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American Public Opinion Polls: Survey of American Jews’ Political Values

(2012 - Present)

In U.S. politics today, do you consider yourself a...?  (Jewish Electorate Institute, November 5-9, 2023)

  2023
Republican 14%
Democrat 58%
Independent 28%

In U.S. politics today, do you consider yourself a...?  (Jewish Electorate Institute, November 5-9, 2023)

  2023
Liberal 47%
Moderate 34%
Conservative 16%

In U.S. politics today, do you consider yourself a...? (Survey of American Jewish Opinion,” American Jewish Committee, (1993-2020 - available years).

 
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008

2018

2019

2020

2021
Republican

18%

16%

16%

16%

15%

15%

17%

16%

18%

14%

13%
Democrat

48%

51%

54%

54%

54%

58%

56%

51%

49%

53%

51%
Independent

32%

31%

29%

29%

29%

26%

25%

24%

20%

25%

22%
Don't Know/No Response / Other

2%

1%

2%

1%

3%

2%

2%

9%

2%

8%

14%

What is your political party membership? (Pew Research, October 2013, November 19, 2019-June 3, 2020)

 
2013
2020
Democrat/Lean Democrat

70%

71%

Republican/Lean Republican

22%

26%

Independent/Other/No Party/No Lean

8%

3%

What is your political party membership? (Pew Research, October 2013, November 19, 2019-June 3, 2020)

 
Orthodox
Conservative
Reform
No Particular Branch
Net Jewish
 
2013
2020
2013
2020
2013
2020
2013
2020
2013
2020
Democrat/Lean Democrat

36%

20%

64%

70%

77%

80%

75%

75%

70%

71%

Republican/Lean Republican

57%

75%

27%

28%

17%

18%

15%

22%

22%

26%

No Lean

%

5%

%

3%

%

2%

%

3%

%

3%

What is your political ideology? (Pew Research, October 2013, November 19, 2019-June 3, 2020)

 
2013
2020
Liberal

49%

50%

Moderate

29%

16%

Conservative

19%

32%

Don't Know

3%

1%

How important is each of the following to what BEING JEWISH means to you? (Pew Research, October 2013, November 19, 2019-June 3, 2020)

(Percentage answering it is essential part of what being Jewish means to me)

 
2013
2020
Remembering Holocaust

73%

76%

Leading Ethical/Moral Life

69%

72%

Working for Justice/Equality

56%

59%

Being Intellectually Curious

49%

56%

Caring About Israel

43%

45%

Having Good Sense of Humor

42%

34%

Being Part of a Jewish Community

28%

33%

Observing Jewish Law

19%

14%

Eating Traditional Jewish Foods

14%

20%

Continuing family traditions  
51%

How much, if anything, do you feel you have in common with Jews in Israel? (Pew Research, November 19, 2019-June 3, 2020)

 
2020
A lot

19%

Some

40%

Not much

31%

Nothing at all

8%

No answer

2%

How emotionally attached are you to Israel? (Pew Research, November 19, 2019-June 3, 2020)

 
2020
Very attached

25%

Somewhat attached

32%

Not too attached

27%

Not at all attached

14%

No answer

1%

What is your Jewish denominational affiliation, if any? (Pew Research, October 2013, November 19, 2019-June 3, 2020)

 

2013

2020
Orthodox

10%

9%

Conservative

18%

17%

Reform

35%

37%

Other denomination

6%

4%

No particular denomination

30%

32%

Opinions of Presidential candidates among Americans identifying their religion as Jewish.  (Gallup, March 2015)

 

Favorable

Unfavorable

No opinion/don't know

Bernie Sanders

61%

30%

9%

Hillary Clinton

60%

35%

5%

John Kasich

45%

28%

27%

Donald Trump

24%

72%

4%

Ted Cruz

20%

72%

8%

What is your Jewish denominational affiliation, if any?

 

July 2012

October 2013

Orthodox

8%

10%

Conservative

18%

18%

Reform

31%

35%

Reconstructionist/Other

14%

6%

No Denomination/Affiliation

36%

30%

What is your attitude and attachment to Israel?

 

July 2012

October 2013

Emotional Attachment to Israel

39%

69%

Visited Israel at least Once

29%

43%

Which of the following describes you best? (The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, July 2012)

Not sure

I have no desire to be politically active

I would be more politically active if I had more time

I'd like to be more politically active, but I'm not sure how

I am politically active

5%

38%

27%

16%

14%

To what extent do you see yourself as... (The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, July 2012)

 

Not Important

Somewhat Important

Very Important

Extremely Important

A cultural Jew

18%

41%

36%

4%

A religious Jew

51%

33%

13%

4%

Pro-Israel

8%

21%

42%

33%

A Zionist

49%

21%

14%

16%

As a child, what was the main type of Jewish schooling you received, if any? (The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, July 2012)

A day school

9%

A "shule" or secular school or school that emphasized Jewish culture

6%

Another type of Jewish school that met afternoons or weekends, twice a week or more

33%

A Sunday school

22%

None

30%

How important is being Jewish in your life, if at all? (The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, July 2012)

Very important

44%

Somewhat important

37%

Not too important

14%

Not at all important

5%

Aside from weddings, funerals or family events, how often do you attend Jewish religious services? (The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, July 2012)

Once a week or more

2-3 times a month

Once a month

A few times a year

Once or twice a year

Never

9%

6%

6%

18%

22%

39%

On Yom Kippur, do you usually fast at least part of the day? (The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, July 2012)

Yes

No

Not sure

55%

41%

3%

Do you belong to a... (The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, July 2012)

 

Yes

No

Synagogue, Temple, havurah or minyan?

33%

67%

Church or other non-Jewish house of worship?

99%

1%

In the past 2 years, have you served on the board, or in any leadership capacity in... (The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, July 2012)

 

Yes

A synagogue?

15%

A Jewish activist, progressive or social justice project or organization?

11%

Any other Jewish organization?

-

To what extent would you say that your Jewish identity is important in shaping your political identity? (The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, July 2012)

To a great extent

35%

Somewhat

42%

Not at all

18%

Not sure

5%

To what extent would you say that your political identity is important in shaping your Jewish identity? (The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, July 2012)

To a great extent

10%

Somewhat

25%

Not at all

58%

Not sure

8%


Sources: The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring (July 2012); Pew Research (October 2013).