Jerusalem and the Jewish People Unity and Division

Key Findings:

Jerusalem is a crucially important place to engaged Jews worldwide, and a main point of connection between Diaspora Jews and Israel. This research centered on reevaluating Jerusalem's status in its 50th year since reunification, and gaining insight into how Jews worldwide perceive Jerusalem's current situation, its significance to them, and their envisioned future for the city. 

Four main areas of interest were addressed: demographic trends, societal and cultural developments, political considerations, and the input of Jews worldwide in shaping Jerusalem's vision and implementation. While acknowledging the potential for differing opinions and conflicted feelings, the Dialogue aimed to learn from Jewish voices and provide recommendations for inclusive policies that foster unity and reduce division.

Many visiting engaged non-Israeli Jews feel “at home” in Jerusalem. The Dialogue revealed that many feel that their views should be considered in the shaping of the political and cultural future of Jerusalem. Jewish Dialogue participants, as well as most Israelis, feel that Jerusalem is not moving “in the right direction” mainly because of concerns about Jewish-Arab relations and religious pluralism. 

Concerns of Jews about Jerusalem reflect, in many ways, their concerns and grievances about Israel’s policies. Haredi demographic growth is more concerning to participants than Arab demographic growth. A majority of participants believe that “all countries ought to move their embassies to Jerusalem.” A small majority agree that Jerusalem “should never be divided.” A significant majority wants it to be a city with “a clear Jewish majority,” and argue that “the Temple Mount must remain under Israeli jurisdiction.” 

However, in a contradictory statement, a small majority also argues that “Israel should be willing to compromise on the status of Jerusalem as a united city under Israeli jurisdiction. Participants’ belief that Israel is sincere in seeking peace sharply declined compared to previous Dialogues. Participants believe that Israel is “strong and thriving,” but are divided about whether the Jewish world outside Israel is strong or “deteriorating and weakening.”

Main recommendations based on the Dialogue findings to promote unity, strengthen the Jewish connection to Jerusalem, and ensure that the decisions made about the city's future take into account the perspectives and aspirations of Jews worldwide:

1.  Consider the impact of decisions on the connection of Jews to Jerusalem as decisions about Jerusalem's future are made.
2.  Establish a consultation mechanism between Jewish groups to incorporate input from the Jewish world in important decisions that affect the long-term character of Jerusalem.
3.  Jerusalemites should be made aware of the city's special role and encouraged to raise awareness and take part in making it a place where all Jews can feel at home.
4.  Efforts should be made to improve the situation in areas where necessary and make Jews more aware of existing improvements. The image of Jerusalem should be reinforced as a positive and meaningful place of connection to Israel.
5.  Recognize and accommodate different agendas in different parts of the city to reduce unnecessary conflicts. Promote diversity within Jerusalem's Jewish population and create areas where pluralistic coexistence is enforced.
6.  Develop better communication and understanding between the ultra-Orthodox and non-ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities. Implement strategies for Haredi economic integration and establish structured communications to defuse tensions and find common ground.
7.  Israel should implement the January 2016 compromise reached with world Jewry regarding an egalitarian third Western Wall plaza. Resolving the Kotel issue is essential for Israel-Diaspora relations.
8.  Recognize that current demographic trends could result in Jerusalem becoming a majority non-Jewish city (viewed as negative by world Jewry). Take steps to improve the lives of Jerusalemite Arabs and consider the implications of political positions on the connection of Jews to the city.
9.  Invite the participation of Diaspora Jews in discussions on Jerusalem's political future, considering them as partners. However, ultimate decisions rest with the Israeli public and democratically elected representatives.