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Fully 80 percent of Israeli Jews believe that God exists—the highest figure found by the Guttman-Avi Chai survey since this review of Israeli-Jewish beliefs began two decades ago.
The latest survey of the “Beliefs, Observance and Values among Israeli Jews” was conducted in 2009 but the results were released only after a detailed analysis had been completed. The two previous surveys were in 1999 and 1991.
The study also found that 70 percent of respondents believe the Jews are the “Chosen People,” 65 percent believe the Torah and mitzvot (religious commandments) are God-given, and 56 percent believe in life after death.
Overall, the survey found an increase in attachment to Jewish religion and tradition from 1999 to 2009, following a decrease from 1991 to 1999, which was the decade of mass immigration from the former Soviet Union. Among other things, it found that less than half of Israeli Jews think that, in a clash between Jewish law and democracy, democratic values should always prevail.
It found that only 46 percent of Israeli Jews now define themselves as secular, down from 52 percent in 1999, while 22 percent define themselves as either Orthodox or ultra-Orthodox, up from 16 percent in 1999. The remaining 32 percent term themselves traditional, virtually unchanged from 1999.
This change in self-identification was also reflected in the proportion of those subscribing to traditional Jewish beliefs. For instance, 55 percent said they believe in the coming of the Messiah, up from 45 percent in 1999 but similar to 53 percent in 1991, while 37 percent said that “a Jew who does not observe the religious precepts endangers the entire Jewish people,” up from 30 percent in 1999 but again similar to the 1991 figure of 35 percent.
The study’s authors cited two reasons for the rise in religiosity. One is that immigrants from the former Soviet Union, who contributed to the drop in religiosity from 1991 to 1999, have now assimilated into Israeli society. Various studies have found that this process of assimilation has resulted in Soviet immigrants becoming more traditional. The second reason is the demographic change caused by the higher Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox birthrates.
The study also found an upswing in religious practice. For instance, 85 percent of respondents said that “celebrating the Jewish holidays as prescribed by religious tradition” was “important” or “very important,” up from 63 percent in 1999, while 70 percent said they “always” or “frequently” refrained from eating hametz (leavened bread) on Passover, up from 67 percent in 1999.
Moreover, 51 percent responded “yes,” “absolutely yes” or “perhaps yes” when asked if they favored the introduction of civil marriage in Israel. Those in the first two categories, at 48 percent, were down from 54 percent in 1999 but up from 39 percent in 1991.
-haaretz.com, 27 January 2012
The overwhelming majority of Israelis have their roots in the Soviet Union, educated in communism. In coming to Israel, however, the change is self-evident from this study.
This process is clearly documented in Scripture. Ezekiel 36:24 reads, “For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.” That’s the return of the Jews to Israel. Then verses 25-26, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” We may call this a conversion. Israelis will testify that there is a distinct difference between Israeli Jews and Jews who live in the Diaspora; that is the new heart and the new spirit.
However, that’s not the end. God promises, “And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” (verse 27). In due time, that verse will also be fulfilled when God puts His Spirit in the Jews and they will do His bidding—that is the collective rebirth of the nation of Israel.
(For more on Israel in prophecy, read Hidden Signs in the Olivet Discourse, Item 1060, $10.95.)
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Wednesday, 22 February 2012 00:00
ISRAEL-More Israeli Jews Believe in God
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