Israelis vs Diaspora Jews

A fascinating poll on Israeli attitudes about Diaspora Jews. The poll finds Israelis generally don't know how many Jews live in the Diaspora and vastly overestimate how many American Jews are Orthodox with some Israels saying the number is as high s 50%.

What's up with that?

The Post notes:

Shira Ruderman, director of the Ruderman Family Foundation, which works to strengthen Israel's ties with the Jewish community in the United States, noted that most Israelis do not know any Diaspora Jews.

"The greatest challenge of our generation is connecting Israeli Jews with Diaspora Jewry in general and to the Jewish community in the United States in particular,” Ruderman said. “Israel's leaders have two important roles: responsibility for the citizens of Israel, and a commitment to the Jewish people. In elections, when the government looks for public trust, they must tell us how they see the relationship between Israel and the Diaspora, and how they plan to work to strengthen that connection the day after the elections.”

There are tens of thousands of Hasidic Jews* who despise Israel for a whole host of reasons and millions of American Reform Jews who are embarrassed by Israel's bellicosity and Prime Minister Netanyahu's instransigence before the international community.

The chasm widens.

*Some of whom we are related by marriage.