One in four Jewish Israelis either celebrate Christmas or are considering doing so this year, according to a new survey by the Mashav Channel in partnership with the Tzohar Index for Judaism and Tradition.
The poll, conducted among a representative online panel of Jewish Israelis, comes amid the growing public visibility of Christmas in Israel. The findings were released in the lead-up to December 25.
The survey found that 75% of respondents do not intend to celebrate Christmas, while 25% said they will celebrate or are considering it. Of those 25%, 15% plan to mark the holiday, and 10% are undecided.
The poll reflects the wider cultural presence of Christmas in Israeli public spaces, including markets, decorations, and seasonal events.
Tzohar chief urges strengthening Jewish identity.
Rabbi David Stav, chairman of the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization, linked the trend to two main factors: immigrants accustomed to the holiday in their countries of origin and Israelis who grew up without a significant Jewish identity at home.
“In the State of Israel, it is especially important to deepen and strengthen our Judaism and Jewish identity, without blurring it with components of other religions,” he said.
While Christmas originates as a Christian religious holiday, its modern global popularity extends well beyond faith communities. In Israel, public observance raises recurring debates about identity, tradition, and cultural boundaries.
The discussion is sharpened by Israel’s unique history and the experiences of Jewish communities in Europe, where Christmas Eve was often marked by caution due to antisemitic violence.
Recent reports by The Jerusalem Post highlighted the renewed visibility of Christmas across the region, including the return of Christmas tourism to Nazareth and a tree-lighting in Bethlehem after a two-year hiatus.
In recent years, Christmas-themed events inside Israel have become more visible in mixed and Christian-majority cities. Haifa’s multicultural Holiday of Holidays festival, organized with Beit Hagefen, anchors December programming in the north, while Christmas returns to Nazareth has drawn visitors back to markets and parades, and Bethlehem’s tree-lighting resumed after two subdued seasons, signaling a broader regional rebound.
Christians comprise roughly 2% of Israel’s population, with steady growth reported by the Central Bureau of Statistics in recent years. Most are Arab Christians, concentrated in cities such as Nazareth, Haifa, Jerusalem, and Shfaram, according to CBS data.