The difference between Orthodox and other Jews on politics
Shmuel Rosner comes up with this observation. I warned you this will not be a surprise, but look how the Jewish Orthodox answer the questions on Obama's handling of Israel: 17% approve (compared to 55% of Jews generally), 74% disapprove (37% for Jews generally). Interestingly, when it comes to Netanyahu's handling of the relations the Orthodox aren't as forgiving as one might assume: 30% of American Orthodox Jews disapprove of the way Netanyahu is handling his relations with Obama and the US. In fact, the number of Orthodox approving of Netanyahu (57%) is lower (!) than the number of Conservatives (61%) and identical to the number of Reform who think Netanyahu handles the relations properly (also 57% - 31% of Reform disapprove).There is likely a difference between why the Orthodox disapprove of Netanyahu's handling of Obama and why the others disapprove. Those Conservative and Reform Jews who disapprove of Netanyahu's handling of Obama likely do so because Netanyahu is not accommodating enough to Obama and because Obama is obviously displeased with Netanyahu. Those Orthodox Jews who disapprove of Netanyahu's handling of Obama likely do so because Netanyahu is not tough enough - for example, because Netanyahu caved in on the 'settlement freeze' in Judea and Samaria. Thus the disapproval numbers on Netanyahu - even if they are similar - are not comparable.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:59 AM
2 Comments:
Orthodox Jews disapprove of Netanyahu for exactly the opposite reasons that Reform Jews do. When it comes to Israel-related questions, American Jewry's support for Israel is much lower than it was a few decades ago. We might ask, in the light of Hillary Clinton's questioning Netanyahu's commitment to peace, what good the peace process has done for Israel over the past 17 years other than incurring the world's ill will towards the Jewish State?
Not much.
NormanF, this attitude of Jews regardless of type or affiliation, has always totally baffled me: don't they understand that if there was no Israel, there would be no Jews?
I know people think the opposite is true. But to live in a world without Israel, we would be dhimmified slaves and second-class citizens as we were forced to be for 2000 years!
It is intolerable!
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