Polling
The Impact of 10/7 on Young Jews
October 7, 2023 will be recorded as one of the darkest days in the history of Israel and the Jewish people. The sheer scale and evil/horror of the atrocities perpetrated – compounded by the protracted war that ensued and the frightening surge in global antisemitism – has profoundly impacted young American Jews.
In the summer of 2024, Boundless engaged BSG, a global research firm, to conduct a quantitative survey of young American Jews (ages 18-40). The aim was to understand the impact of October 7 and the subsequent Israel-Hamas war on the participants’ connection to Israel and their Jewish identity.
This research was conducted in June 2024 using market research panels and direct outreach via text message. BSG polled 1,103 individuals, including an oversample of 299 Jewish college students. An earlier April 2024 qualitative research phase consisting of online journals informed this research.
Key Findings:
76% of young American Jews feel connected to Israel while 90% responded that they care about Israel. Connection drives connection – young Jews who already felt connected to Israel are most likely to feel more connected to Israel and their Jewish identity post Oct 7.
85% of young Jews overwhelmingly believe that Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state and 75% believe that both Jews and Palestinians have a right to self-determination.
Almost half (42%) don’t know what the word “Zionism” means. There is a huge opportunity for education as just giving people a definition increased their likelihood to identify as a Zionist by more than 20 percent.
81% of young Jews are closely following news about Israel; they are most likely to get information from mainstream news outlets and social media.
Since the war started, more than half of young Jews (55%) said they have felt unwelcome or excluded because of Israel or their Jewish identity.
Young Jews (82%) are looking to become more knowledgeable in general about Israel, learn from a variety of viewpoints, hear multiple narratives, and find ways to advance peace.
Most young Jews (67%) are satisfied with the Israel education they received; they believe their education left them well-informed and provided knowledge about Israel’s history and culture.
Young Jews (51%) who feel they received a fair and balanced Israel education report the strongest connection to Israel and a strong belief that Israel is a core part of their Jewish identity.