Globes: Secular Jews a Minority in Israel

From Globes:
Secular Jews a minority in Israel
Central Bureau of Statistics: 11% of the Jewish population defined itself as very religious, 42% as religious.
Zeev Klein 10 Apr 06 13:36

8% of Jews in Israel define themselves as haredi (ultra-orthodox), 9% as religious, and 39% as traditional in a Central Bureau of Statistics 2002-2004 social survey, published yesterday.

The Central Bureau of Statistics says religious and observant Jews comprise the majority of Israel’s Jewish population, with secular Jews comprising a minority of 44%. 1.5% of secular Jews say they are atheists.

The survey also found that the proportions of the Jewish population that defines itself as either secular or haredi increased in 2002-04, indicating religious polarization.

58% of haredi men said their primary activity was study at yeshiva (houses of Jewish learning), compared with 9% of all Jewish men. 11% of the Jewish population defined itself as very religious, 42% as religious, 21% as not very religious, and 18% as not religious at all.

Among Israeli Arab women, the degree of religious observance is in inverse proportion to participation in the labor force: 5% of religiously observant Arab women work, compared with 36% of non-religious Arab women.