‘Gov’t should provide coronavirus crisis aide to Jews abroad’

Survey shows more than 80% of Israelis followed impact of COVID-19 on Diaspora communities

The majority of Israeli Jews would be willing to send aid to Jewish communities struggling from the coronavirus crisis, according to a new survey published by the Ruderman Family Foundation.

The survey found that 84% of Israelis monitored the impact of COVID-19 on Jewish

communities abroad and 85% think that Israel needs to share its experience preparing for and managing the current crisis.

“Israel has come a long way understanding its role towards the American Jewish community, and this crisis provides an opportunity to further strengthen the important relationship between the sides,” said Jay Ruderman, President of the Ruderman Family Foundation.

When it came to providing direct support, nearly half (48%) of Israelis said the Israeli government was “very” or “somewhat” obligated to help, and 30% said the country had a “minor obligation.”

Specifically, the majority of Israelis (80%) said there was at least a minor obligation to provide medicine, food and medical equipment to Jews in the Diaspora. Only 16% were opposed and 4% said they did not know.

Moreover, 19% of Israelis said they would be “very’’ willing to send financial assistance to Diaspora synagogues and Jewish community centers that were forced to close in the shadow of coronavirus. This number increased to 23% “the day after the crisis.”

Specifically, 30% of Israelis said they felt somewhat obligated to send financial aid and 22% felt a minor obligation. Some 25% said they would not want to send aid and 4% said they did not know.

Some 70% of respondents said they would like to see more solidarity between all parts of the Jewish people during this crisis, with 41% strongly agreeing it was needed, and 29% saying it was somewhat needed. Only 5% said there was no need to enhance solidarity these days.

“As the COVID-19 crisis continues to affect the Jewish world, it is heartwarming to see the support of the Israeli public towards Jewish communities around the world,” Ruderman added.

The survey of 505 Jewish Israeli adults was conducted by Dialogue, a Tel Avivbased consulting company. The margin of error is +/-4.5%.