A new study by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) sheds light on the impact of the October 7 massacre on non-religious teenagers in Israel, showing that the widespread perception of a broad religious awakening is, in fact, misleading.

The study, based on a survey of approximately 270 teenagers ages 15 to 18 who do not define themselves as religious, found that an increase in expressions of Jewish tradition is occurring almost exclusively among those who grew up in homes with some connection to tradition. By contrast, teenagers who define themselves as “completely secular” are actually showing the opposite trend, moving further away from tradition.

The gap between perception and reality is particularly striking: Nearly half of the teenagers surveyed — 46% — said their friends are observing more Jewish practices today. Yet when asked about their own behavior, half said nothing had changed.

Only 7% of boys reported putting on tefillin more frequently, while just 2% said they were wearing tzitzis more often. The most significant increases were in quieter, more personal practices: 22% reported davening more, 14% said they were reading more Tehillim or Tanach, and 18% of girls said they were lighting Shabbos candles more often.

The results reveal a clear divide along lines of religious identity. Only 4% of those who define themselves as “completely secular” reported observing more Jewish practices, while 35% said they now observe fewer traditions than in the past.

Among traditional teenagers, however, a significant strengthening was recorded, with 40% saying they are more traditional than their parents. This stands in sharp contrast to completely secular teenagers, the overwhelming majority of whom — 77% — maintain patterns similar to those of their parents.

Regarding emuna and religious practice, 55% of non-religious teenagers said they believe in Hashem, with a striking divide between the groups: 90% of traditional teenagers said they believe in Hashem, compared with just 23% of those who define themselves as completely secular.

The study also identified a clear correlation with ethnic background: 58% of completely secular respondents identified themselves as Ashkenazi, while 59% of traditional respondents identified themselves as Mizrachi or Sephardi.

Dr. Shuki Friedman, director-general of JPPI, summarized the findings: “The study shows that Israeli teenagers are changing and are expressing the identity in which they were raised more strongly. Teenagers who grew up in homes with a connection to tradition are adopting additional expressions of Jewish identity, while among the secular group, a trend of growing distance is evident.

“These findings underscore the need to establish dialogue and find compromises between religious and secular Israelis, with the traditional population potentially serving as a bridge along the spectrum between the groups.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)