Most American Jews believe in Israel but won’t call themselves ‘Zionists’

At a moment when op-eds and headlines raise alarms that American Jews — especially young Jews — are turning away from Israel, the data tell a different story.

Across national studies of American Jews conducted by the Jewish Federations of North America over the past several years, alongside those of many research and organizational partners, one finding has remained remarkably consistent: Jews of all ages continue to feel deeply connected to Israel and to Israelis.

In fact, emotional connection to Israel across all age groups has increased since 2020.
In addition, nine out of 10 Jews strongly support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish democratic state, with only a modest drop among young adults ages 18 to 34.

Yet at the same time, just over a third of Jews positively identify as “Zionists,” with a similar number saying they are not sure or don’t identify with any of the options. Only a small minority — 14% among adults aged 18-34, and just 7% across the Jewish community — identify as anti-Zionist, and about 8% said they were “non-Zionist.”

What does this mean? At first glance, these findings appear irreconcilable. How can support for Israel as a Jewish democratic state remain so strong while identification with Zionism declines?

The answer lies in how Jews today understand what the term “Zionism” means.

When we asked Americans, both Jews and non-Jews, what Zionism means, most correctly identified its core definition: the right of the Jewish people to have a Jewish state. That definition has been affirmed by virtually every major Jewish organization and is reflected in standard dictionary definitions.

But our data also revealed something important that gets at the heart of why so many are reluctant to use the term today. Only about a third of Jews believe that the definition of Zionism stops at Jewish self-determination. Many believe the term also means supporting the policies, decisions, and actions of the Israeli government, including actions they strongly disagree with. Others believe it entails claiming exclusive Jewish rights to the West Bank and/or Gaza, endorsing inequality between Jews and Palestinians, or embracing specific political ideologies.

The word Zionism has undergone what might be called “definition creep” over time, shaped by a mix of political agendas, public discourse, and broader social forces. It has come to be understood as encompassing ideas that go far beyond its once-standard meaning.

This helps explain why some Jews who feel deeply connected to Israel nevertheless resist or reject the Zionist label. They are not rejecting Israel’s existence or the idea of a Jewish state. They are reacting to an understanding of Zionism that includes policies, ideologies, and actions that they oppose, and do not want to be associated with. This distinction matters enormously.

To be sure, the relatively small percentage of Jews who identify as anti-Zionist largely reject Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. That is something we must grapple with, but it would be a mistake to respond as though any individual who doesn’t identify as Zionist opposes the Jewish state.

If we misread the trend about “Zionism” to mean that large numbers of Jews, especially young Jews, are turning against the existence of Israel itself, we will draw the wrong conclusions and take the wrong actions. We risk responding with anger when the moment calls for steady leadership, pulling away when the moment calls for connection, and defensiveness when the moment calls for listening and understanding. We risk isolating a growing segment of our community, especially young adults, when this moment could instead open pathways for learning and belonging.

At the Jewish Federations of North America, and across most of the organized Jewish community, we continue to proudly call ourselves Zionists, in large part because we adhere to the historic definition. For us, Zionism means supporting the State of Israel and the Israeli people and uniting the Jewish people behind this shared commitment. It is clear from our research that this is what much of the Jewish community continues to believe today.

North American Jews can be proud citizens of the United States and Canada while, at times, criticizing and even opposing their countries’ governments and policies. Similarly, we know that the overwhelming majority of American Jews can stand together in support of Israel and Israelis even as they wrestle with serious concerns that matter enormously to them and that Israelis themselves wrestle with as well.

In recent years, we have seen this capacity for unity firsthand. Across differences in politics and ideology, Jews came together to advocate for the release of the hostages, support their families, and stand with Israelis in moments of profound grief and uncertainty. That shared commitment did not require uniformity or the suspension of concerns — only a willingness to act together around what people broadly agreed on: Israel’s future and care for its people.

As the ceasefire largely holds in Gaza, and the remains of the last hostage have been returned to his family for burial, we face a historic opportunity to strengthen Jewish unity once again. Taking full advantage of that opportunity requires listening carefully to one another — not only to the words people use, but with curiosity about the values they are trying to express when they use them.

We must be more intentional about initiating these conversations in our community and ensuring that people who want to engage more fully with the Jewish community feel welcome.
Hillel the Elder taught us to listen carefully to the other side, and even restate their position, before making the case for our own view. With respect to the language of Zionism in the American Jewish community today, this teaching has never been more important.