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Anti-Semitism AwarenessResearch Among

Teenagers in Israel

Conducted by Market Watch for:

March 2007

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Obtaining an updated picture of the situation regarding the exposure of Jewish youth in Israel to the subject of anti-Semitism.

Research objectivesResearch objectives

The research was based on a CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone

Interview) survey. conducted on March 19, 2007.The survey comprised 500 interviewees, teenagers aged 15-18.with

Maximum total sample error of 4.4%+ . The interviewees were sampled randomly to achieve equal

representation of gender, age and geographic areas.All the interviews were conducted by Market Watch interviewers.In addition to the teenagers survey. a parallel, nation-wide survey,

using a short questionnaire version, was conducted among Jewish

adults (ages 18+; 495 interviewees) (Maximum total sample error 4.4% + ).

The answers of the adults were compared (in the relevant questions)

to the results of the teenagers survey.

Methodology Methodology

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The teenagers are aware of the subject of Anti-Semitism. This conclusion is drawn from several tangent findings:The majority mentioned associations with a content world relevant to the subject of Anti-Semitism.The majority mentioned its strong or partially awareness of Anti-Semitism in the world. In questions pertaining to content detection, the rate of respondents who expressed an opinion is very high, i.e. the answer that reflects lack of involvement or knowledge (“Don’t Know”) was practically non-existent.The research findings indicate that the education system is a central factor in providing knowledge about Anti-Semitism; most of teenagers said their main source of knowledge was “school”.Although the education system is the main source of knowledge, nearly 50% of the teenagers think the system nevertheless does not deal enough with the subject. This finding indicates that many teenagers think the education system today touches on the subject on a very basic level and that more can be done. The survey findings indicate the considerable importance of the electronic media in providing knowledge on Anti-Semitism. The massive exposure on television and the internet explains the claims of most of the teenagers about their ability to identify Anti-Semitic contents in films.It is important to notice the difference in the way the teenagers perceive a clear and present danger to the Jewish people (another Holocaust) compared to an actual danger to Israel (threat of destruction). The teenagers do not consider the outcome of Anti-Semitism – the Holocaust – a real danger today. Contrarily, the answers of the teenagers regarding the threat of destroying Israel epitomize the prevailing sentiment in Israel in the last year. The interesting detail about these differing perceptions is that, despite their belief that Israel is in danger – most of them think Israel should react in cases of Anti-Semitism abroad. In other words – despite the general sense of insecurity about Israel’s future, the teenagers think that at the end of the day, the situation of Jews in the Diaspora will always be more dangerous.

Conclusions Conclusions

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The vast majority of teenagers is aware of the Anti-Semitic occurrences around the world. Close to half (45%) mentioned they are “strongly aware” of these incidents, while 49% said they are “partially aware”. The level of awareness among adults is slightly higher: 53% are “strongly aware”, 41% “partially aware”.The vast majority of teenagers were able to mention details and places concerning Anti- Semitism (only 4% “Don’t Know/ never heard of the term”).The immediate associations with Anti-Semitism refer to the period of the Holocaust, followed by references to hatred of Jews.A minority mentioned having encountered manifestations of Anti-Semitism (22%). The most frequent manifestations are of verbal violence. The rate of adults encountering manifestations of Anti-Semitism is higher and reaches near a third (36%). Most of the teenagers claim they are able to identify Anti-Semitic contents in films (64% - “sometimes”, 10% - “often”). The picture is different in the case of Anti-Semitic contents in songs: 28% said they identify such contents “sometimes” and 3% “often”. The treatment given by the education system to the subject of Anti-Semitism is perceived differently by adults and teenagers. Whereas the adults think the education system does not deal enough with the subject, opinions differ among the teenagers – half of them think the degree of attention given to the subject is “too little” and another half think it is “adequate” and even “high”.

SummarySummary

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Most of the teenagers (76%) said “school” is their source of knowledge about Anti- Semitism. Other noticeable information sources are television programs (39%), internet (23%), and newspaper articles (23%). The teenagers distinguish between their fear Of Israel being destroyed (59% significant threat, 24% serious threat) compared to their fear of a second Holocaust, from which most of them do not fear (62% - “another holocaust is not possible”). Approximately half (48%) of the teenagers think foreign criticism of Israel stems from Anti-Semitism. It is important to mention that there is a higher percentage of 18 year olds who think that the criticism is due to Anti-Semitism (63%).Regarding the question about how Israel should react to manifestations of Anti- Semitism, the teenagers (religious teenagers more strongly) think Israel should react “in any case” in such cases.

SummarySummary

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Does something comes to the top of your mind when you hear the term “Anti-Semitism”?

don’t know

anything 4%

know something

about Anti-

semitism96%

don’t know

anything 5%

know something

about Anti-

semitism95%

Adults Teenagers

7

8%

10%

5%

1%

4%

3%

1%

4%

7%

3%

3%

10%

16%

3%

3%

1%

6%

16%

20%

13%

Nazis

Holocaust

Anti-jews/ Hatred of Jews

Germany/ Germans

Infinite hatred

Arabs

Racism

Jews

Hitler

Anger/ irritation

Adults Teenagers

What comes to the top of your mind when you hear the term “Anti-Semitism”?

The teenagers mentioned close to 60 associations. whereas the adults mentioned close to 70 associations

The most prominent ones – related to the Holocaust period.

Most of the teenagers (96%) mentioned some detail that came to the top of their mind (4% - never heard of the term/ DK)

Main answers mentioned

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What do you think of when you hear the term ‘Anti-Semitism’ – All the answers classified into categories

23%

14% 11%

66%

39%

15% 12% 9%5% 2%

11%

54%

30%

Mentions fromthe Holocaust

period

Hatred of Jews References toevil and cruel

behavior

feeling of"Jews under

seige"

References tocurrent affairs

Mentionsconcerning

learned topics

Personalmemories and

antisemeticdisplays

Adults Teenagers

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“the term ‘Anti-Semitism’, which refers to expressions of hatred towards Jews, and/or discrimination merely for being Jewish. Have you ever encountered outright manifestations of Anti-Semitism, i.e. heard or seen, or physically felt something that in your opinion is a

manifestation of Anti-Semitism?”

Have you encountered outright manifestations of Anti-Semitism

64%

36%

22%

78%

Did not encounter mainfestationsof AntiSemitism

Encountered manifestations ofAntiSemitism

Adults Teenagers

Noticeable features of teenagers survey:1. Declared exposure to manifestations of Anti-Semitism is higher among teenagers who come

from families of Holocaust survivors (27% vs. 19%)2. Declared exposure to manifestations Anti-Semitism is higher among teenagers who visited or

traveled abroad in the last 5 years (18% vs. 12%) Noticeable features of adults survey:1. 45% of the ex-USSR immigrants declared they had encountered manifestations of Anti-

Semitism2. The declared exposure to manifestations of Anti-Semitism is higher among men than women

(42% vs 31%)3. Higher percentage among people from families of Holocaust survivors (48% vs 31%)

About a fifth of the teenagers and third of the adults mentioned they had encountered manifestations of Anti-Semitism

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Details of encountered manifestations of Anti-Semitism

The most prominent manifestations are of verbal violence (calling names, etc)Among teenagers sensitivity to manifestations of Anti-Semitism in the media and to vandalism is evident

41%

5%

5%

5%

4%

4%

4%

1%

1%

2%

4%

4%

2%

5%

7%

6%

4%

7%

4%

1%

3%

26%

14%

I was called names (dirty Jew/ stinking Jew/ stupid Jew)

I was hit

Swastika

Hostile/ degrading attitude/ disgust

Discriminated entering institutions (univ ersity, club, work)

Swear words

Discriminated in receiv ing serv ice/ renting (hotel/ store)

Antisemetic expressions by Arabs

Mention of places in Europe (Poland/ Germany)

On the news

Ended relations/ changed attitude on hearing I am a Jew

Spat at Adults Teenagers

“Please mention what manifestations of Anti-Semitism you encountered” (of those who encountered such manifestations – 22% of the teenagers, 36% of the adults)

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2%

64%

28%

6%

React only in very severecases

React in any case

Not React in any case

Don't Know

How should Israel react to manifestations of Anti-Semitism?

“How do you think Israel should act towards manifestations of Anti-Semitism?”

Most of the teenagers think Israel should react in any case of Anti-Semitism in the world.

The rate of those who think Israel should react in any case of Anti-Semitism is significantly higher among religious teenagers (74%) compared to teenagers who are traditional (59%) and secular (64%).

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22%

12%

8%

7%

6%

5%

3%

3%

12%

39%

76%

23%

School

TV programs

Internet

Newspaper articles

Parents

Documentaries

The news

Family/home/grandparents

People/environment/friends

General knowledge

Tour to Poland

Stories

Sources of knowledge about Anti-Semitism among teenagers "“How do you know about the subject of Anti-Semitism”?

The most noticeable knowledge source is the education system followed by media exposure such as TV and Internet

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Degree of attention dedicated to subject of Anti-Semitism in the education system“Do you think the degree of attention given to the subject of Anti-Semitism by the education system in Israel is….”high” “adequate” or “to low”?

60%

15%

1%

7%

18%

42%

8%

49%

HighAdequateToo lowDon't Know

Adults Teenagers

There is a difference in the attitude of the adults compared to the teenagers regarding the activity of the education system regarding the subject of the Holocaust.

Among the adults there is a higher percentage who thinks the education system deals too little in the subject of Anti-Semitism, compared to the teenagers.A high percentage of the teenagers thinks the attention given to this subject is adequate.

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Awareness of Anti-Semitic incidents in the world

“to what extent are you aware…” on a scale from “strongly aware” to “totally unaware”?

3%3%1%

53%

41%

49%45%

5%

Strongly aware ofantisemitism against

Jews in the world

Partially aware ofantisemitism against

Jews in the world

Hardly aware ofantisemitism against

Jews in the world

Totally unaware ofantisemitism against

Jews in the world

Adults Teenagers

A high percentage of awareness among both teenagers and adults of Anti-Semitism in the world

Among the adults the high awareness of members of

families of Holocaust survivors is noticeable (61% vs.

49%).

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“Do you sometimes get to listen to songs in which you detect contents, expressions or sayings whose context or meaning is Anti-

Semitic”?

Identifying Anti-Semitic contents in songs

1%

64%

10%

25%

Often detect Sometimesdetect

Don't detectany

antisemeticcontents

Don't Know

Identifying Anti-Semitic contents in films

“Do you ever notice in foreign films contents, expressions or sayings whose context or meaning is Anti-Semitic?”

0%

69%

3%

28%

Often detect Sometimesdetect

Don't detectany

antisemeticcontents

Don't Know

No demographic features were found that can indicate any variance among the teenagers. This means that the ability to detect contents is similar among all teenagers irrespective of their demographic attributes.

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“Do you think Israel is under a threat of destruction, or not?”

The idea that Israel is under a threat of

destruction

1%

31%

6%

62%

There is areal

possibilityfor a

secondHolocaust

There is acertain

possibilityfor a

secondHolocaust

A secondHolocaust

is notpossible

Don't Know

The idea that a second Holocaust is possible

“Do you think that in our day a second Holocaust is possible or not”?

1%

17%24%

59%

Israel isunder aseriousthreat of

destruction

Israel is notunder a threat of

destruction

The idea that a second Holocaust of the Jewish people is

possible is less common among teenage boys (33%) than

girls (40%).

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Foreign criticism of Israel“Do you consider foreign criticism on Israel Anti-Semitism?

8%

58%

34%

43%48%

9%

YesNoDon't Know

Adults Teenagers

There is a difference between the way criticism of Israel is perceived by adults compared to teenagers.There is a higher percentage of adults who think criticism of Israel stems from Anti-Semitism compared to teenagers.

The perception that criticism of Israel stems from Anti

Semitism is noticeable among teenagers aged 18 (63%)

compared to teenagers aged 17 (43%) and 15-16 (48%).