Israeli Optimism Rises Ahead of Rosh Hashanah, Poll Shows

As Rosh Hashanah approaches, Israelis are expressing increased optimism about the country's future, according to a new index on Israeli society published by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI). The survey found that 35% of respondents believe Israel is improving and that this trend will continue, a figure that rises to 43% among Jewish Israelis. This marks a significant increase from the previous year, when only 30% of all respondents and 36% of Jewish respondents shared this optimistic outlook.

Concurrently, the percentage of people who feel Israel is in a state of sustained decline has decreased. Overall, this figure dropped from 38% to 30%, and among Jewish Israelis, it fell from 34% to 24%. Despite this general trend, significant differences in outlook persist based on political affiliation. On the right, 76% of Jewish respondents view the country's trajectory positively, up from 68% last year. In the center-right, this proportion increased from 32% to 42%. On the left, a positive outlook remains a minority view, though more individuals now believe the situation will eventually improve after a period of deterioration.

The perception of the economy has also improved. Thirty percent of respondents described the past year as bad for the economy, down from 35% a year ago, while the proportion calling it good rose from 11% to 18%. However, the social situation remains the primary concern for most Israelis. More than half of those surveyed, 52%, consider it bad, with only 4% viewing it as good.