Israeli Jews are more optimistic this year than last about their country’s future, according to a survey released ahead of Rosh Hashanah.
The Jewish People Policy Institute’s Israeli Society Index found that 43% of Jewish Israelis believe Israel is improving and will continue to improve, up from 36% last year. Among right-wing respondents, optimism rose to 76%, compared with 68% a year ago.
Overall, 35% of Israelis said the country is improving and will get better, while 30% said Israel is declining and the decline will continue. The latter figure fell from 38% last year.
The report said, “the right has become more optimistic about the present, while the center-left has become more optimistic about the future.”
Among Arab Israelis, the sentiment was quite different. Only 5% expressed strong optimism, the survey found, while 54% said Israel is declining and will continue to decline — virtually unchanged from last year.
