Israelis worry about weakening connection with younger Jewish Americans
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israelis across political and religious lines are worried about the weakening connection with younger Jewish Americans — who, according to a recent…
Israelis, spanning across various political and religious backgrounds, are expressing concern over their diminishing ties with younger Jewish Americans. A recent AP-NORC poll reveals that this demographic places less emphasis on supporting Israel when it comes to their Jewish identity compared to older generations. Itai Nixon, head of Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, emphasizes the importance of their relationship with Israel, stating that "It's extremely important to us. We’re the state of the Jewish people, not just Israelis."
Lesley Sachs, who opposes the current Israeli government and leads the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism, shares Nixon’s apprehension. She views a strong connection with diaspora Jews as a strategic advantage for both Israel and Jews worldwide. Sachs worries about younger generations feeling that Israel is no longer their homeland, particularly amid the surge in antisemitism targeting them, regardless of their political and religious beliefs.
She notes, "This is already a few generations after, and this is less prominent in their DNA. And I think that this is really a failure on the part of both Israel and world Jewry, that we have not managed to keep that prominent."
Since 2000, the Taglit-Birthright Israel program has provided free 10-day tours of Israel for over a million Jewish young adults from the United States and beyond. The organization’s CEO, Gidi Mark, stresses the critical role of these trips in shaping their connection to Israel. Mark notes, "That really increases the importance of my job to expose people to what they give up on. What we give them is a mirror."
While Israel and the United States remain steadfast allies, recent cracks have emerged in their relationship. U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Washington to discuss their recent war against Iran. Tamar Hermann, director of the Israel Democracy Institute’s Viterbi Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research, states that the U.S. remains "the best friend of Israel in the entire world."
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
