In Israel, a Surprising Link Between Faith and Health

Does a person's level of religious observance affect their well-being? A new study from the Global Flourishing Study explored this question within Israel, surveying nearly 3,000 Jewish adults. Participants identified with one of five groups, ranging from secular (hiloni) to ultra-Orthodox (charedi).

“Moving from secular to ultra-Orthodox, Jewish Israelis report steadily higher life satisfaction and steadily lower anxiety and pain.”

Researchers then asked them about nine different aspects of their lives, including physical health, mental health, happiness, life satisfaction, depression, anxiety, and pain. The results revealed a striking and consistent pattern. For eight of the nine measures, well-being improved in a stepwise fashion along the spectrum of religious observance. As people's religious identity moved from secular to traditional to Orthodox, their self-reported levels of happiness, life satisfaction, and overall health steadily increased.

At the same time, their reported feelings of depression, anxiety, bodily pain, and general suffering steadily decreased. The ultra-Orthodox (charedi) group reported the highest levels of well-being and the lowest levels of distress overall. This 'dose-response' relationship, where more religious observance was linked to better outcomes, remained strong even after scientists accounted for other factors that influence health, like age, income, gender, and marital status. The study doesn't say that religion *causes* better health, but it uncovers a powerful connection between religious identity and a flourishing life for Jewish adults in Israel.