Middle East Monitor: Israel is lowest policy priority for Jewish American voters, poll finds

May 23, 2019

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 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.”

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”.

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.”

“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.”

Two-thirds of the Jewish electorate remains “firmly aligned with the Democratic Party”, with 25 per cent of Jewish voters identifying as Republicans.

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.”

Statement from the Jewish Electorate Institute On The Antisemitic Cold Blooded Murders in Sydney Australia

December 15, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 15, 2025 Media Contact: Steve Rabinowitz press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org Jewish Electorate Institute Statement on Antisemitic Murders in Sydney, Australia 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. 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. 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. 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. Silence and ambiguity enable hate to grow. Collective, principled action can stop it. We must take action now!

JEI Addresses JCRC of Greater Washington and Executive Director Controversy

December 5, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 5, 2025 Media Contact: Steve Rabinowitz Bluelight Strategies steve@bluelightstrategies.com

JEI's Voice in National Policy Conversation

December 1, 2025
JEI's work continues to be noted in national-level debates, and is proud to continue to be recognized in national media, including The New York Times 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. "...Mr. Goldman and Mr. Espaillat also represent districts with substantial Jewish populations, according to research by the Jewish Electorate Institute . (Mr. Goldman’s district also includes large pockets of immigrant Muslim voters from Bangladesh and other countries.)" Continue to the article here