August’s Voice of the Jewish People Index shows that 75% of the American Jews surveyed worry that Israel could become a pariah state; nearly half conceal their Jewish identity.
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’s actions in Gaza on Jewish communities worldwide.
The index found that 75% of American Jews are worried that Israel may become a pariah state in Western countries — a higher level of concern than among Israeli Jews (62%).
A recent letter by Jewish leaders to Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that Israel’s policies in Gaza not only affect Israel’s standing, but also reverberate throughout Diaspora communities.
In addition, 92% of respondents in the JPPI survey agreed that Israel’s 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.
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).
Looking ahead to the High Holidays, 53% plan to attend services more than once, while 18% will attend at least once.
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.
Voting preferences, however, reveal sharp divisions: 85% of Jewish Trump voters back Israel’s decision, but only 26% of Jewish Harris voters agree. Half of Harris voters (49%) believe Israel is making a mistake.
Just under a third (32%) of US Jews feel Israel is “winning or has won” the war, compared to 48% of Israeli Jews. Conversely, 37% of US Jews and 30% of Israeli Jews do not feel Israel is winning.
JPPI President Prof. Yedidia Stern commented: “The survey shows that the way the war is being conducted directly and significantly impacts Diaspora Jews’ 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’s decision-making processes.”
“The Nation-State Law stipulates that ‘the state shall strive to ensure the safety of members of the Jewish people … who are in distress or captivity because of their Judaism.’ 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.”