How Israelis mark Yom Kippur and whether they fast – poll
A poll by the Israel Democracy Institute shows that 74% of Israel's Jewish population observe the fast on Yom Kippur, with 63% fasting completely. Among ultra-Orthodox and religious Jews, this figure reaches 97–98%, while among secular Jews, 47% observe the fast at least partially. 57% attend synagogue on this day, with 18% doing so only once a year. The study revealed differences between Mizrahim (88% fast) and Ashkenazim (64%).
A poll by the Israel Democracy Institute, published by Kursor, shows that Yom Kippur remains a unifying day for Israeli society. 74% of the Jewish population observe the fast: 63% completely, 11% partially. Among ultra-Orthodox, national-religious, and traditional-religious communities, this figure is 97–98%. Even among secular Israelis, nearly half (47%) observe the fast at least partially, with 28% fasting completely. The study revealed ethnic differences: among Mizrahim, 88% fast (81% completely), while among Ashkenazim, 64% fast (50.5% completely). Within the secular segment, this gap persists: 63% of secular Mizrahim versus 39% of secular Ashkenazim. 57% of Jewish residents attend synagogue on Yom Kippur, with 51% attending Orthodox services and 6% attending Reform or Conservative services. For 18% of all Jews, this is their only synagogue attendance of the year; among secular Jews, this figure reaches 16%, and 79% of secular attendees do not visit synagogue at other times of the year. The author is Rami Madrich.