Almost 50% of ultra-Orthodox Jewish Americans know a victim of post-Oct 7 antisemitism

Approximately 44% of ultra-Orthodox Jewish Americans said they personally know a victim of post-October 7 antisemitism, according to a new poll released on Thursday. The report also revealed that the figure dropped to 36% among former ultra-Orthodox Jews.

The poll was conducted by New York-based news outlet Shtetl and Nishma Research, a U.S.-based group that conducts surveys among Orthodox Jews in the United States. While the results were released last week, the survey was conducted in June 2024.

The majority of ultra-Orthodox Jews reside in the northeastern part of the United States, especially in New York and New Jersey.

The relatively high percentage reported from the ultra-Orthodox community may stem from the fact that these highly observant Jews are more visibly identifiable due to their distinctive black-and-white attire, making them more likely to encounter various forms of discrimination.

Furthermore, ultra-Orthodox Jews are more closely linked to similar religious communities and thereby statistically more likely to be acquainted with individuals who have experienced antisemitism.

Nishma Research head Mark Trencher told The Times of Israel there would be a follow-up report with additional findings.

A whopping 88% of ultra-Orthodox Jewish Americans believe that hatred against Jews has increased over the past five years, especially after the Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel in 2023. Approximately 75% of former ultra-Orthodox Jews agreed that antisemitism has increased in American society.

The report further revealed that approximately 20% of both groups have participated in pro-Israel rallies since the Oct. 7 massacre. Conversely, 5% of former ultra-Orthodox Jews reported attending anti-Israel rallies, compared to just 1% of traditional ultra-Orthodox Jews.

While both groups recognized the rise of antisemitism in U.S. society, their responses differed. Approximately 15% of former ultra-Orthodox Jews said they “felt very alone” compared to just 3% among practicing ultra-Orthodox Jews. This discrepancy is likely linked to the fact that ultra-Orthodox Jews tend to be more engaged in communal life.

According to the poll, former ultra-Orthodox Jews were more likely than their ultra-Orthodox counterparts (35% compared to 29%) to engage in efforts to "demonstrate Jewishness," such as wearing a Star of David or dog tags, which have become symbols of solidarity with Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

At the same time, former ultra-Orthodox Jews were more likely to hide their Jewish identity (33%) compared to 17% among ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Hatred against Jews has increased dramatically in the West since Oct. 7, 2023, according to a report compiled by the Anti-Defamation League and Tel Aviv University in May 2024.

While antisemitism has become a global problem, France stood out as a particularly problematic case. The report revealed that antisemitism had quadrupled in French society during the past year compared to the preceding year. France is home to both Europe’s largest Jewish community (numbering around half a million) and Western Europe’s largest Muslim minority (numbering between six and seven million people.)

In September, U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt assessed that a growing number of countries have realized that antisemitism is a societal problem and not only a Jewish problem.