2014 Religion and State Index first edition

This year's Index bears a clear and crucial message for world Jewry: More than two-thirds (67%) of Israeli Jews support joint efforts between Israel and world Jewry to help Israel advocate for freedom of marriage.

01/09/2015 17:41

Tags: Hiddush polls · Israel Religion and State Index · marriage freedom · pluralism · coalition · government · religious freedom · equality

Ultra-Orthodox Man, source: Wikipedia

Hiddush-Freedom of Religion for Israel is pleased to issue the 2014 Religion and State Index, our annual study of public opinion regarding religion and state issues in Israel. The Index shows significant growth in public support for freedom of religion and equality in Israel. This is clearly seen through the wide variety of topics covered in the index, among them issues of marriage, conversion, public transportation on Shabbat and others. It is painfully unfortunate that the deep rift still remains between the reality of public support for freedom of religion and the government's recalcitrance to bring about desired and necessary changes.

This year's Index bears a clear and crucial message for world Jewry: More than two-thirds (67%) of Israeli Jews support joint efforts between Israel and world Jewry to help Israel advocate for freedom of marriage. These figures, along with the responses on other issues, reaffirm the notion that supporting efforts for freedom of religion in Israel is one of the most pro-Israel activities that world Jewry can take part in.

We are proud to present the 6th edition of the Religion and State Index, marking five years since this unique project was initiated by our then newly-created organization. The 2014 Religion and State Index, conducted by the Rafi Smith Institute, is the most comprehensive and systematic annual report on religion and state issues in Israel. The Index's findings are used by a wide variety of media outlets, by policymakers and opinion molders, and commentators in Israel and among leaders of world Jewry as the relevance of these issues grow.

The 2014 Religion and State Index shows a tremendous growth in the support for religion and equality over the past year, surpassing the statistics recorded from the first years of the polling.

The 2014 Religion and State Index shows a tremendous growth in the support for religion and equality over the past year, surpassing the statistics recorded from the first years of the polling. Conversely, the Israeli Jewish public expressed an all-time high dissatisfaction with the government policies regarding religion and state.

Reflecting the recent hostilities, a significant portion of the 2014 Religion and State Indexx was dedicated to Operation Protective Edge and the Ultra-Orthodox Conscription Law. It turns out the Israeli public is much more rational than politicians would acknowledge: A sweeping majority of Israelis (including the beleaguered residents of southern Israel) indicated their opposition to the claim, used to legitimize ultra-Orthodox draft evasion, that Torah study and prayers are Israel's true defense mechanism. Similarly, the majority of the respondents did not accept rabbinic explanations that security incidents and natural disasters are caused by punishments for religious sins.

Unfortunately, freedom of religion and equality continuously fall victim to politicians who ignore the strong will of the Israeli public for freedom of religion and equality. This must end immediately. There has never been a better opportunity for Israel to realize the founding promise of freedom of religion and equality that Israelis so badly desire, even if it is more than 60 years behind schedule.

The 2014 Religion and State Index clearly demonstrates Israelis' strong desire for collaborative efforts with world Jewry to achieve this sacred mission. The time is here for all of us to help Israel embrace democracy, freedom of marriage, freedom of religion, and equality.