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64% of Israelis want Temple rebuilt, new survey shows |
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Written by the Jewish Tribune staff
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Wednesday, 05 August 2009 |
JERUSALEM (Ynet) – Almost two thirds of the public want the Temple rebuilt, including about half of secular Israelis, a new survey, conducted for Ynet and the Gesher organization, revealed.
The survey was held by the Panels Institute among 516 respondents that are a representative sample of the adult Jewish population. The margin of error was 4.3 per cent.
Initially, respondents were asked what happened on Tisha B’Av (Ninth of Av), and showed impressive knowledge. Ninety-seven per cent said that the Temple was destroyed, while only 2 per cent said they did not know.
The second question was whether respondents wanted to see the Temple rebuilt, to which 64 per cent responded favourably, while 36 per cent said no. An analysis of the answers showed that not only the ultra-Orthodox and the religious look forward to the rebuilding of the Temple (100 per cent and 97% per cent), but also the traditional public (91 per cent) and many secular Israelis – 47 per cent.
When asked whether it was at all justified to mark something that had happened 2,000 years ago [the destruction of the Temple], 80 per cent said that it was, while 13 per cent said only events related to the state of Israel should be commemorated. Another 7 per cent categorically replied with a no.
Here too an analysis of the answers revealed that the positions on Tisha B’Av transcended religious divisions – 74 per cent of secular Israelis and 100 per cent of ultra-Orthodox responded that dates like Tisha B’Av should be commemorated.
Gesher Director General Rabbi Danny Tropper told Ynet in response to the survey results: “We are a nation with a remarkable historic affinity. The Temple was destroyed 1,942 years ago, and almost two thirds of the population want to see it rebuilt, including 47 per cent of secular [Israelis].
“I don’t think this is a practical proposal, but it seems that Tisha B’Av really does constitute a day of meaningful memory to most of the people.” |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 August 2009 )
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