A new survey conducted by Nishma Research has revealed sharp political divides within the Orthodox Jewish community in the U.S., particularly between Modern Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox Jews. The survey, which assessed presidential voting preferences amongUltra-Orthodox Jews and Modern Orthodox Jews, revealed a significant shift toward former President Donald Trump, especially among the Ultra-Orthodox. While Modern Orthodox Jews are currently split in their support, with 55% backing Vice President Kamala Harris and 45% supporting Trump, the Ultra-Orthodox overwhelmingly favor the former president. An astounding 93% of them said they would vote for Trump, compared to just 7% who support Harris. David Myers, a professor at UCLA and one of the study’s key contributors, commented on the results: “Non-Orthodox Jews continue to vote overwhelmingly for Democratic presidential candidates, but among Orthodox Jews—especially the Haredi—Republicans are far more popular. The issues of Israel and antisemitism are major drivers of this preference.” The data suggests a growing trend toward Trump among Orthodox voters, with his overall share of support increasing from 73% in September 2023 to 77% in the latest survey. Among the Ultra-Orthodox, all age and gender groups strongly favor Trump, while the Modern Orthodox community shows more variability, with younger women leaning toward Harris and older men backing Trump. The survey also highlighted the top issues shaping Orthodox political preferences. For both Modern Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox voters, Israel, antisemitism, and the economy rank highest. However, other concerns diverge, with the Modern Orthodox focusing more on American democracy, foreign affairs, and health care, while the Ultra-Orthodox are more concerned with crime, education, religious freedom, and immigration. When it comes to views on the candidates’ Israel policies, 79% of respondents hold a positive view of Trump’s policies, while just 29% approve of President Joe Biden’s stance on Israel, and 17% support Harris’s policies on the issue. Both Modern Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox voters place significant importance on local elections, with many splitting their vote between national and local candidates. Despite their overwhelming support for Trump at the presidential level, both groups tend to lean more Democratic in local elections. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)