American Jewish Student Opinion and Anti-Semitism
(2011 - Present)
Note: We are presenting raw data. When available, we provide some or all of the crosstabs (i.e., breakdowns by various categories such as party ID). To analyze the data, we encourage users to read the entire study and the methodology used. Results and reliability can be affected by sample size, question wording, and question order. Context and timing may also influence responses, for example, if the survey is conducted during a war.
What is anti-Semitic? [% agree] (Brandeis, August 2024)
| Jewish Students Fall 2023 | Jewish Students Spring 2024 | Non-Jewish Students Spring 2024 | |
| Jews in America have too much power | 96% | 95% | 81% |
| Israel does not have the right to exist | 94% | 88% | 67% |
| Israel violates human rights of the Palestinian people | 45% | 45% | 25% |
Has the fear of anti-Semitism on campus affected participation in campus activities? (Jim Joseph Foundation, April 28-June 26, 2024)
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| I don’t have any fears about anti-Semitism on campus | 38% | 20% | 27% |
| Kept me away | 8% | 16% | 14% |
| Motivated me to participate in Jewish activities on campus | 14% | 26% | 21% |
| Both | 9% | 16% | 17% |
| Neither | 31% | 22% | 20% |
Since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas, have you been personally targeted by anti-Semitic comments, slurs, or threats? (Jim Joseph Foundation, April 28-June 26, 2024)
| 2023 | 2024 | |
| On social media | 17% | 15% |
| In a classroom environment on campus | 6% | 10% |
| In a social environment on campus | 11% | 16% |
Have the protests on your campus [against the war in Gaza] affected you in any of the following ways? Please select all
that apply. (Hillel, May 2024)
| 2024 | |
| I have had a hard time concentrating on or completing schoolwork | 44% |
| I have felt scared on my campus | 31% |
| I have felt scared to attend classes | 30% |
| I have had trouble sleeping | 25% |
| I no longer want to return to my campus in the fall | 15% |
| I do not have the same level of trust in the faculty | 42% |
| It has affected my friendships on campus | 38% |
| None of the above | 27% |
Have the protests made you feel... (Hillel, May 2024)
| 2024 | |
| More safe on campus | 11% |
| Less safe on campus | 63% |
| Have had no impact on my safety on campus | 26% |
Did any of these protests use language or do anything that is antisemitic, threatening or derogatory toward Jewish people? (Hillel, May 2024)
| 2024 | |
| Yes | 61% |
| No | 24% |
| I'm not sure | 16% |
Have the encampments affected your experience on campus in any way? Please select all that apply. (Hillel, May 2024)
| 2024 | |
| I have had to navigate through protests that were blocking my way | 35% |
| I have had to leave earlier to get to class | 23% |
| I have been blocked from getting to class | 20% |
| I had to change where I spend times with friends or socialize | 24% |
| At least one of my classes has gone remote | 12% |
| At least one of my classes has gotten canceled | 22% |
| I have missed at least one of my classes | 22% |
| My commencement ceremony was canceled | 5% |
| My commencement ceremony had changes made to it | 10% |
| End of year celebrations have been canceled | 11% |
| I have been physically assaulted | 7% |
| I have been verbally assaulted | 17% |
| My extracurricular activities (i.e., clubs, Greek life events, etc.) have been impacted |
18% |
| My ability to get to or be at work has been impacted | 19% |
| Exams and finals have been canceled | 11% |
| Exams and finals have been postponed | 12% |
| None of the above | 34% |
Generally speaking, since the encampments began, how has your academic experience been affected? Has it been... (Hillel, May 2024)
| 2024 | |
| More difficult for you to learn, study or concentrate | 58% |
| Easier for you to learn, study or concentrate | 9% |
| Has had no effect on your ability to learn, study or concentrate | 32% |
Have the encampments made you feel... (Hillel, May 2024)
| 2024 | |
| More safe on campus | 14% |
| Less safe on campus | 58% |
| Have had no impact on my safety on campus | 28% |
How good of a job do you think your school is doing in enforcing its policies and codes of conduct as they pertain to the encampments? (Hillel, May 2024)
| 2024 | |
| Not good | 60% |
| Good | 35% |
Since the war between Israel and Hamas started, have there been any acts of antisemitism, hate, or anything threatening or derogatory toward Jewish people that has happened at your campus? (Hillel, May 2024)
| 2024 | |
| Yes | 50% |
| No | 32% |
| Not sure | 18% |
Have you experienced any of the following on campus or within your campus community this
school year? Please select all that apply. (Hillel, May 2024)
| 2024 | |
| I have felt a need to hide my Jewish identity from others on campus | 40% |
| A professor has said something antisemitic or anti-Israel | 25% |
| I have felt unwelcome in a campus space (e.g., in class or in a campus organization), because I am Jewish or because of how I feel about Israel |
27% |
| I have considered transferring or leaving my college/university because of the climate on campus |
11% |
| I have felt like professors have treated me differently from other students because I am Jewish or because of how I feel about Israel |
17% |
| I have been prevented from getting to class or someplace else on campus |
11% |
| I have heard antisemitic rhetoric shouted at me or experienced antisemitic incidents |
28% |
| I have been too scared to attend Jewish-related events (i.e., Shabbat dinner, Jewish programs, etc.) |
32% |
| None of the above | 32% |
| Total Impacted | 68% |
Do you feel less safe as a Jewish student on campus since the war [in Gaza] began, or has it had no impact? (Schoen Cooperman Research, March 2024)
| 2024 | |
| Yes | 73% |
| No impact | 22% |
Does the BDS Movement Pose a Threat to the safety of Jewish students? (Schoen Cooperman Research, March 2024)
| 2024 | ||
| Jewish Students | College Students | |
| Serious threat | 65% | 36% |
| Not a serious threat | 27% | 29% |
Is the BDS movement anti-Semitic? (Schoen Cooperman Research, March 2024)
| 2024 | |
| Yes | 44% |
| Yes, BDS has anti-Semitic supporters | 33% |
| No | 12% |
Is It Important to Use Your Voice to Stand Against BDS on Campus? (Schoen Cooperman Research, March 2024)
| 2024 | |
| Important | 62% |
| Not important | 26% |
| It is critical for Jewish students and organizations to fight back against the BDS movement on college campuses. BDS is an anti-Semitic attempt to delegitimize Israel, and to marginalize and ostracize Jewish students for their beliefs. | 52% |
| While the BDS movement is antisemitic, Jewish students and organizations should not actively fight back against it. It does more harm than good to engage with this organization, and the efforts to do so will only bring negative attention to the Jewish community. | 25% |
Is It Important to Use Your Voice to Stand with the Jewish Community on Campus? (Schoen Cooperman Research, March 2024)
| 2024 | |
| Important | 81% |
| Not important | 15% |
Is It Important to Use Your Voice to Stand with Israel on Campus? (Schoen Cooperman Research, March 2024)
| 2024 | |
| Important | 66% |
| Not important | 30% |
In order to fit in on my campus, I feel the need to hide that I am Jewish. (Jim Joseph Foundation, November 16 and December 21, 2023)
| 2022 | 2023 | |
| Yes | 17% | 30% |
People will judge me negatively if I participate in Jewish activities on campus. (Jim Joseph Foundation, November 16 and December 21, 2023)
| 2022 | 2023 | |
| Yes | 23% | 34% |
On my campus, Jewish students pay a social penalty for supporting the existence of Israel as a Jewish state. (Jim Joseph Foundation, November 16 and December 21, 2023)
| 2022 | 2023 | |
| Yes | 54% | 66% |
Thinking about your or your student’s time as a current or recent college or university student, have you or they ever felt or been excluded from a group or an event on campus because you or they are Jewish? (AJC, October 5-November 21, 2023)
| 2023 | |
| Yes | 20% |
| No | 80% |
Thinking about your or your student’s time as a current or recent college or university student, have you or they ever felt or been excluded from a group or an event on campus because of your or their assumed or actual connection to Israel? (AJC, October 5-November 21, 2023)
| 2023 | |
| Yes | 17% |
| No | 82% |
During your or your student’s time as a college or university student, have you or they ever felt uncomfortable or unsafe at a campus event because you or they are Jewish? (AJC, October 5-November 21, 2023)
| 2023 | |
| Yes | 24% |
| No | 76% |
During your or your student’s time as a college or university student, have you or they ever been told you or they could not miss class for Jewish holidays? (AJC, October 5-November 21, 2023)
| 2023 | |
| Yes | 25% |
| No | 75% |
During your or your student’s time as a college or university student, have you or they ever avoided wearing, carrying, or displaying things that would identify you or them as Jewish because of fears of antisemitism? (AJC, October 5-November 21, 2023)
| 2023 | |
| Yes | 25% |
| No | 74% |
During your or your student’s time as a college or university student, have you or they ever avoided expressing your or their views on Israel on campus or with classmates because of fears of antisemitism? (AJC, October 5-November 21, 2023)
| 2023 | |
| Yes | 26% |
| No | 73% |
s anti-Semitism a threat? ampu(IPSOS/Jewish on Cs, March 19–May 24, 2023)
|
General |
Jewish | |
| To America? |
64% |
84% |
| To higher education/academia? |
48% |
68% |
| To your university? |
23%
|
45% |
How widespread, if at all, do you feel antisemitism is in the following? (IPSOS/Jewish on Campus, March 19–May 24, 2023)
|
General |
Jewish | |
| In your community? |
16% |
29% |
| In your student body? |
15% |
32% |
| In your faculty? |
13%
|
16% |
| In your administration? | 12% | 16% |
| In your student government? | 11% | 18% |
Students who believe the following antisemitic events or tropes are at least somewhat believable. (IPSOS/Jewish on Campus, March 19–May 24, 2023)
|
General |
Jewish | |
| Restrictive neighborhood covenants |
53% |
74% |
| College/university quotas |
54% |
77% |
| Questioned impartiality/loyalty |
48%
|
71% |
| Accusations of institutional control | 51% | 75% |
| Blaming for societal problems | 61% | 83% |
Locations of anti-Semitic incidents. (IPSOS/Jewish on Campus, March 19–May 24, 2023)
| Jewish | |
| On campus at college/university | 29% |
| Off-campus at college/university-affiliated event | 17% |
| In the general public | 44% |
| Accusations of institutional control | 75% |
| In a private home or gathering | 27% |
Types of anti-Semitic incidents. (IPSOS/Jewish on Campus, March 19–May 24, 2023)
| Jewish | |
| Microaggressions | 72% |
| Hate speech | 50% |
| Vandalism | 48% |
| Conspiracy theories | 43% |
| Discrimination | 35% |
| Harassment/Intimidation | 32% |
| Bullying | 31% |
| Genocidal ideation | 21% |
| Physical assault | 11% |
How significant of a threat do you believe the following things are to America? (IPSOS/Jewish on Campus, March 19–May 24, 2023)
| Answered significant |
General |
Jewish |
| Anti-Semitism |
64% |
84% |
| White Supremacy |
74% |
86% |
| Racism |
84%
|
90% |
| Sexism | 75% | 83% |
How significant of a threat do you believe the following things are in higher education/academia? (IPSOS/Jewish on Campus, March 19–May 24, 2023)
| Answered significant |
General |
Jewish |
| Anti-Semitism |
48% |
68% |
| White Supremacy |
59% |
67% |
| Racism |
71%
|
80% |
| Sexism | 68% | 79% |
How significant of a threat do you believe the following things are at your college/university (IPSOS/Jewish on Campus, March 19–May 24, 2023)
| Answered significant |
General |
Jewish |
| Anti-Semitism |
23% |
45% |
| White Supremacy |
32% |
41% |
| Racism |
40%
|
57% |
| Sexism | 39% | 52% |
How familiar, if at all, are you with the following: (IPSOS/Jewish on Campus, March 19–May 24, 2023)
| Answered familiar |
General |
Jewish |
The term anti-Semitism |
74% |
94% |
Boycott, Divest, Sanction Campaign also known as BDS |
11% |
37% |
| Deadly Exchange Campaign |
5%
|
7% |
| International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) | 21% | 44% |
Personal experiences of anti-Semitism* (ADL / Hillel, July 7-21, 2021)
|
2021 |
|
| Any anti-Semitic experience |
32% |
| Offensive comments or slurs online |
19% |
| Offensive comments or slurs in person |
13%
|
| Offensive comments or slurs in campus media |
9%
|
| Vandalism |
8%
|
| Physical threat |
1%
|
| Physical attack |
1%
|
Experiences witnessing anti-Semitism* (ADL / Hillel, July 7-21, 2021)
|
2021 |
|
| Witnessed any ant-Semitism |
31% |
| Symbols, logos, posters, or other communications |
18% |
| Offensive comments or slurs in person |
14%
|
| Offensive comments or slurs in campus media |
10%
|
| Vandalism |
9%
|
| Physical threat |
1%
|
| Physical attack |
1%
|
Experiences on campus* (ADL / Hillel, July 7-21, 2021)
|
2021 |
|
| Have others assumed you hold particular views on Israel or Israeli policy because you are Jewish |
24% |
| Felt the need to hide your Jewish identity from others on campus (e.g., choosing not to mention you are Jewish, abstaining from wearing visibly Jewish apparel |
15% |
| Been blamed for actions of the Israeli government because you are Jewish |
12%
|
| Felt unwelcome in a campus organization because of actual or perceived support for Israel as a Jew |
10%
|
| Felt unwelcome in a campus organization because you are Jewish |
6%
|
Are you most concerned about anti-Semitism from those on the political left, center, or right?* (ADL / Hillel, July 7-21, 2021)
|
2021 |
|
| The left or progressive |
62% |
| The right |
69% |
| The center |
54%
|
What changes would you like to see in how anti-Semitism is addressed on campus?* (ADL / Hillel, July 7-21, 2021)
|
2021 |
|
| Student governments should do more |
32% |
| Campus employees should do more |
27% |
| Campus faculty should do more |
25%
|
Have you ever witnessed or been subjected to anti-Semitism? (AICE/TIP, October 28-November 20, 2011)
|
2011 |
|
| Witnessed ant-Semitism |
66% |
| Been personally subjected to anti-Semitism |
46% |
| No |
22%
|
When does criticism of Israel cross a line from legitimate political debate to anti-Semitism? (AICE/TIP, October 28-November 20, 2011)
|
2011 |
|
| The criticism is directed at a Jewish individual rather than a policy |
57% |
| The criticism questions Israel’s right to exist |
56% |
| The criticism demonizes Israel using caricature and offensive language such as comparing Israelis to Nazis |
55%
|
| The criticism reflects a double standard whereby Israel is treated differently than other countries |
50%
|
| The criticism is about settlements |
11%
|
| The criticism relates to Israel’s security |
10%
|
| None of these |
9%
|
*Not exact question wording.
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