Hispanic Attitudes Toward Jews Assessed in New AJC Report
April 26, 2007 - New York - A leading analyst of social and demographic trends in the United States is strongly recommending that new, and more extensive, research be carried out to understand fully the attitudes toward Jews of the diverse and growing Hispanic population.
"Existing research supports the conclusion that Hispanics hold more negative views of Jews than non-Hispanics do, but the extent of that difference and its pattern are unclear," writes Tom W. Smith, director of the General Social Survey at the National Opinion Research Center, University of Chicago, and author of the new American Jewish Committee report, Hispanic Attitudes Toward Jews. The full report is available at www.ajc.org.
Smith, who has authored several AJC reports, reviewed a number of previous studies on Latino attitudes toward Jews. The existing data, writes Smith, indicate a range of external and internal explanations for Hispanics having more negative views of Jews than non-Hispanics, including anti-Semitic elements in Latin American Catholicism; fascist political movements in Latin America; little positive exposure to the Jewish community in both Latin America and the U.S.; and socio-demographic and attitudinal differences separating the Hispanic and Jewish communities in the U.S.
"American Jews, and Americans in general, have good reason to care about the attitudes this highly diverse group holds toward Jews," said Dina Siegel Vann, director of AJC's Latino and Latin American Institute. The Latino community is the largest ethnic minority in the U.S.
"A majority of Hispanics and Jews end up on the same side of most issues," writes Smith, even though there are "large differences in socio-economic status, religion, immigration status and historical experiences" that separate the two communities.
However, due to differences in survey methodology, in questions asked and in population samples surveyed, no single study done so far presents the information needed for a clear understanding of the Hispanic community's approach to Jews.
Smith recommends further research, with larger samples of Hispanics, so that subgroups can be analyzed, the level of inter-group contact can be taken into consideration, and the characteristics of the current community accurately assessed.
AJC has long been involved in building coalitions with Latino communities in the U.S., as well as involved in fostering closer relations with nations in Latin America.
The establishment two years ago of AJC's Latino and Latin American Institute was a de facto recognition of the importance of the welfare of the Americas as a strategic and humanitarian consideration of the U.S., of the significance of Jewish life in the region and of the close ties developed between many Latin American countries and Israel since its founding.
Smith's previous studies for AJC include Intergroup Relations in a Diverse America, Estimating the Muslim Population in the United States; and Religious Diversity in America: The Emergence of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and Others.
Ari M. Gordon Assistant Director Department of Interreligious Affairs American Jewish Committee 165 E56th St. New York, NY 10022 (212) 891-6768 (212) 751-4000 x266 www.ajc.org www.engagingamerica.org