American Jewish Committee Survey Reveals Continuing Fear Of Anti-Semitism In U.S.

American Jewish Committee
Tuesday, 25 May 1999

Strong Support For Impeachment Trial Verdict, Split On Alternatives To Public School Education

American Jews continue to see anti-Semitism as a greater threat to Jewish life in the United States than intermarriage, according to the American Jewish Committee's 1999 Survey of American Jewish Opinion.

The annual survey provides the most comprehensive picture of American Jewish thinking on a broad range of Jewish communal, U.S national and international concerns.

The annual survey, which is issued each spring, is being released this year in two parts. The first part, released on May 13, deals with the Middle East and other international issues. The second part focuses on American Jewish views of domestic public policy and Jewish communal issues.

Of the 1,000 American Jews surveyed, 62 percent cited anti-Semitism as the greater threat, while 32 percent indicated intermarriage.

Only 9 percent said that anti-Semitism in the United States over the next several years will decrease, while 45 percent said it would increase and 44 percent said it would remain the same.

And 44 percent of American Jews "disagree" with the statement: "Virtually all positions of influence in the United States are open to Jews."

"Notwithstanding the strength of democratic institutions and legal protections in the United States, there remains a significant percentage of our community who simply see threats to their well-being as Jews," said Bruce M. Ramer, president of the American Jewish Committee.

In the 1998 AJC survey, 57 percent chose anti-Semitism as the greater threat, while 38 percent cited intermarriage.

In the 1999 survey the views on anti-Semitism and intermarriage differed considerably according to denomination. Among Orthodox respondents 71 percent indicated intermarriage as the greater threat, while 21 percent chose anti-Semitism. Conservative respondents were split, with 41 percent citing intermarriage and 53 percent anti-Semitism. A large majority of Reform respondents - 68 percent - cited anti-Semitism as the greater threat, while 27 percent chose intermarriage.

Of those respondents who have a non-Jewish spouse, 84 percent said anti-Semitism is a greater threat, while 54 percent of those whose spouses are Jewish cited anti-Semitism and 39 percent chose intermarriage.

This year's survey also showed that 91 percent of American Jews believe that being Jewish is "very important" or "fairly important" in their lives, while 55 percent belong to a synagogue or temple.

When asked to rate the importance of several factors to one's Jewish identity, including participation in synagogue services, Jewish study, travel to Israel, Jewish organizational activity, celebration of Jewish holidays, and remembrance of the Holocaust, the last item, remembrance of the Holocaust, was the factor most often cited by respondents as "extremely important" or "very important."

Only two percent said "remembrance of the Holocaust" was not important, while 24 percent said it is "extremely important," 54 percent said it is "very important," and 20 percent said it is "somewhat important." The findings on this question were consistent across all denominations and age groups in the survey.

"Two generations after this enormous tragedy, the impact of the Holocaust continues to resonate among American Jews of all ages," said Mr. Ramer.

On a related item, 46 percent of those polled cited "being part of the Jewish people" as the most important component of their Jewish identity, while 21 percent selected "a commitment to social justice," 15 percent "religious observance," and three percent "support for Israel."

Of those surveyed, 8 percent identified as Orthodox, 31 percent as Conservative, 34 percent as Reform, three percent as Reconstructionist and 24 percent as "just Jewish."

Commenting on which factors are important to their Jewish identity, 33 percent said participation in synagogue services is "extremely important" or "very important," while 24 percent said it is "not important." Twenty-nine percent said Jewish organizational activity is "extremely important" or "very important," while 25 percent said it is "not important." And, 25 percent said travel to Israel is "extremely important" or "very important," while 32 percent said it is "not important."

"The portrait of American Jewry reflected in our survey is complex, but it also illustrates that inclusiveness is vital to the Jewish people," said Mr. Ramer. "While we may agree on a core set of principles and values, how each of us identifies as a Jew on a daily and personal basis varies widely."

Regarding relations between the denominations, 30 percent said that tensions between Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Jews in the United Sates are "not a problem." Seventeen percent said such tensions are a "very serious problem" and 52 percent said they are "somewhat of a problem."

Concern about maintaining the wall of separation between church and state remains high, according to the survey. A large majority - 72 percent - continue to oppose "government aid to parochial or other religious schools."

But there is openness to supporting alternatives to public school education. A near majority of American Jews - 48 percent - support charter schools that operate outside the traditional public school system as "an innovative and practical response to widespread problems in public education." Forty percent oppose charter schools, claiming that such schools "are not subject to adequate oversight and will weaken traditional public education."

Fifty-seven percent continue to oppose "a school voucher program that would allow parents to use tax funds to send their children to the school of their choice even if it were a private school."

The survey revealed overwhelming support for President Clinton during his impeachment trial.

Seventy-nine percent of those polled approved of the Senate's not guilty verdict, while 19 percent disapproved. Sixty percent blamed the impeachment trial on Republicans in Congress, while 36 percent blamed the president himself.

According to the AJC survey, 52 percent of American Jews identify as Democrats, 12 percent as Republicans and 35 percent as Independents.

The 1999 survey was conducted by Market Facts, Inc., a leading survey research organization. Interviews were conducted with 1,000 American Jews by telephone between March 29 and April 18,1999. The interviews were comprised of 51 questions and the respondents were demographically representative of the United States adult Jewish population. The margin of error for the sample as a whole is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org