ByCOMBAT ANTISEMITISM MOVEMENTJULY 2, 2026 16:15As the United States prepares to mark its 250th anniversary, a new survey released by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) shows that one of the communities that has helped build the nation since its founding is facing a pervasive and escalating threat. Jews have been part of American life since before the foundation of United States, arriving in New Amsterdam in 1654 and counted among the merchants, soldiers, and citizens who supported the Revolution. Today, as the country celebrates its semi-quincentennial anniversary, a comprehensive study commissioned by CAM’s Antisemitism Research Center (ARC) finds that a majority of Jewish Americans — 57% — experienced antisemitism in the past year, equivalent to approximately 3.3 million Jewish adults alongside an estimated 250,000 Jewish children living in affected households.The threat is not only a phenomenon that is felt by Jewish Americans, but it can also be seen in their changing behavior. 38% said they now hide things that identify them as Jewish, 32% have avoided posting anything online that would identify them as Jewish, and 23%, about 1.2 million adults, said they had skipped Jewish events or observances out of fear.The survey also found broad Jewish communal support for the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism after reading it. 71% of those polled said the definition accurately described antisemitism, and more than two-thirds said it should be adopted by institutions. Only 4% opposed the definition, with just 1% in strong opposition.The key findings of the study are accessible at: survey2026.combatantisemitism.org“These findings are a stark reminder that antisemitism is a lived daily reality for Jewish Americans,” said CAM President of U.S. Affairs Alyza D. Lewin. “The more openly Jewish you are, the more likely you are to experience antisemitism. Unsurprisingly, as a result, Jews are changing their behavior and thinking twice about how openly Jewish to be.”“At the same time, the survey responses demonstrate that Jews overwhelmingly support adoption of the IHRA definition,” she added. “The data is clear. The mandate is clear. It’s time to adopt the IHRA definition and get to work protecting the ability of Jews in America to openly, proudly and safely embrace their Jewish shared ancestry, history, and heritage.”The survey of 1,060 Jewish American adults, conducted by Dr. Ira Sheskin of the University of Miami and administered by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago (NORC), documented a broad pattern of exposure, concealment, and self-censorship. 58% of respondents said they felt less safe than a year ago, representing roughly 3.6 million adults.Results revealed that visibility carries risk. Antisemitism was personally felt most by those who live more openly as Jews: 46% of Orthodox Jews and 44% of those active in Jewish communal life, compared with 17% of those not involved. The more openly Jewish a person lives, the more antisemitism they reported facing.A similar study was commissioned by CAM in 2024, shortly after the October 7th massacre, offering a benchmark to understand what has, and has not, changed for Jewish Americans over the past two years.“This new data only confirms what we in the Jewish community already know — antisemitism is a threat that must be addressed with the seriousness that such a deadly reality demands,” said Aaron Keyak, the former U.S. Deputy Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism and CAM’s Special Representative on International Affairs. “It is incumbent on all of us not to make this a partisan issue and to actually take measures to make American Jews safer.”“One of the unique aspects of antisemitism is that it manifests as a horseshoe,” he noted. “As it gets more and more extreme on the left and on the right, the antisemites come to converge on their views of Jews, even though they disagree about every other policy and political issue.”Online hostility remains especially widespread. 59% (about 3.4 million adults) said they had seen antisemitic content online, while 10% reported having antisemitic content directed personally at them. Nearly half, 47%, said they had heard an antisemitic trope, affecting an estimated 2.7 million adults.Other key findings included:Eight percent, or 406,000 adults, said they have been physically threatened or attacked.36%, about 2.1 million adults, said they have seen anti-Jewish graffiti or vandalism nearby.36%, about 2.1 million adults, said they have heard antisemitic slurs or jokes from colleagues or neighbors.40%, about 2.8 million adults, said a non-Jewish person expressed solidarity with them.Follow us on Google