Almost all New Yorkers who responded to our poll say a religious congregation should publicly oppose anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim attitudes and acts. Living in a city with many Jews and Muslims, city residents of other faiths and non-faiths overwhelmingly want religious congregations to come out in support of enforcing the laws and mores against anti-Semitic (and anti-Muslim) acts and attitudes. 1,237 Journey Telegram readers responded to the poll. Our readers are interested in NYC religion and are adherents of various faiths and non-faiths.
Nationally, including the responses from New York City, 53% say that a congregation should publicly oppose anti-Semitic (and anti-Muslim) attitudes and acts (“Yes, definitely” or “Yes, somewhat agree.”)
Our poll measures the willingness to support public condemnation of anti-Semitism or anti-Muslimism. In New York City, almost all worship attenders in our poll support this action.
However, some of these people may well harbor some negative opinions about Jews or Muslims, yet are willing to support public condemnation of anti-Semitism. An Anti-Defamation League released a 2022 survey of a representative sample of over 4,000 Americans and found that about 20% agreed with various negative opinions about Jews. However, a negative perception of Jews doesn’t mean that someone feels that such perceptions should be a topic of public discourse or action.
Likewise, people who think that a religious congregation should not pronounce on a hot political topic like anti-Semitism or anti-Muslimism are not necessarily negative to those groups. They likely just don’t want the pulpits to be overtly political.
About one-quarter (24%) of our respondents across the nation think that a congregation should not publicly condemn anti-Semitism and anti-Muslimism. The largest concentration of these respondents resides in the Midwest of the United States. There is a long history in the Midwest of political preference for isolationism from foreign entanglements. Further, many of these respondents may not live in areas with high concentrations of Jewish or Muslim residents. So, the question is just not as relevant to them.
However, most of the respondents from other parts of the country support their congregations issuing a public condemnation of anti-Semitism and anti-Muslimism.
What should you do?
The survey implies that, particularly now during Hanukkah (December 7-December 15), religious congregations ought to show solidarity with the well-being of their Jewish neighbors by friendly visits and prayers for the local synagogues and express public opposition to anti-Semitism.
Such compassionate actions toward our Jewish neighbors help everyone. They are a way of supporting the American moral traditions of democracy and faith. Whatever is happening overseas, here between the shores of America, we treat everyone equally, fairly, and with respect — or at least we should.
Note: a poll like this has not been done by any other local media organization. That is why we exist: we cover NYC religions unlike anyone else.
