Only 59% of Jewish Israelis ok with non-halachic olim in kids' classrooms - poll

Only 59% of the Jewish-Israeli population would agree for their children to learn in a classroom with new immigrants who are not Jewish according to Halacha, a poll by Ruppin Academic Center’s Institute for Immigration and Social Integration found.

This has not changed significantly since 2022 and 2023 polls that explored the same topic, the institution said.

Some 94% agreed that their children would learn in the same class as a new immigrant who is Jewish according to Halacha, the poll found in comparison.

Israeli attitudes towards olim

The study, a yearly index meant to measure attitudes towards immigrants, also found that olim may face significant glass ceilings in the workplace.

Just 57% said they were willing for a new immigrant to be superior to them at work, while 85% agreed for a veteran immigrant to be superior to them.

Some 70% agreed that a new immigrant could be a member of a municipality or city council, while 87% said they agreed that a veteran immigrant could be.

This glass ceiling has remained unchanged since 2022 for new olim, the report said, but people are more ready to see veteran immigrants in significant roles in 2024 than previously, it added.

Some 24% of Jewish Israelis said the Law of Return should only apply to Jews who are halachicly Jewish, down 2% from 26% who said this in 2023. This would mean that aliyah is only available to those who are considered Jewish under Jewish law.

The study also found that the public sees olim as an asset rather than a burden on society and the economy.

Some 65% said that they want olim to come from all over the world, and did not distinguish between countries of origin. Almost 20% said they wanted olim to hail from English-speaking countries.

An additional 3% said they were not interested in olim coming to the country at all.

Relocation outside of Israel

The poll also explored Jewish-Israeli attitudes towards relocation out of Israel.

While at the start of the war, the index found no change in Israelis’ desire to leave the country, a year later, some 24% say they have considered leaving the country for “an extended period,” compared to 18% in October 2023.

Some 31% said that the security situation was the main reason for this consideration while 28% named the economy as the main reason.

When asked about reasons to stay in Israel, only 40% said the main reason to stay was “because Israel is the national home of the Jews (Zionism).”

Some 21% named the desire to stay near family as the most important reason.

Israelis expressed negative feelings about those leaving or deciding to move financial assets out of the country. Some 46% expressed a negative opinion about those who chose to leave, and 44% expressed a negative opinion about those who moved financial assets out of the country.

The poll was conducted on a sample of 500 respondents between the ages of 25 and 60, who comprise a representative sample of Jewish-Israeli society. It was conducted by the Ruppin Academic Center’s Doctor Svetlana Chachashvili-Bolotin, who heads the institution, along with the center’s Prof. Karin Amit, Prof. Nonna Kushnirovich, as well as Dr. Ravit Talmi-Cohn from Ono Academic College.