Support for Israel isn’t a high priority for younger Jewish Americans, an AP-NORC poll finds, while older and more religious Jewish adults still treat it as central to Jewish identity. About half of religiously affiliated Jewish adults call supporting Israel extremely or very important, compared with roughly one in ten secular Jewish adults. The AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research released the findings in 2026 as the war in Gaza continues reshaping opinion across American Jews.
What Does the AP-NORC Poll Say About Jewish American Political Priorities?
The AP-NORC poll finds that support for Israel ranks far lower among Jewish American political priorities for younger and secular adults than for older, religiously observant Jews. Fielded in June 2026 and released by The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, the survey asked American Jews what makes them feel Jewish, from Shabbat and Jewish holidays to Israel and Holocaust remembrance.
About half of religiously affiliated Jewish adults said supporting Israel is extremely or very important to their Jewish identity. Only about one in ten religiously unaffiliated Jewish adults agreed. That split, more than age alone, drives much of the divide reporters found in this AP-NORC poll of Jewish adults nationwide.
What Percentage of Younger Jewish Americans Prioritize Support for Israel?
Younger Jewish Americans consistently rank support for Israel lower than older Jews do, even after accounting for religious identity. Jewish adults ages 18 to 44 report weaker attachment to Israel than adults ages 45 and older across nearly every measure AP-NORC tracked.
The clearest gap shows up on the war itself. About 37% of Jews under 45 say Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, compared with just 23% of Jews 45 and older, according to AP-NORC data. That 14-point gap is one of the sharpest age-based splits in the entire survey.
How Do Younger Jews View Israel Compared to Older Generations?
Younger Jews view Israel far more critically than older generations, and the gap is widening year over year. Jewish adults under 50 report notably lower favorability toward both the Israeli people and the Israeli government than Jewish adults over 50.
Pew Research Center found favorable views of the Israeli people among Jewish Americans slipped from 89% in 2024 to 83% in 2026. Favorable views of the Israeli government dropped from 54% to 47% over the same period. Among Jewish adults under 50, only 76% view the Israeli people favorably and just 41% view the government favorably, compared with 88% and 52% among older Jews.
Why Is Support for Israel Declining Among Younger Jewish Americans?
Support for Israel is declining among younger Jewish Americans mainly because the ongoing war in Gaza has eroded confidence that Israel’s military response remains justified. Early backing has not translated into lasting approval as the conflict has stretched on.
About three-quarters of Jewish adults initially saw Israel’s response after Oct. 7 as justified, but only about four in ten feel the same about continued operations in Gaza. Confidence in Netanyahu’s handling of international affairs has also fallen: 56% of Jewish Americans say they have little or no confidence in him, per Pew’s April 2026 analysis. A broader Gallup survey found Americans ages 35 to 54 now sympathize more with Palestinians (46%) than Israelis (28%), a near reversal from 2025, adding context to why even mid-career Jewish adults are cooling.
How Has the Israel-Hamas War in Gaza Shaped Young Jewish American Views?
The Israel-Hamas war in Gaza has pushed many younger Jewish Americans toward sharper criticism of Israeli military conduct than older Jews express. That shift shows up directly in how respondents answered questions about the war’s legality and morality.
About three in ten Jewish adults overall now say Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, and most Jewish adults disapprove of Netanyahu, with younger cohorts overrepresented among critics. The Associated Press’s coverage, including reporting tied to journalist Giovanna Dell’Orto, describes the divide as among the clearest generational fault lines to emerge in American Jewish life since Oct. 7.
What Issues Matter Most to Younger Jewish Americans Today?
Younger Jewish Americans say issues beyond Israel, like celebrating Jewish holidays, combating antisemitism, and economic stability, matter just as much or more to their daily Jewish identity. Israel is one thread among several, not the defining one, for many under 45.
Respondents from New Orleans to Las Vegas described Jewish identity in terms of community and culture rather than geopolitics. Cameron Bernstein, a young Jewish adult quoted in AP’s coverage, and Susan Boyer, another respondent from Southern California, both reflect a pattern where celebrating Jewish holidays, Shabbat traditions, and Holocaust remembrance rank as important as, or more important than, supporting Israel among American Jews under 45.
How Do Jewish Americans Under 40 Feel About Israel Aid, Funding and a Two-State Solution?
Jewish Americans under 40 are more skeptical of unconditional Israel aid and more open to a negotiated two-state solution than older Jews, though AP-NORC did not poll funding levels directly. Related survey data suggests younger adults nationwide, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, increasingly favor a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Gallup’s Middle East tracking found a near-even split in sympathy between Israelis and Palestinians among Americans ages 35 to 54, a proxy for how younger Jewish adults likely lean on questions of aid and statehood. That mirrors what eJewish Philanthropy reported: among the broader U.S. public, 70% of adults under 50 now hold a negative view of Israel overall.
What’s Driving the Generational Divide on Israel Among Jews?
Religious identity, not age alone, drives most of the generational divide on Israel among Jews, though the two overlap heavily since younger Jewish adults are also more likely to be secular. Religious Jewish adults describe Israel as key to Jewish self-determination and safety after the Holocaust, while secular Jews connect to identity through culture and community instead.
Among American Jews, this pattern held steady even as the Gaza war intensified debate. Religiously Jewish adults who attend synagogue regularly remain the group most likely to say supporting Israel is extremely important, while adults who identify religiously Jewish but rarely practice fall closer to secular peers on Israel questions.
Where Can Readers Find the Full AP-NORC Poll and Related Research?
Readers can find the complete survey, methodology, and margin of sampling error directly through the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which published the poll alongside its user agreement and privacy policy for transparency. The poll carries a margin of sampling error of plus or minus several percentage points for the full sample of Jewish adults, wider for age and religious subgroups.
The AP-NORC poll was distributed nationally through the Associated Press wire and picked up by local television news partners, including WPXI News in Pittsburgh, alongside unrelated wire items like weather and crime coverage that often appear on the same news pages. This is standard practice for AP-NORC’s ongoing research on Jewish identity, Israel, and the Middle East, and WPXI’s coverage reflects how wire services push national polling data into local markets across the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do a majority of American Jews support Israel?
Most American Jews hold generally positive views of Israel, but support is not uniform. About 64% of Jewish Americans have mostly positive overall views of Israel, according to Pew, yet confidence in current Israeli leadership and specific war conduct is far lower, especially among younger Jewish adults.
Why do Jews want to live in Israel?
Many Jews view Israel as the historic Jewish homeland and a guarantee of Jewish self-determination and safety, especially in the shadow of the Holocaust. For religious Jewish adults, Israel connects directly to religious identity, while others move there for family, community, or cultural ties rather than religious obligation alone.
Why are Americans so supportive of Israel?
Broad American support for Israel stems from shared democratic values, decades of U.S.-Israel diplomatic and security ties, and religious or cultural affinity among many voters. That support has softened recently; Gallup found Americans ages 35 to 54 now sympathize more with Palestinians than Israelis, reversing prior trends.
Who is the largest minority in Israel?
Arab citizens of Israel, most of whom are Muslim, form the largest minority group in the country, making up roughly one-fifth of Israel’s population. This population is distinct from Jewish Israelis and plays a significant role in Israeli political, social, and economic life.
Conclusion
Support for Israel isn’t a high priority for younger Jewish Americans the way it once was, and this AP-NORC poll captures a real shift happening inside families, synagogues, and communities nationwide, including here in upstate New York. Younger Jewish adults aren’t abandoning Jewish identity; they’re redefining it around community, culture, and justice alongside, or instead of, unconditional support for Israel.
For Mohawk Valley readers, the lesson extends beyond one poll. Generational change reshapes how communities engage with political identity, much like shifts seen in local diversity and inclusion leadership or efforts to build more inclusive community spaces. Talk with your synagogue, civic group, or family about where you stand, stay informed through credible reporting, and support local journalism that tracks how national trends show up in Oneida County and beyond.
References
[1] Among American Jews Views On Jewish Identity And Israel Vary By Religiosity – https://apnorc.org/projects/among-american-jews-views-on-jewish-identity-and-israel-vary-by-religiosity/
[2] Americans Views Of Israelis Have Grown Increasingly Negative But Views Of Palestinians Have Held Fairly Steady – https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/07/09/americans-views-of-israelis-have-grown-increasingly-negative-but-views-of-palestinians-have-held-fairly-steady/
[3] New Ap Norc Poll Reveals Sharp Divides Among Us Jews Over Israel And Gaza – https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2026/new-ap-norc-poll-reveals-sharp-divides-among-us-jews-over-israel-and-gaza/
[4] American Jews Poll Divisions Israel Gaza Netanyahu – https://apnews.com/article/american-jews-poll-divisions-israel-gaza-netanyahu-b41aa19f3d4ce8e60ce34b605f11f863
[5] How American Views On Israel And Antisemitism Have Changed Since Oct 7 – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/how-american-views-on-israel-and-antisemitism-have-changed-since-oct-7
[6] Ap Norc Poll Us Support For Israel Weakens Deepening Partisan Divide Over Gaza – https://www.outlookindia.com/international/ap-norc-poll-us-support-for-israel-weakens-deepening-partisan-divide-over-gaza
[8] Us Support For Israel Slips As Democrats Grow More Critical Ap Norc Poll Finds – https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/politics/2026/07/07/us-support-for-israel-slips-as-democrats-grow-more-critical-ap-norc-poll-finds/
[9] Negative Views Of Israel Netanyahu Continue To Rise Among Americans Especially Young People – https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/04/07/negative-views-of-israel-netanyahu-continue-to-rise-among-americans-especially-young-people/
