“Hosts, not guests, in Israel”: younger generations of Russian Israelis on the path to active citizenship

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographics of survey respondents in 2001, 2017 and 2021.

	Gen 1.0 (2001)	Gen 1.5 (2017)	Gen 2.0 (2021)
Number	804	650	1322
Mean age + range	46 (28–60)	35.4 (25–46)	28.5 (18–32)
Mean age at Aliya	33 (18–55)	12 (6–16)	Israel-born or <5
Tenure in Israel	7.2	21.3 (16–28)	since birth
% Women	51	65	75
% Academic degrees	61	77	70 (incl. students)
% Married with children	78	66	38
% From Moscow or SPb	16	12	6
% Living in GTA	14	39	31
% Income above average	13	42	20
% Israeli primary identity	12	78	99
% Secular or atheist	91	72	83
% Jewish by religious def.	89	71	75

Table 2. Indicators of political/civic participation by generation and gender (%).

	Gen 1.5 (2017)		Gen 2.0 (2021)
	Men	Women	Men	Women
My politics are:
Same as my parents	52	49	50	47
Somewhat more to the Left	13	17	24	28
Much more to the Left	11	14	10	19
Somewhat more to the Right	15	9	12	5
Much more to the Right	8	3	4	3
Any party members/activists
Today	6	3	5	2
Ever in the past	9	5	10	4
Street protests & demos	19	12	15	13
Volunteering
Now	10	13	12	9
In the past	21	25	28	32
Active in online forums	20	27	30	37

Table 3. Feelings of discrimination and second-rate citizenship: response to survey statements (% of those who fully/partly agree).

Statement	Gen 1.5 (2017)		Gen 2.0 (2021)
	Men	Women	Men	Women
If I was born Sabra, I’d have achieved more in life	46	43	50	47
Negative stereotypes and discrimination of “Russians” is still common	40	39	58	66
Being “Russian” I was often isolated or bullied at school	56	53	52	51
In the military, in college or at work, I often felt inferior or excluded	25	22	25	20
“Russians” should organize better to assert our rights in Israel	44	41	47	44
I often hide my Russian origin in social interactions	6	5	10	5

Table 4. Attitudes towards divisive socio-political issues among Russian Israeli Gens 1.5 and 2.0 (% of full/partial agreement).

Statement	Gen 1.5 (2017)		Gen 2.0 (2021)
	Men	Women	Men	Women
Religion in Israel should be separate from the state	82	86	85	88
Peace with Palestinians should be promoted at all costs	22	28	26	31
West Bank occupation must end	12	17	8	14
Some discrimination of Muslims in the Jewish State is legitimate	16	13	13	12
I oppose marriage to non-Jews on national and religious grounds	13	11	18	11
IDF service was important in shaping my Israeli identity	49	41	58	52
Ties forged in the army help me to this day	NA		35	24
I support the Mizrahi cause: they were discriminated just like “Russians”	22	18	33	28
Ethiopian immigrants in Israel experience discrimination and racism	68	73	70	76
Arab Israelis are second-rate citizens	67	71	77	84
I support full equality and inclusion for sexual/gender minorities	78	83	87	97
I share feminist ideology and support women’s movement	71	87	84	95