"Since October 7, I have embraced several commitments:
Tefillin [phylacteries worn during prayer] and morning prayers, occasionally Mincha [afternoon prayer] and Arvit [evening prayer], observing Shabbat, adhering to a six-hour wait between consuming meat and dairy, reciting Birkat Hamazon [the blessing after meals], blessing every food and drink consumed throughout the day, increasing acts of charity, saying the Asher Yatzar [blessing recited after using the restroom], engaging in daily self-reflection, and earnestly praying for mercy upon the people of Israel.
"Before this period, my life was entirely secular; since October 7, that lifestyle has undergone a profound transformation."
The text above, written on Facebook by a supposedly secular Israeli, is the perfect example of how many Israelis have been coping with or reacting to the October 7 massacre.
In the past four months, a newfound closeness to God and Judaism has emerged among many Israelis. A survey, carried out by Lazar Research and published on Friday exclusively for The Jerusalem Post, reveals a dramatic shift in spiritual sentiment: a third of those polled have found their faith in God deepened during these challenging four months. This significant finding points to a collective search for comfort, understanding, and strength in adversity.
The survey uncovered a striking divide in how people have been affected spiritually: a notable 33% of respondents experienced a strengthening of their belief in a higher power. In contrast, a smaller segment, 8%, reported a decline in their faith, while the majority, 59%, saw no shift in their spiritual outlook.
Delving deeper into trends
Delving deeper, the analysis shed light on interesting demographic trends. Faith reinforcement was powerful among those with traditional leanings, where 44% reported a deepened belief as opposed to just 16% of secular individuals. Age also emerged as a significant factor, with younger respondents more inclined to feel an increase in their faith.
I SPOKE to a friend of a colleague this week, a Sabra who considers himself secular and has never felt connected to Judaism in his day-to-day life. “In the wake of Hamas’s sudden and brutal attack, followed by the ensuing war, I, like many others, was initially absorbed in a whirlwind of information, glued to the television screens, social networks, and Telegram groups, scouring for any updates,” he told me while asking to remain anonymous.
He shared that something had suddenly changed from within. “By the first Friday after the onslaught, I found myself yearning for a respite from the relentless media engagement. It dawned on me that the synagogue, where phones are unwelcome, could offer that much-needed break. Consequently, I decided to attend [synagogue].”
“Before the conflict, my visits to the synagogue were infrequent, mostly limited to a few Friday evenings. Yet I was familiar with some of the melodies and songs from the Kabbalat Shabbat service. The closest synagogue to my home hosts a vibrant community of American immigrants. Discovering that people who had lived most of their lives on another continent shared melodies familiar to me – someone raised in Israel – brought comfort. Motivated by this, I resolved to continue attending,” he continued.
Since then, he hasn’t been going to synagogue weekly, but he’s trying to become a regular. “I occasionally participate in the Kabbalat Shabbat service on Friday evenings, opting not to stay for the subsequent prayers. This has allowed me to familiarize myself further with the melodies and engage with community members. A newfound religious enthusiasm didn’t drive me; the collective experience during a time when the nation felt besieged appealed to me. The opportunity to disconnect, even for half an hour weekly, was a welcome respite amidst the chaos,” he concluded.
Most recently, I’ve heard many anecdotes about secular Israelis who began speaking in a religious or spiritual way. For example, members of the destroyed Kibbutz Be’eri were reportedly singing Jewish songs; in another case, non-observant people were saying Be’ezrat Hashem, thank God, something you wouldn’t necessarily expect from them. In public places across Israel, one can see more and more people praying quietly or mumbling a chapter of Psalms.
Until seeing the results of this survey, I suspected that I was being exposed to these phenomena as someone totally immersed in Jewish aspects of life, especially in new sociological trends. If a third of Israeli Jews feel closer to God after this traumatic experience, that is a new and exciting trend. After the Holocaust, some survivors decided to become more religious, while others chose to distance themselves from anything to do with religion.
Some of the most outstanding leaders and pioneers of the modern State of Israel came to their ancestral land after surviving the largest genocide known to mankind, and most of them were secular. They didn’t want anything to do with religion. On the other hand, Judaism was very present in the day-to-day lives of the kibbutzim in the earlier days, but nowadays not as much. Today’s secular Israelis are the third or fourth generation of Jews who wanted to distance themselves from religion, and many of them, unfortunately, also lost their connection to Judaism.
It is noteworthy that the place where the young man I quoted had found a place to pray was operated by English-speaking, non-native Israelis. Many native Israelis have never entered a synagogue or understood the urge for a community of people joining in prayer as well as in community life.
In the Diaspora, Jews know that to survive and not to assimilate, religion, or at least community life, is necessary to remain a member of the tribe.
It’s well documented that, from a psychological standpoint, trauma can lead to an increase in religiosity or spiritual beliefs. According to Koenig, Pargament, and Nielsen’s 1998 meta-analysis, individuals often turn to faith as a coping mechanism in times of stress, seeking comfort, meaning, and a sense of control in situations that feel overwhelmingly chaotic or unjust. This turning towards faith can serve multiple functions, including emotional and community support and a framework for understanding and integrating the experience of trauma.
The strengthening of faith among Israelis, particularly in the aftermath of such a devastating event, can be seen as a collective manifestation of this psychological process. The increase in practices such as prayers, conversations with God, and the recitation of Psalms, especially among specific demographic groups, underscores the role of religious practice in providing a structure for communal and individual mourning, resilience-building, and a search for peace and understanding.
The shared stories, from the secular Israeli finding sanctuary in the synagogue to the communal singing of Jewish songs, illustrate a return to religious practice and a deeper exploration of identity and community. As evidenced by the survey findings, this resurgence of faith exemplifies a groundbreaking moment in our societal evolution. We’re witnessing a rebirth of spiritual engagement as a cornerstone for healing and hope.
A Facebook group that has been very popular since October 7 is a Hebrew-speaking online community called “Seculars who keep Shabbat.” Since the attacks, this group, boasting 10,000 members, has hosted non-stop discussions on religion and Shabbat. One post that particularly struck me speaks volumes:
“On October 7, we were given numerous signs that we had neglected our Judaism and our very essence – signs as unmistakable as an elephant. Sadly, not everyone grasped or internalized these messages. Nonetheless, a significant number are now taking a moment for introspection.”