A recent survey, conducted by Prof. Ephraim Yaar, Head of the Evens Program in Mediation and Conflict Resolution at Tel Aviv University, sought to determine how patriotic Israelis felt towards their country. The results of the survey uncovered a very frightening trend that calls the very future of the Jewish State of Israel into question. Of the many survey questions, the responses to two of the questions in particular highlight the existential threat facing the Jewish State.

Jews: To what extent do you consider yourself an Israeli patriot?

Very much: 36% Great: 31% To an extent: 26% Not at all: 7%

Pretty good. Among the Jewish citizens of the State of Israel, 93% consider themselves to be patriotic to the State of Israel to some degree. However, when the responses to the above question were broken down by age, we find far fewer reasons for optimism:

60+ years old: 84%

50 - 59: 73%

40 - 49: 64%

30 - 39: 65%

18 - 29: 51%



These figures indicate that there exists a dramatic decline in patriotic feelings towards the State of Israel the younger one is. In other words, the present generation of Jewish Israeli young adults is the least patriotic towards the State of Israel.

Jews: Would you be willing to move and live in another country?

Certain no: 58% Think no: 19% Think yes: 17% Certain yes: 6%

Nearly 80% of the Jewish population in the Jewish State has no intention of ever leaving. Great news. However, if we take a closer look at the 25% of Jewish population in the Jewish State who expressed a willingness to consider leaving Israel, broken down by age, we find a very troubling picture:

60+ years old: 13%

50 - 59: 17%

40 - 49: 23%

30 - 39: 27%

18 - 29: 33%



The present generation of Jewish Israeli young adults is the least patriotic towards the State of Israel.



Consistent with the first question, in which the older respondents were more patriotic towards the State of Israel, here, the older one is, the less inclined one is to ever consider leaving Israel. At the other end of the spectrum, we find the very opposite. The younger one is, the less likely one is to have patriotic feelings towards the State of Israel, while one is among the most likely to consider permanently leaving Israel.

At the recent Herzliya Conference, Nobel Prize Laureate Prof. Israel Aumann warned that the Jewish State of Israel is presently facing an existential threat. He was not referring to the specter of a nuclear Iran, but of the sword hanging over the throat of the Jewish State, known as post-Zionism:

Without motivation, we will not endure. What are we doing here? Why are we here? What are we aspiring to here? We are here because we are Jewish, we are Zionist, because of our ancient bond to this land; we aspire to realize our 2,000-year-old hope of becoming a free nation in our land, the Land of Zion and Jerusalem. Without this profound understanding, we will not endure. We will simply no longer be here; post-Zionism will finish us off.
The gauntlet has been thrown down. Do we have the motivation to take up this challenge and fight to restore the sense of national pride and purpose to the Jewish People and State? Our future depends on it.