Ahead of the end of the civil year, a survey conducted among a representative panel of the Jewish population in Israel for the Mashav Channel, operated by the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization, reveals the depth of the cultural divide in Israel surrounding the question of celebrating the civil (Gregorian) New Year.
The survey found that the religious and haredi publics hold a firm position: over 90% of respondents from those sectors stated that they have no intention of celebrating the civil New Year. In contrast, 66% of secular respondents answered that they either planned to celebrate or had not yet decided.
In a summary of all respondents from Israel's Jewish population, a majority of 53% clearly stated they would not celebrate, compared to 33% who plan to mark the occasion.
Tzohar Rabbinical Organization Chairman Rabbi David Stav commented on the data and raised a point for reflection on Israeli identity: "The question is whether the calendar that shapes our lives is the Gregorian calendar or the Jewish calendar. We all receive our salaries according to the Gregorian month, and we do not ignore that the civil year has practical significance, but the question is whether it is a component of our identity."
Rabbi Stav shared a story about an immigrant from the former Soviet Union who told him that his only connection to Judaism was the "Hanukkah gelt (money)" that he received from his grandfather, and added, "Sometimes the cultural aspects are the ones that shape identity, especially in a society that is irreligious."