Antisemitism Today and Its Relationship to Jewish Identity and Religious Denomination

The purpose of this research study was to answer the following three research questions: 1) What is the relationship between Jewish identity (religious and ethnic) and experiences of antisemitism? 2) What is the relationship between Jewish religious affiliation and experiences of antisemitism? 3) What, if any, type of antisemitism (e.g., ethnic or religiously based antisemitism or anti-Zionism) do Jewish individuals experience most often? Antisemitism continues to be a pervasive issue in the United States (U.S.) and can be based on ethnic prejudice, religious bias, or anti-Israel attitudes. The final sample for this study included 279 participants who self-identified as Jewish. The results of correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis suggest that there is a significant relationship between experiences with antisemitism and Jewish ethnic identity and religious identity, and that both play a vital part in predicting experiences with antisemitism. This dissertation includes an overview of the study, a literature review, a description of the methodology, an analysis of the results, as well as a discussion about the implications for counselors and counselor educators