his political weaponization of Israel.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Democrats fail to realize how dangerous his tweets are for more reasons than one. Primarily, 71% of American Jews have voted blue since 1968, despite the growing stigma of supporting Israel as a conservative political position. That number will not remain high for much longer on this path. The last thing Israel needs is to lose public support from its strongest Western supporter, and the last thing Democrats need is to lose support from a traditionally loyal voting bloc.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Moreover, Trump’s out-of-context utilization of Israel is the most surefire way to cause public support for Israel in America to plummet. A 2019 Jewish Electorate Institute poll shows that 73% of American Jews feel less secure since Trump was elected. It is clear Trump associates with them but they do not associate back. Despite this, Democrats routinely alienate them in these situations, which results in antisemitism from both sides.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Most importantly, though, Trump’s politicization of Israel pits Jews against people of color, an attempt at wedging that Democratic leadership should have pinpointed instantly. By remaining silent, Democrats, who ironically have been larger proponents of a peaceful two-state solution than Republicans, are complicit to the conflict between Jews and people of color, a wedge that could drive members of both groups away from the Democratic Party.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump is not naïve. He recognizes that certain Democrats have been strikingly critical of Israel and that Democratic attempts to respond to those criticisms have been pathetic. Restlessness is growing among American Jews. Democrats did not have to choose between defending their progressives and defending a political ally but they did anyway.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As a self-identifying Democrat, it is infuriating to see Democrats silently watch as the Republican leadership feigns passion for Israel in this obvious political game. Watching Sen. Lindsey Graham call American congresswomen “anti-Israel” and “anti-America” in the same sentence is appalling and insulting to what Israel has accomplished as a historic ally of both parties in America. For the Democratic leadership to miss it is painful and dangerous.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Collectively supporting the congresswomen was justified and necessary, and it united the party at a moment when it seemed to be faltering. But in the process, the Democratic leadership alienated American Jews, and they alienated Israel. They also made clear that they don’t care about the conflict between Jews and people of color nor about the conflict between Jews and the alt-right.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> American Jews needed to hear Democratic leaders defend Israel and rebuke Trump for his attempt at using Israel as a political weapon to cloud accusations of racism against himself. Based on the lack of response from Democrats, it’s perfectly feasible to say that American Jews may very well not feel comfortable supporting either party at the moment, and rightfully so.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Democrats-should-have-backed-Israel-but-didnt-596500"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Tue, 23 Jul 2019 13:09:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6308 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6305 By David Bernstein If one reads both the secular and Jewish American media, one gets the impression that a virtual revolution is going on among the younger generation of American Jews. Focusing on various leftist and left-leaning Jewish groups, such as JStreet U, IfNotNow, Open Hillel, and Never Again Action, I’ve read dozens of articles … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By David Bernstein </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> If one reads both the secular and Jewish American media, one gets the impression that a virtual revolution is going on among the younger generation of American Jews. Focusing on various leftist and left-leaning Jewish groups, such as JStreet U, IfNotNow, Open Hillel, and Never Again Action, I’ve read dozens of articles suggesting that young Jews are overwhelmingly extremely progressive, hostile to the mainstream Jewish establishment for being too “conservative” (event though that establishment is overwhelmingly liberal on the standard American political spectrum), and in a state of rebellion against what they perceive to be the Jewish establishment’s failure to adequately “resist” Donald Trump and to challenge “the occupation” in Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This narrative makes some intuitive sense. After all, young Americans in general are more left-leaning than older Americans, and there the omnipresent left-leaning young Jewish cohort would logically be much bigger now than it was in more conservative eras. Top that off with the fact that the Reform movement has come to dominate American non-Orthodox Jewish religious life, and that this movement has increasingly blurred the lines between normative Judaism and left-wing politics. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And yet, a recent survey by the  <a href="https://www.gqrr.com/about-us/"> Democratic GQR polling firm </a> , commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute, tells a different story. Here is the key chart: </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/pic8-072c2141.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Note that millennials and under-30s approve of Donald Trump at higher rates than older Jews. And that’s not all. The chart mysteriously excludes Orthodox Jews from its data on Trump approval by age group, but only from the younger cohorts. Thanks to high Orthodox birth rates, Orthodox outreach efforts, and widespread assimilation among the non-Orthodox, Orthodox Jews are a much larger percentage of the younger Jewish cohort than of older Jewish cohorts. Orthodox Jews are approximately 10% of all American Jews, but 25% of those under 18. 20% seems a reasonable estimate of the percentage of American Jews 18-30 who are Orthodox. And 57% of Orthodox Jews approve of Trump, but let’s round that up to 60% for the younger cohort, since younger Jews in general are more approving of Trump. That means that while only 22% of “greatest generation” Jews approve of Trump, approximately 37% of American Jews under 30 approve of Trump. By contrast, a recent poll showed that only 33% of Americans ages 15-34 approve of Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> If true, this would be especially remarkable because young American Jews tend to not be “religious” and live in coastal urban areas, two demographic indicators that strongly predict hostility to Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Of course, the JEI poll needs to be confirmed by other data. And it’s entirely possible that it’s both true that young Jews are more conservative/Republican/supportive of Trump, and that those who aren’t are more leftist than prior generations. But various groups are pushing a narrative that the American Jewish establishment needs to become even more “progressive” if it doesn’t want to lose the attention of young American Jews. In turns out that, if anything, the opposite might be true. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://reason.com/2019/07/12/are-young-american-jews-as-left-leaning-as-the-media-suggests/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Fri, 12 Jul 2019 13:13:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6305 News thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6301 By Elad Nehorai At the annual Christians United for Israel conference, Vice President Mike Pence lambasted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for comparing U.S. migrant detention centers to concentration camps. “This slander was an insult to the 6 million killed in the Holocaust, and it should be condemned by every American in every political party,” Pence told the crowd. Many … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Elad Nehorai </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> At the annual Christians United for Israel conference, Vice President Mike Pence  <a href="https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/vice-president-mike-pence-calls-it-slander-to-compare-ice-facilities-to-concentration-camps"> lambasted </a>  Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for comparing U.S. migrant detention centers to  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2019/06/18/united-states/the-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-concentration-camp-debate-explained"> concentration camps </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “This slander was an insult to the 6 million killed in the Holocaust, and it should be condemned by every American in every political party,” Pence told the crowd. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Many American Jewish institutions  <a href="https://www.jta.org/2019/07/08/united-states/these-jews-called-out-aoc-over-her-use-of-concentration-camps-heres-what-they-think-about-the-detention-centers"> strongly condemned </a>  Ocasio-Cortez’s use of Holocaust terminology. But there seems to be relatively little outrage over Pence’s decision to appoint himself gatekeeper of the Holocaust’s legacy. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Indeed, many of the same institutions that objected to Ocasio-Cortez using Holocaust terminology, from the Republican Jewish Coalition to the Anti-Defamation League, also told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that they are “ <a href="https://www.jta.org/2019/07/08/united-states/these-jews-called-out-aoc-over-her-use-of-concentration-camps-heres-what-they-think-about-the-detention-centers"> horrified and angry </a> ” at the “inhumane” conditions and “humanitarian crisis” in the detention facilities. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> They may think it’s possible to have it both ways. But for an increasing number of Jews, that is not at all the case. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While there should be space for us to disagree, many of the same institutions and leaders claiming ownership over the Holocaust narrative also have, by extension, stated that Jews who dare not follow their lead are rebelling not just against the institutions but against the Jewish people. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I cannot speak for Ocasio-Cortez. But I want to assure all Jews who disagree with her position that those of us Jews who do compare the detention facilities to concentration camps honor your pain and trauma. We  <em> share  </em> your pain and trauma. We hold the same stories, the same histories and the same knowledge of the Holocaust. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The reason we use Holocaust analogies is precisely the same reason that many Jewish organizations encourage us not to: The Holocaust spurs us to act because it defines so much of how we have lived and what we value in the world of justice, and because we care deeply about cherishing its memory. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In other words, it is precisely the term “concentration camp” that has moved us. It is precisely the call of “Never again” that has  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-new-u-s-jewish-group-takes-never-again-into-battle-against-trump-s-migrant-policy-1.7450543"> mobilized </a>  many American Jews to fight the government’s horrific policies. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This is not just a “semantic debate.” It is about how we use our Jewish history to move us. Are lessons of the Holocaust only about Jews? Or is it about justice for all?  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Rather than an exclusively historic Jewish tragedy, many American Jews see the Holocaust as a shared lesson for humanity – and Judaism a vehicle meant to spread justice. In Pew Research’s seminal  <a href="https://www.pewforum.org/2013/10/01/jewish-american-beliefs-attitudes-culture-survey/"> Portrait of Jewish Americans </a> , more than half of the Jews surveyed (56 percent) reported that “working for justice and equality is essential to what being Jewish means to them.” Tellingly, over 73 percent said “remembering the Holocaust” is an essential part of what being Jewish means to them.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For most American Jews, tribal fears over intermarriage and assimilation are of secondary (if any) concern. What matters instead is leading an ethical/moral life (69 percent) and keeping Judaism’s social justice legacy alive, with memory of the Holocaust high among their priorities. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As we millennial American Jews became adults, legacy institutions and policies were openly challenged. The problem is, the old guard has become so used to being in control of American Judaism that it hasn’t seen the changes happening right in front of its eyes. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> According to a May survey conducted by the Jewish Electorate Institute,  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-domestic-issues-dominate-the-priorities-of-the-jewish-electorate/"> 78 percent of Jews disapprove of how President Donald Trump is handling family separation </a>  — more than they disapprove of his handling of any other issue, including anti-Semitism (71 percent).  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But it is not just numbers. It is energy. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While legacy institutions spend hundreds of millions of dollars every year trying to increase “engagement” among young Jews, young Jews themselves were able to launch an organization virtually from scratch. Literally overnight, Never Again Action  <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/never-again-action-ice-protests_n_5d1cc0abe4b0f312567d7267"> mobilized hundreds, and then thousands, to take to the streets and protest ICE directly </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The people who have taken to the streets are not just motivated by their Judaism in abstract terms. They are motivated because of the comparisons to “concentration camps” and because they see the cry of “Never again” as a warning to call out injustices committed against a minority as soon as it begins. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I appreciate that the arguments of those who say that  <a href="http://www.public.asu.edu/~acichope/Steven%20Katz%20on%20uniqueness.pdf"> the Holocaust is a “historically and phenomenologically unique” event </a>  are almost always made in good faith. But that is not the only narrative and never has been. Mainstream institutions have said for decades that the point of teaching about the Holocaust is to help young people “ <a href="https://www.ushmm.org/educators/teaching-about-the-holocaust/why-teach-about-the-holocaust"> explore the dangers of remaining silent, apathetic, and indifferent to the oppression of others </a> ” and “ <a href="https://www.facinghistory.org/our-work"> reflect on the choices they confront today and consider how they can make a difference </a> .” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The energy is with the people for whom the Holocaust is a call to broad values. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Most American Jewish organizations wouldn’t dare work with an organization that is managed by Jews they largely consider beyond the pale because some are associated with organizations, like IfNotNow, that can be highly critical of Israel. But these Jews demand attention and respect. And if you ignore them, you do so at your own peril.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And if you cannot even respect them, you must at least recognize their very diversity of values as part of the Jewish narrative. Perhaps the most important finding in the 2013 Pew survey? Ninety-four percent of Jews are proud to be Jewish. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> If we cannot learn to respect one another and the diversity of lessons we draw from Jewish history, then people like Pence will continue to use our divisions as political leverage to silence others. They will continue to speak for Jews and use a one-sided view of Jewish history against the defenseless. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Meanwhile, they will continue to invite  <a href="https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/artist-who-drew-anti-semitic-cartoon-invited-to-white-house"> anti-Semitic cartoonists </a>  to the White House with hardly any repercussions. They will continue to see Jews as one-dimensional cartoons that they can use for their own benefit. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> All because we cannot imagine that a multi-dimensional Jewish world exists. <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jta.org/2019/07/09/opinion/legacy-institutions-dont-get-to-dictate-how-jews-use-the-lessons-of-the-holocaust"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Thu, 11 Jul 2019 00:58:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6301 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6291 By Gershon Burstyn For better or worse, we live in a world of copious information. The Internet has enabled the publication of thousands of news sites, and has allowed for expanded coverage from some of the print and broadcast heavyweights. For a journalist, it’s both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, there … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Gershon Burstyn </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For better or worse, we live in a world of copious information. The Internet has enabled the publication of thousands of news sites, and has allowed for expanded coverage from some of the print and broadcast heavyweights. For a journalist, it’s both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, there is so much to read. On the other hand, there is so much to read that it’s hard to decide what to write about. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Which is why I tend to save links to stories, like a ferret storing his food, hoping that one day inspiration — or a news hook — will strike and I can finally put fingertips to keyboard. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> So, in honor of all those small items that don’t deserve full treatment but do nonetheless provide a nugget of insight, herewith are a sampling of several noteworthy headlines over the last six months that tell us something about general trends in politics and society. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p>   <b> Politics </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p>   <b> “Women Behind Almost Half of Individual Trump Contributions in First Three Months of Year” </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> One would think women would be the least likely to support Trump, given his checkered history. But it’s not so. More than 45 percent of the individual itemized contributions to the Trump campaign in the first three months of 2019 came from women, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group. Though the $1.5 million collected in the first quarter made up a small portion of the $30.3 million total contributions, it does suggest that Trump may have a well of hidden support. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p>   <b>  “Four in Ten Americans Embrace Some Form of Socialism” </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A Gallup poll released in May found that 43 percent of Americans believe “some form of socialism” would be a “good thing” for the United States. Another 47 percent said they would vote for a socialist candidate for president. Previous Gallup polling shows that 57 percent of Democrats view socialism positively. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Bernie Sanders, the socialist senator from Vermont running for president, must be heartened by the news. He currently trails the frontrunner, former Vice President Joe Biden, 16.5 percent to 35 percent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p>   <b> “The Democrats’ 100-Year Flood” </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Polling experts believe voter turnout in 2020 may be the highest in a century. They base that forecast on record turnout for the 2018 midterm elections, which was 50 percent, about 10 points higher than the historical norm. Michael McDonald, an elections expert at the University of Florida, expects turnout in 2020 to be 67 percent, 7 points higher than 2016. McDonald believes that young people and people of color will turn out in higher numbers to vote President Trump out of office. Another election expert, Larry Sabato, said voters will go to the polls to make sure that the election night surprise of 2016 does not repeat. “Nobody’s going to believe the polls after 2016, and everyone will assume a tight race.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p>   <b> “Domestic Issues Dominate the Priorities of the Jewish Electorate” </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish Americans care most about health care and least about Israel. That is the striking result of a study conducted for the Jewish Electorate Institute. More than 1,000 Jewish voters said that maintaining Medicare and Social Security were their top electoral priorities, followed by enacting gun safety laws, combating the influence of white supremacists, combating terrorism, and improving the economy. What a candidate thinks about Israel was dead last on a list of 16 policy priorities, a fact that explains why many Jews still vote for Democratic candidates whose support for Israel is lukewarm. The poll also found that, despite decades of effort, support for the Republican Party in the Jewish community remains at 25 percent, the same as 2018. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Society </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p>   <b> “Workism Is Making Americans Miserable” </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the past, wealth bought leisure time, notes Atlantic writer Derek Thompson in his February 2019 article. But today, success at work buys more work. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That’s because work has become a kind of religion among young people, one of the many “-isms” that have replaced traditional religious practice. “Some people worship beauty, some worship political identities, and others worship children,” Thompson writes. “But everybody worships something. And workism is among the most potent of the new religions competing for congregants.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In 1980, the highest-earning men worked less than middle-class and low-income men; now they have the longest average workweek. “It is fair to say that elite American mean have transformed themselves into the world’s premier workaholics,” Thompson writes. “Today’s rich American men can afford vastly more downtime. But they have used their wealth to buy the strangest of prizes: more work!” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p>   <b> “US Births Fall to Lowest Level Since 1980s” </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The birth rate in the United States fell below replacement level (2.1 percent) in 1971, notes an article in the Wall Street Journal, but last year it hit a record low, 1.7 percent. Falling birth rates among young and Hispanic women account for most of the decline. Interestingly, there was an increase in the birth rate among women aged between 35 and 44. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the long-term, a lower birth rate means that an aging population will have a much smaller workforce to support them in their retirement. However, researchers hope that as the millennial generation (now 23 to 38 years old) moves through their 30s, the birth rate will once again rise. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p>   <b> “Social Media Is Making Us Crazier” </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Society seems to be going steadily crazier,” writes author Glenn Reynolds in his new book, The Social Media Upheaval. “And maybe it doesn’t seem to be. Maybe it actually is growing crazier.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The cause of this insanity? Social media. Reynolds, creator of the popular Instapundit blog, details the many ways in which social media is changing the way we act and interact, mostly for the worse. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Look around and you will see men, women, and children locked in to their cell phones, oblivious of those around them. Then there are those who spend their days on Twitter, yelling at people they don’t know half a planet away. Average intelligence is statistically declining in the social media age, Reynolds writes, as distraction becomes the norm and time to read a book dwindles. Worst of all, these social media platforms have the power to promote a political identity and exclude those who don’t conform. Welcome to the world of anger. And Orwell. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p>   <b> “Religious Couples Are the Most Blissful of All” </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Call it the anti-Hollywood study. Popular culture sells the myth that religious life is stifling while a nonreligious life is liberating. In fact, according to an Institute for Family Studies report conducted in 11 countries, religious couples are happier and more satisfied with their marriages than secular and less religious couples. In the United States, the study found that 38 percent of wives and 33 percent of husbands of religious couples were satisfied with their partners while 23 percent of wives and 20 percent of husbands of secular couples were satisfied with their partners. Religious couples also tend to have more children and are more likely to marry. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> So, if you want a happy marriage, go to shul. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="http://www.mishpacha.com/Browse/Article/12767/Small-Facts-Big-Ideas"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 12 Jun 2019 19:43:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6291 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6288 President [Donald] Trump is the best friend that Israel and the Jewish people have ever had in the White House and will be remembered in Jewish history forever,” said Yair Netanyahu, the son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a segment of an interview with BlazeTV released on Tuesday. The full interview is set to … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> President [Donald] Trump is the best friend that Israel and the Jewish people have ever had in the White House and will be remembered in Jewish history forever,” said Yair Netanyahu, the son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a segment of an interview with BlazeTV released on Tuesday. <br/> <br/> The full interview is set to be aired on Wednesday.Netanyahu lauded Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and for moving the embassy to the city in May 2018, adding that: “The Jewish people still remember King Cyrus the Great from Persia, who recognized Jerusalem 2,500 years ago. So we have a long-term memory.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> He then went on to tell the American audience that, “the vast majority of Israelis adore America and adore President Trump. He is a real rock star in Israel.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A Pew research study done at the end of last year found that Israel was tied with the Philippines for having the  <a href="https://www.jpost.com/American-Politics/Israeli-parts-ways-with-world-in-view-of-US-and-Pres-in-Trump-era-568481"> highest favorability rating </a>  of the United States under Trump, with 83% saying they have a favorable view of the US with him in office. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Israelis also were shown to have great confidence (70%) that Trump “will do the right thing regarding world affairs,” with only Filipinos having more confidence. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump has since recognized Israeli control of the Golan Heights. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> At the same time, however, many American Jews do not like Trump’s policies and have been found to be  <a href="https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Jews-more-likely-than-Christians-to-be-critical-of-Trumps-Israel-policy-589006"> more critical </a>  of his dealings with Israel than their Christian countrymen. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In another Pew study released last month, 42% of American Jews said that Trump was favoring the Israelis too much, while only 26% of Christians held that belief. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Another  <a href="https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Most-Jewish-American-concerned-about-anti-Semitism-and-disapprove-of-Trump-590453"> study </a>  published last month for the left-wing Jewish Electorate Institute found that 71% of likely Jewish-American voters disapprove of Trump while only 29% approve. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The younger Netanyahu is visiting the United States, meeting with various right-wing media personalities. He posted a picture on Twitter of himself with Fox News host Tucker Carlson, calling him a “big supporter of Israel.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Yair-Netanyahu-Trump-a-rockstar-best-friend-Jews-ever-had-in-White-House-592123"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Tue, 11 Jun 2019 19:38:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6288 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6286 By Dan Schnur Every grade school student learns in social studies class that democracy is based on the concept of majority rule. But as we get older, we realize that it is actually a system of minority rule with majority acquiescence. To put it another way, small numbers of true believers who care passionately about … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Dan Schnur </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Every grade school student learns in social studies class that democracy is based on the concept of majority rule. But as we get older, we realize that it is actually a system of minority rule with majority acquiescence. To put it another way, small numbers of true believers who care passionately about an issue can almost always prevail over a larger group with greater numbers but less commitment.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This is a concept that descendants of Joshua, David and Judah Maccabee should understand with little additional explanation. The more we care about something — a cause, a concept or a country — the more likely we are to achieve our goals. But the converse is true as well. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Which is why a recent poll from the Jewish Electorate Institute is so disconcerting. When 1,000 Jewish American voters were asked to prioritize 16 policy issues as to their importance in the 2020 elections, a candidate’s stance on Israel ranked dead last. While most American Jews still would classify themselves as pro-Israel, the safety and security of the Jewish homeland scarcely caused a ripple in the collective political consciousness of our community.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dead last. It seems that the Diaspora is complete — not just geographically but psychologically. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish voters’ disdain for President Donald Trump and discomfort with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are contributing factors to the diminished import of Israel to their votes. It has become easier for many American Jews to simply deprioritize the issue to avoid sorting through their complicated feelings and conflicting cultural, historical and political loyalties.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti recently demonstrated the difficulties that emerge when attempting to articulate a pro-Israel anti-Trump point of view. Garcetti’s careful but largely futile efforts to explain that wanting the U.S. Embassy to be in Jerusalem on one hand and opposing the manner in which Trump accomplished that goal on the other were perfectly logical. But the criticism he took from true believers on both sides of the debate is an excellent example of how murky the waters have become for American Jews who would like to continue their support for Israel without lining up next to the president.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For many years now, Jewish voters have paid more attention to domestic policy rather than issues related to Israel. Some of this is based on the belief that most (but not all) candidates in both major parties can be counted on to support Israel’s needs when necessary. But much is also based on the growing cultural divide between American and Israeli Jews, as evidenced by controversies in recent years regarding conversions of the non-Orthodox, the role of female rabbis and regulations for prayer at the Western Wall. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Of greater concern is the possibility that the diminished interest in Israel among Jewish voters here is simply the passage of time. The existential threat to Jews that led to the creation of Israel seems less real to many whose experience with anti-Semitism is limited to news reports and history books. So it’s not surprising that the attitudes of American Jews are much different than our Israeli counterparts when it comes to issues of safety and security. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For the same reason, it’s equally unsurprising that the most dauntless pro-Israel voices among American Jews tend to come from the Persian Jewish community. The atrocities that forced so many Jews from Iran are 30 years more recent — and one generation less removed — and so the horrors seem more real. If the American Jewish community is going to reassert ourselves more forcefully on behalf of Israel, I suspect that effort will be led by Sephardic Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Finally, it’s worth noting that America’s most virulent opponents of Israel do not share our lack of focus or motivation. While public opinion polls show that most American voters consider themselves to be supporters of Israel, our adversaries are growing both in numbers and intensity. An increasingly diffident American Jewish community will face much more difficult challenges — and threats — in the years ahead unless we regain that lost commitment. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://jewishjournal.com/columnist/299562/american-jewish-voters-are-overlooking-israel/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 05 Jun 2019 14:09:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6286 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6283 By Nathan Guttman 1. A state of fear This week, the American Jewish Committee released its annual survey which, this year, looks not only at the opinions of American Jews but also at those of Israeli and French Jews. The results provide a fascinating snapshot of their views on politics, Israel and anti-Semitism. For American Jews, one … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Nathan Guttman </em> </p> </div> <h3> 1. A state of fear </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This week, the American Jewish Committee released its  <a href="https://www.ajc.org/news/survey2019" target="_blank"> annual survey </a>  which, this year, looks not only at the opinions of American Jews but also at those of Israeli and French Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The results provide a fascinating snapshot of their views on politics, Israel and anti-Semitism. For American Jews, one response stands out: “Compared to a year ago, is the status of Jews in the United States more secure or less secure?” A majority, 65%, responded that Jews are less secure in America than they were a year ago. Only 15% thought that they are safer. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> These results correspond with a  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-domestic-issues-dominate-the-priorities-of-the-jewish-electorate/" target="_blank"> Jewish Electoral Institute survey </a>  published a week earlier that asked a similar question, although it focused on the changing sense of security from the time Donald Trump took office. According to this survey, 73% of Jewish Americans feel Jews have become less secure in these past two years. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> How much of this sense of insecurity has to do with politics and how much of it is a result of facts on the ground? Both factors come into play. The facts are indisputable. American Jews, after decades of relative safety, woke up the morning of October 27 to the news about the Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, the worst attack ever on Jewish Americans, which left 11 worshipers dead. Exactly six months later, it was Poway, California, where an attack on a Chabad synagogue killed one member and wounded several others. Both were carried out by white nationalist extremists with a twisted anti-Semitic ideology. The  <a href="https://www.adl.org/news/press-releases/anti-semitic-incidents-remained-at-near-historic-levels-in-2018-assaults" target="_blank"> Anti-Defamation League’s data </a>  confirms the fears of American Jews: These are record years in terms of violent attacks against Jews and of anti-Semitic vandalism. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> So the sense of diminishing security Jewish Americans feel and express in these polls is well founded in facts. But does part of their response derive from their disagreement with America’s current leadership? The Jewish Electoral Institute survey provides some insight. When asked what needs to be done to improve the security of Jews in America, 43% said there was a need to help people “with the right values” get elected, and 39% responded by saying American Jews should “work to to get Donald Trump out” of office. On the other hand, 31% believe that the way to make America safe for Jews is to “press Democrats to condemn anti-Semitism.” (Respondents were allowed to choose up to two answers). In other words, just as anti-Semitism has become a political issue in America since the 2016 elections, so has the sense of safety American Jews feel. Adding to the indisputable factual claim that America has become a more dangerous place for Jews, there is also an added-on political tint. Democrats are likely to believe that the problem can be solved simply by removing Donald Trump. Republicans believe Americans will be safer when Democrats stand up to BDS and other forms of Israel-bashing. The truth, as always, is somewhere in between. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Most of the documented attacks on Jews and on Jewish property were carried out by white nationalists. Much of the sense of discomfort Jewish students feel on college campuses stems from the actions of anti-Israel activists. Trump could do a lot more to deal with the former instead of sending mixed signals. Democrats could take more action to respond to the latter. Restoring the sense of security to American Jewish life will require action on both fronts, but even more importantly, it will require the Jewish community to come to terms with the fact that old threats have come back to haunt the community and that safety and security of Jewish life in America are, once again, a paramount concern. </p> </div> <h3> 2. Is the political shift really happening? </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Polls of Jewish Americans offer a wonderful opportunity to take the political pulse of the community. To be sure, the findings in terms of partisan shifts are largely meaningless, given the the relatively small sample group and the difficulty in reaching and defining Jewish voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But, since there’s nothing that moves the community more than predicting shifts in the elusive “Jewish vote,” here’s a quick take on where Jewish voters stand based on recent polls: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> According to the AJC poll, 49% of Jewish Americans see themselves as Democrats, 18% Republican, 20% Independent and 12% described their party affiliation as “other.” This indicates a slight drop in Jewish support for the Democrats and an increase on the Republican side. The Jewish Electorate Institute’s survey confirms the small decline on the Democratic side but moves vote to independent, rather than Republican. Bottom line: There may be a Rashida Tlaib/Ilhan Omer effect among Jewish voters. Some on the margins may feel less at ease with their party. But this small shift, if any, will make little difference at the end of the day. Concerned Democrats aren’t becoming Trump supporters. In fact, the only constant and significant data point in all polls are the negative feelings Jewish Americans espouse toward Trump. </p> </div> <h3> 3. Shocker: Leaks plague meetings with Jewish leaders </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sat down last week in New York with members of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish American Organizations. The meeting was a chance to brief the Jewish community, or at least leaders of most of its largest Jewish groups, about the Trump administration’s thoughts and plans regarding the Middle East. Then on Sunday, details of the closed-door meeting were revealed thanks to an extensive  <a href="https://beta.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/exclusive-pompeo-delivers-unfiltered-view-of-trumps-middle-east-peace-plan-in-off-the-record-meeting/2019/06/02/94527d80-3a2c-4f04-b8f9-dd3fd78a5a8c_story.html?outputType=amp" target="_blank"> <em> Washington Post </em> </a>  article, based on a recording of Pompeo’s talk, apparently provided by one of the participants. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> What made it interesting was Pompeo’s seemingly pessimistic, or realistic at best, view of the administration’s “deal of the century.” He is heard saying that the plan “may be rejected” and that some could argue the ideas included in it are “unexecutable.” There were those who expressed dismay not at the substance of Pompeo’s remarks but at the fact that content of a meeting between a senior administration official and Jewish leaders found its way to the press.  “The fact that a guest at this meeting took an audio and provided it to the media is disgusting,”  <a href="https://twitter.com/AriFleischer/status/1135342158892937216" target="_blank"> tweeted </a>  Ari Fleischer, a former Bush White House press secretary who is now an RJC board member. “The guests were fortunate to be invited to a meeting like this. To record it and release it is a betrayal of trust.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But did Pompeo see it as a betrayal of trust? Probably not. Meetings in large forums are notoriously prone to leaks, and closed-door meetings with Jewish leaders are known to be anything but closed-doored. Pompeo, a veteran politician and former CIA director must have known that whatever he says would get leaked. The only surprise is that it took so long. </p> </div> <h3> 4. Owning and disowning the “deal of the century” </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But back to the substance of Pompeo’s comments. He seemed to be dissing the peace plan, or at least expressing a fair amount of skepticism about it. This isn’t usually what senior officials do when discussing a plan about to be rolled out by an administration they are part of. But that’s exactly the point. Pompeo doesn’t necessarily feel part of the “deal of the century” and does not share the need to defend it. In fact, the State Department has been shut out of discussions about the peace plan, which was formulated by Jared Kushner, Jason Greenblatt and a small team at the White House. Another way of reading Pompeo’s comments: Hey, Jared came up with a plan. It might work, it might fail. Not my plan. </p> </div> <h3> 5. Trump’s lesson: Democracy (in Israel) can be messy </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Israeli politics can be hard to follow, especially Netanyahu’s last-ditch maneuver last week in which he dissolved the Knesset after failing to form a new government. And one of those scratching their heads trying to figure out what’s going on in the “only democracy in the Middle East” is no other than President Trump. “Israel is all messed up with their election, I mean that came out of the blue three days ago. So that’s all messed up. They ought to get their act together,” Trump told reporters before taking off to the UK. “I mean, Bibi got elected, now all of a sudden they’re going to have to go through the process again until September. That’s ridiculous. So we’re not happy about that.” If only there was some kind of government agency or White House adviser who could help the president of the United States understand how Israel’s political system works. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.momentmag.com/five-things-to-know-this-week-polls-show-rising-fear-among-american-jews/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Tue, 04 Jun 2019 14:07:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6283 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6281 By Heino Schönfeld Ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland this week, we asked a broad range of individuals and organisations to compose open letters explaining why he was or wasn’t welcome to this country. Ireland is a different country from its past, moving forwards, not retreating backwards. We’ve made huge strides, from … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Heino Schönfeld </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland this week, we asked a broad range of individuals and organisations to compose open letters explaining why he was or wasn’t welcome to this country. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Ireland is a different country from its past, moving forwards, not retreating backwards. We’ve made huge strides, from LGBTI to reproductive rights, among so many others. Your visit makes it even more blatantly clear to me that we can never take these rights for granted. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Amnesty’s role is to hold leaders to account. We challenged President Obama, and we are challenging you. Locking up child migrants, discriminatory travel bans, decimating global funding for women’s rights and withdrawing from human rights bodies – it’s been a roll-call of shame under your presidency. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And you have emboldened support for horrific policies. From border authorities intentionally inflicting mental anguish on child migrants, to the Alabama Senate’s ‘abortion ban’ that will endanger pregnant people’s lives, the USA is seeing a dark roll-back on human rights. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Your inflammatory and hateful rhetoric has real-life consequences. It’s clear you know this and yet it has only gotten worse. So, this letter is to tell you unequivocally: all of us who believe in human rights, in basic decency, will resist you. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> We will resist your sexism, your racism, your hate and cruelty. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And we will win. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Colm O’Gorman, executive director, Amnesty International Ireland </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Since you’ve become President you have rolled back environmental regulations, pulled the United States out of the Paris climate accord and tweeted that climate change is “a hoax”. Meanwhile, you sought to build a seawall to protect your golf course in Ireland with a planning application citing “global warming, predicted sea level rise and more frequent storm events”. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> You have one message for yourself and another for the people you are supposed to lead. Meanwhile, the effects of climate breakdown are killing the very people you have a duty to protect. Like last November, when a fire raced into the Northern California town of Paradise with the loss of 85 lives. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the USA, Extinction Rebellion protesters have already blockaded the Brooklyn Bridge, closed the entrance to San Francisco City Hall and occupied iconic sites in Los Angeles. Extinction Rebellion demands that your administration tells the truth about the climate and ecological crisis and reverse its policies. Otherwise, a sustained campaign of civil disobedience targeting your administration will be the result. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Yours, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Extinction Rebellion </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> (Extinction Rebellion is holding a Stand up to Trump! protest on Thursday on June 6 at 6pm at The Spire, O’Connell Street, Dublin 1) </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dear Mr President, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I am writing to you on behalf of Holocaust Education Trust Ireland (HETI) in advance of your visit to Ireland. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> HETI aims to educate and inform people about the Holocaust. In so doing, it raises awareness about antisemitism and all forms of racism, and intolerance in Ireland. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> HETI does not make party political statements but on this occasion and against the background of rising antisemitism worldwide and in particular the United States we would like to express our concerns. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A 2019 survey by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that 73% of American Jews feel less secure since your election to the presidency. Antisemitic attacks against synagogues since 2016 have contributed to this fear. The survey also found that combatting antisemitism is a priority issue in domestic politics among American Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The NYPD reported a 75% increase in swastika graffiti between 2016 and 2018, with an uptick observed after the Pittsburgh shooting. Out of 189 hate crimes in New York city in 2018, 150 featured swastikas. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> An even greater worry is the ever-increasing violence directed against Jews in the US. In October 2018 eleven people were killed and seven were injured at a mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh followed shortly afterwards by the Los Angeles Synagogue attack. The Poway synagogue shooting occurred on April 27, 2019, when a gunman fired shots inside the Chabad of Poway synagogue in Poway, California and killed one woman and injured three other people, including the synagogue’s rabbi. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I urge you, Mr President, to stand up against antisemitism and hate crime! </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Heino Schönfeld, director of Holocaust Education Trust Ireland </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dear President Trump, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In 1845, American abolitionist Frederick Douglass travelled throughout Ireland speaking about the evil of slavery. Douglass, who was also a supporter of workers’ rights and the rights of women, was welcomed in Cork, Dublin, Belfast and other towns and cities as an advocate for our common humanity. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Douglass’ visit coincided with the beginning of the Great Famine, which saw over 1.5 million Irish people emigrate to the United States. Like all immigrants, they remembered the country of their birth while helping build the country of their choice. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Your continued attacks on immigrants betray the promise of the country you were elected to lead. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Your history of attacks on members of minority ethnic and religious groups betrays the civil rights movement. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Your attacks on women betray basic decency. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Your attacks on workers and the trade union movement betray your own voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And your denial of climate breakdown betrays future generations in America, Ireland and around the world. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Frederick Douglass was among the first of many American politicians and presidents to be welcomed to Ireland. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> 174 years later you, Mr President, are not welcome. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Brendan Ogle, senior officer – Unite the union, Republic of Ireland </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dear President Trump, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> At ICCL we believe in human rights and dignity. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> We work hard every day to protect fundamental rights and we oppose anything that impinges on those rights. This includes racism, misogyny, trans- and homophobia, climate change denial, corporate malfeasance, police brutality and all forms of discrimination. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Many of your policies attack and violate human rights, both in the USA and in the international sphere. Your withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council, your denial of climate change, and your refusal to co-operate with international human rights bodies endangers all of our fundamental rights. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That is why we are exercising our own fundamental right to protest your visit to Ireland. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> We are proud to stand alongside ACLU, our sister organisation, in opposing your dangerous and damaging policies and in standing up for fairness, equality and respect. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> We will continue to vigilantly oppose the rise of authoritarianism and the politics of hate both at home and abroad. And long after you’ve left office, we’ll still be here, promoting rights and defending dignity. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Because Our Rights Trump Your Hate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Sincerely, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> The Irish Council for Civil Liberties </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dear President Trump, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I would like to welcome you to Ireland on behalf of all your Irish supporters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I’m the CEO of www.irishwholovePresidentTrump.com. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I wanted you to know that you have the support of the Irish behind you despite the ‘fake news’ that is published daily – that’s why I created the website. I wanted to inform the world on all the goodness you do. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> You have changed my life and have awakened the political side in me that I never thought I had. Watching you from afar has inspired me to run as a presidential candidate and recently I just ran for the Local Elections for my area, Glasnevin which means, ‘Stream of the Infants’. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Thank you so much for being a strong Pro-life voice and because of your stance on Pro-life issues, you can be guaranteed you have the support of the Irish Pro-life community right behind you. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I really hope I get to welcome you to Ireland in person on the 5th of June. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Lots of Love, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Sarah Louise Mulligan, CEO of irishwholovePresidentTrump.com </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dear President Trump, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Welcome to Ireland. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That’s what we’re supposed to say. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Not that I’ll be out to meet you. No. I’d be fine if you stayed away. Prefer it, even. But Ireland is, by its nature, a welcoming place. That’s what’s on the postcards and the TV ads with the cliffs in them, anyway. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> You’d know, you bought one of them. A cliff, that is. Or something. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In Ireland, we welcome everyone, that’s the idea. There’s something called Direct Provision we need to work on, but mostly, we tell cruelty where to go; it held us in its grip a long, long time, dressed up as something else. But you’re the US President now so, fine: come. Let dealmakers ignore your losses and lies, to lay in puddles and let you step over them, breaking their backs to keep your shoes dry. It rains a lot in Ireland. Can ruin a good shoe. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Though less so now, as the planet slowly cooks. Sorry. Sorry. I’m not supposed to say. Not to you. Look, come. I couldn’t stop you. I won’t protest you, either. Those clouds look grim and I wouldn’t waste my shoes. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Tara Flynn, actress, comedian and writer – she has also been a campaigner for reproductive rights and the repeal of Ireland’s 8th amendment. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Taranoia podcast, wherever you get your podcasts </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dear President Trump, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Like all small countries, Ireland appreciates the need for a civil framework for the conduct of international relations, irrespective of the character of the Government or leader with whom one is dealing. Otherwise, we would find ourselves in a world where might was right and the strong could bully the weak. The dangers in today’s world, where thuggish nationalism is on the rise, are particularly obvious. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Ireland owes much to the US, not least because it offered a home to generations of our emigrants. Any visiting president from that country, representing that welcome in his very office, will be treated with courtesy. This must be so, even if an actual incumbent might stand for very different values. But let it also be clear that ordinary Irish citizens will exercise their right to express their views of an individual who has done more than most to bring that office into disrepute. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Yours sincerely, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Piaras Mac Éinrí, lecturer in Migration Studies Department of Geography,  University College Cork </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dear President Trump, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When you visit Ireland you will meet many NUJ members. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Don’t be surprised if Irish reporters or photographers are less deferential than you may wish or if they undermine attempts to stage-manage media opportunities. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> You will be accorded respect, of course, and we expect the same from you. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Like so many colleagues around the world, I have been shocked by your relentless public attacks on journalists. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I want to take this opportunity to call on you to end your war on the media. You have helped create a climate of fear and given licence to others to attack media workers. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Journalists are not the enemies of democracy. It is our function to speak truth to power. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> It is only when journalists are bullied into silence that tyranny flourishes. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Our own president, Michael D Higgins, is very fond of quoting the injunction of a Welsh media commentator Raymond Williams: Journalists should always “be the arrow, not the target”. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I hope you don’t mind me suggesting that you reflect on that quotation. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Séamus Dooley, Irish secretary, National Union of Journalists, UK and Ireland </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dear President Trump, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> We would like to welcome you to Ireland. Ireland is the land of 100,000 welcomes after all. But alas, we don’t have a single solitary ‘fáilte romhat’ for you. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Why? Because we are an organisation that is fundamentally opposed to racism, bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, environmental destruction, war and imperialism – and you are someone who is happy to wallow in the politics of all of these, ‘like a pig in shite’ as we say here. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> We are also opposed to the brutally oppressive regime the Apartheid State of Israel has imposed upon the Palestinian people – and this is a regime you wholeheartedly support, enable and, indeed, fund with US taxpayers’ money (so much for less taxes!). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Somehow, against all odds, you managed to find yourself stumbling into the position of most powerful political leader on the planet – helped in no small part by the ineptitude of the Democrats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Since assuming power, your administration has become a clear and present danger to the survival of our planet and everyone on it. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Thus, we have one simple request – can you do the whole world a favour and just please go back to being a failing businessman and C-list celebrity? Go raibh míle maith agat! </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Yours etc, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dear Donald Trump, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Your visit is a valuable way for us to highlight the differences and similarities in treatment of sex workers in both our countries. In Ireland and the US, sex workers are seeing the rise of ideologies and the passing of laws that are steeped in xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment, and trafficking is conflated with migrant sex work in both countries. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In Ireland this would be the Sexual Offenses Act 2017, which criminalises sex workers sharing a premise and results in racially-targeted brothel raids, leading to deportations and pushing migrant workers deeper into poverty and susceptibility to exploitation. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In America, the SESTA/FOSTA law criminalises any advertising of sex work; this has resulted in the most vulnerable sex workers resorting to working on the street or going back to pimps. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> There are attacks on bodily autonomy in the US currently, as we see the rampant shut down of abortion services. It reminds us in Ireland that the success of the Repeal campaign is precarious, and that we must fight not only for legal abortion in the North, but also we need to ensure that society understands that sex workers are in the direct lineage of people fighting for our right to our bodily autonomy. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Our health, safety and bodily autonomy are put in danger by policies such as yours. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> SWAI Sex Workers Alliance Ireland </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dear President Trump, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As the largest national women’s organisation in Ireland, representing more than 180 groups across the country, we are supporting the protest on the occasion of your visit to Ireland. We are making a public statement against the current US administration’s complete disregard for women’s rights and human rights, in the US and globally. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> By supporting the protest, we are expressing our solidarity with women’s and human rights organisations in the US who are seriously affected by the current rollback on rights, in particular in relation to women’s reproductive rights and LGBT+ rights. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As a key global influencer, the US is actively working to undermine our international human rights structure at UN level. Instead of leading by example, the US has failed to pay its UN membership fee, thus destabilising crucial international human rights systems. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The US is also actively supporting measures that threaten women’s safety and rights in conflict zones. In particular, the US was closely involved in the UN Security Council’s failure to pass a resolution which would respect women’s right to autonomy over their own bodies, including as survivors of sexual violence in conflict. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For a country to be great, it must uphold the principles of equality and human rights. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Orla O’Connor, Director of National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dear President Trump, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As President you have approved the use of torture; you and your Government continue to wage unjustified wars of aggression in breach of the UN Charter; you are waging economic war on the people of Venezuela; you have personally approved US special forces attacks, and targeted assassinations in Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, Syria and elsewhere in breach of international and national laws; you and your Government have supported the Israeli Government in its persecution of the Palestinian people, and recognised the illegal Israeli annexation of the Syrian Golan Heights; your policies and actions are destroying our living environment and causing catastrophic climate change; you have supported the Saudi Arabian Government in its genocidal war against the people of Yemen, causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Yemeni people including tens of thousands of children who are being starved to death. This latter war crime is especially offensive to the people of Ireland who suffered a similar genocidal famine in the past. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For all these reasons &amp; the pursuit of Julian Assange, you are not welcome in Ireland. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Clare Daly TD </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dear Mr. Trump, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> You are not welcome in Ireland. You do not deserve the respect or welcome that our Taoiseach suggested. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> At a time when women are globally standing up for their rights, you have boasted about sexually assaulting women. You have openly referred to women as pigs, dogs and slobs. Your attitude towards and treatment of women is disgusting, and should not be tolerated. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As the leader of the USA, you have the power to set global trends in your toxic stance on human rights, climate change denial and anti-immigration policies. This is terrifying and dangerous to the entire world. The power you hold should not belong to you. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> You should never have been invited here, as the people of Ireland do not welcome you. While Leo Varadkar may be our ‘leader’, he is not our voice. He does not speak for us, nor do you speak for America. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Your denial of climate change, removal of environment protection in America proves that you’re determined to destroy this planet. Not only are you dangerous to women; but to the future of humanity. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For these reasons, you are in no way welcome in Ireland. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Sincerely, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Milly Burke Cunningham, Irish Feminist Network </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dear President Trump, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> One of our core goals as representative body of more than 374,000 students across the island of Ireland is in the defence and promotion of all democratic and human rights, and we endeavour to show solidarity to those whose human rights are being violated – and in this regard, you tick quite a devastating number of boxes. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The students of Ireland will not stand for sexist, homophobic and racist leadership, rhetoric and incitement to hatred, nor do we stand for the facilitation or laudation of someone who denies the global climate change emergency, never mind the need for urgent action, or someone who sets more value on making pals with fascists and dictators or visiting your golf course than serving the people who need support most in own country and outside of it. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Your position on guns is abominable, let’s just be honest. Students and young people across the United States are dying. You are doing nothing but propose that their teachers carry guns themselves. Cop on. You are not protecting your students, you are putting them in harm’s way every day that you sit in office. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Union of Students in Ireland stands up proudly against racism, xenophobia, misogyny, transphobia and homophobia. We are known as the island of a thousand welcomes, but for you – we have none. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Síona Cahill, president Union of Students in Ireland </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/specialreports/letters-to-the-president-dear-mr-trump--928499.html"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Mon, 03 Jun 2019 14:04:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6281 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6278 By Steve Bousquet It’s a saying as old as South Florida itself. You can always tell when a politician wants to run for higher office: He’s going to Israel. The photo-ops, grip-and-grins with high-ranking officials and the obligatory stop at the Western Wall. All proof of loyalty to a critically important U.S. ally and enough … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Steve Bousquet </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> It’s a saying as old as South Florida itself. You can always tell when a politician wants to run for higher office: He’s going to Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The photo-ops, grip-and-grins with high-ranking officials and the obligatory stop at the Western Wall. All proof of loyalty to a critically important U.S. ally and enough B-roll footage for a year’s worth of TV ads in a place that’s home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the U.S. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Ron DeSantis has been governor for less than five months. He’s not seeking higher office anytime soon (more on that later). But his trip to Israel this week is vital to his claim to be America’s most pro-Israel governor and could play a role in Florida’s 2020 presidential election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On a trade mission with nearly 100 business leaders, academics, lawmakers and lobbyists, DeSantis earnestly signed cooperative agreements with Israel on tourism, space, education, and water; planted a tree at a forest dedicated to the memory of President Kennedy; visited a disputed West Bank settlement; paid solemn tribute at Yad Vashem, a moving memorial to Holocaust victims; ceremonially signed a law protecting Jewish students and school employees from anti-Semitism; and held meetings on school security and economic growth. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On social and mainstream media, it was impossible to avoid seeing DeSantis as he displayed his familiarity with the region’s history and politics. If there were any doubts about the broader political implications, Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson was there to meet with DeSantis in Jerusalem (for a photo-op in Israeli newspapers). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Which brings us to something else that happened this week. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While DeSantis was in the Middle East, his name and picture appeared in a fund-raising appeal blasted across Florida to the Republican base about the need to deliver Florida’s 29 electoral votes to President Donald Trump again next year. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Now our next battle is coming up. We’ve got to defend Florida for President Trump in 2020,” DeSantis said. “At a time when the President is being attacked on all fronts, you are the warrior he needs to ensure Florida re-elects him to the White House in 2020.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Then, in bold italicized type: “If he loses Florida, he loses the election.” That’s probably true, absent some complicated arithmetic involving several Midwestern industrial states that narrowly went for Trump in 2016, which Democrats hope can’t possibly happen again. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As governor, DeSantis is the titular head of his party, the GOP email is standard rally-the-troops talk to get people to open their checkbooks, and the timing of the pitch may be coincidental. But as they say in politics, nothing is a coincidence. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> You’ll recall that with a few quick clicks, Trump transformed Florida politics with a single tweet in December 2017, calling DeSantis “a brilliant young leader who would make a GREAT governor of Florida.” An historic game-changer, in 139 characters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump’s full-throated endorsement followed in a second tweet in June just as voters began paying attention to the race, and despite DeSantis being an obscure congressman unknown to most Florida Republicans, he immediately became the presumptive nominee, edging past Democrat Andrew Gillum in a November race that needed a manual recount. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For DeSantis, Trump’s tweets were the political favor of a lifetime. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> DeSantis can repay the debt by securing Florida for Trump. But it won’t be easy with his presidency a swamp of lies and scandals, amid mounting calls for his impeachment. Add to that an unpredictable climate, politically and otherwise, in a state pounded by four major hurricanes in three years, where questions persist about the slow federal response to the storms. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Even as DeSantis is still learning the ropes as governor, he’s one of three top Florida Republicans jockeying to be first among equals or most valuable player in helping Trump recapture the Sunshine State. His obvious rivals are U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, and many GOP insiders say all three have their sights on the White House in 2024. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump will be formidable in Florida in 2020. A statewide poll by Florida Atlantic University showed him neck-and-neck with Democratic front-runner Joe Biden, 50 percent to 50 percent, and narrowly ahead of other Democrats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Florida is the critical swing state in presidential elections and Trump is in deep trouble with Jewish voters. A recent poll by the Jewish Electorate Institute, cited in The Washington Post, said 71 percent of Jewish voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of anti-Semitism. But this, after all, is the president who blamed “both sides” for extreme violence in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017, when other Republicans said neo-Nazis and white nationalists were largely responsible. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Against this political backdrop, who better than DeSantis, still riding a wave of popularity that Trump can only dream about, to vouch for Trump with Jewish voters? </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Last year, Trump delivered Florida for DeSantis. Next year, it’s DeSantis’ turn. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/commentary/fl-op-com-desantis-israel-trump-20190531-cfwirdjvtferhnjvp22kqjnt6q-story.html"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Fri, 31 May 2019 20:41:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6278 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6276 By Ian Lovett Local, state and federal lawmakers are pushing for funding to protect houses of worship following a series of deadly shootings, signaling that the days of the church with its doors propped open at all hours may be over. New York city council members want to include funding for security at houses of … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Ian Lovett </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Local, state and federal lawmakers are pushing for funding to protect houses of worship following a <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/houses-of-worship-upgrade-security-after-shootings-11553117685?mod=article_inline"> series of deadly shootings </a> , signaling that the days of the church with its doors propped open at all hours may be over. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> New York city council members want to include funding for security at houses of worship in the next budget, while state legislators in Connecticut are seeking $5 million to pay for measures such as cameras and shatterproof windows. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In Washington, D.C., Sens. Rob Portman (R., Ohio) and Gary Peters (D., Mich.) introduced legislation earlier this month to authorize $75 million in grants to help secure religious gathering places and other nonprofit organizations—up from $60 million last fiscal year. The grants fund everything from surveillance cameras to active-shooter training, a step more religious organizations are taking. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Places of worship should be a safe haven,” Mr. Peters said in announcing the bill. “Tragically, the rise in the number of violent attacks at synagogues, mosques and churches across the country has shattered that expectation.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The shooting last month at the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/man-detained-after-shooting-at-synagogue-in-california-city-of-poway-11556395609?mod=article_inline"> Chabad of Poway synagogue </a> , outside San Diego, was the latest in a string of deadly attacks on houses of worship. Earlier this year, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/death-toll-rises-to-51-in-attacks-on-christchurch-mosques-11556848246?mod=article_inline"> a gunman killed 51 people </a> at two New Zealand mosques. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Last year, 11 people were killed in a shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue; in 2017, a gunman killed 26 people at a rural Texas church. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Long considered soft targets because they are open to all comers, religious places have been taking steps to add security for years. An <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/houses-of-worship-upgrade-security-after-shootings-11553117685?mod=article_inline"> industry around providing that security </a> has been growing. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Sarah Levin, director of governmental affairs for the Secular Coalition for America, said grants for security at houses of worship needed also to be made available to nonreligious groups, as is the case with Department of Homeland Security grants. She noted that many secular nonprofits, such as abortion clinics, also were targets of violence. “Favoriting the security of houses of worship over the security of other communities is not only violation of separation of church and state, it’s wrong,” she said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Religious leaders from various faiths say the recent attacks have tipped the balance they long tried to maintain between keeping the congregation safe and keeping an inviting atmosphere for newcomers in favor of tighter security. Where even a year ago, many people resisted the idea of going through metal detectors to worship, they now more often welcome displays of heavy security as signs that they will be safe once inside. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A poll of 1,000 Jewish Voters by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that more than 70% think Jewish Americans are less safe than they were two years ago. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A recent survey from Church Mutual, an insurance company focused on worship centers, found that 12% of Americans who attend religious services regularly don’t feel safe in their places of worship. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> At the Islamic Center of Southern California, one of the largest mosques in Los Angeles, congregants have debated for years about what kind of security is appropriate. “It’s trending toward the desire to make our facilities much more secure,” said Omar Ricci, chairman of the Islamic Center. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The congregation now has armed security, and several members—including Mr. Ricci, a reserve Los Angeles Police Department officer—carry their weapons with them to pray. During Ramadan this month, LAPD officers are posted nearby the mosque, Mr. Ricci said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Tighter security measures have been gradually added at nearby Sinai Temple, a Conservative Jewish congregation, in the years since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Security guards are posted at both entrances. Cameras film inside and outside the building. The stained-glass windows are covered by bulletproof glass. Just inside the entrance are bulletproof glass doors, designed to stop an intruder who shoots his way inside the building. All of the synagogue’s security guards are armed former military. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> To pay for these measures, Howard Lesner, executive director of the temple, asked members for donations several years ago. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The members don’t mind being stopped,” he said. “They are happy about it. They would like to see more being done.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For many smaller congregations, though, such expenses are impossible. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Omar Siddiqi, a member of the Islamic Association of North Texas in Dallas, said his mosque needed more security cameras and outdoor lighting, but can’t afford all the measures he would like to put in place. After the New Zealand mosque attack this year, he put together a team of 15 members to provide unofficial security. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Two members of the group are armed. Mr. Siddiqi said he hopes others will get permits to carry concealed weapons as well. “A lot of people are like, ‘Why are we arming a bunch of individuals from the mosque?’ which I can understand,” he said. “But at the times we’re living in right now…one or two individuals is not going to solve the problem.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/lawmakers-push-for-more-security-at-houses-of-worship-11559122202?mod=rsswn"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> </div> Wed, 29 May 2019 19:10:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6276 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6274 By Cathi Conti Sinsabaugh New poll findings released last week by Greenberg Research on behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) found that Jewish voters are predominantly concerned with domestic policy issues, particularly health care and immigration, as well anti-Semitism and rising insecurity due to white nationalists threats. Jewish opinions have not changed since JEI’s … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Cathi Conti Sinsabaugh </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> New poll findings released last week by Greenberg Research on behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) found that Jewish voters are predominantly concerned with domestic policy issues, particularly health care and immigration, as well anti-Semitism and rising insecurity due to white nationalists threats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish opinions have not changed since JEI’s last poll in October 2018. The percentage of Jewish voters identifying as Republican remains the same (25%). The percentage identifying as Democrat or independent also remains steady at 65% and nine percent, respectively. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “This poll confirms that the Jewish electorate prioritizes domestic policy issues above all others,” said Ralph Grunewald, chairman of the JEI Board. “It also affirms that the Jewish community feels less secure than before President Trump took office and is deeply concerned about the rise of anti-Semitism in America in the past two years.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Polls indicate that Jewish voters disapprove of President Trump’s handling of nearly every issue, including the rise of anti-Semitism. A majority of Jewish voters also say they feel less secure and hold the president at least partially responsible for recent deadly shooting attacks on synagogues. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish Voters and the Issues: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish voters indicated that priority issues (most/very important) when deciding which candidate to support include: protecting Medicare and Social Security (87%), improving the economy and creating jobs (86%), and access to affordable healthcare (80%). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Nearly three quarters (73%) feel less secure than they did two years ago. This coincides with a rise (since JEI’s October 2018 poll) in Jewish voters prioritizing security issues such as: combating terrorism (82%), combating the influence of white supremacists and the far right (78%) and enacting gun safety laws (79%). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Israel remains the lowest policy priority of Jewish voters, with candidates’ stance on Israel ranking at the bottom of a list of 16 policy priority issues for a second year in a row. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish Voters on Trump: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> 71% unfavorably view President Trump’s job performance and 70% disapprove of him overall. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> 71% disapprove of the way President Trump has handled anti-Semitism, which is a slight increase since JEI’s October 2018 poll. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Nearly 60% believe President Trump has at least some responsibility for the shootings at synagogues in Pittsburgh and Poway, with 38% expressing concerns that Trump is encouraging violent ultra-right extremists. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> 67% would vote today for a generic Democratic candidate over President Trump and 65% would vote for Democrat Joe Biden over President Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Greenberg Research conducted the online survey May 6-12 of 1,000 Jewish voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Halie Soifer, executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America discussed the poll’s implications for the 2020 election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “There is a constant here that Jews are Democrats because Democrats care for Jewish values,” Soifer said. “But there have been new developments here. In addition to a wide range of domestic issues that Jews are voting on, we also know that Jews are also voting on their own security. And this is a new dynamic we are seeing in this county.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For 2020, Soifer agrees that Jewish values will dominate the political debate among Jewish voters. “We know that three quarters of the Jewish community are Democrats and continually vote Democrat,” Soifer said. “But what is unique about this moment is that it’s not just about political affiliation, but it’s about Jewish values, and that President Trump has not reflected Jewish values. One thing is new: American Jews are voting to their insecurity and the rise in anti-Semitism, and they clearly associate their rise in insecurity with Trump.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Matt Brooks, the Republican Jewish Coalition’s executive director, said the poll was good news for Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The Jewish numbers for Trump are a floor and generic Dem numbers are a ceiling,” Brooks said on Twitter. “No one who now says they’re for Trump are going to change their minds. He will get a higher share of the Jewish vote than this.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll reflected a healthy representation of millennial voters, as was heavily weighted towards non-affiliated and cultural Jews, which Soifer agreed is “representative of the American Jewish population.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> So has the anti-Semitism expressed by freshmen Democrats such as Reps. IIhan Omar (D-Minn) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) had an adverse impact on Jewish voters’ views of the Democrat party? </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “They (Jews) are clearly not concerned with Democrats like Ilhan Omar as much as they are concerned with white supremacy,” Soifer said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in August 2018 with a mission to deepen the public’s understanding of the Jewish electorate and mobilize the Jewish vote in future elections. Board members Stuart Kurlander and Michael C. Gelman are members of the ownership group of Mid-Atlantic Media, publishers of the Baltimore Jewish Times and Washington Jewish Week. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://jewishtimes.com/94522/jewish-voters-concerned-with-domestic-issues-ahead-of-2020/featured-left/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 29 May 2019 19:08:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6274 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6270 By Steven Windmueller As America awaits next year’s Presidential election, various studies are already seeking to capture the political pulse of this nation. Just last week, a new poll focusing on Jewish voters was released. While this survey provided a broad range of data concerning Jewish political behavior, the following findings are introduced here: 70% … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Steven Windmueller </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As America awaits next year’s Presidential election, various studies are already seeking to capture the political pulse of this nation. Just last week, <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-domestic-issues-dominate-the-priorities-of-the-jewishelectorate/"> a new poll focusing on Jewish voters was released. </a> While this survey provided a broad range of data concerning Jewish political behavior, the following findings are introduced here: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Over the last several months, Jewish Democrats, Republicans and Independents also had the opportunity to participate in a series of focus groups. <a href="#footnote1"> [1] </a> The issues collectively raised by these 30 participants are reflected in the comments introduced below. Some of the commentary extracted from these conversations reflects on the themes also present in the Jewish Electorate Institute’s report. While these particular statements are designed to demonstrate the issues that are of importance to these specific Jewish voters, they must also be seen as a snapshot taken at a particular moment in time: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> How Recent Events Impact Voters? </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> The recent incidents of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel rhetoric will no doubt impact voter concerns </em> . Some focus group participants indicated a new level of uncertainty about the best way for Jews to be able to express their political concerns, as threats appeared from both the political right and far left. As one participant noted: “S <em> o, where do we go, when you see hate emerge from both ends of the political spectrum? </em> ”Another voter articulated the case that the current environment confirmed for him a commitment to oppose extremism in all of its forms, whether emerging from his own political party or the other side. “ <em> Our job must be to call out those who are our enemies </em> .” Yet, many of those interviewed shared similar concerns related to anti-Semitism as reflected in the Jewish voter survey introduced above. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> What Issues Define their Politics? </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When asked about the issues that informed their political choices, two groups of answers emerged. One cadre of voters indicated that the welfare and security of the State of Israel was an abiding concern. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A second group of voters, somewhat larger in number, identified a whole litany of priorities, primarily domestic in nature. These included <em>  health care and medical costs; immigration issues; the composition of the Supreme Court; and economic justice  </em> (here respondents expressed concerns both about the top 1% and the economic hardships facing the very poor and undereducated in this society). Most focus group members (over 80%)indicated their concerns about the rise of hate within the society, referencing anti-Semitism as well as other manifestations of prejudice. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> There appears to be a class of voters who are specifically committed to environmental issues. These were generally younger voters who had grown up with a particular concernaround the impact of climate change. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Where Does Israel Fit into their Political Priorities? </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The mix of reactions to the Israeli elections was likewise instructive. A third of the focus group participants (10 individuals) did not appear to have followed the results of the April elections. Collectively 15 participants seemed uncertain what the outcome might mean for Israel or its relationships with world Jewry and its major international partners. Five focus group members seemed very engaged with the details and implications. Three of these participants were extremely concerned, possibly even critical of the Prime Minister in connection with some of his policies, including the proposal to annex the West Bank Jewish Settlements. Two seemed to believe that this option was extremely important to Jewish security and to the future of the Jewish State. All of the respondents however were uncertain what this policy position would mean in connection with achieving some type of final resolution to the Israel-Arab conflict. Only one individual weighed in on endorsing a one-state option as a viable alternative political option. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Respondents were generally aware of the American administration’s plan to release a peace plan but few believed that it created any new formula for a lasting peace with the Palestinians. Others were concerned about recent American government statements concerning a possible military build up against Iran, expressing reservations about creating new tensions and potential threats impacting Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Implications for 2020 </b> : </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Certainly, no single poll or small focus group sample  <em> can reflect the political disposition of a larger class of voters </em> . At best, such data may reflect some generic trends as well as identify core issues of interest to a specific sector of the voting public. Almost all of thefocus group respondents felt that the 2020 election would be highly contentious, further dividing the nation. Many of these participants expressed a concern that the election campaign would accelerate an already intense environment of hate and possibly create additional acts of violence directed against minority groups, including American Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/taking-the-temperature-of-jewish-voters-a-political-snapshot/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> [1] Series of focus groups conducted during the period of late March through the middle of May (2018) with some 30 individuals, representing a cross-section of American Jews (by age, gender and political affiliation). </p> </div> Wed, 29 May 2019 18:58:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6270 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6268 By Jeffrey Salkin Several years ago, someone made the following snarky quip about Reform Judaism. “It is the Democratic Party with holidays.” It turns out that it is not just Reform Jews. A new poll by the Jewish Electorate Institute confirms something that most of us had already suspected: Two-thirds of the Jewish electorate remains firmly aligned … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Jeffrey Salkin </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Several years ago, someone made the following snarky quip about Reform Judaism. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> “It is the Democratic Party with holidays.” </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> It turns out that it is not just Reform Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new poll by the Jewish Electorate Institute  <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/05/24/jews-still-despise-trump/?utm_term=.28cefaad15a4"> confirms </a>  something that most of us had already suspected: Two-thirds of the Jewish electorate remains firmly aligned with the Democratic Party, and there has been no change in the percentage of Jewish voters identifying as Republicans since JEI’s October 2018 poll; it remains at 25 percent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In other words, Republican efforts to proselytize among American Jews are not working. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This, despite the distorted perception that the Democratic Party has turned against Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Puh-leeze: two anti-Israel legislators does not equal a national trend. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Here is how President Trump is doing among American Jews: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And, why? </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> My quibble: I believe that it is somewhat of a stretch to blame President Trump for the shootings at American synagogues. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I actually do not believe that Trump is antisemitic (yes, his daughter and son-in-law and all that). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump is, at his core, a businessman and an entertainer. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Therefore, he must believe that you give the customers and the audience what they want. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Many of Trump’s “customers” and “audience” uncritically traffic in antisemitic and xenophobic tropes; therefore, he does not push back. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Why lose market share? </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> There are other reasons why Jews, in general, do not like Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> It’s about  <b> Jewish </b>   <b> values that emerge from Jewish texts and/or Jewish history. <br/> </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> American Jews disapprove of: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As Jennifer Rubin wrote in the Washington Post: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I have many friends, relatives, congregants, and readers who support President Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I respect our differences. We might disagree, but I refuse to vilify and dehumanize you. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But, wait a moment. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> What about Trump’s support for Israel? </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Again, Ms. Rubin: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> How did it happen that American Jews would list Israel at the bottom of their list of political concerns? </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> It might be because of changes in American Judaism, and among American Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Simply put: as American non-Orthodox Judaism weakens, so does emotional connection to Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And, as the Pew Study has demonstrated, the less religiously observant you are, the less you will care about Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Or, it could be that American Jews believe in Israel’s military and economic strength. Israel can take care of herself very well. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Or, it could be because the nature of Trump’s support for Israel strikes many Jews as kind of meh. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “He moved the Embassy to Jerusalem!” For many American Jews, and more Israelis than you might have thought, this is a meh. They see it as a symbolic move that makes little difference, except to ultra-Orthodox Jews and evangelicals. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> (Let me tell you what I do like about Trump’s support for Israel. I publicly thanked him for affirming that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Likewise, the as-yet-unknown peace plan. If this administration can help pull that off, as we say in Hebrew: kol ha-kavod. Nice work. Maybe. Potentially. Stay tuned. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I think that Israel’s bottom place in American Jewish  <b> political </b>  concerns  (political — not emotional) is a far more positive development than you might have thought. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> It is not about how American Jews feel about Israel. </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> It is about how American Jews feel about America. </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I believe that Israel’s bottom rung placement actually bears witness to American Jews’ primary concern for this country. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> It is not that the threat of dual loyalty charges concern us. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> It is simply this: In the political equation, American Jewish concerns for America — its character, its democratic values, its moral complexion — “trumps” their concerns for Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> American Jews sense that we are living through one of this country’s greatest existential crises. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As citizens of this country, that is our primary political concern. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I do not worry about Israel. Israel can take care of itself. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I worry about America. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Since I write these words on Memorial Day, I refuse to say kaddish for the ideals and ideas that made this country great. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://janariess.religionnews.com/2019/05/27/jews-trump/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Mon, 27 May 2019 18:55:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6268 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6266 By David Bernstein Some surprising news from the world of politics: An outfit called the Jewish Electorate Institute conducted a survey of American Jews’ attitudes on politics. The resulting headline was that American Jews prioritize domestic issues over Israel, which wasn’t a surprise to anyone who pays attention to such things. Much more surprising, and not in … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By David Bernstein </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Some surprising news from the world of politics: An outfit called the Jewish Electorate Institute conducted a  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-domestic-issues-dominate-the-priorities-of-the-jewish-electorate/"> survey of American Jews’ attitudes on politics </a> . The resulting headline was that American Jews prioritize domestic issues over Israel, which wasn’t a surprise to anyone who pays attention to such things. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Much more surprising, and not in the headlines, was that the survey found that 31% of Jews under 30 (and at least 18) approve of President Trump, higher than any other Jewish age demographic except for slightly higher approval among millenials. But wait, there’s more. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The summary published by the JEI mysteriously excludes Orthodox Jews from its data on Trump approval by age group, but only from the younger cohorts. Thanks to high Orthodox birth rates, Orthodox outreach efforts, and widespread assimilation among the non-Orthodox, Orthodox Jews are a much larger percentage of the younger Jewish cohort than of older Jewish cohorts. 20% is a reasonable estimate of the percentage of American Jews under 30 who are Orthodox. And 57% of Orthodox Jews approve of Trump, but let’s round that up to 60% for the younger cohort, since younger Jews in general are more approving of Trump.  <b> That means approximately 37% of American Jews under 30 approve of Trump. By contrast, a recent poll showed that only 33% of Americans ages 15-34 approve of Trump. </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> If true, this would be especially remarkable because young American Jews tend to not be “religious” and live in coastal urban areas, two demographic indicators that strongly predict hostility to Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Of course, the JEI poll needs to be confirmed by other data. But I should note that JEI hired the Greenberg firm, a liberal Democratic polling outfit, to do its polling, so there was no incentive to exaggerate support for Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/331549/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Sun, 26 May 2019 18:55:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6266 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6263 By Jennifer Rubin The Jewish Electorate Institute’s latest poll confirms what those who closely follow the Jewish community and political opinion about Israel have long known: American Jews remain among the most anti-Trump religious groups. While the president’s support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies might endear him to evangelicals (his core base of support), … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Jennifer Rubin </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-domestic-issues-dominate-the-priorities-of-the-jewish-electorate/" target="_blank"> The Jewish Electorate Institute’s latest poll </a>  confirms what those who closely follow the Jewish community and political opinion about Israel have long known: American Jews remain among the most anti-Trump religious groups. While the president’s support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies might endear him to evangelicals (his core base of support), it does absolutely nothing for him with American Jews. If Israel’s non-Jewish critics have a beef with our current stance toward Israel, they should take it up with right-wing evangelicals, on whom Trump is entirely dependent and who cheer his embrace of Netanyahu. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll tells us: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For decades now, American Jews have defied the anti-Semitic stereotype of dual loyalty. Their politics is driven by cultural and moral sensibilities, not by politicians’ favoritism toward Israel. This does not mean that American Jews are indifferent to Israel. Far from it; they remain staunchly pro-Israel (about 90 percent are pro-Israel). However, like most Americans, they don’t rank foreign policy at or near the top of their concerns. In fact, for Jews, Israel ranks  <b> dead last </b>  in their list of concerns. We can speculate whether that is a function of the current Israeli government; a sense that Israel is a robust and successful nation that does not require our constant attention; a widening rift between Israel and diaspora Jewry; or whether, just as with every other group of Americans, Jewish Americans’ domestic concerns that affect their lives swamp issues related to foreign affairs. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And that is precisely why the overwhelming majority of American Jews cannot abide Trump: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Should we be surprised that the friend (Trump) of their enemy (white nationalism) is their enemy? The president denies that their enemy is even a threat and therefore earns their enmity. Trump’s replacement rhetoric (the United States is “full”), his blood-and-soil nationalism and his contempt for the rule of law strike at the heart of Jews’ worries about their safety and security in a multiethnic society. Their ancestors left places such as Russia so as not to be at the whim of anti-Semitic autocrats; the United States was supposed to be their refuge. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Moreover, given the values that are near and dear to the experiences of the Jewish community, Trump’s conduct sparks outrage, leaving him “with only 23 percent voter support, 29 percent job approval, and 26 percent favorability among Jewish voters.” Specifically, American Jews disapprove most strongly of Trump’s handling of “family separations at the Mexican border (78 percent), handling of DACA recipients (74 percent), guns (74 percent), handling of the Mueller Report (73 percent), anti-Semitism (71 percent), building of the border wall (71 percent), taxes (70 percent), Supreme Court nominations (69 percent), health care (69 percent), and banning immigration from certain Muslim-majority countries (66 percent).” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> We should keep in mind several points. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> First, what Trump is doing for Israel for domestic consumption is not aimed at nor impressing American Jews. It is aimed, as is everything, at securing his right-wing base, which is disproportionately white and evangelical. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Second, Israel’s long-standing strategy to maintain bipartisan support is endangered by hitching its wagon so securely to a hugely unpopular American president. To the extent that the current Israeli government is seen as paying homage ( <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-israeli-officials-to-dedicate-golan-town-named-for-trump-in-june/" target="_blank"> naming a town </a>  after him!) personally to Trump, it will only provoke rancor among the 65 percent of Americans (including the vast number of American Jews) who don’t approve of the president. Groups such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) should tread carefully, steering away from Trump adulation and maintaining their support for the United States as an “honest broker” in the Middle East. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Third, the far left’s dual loyalty and other anti-Semitic tropes (e.g. controlling the U.S. government by political money) are morally disgraceful and ludicrously misdirected at Jewish Americans. For better or worse, American Jews aren’t motivated by Israel. They are, however, greatly offended by anti-Semitism, whether it comes from the right or left, and will expect both political parties to drum out anti-Semites. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Fourth, on the topic of right-wing nationalism and its resulting violence against Jews, African Americans and Muslims, it strikes me that we should apply the same rules to evangelical leaders that they apply to Muslim leaders:  <em> Why aren’t they more forcefully rooting out violent extremists? Why don’t they police their own, set up programs to prevent radicalization and condemn language that echoes the rhetoric of violent extremists? </em>  (One can understand why Vice President Pence’s fanning of white Christian victimhood — they are mocked, he insists — is so infuriating to actual victims who are the target of hate crimes and even mass murder.) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Finally, Trump’s effort to win over Jewish voters by demonizing Democrats (who oppose his policies that most American Jews find abhorrent) is a ridiculous failure, as are the efforts of groups such as the Republican Jewish Coalition to convince American Jews that Republicans have their interests at heart. They might as well be arguing that Muslims are better served by Trump’s party. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In short, as a religious minority, perpetual immigrants in history due to widespread persecution, who deeply value civil liberties and the rule of law, American Jews could barely imagine a worse president than Trump. He offends their core values and cultivates an atmosphere that endangers them. Unfortunately for Trump and his hypnotized Republican Party, they also turn out to vote in large numbers. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/05/24/jews-still-despise-trump/?utm_term=.69aed0e89b90"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Fri, 24 May 2019 18:50:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6263 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6253 By Jonathan Tobin The good news for U.S. President Donald Trump coming out of a new poll of Jewish voters is that he shouldn’t take their indifference about his pro-Israel policies too personally. The survey published this week that was conducted by Greenberg Research for the Jewish Electoral Institute tells us a lot of things that we … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Jonathan Tobin </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The good news for U.S. President Donald Trump coming out of a new poll of Jewish voters is that he shouldn’t take their indifference about his pro-Israel policies too personally. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey published this week that was conducted by  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-domestic-issues-dominate-the-priorities-of-the-jewish-electorate/"> Greenberg Research </a>  for the Jewish Electoral Institute tells us a lot of things that we already knew. The vast majority of Jewish voters identify as Democrats and are, when compared to other Americans, disproportionately liberal. They also really, really don’t like Trump, with 71 percent disapproving of his presidency and only 29 percent approving of his performance in office.Subscribe to The JNS Daily Syndicate by email and never miss our top stories </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That may strike Trump and other Republicans as astonishing considering that by any objective standard, Trump has been the most pro-Israel president America has ever had, as his policy shifts on Jerusalem, the U.S. embassy, the Golan Heights, Iran and accountability for the Palestinians have demonstrated. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But if there is one number that you can learn from a deep dive into the survey’s findings, it’s that only 28 percent of the Jews polled say that support for Israel is one of the most important issues that determine how they vote. That puts it on the bottom of a list of issues presented to them, ranking far below concerns about protecting Medicare and Social Security (the No. 1 issue), health care, gun control, abortion, the Supreme Court, education, taxes and immigration, among others. As the executive summary of the poll summed it up, “Israel is the lowest policy priority for Jewish voters.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Greenberg Research is a liberal Democratic polling firm. That bias was reflected in the wording of some of the questions and the fact that it asked respondents their opinion of “white supremacists and the far right,” though didn’t ask about left-wing anti-Semitism. Still, the results do seem to reflect the reality of a voting bloc that remains firmly in the pockets of the Democrats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That only Orthodox and politically conservative Jews consider Israel a priority is not really news. But the poll demonstrates anew that nothing Trump might do for Israel would impact the opinions of Jewish voters much one way or the other. Indeed, the favorable/unfavorable numbers for Trump are almost identical to the breakdown of the Jewish vote in the 2016 election, when 70 percent of Jewish voters backed Hillary Clinton. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That level of partisanship and personal animus for the president is also reflected in Jewish views about anti-Semitism and the security of the Jewish community. The Pittsburgh and Poway synagogue shootings are the reason why the survey said that 73 percent of Jews felt less secure than two years ago. Yet a stunning 59 percent agreed with a leading question posed by Greenberg that asked whether Trump “was at least partially responsible” for the attacks on synagogues in Pittsburgh and Poway. When given a choice of factors that might cause attacks on Jews, the most popular response was “President Trump encouraging ultra-right extremists committing violent attacks.” And when asked about the best way to ensure Jewish security, 39 percent thought defeating Trump was the answer. By contrast, only 12 percent thought adding “armed security” at synagogues and Jewish institutions might help. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump is a flawed leader, and he is guilty of helping to coarsen our public discourse and holds views about issues like immigration that most Jews find abhorrent. But the belief that he is encouraging those committing violent attacks on synagogues doesn’t stand up to scrutiny when you consider that those responsible were deeply opposed to Trump specifically because they considered him too friendly to the Jews. The notion that anti-Semitism was somehow lying dormant until January 2017 and that throwing the most pro-Israel administration to date out of office and replacing it with the party that is prepared to tolerate the likes of BDS supporters and anti-Semites like Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) will make Jews safer strains credulity. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In an era of almost unprecedented levels of partisanship, and in which Americans view those with different political views with the same sort of suspicion they once reserved for believers in other religious faiths, it would seem that Jews—who, along with African-Americans are among the most reliable supporters of the Democrats—are also prepared to believe the worst of those on the other side of the political divide. That doesn’t give Trump or the Republicans much reason for optimism in 2020 with respect to a Jewish community that seems to subscribe to the “everyone I don’t like is Hitler” view of politics. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> There is, however, one reason for a sliver of hope for Republicans in the future. Greenberg’s summary notes that Jewish millenials are, like other young voters, more inclined to be culturally liberal. Yet the divide in other groups shows that older voters are more conservative and inclined to support Trump. However, in the Jewish population, it’s the reverse; even among the non-Orthodox, older Jews are more against the president than the young. Trump’s levels of support among Jewish millenials and those under 30 are significantly higher than among those who are older, even if those that back him are still a clear minority. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When you factor in the fact that the Orthodox—a majority of whom back Trump—are the only demographic slice of the community that is actually growing, and that the non-Orthodox population is declining, it’s clear that the Democrats advantage among Jews is likely to decline in future elections. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But anyone wondering why the Democrats’ toleration of Omar and Tlaib in their ranks hasn’t moved the needle in terms of Jewish opinion need look no further than Greenberg’s findings about Jewish priorities. When Israel isn’t one, then there should be no surprise about the willingness of so many Jews to believe in unsubstantiated allegations about Trump’s anti-Semitism and to be indifferent to his Middle East policies. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jns.org/opinion/what-happens-when-israel-is-your-lowest-priority/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Fri, 24 May 2019 18:44:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6253 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6227 By Eli Yokely On behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), Greenberg Research conducted a survey of 1,000 Jewish voters to understand what drives their engagement in politics in advance of the 2020 elections. The results demonstrate that domestic issues dominate the policy priorities of the Jewish community as they determine which candidate to support … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Eli Yokely </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), Greenberg Research conducted a survey of 1,000 Jewish voters to understand what drives their engagement in politics in advance of the 2020 elections. The results demonstrate that domestic issues dominate the policy priorities of the Jewish community as they determine which candidate to support in the 2020 election, as opposed to issues related to Israel, which remains the lowest policy priority of Jewish voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://morningconsult.com/briefs/morning-consult-washington-dim-prospects-for-imminent-deal-on-disaster-aid/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Thu, 23 May 2019 19:41:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6227 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6260 By Emily Singer Trump and his Republican allies in Congress have led a smear campaign against Democratic lawmakers, falsely painting them as anti-Semitic and urging Jews to leave the Democratic Party and join the GOP via a ridiculous campaign called “Jexodus.“ “The ‘Jexodus’ movement encourages Jewish people to leave the Democrat Party,” Trump tweetedin March. “Total disrespect! Republicans … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Emily Singer </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump and his Republican allies in Congress have led a  <a href="https://shareblue.com/trump-smearing-muslim-congresswoman-ilhan-omar-despite-death-threats/"> smear campaign </a>  against Democratic lawmakers, falsely painting them as anti-Semitic and urging Jews to leave the Democratic Party and join the GOP via a ridiculous campaign called “ <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2019/03/12/president_trump_touts_fox__friends_segment_on_jexodus_out_of_democratic_party.html"> Jexodus. </a> “ </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The ‘Jexodus’ movement encourages Jewish people to leave the Democrat Party,” Trump  <a href="https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1106526246144487424"> tweeted </a> in March. “Total disrespect! Republicans are waiting with open arms. Remember Jerusalem (U.S. Embassy) and the horrible Iran Nuclear Deal!” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But that effort has failed spectacularly, according to a new  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-domestic-issues-dominate-the-priorities-of-the-jewish-electorate/"> poll </a>  out Thursday from the Jewish Electorate Institute. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Despite Trump’s efforts to claim Democrats “ <a href="https://shareblue.com/jewish-group-trump-republican-jewish-coalition-anti-semitic/"> hate Jewish people </a> ,” the poll found that there has been no increase in the number of American Jews who identify as Republicans. Just 25% of American Jews identify as Republicans in 2019 — unchanged from a year prior — while 65% identify as Democrats, according to the JEI’s poll. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Even more, the poll also found that American Jews overwhelmingly disapprove of Trump, and blame him — not Democrats — for the rise of anti-Semitism and deadly  <a href="https://shareblue.com/trump-synagogue-shooting-protection/"> attacks </a>  on synagogues that the country has suffered since Trump took office. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Nearly three-quarters of American Jews, or 71%, disapprove of how Trump has handled the rise of anti-Semitism, while nearly 60% say Trump “bears at least some responsibility for the shootings at synagogues in Pittsburgh and Poway, [California].” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The Jewish American electorate remains overwhelmingly opposed to President Trump, motivated largely by the Jewish community’s positions on domestic policy issues,” the JEI wrote in a summary of its poll findings. “These include immigration and health care, as well as concerns about rising anti-Semitism, gun violence, and rise of white nationalism, which respondents partially attribute to President Trump.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump, for his part, has sought to win over Jews with his Israel policy,  <a href="https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1128336007856660481"> moving the American embassy </a>  in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and siding with Israel’s far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But the poll found that Israel is simply not a voting priority for American Jews. Rather, domestic issues such as health care, gun control, and protecting Medicare and Social Security are the issues Jews vote on — and the issues they give Trump low marks on. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Jewish American voters, including millennials, prioritize domestic policy issues that impact their lives, including health care, anti-Semitism and growing insecurity among American Jews,” JEI concluded in its poll memo. “A candidate’s stance on Israel is of relatively low importance to Jewish voters as they determine which candidate to support in the 2020 election.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Ultimately, American Jews see through Trump’s vile smear campaign against Democrats, and show no signs of joining his coalition in 2020. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> You can put a fork in the “Jexodus” movement. It’s not only done; it never even got started. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://shareblue.com/trumps-attempts-to-turn-jews-against-the-democratic-party-have-failed-spectacularly/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Thu, 23 May 2019 18:48:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6260 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6256 By Janet Ybarra Big majorities of American Jews are disappointed with Donald Trump as president and are ready to vote Democratic in next year’s presidential election, according to a new national opinion survey. Some 71 percent disapprove of Trump’s overall job performance, 70 percent view him unfavorably, 67 percent would vote for a generic Democrat … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Janet Ybarra </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Big majorities of American Jews are disappointed with Donald Trump as president and are ready to vote Democratic in next year’s presidential election, according to a new national opinion survey. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Some 71 percent disapprove of Trump’s overall job performance, 70 percent view him unfavorably, 67 percent would vote for a generic Democrat over President Trump, and 65 percent would vote for Democratic candidate Joe Biden over President Trump, according to the results of the Greenberg Research survey conducted on behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The results demonstrate that domestic issues dominate the policy priorities of the Jewish community as they determine which candidate to support in the 2020 election, as opposed to issues related to Israel, which remains the lowest policy priority of Jewish voters. The results also demonstrate that the Jewish American electorate remains overwhelmingly opposed to President Trump, motivated largely by the Jewish community’s positions on domestic policy issues.  These include immigration and health care, as well as concerns about rising anti-Semitism, gun violence, and rise of white nationalism, which respondents partially attribute to President Trump.  <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of Jewish voters believe Jewish Americans are less secure than they were two years ago, 71 percent disapprove of the way President Trump has handled anti-Semitism, and nearly 60 percent believe that he bears at least some responsibility for the shootings at synagogues in Pittsburgh, Penn., and Poway, Calif. Two-thirds of the Jewish electorate remains firmly aligned with the Democratic Party, and there has been no change in the percentage of Jewish voters identifying as Republicans since JEI’s October 2018 poll; it remains at 25 percent. </p> </div> <h4> Key Findings: </h4> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This survey was conducted online and took place May 6-12 among 1,000 Jewish voters nationally. Interviews were conducted online though a randomly selected panel. All respondents were screened for Jewish identity and current registration status, and key demographics in the final sample were weighted to reflect the Jewish electorate, pollsters said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The margin of error is +/-3.2 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. The pollsters noted that the numbers have been rounded by computer and occasionally will add up to slightly above or slightly below 100 percent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.thebipartisanpress.com/politics/poll-american-jews-sour-on-trump-ready-to-vote-democratic/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Thu, 23 May 2019 18:47:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6256 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6251 By Amanda Casanova A new survey finds that 73 percent of American Jews feel “less secure” in the U.S. than two years ago. According to CBN News, most American Jews in the study pointed to President Donald Trump as the reason why they felt there had been an increase in Anti-Semitic attacks in the country. Some 60 … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Amanda Casanova </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new survey finds that 73 percent of American Jews  <a href="http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2019/may/jews-feel-less-secure-in-america-most-blame-trump-for-rise-of-anti-semitism"> feel “less secure”  </a> in the U.S. than two years ago. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> According to CBN News, most American Jews in the study pointed to President Donald Trump as the reason why they felt there had been an increase in Anti-Semitic attacks in the country. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Some 60 percent of American Jews believe Trump “bears at least some responsibility” for recent deadly attacks, and 71 percent disapprove of how the president has handled those attacks on Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When asked about the 2020 presidential election, only 23 percent of American Jews said they would vote for Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The study comes from the Jewish Electorate Institute and included 1,000 Jewish-American voters. The JEI is non-partisan. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey also said that American Jews value domestic policy over policies related to Israel when it comes to selecting a presidential candidate. Health care is the highest policy priority for the group, while Israel is the lowest. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Overall, the Jewish community continues to identify as strongly pro-Israel and views the Democratic Party as pro-Israel, but Israel remains the lowest policy priority when determining which candidate to support,” the poll report says. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The JEI’s survey comes just after a string of intentionally set  <a href="https://religionnews.com/2019/05/21/somebody-out-there-wants-to-hurt-us-arson-in-boston-chicago-rattles-local-jews/"> fires at Jewish community centers </a>  in Chicago. Police say the three fires at Jewish community centers earlier this month were deliberately set and are being investigated as hate crimes. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Somebody out there wants to hurt us,” said Chanie Krinsky, who co-directs one of the community centers with her husband. “Just because we exist. And that is frightening. Hate can’t be reasoned with. Hate just needs to be eradicated. A little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness. Please take this opportunity to help us end this darkness. Do a mitzvah today to bring more light into this world!” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/many-american-jews-blame-trump-for-rising-anti-semitism-survey-finds.html"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Thu, 23 May 2019 18:43:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6251 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6249 By Callum Patton White evangelicals, more than any other religious or ethnic group in America, were the most likely to hold Islamophobic views, while U.S. Jews were the least likely to hold such views, a recent poll found. The poll, released by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, surveyed Muslims, Catholics, Jews, Protestants, white evangelicals and … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Callum Patton </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> White evangelicals, more than any other religious or ethnic group in America, were the most likely to hold Islamophobic views, while U.S. Jews were the least likely to hold such views, a recent poll found. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, released by the  <a href="https://www.ispu.org/american-muslim-poll-2019-key-findings/" target="_blank"> Institute for Social Policy and Understanding </a> , surveyed Muslims, Catholics, Jews, Protestants, white evangelicals and those who considered themselves nonaffiliated about their views on Islam.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll treated white evangelicals as a separate group because of what the study called “their unique social and political characteristics.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Of all the religious groups surveyed, with the exception of American Muslims, Jews, by a larger margin than any other group, reported having a positive view of Muslims, at 53 percent. Thirteen percent of American Jews said they had a negative view of Muslims. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> At the same time, 44 percent of white evangelicals said they had a negative view of Muslims, double the number that said they viewed Muslims favorably (20 percent), as the below chart from  <a href="https://www.statista.com/chartoftheday/" target="_blank"> Statista </a>  indicates. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When broken down by race, Hispanic Americans were found to be five times more likely to hold positive rather than negative views of Muslims. Fifty-one percent said they had positive feelings toward Muslims, compared with 10 percent who said they had negative feelings. Black Americans were seven times as likely to have positive opinions of Muslims as opposed to negative ones. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> White Americans were almost equally likely to have a negative as a positive opinion of Muslims, if they had an opinion at all. Forty percent of white Americans polled said they had no opinion about the Muslim community. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Muslims, according to the poll, gave President Donald Trump the lowest approval rating of all the religions surveyed, with only 16 percent of Muslim Americans saying they approved of the job Trump was doing. Other groups gave the president approval ratings that averaged between 24 and 50 percent. Seventy-three of white evangelicals said they believed the president was doing a good job, highlighting a divide between them and American Muslims when it came to their views of the president.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A separate poll of Jewish-American attitudes also found that a majority of Jews disapproved of Trump’s record in office. In a broad indictment of the Trump presidency from the Jewish community before the 2020 elections, a survey by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that two-thirds of Jewish voters remained “firmly aligned” with the Democratic Party. The poll found 39 percent of U.S. Jews said they wanted to work actively to defeat the president in 2020. </p> </div> Thu, 23 May 2019 18:40:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6249 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6246 By Emily Jones A new survey from Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg reveals that 73 percent of American Jews feel “less secure” in the United States than they were two years ago. The poll, which was released Wednesday, comes after two deadly synagogue shootings in Poway, California and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. According to the study, most American … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Emily Jones </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new survey from Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg reveals that 73 percent of American Jews feel “less secure” in the United States than they were two years ago. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, which was released Wednesday, comes after two deadly synagogue shootings in Poway, California and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> According to the study, most American Jews blame President Donald Trump for the increase of Anti-Semitic attacks in the United States. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Pollsters found that 60 percent of Jews believe Trump “bears at least some responsibility” for the recent deadly attacks. Meanwhile, 71 percent disapprove of how Trump has handled the rise in anti-Semitism in the United States. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey was commissioned by the  <a href="http://%20https//www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-domestic-issues-dominate-the-priorities-of-the-jewish-electorate/" target="_blank"> Jewish Electorate Institute </a>  (JEI) and sampled 1,000 Jewish-American voters. The JEI is a non-partisan institute that examines the voting trends of American Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll also found that American Jews prioritize domestic policy issues more than policy related to Israel when considering their preferred presidential candidate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Health care is the highest policy priority for Jewish voters, while Israel is the lowest policy priority. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Overall, the Jewish community continues to identify as strongly pro-Israel and views the Democratic Party as pro-Israel, but Israel remains the lowest policy priority when determining which candidate to support,” the poll report says. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The American Jewish community is also concerned about rising anti-Semitism, gun violence, and the rise of white nationalism. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When asked about the 2020 election, Jews overwhelmingly disapprove of Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Less than one-quarter of Jewish voters (23 percent) say they will vote for President Trump in 2020. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2019/may/jews-feel-less-secure-in-america-most-blame-trump-for-rise-of-anti-semitism"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Thu, 23 May 2019 18:39:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6246 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6243 A new survey has found that Israel is the lowest policy priority for Jewish American voters. According to a poll commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), “a candidate’s stance on Israel ranks at the bottom of a list of 16 policy priorities of Jewish voters”. Designed to understand what drives Jewish voters’ “engagement in politics in … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new survey has found that Israel is the lowest policy priority for Jewish American voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> According to a poll commissioned by the  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-domestic-issues-dominate-the-priorities-of-the-jewish-electorate/"> Jewish Electorate Institute </a>  (JEI), “a candidate’s stance on Israel ranks at the bottom of a list of 16 policy priorities of Jewish voters”. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Designed to understand what drives Jewish voters’ “engagement in politics in advance of the 2020 elections”, the poll revealed that “domestic issues dominate the policy priorities of the Jewish community as they determine which candidate to support…as opposed to issues related to Israel.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While – unsurprisingly – the survey indicated that “the Jewish community continues to identify as strongly pro-Israel”, more than half (53 percent) of those polled “are critical of at least some of the current Israeli government’s policies”. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> According to JEI, </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Two-thirds of the Jewish electorate remains “firmly aligned with the Democratic Party”, with 25 percent of Jewish voters identifying as Republicans. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Overall, “71 percent disapprove of President Trumps’ overall job performance, 70 percent view him unfavourably, 67 per cent would vote for a generic Democrat over President Trump, and 65 percent would vote for Democratic candidate Joe Biden over President Trump.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="http://www.palestinechronicle.com/new-poll-israel-is-lowest-policy-priority-for-jewish-american-voters/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Thu, 23 May 2019 18:36:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6243 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6240 A new survey has found that Israel is the lowest policy priority for Jewish American voters. According to a poll commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), “a candidate’s stance on Israel ranks at the bottom of a list of 16 policy priorities of Jewish voters”. Designed to understand what drives Jewish voters’ “engagement in politics in … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new survey has found that Israel is the lowest policy priority for Jewish American voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> According to a poll commissioned by the  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-domestic-issues-dominate-the-priorities-of-the-jewish-electorate/" target="_blank"> Jewish Electorate Institute </a>  (JEI), “a candidate’s stance on Israel ranks at the bottom of a list of 16 policy priorities of Jewish voters”. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Designed to understand what drives Jewish voters’ “engagement in politics in advance of the 2020 elections”, the poll revealed that “domestic issues dominate the policy priorities of the Jewish community as they determine which candidate to support…as opposed to issues related to Israel.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While – unsurprisingly – the survey indicated that “the Jewish community continues to identify as strongly pro-Israel”, more than half (53 per cent) of those polled “are critical of at least some of the current Israeli government’s policies”. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> According to JEI, “the results also demonstrate that the Jewish American electorate remains overwhelmingly opposed to President Trump, motivated largely by the Jewish community’s positions on domestic policy issues.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “These include immigration and health care, as well as concerns about rising anti-Semitism, gun violence, and rise of white nationalism, which respondents partially attribute to President Trump.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Two-thirds of the Jewish electorate remains “firmly aligned with the Democratic Party”, with 25 per cent of Jewish voters identifying as Republicans. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Overall, “71 per cent disapprove of President Trumps’ overall job performance, 70 per cent view him unfavourably, 67 per cent would vote for a generic Democrat over President Trump, and 65 per cent would vote for Democratic candidate Joe Biden over President Trump.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190523-israel-is-lowest-policy-priority-for-jewish-american-voters-poll-finds/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Thu, 23 May 2019 18:34:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6240 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6223 By Danielle Ziri NEW YORK – A presidential candidate’s stance on Israel is the lowest priority for American Jewish voters, a poll released by the Jewish Electorate Institute on Wednesday revealed. The poll, conducted on the organization’s behalf by Greenberg Research, surveyed 1,000 Jewish voters earlier this month and showed that Israel ranks at the … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Danielle Ziri </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> NEW YORK – A presidential candidate’s stance on Israel is the lowest priority for American Jewish voters, a poll released by the Jewish Electorate Institute on Wednesday revealed. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, conducted on the organization’s behalf by Greenberg Research, surveyed 1,000 Jewish voters earlier this month and showed that Israel ranks at the bottom of a list of 16 policy subjects that Jewish voters view as a priority. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Healthcare, gun safety laws and new jobs, as well as tackling white supremacy in the U.S. are among the issues Jewish voters view as more pressing.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Overall, the study noted that the Jewish community continues to identify strongly as pro-Israel, with 90 percent of respondents describing themselves as such, but more than half as critical of at least some of the Israeli government’s policies. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Most view the Democratic party as pro-Israel, but 31 percent would like Democrats to do more about anti-Semitism. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The JEI poll also revealed that nearly three-quarters of American Jewish voters feel their community is less secure than it was two years ago, and more than half believe U.S.  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-donald-trump-1.5599319"> President Donald Trump </a> bears some responsibility for this.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> According to the data, close to 60 percent of American Jewish voters believe Trump is at least partially to blame for  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/suspect-reportedly-detained-after-opening-fire-near-san-diego-synagogue-1.7170623"> the recent violent attacks on synagogues </a>  in Pittsburgh and Poway. Some 38 percent of Jewish voters also expressed concerns that the president is encouraging violent right-wing extremists.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In general, 71 percent disapprove of Trump’s handling of anti-Semitism, including a 54 percent majority who strongly disapprove. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As the 2020 election campaign begins, 43 percent say they are looking to elect a candidate who shares their values to improve the security of Jews in the United States and 39 percent say they want to work to replace Trump in 2020.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll showed only 23 percent of Jewish voters support Trump, similarly to the last JEI poll conducted in October 2018. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The president’s lowest approval ratings are on family separations at the Mexican border, his handling of DACA recipients, his stance of guns, his handling of the Mueller Report, his handling of anti-Semitism and building of the border wall among others.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The JEI also showed that there is no growth in support for the Republican party among Jewish voters. Similarly to its 2018 poll, 25 percent of respondents identify as Republican. The percentage of those identifying as Democrats or Independent also remains unchanged.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “We now have hard data demonstrating that <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-donald-trump-1.5599319">  President Trump </a> ’s assertions of American Jews abandoning the Democratic party are entirely false,” Executive Director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America Halie Soifer said. “Overwhelming disapproval of President Trump and the Republican policy agenda will drive the Jewish vote in 2020, and Republicans should be deeply concerned.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll also showed that two thirds of those aged 18 to 29 and millennials under 35 years old disapprove of Trump, and he enjoys support from only 24 percent of non-Orthodox millennial Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-2020-candidates-stance-on-israel-is-lowest-priority-for-u-s-jews-poll-shows-1.7276573"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 22 May 2019 21:37:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6223 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6221 By Ben Cohen A clear majority of American Jews feel insecure and angry about antisemitism in the US, with many holding President Donald Trump at least partially responsible for this troubling situation, a new poll of 1,000 Jewish respondents revealed on Wednesday. The poll — commissioned by the left-leaning Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) and carried out by veteran Democratic … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Ben Cohen </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A clear majority of American Jews feel insecure and angry about antisemitism in the US, with many holding President Donald Trump at least partially responsible for this troubling situation, a new poll of 1,000 Jewish respondents revealed on Wednesday. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll — commissioned by the left-leaning Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) and carried out by veteran Democratic pollster Stanley Greenberg — also showed that support for Israel was the lowest political priority among non-Orthodox American Jews, with Trump’s dramatic realignment with the Israeli government over the last two years having virtually no positive impact on his standing in the community. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Opposition to Trump is very strong, very intense, and continuing,” Greenberg told a conference call regarding the poll’s findings on Wednesday morning. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A summary analysis of the poll emphasized that 73 percent of Jewish voters “believe Jewish Americans are less secure than they were two years ago,” and that “71 percent disapprove of the way President Trump has handled antisemitism.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Those worries have manifested alongside strong opposition to the administration’s policies more generally. According to Wednesday’s poll, domestic concerns about healthcare, the rightward drift of immigration policy, gun control laws and the growing brazenness of white nationalists in the US have all contributed to the “overwhelming opposition” to Trump among Jewish voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll analysis highlighted that “out of 23 issues tested, Trump gets some of his lowest ratings on family separations at the Mexican border (78 percent), handling of DACA recipients (74 percent), guns (74 percent), handling of the Mueller Report (73 percent), anti-Semitism (71 percent), building of the border wall (71 percent), taxes (70 percent), Supreme Court nominations (69 percent), healthcare (69 percent), and banning immigration from certain Muslim-majority countries (66 percent).” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Greenberg remarked that when it came to Jewish perceptions of what he called a “period of great insecurity,” it was “stunning how clearly political the response is, and how much of it is aligned with the opposition to President Trump.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> According to the poll, when asked about how to improve security for Jews in America, “the largest bloc (43 percent) say they are looking to elect a candidate who shares their values, and 39 percent say they want to work to defeat President Trump in 2020.” According to the poll, a generic Democrat candidate would win 67 percent of the Jewish vote in the next presidential election, while Trump would receive 23 percent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll also noted that 31 percent of voters “want Democrats to do more about antisemitism.” Speaking on the call, Greenberg said that this number should be understood “in the context of political debates where Democratic politicians have been accused of antisemitism.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While Israel remains the lowest of campaigning priorities for American Jews, a slim majority approve of the current administration’s pro-Israel turn. Among millennials especially, “a candidate’s stance on Israel is of relatively low importance to Jewish voters as they determine which candidate to support in the 2020 election,” the poll analysis stated. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Political analyst Mitchell Rocklin  — a research associate at Princeton University’s James Madison Program who has written widely on Jewish voting patterns — argued that the snap poll was not a complete representation of the political orientations of American Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The Jewish community is incredibly diverse,” Rocklin told  <em> The Algemeiner </em>  on Wednesday. “We know already that there are sharp voting contrasts between Orthodox Jews and Russian Jews and most other Jewish communities.” Rocklin added that most estimates among modern Orthodox and Haredi Jews had consistently downplayed their level of support for Trump, whereas the analysis of precinct returns had typically shown Trump receiving upwards of 70 percent support in these communities. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Moreover, Rocklin said, Trump’s lack of popularity among non-Orthodox Jewish voters was consistent with that of his Republican predecessors — a pattern that has been visible since the election of President George W. Bush to his second term in 2004. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Wednesday’s poll was a further indication that “we’re seeing the breakdown of a unified Jewish political community,” Rocklin said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “At this point, there are distinct Jewish political communities when it comes to presidential voting patterns,” he remarked. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Greeenberg’s survey was conducted from May 6-12 among 1,000 respondents who were “screened for Jewish identity,” with a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.algemeiner.com/2019/05/22/new-poll-of-us-jews-connects-growing-anxiety-over-antisemitism-with-broader-opposition-to-trump/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 22 May 2019 21:35:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6221 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6219 By Joseph Wolkin A new poll released by the Jewish Electorate Institute on Wednesday morning revealed that 71 percent of Jewish voters in America are disappointed in President Donald Trump’s response to growing anti-Semitism. The institute surveyed 1,000 Jewish voters “to understand what drives their engagement in politics in advance of the 2020 elections.” As … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Joseph Wolkin </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new poll released by the Jewish Electorate Institute on Wednesday morning revealed that 71 percent of Jewish voters in America are disappointed in President Donald Trump’s response to growing anti-Semitism. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The institute surveyed 1,000 Jewish voters “to understand what drives their engagement in politics in advance of the 2020 elections.” As per the results of the poll, 73 percent of those surveyed said they “believe Jewish Americans are less secure than they were two years ago.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Fifty-nine percent of Jewish voters blame President Trump for at least some responsibility for the two recent shootings at American synagogues in Poway and Pittsburgh. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> One of the largest takeaways from the JEI poll is how Jewish voters will take to the polls during the primary and caucus season, as well as the eventual 2020 election. About 70 percent of the participants disapprove of President Trump’s performance thus far, and the same percentage view him unfavorably. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Overall, 67 percent of Jewish voters “would vote for a generic Democrat over President Trump, and 65 percent would vote for Democratic candidate Joe Biden over President Trump.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The top priority for Jewish voters in the 2020 election is healthcare. Results are similar to JEI’s 2018 poll, which states that Jews will “prioritize protecting Medicare and Social Security, as well as health care, above other policy issues when determining which candidate to support.” </p> </div> <h4> Israel the lowest of priorities </h4> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> However, Israel is the lowest of 16 priorities for Jewish voters during the election season. While American Jews are still mostly pro-Israel, they also see the Democratic Party as largely in favor of the Jewish state. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Thirty-eight percent of Jewish voters believe that Trump is encouraging ultra-right-wing extremists, which in turn will provoke anti-Semitic attacks. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Roughly 23 percent of Jews will vote for President Trump during the 2020 election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://worldisraelnews.com/new-poll-shows-jewish-voters-hold-trump-responsible-for-synagogue-shootings/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 22 May 2019 21:33:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6219 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6215 By Nick Enquist A new study from the Jewish Electorate Institute, with the help of Greenberg Research, found that Jewish voters are overwhelmingly fixated on domestic policy issues such as healthcare, immigration, anti-Semitism and rising insecurity due to white nationalist threats.  JEI is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in August 2018, with a mission to … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Nick Enquist </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new study from the Jewish Electorate Institute, with the help of Greenberg Research, found that Jewish voters are overwhelmingly fixated on domestic policy issues such as healthcare, immigration, anti-Semitism and rising insecurity due to white nationalist threats.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> JEI is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in August 2018, with a mission to deepen the public’s understanding of the Jewish electorate and mobilize the Jewish vote in future elections. The organization held an online survey of 1,000 Jewish voters that took place May 6 through 12.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the report’s key findings healthcare is the top policy priority for Jewish voters. 87% of those surveyed considered protecting Medicare and Social Security as an important factor when deciding on a candidate. 86% of the voters surveyed indicated that improving the economy and creating jobs were priorities to them, and 80% noted that access to affordable healthcare was an important factor when deciding which candidate to support. The poll also revealed that 73% of Jewish voters felt less secure than they did two years ago.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In October 2018, JEI held another poll that revealed that Jewish voters prioritized security issues such as combating terrorism (82%), combating the influence of white supremacists and the far right (78%) and enacting gun safety laws (79%). The October poll surveyed 800 Jewish voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The new report provides unique insight into the community’s state of mind. “This poll confirms that the Jewish electorate prioritizes domestic policy issues above all others,” said Ralph Grunewald, chairman of the JEI Board. “It also affirms that the Jewish community feels less secure than before President Trump took office and is deeply concerned about the rise of anti-Semitism in America in the past two years.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey also queried Jewish voters’ opinions on Trump, with 71% holding an unfavorable view of his performance as president. 70% disapprove of Trump overall, while 71% disapprove of the way President Trump has handled anti-Semitism, which is a slight increase since the October poll (70%).  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The majority of respondents believe President Trump has at least some responsibility for the shootings at synagogues in Pittsburgh and Poway. 38% have concerns that Trump is encouraging violent ultra-right extremists. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “This is a unique time where three quarters of Jewish voters feel less secure over the last two years because of new worries related to white nationalist violence, and nearly 60% say that President Donald Trump has at least some responsibility for the rise of anti-Semitic attacks,” said Stanley Greenberg, CEO and founder of Greenberg Research. “That has greatly affected the priorities of Jewish voters who strongly disapprove of the job Donald Trump is doing as president. They want not only to protect retirement and health care, they want government that addresses the rise of anti-Semitism and white nationalist violence.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The respondents to the survey also indicated that Israel was the lowest policy priority. A candidate’s stance on Israel ranked at the bottom of 16 policy priority issues for a second year in a row.  <b> JN </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="http://www.jewishaz.com/us_worldnews/jewish-voters-focused-on-domestic-policy-issues/article_a1050eb0-7cc9-11e9-a9a9-63c40f28c88d.html"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 22 May 2019 21:31:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6215 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6212 By Yonat Shimron (RNS) — A survey of 1,000 Jewish voters released Wednesday (May 22) by the Jewish Electorate Institute shows 73% of registered Jewish voters believe Jewish Americans are less secure than they were two years ago, at least in part, respondents said, because of the way President Trump has handled anti-Semitism. The poll’s release coincides … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Yonat Shimron </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> (RNS) — A  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-domestic-issues-dominate-the-priorities-of-the-jewish-electorate/"> survey </a>  of 1,000 Jewish voters released Wednesday (May 22) by the Jewish Electorate Institute shows 73% of registered Jewish voters believe Jewish Americans are less secure than they were two years ago, at least in part, respondents said, because of the way President Trump has handled anti-Semitism. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll’s release coincides with a two-year spike in violent attacks against U.S. Jews, which doubled in 2018, according to the Anti-Defamation League’s yearly audit of anti-Semitic incidents. The data appeared the same week as a rash of  <a href="https://religionnews.com/2019/05/21/somebody-out-there-wants-to-hurt-us-arson-in-boston-chicago-rattles-local-jews/" target="_blank"> fires </a>  that were intentionally set at Jewish centers in Massachusetts and Chicago. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, conducted by Greenberg Research, shows 71% disapprove of Trump’s response to anti-Semitism. Nearly 60% believe he bears at least some responsibility for last year’s shooting at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and last month’s shooting at a synagogue in Poway, near San Diego. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “We have a Jewish community, not under siege, but facing great insecurity, blaming President Trump for a lot of it, becoming very engaged and politicized by it, and prioritizing a range of domestic issues that align them to vote Democratic in 2020,” said Stan Greenberg, a longtime pollster for Democrats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll comes as Republicans are moving to capitalize on growing anti-Semitic incidents with an aggressive campaign to siphon off the Democratic Party’s lock on the Jewish vote. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In Las Vegas earlier this month, prominent Republican Party donors gathered at GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson’s Venetian resort for a briefing on a planned $10 million-plus effort to boost Jewish support for Trump, Politico  <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/07/donald-trump-jewish-vote-2020-1260172"> reported </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The latest poll suggests that Jewish voters may be difficult to sway. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Seventy-one percent disapprove of Trump’s overall job performance, while 70% view him unfavorably and 67% would vote for a generic Democrat over Trump, the poll finds. The one segment of the American Jewish population that supports Trump is Orthodox Jews, who represent about  <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2013/10/jewish-american-beliefs-attitudes-culture-survey-overview.pdf"> 10 percent </a>  of the U.S. Jewish population. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> One reason for the dissatisfaction with Trump may be his appeals to white nationalists during his campaign and in response to the Charlottesville, Va., Unite the Right rally in 2017. After the New Zealand mosque massacre in March, the president dismissed white nationalists as a “small group of people” who present no  <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/16/politics/fact-checking-trump-on-threat-of-white-nationalism/index.html"> “rising threat.” </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Asked what was most concerning to them from a list of options, 38% of American Jewish voters said it was Trump’s encouraging of ultraright extremists to commit violent acts. By contrast, 27% identified Democrats’ tolerating of anti-Semitism in their ranks. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll also found that Israel ranked at the bottom of a list of 16 policy priorities for Jewish voters. Health care, gun safety laws and combating the influence of white supremacists ranked much higher among their most urgent policy priorities — even as 90% of Jews ranked themselves as “pro-Israel.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The online survey took place May 6-12 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://religionnews.com/2019/05/22/poll-american-jews-feel-threatened-blame-trump/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 22 May 2019 21:29:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6212 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6209 By Shmuel Rosner I guess it’s time to talk once again about the Jews and American politics. 2020 is not far off and presidential politics are on everyone’s minds — pollsters and organizations included. The Jewish Electorate Institute published its findings on how the Jewish electorate views the 2020 elections. These results are based on an online survey among … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <i> By Shmuel Rosner </i> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I guess it’s time to talk once again about the Jews and American politics. 2020 is not far off and presidential politics are on everyone’s minds — pollsters and organizations included. The  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/"> Jewish Electorate Institute </a>  published its  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/polls/"> findings </a>  on how the Jewish electorate views the 2020 elections. These results are based on an online survey among 1,000 Jewish voters nationally. The margin of error is +/-3.2 percentage points.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> So, what do we learn from this survey? </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 1. </b>  American Jews feel threatened. “Nearly three-quarters (73%) say Jews in the United States are less secure compared to two years ago.”  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This number is quite dramatic. Whether the political response of most Jews to this sentiment is the proper response is a different matter: “The largest bloc (43%) say they are looking to elect a candidate who shares their values, and 39% say they want to work to defeat President [Donald] Trump in 2020.”  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> So, the Jews feel threatened, and believe that defeating Trump is the way to improve their situation. Only time will tell if their assessment of the situation and their proposed remedy make sense.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p>   <b> 2. </b>  Jewish activists and leaders ought to note that only few Jews consider intensified Jewish activity to be the best response to anti-Semitism. Only 4% believe that becoming more active in a synagogue is one of the best ways to “improve the security of Jews,” only 12% prescribe “Jewish social action.” In other words, their response to anti-Semitism is political, not communal.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 3. </b>  Combative Israelis ought to note that only 12% of US Jews believe that adding “armed security” is going to improve their security. If you need more proof that Israeli Jews and American Jews live on different planets, there is it. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 4. </b>  When a Jew feel threatened and believes that the president is the main cause of the threat, it is no wonder that he does not approve of the job the president is doing. Indeed, President Trump’s job approval rating among Jews is low.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But now, look at how similar the following numbers seem: 73% of Jews feel more threatened; 71% disapprove of Trump’s handling of his job; 71% disapprove of Trump’s handling of anti-Semitism; 67% intend not to vote for Trump in 2020; 65% are Democrats. Is this a response to anti-Semitism or merely politics-as-usual with a new and possibly effective narrative to be used against the president?  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Similarly: The number of Jews that say they are Republicans: 25%. The number of Jews intending to vote for Trump: 25%. The number of Jews concerned about “Democrats tolerating anti-Semitism in their own ranks:” 27%.   </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The mixing of anti-Semitism concerns and charges and political tendencies continues. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p>   <b> 5. </b>  Here is one hint as you search for answers: While Orthodox Jews are exposed to anti-Semitism no less, and possibly more than other Jews (because they are easier to identify in a crowd), their political response to the new circumstances is very different. The most visible manifestation of this is the fact that most Orthodox Jews (57%) approve of President Trump. (by the way, the sample for this survey included a relatively small number of Orthodox Jews: 7%). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 6. </b>  The new report says, “Domestic issues dominate the policy priorities of the Jewish community as they determine which candidate to support in 2020.”That is to say, Jews are like most other Americans. It’s not about “the Benjamins,” nor about the “allegiance” with Israel. It’s about America’s future, and the future of Jews in America.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Still, it is not easy for an Israeli to accept that “a candidate’s stance on Israel is of relatively low importance to Jewish voters as they determine which candidate to support in the 2020 election.” And one has to wonder: Is Israel so low on the agenda because it no longer matters to Jewish Americans? Or maybe it is low because the Jews in some unconscious way caved to the intimidation of “dual loyalty” smear perpetrators. That is, they prefer not to tell pollsters that Israel does matter. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 7. </b>  Of the two options — Israel doesn’t matter, or intimidation works —I’m not even sure which is worse.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 8. </b>  On the other hand, consider these facts. Sixty-five percent of Jews say that “whether the candidate supports Israel” is “one of the most important” or “very important” for them as they decide “for whom you will vote.” That’s two thirds of all Jews. And if we add those who say “somewhat important” we get to 92%. So, it’s not as if the Jews stopped saying Israel is important. The only thing that happened is that they also say, in even greater numbers, that other issues matter to them.   </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Looking at the overall number makes one wonder about the methodology of the question. The Jews deem important protecting Medicare and Social Security (97%); combating anti-Semitism (96%); making quality affordable healthcare available to every American (95%);  enacting gun safety laws (93%); combating the influence of white supremacists and the far right (92%); combating terrorism (97%); and the list goes on and on proving that Jewish voters want everything. They want jobs and security, they want fair taxes and public education, and they also want support for Israel. That supporting Israel gets a slightly lesser ranking than gun control could signal something, but could also be an insignificant result.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> I recommend that next year the Institute make the question one of priorities: force the interviewees to choose “support”  <em> or </em>  “guns;” to say what they want more, “support”  <em> or  </em> “fair taxes.” Only then will we have a clear picture of Israel’s importance to the voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 9. </b>  In the same vein, the only issue where majority of US Jews approve of the president’s job is in US-Israel relations (55%). This signals appreciation. This signals that Jewish voters attribute importance to this item.   </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://jewishjournal.com/rosnersdomain/298901/jewish-agenda-for-2020-dump-trump-to-eliminate-anti-semitism/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 22 May 2019 21:26:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6209 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6206 By Callum Paton Some 60 percent of American Jews say President Donald Trump “bears at least some responsibility” for the synagogue shootings in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Poway, California, a new poll has shown. In a broad indictment of the Trump presidency from the Jewish community ahead of the 2020 elections, a survey by the Jewish Electorate Institute shows two-thirds … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Callum Paton </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Some 60 percent of American Jews say President Donald Trump “bears at least some responsibility” for the synagogue shootings in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Poway, California, a new poll has shown. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In a broad indictment of the Trump presidency from the Jewish community ahead of the 2020 elections, a survey by the  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/poll-domestic-issues-dominate-the-priorities-of-the-jewish-electorate/" target="_blank"> Jewish Electorate Institute </a>  shows two-thirds of Jewish voter remain “firmly aligned” with the Democratic Party. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Amid a rise in incidents of anti-Semitic violence, the flashpoints for which have been the October 2018 synagogue slayings in Pittsburg, in which 11 worshippers were killed and seven injured, and last month’s shooting at Poway synagogue in California, where one individual was killed and three others were injured, 73 percent of Jewish Americans said they felt less secure than they did two years ago. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Following on from this, as the rise of white nationalism becomes a growing concern, 71 percent of those polled said they disapproved of the way the president was handling anti-Semitism. Some 38 percent have concerns that President Trump is “encouraging violent ultra-right extremists.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Community members and congregants attend a candlelight vigil for the victim of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue shooting on April 28, 2019 in Poway, California. – A rabbi who carried on preaching despite being wounded in the latest deadly shooting at a US synagogue said on April 28 that Jews would not be intimidated by the “senseless hate” of anti-Semitism.SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/GETTY IMAGES </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, carried out by Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg, sampled 1,000 Jewish voters across the country between May 6-12. Interviews of those polled were carried out online through a randomly selected panel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The study also found domestic policy, most importantly healthcare, was most of the utmost concern to U.S. Jews in their voting habits. Strikingly, Israel was the lowest of 16 possibly policy priorities. While the community has remained overwhelmingly pro-Israel (90 percent), just over half also said they were critical of the current Israeli government. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Compared to numbers gathered from a poll in October 2018, the importance of gun safety law, anti-terror initiatives and combating white nationalism have all increased. The feeling of insecurity in the Jewish community is also driving political action, the poll found, with 39 percent saying they want to work to defeat President Trump in 2020. The Democrats did not get off without any criticism, either. Thirty-one percent said they wanted Democrats to do more about anti-Semitism. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Heading into 2020, 67 percent of those Jewish voters polled said they would vote for a generic Democrat over President Trump. At the same time, 65 percent would vote for potential Democratic candidate Joe Biden over President Trump.   </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/majority-american-jews-believe-donald-trump-has-some-responsibility-synagogue-1432654"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 22 May 2019 14:50:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6206 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6204 By Eric Cortellessa WASHINGTON — Nearly three-quarters of US Jewish voters think American Jews are “less secure” than they were two years ago, according to a survey released Wednesday by longtime Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg. In the wake of deadly synagogue shootings in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in Poway, California, 73 percent of US Jews said … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Eric Cortellessa </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> WASHINGTON — Nearly three-quarters of US Jewish voters think American Jews are “less secure” than they were two years ago, according to a survey released Wednesday by longtime Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the wake of deadly synagogue shootings in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in Poway, California, 73 percent of US Jews said they felt less safe, while 60% said they thought US President Donald Trump “bears at least some responsibility” for those attacks. Seventy-one percent said they disapprove of the way Trump has more broadly handled anti-Semitism. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The latest findings come as right-wing extremism and white supremacist ideology in the United States appears to be on the rise, with deadly anti-Semitic incidents at a historic high. The Anti-Defamation League  <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/adl-while-anti-semitic-incidents-in-us-went-down-theyve-gotten-more-violent/" target="_blank"> found </a>  in its most recent audit that there were 1,879 anti-Semitic incidents last year, including 39 reported physical assaults. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The latest poll was commissioned by the  <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/our-activities/" target="_blank"> Jewish Electorate Institute </a> , a nonpartisan nonprofit that examines American Jewish voting trends, ahead of the 2020 election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Based on a sampling of 1,000 Jewish voters, the survey found that the overwhelming majority of US Jews cared more about domestic political and policy concerns than Israel, which JEI said ranked at the bottom of voters’ 16 biggest priorities going into the election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The issues of most concern to Jewish voters, the poll said, were healthcare, gun safety, and “combating the influence of white supremacists and the far right.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump has made Israel a top foreign policy priority, moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, slashing aid to the Palestinian Authority and closing the Palestine Liberation Organization’s DC offices. His team in charge of trying to broker an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord is expected to release its highly anticipated proposal as soon as next month. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Greenberg Research and JEI conducted the survey online from May 6 to May 12. The poll has a +/-3.2 margin of error. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey also found that American Jews overwhelmingly reject the president — 71% said they disapprove of Trump’s overall job performance and 70% view him unfavorably, according to the poll. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Sixty-seven percent of US Jews, a community that has historically been overwhelmingly aligned with the Democratic Party, said that they would vote for a “generic Democrat” over Trump in 2020. Sixty-five percent specifically said they would vote for former US vice president Joe Biden, the current Democratic frontrunner in the primary. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In 2016, Trump’s rival Hillary Clinton won 70% of the Jewish vote, according to <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/clinton-won-majority-of-jewish-american-vote-polls-say-1.5459522" target="_blank">  a poll </a>  by GBA Strategies that was commissioned by J Street, a liberal Mideast advocacy group. Trump captured only 5% of the American Jewish electorate’s support. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/poll-73-of-american-jews-feel-less-secure-than-2-years-ago/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 22 May 2019 14:02:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6204 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6200 By Shira Hanau As pollsters try to tease out the potential results of an overstuffed Democratic presidential primary field, a portrait is beginning to emerge of what Democratic primary voters — and Jewish voters who comprise an important chunk of that electorate — want in a potential challenger to President Trump when it comes to … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Shira Hanau </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As pollsters try to tease out the potential results of an overstuffed Democratic presidential primary field, a portrait is beginning to emerge of what Democratic primary voters — and Jewish voters who comprise an important chunk of that electorate — want in a potential challenger to President Trump when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and other issues. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Two new polls — one from J Street, the dovish lobby group, and one from the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute — make clear that Democratic primary voters want the United States to be an “honest broker” in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and that Jewish voters and Democratic primary voters believe one can be pro-Israel while criticizing the Israeli government. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “People are following the issue [the Israeli-Palestinian conflict], they are supportive of Israel, but they also hold very nuanced views,” said pollster Jim Gerstein of GBAO Strategies, the firm that conducted the J Street poll. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While still eight months away from the first Democratic caucus vote in Iowa, the polls may help define the terms of Democratic debate around Israel. While support for Israel has long been the standard in the party, recent years have seen parts of the party re-evaluating its longstanding positions regarding Israel. The 2018 midterm elections brought several new faces to Congress, some of whom have espoused support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel or interest in reviewing America’s financial support for Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While the activist wing of the party views its upsets against longtime Democratic members of Congress as a victory over the party’s centrist establishment, the presidential primary may become an even stronger referendum on the direction for the party. While support for Israel may come under scrutiny in that fight, recent polling suggests it is unlikely to determine the outcome. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Last week’s J Street poll suggests that Democratic primary voters largely do not prioritize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in their voting decisions, and that Democratic party voters are more inclined towards a candidate who is viewed as a “neutral broker” between the Israelis and Palestinians than one perceived to lean towards one side. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey, which was conducted between May 1 and May 5 via landlines and cell phones and included responses from 800 likely Democratic presidential primary voters, showed that Democrats are loathe to choose one side over the other in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When presented with a choice between a hypothetical candidate who “supports both Israel and the Palestinians,” “supports Israel” or “supports Palestinians,” 75 percent of those polled chose the candidate who supports both. When asked if one could be critical of Israeli government policy while still being pro-Israel, 81 percent of respondents said yes. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish Electorate Institute’s poll, which surveyed 1,000 Jewish voters and was conducted online between May 6 and May 12, suggested a similar dynamic. While 90 percent of respondents to the JEI poll identified themselves as pro-Israel, 53 percent of those polled were critical of at least some of Israel’s current government policies, suggesting that pro-Israel voters are not a monolith. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “This poll helps to define a new playbook for Democratic candidates on Israel and Palestine,” said Jeremy Ben-Ami, J Street’s president, of the J Street poll in a call with reporters last week. “The preferred position for Democratic primary voters is to find a candidate who recognizes that there needs to be a balance between both sides.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When asked to rate their feelings towards Israel and the Palestinians, less than half of respondents to the J Street poll said they had a favorable view of either Israel or the Palestinians, with 41 percent viewing Israel favorably versus 16 percent viewing Israel unfavorably, and 32 percent viewing the Palestinians favorably and 19 percent viewing the Palestinians unfavorably. Of those who follow the Israeli-Palestinian conflict very closely, 53 percent viewed Israel favorably and 20 percent viewed it unfavorably. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But the priority given to Israel in respondents’ voting decisions seems to be low. While a large portion of respondents follow the Israeli-Palestinian conflict “closely,” just 19 percent of respondents said they follow the conflict “very closely.” Older respondents followed the conflict much more closely than younger respondents, with 71 percent of respondents over age 65 saying they follow the conflict closely compared to 49 percent of those ages 18-29 who said the same. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish voters seem to be equally disinclined to prioritize Israel over domestic issues. Respondents to the JEI survey ranked Israel lowest in a list of 16 policy priorities for Jewish voters. Issues like protecting Medicare and Social Security, making affordable health care available to all Americans, and enacting gun safety laws were among the highest priorities for Jewish voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For Jewish voters surveyed by JEI, anti-Semitism may be a more pressing issue when it comes time to vote in 2020. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of respondents said they believed the United States is currently less secure for Jews than it was two years ago. When asked whether President Trump was “at least partially responsible” for attacks on synagogues, Jewish voters were less united, with 59 percent saying he bore some responsibility and 41 percent saying he did not. A majority, 71 percent, disapproved of President Trump’s handling of anti-Semitism. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Summarizing the poll, Stan Greenberg of Greenberg Research, which conducted the survey, said, “The results demonstrate that domestic issues dominate the policy priorities of the Jewish community as they determine which candidate to support in the 2020 election, as opposed to issues related to Israel, which remains the lowest policy priority of Jewish voters. The results also demonstrate that the Jewish American electorate remains overwhelmingly opposed to President Trump, motivated largely by the Jewish community’s positions on domestic policy issues.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> J Street’s Ben-Ami emphasized the political risk for Democratic candidates who are aligned with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu has cultivated a close relationship with President Trump, even going so far as to name a new settlement in the Golan Heights after the American president. (Many in the Jewish community have hailed President Trump for moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights; liberal groups have pointed out that the unilateral nature of the moves is problematic.) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Democratic voters seemed to reject the closeness of the Trump-Netanyahu relationship in their responses to J Street’s poll. When presented with the description of “a candidate who says he or she strongly supports Israel, and the United States must stand behind all of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s policies,” 61 percent said they would be less likely to vote for that candidate. Of “a candidate who says the United States should continue financial and military aid to Israel without any restrictions, regardless of whether Israel expands settlements or annexes Palestinian territory,” 69 percent said they would be less likely to support that candidate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The J Street poll suggested that the BDS movement — which has been a target of those on the Jewish right and members of Congress from both sides of the aisle — was even less of a priority for Democratic primary voters. When asked about the movement against Israel, 63 percent of voters said they had not heard of it. Among those who said they follow the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, just 6 percent said they had heard “a great deal” about it and 7 percent said they had heard “a good amount” about it. When asked if they supported legislation that would penalize BDS supporters, 61 percent of those who opposed BDS said they opposed legislation to penalize those who boycott Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Democratic voters do not know what that movement [BDS] is, and the movement has no real support or opposition among Democratic voters,” said Ben-Ami. “BDS is a non-issue and the legislation to combat it is unpopular.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/democratic-voters-seen-nuanced-on-israel/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 22 May 2019 14:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6200 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6197 By Ron Kampeas WASHINGTON (JTA)— A survey of American Jews showed continued disapproval of President Donald Trump, with anti-Semitism high and Israel low on the priority list for Jewish voters. The survey, conducted for a liberal-leaning Jewish organization, the Jewish Electorate Institute, by Greenberg Research, which does polling for Democratic candidates, showed 71 percent of … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Ron Kampeas </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> WASHINGTON ( <a href="http://jta.org/"> JTA) </a> — A survey of American Jews showed continued disapproval of President Donald Trump, with anti-Semitism high and Israel low on the priority list for Jewish voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey, conducted for a liberal-leaning Jewish organization, the Jewish Electorate Institute, by Greenberg Research, which does polling for Democratic candidates, showed 71 percent of Jewish American likely voters disapproved of Trump and 29 percent approved, commensurate with polling since Trump’s election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A generic Democrat would score 67 percent of the Jewish vote in the presidential election, while Trump would get just 23 percent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey released Wednesday of 1,000 Jewish voters nationally taken between May 6 and May 12, is consistent with past polling of a constituency that leans strongly Democratic. According to the RealClear Politics  <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_trump_job_approval-6179.html"> aggregator </a> , national averages show Trump’s disapproval ratings in the low 50s and his approval ratings in the low 40s. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In a favorability rating chart, Trump scored 70 percent unfavorable and 26 percent favorable, in contrast to his predecessor, Barack Obama, who scored 70 percent favorable and 27 percent unfavorable. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The pollster asked respondents about only two Democrats running for the party’s presidential nomination, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and former Vice President Joe Biden, who are leading in the national polls. Biden performed considerably better than Sanders, who is Jewish, although both men bested Trump. Biden’s favorable/unfavorable score was 66/29 and Sanders, who is running well to the left of Biden, was 51/43. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll showed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s favorable/unfavorable score as 45/38. Netanyahu used to score high approval among American Jews, but his sustained clashes with Obama on Palestinian and Iran policy, and his closeness to Trump appear to have eroded American Jewish support. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On issues, the only area where Trump earned positive marks was on relations with Israel, with 55 percent approving of his handling of the U.S.-Israel relationship and 45 percent disapproving. Trump has forged a close relationship with Netanyahu, moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Israel’s claim to the Golan Heights, pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, and distancing the United States from the Palestinians. The survey showed that a substantial majority of Jewish voters, 64 percent, disapproved of Trump pulling out of the Iran deal, while 36 percent approved. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump was underwater on a range of other issues, including abortion (60 unfavorable/40 favorable), immigration (67 unfavorable/33 favorable) and healthcare (69 unfavorable/31 favorable). Notably, his score on dealing with anti-Semitism was 71 percent unfavorable and 29 percent favorable. Trump has downplayed the threat of white supremacists, even after an alleged white supremacist carried out the worst attack on Jews in U.S. history, in October in Pittsburgh, and has been seen as equivocating in condemning the far right. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Asked about voting booth priorities, the highest score went to protecting social safety net programs like Medicare and Social Security, with 58 percent of respondents listing it as “one of the most important.” Combating anti-Semitism scored next-highest, at 54 percent. Third was affordable health care at 53 percent, and after that, gun safety laws came in at 50 percent, combating white supremacists at 49 percent, and combating terrorism at 47 percent. “Whether the candidate supports Israel” was among the lowest, with 28 percent saying it was “one of the most important” issues. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Interviews were conducted online through a randomly selected panel,” the pollster said, referring to a process in which voters who have previously indicated a willingness to participate in surveys are randomly selected for email solicitations to join in a survey. The system is becoming more popular because of the increased difficulty in recent decades of reaching respondents over landlines. The poll had a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish Electorate Institute describes itself as “dedicated to deepening the public’s understanding of Jewish American participation in our democracy.” Its board consists of figures who have been prominent in the Jewish organizational world and in Democratic politics. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jta.org/2019/05/22/united-states/survey-shows-continued-strong-jewish-disapproval-of-trump-heightened-concerns-on-anti-semitism"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 22 May 2019 13:57:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6197 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6029 Summary: On behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), Greenberg Research conducted a survey of 1,000 Jewish voters [1] to understand what drives their engagement in politics in advance of the 2020 elections. The results demonstrate that domestic issues dominate the policy priorities of the Jewish community as they determine which candidate to support in … <h3> Summary: </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI), Greenberg Research conducted a survey of 1,000 Jewish voters <a href="#ftn1"> [1] </a> to understand what drives their engagement in politics in advance of the 2020 elections. The results demonstrate that domestic issues dominate the policy priorities of the Jewish community as they determine which candidate to support in the 2020 election, as opposed to issues related to Israel, which remains the lowest policy priority of Jewish voters. The results also demonstrate that the Jewish American electorate remains overwhelmingly opposed to President Trump, motivated largely by the Jewish community’s positions on domestic policy issues.  These include immigration and health care, as well as concerns about rising anti-Semitism, gun violence, and rise of white nationalism, which respondents partially attribute to President Trump. <br/> <br/> Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of Jewish voters believe Jewish Americans are less secure than they were two years ago, 71 percent disapprove of the way President Trump has handled anti-Semitism, and nearly 60 percent believe that he bears at least some responsibility for the shootings at synagogues in Pittsburgh and Poway. Two-thirds of the Jewish electorate remains firmly aligned with the Democratic Party, and there has been no change in the percentage of Jewish voters identifying as Republicans since JEI’s October 2018 poll; it remains at 25 percent. <br/> <br/> Finally, the results demonstrate Jewish voters’ view of President Trump and how they plan to vote in the 2020 election: 71 percent disapprove of President Trumps’ overall job performance, 70 percent view him unfavorably, 67 percent would vote for a generic Democrat over President Trump, and 65 percent would vote for Democratic candidate Joe Biden over President Trump.   </p> </div> <h3> Key Findings: </h3> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/pic1-2b24d1c2.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/pic2-1ea75f02.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/pic3-96766c12.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/pic5-2-8501a278.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/pic6-828389a6.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/pic7-970b2da7.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/18f6b19f/dms3rep/multi/pic8-072c2141.png" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <h3> Conclusion: </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish American voters, including millennials, prioritize domestic policy issues that impact their lives, including health care, anti-Semitism and growing insecurity among American Jews. A candidate’s stance on Israel is of relatively low importance to Jewish voters as they determine which candidate to support in the 2020 election.  When it comes to the domestic policy issues that Jewish voters prioritize, they overwhelmingly identify with Democrats and disapprove of the handling of such issues by President Trump. Less than one-quarter of Jewish voters (23 percent) will vote for President Trump in 2020. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> ### </p> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> [1] This online survey took place May 6-12 among 1,000 Jewish voters nationally. Interviews were conducted online though a randomly selected panel. All respondents were screened for Jewish identity and current registration status, and key demographics in the final sample were weighted to reflect the Jewish electorate. The margin of error is +/-3.2 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. Please note that the numbers have been rounded by computer and occasionally will add up to slightly above or slightly below 100 percent. </p> </div> Wed, 22 May 2019 12:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6029 Research thumbnail https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6072 WASHINGTON – New poll findings released today by Greenberg Research on behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) found that the Jewish electorate is overwhelmingly driven by domestic policy issues ... <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> <em> New Poll from Jewish Electorate Institute Demonstrates that Jewish Voters Feel Less Secure, Hold Trump Responsible for Recent Synagogue Attacks </em> </p> <p> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE <br/> CONTACT: Dee Donavanik <a href="mailto:press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org"> press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org </a> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> WASHINGTON – New poll findings released today by Greenberg Research on behalf of the <a href="https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/"> Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) </a> found that the Jewish electorate is overwhelmingly driven by domestic policy issues, particularly health care and immigration, as well anti-Semitism and rising insecurity due to white nationalists threats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “This poll confirms that the Jewish electorate prioritizes domestic policy issues above all others,” said Ralph Grunewald, chairman of the JEI Board. “It also affirms that the Jewish community feels less secure than before President Trump took office and is deeply concerned about the rise of anti-Semitism in America in the past two years.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Polls indicate that Jewish voters overwhelmingly disapprove of President Trump’s handling of nearly every issue, including the rise of anti-Semitism. Moreover, a majority of Jewish voters say they feel less secure under a Trump administration and hold the president at least partially responsible for recent deadly shooting attacks on synagogues. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Jewish 2020 Voters and the Issues </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Jewish Voters on Trump </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “This is a unique time where three quarters of Jewish voters feel less secure over the last two years because of new worries related to white nationalist violence, and nearly 60 percent say that President Donald Trump has at least some responsibility for the rise of anti-Semitic attacks,” said Stanley Greenberg, CEO and founder of Greenberg Research. “That has greatly affected the priorities of Jewish voters who strongly disapprove of the job Donald Trump is doing as president. They want not only to protect retirement and health care, they want government that addresses the rise of anti-Semitism and white nationalist violence.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A more detailed memo on the poll’s findings can be found <a href="/p6029"> <span> here </span> </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <u> <em> About Jewish Electorate Institute </em> </u> <br/> <em> The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in August 2018 with a mission to deepen the public’s understanding of the Jewish electorate and mobilize the Jewish vote in future elections. The primary focus is to provide public information about the Jewish electorate, lead non-partisan Get Out the Jewish Vote (GOTJV) efforts and encourage civic engagement in the Jewish community. </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> </p> <p> ### </p> <p> </p> </div> Wed, 22 May 2019 12:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6072 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6181 By Joseph Wolkin With mid-term elections coming on Tuesday in the United States, Jewish voters are ready to pull the levers. In swing states, the vote from Jewish constituents is one both Democrats and Republicans vie for, knowing it can be the tie-breaker in one of the tightest mid-terms in American history. The Jewish Electorate … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Joseph Wolkin </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> With mid-term elections coming on Tuesday in the United States, Jewish voters are ready to pull the levers. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In swing states, the vote from Jewish constituents is one both Democrats and Republicans vie for, knowing it can be the tie-breaker in one of the tightest mid-terms in American history. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish Electorate Institute says that 74 percent of Jews in the country will vote Democratic blue on Tuesday, with 26 percent opting to go Republican red. That will be key in Florida, Arizona and Nevada and may change the complexion of the House of Representatives, especially as Jews have a high voting rate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Why is the Jewish vote so key in these states? It’s quite simple: Older Jews have moved to these warmer areas of America after they retire, adopting the motto, “You don’t have to shovel sunshine.” Although retirees, they frequently become active in community politics. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> There are about 630,000 Jewish Floridians according to the Tampa Bay Times, and they make up about 4 percent to 6 percent of the total vote. Although a small demographic, their vote is highly prized by politicians as elections are expected to go down to the wire. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the Florida governor’s race, GOP Rep. Ron DeSantis might have taken the advantage over Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum thanks to the endorsement of the Jewish Press, the largest Jewish weekly in the U.S. One of the reasons the paper gave is that Gillum supports the Boycott, Divestment &amp; Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Arizona has 106,000 Jews, about 2 percent of all voters in the state. That might be enough to swing the Senate election. RealClearPolitics has the two candidates separated by just 1 percent, with Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema in the lead. Sinema and Republican Rep. Martha McSally hope to make the jump from the House to the Senate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In Nevada, incumbent Republican Sen. Dean Heller is looking to stave off Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen. As of Sunday, RealClearPolitics has Heller up by 1.4 percentage points over Rosen. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the Silver State, the Jewish population is 1-2 percent. If they go to the polls in significant numbers, it’s expected to work to the Democratic challenger’s advantage. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Rosen served as president of Nevada’s biggest synagogue. She’s expected to win the pro-Israel vote. Rosen claims she would have voted against President Barack Obama’s 2015 Iran nuclear deal. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://thejewishnews.com/2018/11/06/jewish-vote-is-expected-to-make-an-impact-in-key-swing-states/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Tue, 06 Nov 2018 20:53:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6181 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6178 By Michael Wilner WASHINGTON — In the wake of a mass shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, last weekend, White House officials debated who they should send to the grief-stricken town as a representative of the administration.  Their choice was not obvious. The administration has, for two years, declined to appoint traditional envoys to the … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Michael Wilner </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> WASHINGTON — In the wake of  <a href="https://www.jpost.com/International/At-least-8-killed-in-active-shooting-in-Pennsylvania-synagogue-570442"> a mass shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, last weekend </a> , White House officials debated who they should send to the grief-stricken town as a representative of the administration.  <br/> <br/> Their choice was not obvious. The administration has, for two years, declined to appoint traditional envoys to the fight against antisemitism here and around the globe, despite calls from Jewish organizations and a bipartisan group in Congress to do so.US President Donald Trump has tapped neither a White House Jewish liaison, a post that has been responsible for communicating with the American Jewish community since the 1970s, nor a special envoy at the State Department to monitor and combat antisemitism, a congressionally-mandated position devoted to the fight against antisemitism overseas. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Administration officials instead chose to send  <a href="https://www.jpost.com/American-Politics/Why-was-Jason-Greenblatt-in-Pittsburgh-571071" target="_blank"> Jason Greenblatt </a> , the president’s chief envoy for international negotiations, who– while an observant Orthodox Jew and an adviser on Jewish world issues to Trump during the campaign– has neither studied the issue nor spent his time at the White House engaging in outreach with the wider diaspora community. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> White House officials tell  <em> The Jerusalem Post </em>  that in lieu of a formal liaison the president relies on decades-old relationships with Greenblatt and other close advisers, such as his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, for guidance on Israel policy and Jewish world concerns. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> These figures have ties with the quarter of American Jews who align with Trump’s politics, according to a poll released last month by the Jewish Electorate Institute, which found that 74% of the community would not vote for the president under any circumstances. <br/> That same poll found that 70% of the community disapproves of the president’s handling of a spike in antisemitism worldwide. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And the administration also looks at Israeli officials as representatives of the worldwide Jewish community – an approach that irked American Jews on social media this week, as they saw Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer welcoming Trump to the scene of the Pittsburgh crime as if he were some sort of envoy for the greater Jewish world. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While the White House position is not likely to be filled, active discussion continues at the State Department on an antisemitism envoy. A leading candidate for the position – George Klein, a fellow real-estate magnate from New York and a founder of the Republican Jewish Coalition – was on the verge of being named when he withdrew himself from consideration over the summer. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jpost.com/American-Politics/Trump-yet-to-appoint-traditional-envoys-amid-antisemitism-crisis-571139"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Mon, 05 Nov 2018 20:51:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6178 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6176 By Allison Kaplan Sommer The Great Schlep: That’s what comedian Sarah Silverman dubbed her campaign to convince young Jews to head down to the key swing state of Florida in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections to convince their grandparents to vote for Barack Obama. “If you knew that visiting your grandparents could change the world, … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By </em> <em> Allison Kaplan Sommer </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Great Schlep: That’s what comedian Sarah Silverman dubbed her campaign to convince young Jews to head down to the key swing state of Florida in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections to convince their grandparents to vote for  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-barack-obama-1.5599045"> Barack Obama </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “If you knew that visiting your grandparents could change the world, would you do it?” she asked in the campaign video. “Of course you would. You’d have to be a douche nozzle not to.”skip – Sarah Silverman video </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Silverman’s unconventional approach proved successful: Obama won Florida both times. In retrospect,  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-hillary-clinton-1.5599318"> Hillary Clinton </a>  could have benefited from a little schlepping. The state, notorious for its deep political divide with a reputation as the ultimate “purple” state and the site of the infamous Bush-Gore standoff in 2000, turned its back on Hillary and flipped for  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-donald-trump-1.5599319"> Donald Trump </a>  in 2016. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Now, on the eve of the fateful 2018 midterm elections, it isn’t just Floridian-Jewish retirees whose votes could play an important role in the battle for the U.S. Senate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Two other Sun Belt states, Arizona and Nevada – whose Jewish populations have grown significantly over the past decade as they have become popular retirement destinations – are also in play. Each has a race close enough that even the relatively small Jewish vote can make a difference. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This influence is magnified by the fact that older Jews are among the groups most likely to turn out at the polls, and the community is likely to be even more motivated after last Saturday’s devastating attack on Jewish worshippers by a white supremacist in Pittsburgh. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> All three states have Senate races that are considered too close to call – and all are vital for the Democratic Party if it is to hold out any hope of taking both houses of Congress. While the  <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/" target="_blank"> FiveThirtyEight website </a>  estimates that the party has an 84 percent chance of taking the House, it offers it only a 15 percent shot of claiming the Senate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Throughout the campaign, the three contests have seen Republicans and Democrats polling within four points of each other – often separated by only one point or even in a dead heat.  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-despite-trump-s-israel-policies-american-jews-to-vote-for-democrats-poll-finds-1.6569599"> A survey taken in October </a>  – before events in Pittsburgh – by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that 74 percent of American Jews plan to vote for Democrats and only 26 percent intended to vote for the GOP.skip – Is the United States still safe for Jews – and what should Israel do about it? </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In a contest viewed widely as a referendum on Trump, the survey found that only 23 percent of Jewish voters polled viewed the president favorably – a full 20 points below national figures. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In Florida, the original “schlep” state, an estimated 650,000 Jews are eligible to vote in the tight race between incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson and the state’s popular governor Rick Scott, who wants to move from the State House to Washington. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Florida boasts the third-largest Jewish community in the United States: It has been estimated that Jewish voters comprise between 4 to 6 percent of total voters, a number large enough to have made it a traditionally important voting bloc in the Sunshine State. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In  <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/upshot/elections-poll-flsen-3.html" target="_blank"> the neck-and-neck contest </a>  between Nelson and Scott, it could be enough to make the difference. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As a result, Israel has become a point of discussion in the campaign. However, it hasn’t been raised as often as it has in the state’s other big statistically tied race: The  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-israel-and-bds-take-center-stage-in-heated-florida-governor-s-debate-1.6584432"> gubernatorial contest between Rep. Ron DeSantis and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Still, in an attempt to entice the traditionally Democratic Jewish vote away from Nelson, Scott has hammered the incumbent senator for voting in favor of the  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-iran-nuclear-deal-1.5598931"> Iran nuclear deal in 2015 </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> The ‘anti-Israel’ card </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While the Democrats’ goal in Florida is to keep an incumbent in place, in Arizona and Nevada the effort is to replace a GOP senator. Arizona’s 106,000 Jews are a smaller statistical slice of the population, comprising an estimated 2 percent of voters. Even so, the margin separating Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema from the GOP’s Rep. Martha McSally  <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/one-week-out-democrats-still-have-path-winning-senate-it-n926116" target="_blank"> is narrow enough </a>  for every vote to count. With the race so tight, the community can have a decisive impact – particularly if Jews turn out in high numbers. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-arizona-s-democratic-candidate-in-senate-race-is-bulletproof-on-israel-1.6589368"> In the hard-fought campaign </a> , Sinema has focused on health care while McSally has done her best to remind voters of Sinema’s past. She has frequently portrayed her as a radical left-wing extremist, citing past activism against U.S. involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan (even going so far as to call her a traitor). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This includes Sinema’s attitude toward Israel before 2012, the year she entered Congress. The Republicans say she was far more critical of Israel in those days, belonging to groups that took positions the GOP has called “anti-Israel.” McSally contrasts this with her own record as a colonel in the U.S. Air Force. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Nevada, meanwhile, is home to one of the closest, most contentious and well-funded Senate races: Between incumbent Republican Sen. Dean Heller and Democratic challenger Rep. Jacky Rosen. Again, the Jewish population in the state is relatively small – between 1 and 2 percent. But Hillary Clinton won the state in the 2016 presidential election with a margin of just 1.6 percent, and polls show the candidates essentially in a tie. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Rosen has extra appeal to older Jewish voters in the state: The first-term congresswoman is not only Jewish herself, but emerged as a public figure serving as president of the state’s largest synagogue. She has worked to appeal to pro-Israel voters in her state, saying she, unlike most Democrats, would have opposed Obama’s 2015 Iran nuclear pact. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Her opponent, Heller, enjoys the support of the state’s most powerful Jewish resident – casino billionaire and Republican megadonor  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-sheldon-adelson-1.5599262"> Sheldon Adelson </a> , who, together with his wife Miriam, also owns the state’s largest newspaper, the Las Vegas Review-Journal. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> So if the folks in Florida, Nevada, and Arizona who enjoy early-bird specials for dinner are diligent about their early voting, it could give the three Democratic Senate contenders an important edge they need for victory – whether or not their grandchildren decide to make the schlep. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Winning all three of these “Bubbe &amp; Zayde” states may not guarantee Democrats the Senate – since the party is struggling in traditionally red states like North Dakota, Tennessee and Texas, it is an uphill climb. But it will allow it to remain a possibility. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-can-jewish-grandparents-in-florida-nevada-and-arizona-help-flip-the-senate-1.6614943"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Sun, 04 Nov 2018 20:46:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6176 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6174 By Michael Wilner WASHINGTON – Every few weeks, after each latest, worst mass shooting in the United States, pundits and politicians here ask the same series of questions: How could this happen and who is to blame? Whether the targets are children in high school or daycare, the elderly in a retirement home, gays at … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Michael Wilner </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> WASHINGTON – Every few weeks, after each latest, worst mass shooting in the United States, pundits and politicians here ask the same series of questions: How could this happen and who is to blame? <br/> <br/> Whether the targets are children in high school or daycare, the elderly in a retirement home, gays at a nightclub, straights on the Las Vegas Strip or blacks, Sikhs and Christians in prayer, discussion on cable news typically nationalizes the shooter’s twisted grievances.Circumstances then dictate whether the conversation revolves around America’s struggle with discrimination against gay people, brown people or religious people, or whether the country has a unique crisis of mental health. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Familiar battle lines emerge on whether the unrivaled proliferation of guns in America has any connection to its unrivaled rate of gun deaths. As heated as the debate might flare, the battlefront barely moves an inch and the cease-fire ultimately resumes. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But there were signs of change in the aftermath of  <a href="https://www.jpost.com/International/At-least-8-killed-in-active-shooting-in-Pennsylvania-synagogue-570442"> last Saturday’s massacre of Jews </a> in a synagogue in the Squirrel Hill suburb of Pittsburgh. While spiking antisemitism became a robust national discussion for the first time in years, and while Democrats and Republicans pointed fingers at one another in reductive blame, those directly affected made their voices heard as well. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish residents of tiny Squirrel Hill – until now known as the home of Fred Rogers of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood fame – took to the streets and protested policies of US President Donald Trump. Those are the same policies that had been espoused by the shooter, Robert Bowers, 46, in the lead-up to the shooting, including his hatred of refugees and those seeking their protection. The marchers called on Trump to unequivocally condemn white nationalism and those who claim to support its causes in his name. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Their protests could be heard by the president himself as he visited the Tree of Life Synagogue, where the shooting took place, on Tuesday, lighting candles and laying rocks on Star of David monuments erected in honor of the 11 dead. “President Hate, get out of our state,” they chanted. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And so Trump responded on Wednesday, making his visit – intended to pay respect to the victims – about respect for Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The Office of the President was shown great respect on a very sad &amp; solemn day. We were treated so warmly. Small protest was not seen by us, staged far away,” he wrote on Twitter, alongside a video of him at the scene of the brutal crime. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Pittsburghers are not the first to raise their voices after massacre. In the wake of mass shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, and Parkland, Florida, both targeting schools, families and students that fell victim to gun violence became prominent national advocates for gun safety reform. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But Pittsburgh’s Jews are focusing on a different concern: the president’s divisiveness. They believe the shooting that shattered Squirrel Hill’s tranquility cannot be separated from a national environment, stoked by the president, of increased racial and ethnic hatred. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “I don’t think we can avoid thinking about the shooter – it’s part of the whole picture, and it’s part of what’s happening in this country,” said Toby Neufeld, a teacher at Tree of Life for over 30 years who had several friends killed in the shooting. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett told Pittsburghers it was unfair to blame Trump for a rise in antisemitism in the US. But American Jews overwhelmingly disagree. A poll released earlier this month by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that 70% of the nationwide community disapproves of his handling of the issue. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And so, while both parties were quick to politicize the event, so, too, were those in the line of fire who believe the president’s policies carry life-or-death consequences. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Yet Trump’s response to this tragedy differed from his refusal one year ago to condemn white nationalists and neo-Nazis marching in Charlottesville, Virginia – an event that led to the death of one counterprotester and sent his Republican Party reeling into an identity crisis. This time, three Orthodox Jews who have known him for decades – Ivanka Trump, his daughter; Jared Kushner, his son-in-law; and Jason Greenblatt, his longtime lawyer and senior adviser– ushered him through his public response. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Antisemitism and the widespread persecution of Jews represents one of the ugliest and darkest features of human history,” Trump said in the wake of the shooting at an event in Indianapolis. “The vile, hate-filled poison of antisemitism must be condemned and confronted everywhere and anywhere it appears. There must be no tolerance for antisemitism in America or for any form of religious or racial hatred or prejudice. You know that. You know that very well. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Today, with one unified voice, we condemn the historic evil of antisemitism and every other form of evil,” Trump continued. “And unfortunately, evil comes in many forms. And we come together as one American people.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And Trump’s aides were quick to defend him from charges that his rhetoric provides cover for bigots and antisemites to translate their hatreds into violence. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The president has denounced racism, hatred and bigotry in all forms, on a number of occasions. We’ll continue to do that. I’m doing it here today,” Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> She, and the president, then both turned the equation on its head, blaming the media for cultivating a hostile political environment in which the president is merely a defendant. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “You guys have a huge responsibility to play in the divisive nature of this country, when 90% of the coverage of everything this president does is negative, despite the fact that the country is doing extremely well, despite the fact that the president is delivering on exactly what he said he was going to do if elected,” Sanders charged. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “He’s delivered on the promises he’s made,” she continued, “and I think it would be nice if, every once and a while, we could focus on a few of the positive things the president has done, instead of just attacking him.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Pittsburgh massacre came mere days ahead of the first US election in modern history in which gun control advocates outspent absolutists in campaign dollars. The National Rifle Association responded, in kind, with a barely veiled antisemitic attack on Wednesday of the sort that was roundly criticized in the wake of the killings. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Notorious anti-gunner George Soros joins anti-gun billionaires Steyer and Bloomberg,” reads an NRA tweet published just five days after the Squirrel Hill shooting. All three are Jewish. “There is no end to how much they’ll pay to push their elitist agenda on Americans.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As a result of Pittsburgh, gun control may become a priority voter issue for American Jews, who in consistent polling over recent cycles rank issues of welfare and pluralism at the top of their concerns. In the wake of a shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in 2016, talk of a wave of LGBT activism around gun control slowly faded. But the Jewish community, proud of its long memory, could react differently. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> What is sure is that the Jews of Pittsburgh, and those nationwide who stood in solidarity with them this week, will not consider Saturday’s massacre an event untethered from a deteriorating environment they squarely blame on the president. They have raised their voices and expressed their views that there is causation here. And that could well reflect in their votes next week, in swing districts and states that will determine the control of Congress. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Trouble-in-the-neighborhood-570911"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Fri, 02 Nov 2018 19:40:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6174 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6172 By Colum Lynch For many Democrats, Ron Dermer, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, this week swaggered across the invisible red line of American politics, positioning himself squarely on the side of the Republican Party in the final days of a hard-fought midterm election. Dermer defended President Donald Trump on charges that his anti-immigrant rhetoric may … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Colum Lynch </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For many Democrats, Ron Dermer, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, this week swaggered across the invisible red line of American politics, positioning himself squarely on the side of the Republican Party in the final days of a hard-fought midterm election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dermer defended President Donald Trump on charges that his anti-immigrant rhetoric may have indirectly incited the perpetrator of the largest mass killing of Jews on U.S. soil last Saturday in Pittsburgh. Anti-Semitism in America, Dermer said in an  <a href="https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/israeli-ambassador-dermer-talks-synagogue-shooting-trump-1355437123972?v=raila&amp;"> interview </a>  with MSNBC, is as much a result of left-wing activists pursuing a boycott of Israeli products as it is a result of right-wing American nationalism. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “I see a lot of bad people on both sides who attack Jews,” Dermer said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The remarks, according to several Democratic congressional staffers and partisans, represented the latest evidence that Israel’s right-wing government was openly throwing its lot in with Republicans. And that could be somewhat risky for Israel’s interests if, as most polls indicate, Democrats retake the House of Representatives on Tuesday. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The price is that Israel is not getting its message across to Democrats because they don’t have a trusted interlocutor,” one Democratic congressional aide said. The aide warned that Israel may face an “uphill battle” securing the House’s support in the event of some new unforeseen crisis. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Ron Klein, a former Florida congressman who chairs the Jewish Democratic Council of America, and other Democratic aides say that if they win the House, it is unlikely that there will be much of a change on core issues, including the more than $3.8 billion a year the United States spends in military assistance to Israel. Indeed, the Obama administration negotiated the aid package, which will result in more than $38 billion in assistance to Israel over the next decade. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “In Congress, Democrats, like Republicans, have always supported Israel, and that won’t change,” another Democratic congressional aide said. “With few exceptions, they have not been willing to publicly criticize Israeli policies, even when those policies are at odds with U.S. national interests.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> One area that may see a shift, according to Democratic congressional aides, is U.S. funding for humanitarian programs in East Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank. The United States cut nearly $600 million in annual funding for Palestinians, including about $350 million for a U.N. program that provides schooling and medical care for Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Democrats view the provision of aid as vital to preserving the prospects for peace between Israel and the Palestinians on a two-state solution. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “I think there would be a significant amount of pressure to reverse some of those cuts,” said Daniel Shapiro, who was the U.S. ambassador to Israel during the Obama administration. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Even so, the second Democratic congressional aide said, “It’s clear that the Netanyahu government has an alter ego in the White House. As a result, they seem to have concluded that they are best off attaching their horse to that wagon and not worrying about anybody else.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the past several years, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has steered the ruling Likud-led coalition government into a closer embrace of the Republican Party—and its base of evangelical Christians and older, conservative American Jewish supporters—at the expense of Democrats, these officials say, testing the limits of a long-standing tradition of bipartisan support for Israel. The strategy has resulted in a series of successes, including the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the cutoff of aid to Palestinians. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But it has also added to a list of Democratic grievances with Netanyahu’s government. Democrats have nursed resentment toward the Israeli prime minister ever since he addressed a Republican-controlled U.S. Congress in 2015 to attack President Barack Obama’s effort to negotiate a nuclear pact with Iran. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Those feelings have resurfaced in light of Dermer’s remarks, which were seen as providing political cover for a president facing allegations that his anti-immigrant rhetoric may have provided inspiration to an anti-Semitic assailant who allegedly slaughtered 11 Jews at a Pittsburgh synagogue known for helping to resettle refugees. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “His comments were a low blow for a lot of Dems,” the first Democratic congressional aide said. “I think it’s no secret that Dems don’t trust him and that he has shown himself to be a better ambassador for Trump than Trump has in Israel.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “I respectfully but strongly disagree with Ambassador Dermer,” added Klein, who knows the Florida-born Israeli diplomat well. “The masking by Donald Trump of anti-Semitic signals and messages cannot be ignored by Ron Dermer or anybody else.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Some analysts of the region say Netanyahu’s failure to manage relations with Democrats carries long-term risks. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “He is playing an incredibly dangerous game,” said Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, which receives funding from the United Arab Emirates and corporate donors. “It is very dumb to make Israel a partisan issue because the party in power changes and you risk losing support.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> American Jews—a traditional source of support for Israel—are expected to vote overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates, according to a  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-despite-trump-s-israel-policies-american-jews-to-vote-for-democrats-poll-finds-1.6569599"> survey </a>  conducted by the pollster Mark Mellman. According to the poll, which was commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute, 74 percent of Jewish respondents said they planned to vote for Democratic candidates. Only 26 percent planned to vote for Republicans. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new generation of Democratic  <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/07/us/politics/democrats-israel-palestinians.html"> candidates </a>  from New York to Detroit to Minnesota have expressed a willingness to break with Democratic Party orthodoxy, questioning Israel’s moral authority in its struggles with the Palestinians and calling for an end to military aid. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “It is used to be—10, 15, even five years ago—that you had to leave the Democratic Party to offer strong criticism of the Israeli occupation,” Ibish said. “The Bernie [Sanders] wing, while not against the special relationship, is very critical of the occupation, and it’s still very much in the party.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But with Democrats facing the prospect of a return to power in the House, party leaders have been attempting to dispel any suggestion that they are seeking payback against an Israeli leader they believe has embraced the Republican Party at their expense. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The narrative suggesting a deep “fracture” between the Democrats and Israel is “overblown,” said the second Democratic congressional aide. The aide, who spoke like other staffers on condition of anonymity, conceded that there may have been some residual “bad blood” over Netanyahu’s decision to denounce Obama’s Iran nuclear deal before the U.S. Congress. But “at the end of the day, the folks in our caucus who are strong supporters of Israel tend to believe the relationship is bigger than the personalities at any given time,” the aide said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In recent weeks, Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer—an outspoken supporter of Trump’s decision to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem—and other party leaders have sought to counter reports that a new wave of progressive Democrats will turn the party away from Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Senate Democrats are very strongly pro-Israel and will remain that way,” Schumer  <a href="http://jewishinsider.com/14559/daily-kickoff-ayelet-shaked-profiled-in-the-atlantic-nyt-features-neri-oxman-schumer-emails-to-defend-dems-on-israel-leonard-cohens-the-flame/"> told </a>  the  <em> Jewish Insider </em>  last month, adding that he intended to push for legislation opposing the movement to boycott companies that do business with Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The liberal pro-Israel lobby J Street, which has endorsed scores of Democratic candidates in the House and Senate races, has distanced itself from candidates who have questioned the core pillars of the Democratic platform on the Middle East, including a commitment to a two-state solution. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In August, J Street withdrew its endorsement from Rashida Tlaib, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, who has vowed to support a cut in military assistance to Israel. Tlaib, who appears all but certain to take the House seat in Dearborn, Michigan, will be one of the first Muslim women to serve in Congress. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Klein said progressive critics of Israel, including Tlaib, represented a small minority in the Democratic Party. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Is she going to change Congress and change the national conversation [about Israel]? I don’t think so,” he said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/11/02/netanyahu-envoy-throws-midterm-lifeline-to-republicans/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Fri, 02 Nov 2018 19:38:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6172 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6170 By Stewart Ain The belief by many Jews that President Donald Trump was insensitive in his response to the mass murders in a Pittsburgh synagogue last Shabbat may help galvanize Jewish voters in Florida to get out the vote for Democrats in Tuesday’s midterm elections. That’s the belief of Halie Soifer, executive director of the Jewish … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Stewart Ain </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The belief by many Jews that President Donald Trump was insensitive in his response to the mass murders in a Pittsburgh synagogue last Shabbat may help galvanize Jewish voters in Florida to get out the vote for Democrats in Tuesday’s midterm elections. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That’s the belief of Halie Soifer, executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, who told The Jewish Week that a poll of Jewish Democrats in early October found that 70 percent disapprove of Trump’s handling of anti-Semitism, a figure that she believes has likely increased after the synagogue murders. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “All signs indicate that that number is even higher in the aftermath of this event and a widespread recognition in the Jewish community that Donald Trump’s dangerous rhetoric — which has emboldened neo-Nazis, white supremacists and anti-Semites — has contributed to this problem,” she said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But Ronald Krongold, a board member of the Republican Jewish Coalition, said he does not believe Trump — whose first comment to reporters after the shooting was that had the synagogue had an armed guard the “results would have been far better” — was insensitive. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “He has a Jewish son-in-law and daughter and Jewish grandchildren,” he said. “He certainly was sensitive to what happened in Pittsburgh. We should be concentrating on the anti-Semitic act. This is only one of a number of anti-Semitic acts that have occurred going back years. … Jews should be talking about anti-Semitism and not trying to win an election by beating up on President Trump.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Ron Klein, chairman of the JDCA, said Trump has made himself an issue in the midterms because he has told Republican rallies, “I’m not on the ticket, but I am on the ticket because this is also a referendum on me.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “In a close election like this, anything could happen,” Klein said. “We’re talking of a relatively small number of undecideds. … It could be a Jewish vote that is mad about Pittsburgh and the pipe bombs that were sent from here in Florida to [Jewish billionaire George] Soros and others. There is definitely a lot of anxiety in the Jewish community and whether that motivates them to come out and vote, we will see. We think it will.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Polls for statewide races for governor and the U.S. Senate are so close that they are considered toss-ups by Real Clear Politics. With one week before Election Day, Democrat Andrew Gillum had a three-point lead over Republican Ron DeSantis in the gubernatorial race, and Democrat Bill Nelson was ahead of Rick Scott by just two points. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Florida is so closely divided that a ‘blue wave’ by the Democrats would mean a win by only two or three points,” said Joshua Scacco, assistant professor in the communications department at the University of Florida. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “We have two known quantities in Scott [the current governor] and Nelson [the incumbent senator] and the polls have them deadlocked,” Scacco said. “For many we are no longer in the persuasion but mobilization part of the campaign. Republicans and Democrats are pretty evenly split in the state and [one week before Election Day] more Republicans than Democrats have voted. Early voting started here last week and so far more than three million votes have been cast, with 60,000 more Republicans voting than Democrats.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Because both elections are so close, the Jewish vote “could be pivotal,” according to Kevin Wagner, a professor and chairman of the Political Science Department at Florida Atlantic University. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “That’s the reason both Gillum and DeSantis are aggressively supporting Israel and the reason DeSantis went to Israel for the opening of the American Embassy in Jerusalem,” Wagner said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Gillum, the current mayor of Tallahassee, is being labeled by DeSantis as a “radical” who has “anti-Semites around him” due to his association with the Miami-based social justice organization the Dream Defenders.  One TV ad by the Republican Governors Association claims the Dream Defenders supports open borders and that its website calls police racists who have no place in society. And DeSantis has said the group compared Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to an “apartheid system.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But Gillum has a whole section on his website devoted to his ties to Israel through an 11-year sister city partnership between Tallahassee and the Israeli city of Ramat HaSharon, and he has made several trips to Israel over the years. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “I don’t think there would be a candidate in Florida who would run on a statewide platform who would be anti-Israel,” said Wagner. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The gubernatorial election got off to a rocky start when DeSantis, in a Fox News interview immediately after his primary win, suggested that voters should not “monkey this up” by electing Gillum, who would be the state’s first black governor.  He said later that his remark had “zero to do with race.” And Florida voters have twice been hit with racist robocalls from an Idaho-based white supremacist group. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “It’s difficult to know how widespread” the calls are, said Oren Segal, director of the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism. “We heard from a Jewish institution that it received a call, but is unclear how many people have received them. It is not a very expensive tactic to employ. … It’s possible some people realize it is not legitimate, but others might not. But the impact of picking up a phone and hearing somebody in a minstrel voice making racist and anti-Semitic comments is still a concern for those who receive it.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Those receiving the call hear jungle sounds and chimpanzee noises in the background as a man says: “Well, hello there! I is the Negro, Andrew Gillum, and I be askin’ you to make me governor of this here state of Florida.” At one point, the speaker claims “it was the Jews who owned the slave trade” and that Jews will be “puttin’ Negroes in charge over the white folks.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The call concludes: “All the Jews gon’ vote me, Andrew Gillum, governor of this here state of Florida.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> DeSantis denounced the calls, saying through a spokesman: “This is absolutely appalling and disgusting — and hopefully whoever is behind this has to answer for this despicable action.”  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Segal said this is “just one of many tactics in which technology is used to spread and promote hatred at a time where there is divisive political discourse and hate is in the news every day. This underscores this moment in which we are living.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> He added that similar racist calls have been used in other parts of the country to support candidates who hold anti-Semitic views. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The goals of the calls are to create fear and anxiety in those communities by leveraging political campaigns or news events to spread anti-Semitism, racism and bigotry,” Segal added. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Susan MacManus, professor emeritus in the Department of Government and International Affairs at the University of South Florida, said she received one of the robocalls and quickly hung up “thinking it was a joke. I think every media got one [of the calls].” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Soifer said the JDCA has endorsed 58 senatorial and congressional candidates in the midterm election but that it is “investing more heavily in Florida than anywhere else in the country. We are buying digital and print ads. We know that people under the age of 65 spend two hours a day on their phones on average, so we are contacting people where they get their information. And we have coupled that with print ads in Jewish newspapers, including election supplements.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> She noted that a national poll of 800 Jewish voters taken earlier this month by the JDCA’s Jewish Electorate Institute found that 74 percent of them were supporting Democratic candidates and that 68 percent of those identify as Democrats. That means that the other 6 percent, Soifer said, are either Republicans or independents “because of the overwhelming rejection of Trump’s policies in the Jewish community.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> MacManus agreed that the “Jewish vote in Florida is still solidly Democratic. There have been some inroads, but Gillum will get the Jewish vote. The Jewish mayor of Miami Beach is totally in support of Gillum, and several rabbis have come out for him. … The older you are, the more you vote a straight ticket.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> One issue DeSantis has raised is “how Gillum is going to pay for all the things he wants to do, like Medicare for all, a $15 minimum wage, and a $50,000 minimum salary for teachers,” MacManus said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But Barney Loiter, 77, of Boca Raton, said he is voting for Gillum because “I like the way he communicates and his focus on the issues. He is also attacking the Republican rationale for how they do things.” <br/> Asked about Israel, Loiter said he is concerned that “as more progressives get into the mainstream of the Democratic Party it will become an issue – but I have not been able to grapple with that yet. … The Republicans do better on Israel, but it is not a litmus test for me. A lot of my support for the Democratic Party is party-oriented as opposed to specifics about the individuals.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Audrey Atlas, 84, of Boca Raton, said she will be voting a straight Republican ticket. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The economy is wonderful, the unemployment rate is fabulous, the administration has eased restrictions on businesses and has created an atmosphere of confidence going forward,” she said. “I have not seen anything like this in this country in many, many years.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Similarly, Lee Fogel, 90, also of Boca Raton, said he plans to vote for DeSantis because “he seems straight forward as opposed to the mayor of a town that is plagued by crime. They had more killings there [Tallahassee] than ever, and if he [Gillum] can’t control his city, how is he going to control the state?” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/jewish-vote-could-be-pivotal-in-closely-watched-florida-races/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Thu, 01 Nov 2018 19:34:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6170 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6168 By Eugene Scott Anti-Semitism hadn’t occupied a large share of headlines in the campaign before Saturday’s Pittsburgh synagogue shooting that left 11 Jewish people dead. But in the week ahead of the midterms, some of the nearly 60 Jewish congressional candidates — believed to be among the largest number in history — are pivoting to discuss the … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Eugene Scott </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Anti-Semitism hadn’t occupied a large share of headlines in the campaign before Saturday’s Pittsburgh synagogue shooting that left 11 Jewish people dead. But in the week ahead of the midterms, some of the nearly 60 Jewish congressional candidates —  <a href="https://forward.com/news/405271/jews-congress-democratic-midterm-bluewave/"> believed to be among the largest number in history </a>  — are pivoting to discuss the topic that has drawn attention since the tragedy. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Of course, anti-Semitism isn’t new, but something has recently changed, Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D.-Calif.) told The Fix: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “It has always been there, but I think what happened and changed in the last year and a half has allowed some of the most disturbed elements to take it to the next level and to step up, and that’s kind of frightening. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “And the present administration has certainly not helped by polarizing us and putting us into camps,” he added. The Trump administration “just has unleashed some of these forces that were there all the time. It’s not the cause of it, but we certainly need a much less toxic environment now.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This is not the first time anti-Semitism has entered the national conversation since the last election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> After white supremacists defending Confederate memorials marched in Charlottesville in August 2017, chanting, “Jews will not replace us,” President Trump appeared to minimize their words and actions by calling them “very fine people.” But the Pittsburgh shooting is believed to be the most deadly act of anti-Semitism on U.S. soil in history.How anti-Semitism persists in the United States </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Post-Holocaust prejudice against the Jews still remains — and it’s just one aspect of religious and racial tensions in modern America. (Allie Caren/The Washington Post) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As concerns grow about rising anti-Semitism, and what critics see as Trump’s role in the problem, some Jewish lawmakers appeared willing to generally call out hateful acts without addressing the harmful rhetoric, especially among those on their political team, that may have spurred it. This was the case even among those conservatives running for seats that they are certainly sure to win — and thus a reminder that avoiding an attack on Trump, no matter what, is seen as the wisest political strategy for some Republicans. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> After Trump blamed “both sides” — white nationalists and counterprotesting activists — for the deadly violence during the 2017 protest in Charlottesville, many Jewish lawmakers condemned Trump’s comments. But Rep. Lee Zeldin (R.-N.Y.), a Trump supporter, defended the president’s response. He told the Times of Israel: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “I would add, though, that it is not right to suggest that President Trump is wrong for acknowledging the fact that criminals on both sides showed up for the purpose of being violent. That particular observation is completely true.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish lawmakers have been among both Trump’s biggest critics and supporters — with those on the left being critical and Republicans generally supporting him. While some, like Zeldin, have aligned themselves closely with the president due to his stances on Israel and illegal immigration, others such as Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) have frequently appeared on cable television to challenge the president’s rhetoric toward minority groups along with his relationship with leaders of Russia, North Korea and other countries. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But if the pushback against Trump in this cultural moment seems particularly hard, perhaps it is because so many lawmakers on the left seem more willing to tie Trump’s rhetoric to the actions of the massacre suspect, Robert Bowers. This is not all that surprising considering how Jewish Americans historically vote, especially in the most recent election, when more than 7 in 10 Jewish voters  <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/11/09/how-the-faithful-voted-a-preliminary-2016-analysis/"> chose </a>  Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The president’s doubling down on his rhetoric in the days following the tragedy may put the Jewish lawmakers who consistently support him on the defensive as they try to explain their support for Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Responses from Republican Jewish lawmakers and candidates steered away from attacking Trump and more generally spoke out against hate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But many of those on the left did not shy away from addressing the culture that they say the president has stoked — and that anti-Semitic groups were drawn to — since the earliest days of his campaign. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish vote could be crucial in some races in the midterm elections. According to the Jewish Electorate Institute, nearly 3 in 4 Jewish Americans plan to vote for Democrats next week. The impact this will ultimately have on the midterms, and perhaps more importantly, the new Congress’s approach to anti-Semitism and the hate crimes that accompany it, could be important. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) told The Fix that we could see some Americans frustrated with Trump’s response vote for Democrats this fall as a protest against Trump. He said: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The president is supposed to be the symbol of a united grieving nation. That’s not Donald Trump’s strong suit, and political experts will tell you that anything that diminishes the president’s job approval ratings diminishes his party’s election results,” he said. “Being the consoler in chief, being the person that rises above our divisions — that’s not an area where Donald Trump gets a lot of high approval ratings.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But until then, what seems to be clear is that Jewish lawmakers are moving America’s growing problem with anti-Semitism to the center as the culture wars continue beyond next week’s election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/11/01/jewish-congressional-candidates-put-focus-anti-semitism-final-days-before-midterms/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Thu, 01 Nov 2018 19:30:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6168 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6166 By Michael Yadov In a report published on October 16, 2018, The Mellman Group provided a summary of its survey results of political preferences of American Jews. The survey was conducted on behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute. The respondents of the survey were screened for Jewish identity and likely participation in the November 2018 general election. … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Michael Yadov </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In a  <a href="http://mellmangroup.com/new-poll-trumps-israel-policies-dont-sway-most-us-jews/"> report published </a>  on October 16, 2018, The Mellman Group provided a summary of its survey results of political preferences of American Jews. The survey was conducted on behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute. The respondents of the survey were screened for Jewish identity and likely participation in the November 2018 general election. While many parts of the report may not be surprising, those that relate to Israel are quite instructive and if true, are concerning. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> What did the survey teach us about the American Jewish perspective on Israel? We learned that 92 percent consider themselves pro-Israel. In nominal terms, this is an overwhelming show of support. However, just 52% of the respondents said that a candidate’s support for Israel is at least “very important” to them. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> To provide some context, Israel’s 52% ranked far below the Supreme Court (90%), economy and jobs (87%), universal healthcare (83%), and “making taxes more fair” (80%). While individuals are entitled to their own political priorities, it is instructive that for nearly a half of the respondents (most of whom consider themselves pro-Israel), Israel does not qualify as “very important.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> With this in mind, it is reasonable to question the meaning of being “pro-Israel” in political terms for a significant part of American Jewry. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey also provides insight with regard to Jewish perception of President Trump vis-à-vis Israel. As of this time, from an Israeli perspective, the Trump administration has objectively acted as the friendliest American administration toward Israel. In many ways, the Trump administration has changed the paradigm from prior administrations. Some examples of the Administration’s paradigm-changing policies toward Israel include the relocation of the embassy to Jerusalem, the pullout from the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), tireless support for Israel in the UN by Nikki Haley, taking UNRWA to task for its corruption and hypocrisy, and even notable changes to the annual State Department report about the Territories. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Given all of the above, it is reasonable to expect the vast majority of the Jews who surveyed as supportive of Israel to give President Trump credit at least for his handling of US-Israeli relations. Being objective, “pro-Israel” Jewish voters who do not like President Trump could disagree with the President on every other issue, however they would need to give him credit for a substantial improvement in US-Israeli relations after the Obama fiasco (e.g. failure to veto United Nations Security Council resolution 2334). However, only 35% of those who disagree with President Trump overall, approve of his handling of US-Israel relations. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A form of horn effect cognitive bias may be present; as the respondents already dislike President Trump, they appear incapable of giving him credit even when it is warranted. And so, only 51% of the surveyed respondents approve of the President even on this seemingly straight forward matter. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Furthermore, only 6% of Jewish voters said that President Trump’s Israel policy will influence them enough to consider voting for him despite disagreements on other issues. Another 20% support the President’s Israel policies, but say that they disagree with him on too many “important issues” to consider voting for him. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> At the same time, former President Obama enjoys a 72% approval rating despite his often-adversarial relations with Israel. The message this sends to the political candidates is that Israel is only a marginally important issue for a significant number of Jewish voters, and thus political gains could be made by leveraging Israel to placate the anti-Israel crowd. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Interestingly, it appears that for many Jewish voters any policy supported by the Democratic party vis-à-vis Israel is considered “pro-Israel” regardless of the policy’s perception in Israel or its actual impact. As an example, in the survey, 56% of the respondents disapprove of the relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem and 70% do not approve of the President’s handling of the Iran nuclear deal. It is safe to say that the vast majority of Israelis are firmly in favor of President Trump’s position on these issues. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Hence it is apparent that many American Jews may feel fondness for Israel, but do not have sufficient respect for the people of Israel to determine what is good for Israel. As such, many American Jews appear unwilling or incapable to appreciate as pro-Israel a policy that is supported by the clear majority of Israelis if this policy does not align with their own political identity. In this perspective of at least some American Jews we can observe a degree of colonialist condescension aimed against the Israelis. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Regardless of its intent, The Mellman Group study shows that most American Jews do not appear to have a strong enough political interest in Israel to have it influence their vote. For a significant portion of the population, Israel does not even constitute an important political consideration. Many American Jews appear to lack a local perspective when assessing American policy with regard to Israel, and uniformly identify with their party’s policies as best for American-Israeli relations. In doing so, American Jews tend to discount the Israeli perspective and do not fully appreciate Israeli democracy. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Lastly, it would seem hypocritical for a significant portion of American Jewry to complain that Israeli leadership should take their subjective political views into account, while they disregard the views of Israelis (notably on issues of national security), and while they admittedly do not consider Israel an important enough issue on the spectrum of their own political priorities. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://en.mida.org.il/2018/10/31/american-jews-support-israel-but-do-they-really-care/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 31 Oct 2018 19:28:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6166 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6163 By Felicia Schwartz Israel’s minister for the Jewish diaspora defended President Trump from criticism related to the Pittsburgh shooting, calling it unfair and wrong to associate him with the weekend massacre. The closeness between Israel’s conservative government and the Trump administration has exacerbated a rift between Israel and many American Jews, a majority of whom … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Felicia Schwartz </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Israel’s minister for the Jewish diaspora defended President Trump from criticism related to the Pittsburgh shooting, calling it unfair and wrong to associate him with <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/pittsburgh-mourners-remember-family-doctor-two-gentle-giants-1540927400?mod=searchresults&amp;page=1&amp;pos=2&amp;mod=article_inline&amp;mod=article_inline"> the weekend massacre </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The closeness between Israel’s conservative government and the Trump administration has exacerbated a rift between Israel and many American Jews, a majority of whom belong to liberal streams of Judaism, known as the Conservative and Reform movements. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Many American Jews have criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for its policies and for their official exclusion by the Israeli Rabbinate, which controls issues such as the governing of holy places and religious conversion. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Any attempt to blame President Trump for this horrific attack is simply wrong and unfair,” the diaspora minister, Naftali Bennett, told The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. “President Trump has shown to be a great friend of Israel and the Jewish people.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Mr. Bennett traveled to the U.S. to offer support and assistance to America’s Jewish community after the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue on Saturday, in which 11 people were killed. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Mr. Trump has been blamed for emboldening extremists with his rhetoric, and Pittsburgh officials and some American Jews had urged him to cancel <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-mourns-pittsburgh-shooting-victims-as-some-protest-1540943036?mod=article_inline"> a trip to Pittsburgh on Tuesday </a> , where he visited the temple and a hospital. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Marchers in a public protest during the visit carried signs reading “No place for hate” and “We do bridges not walls.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Some critics say Mr. Trump’s comments while in office, including blaming both sides last year for violence during a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, have contributed to an atmosphere in which anti-Semitic attacks in the U.S. are on the rise. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump administration officials have pushed back on the notion that Mr. Trump has stoked extremism. His aides have noted that his daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren are Jewish. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Mr. Netanyahu encouraged unity among the Jewish community in the wake of the shooting. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Jews were killed in a synagogue. They were killed because they are Jews. The location was chosen because it is a synagogue. We must never forget that. We are one,” he said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Mr. Trump is overwhelmingly popular in Israel, owing to policy decisions including moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and declaring it Israel’s capital. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But such moves haven’t garnered similar favor with American Jews: 74% of American Jews plan to vote for Democrats in the coming midterm elections and 75% disapprove of Mr. Trump’s policies, according to a recent poll conducted by American polling firm the Mellman group on behalf of the nonpartisan Jewish Electorate Institute. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In an illustration of tensions between generally more liberal Jews in America and those in Israel, Israel’s Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau on Sunday referred to the site of the Pittsburgh shooting as “a place of prominent Jewish character,” rather than a synagogue, in an interview with Mashor Rikon, a right-wing Israeli weekly. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Ahead of Mr. Trump’s visit, more than 35,000 people signed an open letter to Mr. Trump from leaders of a Pittsburgh-based progressive Jewish group, which said the president wouldn’t be welcome unless he denounced white nationalism and stopped targeting minorities. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Other members of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community welcomed Mr. Trump, telling him in a letter that “your support of Israel and American Jewry is appreciated, especially in the face of the virulent anti-Semitism our community suffered just days ago.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said in Tel Aviv on Wednesday that Jews must not be divided by the Pittsburgh massacre. “We can never allow ourselves to be divided over the pointless exercise of assigning blame to anyone but the killer himself,” he said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Mr. Trump said on Twitter Wednesday that he and his wife were treated very nicely during their Tuesday visit and that they didn’t see any protesters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> —Dov Lieber contributed to this article. </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/israeli-minister-calls-it-unfair-to-link-trump-with-synagogue-shooting-1541015663?mod=rsswn"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 31 Oct 2018 19:26:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6163 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6160 By Alexander Griffing U.S. President Donald Trump has long been dogged by accusations that he stokes anti-Semitism both by the language and references he uses and by hiring and embracing figures who actively promote a hyper-nationalist, racist and discriminatory agenda for the United States. This accusation took on a whole new relevance in the wake … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Alexander Griffing </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> U.S. President Donald Trump has long been dogged by accusations that he stokes anti-Semitism both by the language and references he uses and by hiring and embracing figures who actively promote a hyper-nationalist, racist and discriminatory agenda for the United States. This accusation took on a whole new relevance in the wake of the attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh on Saturday, in which a white nationalist killed 11 congregants during a baby naming ceremony. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump closed his winning 2016 presidential campaign  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/trump-s-last-campaign-ad-has-anti-semitic-overtones-1.5457546"> with an ad that many observers </a>  slammed as blatantly anti-Semitic. In his first month in office Trump again sparked scandal when <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/01/27/trump-fails-mention-jews-holocaust-remembrance-statement/97150252/">  the White House left out  </a> any mention of Jews while marking Holocaust Remembrance Day. After topping off a campaign littered with dozens of such incidents, the accusations surrounding Trump and anti-Semitism reached a boiling point at his first solo press conference in February 2017, where, responding to a question about recent threats to Jewish centers across the country and rising anti-Semitism, Trump declared, “I am the least anti-Semitic person that you’ve ever seen in your entire life.”skip – Trump: ‘I Am The Least Anti-Semitic Person’ </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The day before that press conference,  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-donald-trump-1.5599319"> Trump  </a> hosted a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu where he was also pressed to address rising anti-Semitism in America. Trump answered, “As far as people – Jewish people – so many friends, a daughter, a son-in-law, and three beautiful grandchildren. I think that you’re going to see a lot different United States of America over the next three, four, or eight years. I think a lot of good things are happening, and you’re going to see a lot of love. You’re going to see a lot of love. OK? Thank you.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> After Trump responded, Netanyahu came to his aide saying,“I think we can put that to rest,” despite the fact that  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/trump-sidesteps-anti-semitism-question-netanyahu-springs-to-his-defense-1.5435775"> Trump never used the word  </a> “anti-Semitism.” Trump’s daughter Ivanka is a convert to Judaism and married into an Orthodox Jewish family. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the campaign ad that  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/trump-s-last-campaign-ad-has-anti-semitic-overtones-1.5457546"> Trump released back </a>  on November 5th, 2016, four villains are blamed for the problems the everyday American is facing – which Trump promised to fix as apart of his “make America great again” pitch for the presidency. Those villains were Hillary Clinton, George Soros (financier and philanthropist), Janet Yellen (then Fed Chair) and Lloyd Blankfein (Goldman Sachs CEO). Three out of the four are Jewish.skip – Donald Trump’s Argument For America </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As Soros and Yellen come onto the screen in the ad, the narrator says, “The establishment has trillions of dollars at stake in this election. For those who control the levers of power in Washington and for the global special interests. They partner with these people who don’t have your good in mind.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In August 2017, Trump stunned the nation when he declared that “both sides” were culpable for violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which claimed the life of a counterprotester. A torchlit march that preceded the day of violence featured white supremacists chanting “Jews will not replace us.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump later clarified his original remarks and openly condemned the white nationalists. However, veteran journalist  <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/04/politics/woodward-book-trump-charlottesville/index.html"> Bob Woodward wrote </a>  in his recent book “Fear,” that Trump felt, “That was the biggest fucking mistake I’ve made. You never make those concessions. You never apologize. I didn’t do anything wrong in the first place. Why look weak?” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The book put Bob Woodward in the Trump family’s crosshairs and resulted in an additional anti-Semitism scandal for the Trump clan when Eric Trump, the president’s youngest son, said of some of the claims in the book, that “It’ll mean you sell three extra books, you make three extra shekels.” Using the word “shekel” is a long-standing anti-Semitic trope going back to Judas’ betrayal of Jesus in the New Testament. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish journalist Julia Ioffe’s April 27 profile of Melania Trump in GQ irked the first lady enough that she tweeted criticism of it calling it, “another example of the dishonest media and their disingenuous reporting” and that Ioffe had “provoked” the deluge of anti-Semitic hate online that followed the publication of the profile, including from the neo-Nazi website Daily Stormer, which urged its followers to “go ahead and send her [Ioffe] a tweet and let her know what you think of her dirty kike trickery.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Jews funding immigration </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Last week both Soros and Clinton were sent bombs in the mail by a Trump supporter who targeted almost a dozen Democrats and CNN – the news network Trump often singles out as “fake news” and as an “enemy of the people.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, who invited a Holocaust denier to this year’s State of the Union address, posted a video on Twitter this month which shows people in Guatemala being handed money. Gaetz, without citing evidence, suggested in the Tweet that Soros was funding a migrant caravan headed towards the U.S. He wrote on Twitter, “BREAKING: Footage in Honduras giving cash 2 women &amp; children 2 join the caravan &amp; storm the US border @ election time. Soros? US-backed NGOs? Time to investigate the source!” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump tweeted the exact same video a day later, writing, “Can you believe this, and what Democrats are allowing to be done to our Country?”skip – 15 </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The gunman in Pittsburgh, Robert Bowers, who yelled “All Jews must die” before opening fire, made anti-Semitic comments online and <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/why-the-tree-of-life-shooter-was-fixated-on-the-hebrew-immigrant-aid-society">  expressed anger at a Jewish group </a>  which helped refugees.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Bowers wrote on an alt-right social media platform, that “HIAS likes to bring invaders that kill our people. I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics. I’m going in.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> HIAS is an American nonprofit organization that provides humanitarian aid and assistance to refugees.  Another post from Bowers that apparently referred to HIAS read, “Open you Eyes! It’s the filthy evil jews Bringing the Filthy evil Muslims into the Country!!” Bower’s massacre of worshippers is the deadliest attack on a Jewish community in American history and his motive as of now appears to be a white supremacist driven hate of Jews and his belief that the Jewish community aids refugees and immigrants entering the U.S. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Bower’s summed this up in post he made weeks before the shooting, “There is no #maga as long as there is a kike infestation.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Ungrateful </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In December 2015, Trump again waded into anti-Semitic waters when he said in a speech addressing the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), “You’re not going to support me because I don’t want your money,” adding, “Is there anyone in this room who doesn’t negotiate deals? Probably more than any room I’ve ever spoken.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> However, despite his claim at the RJC that he is above transactional politics, Trump in September of this year seemed to complain that the U.S. Jewish community was not more grateful after Trump moved the U.S. Embassy, in a ceremony which included Pastor Robert Jeffress who believes “Jews are going to hell,”  from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A report from the Jewish People Policy Institute, a Jerusalem-based think tank, in September quoted a White House official who claimed the move should have generated praise from within the Jewish community, but that Trump is treated unfairly. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “We can take justified criticism, but if Obama had transferred the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, the American Jewish community would have been united in applauding him!” the official said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Earlier this month, Mark Mellman, who once ran Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid campaign in 2015,  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-despite-trump-s-israel-policies-american-jews-to-vote-for-democrats-poll-finds-1.6569599"> published a poll  </a> with the Jewish Electorate Institute that found roughly seventy-five percent of Jewish Americans plan to vote for the Democrats in the midterm elections, with only a quarter voting Republican. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Additionally, Fifty-six percent polled said they disapprove of the embassy move, while only 44 percent said they approved. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Growing anti-Semitism </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/anti-semitic-online-attacks-spike-ahead-of-u-s-midterms-adl-says-1.6594984"> new report released Friday  </a> by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) found far-right extremists have increased an intimidating wave of anti-Semitic harassment against Jewish journalists, political candidates and others public figures of next month’s U.S. midterm elections. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> ADL researchers analyzed more than 7.5 million Twitter messages from Aug. 31 to Sept. 17 and found nearly 30 percent of the accounts repeatedly tweeting derogatory terms about Jews appeared to be automated “bots.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The study also found a “surprising” abundance of tweets referencing “QAnon,” a right-wing conspiracy theory that started on an online message board and has been spread by Trump supporters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “There are strong anti-Semitic undertones, as followers decry George Soros and the Rothschild family as puppeteers,” researchers wrote. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump, who has been pushing his “America first,” anti-globalist message since announcing his campaign in 2015, took the unprecedented step last Monday of outright declaring, “I am a nationalist.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “A globalist is a person that wants the globe to do well, frankly, not caring about our country so much. And you know what? We can’t have that,” Trump said at a rally in Houston. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “You know, they have a word – it’s sort of became old-fashioned – it’s called a nationalist. And I say, really, we’re not supposed to use that word. You know what I am? I’m a nationalist, okay? I’m a nationalist. Nationalist. Nothing wrong. Use that word. Use that word.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump’s rhetoric helped him win in 2016 by whipping up his base and energizing voters. His rallies have become a central feature of his presidency and while he may say he is “the least anti-Semitic” and “least racist person” ever – his rhetoric has reshaped the Republican Party and deeply divided Americans. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> From Virginia to California, the Republican Party has an unprecedented  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-nazis-in-america-meet-the-worst-candidates-in-u-s-midterms-1.6111755"> amount of white supremacists and Neo-Nazis on the ballot </a>  this year. The GOP has actively worked to both distance and remove some of these candidates off the ballot in some cases, while unhappily accepting them in others. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In Virginia, Republican Corey Stewart is running for the U.S. Senate as a self-described neo-Confederate, championing a “take back our heritage” platform. In Illinois, Arthur Jones, a candidate for the state’s 3rd Congressional district boasts of his membership in the American Nazi Party. Anti-Semitic GOP candidate, John Fitzgerald, made it through his open primary and will appear on the ballot in California’s 11th Congressional District. Fitzgerald’s campaign has urged to “end the Jewish takeover of America.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> The Associated Press contributed to this article </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/trump-pittsburgh-the-jews-and-anti-semitism-a-dangerous-double-game-1.6601063"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 31 Oct 2018 19:23:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6160 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6158 By Gabe Kahn When you consider that the five panelists hit upon so many of the topics that have been suggested as possible causes of the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh — immigration, anti-Semitism, the president’s penchant for making inflammatory statements — it’s hard to believe the discussion took place two days … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Gabe Kahn </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When you consider that the five panelists hit upon so many of the topics that have been suggested as possible causes of the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh — immigration, anti-Semitism, the president’s penchant for making inflammatory statements — it’s hard to believe the discussion took place two days before the tragedy occurred. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Last Thursday Clyde Haberman, Rabbi Jill Jacobs, Jeff Jacoby, Hailie Soifer, and Julian Zelizer appeared at the Center for Jewish History in New York City for a forum, “Jews, Politics, and the 2018 Midterm Elections.” Ostensibly the major discussion was to focus on whether the Jewish vote could tip the balance of the Nov. 6 contests, but it quickly shifted toward Donald Trump: Whether his rhetoric is a “dog whistle” cynically used to rally extremist groups, or even whether the president is, himself, anti-Semitic. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Yes, he’s got a Jewish son-in-law and now a Jewish daughter, and he’s moved the embassy in Israel,” acknowledged longtime New York Times reporter and columnist Haberman, the moderator and, of course, father of the prolific Times’ White House reporter, Maggie. On the other hand, he continued, so much of what Trump has said and done, including “speaking before Republican Jews and basically saying ‘You guys are good with money, just like me’… and he’s going to every single stereotype of the Jew with the grasping hands.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jacoby, a politically conservative Boston Globe columnist, sees Trump as “an ignoramus” who does not actively dislike Jews the way a clear anti-Semite such as Louis Farrakhan does. Rather, Jacoby  thinks the president is “sloppy” and “often strolls into repeating stereotypes because the person doesn’t know better.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University and a CNN political analyst, said Trump’s personal views are “irrelevant,” as he is intentionally stirring up extremist groups for the sake of securing their votes. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Even if I give you the benefit of the doubt and he’s either being sloppy or he doesn’t even believe it, it doesn’t matter because once he’s done that, you can’t contain it,” said Zelizer. “So if there’s a pipe bomb sent to George Soros, he had something to do with the path that led us there.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jacobs was willing to go further. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “If he uses the word ‘Globalist,’ you would think that once somebody points out that actually that’s code for Jews, somebody who’s not an anti-Semite would say, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know that, now I’m not going to use that again.’” Jacobs is executive director of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jacoby cautioned, however, against knee-jerk reactions to Trump’s policies. Some in the media, he said, favored certain policies, but “gradually moved against them” when the president voiced his support. “There are people who say moving the embassy must be a bad idea” because it was Trump’s. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Though the original subject matter of the forum was somewhat overshadowed by the debate about Trump and anti-Semitism, Soifer, the first executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America and former Obama Administration staffer, discussed a recent survey commissioned by the Council and conducted by the Jewish Electorate Institute. The poll found that despite Trump’s perceived friendliness toward Israel, 74 percent of Jews plan to vote for Democratic candidates in the midterms, largely because of their overwhelming disapproval — 75 percent — of the president. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Ultimately, we believe that the races will come down to a very narrow margin,” said Soifer. “So while the Jewish population is only 2 percent of the population as a whole, we know that we do vote, we’re a very important part of the electorate, and areas where the concentration of the Jewish population is largest are also very clearly aligned with those races for both the house and the senate that matter in the 2018 elections.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/trump-blame-game-plays-out-in-midterms-debate/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Tue, 30 Oct 2018 19:20:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6158 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6155 By Noga Tranopolsky Saturday’s mass shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue drew widespread expressions of outrage and sympathy from many countries struggling with a surge in anti-Semitic violence. But in Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel has a role in the fight against anti-Semitism, no matter where it occurs, official … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Noga Tranopolsky </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Saturday’s mass shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue drew widespread expressions of outrage and sympathy from many countries struggling with a surge in anti-Semitic violence. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But in Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel has a role in the fight against anti-Semitism, no matter where it occurs, official denouncements of the crime quickly devolved into a political squabble that reveals the growing rift between American Jews and the Jewish state. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life congregation hosts communities representing three streams of progressive Judaism. Most American Jews with a religious affiliation belong to one of those branches, butnone of the denominations is recognized as properly Jewish by Israel’s Orthodox religious authorities.And so the response to the shooting from Israel reflected some ambivalence — not about the victims, but about the Jewishness of the site. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Netanyahu quickly posted a video in which he said he was “heartbroken and appalled by the murderous attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But David Lau, Israel’s Ashkenazi chief rabbi, who is both a religious authority and a public servant, engaged in linguistic acrobatics so as to avoid referring to the site of the massacre as a synagogue, or Jewish house of worship. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Interviewed by an ultra-Orthodox newspaper, Lau said the victims “were killed because they were Jews … in a place that for the killer was a place of clear Jewish character.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Lau’s remarks sparked a firestorm, with opposition leaders calling on the government to break a decades-long unwritten agreement with ultra-Orthodox religious parties whereby other denominations of Judaism, principally the Reform and Conservative wings, have no legal standing. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> One result of that agreement is that Israel does not recognize the Jewishness of people who converted under the authority of progressive Jewish rabbis — a significant detail since Israel offers citizenship to all Jews. Also, the few Reform and Conservative congregations in Israel don’t qualify for public funding, as do Orthodox congregations, and their rabbis cannot perform officially sanctioned marriages or funerals. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Still, most Israelis were horrified by the shooting, and didn’t parse their grief. Yair Lapid, who hopes to replace Netanyahu as head of the centrist Yesh Atid party, tweeted, “If you are murdered because you are a Jew, then you are a Jew. The Conservative and Reform are our brothers. They are our family.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As Israel enters an election year, the country is fragmented by doctrinal rifts that seem only to worsen, and the breach between American Jewry and Israeli Jews has never been so acute. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Neither side seems inclined to paper over the gaps: Last week, the annual general assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America, hosted by Tel Aviv, was headlined: “We Need to Talk.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In one flashpoint in the conflict, Netanyahu last year buckled to ultra-Orthodox threats and broke a historic 2016 agreement brokered with progressive Jewish leaders to expand and upgrade an egalitarian area of the Western Wall plaza, which is run by state religious authorities. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But the differences are not limited to internal Jewish matters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Netanyahu’s embrace of far-right European leaders who have more than a nodding relationship with anti-Semitism has alienated American Jews and worried even some of his political allies in Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the last year, Netanyahu has enthusiastically welcomed to Jerusalem fellow right-wingers such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who campaigned for reelection by defaming the Hungarian-bornJewishAmerican  <a href="http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-hungary-soros-20180810-story.html" target="_blank"> billionaire George Soros </a> , and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who once famously  <a href="http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-duterte-hitler-israel-20180903-story.html" target="_blank"> compared himself to Adolf Hitler </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Netanyahu believes alliances with nationalistic leaders will buffer him from Western European criticism of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But no political friendship has proved as provocative or as problematic as the one Netanyahu has nurtured with President Trump, who has low levels of support among American Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A survey released last week by the Mellman Group and the Jewish Electorate Institute found that 23% of American Jews support Trump, and despite some enthusiasm for his pro-Israel policies, 74% plan on voting for his Democratic opponent in 2020 regardless of the candidate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Despite claims by some American Jews that Trump’s nationalistic and anti-immigrant stances are fueling anti-Semitism in the United States, Israel’s embrace of Trump only strengthened in the aftermath of the Pittsburgh massacre. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In an interview with MSNBC, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer praised the president for his denunciation of anti-Semitism. Asked whether Trump might have emboldened anti-Semites with some of his language — particularly his remarks last year that there were “fine people on both sides” when neo-Nazis marched in Charlottesville, Va. — Dermer said that while he didn’t agree with Trump’s statement, “The people we should blame for anti-Semitism is the anti-Semite.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> He also said: “I see a lot of people on both sides who attack Jews,” he said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “To simply say that this is because of one person, only comes on one side, is to not understand the history of anti-Semitism or the reality of anti-Semitism,” Dermer said. “One of the big forces in college campuses today is anti-Semitism. And those anti-Semites are usually not neo-Nazis, on college campuses. They’re coming from the radical left.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Dermer was the first person to greet Trump as he arrived at the Tree of Life Synagogue and he walked him into the building as if welcoming a foreign dignitary to Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> As protesters chanted “President hate, leave our state,” Naftali Bennett, Israel’s minister for diaspora affairs, whom Netanyahu dispatched to Pittsburgh in a show of solidarity one day after the massacre, posted a robust defense of Trump that appeared to criticize local Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “President Trump is a true friend of the state of Israel and to the Jewish people,” Bennett declared, adding that criticism of him was “unfair and wrong.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Bennett exemplifies the head-turning complexity of Israel’s reactions to the massacre in Pittsburgh. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> He leads the ultra-nationalist Jewish Home party, and is also a Netanyahu rival gearing up for elections in 2019. His base consists of religious supporters of Israeli West Bank settlements, who do not generally consider progressive Jews properly Jewish. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> With that in mind, Bennett on Sunday issued a carefully worded statement about “the shooting incident against the Jewish community in Pittsburgh,” avoiding the word “synagogue.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> After two days in Pittsburgh, and as the controversy in Israel expanded, Bennett acknowledged in an interview with The Times that “this was a brutal murder of Jews because they were Jews in a synagogue.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-israel-pittsburgh-rift-20181030-story.html"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Tue, 30 Oct 2018 19:16:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6155 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6152 By Jesse Bernstein Just over three quarters of American Jews have an unfavorable view of President Donald Trump, and 74 percent of them plan to vote for Democrats in next month’s midterm elections. That’s according to a new poll from The Jewish Electorate Institute, a new group founded by Jewish Democrats and released on Oct. … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Jesse Bernstein </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Just over three quarters of American Jews have an unfavorable view of President Donald Trump, and 74 percent of them plan to vote for Democrats in next month’s midterm elections. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That’s according to a new poll from The Jewish Electorate Institute, a new group founded by Jewish Democrats and released on Oct. 17. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Though those findings track with decades of prior data — Jews have largely voted Democrat since the beginning of the 20th century, and no Republican presidential candidate has ever bested the 43 percent of the Jewish electorate captured by Warren G. Harding’s 1920 campaign — other findings revealed some interesting tensions created by the Trump era. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Though 24 percent of the 800 respondents said they had a favorable view of Trump, 51 percent said they approved of the way he had handled U.S.-Israel relations. Forty-one ercent approved of the decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, and 6 percent said they’d consider voting for him based on his work on </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> U.S.-Israel relations alone, despite their other reservations about his time in office. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In addition, 64 percent said they believed the Democrats to be a “pro-Israel” party, and 84 percent of those identifying as Democrats also identified as “pro-Israel.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Israel policy is not going to win Republicans any votes in November,” said Hailie Soifer, executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Republican Jewish Coalition did not respond to several requests for comment. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll was conducted by The Mellman Group, which has polled for Democratic, Jewish and other groups. Board members of the Jewish Electoral Institute include Michael Gelman and Stuart Kurlander, who are members of the ownership group of Mid-Atlantic Media, which provides editorial services to the <em>  Jewish Exponent </em> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The issue of being “pro-Israel” had large internal factions: 32 percent described themselves as both pro-Israel and supportive of its policies; 35 percent said they’re supportive of Israel, but remain critical of some policies; and 24 percent responded that they were pro-Israel but critical of “many” policies. Just 3 percent said they were “generally not pro-Israel.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Health care was Trump’s worst-polling issue with the Jewish voters surveyed. Seventy-eight percent responded that they disapproved of the job he’d done thus far. Eighty-three percent listed “making quality affordable health care available to every American” as “very important” when it came to deciding how they vote. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> By contrast, 52 percent ranked Israel as “very important” to how they will vote.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> Jesse Bernstein is a staff writer for the Baltimore Jewish Times, an affiliated publication of the Jewish Exponent. </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="http://jewishexponent.com/2018/10/28/jewish-democrats-republicans-midterm-elections-trump/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Sun, 28 Oct 2018 19:14:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6152 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6150 We are puzzled why so much noise has been made about a recent poll showing that 75 percent of American Jewish voters are still Democrats. That statistic doesn’t strike us as terribly surprising, or newsworthy. Rather, it seems to be telling us what we already know. The poll, conducted by the Mellman Group for the … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> We are puzzled why so much noise has been made about a recent poll showing that 75 percent of American Jewish voters are still Democrats. That statistic doesn’t strike us as terribly surprising, or newsworthy. Rather, it seems to be telling us what we already know. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, conducted by the Mellman Group for the Jewish Electoral Institute, a new Democratic group, appears to be a pre-election reminder to rally the party’s Jews. That said, we suspect that if a group of Jewish Republicans were to conduct a similar poll, the results would be substantially the same. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The reason is clear. The vast majority of Jews fall into the centrist/liberal/progressive camp, and identify with the issues and culture of a large segment of the Democratic coalition. And while 92 percent say they support Israel, the Jewish state is not the only thing that drives their votes. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Asked to rate issues, 83 percent said health care was at least “very important,” 90 percent ranked the Supreme Court the same, and 84 percent said the same about safety net protections like Medicare and Social Security. In their basket of issues, 52 percent ranked Israel as “very important.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Israel has historically been a bipartisan issue. It has become less so in recent years, with many pointing to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to kill the Iran nuclear deal during the Obama administration as a turning point. Since then, Republican Jewish talking points have painted Democrats as increasingly anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian — as if one couldn’t be supportive of both sides. And then, President Donald Trump gave new life to the narrative, relocating the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and anointing himself the “most pro-Israel president.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Interestingly, the Jewish Electoral Institute poll found that only 25 percent of Jews approve of the job Trump is doing, even though 51 percent approve of the president’s Israel policies. This lends credence to the argument that what Republicans call Democrats cooling on Israel may actually be more of a commentary on the performance of the U.S. president — mixed in with concern about the Israeli prime minister. That explanation is borne out by the poll’s finding that 59 percent say they are comfortable supporting Israel and also criticizing its government. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> We view the picture painted by the poll as a healthy one. The American Jewish community is mature and can balance multiple issues without turning any one of them into a zero-sum game. They support both Israel and a diverse, inclusive America. And despite some disagreements on policy issues with Israel, they don’t want to abandon the Jewish state. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll also confirms that Israel isn’t the issue on which American Jews choose party affiliation. And that’s the way it should be.  <b> JN </b> </p> </div> Wed, 24 Oct 2018 19:12:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6150 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6145 By Chemi Shalev This year’s General Assembly (GA) of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) has already created more of a ruckus than any GA in recent memory – before it even started. The phrase “We need to talk,” which adorns the invitation to the GA and its slogan, carries a loaded punch. In … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Chemi Shalev </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This year’s General Assembly (GA) of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) has already created more of a ruckus than any GA in recent memory – before it even started. The phrase “We need to talk,” which adorns the invitation to the GA and its slogan, carries a loaded punch. In today’s popular culture, as Urban Dictionary says, “We need to talk” is “The preamble to the discussion that is generally followed by the ending of a relationship.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This was certainly not the intention of the JFNA copywriter who came up with the motto. But even if one interprets “We need to talk” in the most positive way possible, it still denotes serious disagreements that can no longer be ignored. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> To drive the point home, the GA organizers underscored the urgency of the situation by highlighting the stark differences of views between Israelis and American Jews. Given that in recent years the JFNA has gone out of its way to eradicate any hint of discord and has dedicated the agendas of successive GA’s to non-controversial – not to say boring – issues, such as fundraising and community organizing, this year’s GA is already a watershed event in the <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israel-s-rupture-with-american-jewry-evokes-biblical-story-of-cain-and-abel-1.6509519">  joint history of Israel and American Jews </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> A widening rift </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The writing has been on the wall for many years, but most American Jews preferred to look the other way, and Israelis, until recently at least, couldn’t care less. The two communities clung to the illusion that their joint support for Israel’s wellbeing was a virtual super-glue that would keep them bonded together, despite the built-in tensions in their mutual ties.  The two communities have thrived, but under radically different circumstances, the most important of which is this: American Jews are a minority who cherish equality and individual rights as a matter of principle and self-preservation. Israeli Jews constitute a majority who, in their perception, is under constant threat. Increasingly, the values that top the American Jewish agenda are seen as a threat to the existence of the Jewish state. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The rift between the two communities has been  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/there-s-a-crisis-between-israel-and-u-s-jewry-says-jewish-american-journalist-thomas-friedman-1.6492435"> widening for years </a> . One can argue about where and when it started – the 1977 election of Menachem Begin, the 1982 Lebanon War, the 1987 first Palestinian intifada or the 1995 assassination of Yitzhak Rabin – are all suitable candidates, but the trend itself is indisputable and unequivocal. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> American Jews have increasingly entrenched themselves in their liberalism, while Israeli Jews have been moving in the opposite direction, turning to the right, gradually at first and now with full speed ahead. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Historically, their period of united bliss – which, in retrospect, lasted no longer than a decade – could one day be seen as a brief encounter between two ships passing in the night. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The outbreak of open hostilities, after years of hiding internal tensions, was precipitated by the past two U.S. presidents and their interactions with Benjamin Netanyahu.  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-obama-s-legacy-through-the-eyes-of-u-s-jews-1.5485664"> Most American Jews adored Obama </a> . They were appalled by Netanyahu’s disdain for Obama and shocked by the Israeli prime minister’s willingness to challenge him openly, especially in his address to Congress on the Iran nuclear deal in March 2015. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump’s election reversed the situation, with similar consequences. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> ‘Israel’s guilt by association with Trump’ </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Most American Jews abhor Trump and are repelled by Netanyahu’s overeager courtship of the president and of his evangelical supporters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In and of themselves, the two communities’ divergent views of Obama and Trump reflect their different set of priorities. For American Jews, Obama’s liberal credentials outweighed his policies on Israel, which many viewed as sufficiently pro-Israel anyway. For most Israeli Jews, Trump’s perceived backing for Israeli policies overrides his reactionary domestic policies and controversial conduct, which far too many Israelis admire anyway. Both communities were dismayed and disappointed by what they perceived as the other’s misguided and even disloyal attitude. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The growing political polarization and the escalation of America’s culture wars, which has become more acute and pronounced since Trump’s election in 2016, pours even higher-octane fuel on the already smoldering fire. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Israeli Jews increasingly see American Jews as identifying with the leftist-liberal Weltanschauung, which Netanyahu and his cohorts depict as Israel’s mortal enemy. For American Jews,  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-israelis-support-non-orthodox-jews-but-want-u-s-jews-to-shut-up-1.6242552"> Israel’s overly enthusiastic embrace of Trump </a>  is an abomination. It places Israel in the same camp as their worst enemies. For Jewish millennials, who are more liberal than their elders and who were already distancing themselves from Israel anyway, the Trump-Netanyahu axis is a stain they might never erase. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> During Obama’s tenure, Israel turned into a wedge that divides not only Israel from the American Jews but splits the community itself. Rabbis stopped sermonizing about Israel for fear of sparking conflict in their divided congregations. The topic was declared off-limits on many Friday night dinner tables, when hitherto friendly arguments turned bitter and acrimonious, poisoning close relationships and splitting families in the process. The Trump presidency may be changing this dynamic, but only for the worse: Israel’s guilt by association with Trump has brought criticism of Israel into the open, often with a vengeance. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A poll conducted by Mark Mellman for the Jewish Electorate Institute, published last week,  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-despite-trump-s-israel-policies-american-jews-to-vote-for-democrats-poll-finds-1.6569599"> offers statistical proof of the rift </a> . Trump’s pro-Israel policies, depicted by Netanyahu as the most supportive in history, haven’t made much of an impression on American Jews: 76% of them plan to vote for Democratic candidates in the upcoming November 6 elections and 74% will opt for Trump’s Democratic challenger should he run again in 2020. The results are identical those measured the 2016 elections, when 75% of American Jews voted for Hillary Clinton – before Trump abandoned the Iran deal, moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and turned a cold shoulder to Palestinians. The eternal Republican projection of an impending sea change in American Jewish voting patters is set to be dashed once again. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll underscores the long established fact that most American Jews don’t prioritize Israel in the ballot box. It breaks newer ground, however, in exposing their growing reservations about Israeli policies: 95% of those polled describe themselves as pro-Israel, but only a third follow the long-held tradition of supporting the policies of whatever government is in power. 32% said they support Netanyahu’s policies, 35% said they support Israel but oppose “some” of its policies and another 24% said they are critical of “many” of them. In other words, two thirds of those who declare themselves “pro-Israel” are no longer willing to offer unqualified support. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In organizational terms, the poll demolishes the perception that AIPAC’s traditional Israel-right-or-wrong approach represents the overwhelming majority of American Jews, or, conversely, that  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-j-street-1.5598951"> J-Street’s </a>  mix of support in principle and harsh criticism in practice is only backed by a small minority. The results are not only a disturbing wake-up call for Netanyahu, whose envoy to the U.S. Ron Dermer and his embassy steadfastly boycott J-Street, but for organized American Jewry as well. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, after all, has refused to accept J-Street as its member, cementing the roof body’s image as out of step with the majority of American Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Leaderless and rudderless </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Unfortunately, the prognosis for the Israeli-American Jewish rupture is bleak. Things are likely to get worse before they get any better, if they ever do. It’s true that more Israelis are aware today of the crisis with American Jewry than ever before, sparking a flurry of non-governmental efforts to launch a dialogue before it’s too late. Netanyahu and his government, however, only pay lip service to bridging the gaps but show no sign of changing their ways. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On the contrary, Israel is steadily drifting  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-the-state-of-israel-vs-the-jewish-people-1.6470108"> toward the ethnocentric nationalism that Trump </a>  has inspired throughout the world, thus increasing American Jewish alienation. Netanyahu and his coalition increasingly equate criticism of the occupation with opposition to the very existence of Israel, distancing some Jews from dealing with the issue at all and pushing others into the arms of overt anti-Zionism. Given the binary with-us-or-against-us test, which Netanyahu espouses and the Israeli public seems to accept, it’s only a matter of time before the bulk of American Jews are viewed as outright enemies of the state that was once described as the only god of their new religion. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The American Jewish community, for its part, is leaderless and rudderless, and thus unequal to the task before it. Its disparate parts are incapable of forming a united front. The distinct pro-Trump and pro-Netanyahu minority, about a quarter of all American Jews, is overrepresented in communal structures and, more significantly, among the Jewish donors that fund their existence. Their singular devotion to Israel and disdain for their fellow Jews’ liberal values sets them apart from their own community. Instead of showing empathy for the plight of the majority and solidarity with their demands, the pro-Trump Jewish right wing offers itself as an alternative. Liberal Jews will assimilate and disappear, they assert. For Israel, we are the only future. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The option of replacing the traditional support of most American Jews with a coalition of right wing, mostly religious Jews, together with Evangelicals and the Republican Party as a whole, appeals to Netanyahu. The formula is increasingly being touted as a viable option. At best, American Jews are being lumped together with the Israeli left, whose own loyalty to Israel is under attack. The government’s pro forma pledge to try and mend fences with American Jews is undermined by its “my way or the highway” philosophy. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In this regard, the General Assembly’s “We need to talk” slogan isn’t a threat, but a plea. It is not an indication of a relationship doomed to fail but an appeal for immediate intervention, before it’s too late. Given the strains, tensions and seemingly irreconcilable differences between Israel and American Jews, it might even be seen as a sign of boundless optimism. American Jews, it seems, still believe that dialogue and reconciliation are possible, if only the two sides could relearn how to talk to each other, without the conversation leading to a final, tragic and irrevocable parting of ways. As Alexander Pope wrote in his poem “An Essay on Man,” “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.”  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/ga-2018-tel-aviv/.premium-ga-s-we-need-to-talk-slogan-is-a-plea-to-save-israel-u-s-jewish-ties-1.6574721"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Mon, 22 Oct 2018 19:05:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6145 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6142 By Ron Kampeas JTA — A poll commissioned by a new group founded by Jewish Democrats, the Jewish Electorate Institute, found that Jewish voters favor Democrats over Republicans, 74-26 percent. Only 25% approve of the job Trump is doing, while 75% disapprove. The numbers on Democrats and Republicans line up with polling since the George W. Bush presidency. … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Ron Kampeas </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> JTA — A poll commissioned by a new group founded by Jewish Democrats, the Jewish Electorate Institute,  <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/new-poll-trumps-israel-policies-dont-sway-most-us-jews/"> found that Jewish voters favor Democrats over Republicans, 74-26 percent </a> . Only 25% approve of the job Trump is doing, while 75% disapprove. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The numbers on Democrats and Republicans line up with polling since the George W. Bush presidency. Jewish disapproval of Trump has been a thing since his 2016 campaign. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> What’s interesting is that for the first time I can recall, a pollster asked respondents not only whether they were pro-Israel, but whether they were also critical of Israeli policies. (J Street in the past asked respondents whether they supported US peace moves, even if it means the US government pressing Israel, which is not quite the same as asking the respondent whether she feels comfortable criticizing Israel.) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The breakdown shows that a majority of American Jews do not perceive criticism of Israeli government policies as inconsistent with support for Israel: 32% say they are supportive of Israel and its government’s policies; 35% are supportive of Israel and critical of some government policies; and 24% are supportive of Israel and critical of many of its government’s policies. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That’s a majority of 59% who say they are comfortable supporting Israel and also criticizing its government. (Also, 92% of voters say they are supportive of Israel, belying the noise generated by fringe anti-Israel groups who say they are more representative of where Jewish Americans are heading.) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That may not go down well on the Israeli right, which has traditionally bristled at Jewish criticism of Israeli policies as a special kind of betrayal. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Nevertheless, it’s a posture that will likely define US Jewish-Israel relations going forward, as seen in our roundups this week of Jewish nominees —  <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/a-guide-to-the-jewish-democratic-house-candidates-in-the-2018-midterm-elections/"> Democrats </a>  and  <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/a-guide-to-the-jewish-republican-house-candidates-in-the-2018-midterm-elections/"> Republicans </a>  — in the US House of Representatives and last week’s roundup of  <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/a-guide-to-the-jewish-senate-candidates-in-the-2018-midterm-elections/"> Jewish Senate candidates </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Of 41 Jewish Democrats running in the midterms, 17 accept the endorsement of J Street, the liberal Jewish Middle East policy group whose very ethos is supporting Israel while criticizing its government. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> J Street came up when Republican Sen. Ted Cruz debated Rep. Beto O’Rourke this week: Cruz blasted his Democratic challenger for accepting support from a group he called  <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/ted-cruz-slams-rabidly-anti-israel-j-street-in-debate-with-beto-orourke/"> “rabidly anti-Israel. </a> ” That kind of attack may resonate among Christian evangelicals in Texas (the home state of Christians United for Israel), but seems less likely to make inroads among liberal and centrist Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/most-american-jews-say-you-can-support-israel-and-criticize-its-government/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Thu, 18 Oct 2018 19:02:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6142 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6140 By Isabel DeBre JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump’s pro-Israel positions have not garnered him support from American Jewish voters, according to a new survey. The poll found that 74 percent of Jews planned to vote for Democratic candidates in November’s midterm elections. The figure corresponds with similar voting patterns in past elections. Overall, 75 … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Isabel DeBre </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump’s pro-Israel positions have not garnered him support from American Jewish voters, according to a new survey. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll found that 74 percent of Jews planned to vote for Democratic candidates in November’s midterm elections. The figure corresponds with similar voting patterns in past elections. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Overall, 75 percent of American Jews disapproved of the president’s policies, particularly on domestic issues such as immigration, taxes and health care. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey was conducted by the Mellman Group, a U.S. polling agency, for the nonpartisan Jewish Electorate Institute. It surveyed 800 American Jewish voters from a variety of backgrounds and geographic areas and had a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump’s foreign policy fared no better, with widespread criticism of the president’s handling of anti-Semitism, the Iranian nuclear deal and his moving of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. The embassy move, in contrast, has been warmly welcomed in Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While a slim majority approved of Trump’s warm relations with Israel, only 6 percent said this will cause them to consider supporting him or a Republican candidate. Over 60 percent disapproved of how Trump has dealt with the Palestinians. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Palestinians severed ties with the U.S. after Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital last December. Since then, the U.S. has cut hundreds of millions of dollars of support for the Palestinians. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Although 92 percent of American Jews identified as “pro-Israel,” 59 percent said they find fault with at least some of the Israeli government’s policies. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has forged a close bond with Trump, deepening a rift with the mostly liberal Jewish American community. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey confirms Jewish voters’ entrenched loyalty to the Democratic party, “negative assessments” of Trump and show that they “prioritize domestic issues in deciding which candidate to support,” the poll’s authors said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.apnews.com/119bfc1acbbe4586a20adf39e82df160"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Thu, 18 Oct 2018 19:00:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6140 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6137 By Anthony Man Jewish voters overwhelmingly disapprove of President Donald Trump, approve of former President Barack Obama and plan to vote Democratic in the 2018 midterm elections. The findings come from a nationwide poll of Jewish voters released Wednesday. More than three-quarters hold an unfavorable view of Trump — the mirror image of how American … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Anthony Man </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish voters overwhelmingly disapprove of President Donald Trump, approve of former President Barack Obama and plan to vote Democratic in the 2018 midterm elections. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The findings come from a nationwide poll of Jewish voters released Wednesday. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> More than three-quarters hold an unfavorable view of Trump — the mirror image of how American Jews view Obama, who is seen favorably by more than seven in 10 voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll of Jewish voters was conducted by a Democratic pollster for a new nonprofit organization focused on the Jewish electorate and turning out Jewish voters. </p> </div> <h5> Midterms </h5> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll found Jewish voters overwhelmingly plan to vote for Democrats for Congress this year — 74 percent for a Democratic candidate and 26 percent for a Republican. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That is a net Democratic advantage of 48 percentage points for Democrats among Jewish voters and far more Democratic than the overall electorate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The RealClearPolitics average of congressional ballot tests shows voters favoring the Democrats 48 percent to 41 percent, a net advantage of 7 points for the Democrats and philanthropists. </p> </div> <h5> Trump </h5> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Trump numbers among Jewish voters: 23 percent favorable; 76 percent unfavorable. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That’s a negative 53 points among Jewish voters — far more negative than the overall electorate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The RealClearPolitics average of national polls shows 42 percent of voters have a favorable view of Trump and 54 percent have an unfavorable view. Among all voters, Trump is 12 points underwater. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> By comparison, Obama was rated favorably by 72 percent and unfavorably by 28 percent of Jewish voters. There isn’t comparable national polling for the former president. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump is rated negatively on the way he’s handled many issues, including taxes, immigration, Supreme Court nominations, gun safety, the environment and health care. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The most positive issue area was his handling of U.S.-Israel relations, where 51 percent approved and 49 percent disapproved. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish voters’ intentions in 2020 mirror their view of their president and their votes in 2016. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll found 74 percent said they would vote for a Democratic presidential candidate in 2020 and 26 percent would vote for Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.cnn.com/election/2016/results/exit-polls" target="_blank"> Exit polls </a>  found that 71 percent of Jewish voters went for Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 and 23 percent voted for Trump. Another 6 percent cited someone else or didn’t answer. </p> </div> <h5> Democratic voting bloc </h5> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/search/dispatcher.front?Query=Jewish+and+voters+and+anthony+man&amp;target=all&amp;spell=on#nt=instory-link" target="_blank"> Jewish voters </a>  long have been an important and loyal voting bloc supporting Democratic candidates, and Wednesday’s survey indicates that isn’t changing in 2016. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> During presidential elections, there’s always an intense campaign to sway Jewish voters, with Republicans asserting they’re about to make major inroads. But that hasn’t happened. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Ira Sheskin, professor of geography at the University of Miami and director of the Jewish Demography Project, said in a recent interview that Jewish voters strongly identify with one party. “They vote Democratic,” he said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll found 68 percent of Jewish voters identified as Democrats and 25 percent as Republicans. Also, 64 percent described themselves as liberal and 29 percent as conservative. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This year,  <a href="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-ron-desantis-andrew-gillum-jewish-voters-20181011-story.html#nt=instory-link" target="_blank"> Jewish voters are being heavily courted </a>  by Florida’s candidates for governor. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-ron-desantis-jewish-voters-synagogue-20181014-story.html#nt=instory-link" target="_blank"> Republican Ron DeSantis </a>  and  <a href="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-andrew-gillum-michael-bloomberg-wasserman-schultz-20181005-story.html#nt=instory-link" target="_blank"> Democrat Andrew Gillum </a>  have appeared at synagogues and met with Jewish voters to emphasize their support for the Jewish community and for Israel. DeSantis has aggressively tried to undermine Gillum with Jewish voters, and the Democrat’s camp has pushed back hard against those attempts. </p> </div> <h5> Fine print </h5> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll of  <a href="http://mellmangroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/18mem1016-f2-JEI.pdf" target="_blank"> 800 Jewish voters </a>  was conducted online through a randomly selected panel from Oct. 2 to 11. Telephone polling is considered the gold standard, but as it’s become more expensive many pollsters are moving to online models. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The pollster said the survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey was conducted by the Mellman Group. It’s a Democratic polling outfit, but has a high rating — a “B” grade — from the independent political data organization FiveThirtyEight. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll was sponsored by the Jewish Electorate Institute, which describes itself as a nonprofit organization founded in August to “deepen the public’s understanding of the Jewish electorate and mobilize the Jewish vote in the 2018 midterm and future elections. The primary focus is to lead non-partisan Get Out the Jewish Vote efforts and encourage civic engagement in the Jewish community.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> It was founded by prominent Jewish Democrats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-jewish-voter-poll-trump-obama-midterms-20181017-story.html"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Thu, 18 Oct 2018 18:57:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6137 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6135 A new poll finds that 75 percent of American Jews disapprove of President Donald Trump, and that 74 percent plan on voting for Democratic candidates for Congress this fall. The survey was conducted by the Mellman Group on behalf of the Jewish Electoral Institute (JEI). The poll of 800 American Jewish voters confirms that American Jews remain firmly … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="http://mellmangroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/18mem1016-f2-JEI.pdf" target="_blank"> A new poll </a>  finds that 75 percent of American Jews disapprove of President Donald Trump, and that 74 percent plan on voting for Democratic candidates for Congress this fall. The survey was conducted by the  <a href="http://mellmangroup.com/" target="_blank"> Mellman Group </a>  on behalf of the Jewish Electoral Institute (JEI). The poll of 800 American Jewish voters confirms that American Jews remain firmly within the Democratic fold. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> JEI is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization focused on deepening public’s understanding of the American Jewish electorate. This new organization is providing the public with information regarding the American Jewish electorate and leading a national, non-partisan Get Out The Jewish Vote effort. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> These attitudes are further reflected in partisan and ideological affiliations of American Jewish voters. Sixty-eight percent of respondents identify as Democrats, while only 25 percent identify as Republicans. Sixty-four percent describe themselves as liberals, while only 29 percent describe themselves as political conservatives. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> American Jews are particularly negative in their perception of President Trump’s handling of health care, the environment, gun safety, immigration, the Supreme Court and taxes. The poll also finds widespread disapproval with Trump’s handling of the Iranian nuclear deal, anti-Semitism, moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel, the U.S. relationship with Palestinians, and U.S. foreign policy overall. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When deciding which candidates to support in the midterms, “very important” issues for American Jewish voters are as follows: “the kind of Supreme Court Justices the candidate will support” (90%), “protecting Medicare and Social Security” (84%), and “making quality affordable healthcare available to every American (83%). While a significant number of Jewish voters (52%) say that a candidate’s support for Israel is “very important,” it is one of many issues of importance weighed by American Jewish voters when deciding which candidate to support. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On the topic of Israel, the poll finds that an overwhelming majority of American Jews support Israel, but also are critical of at least some of the Israeli government’s policies. Ninety-two percent of respondents identify as “generally pro-Israel,” but 59 percent of respondents also express some disagreement with the current government’s policies. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While Jewish voters are split almost evenly on how they respond to the way President Trump is handling U.S.-Israel relations, few are willing to support him on that alone. Only 6% say Trump’s Israel policy will cause them to consider voting for him despite disagreements on other important issues. Another 20% say they support Trump’s policy on Israel, but “disagree with him on too many other important issues.” In total, 71% say they will not consider voting for Trump in 2020. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> American Jews also see Democrats as a pro-Israel party. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Jewish voters believe the Democratic Party is “pro-Israel,” including 84% of those who identify themselves as Democrats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “This poll proves what we have known for a long time: Americans Jews have a natural home in the Democratic Party due to its progressive, pro-Israel values,” said Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) Executive Director Halie Soifer. “Jewish voters overwhelmingly support Democrats, and Democrats overwhelmingly support Israel. Democrats will win back control of Congress if we successfully get out the Jewish vote in November.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll was conducted online between October 2 and 11, and selected for likely American Jewish voters. 93% of those polled indicated they are “almost certain” to vote in November. The margin of error is +/- 3.5 percent. The Mellman Group has provided sophisticated opinion research and strategic advice to political leaders, public interest organizations, Fortune 500 companies and government agencies for over thirty years. Mark Mellman, the group’s founder and chief executive officer, is president of the American Association of Political Consultants </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://jewishbusinessnews.com/2018/10/17/overwhelming-disapproval-of-trump-74-of-american-jews-plan-to-vote-for-democrats/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:55:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6135 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6133 By Brian Freeman President Donald Trump’s policies toward Israel are not winning over support for him among American Jews, according to a poll released by The Mellman Group on Wednesday. Although 51 percent of American Jews said they approved of Trump’s handling of relations with Israel, only 6 percent said they would consider voting for him due … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Brian Freeman </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> President Donald Trump’s policies toward Israel are not winning over support for him among American Jews,  <a href="http://mellmangroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/18mem1016-f2-JEI.pdf" target="_blank"> according to a poll released by The Mellman Group  </a> on Wednesday. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Although 51 percent of American Jews said they approved of Trump’s handling of relations with Israel, only 6 percent said they would consider voting for him due to those policies despite differing from him on other issues. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Other results from the survey showed: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll represents the findings of a national survey of 800 voters designed to reflect the likely 2018 Jewish electorate. Interviews were conducted online though a randomly selected panel between October 2-11. The margin of error is +/- 3.5 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence. <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/jews-disapprove-trump-pro-israel/2018/10/17/id/886754/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:53:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6133 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6130 By Jesse Bernstein Just over three quarters of American Jews have an unfavorable view of President Donald Trump, and 74 percent of them plan to vote for Democrats in next month’s midterm elections, according to a new poll from The Jewish Electorate Institute, a new group founded by Jewish Democrats and released on Wednesday. Though … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Jesse Bernstein </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Just over three quarters of American Jews have an unfavorable view of President Donald Trump, and 74 percent of them plan to vote for Democrats in next month’s midterm elections, according to a new poll from The Jewish Electorate Institute, a new group founded by Jewish Democrats and released on Wednesday. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Though those findings track with decades of prior data — Jews have largely voted Democrat since the beginning of the 20 ^th  century, and no presidential candidate has ever bested the 43 percent of the Jewish electorate captured by Warren G. Harding’s 1920 campaign — other findings revealed some interesting tensions created by the Trump era. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Though 24 percent of the 800 respondents said that they had a favorable view of Trump, 51 percent said that they approved of the way he had handled U.S.-Israel relations. 41 percent approved of the decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, and 6 percent said that they’d consider voting for him based on his work on U.S.-Israel relations alone, despite their other reservations about his time in office. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In addition, 64percent said that they believed the Democrats to be a “pro-Israel” party, and 84 percent of those identifying as Democrats also identified as “pro-Israel.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Israel policy is not going to win Republicans any votes in November,” said Hailie Soifer, executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Republican Jewish Coalition did not respond to a request for comment. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll was conducted by The Mellman Group, which has polled for Democrats and Jewish and other groups. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The issue of being “pro-Israel” had large internal factions: 32 percent described themselves as both pro-Israel and supportive of its policies; 35 percent said that they’re supportive of Israel, but remain critical of some policies; and 24 percent responded that they were pro-Israel but critical of “many” policies. Just 3 percent said that they were “generally not pro-Israel.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Healthcare was Trump’s worst-polling issue with the Jewish voters surveyed. Seventy-eight percent responded that they disapproved of the job he’d done thus far. Eighty-three percent listed “making quality affordable healthcare available to every American” as “very important” when it came to deciding how they vote. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> By contrast, 52 percent ranked Israel as “very important” to how they will vote. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="http://washingtonjewishweek.com/48867/jews-still-overwhelmingly-democrat-survey-finds/news/national-news/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:52:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6130 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6127 By Dan Boylan A new poll finds that a bare majority, 51 percent of Jewish American voters, approve of the way President Trump is handling U.S.-Israel relations, and that 74 percent plan to vote for Democratic candidates for Congress in next month’s midterm elections. The survey was conducted by the Mellman Group on behalf of the nonpartisan Jewish Electorate Institute … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Dan Boylan </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new poll finds that a bare majority, 51 percent of Jewish American voters, approve of the way President  <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/donald-trump/"> Trump </a>  is handling U.S.- <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/israel/"> Israel </a>  relations, and that 74 percent plan to vote for Democratic candidates for Congress in next month’s midterm elections. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey was  <a href="http://mellmangroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/18mem1016-f2-JEI.pdf" target="_blank"> conducted </a>  by the Mellman Group on behalf of the nonpartisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) and polled 800 U.S. Jewish voters. Results were released Wednesday. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Overall, the poll found 75 percent of American Jewish voters disapprove of  <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/donald-trump/"> Mr. Trump </a> , a reflection of their partisan and ideological affiliations as it also found that 68 percent of respondents identified as Democrats, while only 25 percent said they were Republicans. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In the past year, the Trump administration has made multiple major policy moves seen as widely popular in  <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/israel/"> Israel </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Those include recognizing Jerusalem as  <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/israel/"> Israel </a> ’s capital and moving the U.S. Embassy there, clamping down on Palestinians by cutting aid and closing the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Washington office, and withdrawing the United States from the Iran nuclear deal. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But the American Jewish community has viewed the matters far differently. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While the survey found 92 percent of respondents identified as “generally pro- <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/israel/"> Israel </a> ,” they were particularly critical of  <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/donald-trump/"> Mr. Trump </a> ’s  <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/israel/"> Israel </a>  policies with 56 percent disapproving of moving the U.S. Embassy, 62 percent disapproving of U.S. relations with the Palestinians and 70 percent disapproving of withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Only 6 percent of American Jewish voters said  <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/donald-trump/"> Mr. Trump </a> ’s  <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/israel/"> Israel </a>  policy will cause them to consider voting for him despite their disagreements with him on other important issues. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll was conducted online between Oct. 2-11 and selected for likely American Jewish voters. Of those polled, 92 percent indicated they are “almost certain” to vote in November. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/oct/17/75-percent-american-jews-disapprove-donald-trump-d/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:48:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6127 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6124 New Poll from The Jewish Electorate Institute and The Mellman Group Reveals 74% of Jewish Voters will Support Democrats in November WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — A new poll released today by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that an overwhelming majority of Jewish voters plan to vote for Democrats in November. Jewish voters also see the Democratic Party as … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> New Poll from The Jewish Electorate Institute and The Mellman Group Reveals 74% of Jewish Voters will Support Democrats in November </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — A new  <a href="http://mellmangroup.com/american-jews-remain-strongly-supportive-of-the-democratic-party/" target="_blank"> poll </a>  released today by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that an overwhelming majority of Jewish voters plan to vote for Democrats in November. Jewish voters also see the Democratic Party as pro-Israel and prioritize a wide range of domestic and foreign policy issues when considering which candidates to support in the midterms. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> About 2018 Jewish Voters </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> About 2018 Jewish Voters and Israel </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> About Jewish Electorate vs. Overall U.S. Electorate </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This analysis represents the findings of a national survey of 800 voters designed to reflect the likely 2018 Jewish electorate. Interviews were conducted online through a randomly selected panel October 2-11, 2018. The sample was 53% male and 47% female, and 93% of participants indicated they are “almost certain” to vote  <em> . </em> The margin of error is +/- 3.5% at the 95% level of confidence (higher for subgroups). This poll was conducted by  <a href="http://mellmangroup.com/category/press_coverage_of_our_research/" target="_blank"> The Mellman Group </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A link to an in-depth memo about the poll can be found  <a href="http://mellmangroup.com/american-jews-remain-strongly-supportive-of-the-democratic-party/" target="_blank"> here </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> About Jewish Electorate Institute <br/> The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in August 2018 with a mission to deepen the public’s understanding of the Jewish electorate and mobilize the Jewish vote in the 2018 midterm and future elections. The primary focus is to lead non-partisan Get Out the Jewish Vote (GOTJV) efforts and encourage civic engagement in the Jewish community. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/american-jewish-voters-remain-strongly-supportive-democratic-party-093000061.html"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:46:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6124 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6121 Poll says large majority of American Jews will vote for Democratic candidates A new poll released Wednesday, Oct. 17,  by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that an overwhelming majority of Jewish voters plan to vote for Democrats in November. Jewish voters also see the Democratic Party as pro-Israel and prioritize a wide range of domestic … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> Poll says large majority of American Jews will vote for Democratic candidates </b> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new poll released Wednesday, Oct. 17,  by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that an overwhelming majority of Jewish voters plan to vote for Democrats in November. Jewish voters also see the Democratic Party as pro-Israel and prioritize a wide range of domestic and foreign policy issues when considering which candidates to support in the midterms. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> About 2018 Jewish Voters </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> About 2018 Jewish Voters and Israel </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> About Jewish Electorate vs. Overall U.S. Electorate </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> This analysis represents the findings of a national survey of 800 voters designed to reflect the likely 2018 Jewish electorate. Interviews were conducted online through a randomly selected panel October 2-11, 2018. The sample was 53% male and 47% female, and 93% of participants indicated they are “almost certain” to vote  <em> . </em> The margin of error is +/- 3.5% at the 95% level of confidence (higher for subgroups). This poll was conducted by The Mellman Group.  — <em>  From Jewish Electorate Institute </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="http://www.sdjewishworld.com/2018/10/17/editors-e-mail-box-october-17-2018/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:44:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6121 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6118 By Amir Tibon WASHINGTON – An overwhelming majority of American Jewsplan to vote for Democratic candidates in the upcoming midterm elections, according to a new poll released Wednesday. President Donald Trump’s policies on the Israeli-Palestinian issue have garnered him almost no additional Jewish support, the poll concluded. The poll, conducted by pollster Mark Mellman on behalf of the … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Amir Tibon </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> WASHINGTON – An overwhelming majority of  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-jews-in-america-1.5599108"> American Jews </a> plan to vote for Democratic candidates in the upcoming midterm elections, according to a new poll released Wednesday.  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-donald-trump-1.5599319"> President Donald Trump </a> ’s policies on the Israeli-Palestinian issue have garnered him almost no additional Jewish support, the poll concluded. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, conducted by pollster Mark Mellman on behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute, included interviews with 800 American Jews from different religious streams and geographical areas. The most significant result in the poll: Seventy-four percent of respondents said they plan to vote for a  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-democrat-party-1.5599321"> Democratic  </a> candidate in their districts in the upcoming November 6 midterm elections. In contrast, only 26 percent plan to vote for  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-republican-party-1.5599320"> Republican  </a> candidates. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> These numbers show very little change in U.S. Jewish public opinion compared to what exit polls conducted on Election Day in 2016 had shown. Trump received the votes of approximately 25 percent of American Jews in 2016, according to those polls, while his <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/clinton-won-majority-of-jewish-american-vote-polls-say-1.5459522">  Democratic rival Hillary Clinton won 70 percent of the U.S. Jewish vote </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In Mellman’s recent poll, Trump’s favorability among Jews is very low, with only 23 percent of respondents saying they have a favorable view of the current president. In comparison, 74 percent expressed a favorable view of former Vice President Joe Biden, and 72 percent expressed a favorable view of the previous president,  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/TAG-barack-obama-1.5599045"> Barack Obama </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump’s overall job approval in the poll stood at 25 percent – significantly lower than his national average, which the polling website 538 currently  <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/" target="_blank"> puts  </a> at 42 percent. President Trump earned particularly especially low marks in Mellman’s poll on the following issues: health care, the environment, gun safety and  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/u-s-senate-to-vote-on-kavanaugh-u-s-supreme-court-nomination-1.6532342"> Supreme Court nominations </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Respondents were asked whether they approve or disapprove of Trump’s handling of a dozen issues. The only issue on which a very slight majority approved of his policies was his handling of the U.S.-Israel relationship: 51 percent said they approved of it, while 49 percent said they disapproved. These numbers could explain  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-donald-trump-thinks-the-jews-aren-t-grateful-enough-1.6491820"> a recent report </a> , which stated that Trump administration officials are frustrated with the fact that his policies towards Israel have not improved his low level of support among American Jews. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Even Trump’s  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-u-s-embassy-in-jerusalem-1.6062554"> decision to move the American embassy to Israel </a>  is viewed negatively by a majority of the poll’s respondents. Fifty-six percent said they  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/u-s-jewish-activists-protest-trump-s-jerusalem-embassy-move-1.6091379"> disapprove of the embassy move </a> , while only 44 percent said they approved. These numbers could perhaps be related to an even larger number of respondents, 62 percent, who said they disapprove of Trump’s handling of  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/5-times-trump-has-targeted-the-palestinians-1.6467724"> U.S. relations with the Palestinians </a> . In addition, 70 percent disapprove of his decision to  <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/live-updates-trump-to-decide-fate-of-iran-nuclear-deal-1.6070574"> withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Seventy-one percent of respondents said they will not consider voting for Trump in the 2020 election. Sixty-four percent said they view the Democratic Party as “pro-Israel”, although in general, the poll shows that support for Israel is only one of a host of issues that will determine how Jewish voters cast their ballots. Fifty-two percent said that “whether a candidate supports Israel” is important for them – but for comparison, 90 percent said the same about “the kind of Supreme Court Justices the candidate will appoint.” More than 80 percent of respondents said their vote would be influenced by a candidate’s positions on health care and taxes. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Overall, 92 percent of the poll’s respondents described themselves as “pro-Israel”. Yet within that group, the poll offered a number of interesting break-down categories. Thirty-two percent described themselves as “pro-Israel, supportive of policies”, referring to Trump’s policy on Israel, compared to 35 percent who described themselves as “pro-Israel, critical of some policies” and another 24 percent who described themselves as “pro-Israel, critical of many policies.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> These numbers, in other words, show that while the vast majority or American Jews support Israel, they are also critical of some of its government’s policies, and they don’t see any contradiction between the two things. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll’s authors conclude that “American Jews remain fiercely loyal to the Democratic Party, which they see as pro-Israel and also as representing their views on a wide range of issues, both foreign and domestic. They offer negative assessments of President Trump and nearly all his polices, and prioritize domestic issues in deciding which candidate to support. Jews will once again be voting for Democrats in overwhelming numbers next month.”  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-despite-trump-s-israel-policies-american-jews-to-vote-for-democrats-poll-finds-1.6569599"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:39:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6118 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6110 WASHINGTON (JTA) — Jewish voters strongly favor Democrats ahead of the midterm elections and disapprove of President Donald Trump substantially more than the general population, a new poll shows. The poll published Wednesday by the Jewish Electorate Institute, a new group founded by Jewish Democrats, shows respondents favoring Democrats over Republicans, 74-26 percent. Only 25 … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> WASHINGTON ( <a href="http://jta.org/" target="_blank"> JTA </a> ) — Jewish voters strongly favor Democrats ahead of the midterm elections and disapprove of President Donald Trump substantially more than the general population, a new poll shows. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll published Wednesday by the Jewish Electorate Institute, a new group founded by Jewish Democrats, shows respondents favoring Democrats over Republicans, 74-26 percent. Only 25 percent approve of the job Trump is doing, while 75 percent disapprove. General population surveys show Trump’s approval ratings at 42 percent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Among other findings, the survey also shows overwhelming support for Israel among Jewish Americans, 92 percent, although this breaks down among those who are critical of the current Israeli government’s policies (59 percent) and those who are supportive (32 percent.) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Respondents are evenly divided on Trump’s Israel policies, with 51 percent approving and 49 percent not approving — within the margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish voters tend to rank domestic issues as more important than Israel when considering whom they would elect in November. Asked to rate issues, 83 percent said health care was at least “very important,” 90 percent ranked the Supreme Court the same, and 84 percent said the same about social safety net protections like Medicare and Social Security. Just 52 percent ranked Israel as “very important.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Jewish Electorate Institute board includes figures such as Barbara Goldberg Goldman, Stuart Kurlander, Michael Gelman and Ralph Grunewald, who have been involved in Democratic politics, as well as in Jewish and pro-Israel groups like the American Jewish Committee and The Israel Project. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll was carried out by The Mellman Group, a well-known outfit that has polled for Democrats and Jewish and other groups. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The respondents were selected randomly from lists of people who have opted to do online surveys and then asked if they were Jewish. The survey was based on 800 replies completed between Oct. 2 and 11. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Phone surveys are generally considered more reliable but have become increasingly expensive, in part because of the proliferation of cellphone use, and mainstream organizations,  <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/05/insider/new-online-polling-experiment-for-the-post-landline-phone-era.html" target="_blank"> including  </a> The New York Times, have started using online polling, a methodology now widely accepted by top experts as accurate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jta.org/2018/10/17/politics/poll-shows-jewish-voters-favor-democrats-midterms-dislike-trump"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:31:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6110 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6108 By Jackie Headapohl A new poll finds that 75 percent of American Jews disapprove of President Donald Trump, and that 74 percent plan to vote for Democratic candidates for Congress this fall. The survey was conducted by the Mellman Group on behalf of the Jewish Electoral Institute (JEI). The poll of 800 American Jewish voters … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Jackie Headapohl </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new poll finds that 75 percent of American Jews disapprove of President Donald Trump, and that 74 percent plan to vote for Democratic candidates for Congress this fall. The survey was conducted by the Mellman Group on behalf of the Jewish Electoral Institute (JEI). The poll of 800 American Jewish voters confirms that American Jews remain firmly within the Democratic fold. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> JEI is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization focused on deepening public’s understanding of the American Jewish electorate. This new organization is providing the public with information regarding the American Jewish electorate and leading a national, nonpartisan Get Out The Jewish Vote effort. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> These attitudes are further reflected in partisan and ideological affiliations of American Jewish voters. Sixty-eight percent of respondents identify as Democrats, while only 25 percent identify as Republicans. Sixty-four percent describe themselves as liberals, while only 29 percent describe themselves as political conservatives. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> American Jews are particularly negative in their perception of President Trump’s handling of health care, the environment, gun safety, immigration, the Supreme Court and taxes. The poll also finds widespread disapproval with Trump’s handling of the Iranian nuclear deal, anti-Semitism, moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel, the U.S. relationship with Palestinians and U.S. foreign policy overall. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When deciding which candidates to support in the midterms, “very important” issues for American Jewish voters are as follows: “the kind of Supreme Court Justices the candidate will support” (90 percent), “protecting Medicare and Social Security” (84 percent), and “making quality affordable healthcare available to every American (83 percent). While a significant number of Jewish voters (52 percent) say that a candidate’s support for Israel is “very important,” it is one of many issues of importance weighed by American Jewish voters when deciding which candidate to support. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> On the topic of Israel, the poll finds that an overwhelming majority of American Jews support Israel, but also are critical of at least some of the Israeli government’s policies. Ninety-two percent of respondents identify as “generally pro-Israel,” but 59 percent of respondents also express some disagreement with the current government’s policies. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While Jewish voters are split almost evenly on how they respond to the way President Trump is handling U.S.-Israel relations, few are willing to support him on that alone. Only 6 percent say Trump’s Israel policy will cause them to consider voting for him despite disagreements on other important issues. Another 20 percent say they support Trump’s policy on Israel, but “disagree with him on too many other important issues.” In total, 71 percent say they will not consider voting for Trump in 2020. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> American Jews also see Democrats as a pro-Israel party. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of Jewish voters believe the Democratic Party is “pro-Israel,” including 84 percent of those who identify themselves as Democrats. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll was conducted online between Oct. 2-11 and selected for likely American Jewish voters. 93 percent of those polled indicated they are “almost certain” to vote in November. The margin of error is +/- 3.5 percent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The polling memo can be read  <a href="http://mellmangroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/18mem1016-f2-JEI.pdf"> here </a> . </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://thejewishnews.com/2018/10/17/74-of-american-jews-plan-to-vote-for-democrats-for-congress-in-2018/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:28:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6108 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6106 (October 17, 2018 / JNS) A poll released on Wednesday found that an overwhelming majority of Jewish voters are expected to cast their ballots for Democrats in the midterms next month, despite the increasing number of Democratic candidates, such as New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Virginia’s Leslie Cockburn and Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib, who have gone on the record with anti-Israel sentiment. Additionally, Jewish voters see the Democratic … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> (October 17, 2018 / JNS) </b>  A poll released on Wednesday found that an overwhelming majority of Jewish voters are expected to cast their ballots for Democrats in the midterms next month, despite the increasing number of Democratic candidates, such as New York’s  <a href="https://www.jns.org/democratic-socialist-who-upset-ny-rep-joe-crowley-said-israel-committed-a-massacre-in-gaza/"> Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez </a> , Virginia’s  <a href="https://www.jns.org/opinion/when-democrats-embrace-an-anti-semite/"> Leslie Cockburn </a>  and Michigan’s  <a href="https://www.jns.org/j-street-pac-funds-michigan-democratic-candidate-for-congress-who-supports-bds/"> Rashida Tlaib </a> , who have gone on the record with anti-Israel sentiment. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Additionally, Jewish voters see the Democratic Party as pro-Israel, and prioritize domestic and foreign-policy matters when considering which candidates to vote for.Subscribe to The JNS Daily Syndicate by email and never miss our top stories </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Commissioned by the nonprofit Jewish Electorate Institute and conducted by the political strategy organization the Mellman Group, the national survey of 800 likely Jewish voters found that 68 percent of them identify as Democrats, 74 percent of whom will support Democratic congressional candidates. Some 76 percent of them have an unfavorable view of U.S. President Donald Trump; more than 70 percent of these voters do not approve of how Trump has dealt with anti-Semitism, the Iran nuclear deal, the two most recent Supreme Court nominations and other headlining issues. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Moreover, 74 percent of Jewish voters said they will vote for a Democratic candidate, while just 26 percent of them will vote for Trump. In the 2016 election, 71 percent of Jewish voters supported Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, while only 24 percent of them voted for Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Regarding Trump’s views on Israel, 51 percent of Jewish voters approve, while 49 percent do not. This includes 62 percent of such voters disapproving of U.S. relations with the Palestinians, and 56 percent opposed to the president moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jns.org/poll-us-jewish-community-to-vote-overwhelmingly-democratic-in-midterms/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:26:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6106 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6103 By Eric Cortellessa WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump’s policies toward Israel are not generating support for him among American Jews, a poll released Wednesday found. While a slim majority of American Jews said they approved of Trump’s handling of relations with the Jewish state, the vast majority said that would not cause them to … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Eric Cortellessa </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump’s policies toward Israel are not generating support for him among American Jews, a poll released Wednesday found. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While a slim majority of American Jews said they approved of Trump’s handling of relations with the Jewish state, the vast majority said that would not cause them to vote for him. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey, by The Mellman Group, found that 51 percent of American Jewish respondents said they approved of the president’s US-Israel approach, but just 6% said they would vote for him due to his Israel policies despite differing from him on other issues. Moreover, 20% said they agreed with Trump on Israel, but would still would not vote for him. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Mellman Group is a Democratic polling service. The report surveyed 800 voters nationally who it said reflected the 2018 Jewish electorate. The interviews, which were conducted online, ran from October 2 to October 11. The survey’s margin of error is 3.5% and it has a 95% level of confidence. It was conducted on behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll also found that American Jews — long loyal to the Democratic Party — remained that way, with 75% of respondents saying they planned to vote for Democratic candidates in the 2018 midterms. Sixty-eight percent said they identified with the Democratic Party, whereas 25% said they did with the Republican Party. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Those figures reflect a wide divergence from national trends. A recent Gallup poll found that 47% of Americans identify as Democrats and 44% identify as Republicans. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The Mellman poll also found widespread American Jewish distaste for Trump, with 75% expressing disapproval of him. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> That reflected slightly less disapproval of the president than past polling. The American Jewish Committee’s 2017 survey of Jewish opinion, which was released in September of that year, found that  <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/poll-77-of-american-jews-have-an-unfavorable-view-of-trump/" target="_blank"> 77% of American Jews had an unfavorable view </a>  of the president. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Trump has made several decisions in the past year that delighted Israelis but divided the American Jewish community, including recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moving the embassy there, as well as withdrawing the US from the Iran nuclear deal. <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/new-poll-trumps-israel-policies-dont-sway-most-us-jews/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:24:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6103 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6081 By Paul Bedard President Trump has seen no bump in support from Jewish voters since his election despite his efforts to rebuild U.S.-Israel relations, move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, double economic growth and assign his son-in-law to develop a new Mideast Peace Plan. A newly released poll said that if the presidential election were … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Paul Bedard </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> President Trump has seen no bump in support from Jewish voters since his election despite his efforts to rebuild U.S.-Israel relations, move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, double economic growth and assign his son-in-law to develop a new Mideast Peace Plan. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A newly released poll said that if the presidential election were to be held now, Trump would get 26 percent of the Jewish vote, with 74 percent going to the Democrat.  <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> An equal among of Jews plan to vote for Democrats in the upcoming congressional election. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> When asked about several issues, the only one that Jewish voters gave Trump a positive response on was U.S.-Israel relations, but by a hair, 51 percent to 49 percent. Only 44 percent gave a thumbs up for his embassy move. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The  <a href="http://mellmangroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/18mem1016-f2-JEI.pdf" target="_blank"> Mellman Group survey </a>  said that Jewish voters are much harsher in their view of Trump than the general public. “Overall just 25 percent of American Jews approve of the job Trump is doing as president, while 75 percent disapprove. Here too Jews prove far more hostile to Trump than the population at large. On average, about 43 percent of Americans overall approve of the job the president is doing, while 53 percent disapprove,” said the poll conducted for Jewish Electorate Institute.  <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> One reason for their dismissal of Trump is that 64 percent of Jews consider themselves liberal. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The survey is sure to surprise many considering the president’s outreach to Israel and Jewish voters. For example, he has asked Jared Kushner to build a new peace plan and just this week his son Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend and  <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/kimberly-guilfoyle-trumps-support-blocks-iran-from-wiping-israel-off-the-map" target="_blank"> Trump surrogate Kimberly Guilfoyle </a>  attended a Republican Jewish Coalition where she received applause for her list of Trump achievements in Israel.  <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In 2016, Trump won just 24 percent of the Jewish vote and reports said that Jews chose Hillary Rodham Clinton over Trump more than any other voting group. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> And in 2020 they like Joe Biden even more than they liked former President Obama.  <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The bottom line, said the survey: </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “American Jews remain fiercely loyal to the Democratic Party, which they see as pro-Israel and also as representing their views on a wide range of issues, both foreign and domestic. They offer negative assessments of President Trump and nearly all his policies, and prioritize domestic issues in deciding which candidate to support. Jews will once again be voting for Democrats in overwhelming numbers next month.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/poll-jews-reject-trump-74-26-despite-outreach-will-vote-for-dems"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 17:47:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6081 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6097 By Michael Wilner WASHINGTON – A slim majority of American Jews support Donald Trump’spolicies on Israel – but his stance on the Jewish state has not been enough to win over their support for his presidency, according to a poll released on Wednesday. The survey, conducted by the Mellman Group and the Jewish Electorate Institute earlier … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Michael Wilner </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> WASHINGTON – A slim majority of <a href="https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/ReportFrustration-in-White-House-grows-over-Jewish-opposition-to-Trump-567424">  American Jews support Donald Trump’s </a> policies on Israel – but his stance on the Jewish state has not been enough to win over their support for his presidency, according to a poll released on Wednesday. <br/> <br/> The survey, conducted by the Mellman Group and the Jewish Electorate Institute earlier this month, found that Jewish American support for Trump remains at a dismal 23% – and that 74% plan on voting for his Democratic opponent in 2020 regardless of the candidate.Underscoring their opposition, 71% say they would not even consider voting to reelect Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> American Jews also plan on supporting Democrats with similar fervor in the midterm elections next month, according to the poll, which was commissioned to gauge the Jewish American electorate ahead of the upcoming races. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “While Jewish voters are split almost evenly on how they respond to the way President Trump is handling US-Israel relations, few are willing to support him on that alone,” the Jewish Democratic Council of America said in a statement. The Jewish Electorate Institute, which commissioned the poll, is affiliated with JDCA. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “Only 6% say Trump’s Israel policy will cause them to consider voting for him despite disagreements on other important issues,” the organization adds. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> JDCA is surgically funding Democratic candidates in races considered too close to call, where large Jewish populations reside and where their high turnout could tip the balance of votes in their candidates’ favor. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A majority of those polled gave Trump only one positive mark: 51% approve of his handling of US-Israel relations. But American Jews support him on virtually no other issue. On his handling of rising antisemitism and Iran’s nuclear’s program, 70% of respondents disapproved of his job performance. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> His worst issue polled was healthcare – a top issue for Jewish voters, who disapproved of his policies by an overwhelming 78%. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Mellman’s findings on Trump’s overall approval rating mirror the results of similar questioning in a poll conducted by the American Jewish Committee over the summer, which found that 26% of American Jews viewed Trump favorably. But they differ on the AJC’s findings on Trump’s Israel policy. Their June poll found that only 34% of American Jews supported his actions on Israel, suggesting a marked increase in recent months, or else a flawed polling method. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll was conducted October 2-11 and its results factor in a reported margin of error of 3.5%. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://www.jpost.com/International/Israel-policy-fails-to-enamor-US-Jews-of-Trump-poll-finds-569626"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 16:37:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6097 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6089 By Aaron Bandler A new poll conducted by the Mellman Group on behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) found that American Jews overwhelmingly disapprove of President Trump, 75 percent to 25 percent. The poll, which the Journal has obtained, shows that while American Jews narrowly approve of Trump’s handling of United States-Israel relations by … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Aaron Bandler </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A new poll conducted by the Mellman Group on behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) found that American Jews overwhelmingly disapprove of President Trump, 75 percent to 25 percent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll, which the Journal has obtained, shows that while American Jews narrowly approve of Trump’s handling of United States-Israel relations by a margin of 51 percent to 49 percent, they largely disapprove of Trump’s handling of domestic issues, such as immigration, health care, the Supreme Court and gun control. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> American Jews also disapprove of Trump’s handling of United States-Palestinian relations, the Jerusalem embassy move and the Iran nuclear deal. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Ninety-two percent of Jews consider themselves pro-Israel, but only 32 percent said they support the Israeli government’s policies. Fifty-nine percent of American Jews said they were pro-Israel but disagreed with some or many of the Israeli government’s policies. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Additionally, 74 percent of American Jews said they would vote for a generic Democratic presidential candidate over Trump, while 26 percent said they would vote for Trump. American Jews also said they would support a Democratic congressional candidate over a Republican congressional candidate in the 2018 midterm elections by the same margin. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Overall, 68 percent of American Jews identify as Democrats, 25 percent identify as Republicans and 7 percent identify as independents. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The poll was conducted from Oct. 2-11 among 800 Jewish voters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="http://jewishjournal.com/news/nation/240348/poll-american-jews-overwhelming-disapprove-trump/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 16:27:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6089 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6087 By Jewish Insider’s Daily Kickoff A newly released online poll conducted by pollster Mark Mellman for the Jewish Electoral Institute (JEI) shows that 74 percent of U.S. Jews plan on voting for Democratic candidates for Congress this fall. About the same amount, 75 percent, disapprove of President Donald Trump. Approval of Trump’s Israel policy is at 51%, and … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Jewish Insider’s Daily Kickoff </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A newly released online poll conducted by  <a href="http://mellmangroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/18mem1016-f2-JEI.pdf" target="_blank"> pollster Mark Mellman </a>  for the Jewish Electoral Institute (JEI) shows that 74 percent of U.S. Jews plan on voting for Democratic candidates for Congress this fall. About the same amount, 75 percent, disapprove of President Donald Trump. Approval of Trump’s Israel policy is at 51%, and 44% approve of the Jerusalem Embassy move.  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Jewish voters believe the Democratic Party is “pro-Israel,” including 84% of those who identify themselves as Democrats, and 52% say that a candidate’s support for Israel is “very important.”  </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <b> 2020:  </b> 74% say they will vote for the Democratic presidential nominee, while 26% will vote to reelect Trump for a second term. And only 6% say Trump’s Israel policy will cause them to consider voting for him despite disagreements on other important issues. Another 20% say they support Trump’s policy on Israel, but “disagree with him on too many other important issues.”  <br/> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://mailchi.mp/650aaada525f/daily-kickoff-october-771973?e=7f59e95ca2"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 16:24:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6087 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6085 By Stewart Ain For the past two years, Jan Singer of Kings Park, L.I., has demonstrated outside the Patchogue district office of Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) some 15 or 20 times with as many as 300 other protesters. The number of demonstrators has depended on the topic — some were there to protest Zeldin’s backing … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> By Stewart Ain </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> For the past two years, Jan Singer of Kings Park, L.I., has demonstrated outside the Patchogue district office of Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) some 15 or 20 times with as many as 300 other protesters. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The number of demonstrators has depended on the topic — some were there to protest Zeldin’s backing of President Trump’s decision to ban immigrants from primarily Muslim countries; on other occasions it was to protest Zeldin’s positions on other topics, such as health care, the environment and guns — he received an A from the National Rifle Association. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “I think most people in the Jewish community are appalled at the fact that he does not represent what I consider Jewish values — such as on the immigration issue protecting the weakest among us,” Singer said. Singer and her fellow protestors may be tilting at windmills, trying to unseat a two-term incumbent, but the political winds in the run-up to next month’s midterm elections may be shifting, on Long Island and elsewhere in the country in the era of Donald Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Zeldin, 38, one of only two Jewish Republicans in the House of Representatives, is running for his third term representing Suffolk County’s 1st Congressional District, which encompasses most of central and eastern Suffolk County, stretching from Smithtown to the East End. President Trump won the district handily in 2016, defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton by 9 percentage points – the largest plurality in the state — and last month tweeted his “complete and total endorsement” of Zeldin. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In 2014, Zeldin defeated six-term Democratic incumbent Tim Bishop by 10 percentage points and has maintained a strong hold on the seat since – winning two years ago by 16 percentage points with 59 percent of the vote. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But this is a classic swing district, which has given Democrats hope that it will be one of the 23 congressional seats they need to flip in the Nov. 6 midterms to recapture control of the House. A Newsday poll Sept. 26 put Zeldin ahead of Democratic challenger Perry Gershon, but the lead was close enough to be within the margin of error of 4.9 percent. A New York Times-Siena College poll taken earlier this month and based on 502 phone interviews put Zeldin’s lead at 8 percent. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “It was not a huge sample and it used a new polling method that I worry about a little bit,” said Matthew Lebo, a political science professor at Stony Brook University and director of its Center for Behavioral Political Economy. “So it’s hard to say just how close the race really is. But I would guess he [Zeldin] has a large advantage because people have voted for him twice already, and he has much more money. … His signs say vote for a veteran — Zeldin pushes his history as a vet quite a bit. And he refers to Gershon as ‘Park Avenue Perry,’ suggesting he is a carpetbagger. … As a member of Congress for two terms, you would have thought he [Zeldin] would have more to say about himself other than he is local and a vet.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Gershon’s campaign material stresses the fact that he is not a career politician but rather a successful businessman, entrepreneur and family-man “with a deep devotion to Long Island and the issues that matter to working families.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In an interview, Gershon, 56, told The Jewish Week that although he has an apartment in Manhattan, he has had a home for the past 20 years in East Hampton and that he pays taxes there. Zeldin, said Gershon, is making the carpetbagger claim “as a ploy to distract people and not talk about the real issues like health care.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Zeldin’s office provided a link to a video of Gershon saying he spent weekends and the summer in East Hampton and lived in Manhattan the rest of the time. He said that when he decided in 2017 to run for office, he began living on Long Island full-time and changed his voter registration to East Hampton. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> The video link was sent in reply to one of a dozen questions sent to Zeldin last Friday at the request of his communications director, Chris Boyle, after The Jewish Week contacted him to set up an interview with the congressman for any time on Monday. The campaign did not make Zeldin available, and Boyle then wrote his own answers to the questions and emailed them Monday night. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Gershon did not ask for the questions in advance and was interviewed by phone. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Boyle said the major issues of the campaign for Zeldin are “protecting our national security at home and abroad … growing our economy … [and] the need to do even more to combat the heroin and opioid abuse epidemic.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Gershon said one of his major issues is the fact that Zeldin “voted to take away health care coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Asked to respond, Boyle wrote: “He’s a liar.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> (According to the Office of the Clerk of the House, Zeldin did vote to repeal the ACA, which established that individuals with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied health care coverage or charged more for individual major medical insurance plans.) </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Gershon pointed out that after the ACA vote, Zeldin “withdrew from communication with his constituents — he has held no town hall meetings since April 2017, and now his meetings are by invitation only with pre-screened questions.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Asked his response, Boyle wrote, “The whole premise of that question is completely not true.” He did not elaborate. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Gershon, who said he is a Reform Jew, was also critical of Zeldin’s support for Trump’s assertion that “both sides” were to blame for the violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., last year that ended in the death of a 32-year-old woman there to protest the white nationalists. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “I was appalled and protested when Lee Zeldin made those comments,” Gershon said. “Lee Zeldin, who is a member of the Jewish faith, should remember his roots and not support white nationalism.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Boyle’s email reply: “White nationalism? That’s absurd. Gershon should do some self-reflection and stop lying more often than he tells the truth.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Analysts believe a surge of Democratic votes at the polls could pull off an upset in a district that has 16,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats. Gershon said he believes Democrats are “more energized” than they were two years ago. He cited a record 76 percent of Democrats who voted in the recent Democratic primary he won – about double the turnout of 2016. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But Zeldin believes Trump is still popular in the district and recruited three former Trump administration officials — Steve Bannon, Sebastian Gorka and Sean Spicer — to spark his re-election campaign. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Robert Zimmerman, a Democratic national committeeman from Great Neck, L.I., scoffed at the move, saying Zeldin’s “candidacy has become a rehab center for extremists even Donald Trump had to fire.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> He added that Gershon is “running a very strong campaign as a mainstream Democrat and has mobilized extraordinary support, considering that this race was initially not considered competitive and is now considered very competitive. And Gershon has become a national candidate … because as Lee Zeldin has become a Donald Trump groupie, Perry Gershon has been able to raise money throughout the country.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> But Rabbi Marc Schneier of The Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach said Zeldin continues to “participate in many activities at the synagogue” and that their four-year “friendship has grown exponentially, not only in terms of Israel but in discussing the president’s peace plan in the [Persian] Gulf ….” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> A poll released this week for the Jewish Electoral Institute found that although an overwhelming majority of American Jews support Israel, they are almost evenly split in their response to Trump’s handling of U.S.-Israeli relations, and fully 71 percent said they would not consider voting for Trump in 2020. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> An exception is Leonard Feldman, an attorney from Smithtown, L.I., who said he supports both Trump and Zeldin in their quest for strong borders and economic programs. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> “The stock market has gone up, the GDP [gross domestic product] is up, and unemployment is down – there are more people working now who have not worked in 10 or 15 years,” he said. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Feldman questioned what the “Democrats propose to do economically because I have not heard how they are going to make it better.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <a href="https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/trump-will-loom-large-in-key-l-i-house-race/"> <button> Read More </button> </a> </p> </div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 14:48:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p6085 News https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p5841 This October 16, 2018 analysis represents the findings of a national survey of 800 voters designed to reflect the likely 2018 Jewish electorate. Interviews were conducted online though a randomly selected panel October 2-11, 2018. The sample utilized a matching method to reflect the Jewish electorate; all respondents were screened for Jewish identity and likely … <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> <em> This October 16, 2018 analysis represents the findings of a national survey of 800 voters designed to reflect the likely 2018 Jewish electorate. Interviews were conducted online though a randomly selected panel October 2-11, 2018. The sample utilized a matching method to reflect the Jewish electorate; all respondents were screened for Jewish identity and likely participation in the Nov. 2018 general election. The margin of error is +/- 3.5% at the 95% level of confidence (higher for subgroups). This survey was conducted by The Mellman Group on behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute. </em> </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Our just completed national survey reveals substantial antipathy toward Donald Trump, his policies and his party among American Jews. The community plans to vote Democratic in vast numbers both in 2018 and 2020. While Jewish voters approve of Trump’s handling of US-Israeli relations by a small margin, this does very little to increase support for Trump in the Jewish community, which is focused on a wide variety of mostly domestic issues in this election. </p> </div> <h3> The Lion’s Share Of Jewish Voters Identify As Democratic And Liberal </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Large majorities of Jewish voters identify as Democrats and as liberals; and they plan to vote Democratic in upcoming elections. More than two-thirds (68%) of Jewish voters identify as Democrats, while only a quarter (25%) identify as Republicans. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Overall, 47% of Americans identify as Democrats and 44% as Republicans according to Gallup’s recent survey. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Thus, Jewish identification with Democrats is over 20 points higher than for Americans as a whole, while Jews are also about 20 points less likely to consider themselves Republicans. This 40 point advantage in Democratic identification has been common for decades. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Likewise, 64% of Jewish voters consider themselves to be liberals, while only 29% call themselves conservatives. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://jei.apollosites.app/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Poll-Pic-1-1024x772.jpg" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <h3> American Jews Overwhelmingly Support Democratic Candidates </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Jewish voters are planning to cast ballots for Democrats in Congressional races this year, and for President in 2020. By a 74% to 26% margin, Jewish voters say they will vote for the Democratic candidate for Congress in their district this year. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Similarly, when considering the 2020 Presidential election, 74% say they will vote for a Democratic candidate, while just 26% will vote for Donald Trump. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Indeed, President Trump is distinctly unpopular with American Jews, more than three -quarters (76%) of whom hold an unfavorable view of him, while just 23% express favorable opinions. On average 42% of Americans have favorable views of Trump, with 55% unfavorable. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> By contrast, Democratic figures like Barack Obama (72% favorable, 28% unfavorable) and Joe Biden (74% favorable, 26% unfavorable) are well – liked by Jewish voters. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://jei.apollosites.app/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Poll-Pic-2-1024x759.jpg" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <div> <img src="https://jei.apollosites.app/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Poll-Pic-3-1024x774.jpg" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <h3> Jewish Voters Are Critical Of Trump’s Job Performance Overall Though A Bare Majority Approve Of His Handling Of US-Israel Relations </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Overall just 25% of American Jews approve of the job Trump is doing as President, while 75% disapprove. Here too Jews prove far more hostile to Trump than the population at large. On average, about 43% of Americans overall approve of the job the President is doing, while 53% disapprove. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Large majorities of Jews disapprove of Trump’s handling of every issue with one exception: US-Israel relations where they divide evenly (51% approve, 49% disapprove). Most of those who feel positively about his handling of US-Israel relations are those who support him more broadly. Just 35% of those who disapprove Trump’s performance overall, approve of the way he is handling Israel. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In every other arena there is massive disapproval. Indeed, as the graph indicates, 70% or more of Jewish voters disapprove of his handling of anti-Semitism, the Iran nuclear deal, foreign policy, immigration, Supreme Court nominations, gun safety, the environment and healthcare. Over sixty percent (62%) disapprove of Trump’s handling of US relations with the Palestinians. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://jei.apollosites.app/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Poll-Pic-4-1024x774.jpg" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <h3> Trump’s Policy On Israel Does Little To Generate Support For Him Among Jewish Voters </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While a bare majority (51%) of Jewish voters approve of the way the President is handling US-Israel relations, very few are willing to support him on that basis alone. Only 6% of Jewish voters say Trump’s Israel policy will cause them to consider voting for him despite their disagreements with him on other important issues. Another 20% say they “support President Trump’s policy on Israel, but I disagree with him on too many other important issues, so I will not consider voting for him.” </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Twenty-one percent support Trump’s polices in general and over half (51%) oppose him across the board. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In total, more than 7 in 10 Jewish voters (71%) say they will not consider voting for Trump in 2020. </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> In addition, American Jews see Democrats as a pro-Israel party. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Jewish voters believe Democrats are “pro-Israel,” including 84% of those who identify themselves as Democrats. </p> </div> <h3> Jewish Voters Weigh Many – Mostly Domestic – Issues When Deciding How To Vote </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> While 92% of American Jews consider themselves “pro-Israel,” and a significant number said a candidate’s support for Israel was an important consideration for them, it is clearly just one of many issues they will consider. Just over half (52%) said that “whether the candidate supports Israel” is at least “very important” to them, ranking well below a number of other issues, including “the kind of Supreme Court Justices the candidate will support” (90% at least very important—a number possibly inflated somewhat as a result of the contentious Kavanaugh confirmation taking place while this poll was fielding), the economy and jobs (87%), “protecting Medicare and Social Security” (84% at least very important), “making quality affordable healthcare available to every American” (83% at least very important) and “making taxes more fair” (80%). </p> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Again, since the vast majority of Jews are themselves “pro-Israel” (92%) and since they see Democrats as a pro-Israel party, there is no particular reason this should emerge as a critical voting issue compared to those on which real differences between the parties are widely perceived. </p> </div> <h3> Jewish Voters Consider Themselves Pro-Israel, Though Many Are Critical Of The Current Israeli Government </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> Most Jewish voters (92%) consider themselves to be “generally pro-Israel,” but fewer than a third (32%) say that they are also supportive of the current Israeli government’s policies. A majority (59%) say that they are “pro-Israel,” but critical of at least some Israeli government policies, with 24% critical of many of the government’s policies. </p> </div> <div> <img src="https://jei.apollosites.app/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Poll-Pic-5-1024x775.jpg" alt="" title=""/> <span> </span> </div> <h3> Conclusion </h3> <div data-rss-type="text"> <p> American Jews remain fiercely loyal to the Democratic Party, which they see as pro-Israel and also as representing their views on a wide range of issues, both foreign and domestic. They offer negative assessments of President Trump and nearly all his polices, and prioritize domestic issues in deciding which candidate to support. Jews will once again be voting for Democrats in overwhelming numbers next month. <br/> </p> </div> Tue, 16 Oct 2018 14:08:00 GMT https://www.jewishelectorateinstitute.org/p5841 Research thumbnail