AP-NORC Poll: Majority of US Jewish Adults Feel Less Safe Since Oct. 7

A new AP-NORC poll finds most Jewish American adults feel less safe in the US than before Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack.

A majority of Jewish adults in the United States say they feel less safe today than they did before Hamas launched its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, according to a new national poll. The survey, conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, also found that many Jewish Americans report having personally experienced assault or harassment over the past year. The AP-NORC Center is a nonpartisan public affairs research organization, and the poll is designed to measure shifts in Jewish Americans' sense of security and their attitudes in the period following one of the deadliest attacks on Jewish people in modern history. The October 7 Hamas attack killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel and triggered a prolonged military conflict in Gaza that has remained a source of intense political and social tension in the United States. That tension has been accompanied by a documented rise in antisemitic incidents reported by organizations that track hate crimes. The findings reflect how a major geopolitical event abroad can reshape the daily lived experience of a religious and ethnic community within the United States, affecting how safe individuals feel in public spaces, on campuses, and in their communities.

Why it matters

The poll provides rare quantitative data on how antisemitism and the fallout from the Israel-Gaza conflict are affecting the personal safety and daily lives of Jewish Americans. The findings have implications for law enforcement priorities, campus policies, and civil rights protections.

What's next

Full poll methodology and detailed breakdowns are expected to be released by AP-NORC, which may reveal how responses varied by age, region, or political affiliation.

Key facts

• A majority of US Jewish adults say they feel less safe than before Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel
• Many Jewish adults report personally experiencing assault or harassment in the past year
• The survey was conducted by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research
• The October 7 Hamas attack killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel
• The poll tracks shifts in Jewish Americans' safety perceptions in the roughly 18 months since the attack

Bias & framing notes

All four sources carry the same AP wire report with near-identical or identical text, meaning there is effectively one underlying source — the AP — rather than four independent ones. The poll is conducted by AP-NORC, making AP both the researcher and the reporter, which is worth noting as a potential conflict of interest even though AP-NORC is a reputable research center. No sources offered outside commentary or contrasting data.

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