June 14, 2021
This study was conducted for American Jewish Committee (AJC) via telephone by SSRS, an independent research company. Interviews were conducted from March 25 - May 9, 2021 among a nationally representative sample of 1,000 respondents aged 18 or older of Jewish religion or background. The margin of error for total respondents is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective offices.
Past AJC surveys of American Jewish opinion: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016.
1. |
How important is being Jewish in your life? |
| Very important | 41% | |
| Somewhat important | 38% | |
| Not too important | ||
| Not at all important | 4% | |
2a. |
Did you attend Jewish day school at any time from Kindergarten through 12th grade? |
| Yes | 30% | |
| No | 69% | |
2b. |
Did you attend Hebrew school through bar or bat mitzvah? |
| Yes | 51% | |
| No | 49% | |
2c. |
Did you attend Hebrew school through some or all of high school? |
| Yes | 29% | |
| No | 70% | |
3. |
How important, if at all, is being connected with Israel to your Jewish identity? |
| Very important | 29% | |
| Somewhat important | 31% | |
| Not too important | 21% | |
| Not at all important | 19% | |
4. |
Would you describe the formal education you received about Israel during Kindergarten through 12th grade as: |
| Very strong | ||
| Somewhat strong | ||
| Medium | ||
| Somewhat weak | ||
| Very weak | ||
| Non-existent or None | ||
| Don't know | ||
5. |
Which of the following are places you received Jewish education about Israel?At synagogue |
| Yes | 70% | |
| No | 30% | |
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In a Jewish day school |
| Yes | ||
| No | 77% | |
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In a Hebrew school |
| Yes | 52% | |
| No | 48% | |
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In a summer camp |
| Yes | 33% | |
| No | 67% | |
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In a youth group |
| Yes | 37% | |
| No | 62% | |
6. |
What would you say were the goals of the formal education you received about Israel?To make you a better Israel advocate |
| Yes | 49% | |
| No | 49% | |
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To foster feelings of attachment to Israel |
| Yes | 70% | |
| No | 28% | |
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To foster greater literacy about Israel |
| Yes | 69% | |
| No | 29% | |
7. |
When you were growing up did you (also) learn about Israel from family members? |
| Yes | 72% | |
| No | 28% | |
8. |
How would you describe your family’s attitude toward Israel? |
| Strongly pro-Israel | 48% | |
| Moderately pro-Israel | 33% | |
| Neutral | ||
| Moderately anti-Israel | ||
| Strongly anti-Israel | ||
9. |
Now thinking about since high school, in which of the following ways have you learned more about Israel?Course in college or graduate school |
| Yes | 29% | |
| No | 71% | |
|
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Gap year or studying abroad in Israel before or during college |
| Yes | ||
| No | 87% | |
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Attended events at your college, such as Hillel |
| Yes | 31% | |
| No | 68% | |
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Other events or trips during college |
| Yes | ||
| No | 77% | |
10. |
As far as you know, what year was the modern-day state of Israel founded? |
| 1903 | ||
| 1917 | ||
| 1948 | 84% | |
| 1967 | ||
| Don't know | ||
11. |
Who was Israel’s first prime minister? |
| Theodor Herzl | ||
| Golda Meir | ||
| David Ben Gurion | 49% | |
| Yitzhak Rabin | ||
| Don't know | ||
12. |
During what war did Israel obtain the Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsula? |
| Six Day War | 65% | |
| War of Independence | ||
| Yom Kippur War | ||
| Don't know | ||
13. |
What percentage of the world’s Jews live in Israel? |
| Less than one-third | 47% | |
| One-third to less than two-thirds | 39% | |
| Two-thirds or more | ||
| Don't know | ||
14. |
Have you ever visited Israel? |
| No | 55% | |
| Once | ||
| Two to four times | ||
| At least five times | ||
15a. |
What would you say is the main reason, you have not visited Israel? |
| Lack of interest | ||
| Lack of opportunity | ||
| Lack of funds | ||
| Another reason | ||
| Concerns about safety or security | ||
| Don't know | ||
15b. |
Would you say your visit(s) to Israel… |
| Strengthened your connection to Israel | 73% | |
| Weakened your connection to Israel | ||
| Had no impact on your connection to Israel | ||
| Don't know | ||
16. |
Using the metaphor of a family, do you consider Israeli Jews your…? |
| Siblings | ||
| First cousins | ||
| Extended family | 46% | |
| Not part of my family | 28% | |
| Don't know | ||
17. |
Which of the following relatives or friends, if any, currently live in Israel?Immediate family members, such as a parent, in laws, child, sibling, or grandparent |
| Yes | ||
| No | 88% | |
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Members of your extended family |
| Yes | 45% | |
| No | 55% | |
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Close friends |
| Yes | 33% | |
| No | 67% | |
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More distant family or friends |
| Yes | 58% | |
| No | 40% | |
18. |
How would you describe your fluency with Hebrew? |
| Completely fluent or native language | ||
| Strong, but not native language | ||
| Minimally fluent | ||
| Can read phonetically, but understand little of what you’re reading | 36% | |
| Cannot read or speak Hebrew | 42% | |
19. |
Do you approve or disapprove of the job Joe Biden is doing as president? |
| Approve | 70% | |
| Disapprove | 26% | |
| Don't know | 4% | |
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective offices. |
20. |
Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Biden is handling...The Economy |
| Approve strongly | 46% | |
| Approve somewhat | ||
| Disapprove somewhat | 8% | |
| Disapprove strongly | 19% | |
| Don't know | 3% | |
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective offices. |
|
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The Iranian Nuclear Issue |
| Approve strongly | ||
| Approve somewhat | 33% | |
| Disapprove somewhat | 9% | |
| Disapprove strongly | 23% | |
| Don't know | 13% | |
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective offices. |
|
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U.S.-Israel Relations |
| Approve strongly | ||
| Approve somewhat | 39% | |
| Disapprove somewhat | 11% | |
| Disapprove strongly | 16% | |
| Don't know | 15% | |
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective offices. |
|
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Immigration |
| Approve strongly | ||
| Approve somewhat | 37% | |
| Disapprove somewhat | 15% | |
| Disapprove strongly | ||
| Don't know | 4% | |
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective offices. |
|
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Race Relations |
| Approve strongly | 39% | |
| Approve somewhat | 29% | |
| Disapprove somewhat | 11% | |
| Disapprove strongly | 17% | |
| Don't know | 4% | |
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective offices. |
|
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The COVID-19 Pandemic |
| Approve strongly | 64% | |
| Approve somewhat | ||
| Disapprove somewhat | 8% | |
| Disapprove strongly | 11% | |
| Don't know | 2% | |
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective offices. |
|
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The Threat of Antisemitism |
| Approve strongly | ||
| Approve somewhat | 40% | |
| Disapprove somewhat | 11% | |
| Disapprove strongly | 12% | |
| Don't know | 13% | |
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective offices. |
21. |
How would you characterize the U.S.-Israel relationship today? |
| Very strong | ||
| Fairly strong | 56% | |
| Fairly weak | ||
| Very weak | ||
| Don't know | ||
22. |
Compared to one year ago, do you feel (more) optimistic about peace between Israel and individual Arab countries, (less) optimistic, or has there NOT been much change in how you feel? |
| More optimistic | 33% | |
| Less optimistic | ||
| Hasn’t been much change | 46% | |
| Don't know | ||
23. |
Compared to one year ago, do you feel (more) optimistic about peace between Israel and the Palestinians, (less) optimistic, or has there NOT been much change in how you feel? |
| More optimistic | ||
| Less optimistic | ||
| Hasn’t been much change | 60% | |
| Don't know | ||
24. |
In the presidential election of 2020, whom did you vote for? |
| Joe Biden | 68% | |
| Donald Trump | ||
| Another candidate | ||
| Didn't vote | ||
| Don't know | ||
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective offices. |
25. |
In politics today, do you consider yourself... |
| Republican | ||
| Democrat | 51% | |
| Independent | ||
| Other | ||
| Don't know | ||
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective offices. |
