70% of US Jews feel less secure

A recent poll by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) indicates that 70% of American Jews feel a decline in personal security following the onset of the Israel-Hamas war. The poll, conducted between October 12-16, included 600 US Jews.

JPPI President Prof. Yedidia Stern said “American Jews are deeply affected by the happenings in Israel. While the majority supports Israel since the war commenced on October 7, a rising sentiment of anxiety about personal safety is undeniable.”

The poll found that 70% of Jews report feeling less secure due to the war, with over onethird believing their local community safety to have been adversely affected.

A stark difference in support was observed in the survey among those who had visited Israel. Among Jews who have frequently visited or resided in Israel, the support rate is a staggering 90%. For those who have only visited once, it’s at 80%. However, for the over half of American Jews who have never been to Israel, the active support rate is 59%.

When questioned about their emotional reaction to the war, 60% of participants felt either anger or anxiety. Those with ties to Israel, either through past residency or visits, predominantly felt anxiety, while others felt anger.

The Israeli public messaging during the war’s first week, according to the survey, received positive feedback. There were 70% who deemed it as good or very good and 40% marked it as “very good.”

Interestingly, those who had previously resided in Israel rated the hasbara lower. Additionally, Conservative Jews were less positive about the hasbara compared to their liberal counterparts.