New survey shows US and Israeli Jews report growing sense of shared identity

American and Israeli Jews report feeling closer to one another than they have in years, according to a new survey released by the Jewish Federations of North America.

The 2026 Bilateral Relationship study, published on the Berman Jewish DataBank, examined attitudes toward shared identity among thousands of adults in both countries. Mimi Kravetz, chief impact and growth officer at JFNA, stated that a surge in domestic Jewish engagement over the last three years has coincided with a rising sense of connection to Jews in Israel. She noted that this creates an opportunity to use relationship-building strategies such as travel and community partnerships to strengthen those ties. The research serves as the first part of a two-part analysis, with the second part scheduled to explore specific areas where the two communities differ.

The survey found that 75 percent of Israeli Jews reported feeling a lot or some commonality with Jews in the United States. On the American side, 72 percent reported a similar connection with Israeli Jews, a figure that has risen sharply from 59 percent in a 2020 Pew Research Center survey. Among American respondents, those who said they have a lot in common with Israeli Jews increased from 19 percent to 29 percent over that same period. These numbers suggest that recent historical challenges, including the trauma of October 7 and rising antisemitism in the US, have not driven the populations apart. Instead, the data indicates a strengthening of bilateral bonds.

The study also revealed how both groups characterize their relationship through family metaphors. The share of American Jews describing Israelis as extended family or part of their community climbed from 46 percent in 2021 to 62 percent. Conversely, the percentage of Americans feeling no real connection dropped by more than half, from 28 percent to 13 percent. Israeli Jews showed a similar trend, with the proportion categorizing American Jews as extended family rising from 45 percent to 53 percent. Additionally, strong majorities in both countries rejected the idea that diaspora life is a problem to be solved. Specifically, 72 percent of American Jews and 72 percent of Israeli Jews affirmed that the Jewish Diaspora is a legitimate form of Jewish life.

Physical presence and direct engagement appear to multiply feelings of commonality between the two populations. For American Jews, travel frequency correlates directly with a stronger sense of shared identity. Those who have traveled to Israel once are 1.7 times as likely to feel real commonality with Israeli Jews, while those who have traveled more than once are 3.8 times more likely. American Jews who have lived in Israel are 11.2 times more likely to feel that connection. On the Israeli side, deeper immersion in American Jewish life produces a similar effect. Israelis who participate in Jewish communal life while visiting the US are 2.8 times as likely to feel a sense of peoplehood, compared to just 52 percent of those with no such contact. The findings underscore the role of direct interaction in maintaining these transnational ties.

The connection translates directly into action, particularly through philanthropic support following the events of October 7, 2025. The Jewish federation system raised $908 million through its Israel Emergency Campaign to fund recovery efforts. Seventy-nine percent of Israeli respondents and 67 percent of American respondents agreed that American Jewish philanthropy remains important to Israeli society. Furthermore, 68 percent of Israelis stated that post-October 7 giving made them feel that Diaspora Jews genuinely care about Israel. Caspi and Kravetz emphasized that this reawakening of shared peoplehood corroborates findings from other JFNA studies tracking trends in American Jewish life.

The researchers recommend that communities keep investing in initiatives that build connection. Caspi and Kravetz stated that data show the need for more travel, more Israeli emissaries in North American communities, and more programs that put people in real contact. They also called for scaling innovation to enable shared volunteer projects, philanthropic partnerships, and digital opportunities to learn from one another. These strategies aim to ensure impact when travel is impractical and to reach those who are less engaged in traditional communal activities.