Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., March 10, 2008 Adar2 4, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:11 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Study: Young American Jews are not detached from Israel By Shmuel Rosner WASHINGTON - A study published last week in the United States challenges the prevailing assumption that American Jews have become alienated from Israel in recent years, and particularly the assumption that the younger generation is less attached to Israel than their parents' generation was at their age. The study released last Wednesday by the Steinhardt Social Research Institute at Brandeis University maintains that there has been no decline, nor will there be one. "Jewish attachment to Israel has largely held steady for the period 1994-2007," the study says, adding that there are "strong reasons for rejecting the prevailing pessimism regarding the future relationship of American Jews to Israel." Advertisement In a conversation with Haaretz, two of the study's three authors, Len Saxe and Ted Sasson, said the sources they examined suggest that young American Jews are indeed less attached to Israel than their parents - but precisely the same way their parents were less attached to Israel than was the grandparents' generation. "Differences in attachment to Israel are likely related to life-cycle rather than the diverse experiences of successive generations. As American Jews grow older, they tend to become more emotionally attached to Israel," says the study, whose third author is Charles Kadushin. The researchers looked at the Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion for the years 1994 through 2007, and found no significant lasting difference regarding Israel. The AJC survey asks two questions relating to Israel, almost every year. One asks respondents whether "Caring about Israel is a very important part of my being a Jew." On this question, "the proportion of respondents agreeing that Israel is a 'very important' aspect of their Jewish identity holds stable throughout the entire time period [1994-2007]." The second asks "How close do you feel to Israel?" According to the study, "Between 1994 and 2005, the proportion feeling close to Israel increased by 11 percent, from 66 to 77 percent of the sample; between 2006 and 2007, it declined by 7 percent. For the period as a whole, the spread between those indicating 'close' and 'distant' increased by a modest 8 percent." Moreover, stability in the degree of attachment to Israel is evident across the denominations. Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Jews express varying degrees of attachment to Israel, but the stability within each stream has remained unchanged since 1994. Contrary to a commonly-held belief, the study found no significant connection between liberalism and detachment from Israel. "General political orientation on a continuum from 'extremely liberal' to 'extremely conservative' is not related to attachment to Israel," the study says. The new study is the latest in a series of publications on the question of American Jews' ties to Israel, most of which were far more pessimistic. A September 2007 study by scholars Steven Cohen and Ari Kelman found mounting evidence that American Jews, particularly the younger generation, are increasingly detached from Israel. The authors of the Brandeis study reject that finding. Both studies point to evidence that the more American Jews travel to Israel, the more they become attached to it. In this context, the new study underscores the ability of the Taglit-birthright project to completely alter the structure and strength of the ties between America's Jews and Israel. Taglit-birthright brings young Jews on free trips to Israel; it expanded substantially in the past year after billionaire Sheldon Adelson began supporting it financially. The new study points to the rise in the number of American Jews visiting Israel. This fact, the researchers write, "implies the likelihood that such upward pressure on Israel attachment will continue in the future." Bookmark to del.icio.us   State policy Olmert approves plan for 750 new homes in West Bank settlement of Givat Ze'ev. Sticking to his story Director of 'Jenin, Jenin' swears there are no falsehoods in his movie.

Today Online Palestinians: Hamas, Hezbollah cooperated on Jerusalem attack Responses: 183 Shin Bet chief: Chances of fresh Intifada are low Responses: 74 Gideon Levy: Mercaz Harav produced the rabbis who led the vilest form of Zionism Responses: 141 Editorial: Peace now, or eternal conflict later Responses: 53 Kuwaiti analyst: Best if Israel, not U.S., destroys Iran nukes Responses: 59 Jewish Agency to start anti-terror drive in wake of J'lem attack Responses: 43 More Headlines 23:30 Stricken J'lem yeshiva: PM not welcome to visit 23:04 Shin Bet chief: Chances of fresh Intifada in 2008 are low 21:17 FM to U.S. envoy: Conditions not ripe for forming Palestinian state 01:46 Amos Oz: Left wing can return to power in next elections 22:48 Minister Boim accuses IAEA chief of serving as agent for Iran 22:08 'Jenin, Jenin' director tells court film based entirely on truth 00:41 Palestinians protest Goldie Hawn appearance at JNF event 18:03 PM okays 750 new settlement homes, says fits state policy 16:38 Study: Boston's intermarried 'as observant' as Reform Jews 20:21 High Court rejects petitions to overturn Ramon cabinet appointment 00:46 Second victim of ambush on IDF jeep laid to rest in Ashkelon 00:16 Holocaust museum to honor Helena Bonham Carter's grandfather for saving Jews Previous Editions Select Day 09 mar 07 mar 06 mar 05 mar 04 mar 03 mar 02 mar 29 feb 28 feb 27 feb 26 feb 25 feb

Special Offers Advertisement READY FOR PURIM? BUT - Who Will Guard The Hamentasch? Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Long-term Israel programs MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants. NEW! Dan Boutique Jerusalem Hotel Hip Dan Hotel in Jerusalem. Attractive Introductory Rates 7589 rockets fired so far HELP US TO HELP THEM FREE JEWISH HISTORY COURSE Berel Wein's best selling lectures. 5000 Years in Five hours /CD/MP3 Marina Royale Herzelia Pituach Your Luxurious Suite While Staying in Israel Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved