Poll: Anti-Semitism in US remains constant
ADL survey reveals 15% of Americans hold 'strong' anti-Semitic beliefs
The 2007 Survey of American Attitudes Towards Jews in America, a national telephone survey of 2,000 American adults conducted October 6 through October 19, found that 15% of Americans - or nearly 35 million adults - hold views about Jews that are "unquestionably anti-Semitic,” compared to 14% in 2005.
“What concerns us is that the successes we had seen moving toward a more tolerant and accepting America appear not to have taken hold as firmly as we had hoped," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL national director.
“These findings, coupled with the ongoing acts of anti-Semitic incidents and hate crimes, suggest that anti-Semitic beliefs endure and resonate with a substantial segment of the population, nearly 35 million people.”
Anti-Jewish stereotypes remain consistent
The survey found that 31% of Americans believe Jews are more loyal to Israel than America, down from 33% in 2005; in 2002 it was 33%; in 1998, it was 31%; in 1992; 35%.
More than one quarter – 27% of the American people – believe Jews were responsible for the death of Christ, down from 30% in 2005, up from 25% in 2002.
Fifteen percent of the general population believes that Jews have “too much power in the US” – unchanged from 2005; 67% for those who are the most anti-Semitic.
Twenty percent believe Jews have “Too much power in the business world” and 18% believe Jews have “Too much control/influence on Wall Street, both up one percent from 2005.
"When it comes to Jews, old stereotypes die hard," Foxman said, "especially about loyalty, the death of Jesus, and power. For over 40 years one of the most stable and telling indicators of anti-Jewish prejudice in America has been the question of fundamental Jewish loyalty to the US”
Foxman added that “stereotypes about ‘Jewish power’ in the US have replaced many of the classical ethnic stereotypes previously attributed to Jewish Americans.”
