Eight out of ten Jews in Israel believe in God; 72 percent believe in the power of prayer; 67 percent believe that the Jews are the Chosen People; and 56 percent believe in life after death. These are the results of a survey by the Guttman Center of the Israel Democracy Institute, which questioned Israeli Jews over a three-year period, from 2009 to 2012.
This intriguing survey is the latest evidence of how the issues of God, faith and religion continue to impact
the Israel of today as they did in ancient times. While the separation of religion and state is seen as a democratic
value, spiritual issues are a dominant factor in Israeli politics and society.
The reason is obvious: Israel’s very existence is founded on biblical principles and history. This is why the Bible
and, in turn, God Himself play a prominent role in the Jewish nation and the broader Middle East conflict.
Surprisingly, a journalist with one of Israel's top newspapers wrote strongly that the results of the poll justify even stronger ties between the Jewish state and its Christian Zionist supporters, who he said are the only ones who truly understand Israel's destiny.
**Israel Today** spoke to local Messianic leaders who were less enthusiastic about the results, but said the overall sentiment does lay the groundwork for effective evangelism.
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