American Jews generally have a strong sense of connection to Israel, a new survey has found.
The Ruderman Family Foundation, which commissioned the study and published its results earlier this week, said the findings upset the conventional wisdom on the apparent disconnect between the world's two largest Jewish populations.
According to the foundation, the study found that "80% of American Jews consider themselves pro-Israel and 67% feel an emotional attachment to Israel."
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The foundation further said that despite this strong affinity, most of the respondents said politics and institutional conduct between the sides were a cause for concern.
"Despite voices talking about a growing gap between the sides, the vast majority of American Jews are sympathetic to Israel, and most of them feel an emotional connection to the Jewish state. Moreover, more than 70% of Jews in the United States feel that their personal relationship with Israel is equal, or stronger, than it was five years ago. This is one of the largest surveys ever conducted among American Jews, and the findings have been released amid the fragile discourse that has developed in this area in recent years," the foundation said.
"While there is great support for the State of Israel, the Jewish community in the United States is also critical of the Israeli government's policies in various areas, particularly religious and state issues, as well as attitudes toward the Palestinians," the foundation stressed.
"It appears doomsday talks about an irreversible chasm between Israel and the American Jewish community were mistaken," President of the Ruderman Family Foundation Jay Ruderman said in a statement on Monday. "An overwhelming 80% of American Jews feel an attachment to Israel, including most non-affiliated and younger Jews. The time has come to diversify the discourse between the sides, bringing new faces and new ideas to the table. This relationship is more than politics and Jewish religious practices, and the conversation needs to reflect this simple reality."
