Digital Library
The State of Israel, the Diaspora, and the Nation-State Law
Topic:
Israel & Regional Politics, Jewish Diaspora & Interfaith Relations, Israel Literacy
Principal Investigators:
Shlomo Fischer, John Ruskay, Adar Schieber, Barry Geltman
Study Date:
2022
Source:
Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI)
Key Findings:
Israel-Diaspora relations, enshrined in the BASIC LAW: ISRAEL - THE NATION- STATE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE, have become a focal point of discussion. The law emphasizes the State's commitment to ensuring the safety of Jews worldwide and preserving their cultural heritage.
The Dialogue considered the evolving dynamics and challenges in Israel-Diaspora relations. The relationship between Israeli Jews and American Jews differs due to the contrasting contexts they live in. Israeli Jews reside in a Jewish state where religion is a public issue, whilst American Jews live as a minority in a diverse society where religion is personal. The shared historical experiences and solidarity between Israeli and Diaspora Jews have weakened over time, influenced by factors such as Israel's self-reliance, divergent political views, and differing life experiences.
The participants from the Dialogue sessions emphasized the importance of mutual understanding and personal connections in promoting Israel-Diaspora ties. They believed that personal experiences and one-on-one relationships are powerful ways to strengthen these ties, and that creativity is needed to establish connections at the grassroots level, beyond interactions between leaders.
The relationship is transitioning from a "monophonic" format, characterized by shared assumptions and perspectives, to a "polyphonic" one, where different perspectives and goals interact, potentially leading to fruitful dialogue and mutual understanding.
Recommendations based on the data:
- The Israeli government should invest in introducing Diaspora studies in public schools, necessitating a shift in educational priorities and significant political and financial resources, if the objective is to strengthen relations between Israeli and Diaspora Jews.
- The government should financially support opportunities for encounters between Diaspora and Israeli Jews (e.g. missions from Diaspora synagogues, community centers, and Hillels, paired with Israeli counterparts). Scaling these up substantially would yield greater chances for them to meet, interact and learn from and with each other.
- A collaborative planning group should be formed by the Israeli government, the Jewish Agency, JFNA, and representatives from Europe, Latin America, South Africa, and Australia to enhance Jewish education in the Diaspora. This group would work together to strengthen Jewish education initiatives in the Diaspora, facilitating cooperation and coordination among various stakeholders.
Methodology:
The 2021 Dialogue process began in June 2021 and continued through February 2022. The Dialogue pursued two issues: (1) preserving the cultural, historical, and religious heritage of the Jewish people, focusing on Jewish education in its broadest sense; (2) preserving ties between Israel and Jews in the Diaspora.
The Dialogue comprised 16 sessions with 301 participants. The sessions were conducted in cooperation with communities and organizations in North America, Israel, and Melbourne, Australia with participants from those locations as well as the United Kingdom. The majority of Dialogue participants were women, and 64% were under the age of 45.
In the course of the Dialogue, two kinds of data were collected — quantitative and qualitative. The Dialogue sessions were conducted via Zoom. All participants completed a short survey and were then asked the same or similar questions in the small focus groups. The survey responses do not necessarily reflect the attitudes or the demographic realities of the respective Jewish populations.
The North American participant pool contained 17% Orthodox and 36% Conservative Jews. Among the Orthodox, 22% said they were Republicans, far less than the national percentage of 75%. Only 9% as a whole identified as Republican or Republican leaning. 50% of the younger participant pool identified as Reform.
43% of the Israeli student teachers identified as left-wing on the Israeli political spectrum, whereas only 8% of the Israeli population identify as such. 62% of the MIFT group also identified politically as left leaning.
From the under 45 Melbourne participants, over half identified as “religious,” “Orthodox” or “attend an Orthodox synagogue occasionally.” 45% identified as politically right-wing. Among the Melbourne group as a whole, 64% identified as “religious,” “Orthodox,” or “attend an Orthodox synagogue occasionally” and 33% identified as right-wing.