Israel Matzav

Disproving Beinart: They're younger!

I'm sure you all recall Peter Beinart's essay that claimed that young American Jews feel less of an attachment to Israel because of a change in attitude. Now, there's a new study out that says that it's not because of a change in attitude. It's because they're younger and therefore don't yet relate to Israel as their elders do.

Other key findings:

• 52 percent believe U.S. support for Israel is “about right”; 39 percent believe it is too weak; nine percent believe it is too strong. I’m surprised that final number isn’t higher, especially since …

• President Obama’s approval/disapproval rating concerning his handling of the special relationship is 25-37; Prime Minister Netanyahu’s is 25-31.

• Younger American Jews still consider Israel important to their identities, they just feel less connected to the Jewish state than older Jews (which, again, is attributable to their being young rather than to their specific generation).

• “Political differences on the liberal-to-conservative continuum were unrelated to measures of attachment to Israel.” (Interesting!)

• The under-30 set are more likely to actually have been to Israel (thanks, Birthright!), which is an important positive correlative with attachment to Israel.

• 61 percent of American Jews blamed “pro-Palestinian activists” for the flotilla tragedy, while 10 percent blamed Israel; 72 percent agreed with the Israeli narrative, while nine percent agreed with the Turkish one. Conservatives and older Jews were more likely to believe the Israeli narrative.

Hmmm.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:53 AM