Anti-Semitism Is Growing In The United States

Protester Against Antisemitism

       Ever since the start of the war in Gaza on October 7th, 2023, antisemitism has been running rampant throughout the United States. As a result of the war, BBYO decided to conduct a study on antisemitism within Jewish teens of high school age. A survey was sent out to Jewish teens, and of the respondents, 71% have dealt with antisemitic acts. These occurrences happened both in person and online, and even for just possessing certain items that could be related to Judaism. The amount of antisemitism in the United States has always been higher than it should ever be, and is only growing and becoming more prevalent as time goes on. 

        Judaism is one of the largest religions and cultures in the U.S., yet still faces so much hate daily. As of 2021, there were about seven million Jewish people living in the United states. In New York alone, there are about 1.5 million Jewish people, and over half of the hate crimes committed in the state are acts towards Jewish people. The Pew Research Center conducted a survey, and the results were heartbreakingly alarming. When presented with the survey, 90% of the Jewish people living in the United States reported that antisemitism exists in the country, 75% reported that it has been growing over the past five years, and 53% reported feeling less safe than they once did. Jewish people face more discrimination than members of any other religion in the United States, and this is all part of the harsh truth about how Jewish people living in the United States feel about their safety and sense of belonging. 

       

       The United States is a country that has been built on immigrants, and was made to be a melting pot where people of all races, ethnicities, cultures, and religions belong, and they should all be able to do so without feeling like they are in danger. Everyone is supposed to belong here, so what's the point of this country if no one feels safe to express who they are? Citizens of the U.S. are constantly going against the country's own foundation, going after anyone different from them. It is completely un-American to act in this way, and to think that it is okay to discriminate, especially when most of the people living in the United States have immigrant ancestors. So where do people think they get the right to treat others so terribly, when almost all of us were immigrants anyway? The rates of Jewish hate in this country are alarmingly high, and have no place here. 

       

        The rates of antisemitism have grown tremendously since the war between Israel and Palestine began on October 7th, 2023, as mentioned before. But now let's get into the actual facts and statistics that have been found. Since the start of the war, antisemitic acts in the United States have increased greatly, with over 3.5 million Jewish Americans having experienced antisemitism in some way, shape, or form. Even almost 400,000 Jewish children have fallen victim. Children! Almost 30% of Jewish adults now hide their culture when they are at work as a result of the war. Rates in vandalism and harassment towards synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses have gone up as well, leaving 18% of Jewish people not even feeling safe when they are at their jobs. Survey results found that only one quarter of people formally report antisemitism, out of the fear of not being helped or taken seriously. These are only a few of the statistics found regarding the rise of antisemitism since October 2023, and they are still devastating. No one in the United States should be able to report things like this, yet Jewish people do, even after all the years and years of discrimination they have already faced. 

Pro-Palestine Student at NYU Presenting Antisemitic Sign at a Protest

         Antisemitism has existed and persisted for 2,000 years now. How? History is known to repeat itself, and the issues of antisemitism are no exception to that. Jewish people have faced the worst, just for their existence. Things like the Holocaust should have never happened, but since they did, they should be used as lessons, not repeated and done over and over again, even if it's at a less extreme scale. The Holocaust was horrific, and for me at least, it deters me from any kind of hate. But for others, it fuels them. Neo-Nazis exist, as well as people who whole heartedly believe that the Holocaust never even happened. People like this are part of the reason so much hate and antisemitism exist in the United States. They see nothing wrong with their beliefs and actions, and chalk it up to free speech, when that is simply not the case. These people are full of hatred in a way most people can not even comprehend. 

        Of course, we know who we can blame for some of this. Members of the republican party have repeatedly been compared to Adolf Hitler, some even doing it themselves!! Mark Robinson, the republican nominee for North Carolina governor, once referred to himself as a "black Nazi" on a pornographic website. Yet somehow still had the support of 40.2% of voters in this past election. How is this even possible? Even Donald Trump is regularly compared to Hitler during his rallies and speeches, and even as a result of some of his policies. The similarities between Trump and Hitler's rallies are disgusting and terrifying, yet he was still elected as president for a second term. And so many people still look up to him, and believe in everything he says or does, even when those actions mimic one of the most evil men in history, and the horrific genocide that he committed. What's next for this country if these are the type of people in charge and have such a loyal following? This is definitely one of the things to blame for the rise in antisemitism in this country, and there's a feeling it will only become worse as Donald Trump returns to office.