When the Anti-Defamation League released its previous research into the depth of Jew-hatred in the United States in January 2023, the group revealed that one in five Americans embraced antisemitism. That number has since risen to nearly one in four.
The ADL announced the results of a new poll with a 1.5% margin of error for 4,000 adults in the United States conducted from Jan. 5-18.
Researchers found that 24%, up from 20% in 2022, answered agreement with at least six out of 11 antisemitic tropes the organization has polled on for decades.
Data shows millennials to be the most antisemitic generation in the United States, embracing 5.37 tropes on average. In contrast, TikTok-enthusiast Gen Z believes 5.01 bigotries, Gen X a total of 4.19 and baby boomers 3.06.
The survey found a correlation between antisemitism and the belief in an “oppressor vs. oppressed” ideology, asking for levels of agreement in the statement, “When we think about the problems of the world, it comes down to the oppressor vs the oppressed.” Those who strongly agreed endorsed six antisemitic tropes on average, whereas those who disagreed believed in 2.4.
“The ‘oppressed vs. oppressor’ correlation with increased antisemitic beliefs is most interesting to me. Having been brought up in the Soviet Union where that same Marxist-Leninist ideology and ideologues were very much responsible for Soviet antisemitism and anti-Zionism,” Misha Galperin, president and CEO of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, told JNS. “I’ve been to that movie and did not like the plot.”
Researchers also found a correlation between beliefs in conspiracy theories and antisemitic tropes. Those in the top 25% for conspiracist ideology believed an average of 6.2 tropes.
Galperin said that “the overall increase is not terribly surprising given the enormous increase in antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents, especially on college campuses.”
