U.S. Jews United Behind Israel As A Jewish Homeland, But Less Clear On Zionism; Most See Rising Use Of Antisemitism In Debates On US-Israel Issues

April 13, 2026

To: Jewish Electorate Institute

From: The Mellman Group

Re: U.S. Jews United Behind Israel As A Jewish Homeland, But Less Clear On

Zionism; Most See Rising Use Of Antisemitism In Debates On US-Israel Issues

Date: April 13, 2026

This analysis is based on the findings of a survey of 800 registered Jewish voters nationally. The survey was conducted 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).


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.


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.


Most Jews See Zionism Favorably, But Only A Third Call Themselves Zionists.


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).


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%).


Nearly All Jews Believe In Israel’s Right To Exist As The Jewish Homeland

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 Nondenominational

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.


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.


Majorities of Jews See Antisemitism Becoming Too Much A Part of The Debate Over Israel, From Both Sides.

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.


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.



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.

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Poll Shows Jews Voting Democratic In Midterms, But GOP Holds Edge On Israel

April 13, 2026
To: Jewish Electorate Institute From: The Mellman Group Re: Poll Shows Jews Voting Democratic In Midterms, But GOP Holds Edge On Israel Date: April 13, 2026

POLITICO: The DNC is meeting — and Israel is at the forefront once again

April 10, 2026
Democrats’ internal feud over Israel is rearing its head on the party’s biggest stage — again.  Critics of Israel’s military actions and the pro-Israel lobby’s interference in recent Democratic primaries 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.

U.S. JEWS IDENTIFY AS BOTH PRO-ISRAEL & CRITICAL OF ITS GOV’T

April 7, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: info@jewishelectorateinstitute.org TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2026 202-695-0531 U.S. JEWS IDENTIFY AS BOTH PRO-ISRAEL & CRITICAL OF ITS GOV’T Jewish Repub’s, Indi’s Support Pro-Israel Spending in Primaries; Dems Less So AIPAC popular among R’s, not as much among D’s; DMFI better liked by D’s 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. 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. 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. 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). Majority of U.S. Jews Identifies as Both Pro-Israel and Critical of Israeli Policies 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%). 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.  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%).