Then what the blazes explains the voting in national elections??? How did Kadima do so much better than it deserved? With Labor reduced to a minor, fading party and Meretz a joke, mabye wiping out Kadima electorally would be the key to Israelis electing a rational government?

a generation has watched as the government robbed lied and ransacked our country and its people...

You always hear "the Israeli youth's ignorance about Judaism is astounding and appalling" blah blah. Here a large majority of them are supposed to be religious or traditional. Doesn't make much sense. Many of the people calling themselves "traditional" djust o a few customs and are actually a lot closer to secular than religious, in terms at least of their behavior.

that seems true here for this report. "The son remembers what the father forgot". It's impossible for Jews to segregate G-d from Israel, Zion, or the holy land, or promised land. If we forget Jerusalem.. might as well forget what being a Jew means! The world watches Israel for the prophecies coming true before our eyes. That the younger Jews are becoming more believing in their G-d is encouraging. Who knows, perhaps they'll have a true Jew in charge of Israel in the future. One who knows the directives from on high. Would be a novelty for Jews to bring the Torahs wisdom into office and act upon its truth instead of any Jew without the moral directives to lead Israel by our heritage and laws. They might have been born Jewish but, the laws and policy from on high has been exchanged by the run of the mill 'politicians' who've sold Israel as did the brothers of Joseph. Perhaps soon, a new real Jew can act as a real leader of good to Israel. Olmerts a bad joke on Jews everywhere. Sharon too!

Such nonsense,in the Kyrot area it is mainly secular, maybe in Jerusalem the secular population is shrinking, but not in Tel Aviv or the Haifa area for sure. If secular Israel sector is strinking it is because they are moving abroad for a better life, with high salaries, a good educational system for their kids and a brighter future! If this survey is correct then soon all that will be here will be religious and ultra religious people and the country will cease to exist because there will be no more seculars to go into the IDF, and there will be less money for the gov, since alot of the Haradi men don't work (outside of Yeshiva study) so there will be no one here to support the welfare system.

Under bush we have the same problems. We are witnessing the last of Americas freedoms due to bush and gang and the patriot act. WMD a huge lie that we all regret happened. ( except for bush) Our bankrupt pres and his arab handlers have made another fine mess where everything bush touches turns to shit. Soon, another pres and anyone has to be better than the Nazi, Preston bush's grandsons village idiots foreign /oil policy that made US a bad joke among the nations. Soon, bye bye bush hallelujah!

save the nation of Israel from the seculars who WILL destroy the country by creating a terror state in the heart of Israel? The observant need to rise up and hit the streets!

The whole thing is about the birth rate. Religious/Traditional have more children than secular. Thus, over time there will be more traditional than secular.

"identified themselves" means what ? NEBULOUS AT BEST ! By what criteria are the characterizations made ? Perhaps were specific "guidelines" noted one might have a basis for conclusion ! (the precise questions,verbatum) One should always remember: SATISTICS LIE AND , LIERS USE SATISTICS !

Aspire to be among them since only a third of the people in Israel will live to see the Messiah come down from the sky to the Mount of Olives, the Prophet Zechariah says. Let the Russian youths who want to be nazis be among the two-thirds who perish. Read the Torah. Read the Torah. Let your mantra be "Torah, Torah, Torah".

1) Many do tshuva (repent) and turn to their roots from which they were robbed and forced by the.... 2) A typical secular family consists of a child or two born at an advanced age of parents, and a dog and/or a cat. 3) Many seculars feel no connection to this holy land and emigrate to chutz le'aretz, the western countries where they believe they can make more money and enjoy worldly pleasure more. This is in contrast to religious Jews who feel a spiritual connection to this holy land and immigrate and make aliyah or generously support institutions and needy families in Israel and buy burial places in Israel and are brought here to buried. The connection between religious Jews and Eretz Yisrael exists for thousands of years and never ceased.

1. The Serphardi can never be describled as secular (as in non believers in God.) and thats about 50% of the population. 2. I Visit Tel Aviv and have family both there and in Haifa, and there are significantly more religious people in prominent display then there were 20 years. Not to mention the number of Kosher establishments. You can shut your eye and be part of the disappearing minority, but you fool only yourself.

Some of this "shift" is somewhat artificial - we devoted/traditional have always been around, we just called ourselves "secular" because we weren't 100% shomrim, etc. However, with many olim falsely calling themselves "secular" - when in fact they are simply anti-Jewish - we are compelled to change our label.

A lot of those defined as "traditional" are actually just seculars who believe in God, but don't observe Shabbat and don't go to synagogue. Seculars are still a clear majority, as you can see by the voting record (Labor+Meretz+Kadima+Yisrael Beitenu+Hadash (Communists) = 67 Seats, which is a majority. And many seculars do not vote, while the religious vote at the command of their Rabbi. In other words, the problem with this study is the loosely defined terms used. Most Israeli Jews are still very much secular.

Shas should be right wing ultra religious and sefardi, and they are in a secular, anti relgiious left wing govt.. how sad - or perhaps the statistics dont take into account those who sell their souls for money.

Most of the religious people in Israel dont want to go to the army or work or do any civil duty. On the other hand, they demand and demand and drink the limited resources of this poor country! Who is going to support them financially and who is going to protect them when the seculars (or most of them) are gone? It will be wise to keep this endangered species...

Secular used to mean non-religious, but after Shinui it has taken on the connotation of anti-religious. There is a large segment of Israeli society that still feels some connection with Jewish tradition and culture while not fully observant from an orthodox perspective. The religious parties should take this as a sign that by being more open and less dogmatic they can create a better feeling towards observance in society.

On the other hand, no, they're not smart enough to recognize it. PS: the most popular Israeli Jewish newspaper not publishing candlelighting times on Erev Shabbat and Erev Khag in its on-line counterpart is a disservice to Jewish readers and a disgrace to Israel. Even ha-Aretz publishes candlelighting times. Paqid Yirmeyahu Israeli Orthodox Jew Advancing Logic as Halakhic Authority Welcoming Jews & non-Jews www.netzarim.co.il

Ilan (18) is right. So is S. Judah (13). Neither can Teimanim be correctly described as secular. (Teimanim are not Sepharadim.) Consult a dictionary (even online but not a dotcom substitute) and look up "secular." You'll find the connotation includes "Worldly RATHER THAN spiritual, NOT specifically relating to religion or to a religious body" (emphasis added). That is NOT a justified charge to make against "Traditional" Israeli Jews, more than 90% of whom have been driven away from your medievalist definition of Torah by exactly your arrogant elitist bigotry. For centuries, 90% of the flock has been rejecting such arrogant rabbinic elitism and bigotry. Less than 1% became Christian... PROVING that the fault is internal -- ignorant "roim elilim" (Zekharyâh 11.17; cf. also Yekhezqeil 34.2-10, 23; 37.24; Yirmeyahu 10.21; 23.1; 3.15) like you who drive Jews away from Torah. Railing against Christian evangelists or missionaries is nothing more than a blameshifting diversion in an attempt to evade accountability. More Jews are enticed into Buddhism or Hinduism, perhaps even Islam, then into Christianity. Jews aren't ATTRACTED TO Christianity or these other religions, they are DRIVEN AWAY FROM TORAH by roim elilim -- exactly like you. Learn to attract Jews to Torah instead of driving them away from Torah. Instead of persisting in answering intelligent questions with medieval superstition and fabulism, learn modern, logical and scientific answers to follow Torah. The universe reflects its Creator, not a medieval sorcerer. PS: the most popular Israeli Jewish newspaper not publishing candlelighting times on Erev Shabbat and Erev Khag in its on-line counterpart is a disservice to Jewish readers and a disgrace to Israel. Even ha-Aretz publishes candlelighting times. Paqid Yirmeyahu Israeli Orthodox Jew Advancing Logic as Halakhic Authority Welcoming Jews & non-Jews www.netzarim.co.il

It would be an understatement even to characterize your remarks as irresponsible slander. "Traditionals" are "religious" too, far moreso than Reform; they're just not medievalist fabulists. Traditionals and Orthodox (as contrasted with Ultra-Orthodox Khareidim) comprise the great majority of Israelis AND comprise the great majority of the Tzah"l and the work force; AND it is they, not atheists, who have made Israel what it is today. The claim that atheists have done all of this is a preposterous and satanic lie. I served in Tzah"l and work. My daughter is an officer working in Tzah"l. Every dati (as contrasted with Ultra-Orthodox / Khareidi) man, son and daughter I know has served either in Tzah"l or national service AND works. Smearing datim, Traditional andor Orthodox with the ills of the Ultra-Orthodox / Khareidim is foolish hate-mongering. PS: the most popular Israeli Jewish newspaper not publishing candlelighting times on Erev Shabbat and Erev Khag in its on-line counterpart is a disservice to Jewish readers and a disgrace to Israel. Even ha-Aretz publishes candlelighting times. Paqid Yirmeyahu Israeli Orthodox Jew Advancing Logic as Halakhic Authority Welcoming Jews & non-Jews www.netzarim.co.il

that you drive Jews away because your extremism is as fabricated as it is abhorrent, as is your ignorance regarding the new "seculars" in this country - who were driven to other "faiths" because of anti-Semitism in the diaspora. If you do care to check outside your box, you will find that it is the ultra-Orthodox who drive the anti-Semitism.

do many holy things, visiting and comforting the sick at hospitals in Israel. In America, many of the volunteers at Veterans' Administration Hospitals are Jews who are retired and give their time and efforts to help others. Do you go to hospitals and help out for free? Most hospitals would close down without volunteers. Pure religion is to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction, the bible says. That is work, even if the help they give is not paid for.

Take the pills dear im sure you will start to feel fine soon.

Don't impugn the messenger with false accusations. No intelligent person is persuaded by that tactic. What message have I advocated that is extremist, fabricated OR abhorrent??? HOW, specifically, am I ignorant about traditionals or seculars in this country -- more so than, say, you are? How are you more authoritative than me on this matter? I use published statistics compiled by recognized expert statisticians. Moreoer, I apply logical rules, not baseless assertions. Where are YOUR statistics to back up your claim? What kind of convoluted thinking led to your nutty assertion that "'seculars' in this country... were driven to other 'faiths' because of anti-Semitism in the diaspora"? Seculars are driven to other faiths because [a] their own ignorance coupled with [b] rabbinic ignorance in how to intelligently answer the great questions about life. Great Sages have died rather than capitulate to misojudaism. "Seculars" have no such excuse. You're doing nothing but blameshifting, trying to avoid your own personal responsibility and accountability for your own free choices. Grow up. My box ISN'T ultra-Orthodox as anyone who can read already knows. Furthermore, like probably all Mensans, I routinely think outside the box. Beyond that, while Ultra-Orthodox have driven more than 90% of the flock away from Torah they AREN'T responsible for misojudaism (inaccurately called "anti-Semitism") as you charge. Virtually all Jewish scholars agree that the ones responsible for misojudaism are the misojudaics themselves; and that is because of their rejection and hatred of Torah. Your charge that the Ultra-Orthodox are responsible for anti-Semitism IS misojudaism!!! PS: the most popular Israeli Jewish newspaper not publishing candlelighting times on Erev Shabbat and Erev Khag in its on-line counterpart is a disservice to Jewish readers and a disgrace to Israel. Even ha-Aretz publishes candlelighting times. Paqid Yirmeyahu Israeli Orthodox Jew Advancing Logic as Halakhic Authority Welcoming Jews & non-Jews www.netzarim.co.il

.....a present day Truth & Tragedy & Shame

Both in Israel and America Jews have various levels of religious observance. If they attend High Holiday services are they religious or secular? If they light the Shabbat Candles yet vote for Labor or Kadima are they religious or secular? What this study shows is that there are very few Israelis who can call themselves pure secularists just as there are few Jews who can call themselves followers of Hasidism. Everyone else is in between trying to balance religion and science at the same time. Chill out!

And bad news for all those "Secular Sabras bloggers" I don't want to mention them by name (we all know who they are), who endessly claim Israel is a "Secular State" or mainly comrised by seculars. A month or so ago going around the various Ramat Aviv Neighbourhoods I was a mazed to see so many religious individuals walking around, may be mere chance. I don't know. Nicely surprised though Time for Tel Aviv University academics (anti Jewish anti Israeli and Anti zionists) to shut up, they don't represent anyone but their small private group. Kudos to Ynet for a change for publishing this :-)

He is the one you will have to answer to, not me. You should fall on your face and beg the Lord to choose you as his own because many are called but few are chosen. The fate of those God does not choose is the Moslem Heaven that is hot and dry and dark and filled with screams of terror...for eternity.

It seems that the dispute in the comments -- and the significance of the study -- lies in the definition of "Traditional". Is someone "Traditional" who wishes someone a "Shabbat Shalom" but is not observent? Or is someone "Traditional" who eats kosher food, davens daily but doesn't wear tzitzit? Also, what does this mean: "It should be noted that 1974 was the first and only year in which there was a secular majority (41%)."? Since when is 41% a "majority"?