American Jews & Israel: The Sources of Politicized Ethnic Identity Kenneth D. Wald & Bryan Williams Published in Nationalism & Ethnic Politics, Volume.

American Jews & Israel:American Jews & Israel:The Sources of Politicized Ethnic IdentityThe Sources of Politicized Ethnic Identity

Kenneth D. Wald & Bryan WilliamsKenneth D. Wald & Bryan Williams

Published inNationalism & Ethnic Politics,

Volume 12 (Summer 2006), 1-33.

Reasons to assume strong support Reasons to assume strong support for Israel from American Jewryfor Israel from American Jewry

Spiritualized ethnic identity Spiritualized ethnic identity Means to maintain Jewish continuityMeans to maintain Jewish continuity Place to recognize Jewish social Place to recognize Jewish social

valuesvalues Psychological and symbolic Psychological and symbolic

gratificationgratification

Is Israel Important to American Is Israel Important to American Jews?Jews?

Both sessions opened with responses to very general questions on what parts of being Jewish the participants found attractive and unattractive. None of the participants in either focus group so much as mentioned Israel during these initial conversations, each of which lasted about half an hour [emphasis mine] . . . For these focus group participants, at least, Israel carries little real import in the private sphere of Jewish identity, the part that is closest to their inner core.

--Steven M. Cohen (2002)--Steven M. Cohen (2002)

Another component of young Jewish self-association is Israel – but it is frighteningly weak and ill-defined. Six times we have brought Jewish youth together as a group to talk about their Jewishness and connection to Israel. Six times the topic of Israel did not come up until it was prompted. Six times these Jewish youth used the word “they” rather than “us” to describe the situation, conditions and opinions about the country. There is a distance and detachment between young American Jews and their Israeli cousins

--Frank Luntz (2003)

Research Question Research Question

What accounts for variability in the What accounts for variability in the political centrality of Israel among political centrality of Israel among Jews in the United States?Jews in the United States?

Examine the micro-foundations or Examine the micro-foundations or “readiness for mobilization” through “readiness for mobilization” through an opinion survey of American Jews.an opinion survey of American Jews.

Dependent VariableDependent Variable

Disposition of American Jews to Disposition of American Jews to “perceive the sociopolitical “perceive the sociopolitical landscape from the vantage point of landscape from the vantage point of the ethnic group” (Lapid,1987)the ethnic group” (Lapid,1987)

Also known asAlso known as• Politicized ethnic identity (Sears et al., Politicized ethnic identity (Sears et al.,

2003)2003)• Politicized collective identity (Simon and Politicized collective identity (Simon and

Klandermans, 2001) Klandermans, 2001)

PEI ScalePEI ScaleWhich of the following statements best describes the importance of the Which of the following statements best describes the importance of the

Arab-Israeli conflict to you personally?Arab-Israeli conflict to you personally?1. It is the single most important issue for me1. It is the single most important issue for me2. It is among the top three most important issues for me.2. It is among the top three most important issues for me.3. It is among the top five most important issues for me.3. It is among the top five most important issues for me.4. It is not among the top five most important issues for me.4. It is not among the top five most important issues for me.

In the next national elections, how important will the candidates’ positions In the next national elections, how important will the candidates’ positions on the Arab-Israeli conflict be in your voting decision – very important, on the Arab-Israeli conflict be in your voting decision – very important, somewhat important, or not important? somewhat important, or not important?

Which of the following statements best describes the importance of U.S. Which of the following statements best describes the importance of U.S. support for Israel to you personally? support for Israel to you personally?

1. It is the single most important issue for me.1. It is the single most important issue for me.2. It is among the top three most important issues for me.2. It is among the top three most important issues for me.3. It is among the top five most important issues for me.3. It is among the top five most important issues for me.4. It is not among the top five most important issues for me.4. It is not among the top five most important issues for me.

Have you ever “written a letter, made a telephone call, or done anything Have you ever “written a letter, made a telephone call, or done anything else to express your views on the Arab-Israeli conflict directly to a else to express your views on the Arab-Israeli conflict directly to a government official, newspaper, or magazine? (Yes/No)government official, newspaper, or magazine? (Yes/No)

Distribution of PEIDistribution of PEI

Sources of Individual DifferencesSources of Individual Differences

Hypothesis: Strong ethnic Hypothesis: Strong ethnic attachment promotes PEIattachment promotes PEI

Constructivist approach to ethnicity Constructivist approach to ethnicity Core domains of attachment (Kotler-Core domains of attachment (Kotler-

Berkowitz, 2005)Berkowitz, 2005)• Cultural Cultural • SocialSocial• CognitiveCognitive

Data Data

Zogby “culture polls” of 1999-2000Zogby “culture polls” of 1999-2000 Period of relative calm and stability Period of relative calm and stability

in Arab-Israeli conflictin Arab-Israeli conflict Screened to locate self-identified Screened to locate self-identified

ethnic groupsethnic groups Produced Jewish subsample (n=589)Produced Jewish subsample (n=589)

Independent VariablesIndependent Variables

Cultural attachment – synagogue Cultural attachment – synagogue attendanceattendance

Social attachment – neighborhood, Social attachment – neighborhood, friendships, age (+), education (-), friendships, age (+), education (-), generation in US (-), economic resources generation in US (-), economic resources (-)(-)

Cognitive attachment – pride in ethnic Cognitive attachment – pride in ethnic heritage, ethnic identity, emotional tieheritage, ethnic identity, emotional tie

Misc. controls – gender, Middle East affect, Misc. controls – gender, Middle East affect, discriminationdiscrimination

Influences on PEIInfluences on PEI

Predicted Values of PEIPredicted Values of PEI