Jewish Agency chief Ze'ev Bielski says millions of Jews around the world are experiencing a weakening of their Jewish bonds.
"We see that the Jewish attachment of millions of Jews around the world is getting weaker," Bielski said Thursday at the Ruppin Conference for Immigration and Social Integration. "In the past, every Jew [sic] spoke Hebrew, but today many Jews prefer to have their children study physics instead of Hebrew, so that they will be able to go to university."
On the other hand, a recent poll shows that half of Israelis feel they are Jewish first, and 45% says they are Israeli first. The remaining 5% told the pollsters - of the Mutagim Polling Institute, in honor of Israel's 59th Independence Day - that neither title represented them. The poll found that 82% of those who are religious (92% of Hareidi-religious) and 64% percent of those who said they were right-wing, said they were more Jewish than Israeli. On the other hand, 72% of secular Israelis said they were more Israeli.
New immigrants to Israel also feel more Jewish. The numbers in a recent Ruppin Academic Center survey that nearly 85% of Ethiopian olim (immigrants), 80% of those who came from the former Soviet Union, and a bit more than 60% of Western olim characterize themselves as more Jewish than Israeli.
The Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, which participated in the poll, said the findings "validate our call to deepen the government's investment in the relations between society and the immigrant. Investing in immigrants is investing in the social, economic and national fortitude of Israeli society."
Bielski said the Jewish Agency is making great efforts to bring young Jews from all over the world to visit Israel on programs such as Birthright and Masa Israel Journey. "It is incumbent upon us to go everywhere in the world and emphasize the importance of the connection between Jews around the world and the State of Israel, beginning with visits to Israel and up to the final choice to actually make Aliyah [immigration to Israel]."
"We see that the Jewish attachment of millions of Jews around the world is getting weaker," Bielski said Thursday at the Ruppin Conference for Immigration and Social Integration. "In the past, every Jew [sic] spoke Hebrew, but today many Jews prefer to have their children study physics instead of Hebrew, so that they will be able to go to university."
On the other hand, a recent poll shows that half of Israelis feel they are Jewish first, and 45% says they are Israeli first. The remaining 5% told the pollsters - of the Mutagim Polling Institute, in honor of Israel's 59th Independence Day - that neither title represented them. The poll found that 82% of those who are religious (92% of Hareidi-religious) and 64% percent of those who said they were right-wing, said they were more Jewish than Israeli. On the other hand, 72% of secular Israelis said they were more Israeli.
New immigrants to Israel also feel more Jewish. The numbers in a recent Ruppin Academic Center survey that nearly 85% of Ethiopian olim (immigrants), 80% of those who came from the former Soviet Union, and a bit more than 60% of Western olim characterize themselves as more Jewish than Israeli.
The Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, which participated in the poll, said the findings "validate our call to deepen the government's investment in the relations between society and the immigrant. Investing in immigrants is investing in the social, economic and national fortitude of Israeli society."
Bielski said the Jewish Agency is making great efforts to bring young Jews from all over the world to visit Israel on programs such as Birthright and Masa Israel Journey. "It is incumbent upon us to go everywhere in the world and emphasize the importance of the connection between Jews around the world and the State of Israel, beginning with visits to Israel and up to the final choice to actually make Aliyah [immigration to Israel]."