This Week
'fi"
Jews Admired
In MS. Survey
Improve your home
and your loan.
New York City/JTA —Jews are consid-
ered by other ethnic groups to be hard
working, intelligent and strongly com-
mitted to family, according to a new
study for the American Jewish
Committee.
Between 27-30 percent of non-Jews
have contact with Jews at work, school
or in the community, the report says.
Fifty-eight percent say they know a Jew,
and 28 percent feel close to one.
Non Jews believe Jews make up 18
percent of the population. The actual
figure is close to 2 percent.
The study was authored by Tom
Smith at the University of Chicago.
Kenneth Jacobson, associate national
director of the Anti-Defamation League,
said Jews are considered an integral part
of American culture, but maintain a dis-
tinct identity.
But negative
stereotypes
still remain.
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2/8
2002
24
A
Standard
Federal
In fact, Jews are perceived in more
positive terms than whites in general, the
report shows.
Overall, Smith notes that intergroup
relations have improved over the years,
as Americans have become increasingly
supportive of racial and ethnic equality
But negative ethnic images remain
common, and intergroup interaction is
still limited.
In a 1998 ADL survey, 12 percent of
Americans were identified as anti-
Semitic.
Negative stereotypes are alive, accord-
ing to Mike Wenger of the Joint Center
for Political and Economic Studies. With
America becoming increasingly diverse,
it's more urgent than ever to improve
intergroup relations, Wenger said.
Smith believes attitudes about groups
are formed when people are young.
Wenger acknowledged that concept, but
also stressed the importance of media,
education and peer pressure on inter-
group understanding.
In 1990, 16 percent of non-Jews said
they would object to a relative marrying
a Jew, compared with 13 percent in
2000. Only 9 percent in 2000 said they
would object to living in a majority-
Jewish neighborhood, compared with 14
percent in 1990.