AJC's 2018 Survey of American Jewish Opinion, conducted by the research company SSRS, is based on telephone interviews carried out April 18-May 10 with a national sample of 1,001 Jews over age 18. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.9%.

1. 

How important is being Jewish in your life?

   
Very important
  40%
 
 
   
Somewhat important
  37%
 
 
   
Not too important
  17%
 
   
Not at all important
  6%
 
   
No opinion
  1%
 
   

 

2. 

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “Caring about Israel is a very important part of my being a Jew.”

   
Agree strongly
  41%
 
 
   
Agree somewhat
  29%
 
 
   
Disagree somewhat
  19%
 
   
Disagree strongly
  9%
 
   
No opinion
  2%
 
   

 

3. 

Do you consider being Jewish mostly a matter of religion, or more a matter of ethnicity and culture?

   
Mostly a matter of religion
  24%
 
 
   
Mostly a matter of ethnicity or culture
  56%
 
 
   
Both equally
  17%
 
   
No opinion
  2%
 
   

 

4. 

Looking ahead five years, do you think that the ties between American and Israeli Jews will be...

   
Stronger than today
 
  20%
 
   
Weaker than today
 
  15%
 
   
About the same as today
  60%
 
 
   
No opinion
  5%
 
   

 

5. 

Using the metaphor of a family, do you consider Israeli Jews as your...?

   
Siblings
 
  12%
 
   
First Cousins
 
  15%
 
   
Extended family
  39%
 
 
   
Not part of my family
  31%
 
 
   
No opinion
  2%
 
   

 

6. 

Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Trump is handling U.S.-Israel relations?

   
Approve strongly
 
  21%
 
   
Approve somewhat
 
  13%
 
   
Disapprove somewhat
  16%
 
   
Disapprove strongly
  41%
 
 
   
No opinion
  8%
 
   

 

7. 

Do you think it appropriate for American Jews to attempt to influence Israeli policy on such issues as national security and peace negotiations with the Palestinians?

   
Yes, appropriate
  53%
 
 
   
No, not appropriate
  43%
 
 
   
No opinion
  4%
 
   

 

8. 

In the current situation, do you favor or oppose a two-state solution through the establishment of a demilitarized Palestinian state on the West Bank?

   
Favor strongly
  31%
 
 
   
Favor somewhat
  28%
 
 
   
Oppose somewhat
  12%
 
   
Oppose strongly
 
  18%
 
   
No opinion
  10%
 
   

 

8a. 

As part of a peace agreement with the Palestinians, should Israel be willing to dismantle all, some, or none of the Jewish settlements in the West Bank?

   
Israel should be willing to dismantle all the settlements
 
  15%
 
   
Israel should be willing to dismantle some of the settlements
  44%
 
 
   
Israel should not be willing to dismantle any of the settlements
  35%
 
 
   
No opinion
  6%
 
   

 

9. 

Looking ahead five years, do you think that the chances for peaceful coexistence between Israel and a Palestinian state will...?

   
Improve
 
  18%
 
   
Decline
  22%
 
 
   
Stay the same
  56%
 
 
   
No opinion
  3%
 
   

 

10. 

In your opinion, can the State of Israel be both a Jewish state and a democracy, and if not, which should it be?

   
Yes, it can be both
  68%
 
 
   
No, it should be a Jewish state
 
  7%
 
   
No, it should be a democracy
 
  20%
 
   
No opinion
  4%
 
   

 

11. 

Do you think the fact that Orthodox Judaism is the only denomination recognized by Israel as an official form of Judaism...?

   
Strengthens ties between Israeli and American Jews
 
  7%
 
   
Weakens ties between Israeli and American Jews
  53%
 
 
   
Has no effect on ties between Israeli and American Jews
  35%
 
 
   
No opinion
  4%
 
   

 

12. 

Which of the following statements about non-Orthodox forms of Judaism is closest to your view:

   
They strengthen Jewish life in the Diaspora but are irrelevant to Israel
 
  10%
 
   
Their growth in Israel could improve the quality of Jewish life there
  43%
 
 
   
They are destined to disappear
 
  7%
 
   
None of the above
  37%
 
 
   
No opinion
  3%
 
   

 

13. 

Currently, Jewish weddings, divorces, and conversions to Judaism in Israel are recognized only if Orthodox rabbis officiate. Should non-Orthodox rabbis also be permitted to officiate?

   
Yes
  80%
 
 
   
No
 
  17%
 
   
No opinion
  3%
 
   

 

14. 

Currently, Israeli law does not allow for civil [secular] marriage and divorce. Should the law be changed, and civil marriage and divorce allowed?

   
Yes
  81%
 
 
   
No
 
  13%
 
   
No opinion
  5%
 
   

 

15. 

Currently, prayer services at the Western Wall in Jerusalem—a site holy to Jews—are conducted according to Orthodox tradition, with men and women separated by a barrier. Do you support or oppose a mixed-gender prayer area adjacent to the Western Wall administered on an equal basis with the services at the Wall itself?

   
Support
  73%
 
 
   
Oppose
 
  21%
 
   
No opinion
  6%
 
   

 

16. 

Do you support or oppose the recent U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to relocate the U.S. embassy there?

   
Support
  46%
 
 
   
Oppose
  47%
 
 
   
No opinion
  6%
 
   

 

17. 

Do you identify as...?

   
Haredi [Ultra-Orthodox]
 
  6%
 
   
Modern Orthodox [Religious Zionist]
 
  5%
 
   
Conservative [Masorti]
  14%
 
   
Reform
  29%
 
 
   
Reconstructionist
 
  3%
 
   
Secular
  16%
 
   
Other
  25%
 
 
   

 

18. 

Do you have family in Israel to whom you feel close?

   
Yes
  25%
 
 
   
No
  74%
 
 
   

 

19. 

Do you think that a thriving Diaspora is vital for the long-term future of the Jewish people?

   
Yes
  69%
 
 
   
No
 
  17%
 
   
No opinion
  14%
 
   

 

20. 

Do you think that a thriving State of Israel is vital for the long-term future of the Jewish people?

   
Yes
  79%
 
 
   
No
 
  17%
 
   
No opinion
  3%
 
   

 

21. 

Where would you place yourself on this scale?

   
Liberal
  37%
 
 
   
Lean Liberal
 
  14%
 
   
Moderate, Middle of the Road
  25%
 
 
   
Lean Conservative
 
  6%
 
   
Conservative
 
  16%
 
   

 

22. 

In politics today, do you consider yourself...

   
Republican
 
  16%
 
   
Democrat
  51%
 
 
   
Independent
  24%
 
 
   
Other
 
  9%
 
   

 

23. 

In the presidential election of 2016, whom did you vote for?

   
Hillary Clinton
  60%
 
 
   
Donald Trump
 
  19%
 
   
Another candidate
 
  6%
 
   
Didn't vote
 
  11%
 
   

 

24. 

Is your opinion of the job President Trump is doing favorable or unfavorable?

   
Favorable
  26%
 
 
   
Unfavorable
  71%
 
 
   
No opinion
 
  3%
 
   

 

25. 

From the standpoint of national security, compared to a year ago, is the United States more secure or less secure?

   
More secure than a year ago
  27%
 
 
   
Less secure than a year ago
  58%
 
 
   
About the same as a year ago
 
  13%
 
   
No opinion
 
  2%
 
   

 

26. 

Compared to a year ago, is the American economy doing better or worse?

   
Better than a year ago
  50%
 
 
   
Worse than a year ago
  29%
 
 
   
About the same as a year ago
 
  18%
 
   
No opinion
 
  3%
 
   

 

27. 

Compared to a year ago, do you think Americans are more united or more divided over their most important values?

   
More united than a year ago
 
  10%
 
   
More divided than a year ago
  82%
 
 
   
About the same as a year ago
 
  5%
 
   
No opinion
 
  2%
 
   

 

28. 

Compared to a year ago, is the status of Jews in the United States more secure or less secure?

   
More secure than a year ago
 
  18%
 
   
Less secure than a year ago
  55%
 
 
   
About the same as a year ago
  24%
 
 
   
No opinion
 
  3%
 
   

 

29. 

Compared to a year ago, is the climate on college campuses less hostile or more hostile toward pro-Israel students?

   
Less hostile than a year ago
 
  10%
 
   
More hostile than a year ago
  53%
 
 
   
About the same as a year ago
 
  14%
 
   
No opinion
  22%
 
 
   

 

30. 

In your opinion, do Jews in Europe have a future, or should they leave now?

   
Jews in Europe have a future
  75%
 
 
   
Jews in Europe should leave now
 
  17%
 
   
No opinion
 
  8%
 
   

 

31. 

If the election for U.S. Congress were held today, would you vote for the Republican or the Democratic candidate in your district?

   
Republican
 
  20%
 
   
Democrat
  67%
 
 
   
Other
 
  3%
 
   
Other
 
  9%
 
   

 

32. 

Does the involvement of the United States in global affairs make our country more safe or less safe?

   
More safe
  64%
 
 
   
Less safe
  29%
 
 
   
No opinion
 
  8%
 
   

 

33. 

In your opinion, which foreign nation poses the single greatest danger to the United States?

   
China
 
  10%
 
   
Iran
 
  18%
 
   
North Korea
 
  17%
 
   
Russia
  44%
 
 
   
Another country
 
  7%
 
   
No opinion
 
  4%
 
   

 

34. 

In your opinion, should immigration be kept at its present level, increased, or decreased?

   
Kept at present level
  34%
 
 
   
Increased
  46%
 
 
   
Decreased
 
  17%
 
   
No opinion
 
  3%
 
   

 

35. 

Do you support or oppose DACA, a program that allows undocumented immigrants to stay in the United States if they arrived here as children, completed high school or military service, and have not been convicted of a serious crime?

   
Support
  89%
 
 
   
Oppose
 
  10%
 
   

 

36. 

What do you think is more important—to protect the rights of Americans to own guns, or to control gun ownership?

   
To protect the rights of Americans to own guns
  25%
 
 
   
To control gun ownership
  70%
 
 
   
No opinion
 
  4%