The Anti-Torah Forces Are Running Scared

14 Kislev 5786 

"...there is hope for your future, says the Lord, and the children shall return to their own border."  (Yirmiyahu 31.16)

While reports increase of the growing antisemitism (and anti-Israelism) of Western youth, the trend within Israel is headed in the opposite direction.

Will young Israelis' rightward, traditional shift impact the country's future? - opinion

“Tamid Ohev Oti” (“Hashem Always Loves Me”) was selected song of the year on Israel’s leading radio station, Galgalatz. TikTok is flooded with clips of young people wearing tzitzit proudly studying Torah. Entire battalions prayed together before entering Gaza. Are these just performative scenes, or signs of something deeper happening among Israeli youth?

The Jewish People Policy Institute’s (JPPI) November Israeli Society Index, which included a dedicated survey of 18–24-year-olds, examined this question in depth: Have young Israelis drawn closer to religion as a result of the war

The short answer: yes. And if Israel wishes to remain both Jewish and liberal-democratic, the form of Judaism shaping the public sphere cannot be the ultra-Orthodox or extremist varieties, but rather a Judaism that is open, humane, and compatible with life in a modern, largely secular Western state.

Israel, at its core, is a Western, secular country. But in recent years, and even more so since the war, Israel’s public sphere has taken an increasingly traditional tone. This is not a mass religious revival, nor an “Iranization” of Israeli society. Rather, it reflects cultural, linguistic, musical, and religious practices that more Israelis are choosing to embrace. The trend is visible across large swathes of the population, but because Israel is a young country, it is especially pronounced among young Israelis.

A few basic facts about religiosity in Israel help frame the story. Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) divides Israelis into five identity categories: secular (42.7%); traditional, not religious (21.5%); traditional, religious (12%); religious (12%); and ultra-Orthodox (haredi) (11.4%). Among young adults, the picture shifts. CBS data shows that in the 20-24 age group, the secular share drops to around 38%. Meanwhile, the more religious groups grow, and above all, the share of young haredim rises sharply to 18%. Of course, the new JPPI findings must be understood in the context of this broader demographic backdrop.

A clear trend emerges from the new JPPI Israeli Society Index survey: young Israelis are “strengthening in faith.” Thirty-five percent say they now believe in God more than before (only 10% say they believe less). About a third report that they observe more traditional practices than in the past – 38% pray more; 27% read the Bible more. The pattern is strongest among young Israelis with any pre-existing degree of religious identity, from the traditional (non-religious) to the ultra-Orthodox. Among secular youth, the picture is more mixed: just 10% say they practice more tradition, while 15% say they practice less. Yet, when asked about their friends, young people across all groups overwhelmingly report that “many” – and among the traditionally affiliated, even “most” – have become more religious.

The political shifts are no less dramatic. Young Israelis have moved decisively to the Right. Across every ideological cohort – from the hard Left to moderate Right – nearly half of respondents say they have shifted rightward since the war began. Only about 12% report shifting toward the Left.

What does this mean for Israel’s future? The demographic reality is well established: the more religious the group, the higher its fertility rate. This is no longer a projection but a long-observed pattern – a steady decline in the proportion of secular Israelis, alongside a dramatic increase in the share of haredim and a more moderate rise in other religious groups. When these long-term demographic trajectories combine with new data showing increased traditionalism among young Israelis, the direction is quite clear: Israel is on track to become more religious and more right-wing.

It is possible, of course, that some of these shifts may reflect a reaction to the trauma of war that may fade over time. But evidence from recent years suggests that the traditionalist turn is not a passing moment – it is becoming embedded in the body politic.

For Israelis who value a Jewish yet liberal, Western Israel, the struggle ahead is not only over democratic norms, but also over the character of Judaism in the public sphere. Will it be inspired by a Judaism that is open, inclusive, and capable of sustaining a liberal, pluralistic society – one that allows every Jew to choose his or her own path?

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