Handbook of the Sociology of Religion

Jewish Identity in the United States and Israel 253

Table 18.2.Contrasting Jews of America and Israel on Synagogue Attendance

Israeli Jews

Middle All

European Eastern Israeli

American Jews Descent Descent Jews

Several times a 16% Almost daily 6% 6% 6%

month or more

Once a month 11% On most Sabbaths 9% 19% 13%

A few times per year 22% The nine major 39% 45% 42%

religious holidays

1–2 times per year 35% Seldom or never 46% 30% 39%

or high holidays

Doesn’t go 16%

Total 100% Total 100% 100% 100%

Sources:For American Jews, Lazerwitz et al. 1998; For Israeli Jews, Israel Central Bureau

of Statistics Survey 1995.

Table 18.3. Contrasting Jews of America and Israel on Observing Kosher Law

and the Yom Kippur Fast

Israeli Jews

Middle All Israeli

American Jews European Eastern Jews

Religious Variables (n=1905) (n=1258) (n=956) (n=2214)

1. Keeps separate sets of
   dishes for meat and dairy
   Yes 17% 34% 64% 47%
   No 83% 66% 36% 53%
   Total 100% 100% 100% 100%


2. Fasts on Yom Kippur
   Yes 59% 60% 81% 74%
   No 41% 40% 19% 26%
   Total 100% 100% 100% 100%
   Sources:For American Jews, Lazerwitz et al. 1998; For Israeli Jews, Israel Central Bureau
   of Statistics Survey 1995.

Jews, about four times as many Israelis having Middle Eastern country descent keep
separate dishes as do about twice as many European descendant Israelis. In contrast,
American and Israeli Jews of European descent report equivalent fasting percentages.
However, Israeli Jews of Middle Eastern country descent have one-third more reporting
the observance of the Yom Kippur fast. In summary, on the religiosity measures thus
far introduced, one finds those Israeli Jews of Middle Eastern country descent being the
most religious followed by Israeli Jews of European descent with American Jews coming
close behind.