Israelis have become closer to God and Judaism in the past four months, a survey found.
According to a comprehensive survey conducted by Lazar Research for The Jerusalem Post, 33% of Israelis have reported a strengthened faith in God since the October 7 massacre by Hamas and the subsequent war.
The study, spearheaded by Dr. Menachem Lazar of Lazar Research in collaboration with Panel4All.co.il, an internet respondent panel, aimed to gauge the religious sentiments among Israelis in these turbulent times.
The survey, which was done on February 5-6, drew responses from 512 individuals, providing a representative sample of Israel’s adult Jewish community. With a margin of error capped at 4.3%, the findings offer a glimpse into the nation’s soul-searching journey in the face of adversity.
A stark division in the responses was noted. A significant portion of the population, 33%, affirmed that their belief in a higher power has been fortified; conversely, a small fraction, 8%, felt their faith wane, while the majority, 59%, reported no change in their spiritual stance.
The analysis further delved into demographic nuances, revealing that faith reinforcement was notably more pronounced among traditionalists, with 44% affirming strengthened beliefs compared to 16% of secular respondents. Age also played a critical role, with younger participants more likely to report a bolstered faith.
The practical expressions of the respondents’ strengthened religious faith were primarily prayers (63%), conversations with God (59%), and the recitation of Psalms (45%). The increase in prayers was especially characteristic of respondents aged 60+ (73%); conversations with God were reported at relatively high rates by secular respondents (64%), Sephardic respondents (65%), and respondents aged 45-60 (60%).
The recitation of Psalms was relatively more characteristic of respondents aged 45-60 (60%) and Ashkenazim (50%). As the age of the respondents increased, they reported more about lighting Shabbat candles following the war – from 20% among those aged 18-29 to 51% among those 60+.
Greater connection to the State of Israel
An absolute majority of respondents (75%) said that since October 7, they feel a greater connection to the State of Israel (69%) and the diverse Israeli society (68%). About half of the Israelis surveyed feel more connected to the Jewish people in the Diaspora (53%) and to Jewish tradition (49%).
A greater connection to the people of Israel was characteristic of respondents aged 18-29 (85%) and Mizrahi respondents (81%). An increased connection to Israeli society was characteristic of respondents aged 18-29 (72%) and Sephardic (74%) respondents. A further connection to Jewish tradition was characteristic of respondents aged 18-29 (61%), traditional respondents (65%), and Mizrahi respondents (58%).
The majority of ultra-Orthodox respondents (59%) said that since October 7, they feel a greater connection to the State of Israel. This response was more characteristic of Sephardic respondents (74%) compared to 64% of Ashkenazim, among whom 30% said there was no change for them in this respect. An increased connection to the Jewish people in the Diaspora was characteristic of respondents aged 18-29 (62%), traditional respondents (64%), and Sephardic respondents (59%).
The younger the respondents, the more they reported an increase in faith: from 48% among those aged 18-29 to 18% among those 60+. Sephardic Israelis reported a much higher faith increase than Ashkenazim (42% versus 24%, respectively).
The events of October 7 and the subsequent war did not change the way Israelis in general define themselves religiously, except for minor differences. Relatively significant changes were found among two groups: 78% of those previously identified as liberal-religious stayed with this definition but 18% now define themselves as traditional and another 9% as religious. Of those who described themselves as slightly traditional seculars, 84% remained so but 10% now define themselves as traditional.