A new, recently published survey revealing the religious views of modern Jewish Israelis should inspire us to continue to pray for God’s chosen people.
According to the survey, sponsored by All Israel News and Chosen People Ministries, 63.6 percent of Israeli Jews “believe in God as described in the Jewish tradition,” and 22 percent believe in a “high power or spiritual force” outside Judaism. Additionally, only half of Jewish Israelis expect a future Messiah to come according to the Scriptures.[1]
The survey, a poll of 1,200 Israeli Jewish adults, also revealed 64.2 percent believe they are the “chosen people” as the Bible describes, and 54.5 percent believe in heaven and hell.[2]
When asked about their views toward Christians, a little less than half of Jewish Israelis—43.6 percent—said they are indifferent toward evangelicals. Thirty-three percent said they hold a “neutral or positive view” of evangelicals, 17.5 percent said they hold a positive view of evangelicals, and only 11 percent said they hold a “poor or very poor” opinion of evangelicals.[3]
However, when asked about their view toward Jewish-Christian relations, 66.7 percent reported they believe Jewish-Christian relations have greatly improved over the years, and 58.7 percent reported they believe Christians are sincere in their love for Israel.[4]
The survey was designed by American Jewish professors Dr. Mordechai Inbari, professor of religion at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and Dr. Kirill Bumin, dean and professor in the Political Science Department at Stonehill College. Inbari and Bumin had previously studied the views of American Christians toward Israel, but this survey represents the first time they designed a survey to evaluate the religious views of Israeli Jews toward God, a coming Messiah, and Christians.[5]
According to All Israel News, the researchers collected the data in the following way:
The scholars contracted with the Geocartography Knowledge Group, one of the leading research and polling companies in Israel, to professionally conduct the survey. A representative sample of 1,200 Israeli Jewish respondents were surveyed. The sample provides a 95% confidence level that the sampling error does not exceed +2.82%.
The sample includes 1,000 respondents who were interviewed online in Hebrew. It also includes 200 respondents who were interviewed by phone in Hebrew. These were Israelis age 65 and over, and ultra-Orthodox Israelis, both of which are historically less responsive to online surveys and more responsive to phone surveys.[6]
This new data should inspire us all the more to continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the salvation of the Jewish people. May Jesus’ kinsmen according to the flesh come to know and believe Messiah is not only coming, but He is coming again, for He has already come.
As the Jewish prophet Zechariah wrote, “And in that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced” (Zechariah 12:9–10). Then national Israel will finally look to Jesus as her Savior and Messiah (Romans 11:26). Until then, let us continue to desire and pray for Israel’s salvation (Romans 10:1).
by Jennifer Miles
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[1] Joel C. Rosenberg, “Results of survey on Israeli religious views, co-sponsored by ALL ISRAEL NEWS, presented at NRB convention,” All Israel News, May 25, 2023, https://allisrael.com/results-of-survey-about-israeli-religious-views-co-sponsored-by-all-israel-news-presented-at-nrb-convention.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Joel C. Rosenberg, “Fewer than 20% of Israeli Jews have positive opinion of Evangelicals, finds startling new poll––why?” All Israel News, May 22, 2023, https://allisrael.com/fewer-than-20-of-israeli-jews-have-positive-opinion-of-evangelicals-finds-startling-new-poll-why.
[5] Joel C. Rosenberg, “Results of survey on Israeli religious views, co-sponsored by ALL ISRAEL NEWS, presented at NRB convention,” All Israel News, May 25, 2023, https://allisrael.com/results-of-survey-about-israeli-religious-views-co-sponsored-by-all-israel-news-presented-at-nrb-convention.
[6] Joel C. Rosenberg, “Fewer than 20% of Israeli Jews have positive opinion of Evangelicals, finds startling new poll––why?” All Israel News, May 22, 2023, https://allisrael.com/fewer-than-20-of-israeli-jews-have-positive-opinion-of-evangelicals-finds-startling-new-poll-why.
