Israel – Israeli Jews Overwhelmingly Connected to Torah

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    Israel – Israel’s identity as a secular Jewish democracy is being called into question with the publication of a survey suggesting Israelis have a stronger connection to Jewish holy books than many previously thought.

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    The survey, carried out by the Panels Institute, shows that almost every Israeli has a complete set of Gemaras (the Bible texts), a Sidur (Jewish prayer book), or Chimushim (Five Books of Moses) in their home. Only five percent of those polled said they had none of these items.

    An overwhelming 63 percent of respondents said they had studied some sort of Jewish text in the last six months, with 22 percent of those polled saying they study on a daily basis.

    The most popular classification of the Torah was as a “book of Jewish heritage,” with 80 percent of respondents from all walks of religious life identifying it as such. Just 10 percent thought it was best characterized as a means of binding Jews to Jewish law.

    Only seven percent called it “a collection of legends written by human authors.”


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    18 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    “The survey, carried out by the Panels Institute, shows that almost every Israeli has a complete set of Gemaras (the Bible texts), a Sidur (Jewish prayer book), or Chimushim (Five Books of Moses) in their home.”

    If almost everyone in EY has a complete set of Gemara in their home than Moishiach is clearly on his way. When I read these surveys you have to wonder who they were talking to. I suspect fewer than 20 percent of families in EY, have a complete set of gemaras. Sidurim and a Chumash, maybe, but gemarah…pleeese.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    37% haven’t done any studying in the last 6 months. That is a large number.

    Parser
    Parser
    14 years ago

    I think the survey says that almost every Israeli has one or more of the three items: (1) Shas; (2) siddur; OR (3) Chumashim. It’s OR, not AND.

    If an Israeli only has a Siddur, but neither Chumashim nor a Shas, that Israeli still counts in the survey.

    Nevertheless, it’s an encouraging survey, if it’s accurate.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Clearly Rav Kook was right. When Klal Yisroel returns to Eretz Yisroel the Kedusha will permeate the neshama of every Jew and even the most secular will soften up to Torah and Kedusha. We still have a long way to go, but clearly we are on the right path…

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Clearly Rav Kook was right. When Klal Yisroel returns to Eretz Yisroel the Kedusha will permeate the neshama of every Jew and even the most secular will soften up to Torah and Kedusha. We still have a long way to go, but clearly we are on the right path…

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I wonder who this so called panel institute is. They prob. only surveyed people in Mea Sheurim amd in Bnei Barak. Give me a break only 5 percent has none of these. You have all these real goyim living in EY.(Thousands of russians …..) Tens of thousands of childern who don’t know about Shema Yisroel.
    It reminds me about a story I personaly had a few years ago.
    While traveling in EY as a tourist fron North to Jerusalem, I picked up a soldier for a hitch. I started to talk to him about yiddishkeit, I saw he has no idea wathsoever. I asked him if he knows Shema Yisroel. He said no. So I asked him why is he in the army, and what makes you a jew, he said because he was born in Isreal he is a jew. So to say that only 5 percent don’t have a yiddish sefer is like Saadam Husain winning 95 percent of the elections.

    NO BIAS
    NO BIAS
    14 years ago

    Let’s not fool ourselves!!! Having a set of gemara or chumushim sitting in your book shelf collecting dust isn’t worth a damn thing!!! What hashem does want from them,is to change their secular lifestyle wich is far from happening!!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    not suprised at all. they get a siddur/ chumash when being sworn in in the army

    Feh!
    Feh!
    14 years ago

    well duh,
    go to a secular state with a muslim majority (like Jordan) and you will get the same type of results.
    If american jews were taught to love the torah and not israel, then america would have the same results.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    B”H for the Zionists. Had those Jews come to America, there is an 85% chance that they would be totally frei and a 50% chance that their kids would marry out.
    Zionists are just great for the Jewish people.

    Yashar Koach Yisrael !
    Yashar Koach Yisrael !
    14 years ago

    Since my Abba was nifter just over one year ago I have learned so much gemarah thanks to the new Artscroll Shottenstein Talmud translation. I learn every day now and if can learn with so much enjoyment, so can everyone in Israel. I also have to thank Rav Perlmutter’s sefer Growing with Gemara and Tools for Tosofos. There is so much available now to make learning enjoyable, bachurim like me who were lost twenty years ago have a new opportunity to learn with hasmadah and much enjoyment. Rabosai ! Start learning Torah again…

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Curious to know who the guys are that have a set of gemoras and no siddur

    d
    d
    14 years ago

    Just about all Israeli childern learn some Tanach even in the secular public school system. I would also add that most Israeli Jews are traditional, some less than others. The hardcore true secular is a minority.

    With the right leader (Moshiach) and guidance I’m sure the traditional Jews would return to a true Torah lifestyle.

    Yitzchak Goodman
    Yitzchak Goodman
    14 years ago

    “Gemaras” are “Bible texts”? See the Arutz Sheva or Ynet versions of this story. It means a set of Tanach.