Survey: 81 Percent of Israel’s Youth Oppose Intermarriage

Some 81 percent of Jews in Israel aged 18 to 22 oppose intermarriage, according to a comprehensive study conducted by the Shiluv Institute. The survey, which included a representative sampling of 500 people, reveals that opposition to intermarriage is strong, particularly among the young, who are most vulnerable to entering into relationships with non-Jews.

Yad L’Achim, which has stood at the forefront of the battle against intermarriage, was gratified by the results of the survey, which show that its intensive PR efforts have borne fruit.

At the same time, the non-profit organization issued a statement stressing that “the time has come for the Education Ministry, which has officially barred Yad L’Achim lecturers from appearing in schools and exposing the growing phenomenon of Jewish girls marrying Arab men, to allow them to speak to student groups in order to reduce the scope of the problem.”

Yad L’Achim noted that in many instances these devastating relationships begin when the girl is fooled by an Arab claiming to be a Jew. “Precisely because of this it is important that we be allowed to alert young people to the dangers,” said a leading Yad L’Achim official. “We want to be able to present Jewish women who have been rescued from Arab villages, who can share their trauma and open the eyes of other young girls.”