Jerusalem was the city with the largest population of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish residents in Israel in 2022, reaching 290,090 people. The community accounted for almost 30 percent of the city's total population. The town with the second-highest number of Ultra-Orthodox Jews was Bnei Brak, with 202,960 residents. Beit Shemesh and Modi'in Illit also made up a sizable portion of the Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel.

The two countries with the greatest shares of the world's Jewish population are the United States and Israel. The United States had been a hub of Jewish immigration since the nineteenth century, as Jewish people sought to escape persecution in Europe by emigrating across the Atlantic. The Jewish population in the U.S. is largely congregated in major urban areas, such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, with the New York metropolitan area being the city with the second largest Jewish population worldwide, after Tel Aviv, Israel. Israel is the world's only officially Jewish state, having been founded in 1948 following the first Arab-Israeli War. While Jews had been emigrating to the holy lands since the nineteenth century, when they were controlled by the Ottoman Empire, immigration increased rapidly following the establishment of the state of Israel. Jewish communities in Eastern Europe who had survived the Holocaust saw Israel as a haven from persecution, while the state encouraged immigration from Jewish communities in other regions, notably the Middle East & North Africa. Smaller Jewish communities remain in Europe in countries such as France, the UK, and Germany, and in other countries which were hotspots for Jewish migration in the twentieth century, such as Canada and Argentina.

Israel's population is aging steadily, with the median age projected to rise from 29 years in 2020 to 32 years by 2050. This demographic shift reflects global trends of increasing life expectancy and declining birth rates, though Israel maintained a relatively young population compared to many developed nations. The country's unique religious and cultural makeup contributed to regional variations in age distribution, presenting both opportunities and challenges for policymakers. Which region has the oldest population? As of 2023, over a quarter of Israelis were under the age of 14 years. The largest age group in the country being four-year olds and below. Interestingly, significant regional differences existed within the country when it came to age distribution and aging. While the median age in the Jerusalem district was below 24, Tel Aviv was the oldest region with an average age of over 34 years, highlighting significant demographic variations across different areas. How does religion influence demographics? Religious affiliation played a role in Israel's age structure and demographics. Muslims are the youngest religious group with a median age of 24 years, while Christians of Arab ethnicity are the oldest, at 35 years. Jews, the largest religious-ethnic group, had a median age of almost 32 years, but within the Jewish demographic, age and fertility varied greatly between people based on religiosity. These differences play a significant role in the country's population and future growth patterns.

In 2022, internal migration from Jerusalem to the city of Bet Shemesh accounted for 18.1 percent of all migration from the city that year. It was closely followed by migration to Tel Aviv-Yafo, which accounted for 6.2 percent, and the city of Givat Ze'ev, which accounted for 4.4 percent. The city of Bnei Brak, where many Orthodox Jewish people reside, followed with 3.8 percent.

In 2022, internal migration to Jerusalem from the city of Bet Shemesh accounted for 6.8 percent of all migration to the city that year. It was closely followed by Tel Aviv-Yafo, which accounted for 6.1 percent. The Jewish-Orthodox-dominated cities of Bnei Brak and Betar Illiit follow on the list with 5.7 and 3.7 percent of migration to Jerusalem, respectively.

In 2022, 40.5 grooms were married for the first time, per 1,000 single Jewish men in Israel. This reflected a decline of less than one percent in marriage rates from the previous year. During 2020, a temporary drop in marriages occurred due to restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic. Overall, during the observed period, the marriage rate of Jewish men at prime age, declined by about 10 percent.

The Israeli automotive market in 2023 showcased a clear preference for Japanese and South Korean brands. Hyundai was the market leader at 15.9 percent of new passenger vehicle registration, followed by Kia and Toyota, which captured 12.4 percent and 11.5 percent respectively. The dominance of these manufacturers reflects a long-standing preference among Israeli car buyers, where East Asian vehicles have consistently held top positions. Nevertheless, the growing popularity of electric vehicles is beginning to challenge the supremacy of traditional exporting countries. Will the Chinese EV revolution persist? While gasoline-powered cars still dominate Israeli roads, electric vehicles (EV) are experiencing rapid growth. By the end of 2023, the local EV fleet reached new heights, more than doubling its size in a year, to nearly 96,000 cars. Chinese manufacturers are leading this transition, with BYD emerging as the most popular EV brand in the country. That year, almost 32,000 new Chinese-made electric cars were registered, accounting for over 60 percent of all new EVs. However, industry watchers have noted that a new tariff regime introduced by the European Union on Chinese cars, may also negatively impact the neighboring Israeli market in coming years. Private car ownership is on the rise The overall number of passenger cars in Israel has steadily increased, reaching over 3.4 million in 2022. Factors such as insufficient public transit infrastructure and further restrictions on its running on the Sabbath, encourage many in the Jewish state to rely on private means transportation. Current passenger car ownership rates stand at 361 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants, below the OECD average. This suggests the market still has room to grow. However, increasing car ownership will present a challenge for the small country, in terms of growing road congestion.

The 2022 Israeli parliamentary elections saw the Likud party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, secure 32 seats in the 120-member Knesset. This victory marked a return to power for Netanyahu, who had previously served as prime minister for over a decade. Yesh Atid, led by Yair Lapid, was the second-largest party in Knesset, with 24 seats. The party was instrumental in forming the previous coalition government, which deprived Netanyahu of the premiership for about a year and a half. However, the election results and subsequent political developments have highlighted the complexity of Israeli politics and the capricious nature of the Prime Miniter’s support.

Will Benjamin Netanyahu overcome the post-war backlash? Despite his electoral success, Prime Minister Netanyahu has faced growing disapproval since taking office. By spring 2024, 58% of Israeli adults held an unfavorable opinion of the prime minister, with only 41% viewing him favorably. This decline in popularity has been particularly pronounced since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, indicating a difficult electoral challenge ahead.

Regional voting patterns hint at ideological clashes The 2022 election results revealed significant regional differences across Israel. Voters from Tel Aviv supported the centrist opposition party Yesh Atid, which won almost 33 percent of their votes. The party outperformed Netanyahu's Likud party, which garnered only 17 percent of Tel Aviv ballots. Conversely, in Jerusalem, the Likud received just over 19 percent of votes, while their allies in the ultra-orthodox parties secured over 40 percent of local support. The opposition Yesh Atid party won only 7.5 percent of the votes in the capital. The split between the Israel’s two largest cities mirrors divides across the nation, largely falling on lines of wealth, religion, and social background.