Hiddush Releases Israeli Tu B’Av Poll on Marriage Freedom

Smith Institute poll for Hiddush ahead of Tu B’Av: 65% of the Jewish public supports Israel recognizing marriage freedom; among voters of the parties intending to form the ‘government of change’ after the elections: 86–93%

JERUSALEM, Israel – July 28, 2026

65% of Israel’s Jewish public with an opinion on the matter support Israel recognizing all types of marriage, including civil, Conservative, and Reform marriages. Among the secular public, support stands at 89%, and even 24% of those who define themselves as religious support marriage freedom.

This is according to a poll conducted by the Smith Institute on behalf of Hiddush – Freedom of Religion for Israel, ahead of Tu B’Av (15th of Av, the Jewish equivalent of Valentine’s Day), which falls this year roughly three months before the Knesset elections.

According to the poll’s findings, among voters for the parties that, per current polling, may form the next government, there is overwhelming majority support — including 93% of those intending to vote for B’Yachad, 90% for Democrats, 90% for Yashar, and 86% for Yisrael Beiteinu. Even among undecided voters who have not yet chosen who to vote for, a majority (55%) support marriage freedom. The data also point to liberal voters drifting away from Likud: while 60% of those who voted Likud in the last election support state recognition of all types of marriage, among those who currently intend to vote Likud in the upcoming election, support stands at only 47%.

The poll also asked: “Assuming all options existed and were equally recognized under law, if you or one of your children wanted to marry, which framework would you choose for the marriage?” Among those with an opinion, only about half (49%) of the Jewish public would choose an Orthodox wedding, 16% would choose a Conservative or Reform wedding, 20% would choose a civil marriage (11% a civil marriage abroad, 9% a ‘Utah marriage’), and 15% would choose to live together without a formal marriage. Notably, a relatively high share — 25% — expressed no opinion on the question.

Looking specifically at the preferences of the secular public — the largest group within Israel’s Jewish population — only 13% would choose an Orthodox wedding, while 35% prefer civil marriage (19% abroad and 16% via a ‘Utah marriage’ without leaving the country), 27% prefer living together without marriage, and 25% prefer a Reform or Conservative wedding.

Rabbi Uri Regev, CEO of Hiddush – Freedom of Religion for Israel, responded to the poll’s findings, saying: “These findings justify demanding that the parties seeking to form the next government clarify their positions and commitments regarding the establishment of marriage freedom in Israel after the elections. This need is especially urgent given the reality in which hundreds of thousands of citizens are denied the fundamental right to marry, and millions more are denied the right to marry in a manner that respects their faith and way of life — all in the face of the unequivocal position held by these parties’ own voters. In the previous ‘government of change,’ Bennett and his allies forced their coalition partners to bury marriage freedom, which some of the other parties had sought to advance. This failure must not be repeated. We must stop subordinating the values of democracy and the freedom of religion and conscience promised in the Declaration of Independence to religious coercion and the extortion of any particular party. On Tu B’Av, the holiday of love, we must declare that election day on October 27 should also mark the triumph of love.”

Methodology

The poll was conducted between July 13–16, 2026, among an expanded representative sample of 800 adult members (ages 18+) of Israel’s Jewish population. Margin of error: 3.3%.

About Hiddush

Hiddush – Freedom of Religion for Israel is a non-denominational, non-partisan Israel-Diaspora nonprofit dedicated to advancing religious freedom and equality, as envisioned in Israel’s Declaration of Independence. Founded in 2009, Hiddush mobilizes grassroots support, conducts research and polling, provides legal assistance to victims of religious discrimination, and advocates in the legal system and with policymakers. Hiddush works to strengthen Israel as both a democracy and a Jewish state, while fostering ties with world Jewry.