Highly educated people were more likely to support shutting down Orthodox Jewish street funerals than Black Lives Matter protests during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new survey.
78% of individuals with more than a four-year college degree were likely to support shutting down Orthodox Jewish street funerals, compared to only 42% who were likely to support shutting down a Black Lives Matter protest, according to a new paper titled “Education and Antisemitism.”
University of Arkansas professors Jay P. Greene and Albert Cheng, and Empire Center fellow Ian Kingsbury conducted the survey which collected responses from 1,864 Americans.
Are Educated People More Anti-Semitic? https://t.co/V6CZMYZbPx
— Jay P. Greene (@jaypgreene) March 30, 2021
The survey also found that individuals with a bachelor’s degree were more likely to support banning Orthodox Jewish funerals than Black Lives Matter protests. 74% of those respondents supported prohibiting the funerals, compared to 63% who supported prohibiting the protests. 61% of the public writ large favored prohibiting both funerals and protests.
New York City officials cracked down on Orthodox Jewish worship practices during the summer of 2020, with Mayor Bill de Blasio personally ordering the dispersal of a rabbi’s funeral. More than 500,000 Orthodox Jews live in New York City, according to the New York Times, including many who are Hasidim.
Hasidic Jews follow the teachings of an 18th century Ukrainian rabbi who emphasized a more mystical and emotional religious practice, according to Religion News Service. (RELATED: NYC Welds Park Gates In Jewish Community Shut 1 Day After Massive Demonstration)
However, de Blasio expressed support for Black Lives Matter protests, exempting them from a ban on large-scale events. He also ordered city officials to paint Black Lives Matter murals around the city at the request of activists, ignoring the normal permitting process.
More than 1,200 healthcare professionals signed a letter saying that protests in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd should be allowed to continue, even during the pandemic. Multiple cities, including Sacramento and Boston, declared racism a public health crisis in 2020.
The survey also found that individuals with more than four years of post-high school education were more supportive than the general public of banning military members from wearing yarmulkes than they were of banning them from wearing Sikh turbans. Respondents were also more likely than the general public to say that attachment to Israel can create a political conflict of interest than they were of attachment to Mexico.