AP-NORC poll and reporting highlights U.S. Jewish community’s views on sensitive issues

The Associated Press produced nuanced coverage across four stories based on an AP-NORC survey that focused on America’s Jewish community, providing important insights into their views of Israeli policies, antisemitism, U.S. politics, and their own sense of identity and personal safety.

It was the first such AP-NORC survey of 1,022 Jewish adults, a key demographic at the heart of current debates in the U.S., but which has rarely been surveyed by mainstream media. The reporting and writing of the stories were shared by Amelia Thompson-DeVeaux and Linley Sanders of the AP polling team, Washington political writer Steve Peoples, and the Religion Team’s David Crary, Peter Smith, and Giovanna Dell’Orto.

The survey questions were carefully selected and vetted to ensure they accurately and sensitively captured public opinion. The mastery in storytelling showed how relevant the issues were beyond the community, as the team of reporters engaged relevant desks and beats for nuanced reporting.

The results were timely, as they revealed how America’s Jewish community feels about topical issues, including: Israel’s latest war in Gaza, U.S. politics, antisemitism, and their own Jewish identity and religious practice. The results also showed that most American Jews do not feel supported by either political party or President Donald Trump, and that 1 in 3 Jewish adults said they or someone in their household had experienced assault or harassment over the past year, among other findings.

The team’s reporting received widespread news coverage and generated conversations around the issues, as readers shared their feedback on AP platforms and beyond.

The judges were impressed by the close-knit collaboration and insightful work that went into the polling and reporting, putting AP in the spotlight with compelling stories on topics of intense public interest.

For thoughtful, detailed and exclusive work from inception to publication on sensitive topics, Thompson-DeVeaux, Sanders, Peoples, Crary, Smith and Dell’Orto win this week’s Best of AP — First Winner.