74% of Israeli Jews fast on Yom Kippur — Jerusalem Post
In Israel, 74% of Jews observe a fast on Yom Kippur, while 57% attend prayer services on that day. The Jerusalem Post cites the results of a survey by the Israel Democracy Institute.
Among respondents, 63% fast completely, while another 11% do so partially — for part of the day or not every year. Among secular Jews, 47% fast: 28% observe a complete fast and 19% a partial one. At the same time, the figure is 90% among traditional non-religious Jews, including 77% who fast completely. Among Haredi, religious, and religious-traditional Jews, 97–98% observe a complete fast.
Differences between groups
A complete fast is observed by 81% of Mizrahi Jews and 50.5% of Ashkenazi Jews. Men fast completely slightly more often than women — 65% versus 61%. A partial fast is observed by 13% of women and 10% of men. The gender difference was recorded only in the 18-to-44 age group: among respondents older than 44, the share of those who fast completely is the same.
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According to the study, only a small proportion of those who fast partially or do not fast at all are older people. This may indicate that the reasons for this choice are more likely related to health or matters of principle.
Participation in prayers
Orthodox Yom Kippur services are attended by 51% of Israeli Jews, while another 6% take part in Reform or Conservative services. Among religious-traditional Jews, 90% participate in prayers, compared with 67% of traditional non-religious Jews and 20% of secular Jews.
For 18% of Israeli Jews, attending a synagogue on Yom Kippur is their only such visit during the year. This figure stands at 37% among traditional non-religious Jews, 21% among religious-traditional Jews, and 16% among secular Jews. The survey was conducted in July–August 2026 among 1,002 Jewish respondents aged 18 and older; the maximum sampling error was 3.1%.
