Despite the rising level of anti-Semitism in the United States, Americans feel more positive than negative about Jews, a recent Pew Research study has revealed.
According to the poll, 35% of Americans have very or somewhat favorable feelings toward the Jewish community, while only 6% have a very or somewhat unfavorable view of them. The study, says Susan Michael, USA Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, is “encouraging,” but there is a catch.
Nearly 60% of those surveyed took a neutral view or didn’t know enough to say either way. And, Michael says, the people who look upon Jews unfavorably are a major concern.
“The Pew study does reflect the large support the Jewish people have in the American people, and many Americans support the Jewish people without even knowing a Jewish person because of their biblical description as God’s chosen people.
“But the fact that 58% of respondents did not know enough to answer highlights declining biblical literacy and church attendance. The 6% who view the Jews unfavorably would include the hate groups who are certainly a minority but are a vocal and dangerous one.”
In 2021, a study taken by Infinity Concepts, a faith-based communications agency that co-produced the report with Grey Matter Research, said that 51% of Evangelical Protestants in the U.S. say they believe Jews are God’s chosen people.
A survey conducted by the American Jewish Committee in late 2022, sampling 1,507 Jews age 18 or older, revealed that 43% of those polled believe that anti-Semitism is a “very serious problem,” while 46% believe it is “somewhat of a problem.”
Only 2% said that anti-Semitism is “not a problem at all,” while 8% said it was “not much of a problem.”
Michael disagrees with the latter two segments of the population.
“The rise in anti-Semitism is America is a grave concern because it indicates a minority that is becoming increasingly radicalized and through the internet is more easily able to connect with and influence others,” Michael says.
The American Jewish Committee’s poll says that 43% of Jews believe that anti-Semitism has increased “a lot” in the past five years, while 39% believe that it has increased “somewhat.” Only 13% say that anti-Semitism is taken more seriously than other forms of hate or bigotry in the U.S., while 48% say it is taken less seriously.
The Pew Research study also makes a somewhat startling revelation. The poll says that Jews are the most favorable religious group in America by a slim 1% margin over Catholics (34%). Third in line are mainline Protestants (30%), followed by evangelical Christians at 28%.
Atheists are thought favorably of by 20% of the population, followed by Muslims (17%) and Mormons (15%). {eoa}
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Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisma Media.
