{"id":923350,"date":"2026-07-09T14:40:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T14:40:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/923350\/"},"modified":"2026-07-09T14:40:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T14:40:14","slug":"most-american-jews-dont-feel-supported-by-either-party-poll-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/923350\/","title":{"rendered":"Most American Jews don’t feel supported by either party, poll finds"},"content":{"rendered":"

By STEVE PEOPLES and LINLEY SANDERS<\/strong><\/p>\n

NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 Yahm Levin is a diehard Democrat who lives in one of the nation\u2019s most liberal cities. And yet the 39-year-old Jewish woman from Los Angeles is sometimes afraid to use her first or last name when meeting people \u2014 even those who share her progressive politics.<\/p>\n

Levin has learned from recent experience that being identified as a Jew, especially one who lived in Israel, can trigger uncomfortable questions from fellow Democrats. Or worse. So, she introduces herself by her middle name, Shelly, which she said feels safer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t really feel comfortable in leftist circles anymore,\u201d said Levin, a former librarian. \u201cI just want to be a Jewish American who has a connection to Israel. But I feel like I can\u2019t do that. And it\u2019s very frustrating. And sometimes a little scary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nearly three years after the war in Gaza<\/a> began with Hamas\u2019 attack on Oct. 7, 2023, intensifying criticism of Israel within the Democratic Party<\/a> has left Levin feeling \u201cpolitically homeless.\u201d<\/p>\n

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that most Jewish adults don\u2019t feel well represented by political leaders at a troubling moment for many in their community. Most Jewish Americans, 63%, say prejudice against Jewish people is an \u201cextremely\u201d or \u201cvery\u201d serious problem in the U.S. At the same time, few believe that either party is doing a good job supporting Jewish people in the United States.<\/p>\n

The new survey of 1,022 Jewish adults \u2014 including people who identify as Jewish by religion and religiously unaffiliated people who identify as Jewish through culture, ethnicity or family background \u2014 offers a rare detailed accounting of a key demographic that sits at the very center of some of the nation\u2019s most divisive political debates.<\/p>\n

It indicates that many Jewish adults feel isolated at a moment when antisemitism<\/a> is a growing concern across the political spectrum and support for Israel has become a flash point in both parties. The survey found that many Jewish adults, 36%, say supporting Israel is \u201cextremely\u201d or \u201cvery\u201d important to their Jewish identity, while another 26% say it\u2019s \u201csomewhat\u201d important.<\/p>\n

Just 15% of Jewish adults say that the Democratic Party supports Jewish people in the U.S. \u201cextremely\u201d or \u201cvery\u201d well, while another 33% say the party supports them somewhat well. About 41% say the Democratic Party supports the Jewish community \u201cnot very well\u201d or \u201cnot well at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jewish adults even feel worse about President Donald Trump<\/a> and the Republican Party<\/a>, although not by much \u2014 a noteworthy finding considering that Jewish Americans overwhelmingly identify as Democrats. About half of Jewish adults say Trump and Republicans don\u2019t support Jewish people in the U.S. well.<\/p>\n

The poll also suggests a sense of isolation. Despite the Jewish community\u2019s widespread concerns about antisemitism, Americans overall are far less concerned, with only 38% of U.S. adults saying prejudice against Jewish people is an \u201cextremely\u201d or \u201cvery\u201d serious problem.<\/p>\n

\"PeopleFILE \u2013 People watch the lighting of the world\u2019s largest menorah on Fifth Avenue by Central Park for the seventh night of Hanukkah, Dec. 31, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo\/Heather Khalifa, File)
\nSome Jewish adults feel \u2018lost politically\u2019<\/p>\n

Nearly three years after the war in Gaza began, it\u2019s not just Jewish Democrats who are re-examining their political loyalties.<\/p>\n

Max Sacher, a 27-year-old Jewish Republican from Austin, Texas, said he was generally pleased with Trump\u2019s support for the Jewish community until he saw the president\u2019s latest diplomatic attempt to end months of conflict with Iran<\/a>. Trump launched the war in partnership with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one of the most embarrassing documents I\u2019ve read. It basically cedes everything to Iran,\u201d said Sacher, who is a graduate student in finance. \u201cI feel very lost politically. I used to have a home. Now I feel like I\u2019m on an island in modern-day politics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jewish voters made up 3% of the 2024 electorate, according to AP VoteCast. They overwhelmingly voted Democratic, with 66% casting ballots for Vice President Kamala Harris and 33% for Trump.<\/p>\n

On some key questions, Jewish adults see things differently than Americans overall.<\/p>\n

U.S. adults in general are more likely than Jewish adults to see Trump as \u201cextremely\u201d or \u201cvery\u201d supportive of Jewish people in the United States. About 3 in 10 U.S. adults say Trump is highly supportive of Jewish people, compared to about 2 in 10 Jewish adults.<\/p>\n

Most Jewish adults, 77%, say there is more prejudice against Jewish people compared with three years ago, before the Hamas attack.<\/p>\n

Ellen Kuberski, a 72-year-old Jewish Democrat from Chicago, scoffed when asked about Trump. She described a \u201cgeneral disgust and hatred\u201d for the Republican president. But she\u2019s also upset with the Democratic Party, which she says has been much more supportive of the Palestinians than Israel or American Jews in recent years. She was especially upset when progressive activists were protesting against Israel even when the Israeli hostages were still captive in Gaza.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tend to be more in line with the far left in just about everything else. But now the far left is attacking the Jewish community,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s enough antisemitism in the world that we don\u2019t need politicians on what\u2019s supposed to be on our side coming out with that crap.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jewish Americans are split on Netanyahu, Mamdani and Trump<\/p>\n

The Jewish community is divided over some of the people at the forefront of the Israel debate. However, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a>, a democratic socialist who is a vocal critic of Israel, is more popular among Jewish adults than Netanyahu or Trump, who promised to be \u201cthe best friend Jewish Americans have ever had in the White House.\u201d<\/p>\n

About 4 in 10 Jewish adults, 44%, view Mamdani \u201csomewhat\u201d or \u201cvery\u201d favorably, while a similar share, 39%, view him \u201csomewhat\u201d or \u201cvery\u201d unfavorably. About 2 in 10 Jewish adults don\u2019t know enough to say.<\/p>\n

Kylle Epstein, a 24-year-old Jewish Democrat from Clearwater, Florida, cheered Mamdani and like-minded Democrats who have won recent congressional primary elections in New York<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Mamdani is absolutely phenomenal. He makes Democrats think,\u201d Epstein said, calling for \u201cnew blood in the party.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Netanyahu, only about one-third of Jewish adults have a \u201csomewhat\u201d or \u201cvery\u201d favorable opinion of the Israeli prime minister, while about 6 in 10 have a \u201csomewhat\u201d or \u201cvery\u201d unfavorable view, including 42% who have a \u201cvery\u201d unfavorable opinion. About 1 in 10 don\u2019t know enough to say.<\/p>\n

Jewish adults have a slightly more negative view of Trump than Netanyahu, with a similar share, 29%, saying they view Trump favorably.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the poll found that Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro<\/a>, one of the nation\u2019s most prominent Jewish Democratic officials, is still unknown by many Jewish adults.<\/p>\n

About 4 in 10 Jewish adults have a \u201csomewhat\u201d or \u201cvery\u201d favorable opinion of the Democratic governor, while about 2 in 10 have a \u201csomewhat\u201d or \u201cvery\u201d unfavorable opinion. About 4 in 10 don\u2019t know enough to say.<\/p>\n

Many think the US is too supportive of Israel<\/p>\n

In interviews, many Jewish adults indicated that their Jewish heritage does not mean they want the U.S. government to provide unconditional support of Israel.<\/p>\n

In fact, about 4 in 10 Jewish adults say the U.S. is \u201ctoo supportive\u201d of the Israelis, similar to U.S. adults overall, although about 3 in 10 Jewish adults say the U.S. is \u201cnot supportive enough\u201d of Israel, compared to only about 2 in 10 U.S. adults.<\/p>\n

At the same time, about 4 in 10 Jewish adults say the U.S. is \u201cnot supportive enough\u201d of the Palestinians, similar to U.S. adults.<\/p>\n

The issue is salient for Jewish adults in a way that it\u2019s not for many Americans. About 6 in 10 Jewish adults say Israel is an \u201cextremely\u201d or \u201cvery\u201d important issue to them personally, compared to only 35% of U.S. adults.<\/p>\n

\u201cJews and Israel are connected, but they\u2019re not synonyms,\u201d said Levin, the former librarian from Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

She said that the lack of understanding on both sides has fueled a rise of antisemitism, even in a city packed with Democrats.<\/p>\n

She was walking along Los Angeles\u2019 famed Olvera Street with her husband last month when they came across a spray-painted sign on the sidewalk that read, \u201cDeath to Zionists,\u201d alongside an upside down triangle that has been associated with Hamas.<\/p>\n

Levin said it\u2019s getting harder and harder to support Democrats, although she doesn\u2019t think she could vote Republican.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mostly shake my head a lot and try to breathe,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Sanders reported from Washington.<\/p>\n

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP\u2019s collaboration<\/a> with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.<\/p>\n

The AP-NORC poll of 3,040 adults was conducted June 11-17 using a sample drawn from NORC\u2019s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The poll included interviews with 1,022 Jewish adults. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 2.8 percentage points and the margin of sampling error for Jewish adults is plus or minus 5.0 percentage points.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By STEVE PEOPLES and LINLEY SANDERS NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 Yahm Levin is a diehard Democrat who lives…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":923351,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5134],"tags":[5229,171450,12648,1582,276,69,4154,87645,3549,7264,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":["post-923350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-diego","tag-america","tag-american-jews","tag-antisemitism","tag-ca","tag-california","tag-donald-trump","tag-poll","tag-polling","tag-san-diego","tag-sandiego","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-unitedstates","tag-unitedstatesofamerica","tag-us","tag-usa"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116890543538303928","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/923350","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=923350"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/923350\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/923351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=923350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=923350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=923350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}