Pittsburgh Shooting, a Year Later Fearing for Their Safety, Third of U.S. Jews Say Shun Stars of David and Skullcaps

Nearly nine out of 10 American Jews say anti-Semitism is a problem in the United States today, with more than a third describing it as a serious problem, according to a survey published Wednesday by the American Jewish Committee.

The poll — timed to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, which falls this Sunday — found that nearly one in three American Jews avoid publicly wearing, carrying or displaying items that might identify them religiously, while one-quarter avoid places, events or situations out of concern for their safety as Jews.

The views expressed in the survey cut across religious denominations and political affiliations, though levels of concern about growing anti-Semitism in the United States seem to be somewhat more pronounced among non-Orthodox Jews and those who vote for the Democratic Party.

According to the survey, most American Jews see anti-Semitism on the far right as a bigger threat than on the far left. Nearly three-quarters of respondents expressed disapproval of President Donald Trump’s handling of the threat of anti-Semitism.

“American Jews could not be clearer about the reality of anti-Semitism in the U.S.," the CEO of the American Jewish Committee, David Harris, said about the findings. "Our survey provides, for the first time, an in-depth assessment of American Jewish perceptions of, and experiences with, anti-Semitism in their own country. This hatred is real, comes from multiple sources, and is growing. It needs to be taken seriously and dealt with in a sustained, multipronged response.”