62% of Israeli Jews believe Jews in Israel and the Diaspora share a common fate (35% disagree), and that a slight majority of Israeli Jews want non-Orthodox Jewish movements in the country to have equal status with Orthodoxy – which is effectively the state religion the vast majority of Israelis do not practice and have grown to deeply resent.
Slight Majority Of Israeli Jews Want Non-Orthodox Movements To Have Equal Status With Orthodoxy For Conversions To Judaism And Marriage
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
Ynet reports that a new poll conducted last month by the Israel Democracy Institute in conjunction with the Government Press Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs, the Ministry of Tourism and the Jewish National Fund has found that 62% of Israeli Jews believe Jews in Israel and the Diaspora share a common fate (35% disagree), and that a slight majority of Israeli Jews want non-Orthodox Jewish movements in the country to have equal status with Orthodoxy – which is effectively the state religion the vast majority of Israelis do not practice and have grown to deeply resent.
However, 60% of Israeli Jews reportedly believe that the Jewish people in Israel are a separate nation from Jews living in the diaspora (36% disagree).
Only 18% thought that Jewish religious law ws the primary connection between Jews in Israel and Jews in the Diaspora.
When asked to choose which issue should be made world jewry’s top priority, 29% chose assimilation in the Diaspora, 24% chose anti-Semitism, and 13% chose creating a strong connection to Israel. But only 9% chose influencing local politicians on issues related to Israel, 6% chose combatting the BDS movement, and only 5% chose financial support of Israel. (9% thought all of these issues are of equal importance.)
71% think the Government of Israel should consider how its actions will impact the situation of Jews living in the Diaspora (26% disagree), while 51% think that when making important decisions the Government of Israel should consider the opinions of diaspora Jews (47% disagree).
42% support Israel physically defending Jewish facilities and Jews in the Diaspora while 39% back financial support for needy diaspora Jewish communities. (10% oppose support of any kind, physical or financial, by the Government of Israel for Diaspora Jewish communities.)
91% believe aliyah of Jews from the Diaspora to Israel is important (8% disagree).
51% believe the Conservative and Reform movements in Israel should be given status equal to Orthodoxy for purposes of conversion to Judaism and marriage (43% disagree), but only 40% support Israeli government funding for the two non-Orthodox movements while 52% oppose it.