A Portrait of Israeli Jewry: Beliefs, Observances, and Values among Israeli Jews

Israeli Jews have a strong Jewish identity. A large majority want Israel to have a Jewish character- even though they cannot agree on the parameters of this character. A large majority consider themselves part of the Jewish people – even though their closeness to Diaspora Jewry is waning.Most Israeli Jews feel some sort of connection with Jewish tradition, observe at least some of its practices and life-cycle rituals, and mark at least some of its festivals.

Basically, Jews in Israel are committed to two distinct values: tradition and individual freedom of choice. For the groups at the two ends of the religious identity spectrum-the haredim/strictly observant and the anti-religious-one of these values completely overshadows the other. The vast majority of Israeli Jews, however, attempt to integrate the two.

The lifestyles, values, and identity of most Israeli Jews reflect a profusion of efforts to maintain a bond to Jewish tradition, on the one hand, and maximum freedom of choice, on the other. The result is a fairly broad Israeli-Jewish consensus that reflects a commitment to Jewish continuity, but does of binding imperatives and rejects anything that is perceived as religious coercion.

Several findings of this study are disturbing, notably the deterioration in the perceived quality of intergroup relations in Israel and an increasing distance between Israeli and Diaspora Jewry. The sense of intra-Israeli and pan-Jewish unity is eroding. Furthermore, among the non-religious (especially Ashkenazim and the better-educated), the intensity of Jewish identity is gradually declining, and there is confusion regarding the meanings of the terms “Jew” and "The Jewish state" should possess. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that what characterizes most Jews in Israel is their adherence to a personal Jewish identity alongside their wish to shape a public Jewish identity.