A new survey by the Truman Institute at the Hebrew University reveals a growing divide between the general Jewish public and the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) sector—not only among secular Jews but increasingly among the religious public as well. The survey examined Jewish-Israeli attitudes toward the Haredi community’s contribution during the recent war and their conscription into the IDF. It also tracked trends compared to a similar survey conducted in July 2024.
The survey comes amid heightened national tensions over military service exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox community. In the wake of the ongoing war in Gaza—marked by mounting casualties and an overextended reserve force—the public debate over “sharing the burden” has intensified. The issue now sits at the centre of national discourse, with growing calls for reform from across the political spectrum.
While tensions between secular and Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) communities over conscription are longstanding, the growing shift within the religious (non-Haredi) sector marks a notable development. Historically, religious Zionists have often acted as a bridge between secular and Haredi worlds; the current data suggests that bridge is weakening.
When asked whether they agree with the statement: “The war emphasized the partnership and contribution of Haredi society to Israeli society,” only 43.1% of the Jewish-Israeli respondents agreed—down from 48.8% in July 2024. Among the religious sector, the decline was even more pronounced: from 65.1% agreement in July to just 52.9% now. At the same time, disagreement among religious respondents rose from 35% to 47.2%. Unsurprisingly, agreement among Jewish-Israeli secular respondents also declined—from 29.8% in July to just 24.6% now.
Support for equal burden-sharing has also increased. The statement “Against the backdrop of the war, the importance of equal burden-bearing and the recruitment of Haredim into the army is increasing” received 81.5% agreement among the general Jewish-Israeli public, up slightly from 77.5% in July. The most significant shift occurred among religious respondents, with agreement with this statement jumping from 68.6% to 77.7%.
And how does the Haredi public view these issues?
The data highlights a sharp disconnect between how the Haredi perceive themselves and how they are perceived by other sectors in the Jewish-Israeli society. A striking 86% of Haredi respondents agreed that “The war emphasized the partnership and contribution of Haredi society to Israeli society”—double the rate of agreement among the general Jewish-Israeli population.
Interestingly, there has been a slight increase in support for Haredi enlistment even within the Haredi community. In July 2024, 19% agreed that the importance of equal burden-sharing and Haredi enlistment had increased due to the war. In the current survey, that number rose to 24%. Still, the overwhelming majority of Jewish Israeli Haredim respondents—76%—remain opposed to this statement.
Prof. Ifat Maoz, head of the Truman Institute, commented:
“The data indicate an erosion in the relationship between the religious and Haredi sectors in the Jewish-Israeli society, who have traditionally been allies. This seems to stem from the issue of equality (or inequality) in army service. The religious public, which serves in the IDF in significant numbers and paid a heavy price during the war, seems to be increasingly disappointed that parts of the Haredi community do not share the burden equally. This is clearly impacting their sense of solidarity and perception of the Haredi community’s contribution to the state.”
The survey was conducted by the ipanel polling institute between March 12–18, 2025, among a representative sample of 901 Israeli Jews. The sampling error is 3.02%.