Israelis worry about weakening connection with younger Jewish Americans

Israeli leaders and Jewish organisations are expressing growing concern over weakening ties between younger Jewish Americans and Israel, as new polling suggests support for the Jewish state is becoming less central to their identity.

According to a recent AP-NORC poll, younger Jewish adults in the United States are significantly less likely than older generations to view support for Israel as an important part of being Jewish.

"It’s extremely important to us," said Itai Nixon, head of the diaspora department at Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. "We're the state of the Jewish people, not just Israelis."

Lesley Sachs, chair of the Israel Movement for Progressive and Reform Judaism, said maintaining close ties with diaspora Jews was a strategic priority for both Israel and Jewish communities worldwide.

She expressed concern that younger Jews abroad no longer view Israel as a natural homeland or refuge, despite rising antisemitism.

"After the Holocaust, it was crucial that Jews everywhere knew there was a country that would always take them in. That feeling has faded over generations," Sachs said.

Programmes aim to strengthen ties

To strengthen those connections, Israel has expanded exchange programmes with Jewish communities abroad.

Since 2000, the Taglit-Birthright Israel programme has brought around one million young Jews from the United States and other countries to Israel on free 10-day educational visits.

Taglit-Birthright CEO Gidi Mark said such initiatives have become even more important as debates over Israeli government policies have overshadowed broader connections to the country.

"What we give them is a mirror," he said.

War deepens divide

The debate over Israel has intensified since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed in southern Israel and 251 were taken hostage.

Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but says women and children account for around half of those killed.

The conflict sparked widespread protests across the United States, particularly on university campuses, and has widened political divisions among younger Americans, including Jewish communities.

According to the AP-NORC survey of 1,022 Jewish adults, only about four in 10 religious Jews under 45 consider support for Israel very important to their Jewish identity, compared with about half of older religious Jews.

The survey also found that only about half of religious Jewish adults believe Israel's military operations in Gaza are justified. Among Jewish adults with no religious affiliation, support falls to about two in 10.

Concern over US support

Israeli officials also voiced concern that declining support among younger Jewish Americans could weaken one of Israel's strongest sources of political backing in the United States.

Tamar Hermann of the Israel Democracy Institute said recent disagreements over the Iran conflict had also dented Israeli confidence in US President Donald Trump's commitment to Israel's security.

The institute found that the share of Jewish Israelis who believed Trump prioritised Israel's security fell from 64% in March to 26% in June.

To rebuild ties, Israeli authorities and religious organisations are expanding educational exchanges, particularly with secular and Reform Jewish communities in North America.

Officials say the programmes aim to foster personal connections and reinforce Israel's role in Jewish identity across generations.