Moment Magazine: Five Things to Know This Week: Polls Show Rising Fear Among American Jews

June 4, 2019

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 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.

These results correspond with a  Jewish Electoral Institute survey  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.

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  Anti-Defamation League’s data  confirms the fears of American Jews: These are record years in terms of violent attacks against Jews and of anti-Semitic vandalism.

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.

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.

2. Is the political shift really happening?

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.

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:

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.

3. Shocker: Leaks plague meetings with Jewish leaders

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  Washington Post  article, based on a recording of Pompeo’s talk, apparently provided by one of the participants.

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,”  tweeted  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.”

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.

4. Owning and disowning the “deal of the century”

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.

5. Trump’s lesson: Democracy (in Israel) can be messy

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.

Antisemitism is a warning sign. Are we listening?

By Eileen Filler-Corn • July 3, 2025
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. This didn’t happen overnight, but the silence from many who claim to fight for justice has been deafening and deeply painful. 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. 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. 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. 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? 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. 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. 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. 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. Because if we wait until it affects everyone, it will already be too late. 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
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Letter to House Judiciary Committee on Anti-Semitism

July 1, 2025
July 1, 2025 U.S. House Committee On The Judiciary 2142 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 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 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 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 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. We are grateful to the Committee for having held this vital hearing at a perilous moment for American Jews. Sincerely, Barbara Goldberg Goldman Chairperson The Jewish Electorate Institute

JEI Statement on escalation and Support on Israel Security

June 18, 2025
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.