A report released on Wednesday by Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America revealed the pervasiveness of antisemitism for American Jewish women, impacting every facet of their academic, professional, and social lives.
Hadassah conducted a survey of more than 1,000 women over the past two years, starting before October 7, asking about their experiences with antisemitism.
Key findings drawn from 800 of those surveyed show 62% of Jewish women reported feeling physically or psychologically unsafe, 52% reported hiding being Jewish, 33% experienced hate speech because of their Jewish or Zionist identity, and 22% of Jewish women surveyed were excluded from groups or events because of their Jewish or Zionist identity.
“Antisemitism rose by 140% last year, so Hadassah asked, ‘What does that really mean?’ Now we know the heartbreaking truth,” Hadassah National President Carol Ann Schwartz said in a statement.
“It means that here, in America, in 2024, nearly two-thirds of Jewish women we surveyed feel unsafe because being Jewish makes them a target, and nearly half have taken steps to hide who they are. Every day, Jewish women are suffering in silence, isolation, and fear as they live in the shadows of hate.”
“This is a call to action for us all,” Schwartz continued in the statement. “We must urgently strengthen policies against rising antisemitism and empower our communities to rise up, together, and confront hatred in every form.”
The report included stories and direct quotes from respondents about their experiences of feeling isolated and excluded, afraid and anxious, and threatened and harassed.
Experiences of American Jewish women
“I’ve certainly lost people in my social circle for being openly Jewish,” wrote one woman.“I have been wanting to drop out of college due to the antisemitism I have faced. Fellow students are glorifying suicide,” another said.“I was physically attacked at a rally, and my Israeli flag was stolen and burnt in front of me,” someone else wrote, with another saying her house was egged earlier this year for displaying a flag supporting Israel.One woman said she doesn’t feel safe and that her friends think she’s imagining her fear.However, Hadassah also reported Jewish women feeling resilient and determined to stand up against antisemitism.“My initial reaction was to be afraid and hide, but I thought about my relatives who were killed in the Holocaust, and it empowered me to become a fighter instead,” a woman said in the report.“I’m still afraid, but I proudly wear my [Jewish] star, have Israeli and American flags in front of my house, and have a blue porch light on at night to show my support of Israel.”In its statement, Hadassah said it shared the report to “build awareness about how antisemitism is impacting women’s everyday lives.”