A survey released Wednesday by the Jewish People Policy Institute finds that a growing share of American Jews who feel strongly connected to Judaism or Israel now view Israel as the safest place in the world for Jews.
According to the survey, 68 percent of respondents agreed that Israel is the safest place for Jews to live, an increase of about five percentage points from last year. JPPI said respondents cited both the conclusion of major fighting in Gaza and heightened concerns about antisemitism abroad as key drivers of the change.
JPPI cautioned that the survey is not representative of the entire American Jewish population. Conducted Jan. 15–20, the poll sampled 710 U.S. Jews from JPPI’s own database and consists largely of individuals with strong connections to Jewish identity, Jewish institutions, or Israel.
Perceptions of Israel’s safety varied significantly by religious affiliation. Agreement that Israel is the safest place for Jews was highest among Orthodox respondents, at 91 percent, followed by Ultra-Orthodox respondents at 78 percent and Conservative respondents at 74 percent. Support was lower among Reform Jews, at 62 percent, and among respondents without a denominational affiliation, at 64 percent.
Despite growing perceptions of Israel as a haven, relatively few respondents said they are actively considering moving there.
Only 8 percent said they are currently considering immigration to Israel. A larger share said they might do so under certain conditions: 12 percent said they would consider it at some point in the future, 35 percent would consider it under specific circumstances and 27 percent said they would only consider it in extreme circumstances. Thirteen percent said they would not consider moving to Israel under any conditions.
Antisemitism emerged as a central factor driving interest in emigration. Forty percent of respondents cited antisemitism as the primary reason for considering a move to Israel, highlighting how security concerns outside Israel are shaping long-term thinking, even among those not actively planning to relocate.
The survey also suggests that Israel remains deeply embedded in the social networks of many engaged American Jews.
Most respondents said they personally know Jews who have moved to Israel, and more than 70 percent said they believe those acquaintances are satisfied with their decision, according to JPPI.
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October 7 “Israel” is less safe than any other place of major Jewish population.
Interesting. The non-Hareidi religious (i.e. modern Orthodox) are the most enthused (logical since in Israel they have full rights with no discrimination, unlike America where being Shomer Shabbos restricts one’s options in most activities). Hareidim in America may have more options than non-Zionist Hareidim do in Israel since America has a tradition of religious accommodation as opposed to Israel where most of the ruling class tolerates the Hareidim reluctantly if at all. Non-Shomer Shabbos Jews have no restrictions in America and would be worried only if a Nazi-style regime with a “racial” definition of Jews became significant (not likely, many if not most of the leading anti-Semites in America are of Jewish descent).
Based on polling there is little support for either the left-wing “progressive” anti-Semitism, or the far right neo-Nazi version. Thus we should feel reassured, unfortunately for the same reasons German Jews felt safe in the 1920s. How secure Israel is may be subject to question since they claim to be dependent on the Americans for weapons (though this may be a “cover” to mask their own armed strength). We should consider the world of 2029 if the “Progressive” (WOKE) Democrats control the White House and the Congress and are declaring war on those (including us) who are deemed undesirable in the DEI system of values.
On a recent “Inspiration for the Nation” podcast, Harav Reuven Feinstein, Shlita, said that due to rising anti-Semitism in this country, anyone who doesn’t have family, livelihood or other obligations keeping them here should move to Eretz Yisrael.