J Street published a poll of 800 Jewish voters on November 4 that is scary. When asked to “rate your feelings,” warm versus cold, they favor Benjamin Netanyahu by 53-24 percent but fewer warm up to Obama– 48-44. Notice the unfavorables for Obama are nearly twice Netanyahu’s. Hillary Clinton they favor, 61-31. And only Sheldon Adelson is in the doghouse. 10 percent favorable, 30 percent unfavorable. Jon Stewart does a lot better.

The Jewish numbers are better than Americans generally, who have a 44 percent favorable rating of Obama, and a 50 percent unfavorable rating.

The data from a liberal Jewish organization shows staunch support for the rightwing Israeli government. Jewish voters supported the Gaza slaughter 80-20 and are against pressuring Israel to stop settlements in the West Bank, or pressure Israel to accept a peace deal. This poll exposes the attitudes that are the basis of my statement that the Jewish community is reactionary on the Israel/Palestine issue.

Let’s whip through some of the numbers. The Jewish voters don’t care about Iran, didn’t vote on that basis. Domestic issues were most important to them.

These folks are officially liberals: by 69-28 they voted Democratic over Republican last election, and they’ll vote for Hillary over Rand Paul by 70-22.

Now here are some specific folks they register their feelings about. Numbers are Favorable/Unfavorable:

Barack Obama ………………………………………………………………………48 44

Democratic Party …………………………………………………………………..50 38 Republican Party……………………………………………………………………20 71 Hillary Clinton………………………………………………………………………61 31 John Boehner………………………………………………………………………..12 65

Benjamin Netanyahu………………………………………………………………53 24

Sheldon Adelson……………………………………………………………………10 30

Jon Stewart…………………………………………………………………………..45 27

Well at least they thought more of Jon Stewart than Sheldon Adelson.

They’re against putting pressure on Israel:

Would you support or oppose the United States playing an active role in helping the parties to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict if it meant the United States exerting pressure on Israel to make the compromises necessary to achieve peace?

54-46 opposed. That’s why the disapproval numbers of Obama are so high.

Approve of Israel’s actions in Gaza this summer? Yep. 80/20.

They support a deal with Iran, overwhelmingly. But only 28 percent say that Israel should suspend all settlement construction in the West Bank.

This is interesting:

Support/oppose BDS, 15/85

Support/oppose settlement products boycott, 20/80.

So Peter Beinart is little more popular in the Jewish community than Omar Barghouti.

As for religious observance: 77 percent say they go to a synagogue a few times a year or fewer, and only 64 percent are members of congregations. These folks are secular.

The group is heavily weighted generationally: 29 percent over 64; 59 percent over 50. So the Jewish population is aging remarkably.

These numbers help explain the Israel lobby. It’s older Jews. And they’re Democrats. Let’s not blame John Hagee and the Christian Zionists, they have little influence over the Democratic Party. These folks are the reason Obama isn’t pressuring Israel on the unending settlements, let alone saying anything strong about the crushing of Palestinian life in Jerusalem. They don’t care about Palestinian life. They approve the Gaza slaughter and think Netanyahu is doing a helluva job.

(A writer at The Hill says the poll shows that Jews are beginning to consider Republicans, 30 percent are anyway, in part because Obama was critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza.)