A sweeping new survey by the Pew Research Center, which polled over 50,000 people in 36 countries, found that 83% of Israeli adults believe in Hashem, a figure that places Israel in the upper-middle tier globally. But beneath that surface lies a telling divide: among Israelis with only a high school education or less, belief in Hashem stands at 83%. Among the more educated, it drops sharply to 64%—one of the steepest education-related gaps observed anywhere in the world. Perhaps the most striking revelation is that Israel is the only country surveyed where men pray more than women—40% of men report davening daily, compared to just 28% of women. In nearly every other country, the pattern is reversed. The same holds true for shul attendance, with Israeli men far outpacing women—reflecting halachic obligations but also mirroring trends in Muslim-majority nations like Turkey and Bangladesh. The survey also points to some spiritual confusion. Belief in Olam Haba is widespread among Israeli Jews—92% of those who daven daily believe in Olam Haba, while just 45% of non-daveners do. Belief in techias hameisim stands at 34% in Israel, slightly above the global average, and interestingly, 29% of Jewish Israelis say they believe in curses, spells, or magic – nearly double the rate among American Jews. Meanwhile, Israel ranks dead last among surveyed countries in nature-based spirituality. Just 28% of Israelis say that mountains, rivers, or trees contain spiritual energy—far below the global median of 56%. In contrast, 70% believe that animals can have spiritual essence, a figure slightly above the global average. The study also confirms what many already observe anecdotally: religious identity remains strong, especially in the public sphere. Forty-two percent of Israeli Jews say they wear or carry religious symbols, such as a Magen David—among the highest figures globally. When it comes to Jews outside of Israel, the report draws a clear contrast. In the United States, Jewish respondents were less likely to believe in Olam Haba but more likely to describe themselves as “spiritual”, reflecting broader American religious individualism. Yet both Israeli and American Jews reported higher-than-average rates of lighting candles for religious purposes. The report also notes an unusual trend: in most countries, higher education corresponds with greater openness to spirituality. In Israel, it’s the opposite. Among the less educated, 73% believe in “something spiritual beyond the natural world,” compared to just 56% of those with postsecondary degrees. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)