Greater than two-thirds of American Jews imagine that New York Metropolis Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will make the town’s Jews much less secure, in line with a brand new survey by a nonpartisan Israeli analysis institute.
The discovering got here within the Jewish Folks Coverage Institute’s newest Voice of the Jewish Folks Index, which surveyed 745 American Jews a few vary of subjects final month, simply 10 days after Mamdani was elected. It provides the newest perception into Jewish sentiments about Mamdani, whose staunch criticism of Israel has drawn consideration, and at occasions allegations of antisemitism, from Jews around the globe.
The survey discovered that 67% of respondents believed Mamdani’s election would make New York Metropolis’s Jews much less secure, whereas 6% believed they might be extra secure and 18% believed he would make them neither roughly secure.
Amongst Jews figuring out as politically conservative, 93% mentioned they believed Mamdani would make New York Metropolis Jews much less secure. Considerations have been decrease amongst liberal-leaning Jews, however nonetheless one third of respondents who recognized as “strongly liberal” mentioned they believed Mamdani would make Jews much less secure.
Over half of respondents mentioned they felt “anxious” concerning the election of Mamdani, whereas 11% mentioned they have been “afraid.” One other 13% mentioned they have been “hopeful.”
A distinct ballot in August discovered that 58% of Jewish New Yorkers believed the town could be much less secure for Jews below Mamdani.
The Jewish Folks Coverage Institute conducts common surveys of Jewish sentiment, drawing on a pool of Jews who’ve agreed to be a part of a survey pool. The institute notes that in consequence, “the survey tends to replicate the attitudes of ‘related’ American Jews, that’s, these with a comparatively robust attachment to the Jewish neighborhood and/or Israel and/or Jewish id.”
It discovered that 70% of respondents recognized as Zionist, whereas 12% recognized as “not a Zionist, however a supporter of Zionism.” Moreover, 7% recognized as “neither a supporter nor an opponent of Zionism,” 5% recognized as a post-Zionist and three% recognized as an anti-Zionist.
Amongst robust liberal respondents, 52% recognized as Zionists, whereas 79% of robust conservatives recognized as Zionists.
Requested whether or not they believed that Zionism is racism, a cost ceaselessly leveled by Israel’s critics, 59% of respondents mentioned they believed that Zionism is “under no circumstances racism.” Amongst robust liberal respondents, the proportion was 28%, in comparison with 86% of robust conservatives.
The survey additionally requested respondents about their notion of antisemitism coming from the political left and proper in america. In latest months, calls to sentence right-wing antisemitism amongst Jewish conservatives have revealed rising rifts inside the get together.
Among the many survey’s respondents, 62% mentioned they have been anxious about antisemitism from each the left and the suitable, whereas 20% mentioned they have been extra anxious about antisemitism on the left and 17% have been extra anxious about it on the suitable. Amongst robust liberals, simply 5% have been anxious about antisemitism on the left whereas simply 1% of conservatives have been anxious about antisemitism on the suitable.
Energy the information that issues to you. Earlier than 2025 ends, assist JTA’s impartial, award-winning newsroom doc Jewish historical past in real-time.
