No matter how much the chilonim (secular Jews) dislike it the number of religious/observant Jews just keeps going up! And that number is affecting the IDF and IAF.
CBS Poll: Israelis More Religious
9/12/2010
A poll of Israel’s Jewish population by the Central Bureau of Statistics shows that 58% of Israeli Jews classify themselves as traditional or religious, to varying degrees. 42% called themselves “secular,” while 25% said they were traditional, but not necessarily religious. Another 13% termed themselves traditional religious, while 12% used the term “religious” alone. Another 8% said they were hareidi-religious.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/193922#.T49MEFEzfN4
Survey: Israelis Grow More Religiously Observant
9/12/2010
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/139584#.T49McVEzfN4
22% Religious Among New IDF Officers
2/17/2011
Among the 377 new IDF officers who received their ranks in a festive ceremony in Mitzpeh Ramon yesterday are 18 females (4.8%) and 83 religious officers (22%).
It was also reported that 18.5% of the new officers live in kibbutzim, moshavim and the like, nearly 20% live in communal towns, and 61.5% live in cities.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/142388#.T49LLlEzfN4
58 Percent of Jewish Israelis are Religious or ‘Traditionalist’
9/26/2011
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/148286#.T49NHlEzfN4
Study: Belief in G-d, Religious Observance on the Rise
1/26/2012
A new study shows that 80% of Israeli Jews believe in G-d. The study by the Gutman Center of the Israel Democracy Institute, conducted on behalf of the Avi-Chai fund, polled thousands of Israelis in the past several years, and discovered that the number of Israeli Jews who believe in G-d and practice a religious lifestyle is on the upswing.
Analysts speaking on Army Radio Thursday said that, while the previous studies showed a continuous decline in the level of belief among Jews in Israel during the 1990s, the latest study shows a significant increase in belief since 2000. The poll showed that 77% of Israeli Jews believe in a “divine power” that guides the world, and that 72% believe that prayer has the power to improve their lives. 67% believe that Jews are the chosen people, and 65% believe that the Torah and its commandments are of Divine origin. In addition, 34% believe that Jews who do not observe the Torah are endangering their fellow Jews and Israelis.
The poll also showed a marked change in the number of Israeli Jews who consider themselves “religious” or “observant.” In the latest study, 15% consider themselves “religious” (“Dati”), compared to 11% in 1999, while 7% said they were Hareidi, compared to 5% in the previous study. 32% said they were “traditional” (“Mesorati”), compared to 32% in 1999. 43% of Israelis in the current study consider themselves “secular” (“chiloni”), compared to 46% in 1999, while 3% today said they were “anti-religious,” compared to 6% a decade ago.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/152129#.T49Nz1EzfN4
And religious Jews have as many children as they can, as opposed to the chilonim who have one or two kids at most. All the rabbinate have to do is permit polygamy, and those that can afford it and want it will be able to make even more babies. So much for the Arabs one day outnumbering us. They’re having less kids, I hear.