American Jews: Government policy contributes to rise in antisemitism

The JPPI index reveals a deep gap between Israeli Jews and American Jews: 39% of American Jews believe that the Israeli government's policy greatly contributes to the rise in antisemitism, compared to only 28% of Israelis. 44% of Israeli Jews deny any connection between state policy and antisemitism. 28% of American Jews say Israel should significantly change its policy, compared to 17% in Israel. Meanwhile, Jews in Israel are more optimistic about the country's future.

The JPPI index published ahead of Rosh Hashanah reveals a deep gap between the perceptions of Israeli Jews and American Jews regarding the connection between the Israeli government's policy and the rise in antisemitism. 39% of American Jews believe that government policy greatly contributes to the rise in antisemitism, compared to only 28% of Israelis. In Israel, 44% of Israeli Jews deny any connection between state policy and antisemitism. The gap in perceptions translates into demands: 28% of American Jews say Israel should significantly change its policy in response to waves of antisemitism, compared to 21% last year, while 57% of Israeli Jews say there should be no change in policy at all. In terms of optimism, 43% of Israeli Jews foresee a positive future compared to only 19% among American Jews. However, there is some recovery from last year's low: 25% of American Jews believe Israel is in decline, compared to 38% in September 2025. The political divide in the US is reflected: 51% of conservatives express optimism compared to 4% of liberals. The index also examined proficiency in Jewish languages and found a direct correlation between the level of Hebrew and the strength of connection to Israel.