The Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) on Tuesday released the Voice of the Jewish People Index for August, revealing deep concern among American Jews about the impact of Israel\u2019s actions in Gaza on Jewish communities worldwide.<\/p>\n
The index found that 75% of American Jews are worried that Israel may become a pariah state in Western countries \u2014 a higher level of concern than among Israeli Jews (62%).<\/p>\n
A recent letter by Jewish leaders to Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that Israel\u2019s policies in Gaza not only affect Israel\u2019s standing, but also reverberate throughout Diaspora communities.<\/p>\n
In addition, 92% of respondents in the JPPI survey agreed that Israel\u2019s actions have direct implications for Jews abroad. However, opinion is split: 47% say Israel must consider the impact of its actions in Gaza on Diaspora Jews, while 45% say Israel should focus solely on military victory, regardless of Diaspora concerns.<\/p>\n
Nearly half of US Jews conceal their Jewish identity at times when in unfamiliar environments (42% sometimes, 9% always). In contrast, most haredi Jews said they never hide their identity (53% never, 18% rarely travel).<\/p>\n
Looking ahead to the High Holidays, 53% plan to attend services more than once, while 18% will attend at least once.<\/p>\n
When asked about the war against Hamas in Gaza, 47% say Israel had no choice but to launch a military operation to take Gaza and cannot allow Hamas to remain in power. At the same time, 34% believe Israel is making a mistake, arguing there are better ways to achieve its goals. Just 10% say Israel should stop the war, even if Hamas remains in power.<\/p>\n
Voting preferences, however, reveal sharp divisions: 85% of Jewish Trump voters back Israel\u2019s decision, but only 26% of Jewish Harris voters agree. Half of Harris voters (49%) believe Israel is making a mistake.<\/p>\n
Just under a third (32%) of US Jews feel Israel is \u201cwinning or has won\u201d the war, compared to 48% of Israeli Jews. Conversely, 37% of US Jews and 30% of Israeli Jews do not feel Israel is winning.<\/p>\n
JPPI President Prof. Yedidia Stern commented: \u201cThe survey shows that the way the war is being conducted directly and significantly impacts Diaspora Jews\u2019 sense of security in their own homes. Nearly half of them expect the State of Israel to take this into account, but in practice, this voice is not represented in Israel\u2019s decision-making processes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Nation-State Law stipulates that \u2018the state shall strive to ensure the safety of members of the Jewish people \u2026 who are in distress or captivity because of their Judaism.\u2019 This commitment must be given practical meaning by institutionalizing an internal Israeli mechanism to highlight the safety concerns of Diaspora Jews wherever critical decisions are made that could affect their fate.\u201d<\/p>\n