An annual survey of American Jews reveals that orthodox Jews in the United States are much more supportive of Israel than those identifying with other streams of Judaism. The survey by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) uncovers a growing ideological gap in the U.S., according to Jewish leaders at joint forum including orthodox and reform Jews last week.
One of the striking differences between orthodox and non-orthodox American Jews is the amount of time young orthodox Jews spend in Israel, according to Steven Bayne, director of the AJC's Department of Contemporary Jewish life. He predicted that the gap among American Jews will widen as the orthodox community's importance grows.
Younger orthodox Jews' affiliation with a synagogue is double than that of the Jewish population in general. "If you are looking at who is going to be sufficiently concerned about Jewish community and Jewish peoplehood activities, one sociologist suggests that 50 percent of that universe of people concerned with Jewish life may be Orthodox," Bayne added.