Shmuel Rosner Asks, “Do American Jews Still Like Israel?”

July 28, 2011 / 0 Comments

The Jerusalem Post has a worthwhile excerpt from Israeli journalist Shmuel Rosner’s new book, “Shtetl, Bagel, Baseball.” Titled “Do American Jews Still Like Israel?”, it is an excellent summary of American Jewish attitudes towards the State of Israel, including an apparent decline in Zionism among the Reform Movement and among the young.

The rate of “Zionism” among American Jews drops the younger they get, just like many other aspects related to one’s connection with Israel. For older people, the percentages hover around 40%; for those under 35, it is just over 20%. In other words, for the large majority, including those who have a connection with and support Israel, this constitutes long-distance support for a state where Jews live, but not necessarily an acknowledgment that this state is the state for all the Jews.