February 27, 2026

Nearly All U.S. Jews Support Israel’s Right to Exist as a Democratic Jewish State, Despite Varying Perspectives of ‘Zionism'

New research from the Jewish Federations of North America finds that nearly nine out of 10 American Jews support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish democratic state, even though only about one-third of American Jews positively identify as “Zionists.” This backgrounder provides guidance on how to use the findings of this research to inform Jewish professionals’ conversations with various stakeholder audiences.

Top Message

“Nearly all American Jews support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish, democratic state, even if they do not identify as a ‘Zionist.’”

What to Know

• A Jewish Federations of North America study revealed that just 37% of American Jews identified as “Zionist,” despite 88% backing the concept of a Jewish, democratic state of Israel, which is generally considered the definition of a Zionism.
   

• Some Jews who feel deeply connected to Israel resist or reject the “Zionist” label because they interpret it as endorsing the country’s governmental policies, ideologies and actions.
   

• The term “Zionism” is often used to mean different things depending on the speaker, fueling confusion and misunderstanding. 
   

• The research shows that some members of the Jewish community may be more inclined to use different language to describe their feelings about Israel rather than the historic definition of “Zionism.”

What to Say

Highlight the strong support for Israel among American Jews:

• "Nine out of 10 American Jews support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state.”

• “Most Jews have a relationship with Israel and recognize it as the Jewish homeland."

• “American Jews disagree on a lot, but are overwhelmingly united in support of Israel’s existence as a Jewish, democratic state.”

• “Most American Jews hold a strong emotional connection to Israel and to Israelis.”

Focus on using terms that have broader appeal among Jewish audiences:

• “Our community is committed to Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state, as the homeland of the Jewish people.”
• “We support Israel’s right to exist and ensuring its security.”

Define the term “Zionism” when using it:

• “Zionism historically means the Jewish people’s right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland.”
• “Zionists are people who support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state.”
• “Zionists hold an array of views on Israeli government policies and leaders but support Israel’s right to exist as a nation.”

Make clear the correlation between anti-Zionism and antisemitism 

• “Since nearly all American Jews support Israel’s right to exist, an attack on Israel’s legitimacy is antisemitic hatred against Jews.”
• “Anti-Israel rhetoric often fuels demonization and ostracization of Jews and has led to antisemitic attacks on Jewish people and institutions in the United States.” 

Action Item Checklist

For non-Jewish audiences:

• Highlight the overwhelming support for Israel as a Jewish and democratic state among American Jews.

• Teach about the historic connection between Jews and the State of Israel, underscoring that there has been a Jewish presence in the region for more than 3,000 years. 

• Showcase the diversity of policy perspectives among American Jews who support Israel’s right to exist.

• Share the definition and historical significance of the term “Zionism”.

For Jewish audiences:

• When using the term “Zionism,” include appropriate context and definitions, including its historical definition, and be explicit that it does not mean endorsement of the country’s governmental policies, ideologies, and actions.
   

• Use more universal phrases such as “those who support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state” and “those who support Israel or Israelis.”
   

• Engage members of our community who support Israel but do not self-identify as “Zionist” by focusing on common values.

What to Read

JTA, essay by JFNA’s Mimi Kravetz, Chief Impact Officer of the Jewish Federations of North America
The ‘Zionism’ gap: What JFNA data really shows about Jews, Israel and Zionism today

JTA
Zionism was never a single concept. We should be grateful to JFNA’s survey for the reminder

eJewishPhilanthropy, opinion by Gil Preuss, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, and Ted Sasson, Ruderman Foundation Scholar in Residence at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University
How should Jewish organizations respond to the growing criticism of Israel from inside our communities?

The Forward, opinion by Boston University student Oliver Zinn
I’m a Zionist. I support Palestinian rights. My campus has no space for people who believe in peace

Project Halo is powered by Jewish Federations of North America. The above information is provided for guidance only, and does not represent an official statement or policy position of Jewish Federations of North America.

Jewish Federations of North America
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