Friday, May 3, 2024

What Americans say about antisemitism

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This is America

Fri May 3 2024

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

@nicolefallert

Antisemitism is a word that comes up in the news frequently these days. Jewish people have expressed feeling hate in America for decades, but the Israel-Hamas war has shed a new light on the very real presence this sentiment has in the country.

While this might seem like a reckoning point for antisemitism, the moment is part of a much longer history of anti-Jewish actions that occur across the country. USA TODAY spoke with Jewish Americans in all 50 states to ask them how antisemitism effects them every day. Many said they feel fear. Others said they feel empowered to stand with their Jewish faith. But even those who are safe in their communities feel the weight of being scared all the time.

These interviews, conducted with Jewish people from South Carolina to Texas to New York, demonstrated that antisemitism can show up in American life in big and small ways. Some interactions are tied to the war. Others have felt this hate for decades. While the ongoing war in Gaza is an entry point to conversations about antisemitism, people want to bring attention to the broader issue and assert their right to protections and freedoms any other American has.