A survey by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) reveals harsh data regarding anti-Semitism awareness among U.S. citizens, according to which about half of Americans do not even know the term.
AJC in Israel Director Avital Leibowitz is not surprised by the results, and especially by those indications that Jews in America live in fear.
"It's very painful to see the results that one in three American Jews should hide his Judaism today. Another painful fact is that four out of ten American Jews feel less secure this year than they did last year. The trends here are very clear. Although the United States is the land of unlimited possibilities, but the anti-Semitic trend is intensifying throughout the United States and that is very worrying."
So how do you deal with this situation? "We need to be constantly on the pulse and there are all sorts of things that need to be done. We're promoting legislation in Congress aimed at identifying the foci of anti-Semitism and its approval will lead to greater deterrence.
"In addition, we've formed all kinds of partnerships in Congress with Jews from different communities, to reduce suspicions and fears of each other and also to explain what Judaism and anti-Semitism are. In the end, the definition of anti-Semitism needs to be further refined and more countries work according to it. When there's legislation, there's deterrence," Leibowitz added.
According to her, fear is present among the Jews of the United States. "Being a Jew in the U.S. has advantages but at the same time there are disadvantages to being a minority and it is an existing and deteriorating threat. To be a Jew in America, trivial things like kosher food require a special trip. For a child to attend a Jewish school you have to pay huge tuition. It's not simple or easy, but very challenging."
In recent years, the rift between American and Israeli Jews has widened. "Until recently, it was common to think that we need American Jews more than they need us. A survey we published shows that they're in fear and need our support. Some of the things that can be helped is to give curricula that will be assimilated to a certain level on the subject of the Holocaust. Because it is not possible that one in four Americans in the United States 'does not even know what the Holocaust is'.
"The State of Israel can strengthen the connection and be a source of knowledge and a partner for connection and the sooner the better. It is better that we start as early as possible so that we can pass on the message to the younger generations," she concludes.