Morrocan Jews in traditional celebration
Photo: Gadi Kablo
Moroccan Jews happiest; Ashkenazis healthiest
Study examining Israelis’ quality of life finds Jews of Polish origin are healthiest, but just love to complain
It has finally been scientifically proven: Israelis of Moroccan descent are extremely satisfied with life in Israel, where as Polish Jews appear decidedly less contented, this according to a unique study conducted by the Ruppin Academic Center Institute for Immigration and Integration and published in Yedioth Ahronoth Sunday.
The study, which examined the quality of life of Israelis of various ethnic origins, also uncovered that Polish Jews appear to be in far better health than those of Moroccan descent.
Coordinated by Dr. Karin Amit of the Institute for Immigration and Integration, the study examined the quality of life and health of 1,500 individuals over 50 who had immigrated to Israel.
Amit found that Israelis born in Far-Eastern and African countries had rated their quality of life far higher than Jews of European descent. Ashkenazi Jews, paradoxically, seemed to be in far better health than their Sephardic counterparts.
The institute’s survey asked respondents to rate their quality of life on a scale of 1-4. Israelis of German descent gave their quality of life the highest rating at an average of 3.88, followed by American-born Israelis at 3.29, Moroccan borns at 3.17, and Yemenite Jews at 3.12.
Israelis of Polish origin gave their quality of life an avergae ranking of 3.05, and Romanian-born Jews rated their quality of life at an average of 3.02.
When it came to measures of health, however, these results were reversed. On all measures of general health Ashkenazi Jews reported being in far better health than their Sephardic counterparts.
