Antisemitism is often subtle. Very few antisemites openly express their Jew hatred. But it’s there. And it often manifests itself through actions and decisions rather than words.
With all that we know about rising antisemitic activity and attitudes it should come as no surprise that discrimination against Jews exists in the labor employment market just as it does in other areas of American life. We have seen reports of educational institutions seeking to “balance” admissions to the detriment of Jewish applicants. Similarly, concerns have been expressed about antisemitism in the publishing world and the mental health field.
But how deep is the problem? And how does one measure the extent of antisemitic bias?
A recent Anti-Defamation League study answers some of those questions. And the answers are disturbing.
The ADL study involved a test conducted by Bryan Tomlin, a labor economist. Over the period of May to October 2024, Tomlin applied through craigslist.org for 3,000 administrative assistant job postings. For each application Tomlin used identical resumes, except for certain characteristics specific to Jewish identity. For example, he used female names like “Rebecca Cohen” that signal that the applicant is Jewish; Israeli names like “Lia Avraham,” and Western European background names like “Kriste Miller.”
Tomlin found that Jewish American job candidates need to send 24% more applications to prospective employers in order to receive the same number of positive first responses as Americans with Western European backgrounds and names when applying for the very same jobs. Even more upsetting, Israeli Americans — who were clearly established as American citizens in the study — needed to send 39% more applications to receive the same number of positive responses.
ADL noted that the Tomlin survey results are much different than a study conducted by the University of Connecticut a decade ago, which found that Jewish applicants received significantly higher employer preference rates than applicants from all other religions. ADL attributes the change to mounting negative perceptions of Jews that have developed over the past several years and an increasing number of younger Americans who have been influenced by that thinking and who are starting to take managerial positions with the authority to make hiring decisions.
The infection of antisemitism is real. And the depth of its reach is alarming. Studies like the Tomlin report in the labor field will be followed by similar efforts in other targeted areas like housing and various business endeavors.
But studies alone are not the answer. Nor is litigation over hiring bias or other forms of discrimination. While each of those efforts is helpful, the response to antisemitism needs more. It needs your help. And there is a lot you can do:
• Educate yourself and others about Jewish history, culture and Jewish contributions to society.
• Engage in open dialogues to challenge stereotypes and myths.
• Encourage empathy by sharing personal stories of those affected by antisemitism.
• Advocate for legislation that protects against hate crimes.
• Join efforts to build alliances with diverse communities to encourage solidarity and mutual support.
• Use social media responsibly to counteract hate speech and to spread positive messages.
Combating antisemitism is an ongoing process. Every small action helps. We urge you to join the effort.
