Poll Finds One-Third of Secular Israelis Attribute Plane Rescue to Divine Providence
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
A poll by Maagar Mochot for Channel 7 found that about a third of secular Israelis believe a recent plane rescue was due to divine providence. Nearly all Haredi and religious respondents attributed the rescue to divine intervention, as did 84% of traditional Israelis. The survey also revealed differing preferences in phrasing the belief, with secular and traditional groups favoring a combination of human action and divine providence, while religious and Haredi groups emphasized divine providence as the primary factor.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- One-third of secular Israelis believe a recent plane rescue was an act of divine providence, according to a new poll.
- Nearly all Haredi and religious respondents attributed the plane rescue to divine intervention.
- 84% of traditional Israelis also attributed the rescue to divine providence.
- Secular and traditional Israelis were more likely to favor phrasing that combined human action with divine providence.
- Religious and Haredi Israelis predominantly chose phrasing that emphasized divine providence as the primary factor.
- The poll surveyed 1,130 participants last Wednesday and Thursday.
A recent poll conducted by the Maagar Mochot institute for Channel 7 reveals that approximately one-third of secular Israelis believe a recent plane rescue was an act of "divine providence." The survey, which focused on how different religious and secular groups perceive the event, found that nearly all Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) and religious respondents attributed the rescue to divine intervention, with 100% of Haredim and 94% of religious individuals agreeing. A significant majority of traditional Israelis, 84%, also shared this view.
The poll further explored nuances within the belief in divine providence by presenting two distinct phrasing options. The first option, "divine providence, which acted through unique people and circumstances," placed God's intervention at the forefront. The second, "a combination of human actions and unique circumstances with divine providence," suggested a more integrated role for both human agency and divine will.
Among secular, traditional, and liberal-religious respondents, the "combination" phrasing was more frequently chosen. For secular Israelis, 21% opted for the combination versus 11% who prioritized divine providence. Traditional Israelis showed a 50% preference for the combination and 34% for divine providence alone. This pattern reversed among classical-religious, Torah-oriented religious, and Haredi respondents.
Classical-religious individuals leaned slightly towards divine providence acting through people and circumstances (51% versus 44% for combination). The preference for divine providence as the primary factor was much stronger among Torah-oriented religious individuals (75% versus 25%) and overwhelmingly so among Haredim (93% versus approximately 7%). These trends held true for both male and female respondents across all groups. The survey included 1,130 participants and was conducted last Wednesday and Thursday.
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