 The
political-religious connection
 A map of religious groups
 Some historical landmarks of religion in
Israel.
 The theological roots: attitude of four main
religious groups to Zionism and redemption
 Focus on UO sector: characteristics and
contemporary trends.
 (Radical RZ and Shas – overview)
 (The secular-Religious conflict in Israel).
“Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman”
Religion
Politics
Israeli
identity
“Dati”
(religious)
Right wing
politics
“Hiloni”
(secular)
Left wing
politics
Ultra
Orthodox
Religious
Lithuanian
Modern
Orthodox
Hassidic
Religious
Zionist
Sephardic
(Shas)
Radical
Religious
Zionist
Traditional
Secular
Mainstream
traditional
Nonreligious
“Masorti”
and Reform
streams
Antireligious
Hassidim –(30+ large groups)
Mainstream
Hassidim
Beltz
Gur, Kerlitz
Teshuva
Hassidim
Radical
Hassidim
Habad,
Breslov,
Neturei
Karta,
Satmar
 40-45%
 35%
secular (5% anti-religious)
- 40% “mesorati” (traditional)

(27% non religious “mesorati”

12% religious “mesorati”)
 9%-
12% Orthodox
 5-10%
Ultra-Orthodox
 1945
- Few UO Holocaust survivors
 1947 - Ben Gurion’s “Status quo” with Aguda.
 1949 - “Unified religious front” part of first
government (includes Haredim)
 1950’s - First conflicts: Aguda leaves
government over women soldiers, Ben Gurion
resigns over Yemenite’s religious education.
 1962 - Legal issues: Who is a Jew? Brother
Daniel.
 1977
– Religious parties caused downfall of
government over desecration of Sabbath.
 Gradually, increased power, more political
parties. (in current Knesset: 3 umbrella
parties)
 1999 – “the ½ million demonstration” against
high court’s anti religious bias.
 2000 – Tal Law – attempt to regulate and
minimize UO exemption from IDF service.
1. Extreme rejection of Zionism,
demonization of Israel.
2. Rejection of secular character of State.
3. Compartmentalization
4. Expansion: Israel=ongoing redemption.
 Deterministic
messianism
 Essentialism
 Perfectionism
This leads both to reject the state of
Israel, its law, and pragmatic politics.
(Ravitzky, 1993)
A
commitment to Jewish Israeli peoplehood
 An attempt to direct Israel to a more
religious path.
 (relatively) pragmatic political involvement.
The question of Zionism
 Stance towards modernity
 Stance towards the “secular”
 Stance towards army service, state civil religion
and “common narrative”.

 About
600,000 people today.
 Although presented as traditional, are a
modern phenomenon: traditionalists.
 Ultra Halachically observant; Orthopraxis as
core.
 Value religious radicalism.
 Enclave
community.
 Learners community.
 Comprehensive; religious norms govern all
areas of life from show lace tying to
agricultural planting.
 Hierarchical; “The table test”.
 Overtly, still a-zionist (most) or anti-zionist
(minority). However, many identify with Israeli
public; participate in Zionist political system.
 very
poor population (56% below poverty
line, earn on average ½ of Israeli
population’s salary)
 Strong gender segregation
 High rate of childbirth (n=6.5)
 Anti-modernity values, but not technology.
 Gradually changing in both radical and
modern directions.
 Complex theological changes.
“All the Great
leaders of Israel
have warned us that
the impurity of
Zionism is the root
and source of all the
troubles that are in
the world, spiritually
and concretely”.
“Answer to the
soldier and the
policeman
According to the laws of
the Torah it is forbidden
completely to transfer
Jewish land to a nonJew”.
Warning:
“Preserve your souls!
A serious warning to the
population that rides Geula
taxis between Bnei Brak and
Jerusalem: Beware, most of
the drivers are Arabs, avid
supporters of Hamas. Their
Koran commands every single
Arab to destroy the Jews”.
The danger of the
computer.
Recently new destructive
focres that we never
imagined have caused
many of us to bring into our
homes through computers
poison that kills, God
forbid, and threatens to
destroy the entire sanctity
of the Jewish home”