Last night, IDI's Prof. Tamar Hermann and Ayala Keissar-Sugarmen of AVI CHAI presented the findings of A Portrait of Israeli Jews: Beliefs, Observance, and Values of Israeli Jews at a symposium in Jerusalem. Based on a survey conducted by IDI's Guttman Center for Surveys for AVI CHAI in 2009, the report is a sequel to studies conducted in 1991 and 1999. Taken together, the three surveys present a unique continuum of Jewish religiosity and tradition in Israel.

As reported widely in the press, the report found that 80% of Israeli Jews believe in God.

Among the other main findings:

• 76% of Israeli Jews eat kosher at home
• 70% of Israeli Jews believe that the Jews are the chosen people
• 61% of Israeli Jews think that public life in Israel should be conducted according to Jewish religious tradition.

While at the same time:

• Over 60% of Israeli Jews support holding sports events and cultural activities on the Sabbath
• 58% of Israeli Jews support operating public transport and shopping centers on the Sabbath
• 51% of Israeli Jews favor instituting civil marriage.

Visit the IDI website to read a summary of the findings of the third Guttman–AVI CHAI Report and for free downloads of the English abstract and the entire report in English. For those who would like to compare, the previous Guttman–AVI CHAI Report is available for download as well. Click  here to find out more.

To What Extent Do You Believe or Not Believe That...

(Percentage of respondents who answered "believe wholeheartedly"
or "believe but sometimes doubt" in 2009)