A new survey conducted among young Israelis shows that 42% believe their generation is "unlucky" and that their future is less bright than their parents. The survey also shows that 52@ believe there is discrimination in Israel based on ethnicity and place of residence. Another statistic shows that 54% say they would emigrate if they could, while 62% feel alone in dealing with their future.
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The survey, conducted by ERI and carried out by the Rashi Foundation and Gandyr Foundation using a representative sample of Israelis between ages 18-34, tried to gauge sentiment among young Israelis amid what is considered to be a period of heightened political polarization over the proposed judicial reform.
Video: Israelis protest judicial reform (Credit: Barak Brinker)
The report asked them about their approach to various life decisions, what motivates them, and their overall views on various issues as well as the trust they have in the state institutions and their degree of social involvement.
The most troubling issue involves the erosion in the sense of belonging to the state in recent months: While the 2022 Democracy Index showed that 66% of Israelis between 18-24 (as well as 65% of those between 25-44) would prefer to stay in Israel even if they had the opportunity to move to a different country, in the new survey this figure stood only at 54%.
Among Haredim, 91% say they would prefer to stay in Israel, while among non-Haredi Jews, that figure drops to 44%. Among Israeli Arabs, that figure stands at 32%.
When asked to say what their three overarching objectives are among 12 that were presented to them, some 47% said "economic well-being and a high lifestyle", some 45% said chose "building a family" and 40% said "economic security that will grant me livelihood and enough money for old age." Only 5.8% chose "working toward political and social change."
Some 42% of young Israelis believe they are part of an "unlucky" generation and think their lives will not be as good as their parents' future was. Among non-Haredi Jews, 47% say their generation is unlucky, with only 33% saying they believe their future is brighter than their parents. Among young Arab respondents, some 34% said they are part of an unlucky generation, but 52% said their future is brighter than their parents'.
Some 52% of Israelis believe that their chances of realizing their professional goals are determined firstly by their place of residence, their ethnic background and their family's financial means. Only 48% say that their personal aptitude, knowledge and skills are the most important.
Some 62% said that the state has not provided them with a safety net and has left them to their own devices in pursuing their future goals. This stood at 69% for women, 55% of men, 49% of Arabs, and 43% of Haredim. Almost half of respondents said they felt they could not trust the state to give them what they need to meet the challenges of the future, and women and non-Haredi Jews comprise more than half of this group.
According to Rashi Foundation, the "results of the survey show that the disparity between the haves and have-nots has only increased and that if we are to grant a real equal opportunity to everyone, we must have widespread engagement to effect real change when it comes to trust in institutions and we must bolster infrastructure and incentivize various remedies, such as professional training for the job market and more."
According to The Gandyr Foundation, the survey shows that "most young Israelis think they are alone in facing the big challenges in the greater complex reality; more than 60% of them feel the state does not provide them with a safety net and that they have to take care of themselves by themselves. The study is a wake-up call for all those who engage in youth outreach."
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