Jewish Geography
58% of those in small communi- ties reported feeling more like- ly to be invalidated, compared with 48% of Jews overall. Jews in small communities were also less likely to express confi- dence in local law enforcement’s responses to antisemitism. Just 39% said local law enforcement takes antisemitism seriously, compared with 47% of Jews in larger communities. Leaders of small Jewish communities also feel less physically safe in Jewish spaces than their big-city counterparts: 60% of small- community leaders said they feel safe compared with 86% of com- munity leaders overall. Michele Schipper, the CEO of the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL), a nonprofit that supports Jewish communities across the southern United States, says security remains a challenge for some smaller congregations. “For some of those smaller com- munities, they may not be able to have personnel on site every time they’re open.” This summer, leaders from Jewish communities across the South convened at the ISJL’s annual conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Schipper says they discussed strategies for keeping smaller communi- ties safe. “One of the things we really did share is how important it is not to isolate ourselves in these communities, but to continually build relationships with the local community, with local law enforcement, so that when, God forbid, something happens, you’re not starting to reach out or wait for somebody to contact you.” JTA
SAFETY SURVEY: JEWS IN SMALLER COMMUNITIES FEEL LESS HEARD ABOUT ANTISEMITISM by GRACE GILSON
JEWS LIVING in smaller communities are less likely than those in large communities to feel their concerns about antisemitism are taken seriously by law enforcement and would-be allies, a new survey from the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) has found. Jews in smaller communities are “lacking a sense of allyship in the commu- nities around them,” says Mimi Kravetz, the chief impact and growth officer for JFNA. “Jews in small communities tell us that they feel deeply concerned, that they’re looking for support, that their lead- ership is looking for network and resources, because it can feel like they’re on their own.” The JFNA survey, which was compiled from its March 2025 study of Jewish life in North America, found that 22% of Jews live in small communities, defined as having fewer than 5,000 Jews living within five miles of their postal or ZIP code. Although the survey found no statistically significant difference in the antisemitism experienced by Jews in smaller and larger commu- nities, it found that Jews in small communities are more likely to feel that antisemitism is invalidated or dismissed. Among respondents,
Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, in 2025.
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