‘Connected’ US Jews showing widespread interest in Israeli election, poll finds

A new survey of American Jews with strong ties to Israel and Jewish life finds widespread interest in Israel’s upcoming election, despite most respondents being ineligible to vote.

The August survey of 804 “connected” Jews by the Jewish People Policy Institute’s Voice of the Jewish People Index finds that 78% are following election news, including 35% who say they are following it “very closely.”

Only 8% of respondents said they are Israeli citizens eligible to vote.

Among those surveyed, 54% said they would prefer an opposition victory, compared with 14% who favor the current coalition. Twenty-four percent said it is not their place to weigh in.

Among Israeli citizens living abroad, 55% prefer an opposition victory, and 26% favor the coalition. About 92% said they were following the election, including 63% very closely.

The strong interest in the election “is remarkable given the ideological gap between the largely liberal connected American Jews in our survey and the more conservative Israeli Jewish public,” says JPPI President Prof. Yedidia Stern. “Many American Jews may look at Israel critically, but they do not forget that we are two parts of the same family.”