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Anonymous
Anonymous asked in TravelAfrica & Middle EastIsrael · 2 weeks ago

In Israel, do Mizrahi Jews tend to vote for the right and Ashkenazi Jews tend to vote for the left?

3 Answers

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  • 2 weeks ago

    Mizrahi Jews tend to give monies for box of shoes (2 shoe in the box, not 1!!!!) with the more happiness!!

    Ashkenazi Jews tend to not give the monies with the more happiness!!

    Mizrahi Jews tend to vote for the right and Ashkenazi Jews tend to vote for the left shoe!

  • ?
    Lv 7
    2 weeks ago

    Yes, that is true... at least, statistically speaking. It's not an absolute rule, but it's what you normally assume if you know nothing else about them.

    Ashkenazi Jews worldwide have a tendency to be one of the more left-wing ethnic groups overall, as in most nations where they are they tend to be on the left. For example, the United States' Jews vote overwhelmingly for the Democrats (the left-wing party) and Ashkenazim represent about 80% of that group. In both the US and in Israel, Ashkenazi culture is still drawing from advances it made while in exile in Europe (particularly during enlightenment eras), which secularized the community on a large scale and introduced and cemented a lot of progressive and left-leaning ideals.

    Mizrahi Jews tend to be more on the right, by comparison. Historically, most were the more secular and leftist communities in the lands they lived in... but, we're comparing them to the Ashkenazim, which makes them look rightest by comparison. And left and right here are relative terms anyway, since Israel overall is still more left than most of the world in a lot of ways. Still, their communities have held onto their religiosity and traditional values to a better degree and were not as exposed to the same ideologies that influenced the Ashkenazi population. So, by comparison, they've remained on the right.

    Let's keep in mind this is not an absolute. I, for one, am more centrist and I'm Ashkenazi...well, mostly (I'm part Sephardi). There are far-left Mizrahim, and Ashkenazim who are more conservative too. One huge example are the Orthodox Jews in the United States, who voted more for Trump than their more secularized co-religionists. On the Mizrahi side, there were a few notable socialists and communists from Iraq, which placed them within leftist circles. Ultra-Orthodox and Haredi groups clearly don't take up the more left-leaning social movements, so they're definitely not leftist in regards to more modern conversations regarding gender and sex. The more cloistered neighborhoods of Jerusalem, particularly those who are Ashkenazi in majority and speak Yiddish on the streets, do not resemble the streets of Tel Aviv, including residents who are fully Mizrahi.

    Honestly, when it comes to Israel, I think there also needs to be an examination about the specific contexts which brought both communities home. I think a lot of the "left" policies that Ashkenazim vote for are just not trusted by the Mizrahi because their experiences left them bitter and doubtful. For example, Ashkenazim are far more willing to bend over backwards for peace with the Palestinians but Mizrahim are for firm on certain preconditions. They are more absolute on security issues, and tend to hold security issues a strong force determining their vote (and right-wing parties support more security measures). I've heard Mizrahim point out that they lived within Arab societies - many within living memory - so they believe the left won't be successful in negotiating a true peace with an Arab world that may not respect them. Whereas the Ashkenazim are hopeful, the Mizrahim cite their former lives and the fact they had to flee them on a massive scale to counter it.

  • Anonymous
    2 weeks ago

    Yes, Mizrahim support the right. But not for the reasons you think

    https://www.972mag.com/mizrahim-right-wing-ashkena...

    The majority of Ashkenazim in Israel today tend to vote for left-wing and centrist parties,

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashkenazi_Jews_in_Is...

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