AP-NORC Poll: 3 in 10 US Jewish Adults Faced Antisemitic Incidents

WASHINGTON (AP) — About 3 in 10 Jewish adults in the United States say they or someone in their household has experienced physical assault, verbal abuse, online harassment, or property damage because of their Jewish background over the past year, according to a new AP-NORC poll. The survey paints a stark picture of a community grappling with heightened insecurity, with 62% of Jewish adults reporting they feel less safe than before Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

Only 34% of Jewish adults feel “very” or “somewhat” safe as a Jewish person in the U.S. today, while 36% feel unsafe and 29% feel neither safe nor unsafe, according to the AP-NORC Center. The findings underscore a profound shift in how American Jews perceive their place in society more than two and a half years after the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust.

Key Findings from the Poll

The survey, conducted June 11-17, 2026, by NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, included 3,040 U.S. adults with an oversample of 1,022 Jewish adults. The margin of error for Jewish respondents is plus or minus 5.0 percentage points.

Among the most striking findings: about 1 in 10 Jewish adults report that they or a household member has been physically assaulted in the past year due to their Jewish identity. A similar share had property damaged or destroyed. About 2 in 10 experienced verbal harassment or threats, and another 2 in 10 faced online harassment or cyberbullying.

The poll also found that 40% of Jewish adults are now less likely to wear, carry, or display items that identify them as Jewish compared to before October 7, 2023. Caitlin Rosendorn, a 24-year-old from Illinois, told the AP they no longer wear a Star of David necklace, fearing it could be misinterpreted as a political statement.

“I don’t want to wear a Star of David to work if that’s going to alienate somebody who sees the Star of David as a symbol of Israel as opposed to a symbol of Judaism,” Rosendorn said.

Broader Context of Rising Antisemitism

The poll’s findings align with data from the Anti-Defamation League, which recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents in 2025 — the third-highest annual total since the ADL began tracking in 1979. While overall incidents fell 33% from 2024’s record high, physical assaults reached an all-time high of 203, according to the ADL’s annual audit. Three people were killed in antisemitic attacks in 2025, the first such murders since 2019.

“The data is unambiguous: Jewish Americans are under threat in their communities, on their campuses and online, and the federal government must act,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL.

Federal hate crime statistics paint a similarly concerning picture. FBI data from the first half of 2026 shows that Jews were victims in 15% of all reported hate crime incidents, despite comprising roughly 2.4% of the U.S. adult population — making them 525% more likely to be targeted than their population share would suggest, as VIN News reported.

The Human Toll

Jewish adults who attend religious services at least monthly are significantly more likely to report experiencing attacks. Nearly half of frequent attendees report verbal harassment, and about one-quarter have faced physical attacks or property damage.

Jon Kessler, a 38-year-old from California, highlighted the security burden facing Jewish communities. “Most people when they go to church don’t have armed security, but every synagogue has an armed security guard,” Kessler told the AP. “My son’s Jewish daycare has an armed security guard.”

About 6 in 10 Jewish adults say prejudice against Jewish people is an “extremely” or “very” serious problem in the U.S. today, and 77% believe antisemitism has increased since October 7, 2023. Notably, there are no significant partisan differences on this question: 65% of Jewish Democrats and 67% of Jewish Republicans view antisemitism as a serious problem.

Divisions Over What Constitutes Antisemitism

The poll reveals sharp divides within the Jewish community over whether anti-Israel protests constitute antisemitism. About half of Jewish adults say such protests are not antisemitic, while roughly 4 in 10 say they are. Approximately two-thirds say criticizing Israel’s military actions is not antisemitic.

However, there is near-universal consensus on other forms: nearly all Jewish adults agree that Holocaust denial, vandalizing synagogues or Jewish-owned businesses, and saying Israel should not exist are forms of antisemitism.

Policy Responses and Outlook

The findings come as lawmakers advance bipartisan legislation to address the crisis. The Jewish American Security Act, introduced in May by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and James Lankford (R-OK), would authorize $1 billion annually for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program and create an Antisemitism Coordinator at the Department of Education.

Amanda Goldsmith, a 53-year-old Chicago resident, captured the sentiment of many respondents: “Now, it seems like there was an undercurrent, and it’s a free-for-all, and everyone is free to say what they want. The freedom with which people say horrible things about Jewish people is appalling.”

The AP-NORC poll is part of a series of surveys released this week examining Jewish Americans’ experiences, including findings on divisions over Israel and Gaza and feelings of political representation. Together, they paint a portrait of a community navigating an era of heightened anxiety, visible identity, and unresolved questions about what safety means in contemporary America.