Perception Adds To Actual Threat For Jews: LI Expert

PLAINVIEW, NY — As Long Islanders pay respect Tuesday to the 6 million people who died in the Holocaust, the rise of anti-Semitism makes the annual Yom HaShoah an even more important day.

The American Jewish Committee, or AJC, conducted a survey that sheds light on the State of Anti-Semitism in America.

It's the group's fourth report; the first was done after the Pittsburgh synagogue mass shooting in 2018.

"For the past several years, we found that the Jewish community remains high, and it's getting higher, in terms of concern of anti-Semitism," Eric Post, Long Island director of the organization, told Patch.

Post said the gap is closing among non-Jews, "probably because of Kayne West, and other such public displays of anti-Semitism."

As for the poll: "We found that 56% of adults got three out of our four questions on the Holocaust correct. So it correlates, generally, that the more one knows about the Holocaust, the more they understand anti-Semitism, the more they believe it's a problem," Post said.

While issues of graffiti, especially swastikas, have been isolated in certain parts of Long Island, Post said, overall it remains safe for the Jewish population.

But, when it comes to incidents of anti-Semitism, New York was the dubious leader in 2022, the Anti-Defamation League said.

There were 580 incidents across the state last year, tops in the nation, and a 39% increase from 2021, the ADL said.

And yet, perhaps the bigger problem for American Jews, Post contends, is not as much the actual threat, as it is the perception of a threat.

"Our children should never have to think twice about going to a synagogue or going to a Hebrew school," Post said.

He thanks the police for stepping up patrols to protect Jewish houses of worship during holidays and other times.

"This is very coordinated; this is taken very seriously by the police," Post said. "As American Jews, we have to be very grateful, because if you look at the Holocaust, Nazi Germany was able to turn the police and institutions of government against the Jewish people."