While talking with the Washington Post reporter Milton Coleman in January 1984, Jackson referred to New York City as "Hymietown".[30] Hymie is a pejorative term for Jews. Jackson first denied having the conversation and said Jews were conspiring against him.[30] Later, he acknowledged Coleman's account, indicated that he considered the conversation with the reporter private, and said he had been wrong to use the term.[30] Jackson apologized during a speech before national Jewish leaders in a Manchester, New Hampshire synagogue, but continuing suspicions have led to an enduring split between Jackson and many in the Jewish community.[30]
Among Jackson's other remarks were that Richard Nixon was less attentive to poverty in the U.S. because "four out of five [of Nixon's top advisors] are German Jews and their priorities are on Europe and Asia"; that he was "sick and tired of hearing about the Holocaust"; and that there are "very few Jewish reporters that have the capacity to be objective about Arab affairs". In 1979, Jackson said on a trip to the Middle East that Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin was a "terrorist," and Israel was a "theocracy."[31] Jackson has since apologized for at least some of these remarks, but they badly damaged his campaign, as "Jackson was seen by many conservatives in the United States as hostile to Israel and far too close to Arab governments."[32]
Years later, Jackson was invited to speak in support of Jewish Senator and Vice Presidential candidate Joe Lieberman at the 2000 Democratic National Convention.[33]