52% of Israel’s secular community are afraid they will be physically or verbally attacked if they walk through haredi areas of the country.
Above: Haredi youth stoning police in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Mea Shearim in July 2011
52% Of Secular Israelis Fear Walking Through Haredi Neighborhoods, Poll Finds
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
More than half of Israel’s secular population fears walking through haredi neighborhoods, a new poll by the prestigious Smith Institute conducted for the Achva Academic College and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has found, Yeshiva World reported based on an Israel Channel 2 News report.
52% of Israel’s secular community are afraid they will be physically or verbally attacked if they walk through haredi areas of the country.
Haredim, however, are not afraid of living near seculars.
38% of Israeli non-haredi Jews, including Modern and Zionist Orthodox Jews, say they have haredi friends.
70% of haredim believe non-Orthodox Israelis are trying to force a secular lifestyle on haredim.
Even so, 80% of haredim responded that they are not afraid to have a non-Orthodox family living near them.
Only 33% of haredim define themselves as Zionists.
Among other questions the poll asked were:
• Are you interested in getting a better look at the haredi lifestyle in order to help change the current situation?
69% of seculars answered no.
But almost the same exact number of haredim, 70%, responded that they are uninterested in learning more about secular Israelis under the same circumstances.
• Does Hatikvah, the Israeli national anthem, represent the haredi community?
Only 22% of haredim responded that it does.
• Do you take part in Israel Independence Day celebrations?
Only 16% of haredim answered yes – just under half of the number who say they consider themselves to be Zionists.