Oct 7 invasion strengthened Diaspora ties to Israel, study finds

New poll shows a large majority of Diaspora Jews in the Anglosphere feel strong connection to Israel – and expect Israel to reciprocate with investment in their communities.

By World Israel News Staff

A large majority of Jews in the US, Canada and Britain feel a strong connection and sense of shared fate with Jews in Israel, while also expecting Israel to take an active role in sustaining Jewish communities abroad, according to a new survey by the Jewish People Policy Institute.

JPPI’s “Voice of the Jewish People” index compared the views of Jews in North America and Britain with findings from Israel’s 2026 Diaspora Index, recently published by the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, which examined Israeli attitudes toward Diaspora Jewry.

The survey found that personal responsibility toward Jews in Israel is a central part of the collective identity of many Diaspora Jews.

In the US, 75% of respondents said they feel such a responsibility to a great or very great extent. In Canada, the figure was even higher, at 84%, while in Britain, 66% said they felt a clear sense of mutual responsibility.

By comparison, the Israeli Diaspora Index found that only 45% of Israelis said they “feel personal responsibility for every Jew in the world, even if he chose not to immigrate to Israel.”

Respondents in JPPI’s survey were also asked whether they feel they share a common fate with Jews in Israel.

In the US, 80% said they feel that Jews in Israel and Diaspora Jews share a common destiny.

Similar levels were recorded in Canada and Britain, where 81% and 80%, respectively, said they feel this connection to a great or very great extent.

In Israel, 75% of respondents in the Diaspora Index agreed with the statement that “Diaspora Jews and Jews in Israel share a common fate, even though they live in different countries.”

The survey also found that many Diaspora Jews believe Israel bears responsibility for the continued existence of Jewish communities overseas.

In the US, 56% of respondents said Israel is responsible to a great or very great extent for Jewish continuity outside Israel. In Canada, 72% expressed that view, while in Britain, the figure was lower, at 49%.

In Israel, the Diaspora Index found a decline over the past year in the share of citizens who see the state as responsible for Jewish continuity abroad. This year, 56% said Israel is responsible for the continued existence of Jewish life in the Diaspora as well as in Israel, down from 68% last year.

Israel is also widely viewed by Diaspora Jews as an existential anchor and place of refuge. In the US, 74% of respondents said they see Israel as a refuge to a great or very great extent. In Canada, 78% held that view, while in Britain, 68% said the same.

Among Israelis, 82% said Israel remains the safest place of refuge for Jews in the world.

JPPI’s survey also found broad support among Diaspora Jews for Israel investing resources in strengthening its relationship with Jewish communities overseas. In the US, 83% of respondents said Israel should invest resources in strengthening ties with them. In Canada, the figure was 87%, and in Britain, 78%.

When asked specifically about Israeli government funding for Jewish education and identity in the Diaspora, 57% of US respondents said Israel should allocate financial resources for that purpose. In Canada, 52% supported such funding, while in Britain, 55% did.

In Israel, the national Diaspora Index found that 58% of respondents support the idea that the state should allocate resources to strengthen Jewish identity in Diaspora communities.

JPPI President Dr. Shuki Friedman said the findings were part of a broader trend seen since the October 7 attack.

“A series of studies and surveys by JPPI show us that since October 7, the Jewish public in the Diaspora feels a deep connection to its Judaism, and a shared fate with the brothers in Israel,” Friedman said.

“The State of Israel constitutes for these communities an existential anchor and safe haven, and these things are sharpened against the background of the waves of antisemitism that erupted following the war,” he said.

Friedman said the relationship between Israel and Diaspora Jewry should not be viewed as one-directional.

“However, the connection is not one-way, but two-way. The communities expect us to invest resources in strengthening them, and in fortifying Jewish identity among the next generation,” he said.

“The state’s leaders and decision-makers in Israel must devote attention and resources to strengthening the connection with Diaspora Jewry and strengthening the communities, just as they have helped Israel with support and donations for many years. As part of this, action must also be taken to realize the potential for aliyah from these communities,” he added.