Survey Assesses Relationship between Jewish Americans and Israelis

Against the backdrop of near-daily news headlines suggesting a growing rift between the state of Israel and elements of the American Jewish community, the Jerusalem-based Israel Democracy Institute conducted a new survey testing those ties. The headline result is an eye-opener for those who agree with the angry response by liberal US Jews to Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely’s admonition that American Jews who don’t send children to the army “don’t understand Israel.” Although the media onslaught portrays Hotovely’s as a lone and radical voice in the wilderness besieged by the majority of world Jewry, the IDI poll shows 51% of Jewish Israelis agreeing with 45% disagreeing. Asked to what extent American Jews should weigh-in on Israel’s internal affairs – including the “religious status of the Reform and Conservative movements” – 55% of Israelis said “no.” Regarding the so-called “Recommendations Law” that would prohibit police from making public recommendations to indict a sitting prime minister is opposed by almost 60% of the population.