A new survey by the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Center for Antisemitism Research published Friday has uncovered disturbing levels of antisemitic sentiment in the United States, with nearly one in four Americans describing recent violent attacks against Jewish Americans as “understandable.”
The findings come in the wake of three violent incidents targeting Jewish Americans, including arson at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence and deadly attacks in Washington, D.C., and Boulder, Colorado.
Conducted on June 10, 2025, with a nationally representative sample of 1,000 Americans through the Ipsos Observer Omnibus, the survey revealed that 24% of respondents found the attacks “understandable,” while a similar percentage believed they were false flag operations designed to garner support for Israel.
Additionally, 22% of respondents said the incidents were not antisemitic, 15% called the violence “necessary,” 14% did not consider them hate crimes and 13% deemed them “justified.”
“As the Jewish community is still reeling from recent antisemitic attacks that killed three people, it’s unacceptable that one-quarter of Americans find this unspeakable violence understandable or justified — an alarming sign of how antisemitic narratives are accepted by the mainstream,” said ADL CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt.
“The torrent of antisemitic hate has continuously increased since October 7, 2023, with Jews being harassed and targeted, blamed and attacked, wounded and killed.”
The survey highlighted a broad bipartisan consensus on the severity of antisemitism, with 60% of Americans across age groups, political affiliations and views on Israel agreeing that it is a serious problem. Among Democrats, 25% expressed concern about antisemitism within their party, while 23% of Republicans shared similar concerns about their own ranks.
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Older Americans were more likely to view anti-Jewish prejudice as a serious issue, with 80% of the Silent Generation and 64% of Baby Boomers agreeing, compared to just over half of Millennials and Gen Z.
The survey also exposed troubling beliefs about Jewish Americans. Some 34% of respondents believe Jewish Americans are more loyal to Israel than to the U.S., 30% said Jews have too much influence in politics and media and 27% believed Jewish Americans should be held accountable for Israel’s actions.
Anti-Israel protests and rhetoric were also a focus of the survey. Nearly one-third of Americans (29%) view anti-Israel protesters favorably, with favorability highest among Gen Z at 59%, dropping to 29% for Millennials, 16% for Baby Boomers and 27% for the Silent Generation.
Some 58% of respondents believed that when protesters use the term “Zionist,” they are referring to Jewish people in general. Additionally, 68% said slogans like “Globalize the Intifada” or “From the River to the Sea” increase the risk of violence against Jews. Some 34% of respondents admitted they do not know what “anti-Zionism” means.
Despite these concerning findings, the survey showed strong support for action against antisemitism. About 82% of Americans support removing online hate speech that celebrates violence and 77% want increased government action to combat antisemitism.
“A majority of Americans support a range of federal, state and local interventions — we have a window of opportunity to take action and seriously address the scourge of antisemitism before it normalizes,” said ADL Center for Antisemitism Research Vice President Matt Williams.
“While it is clear in our research that millions of Americans still hold extreme and conspiratorial beliefs, we see that most Americans reject antisemitism, violence against Jews, and hateful rhetoric and want to take meaningful steps to stop it.”
The ADL emphasized the urgency of addressing these issues, calling for bipartisan efforts to curb the rising tide of antisemitic hate and violence in the United States.