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Our Jewishness
and the Jewishness of Israelis
Judaism
Peoplehood
Religion
Population of Israel, 2011
Others
4%
Arabs
21%
Jews
Arabs
Others
Jews
75%
Source: Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS)
Jewish streams in Israel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gjIK1hTR78
UltraOrthodox
Religious
Traditional
Secular: nonanti-religion
Secular: antireligion
How much do you keep Mitzvot?
Secular: anti-religion
Ultra-Orthodox
Keeping some Mitzvot
Keeping all the Mitzvot
Not keeping at all
Keeping many Mitzvot
Secular - ‫חילוני‬
• Most of them don’t keep Mitzvot (Kashrut,
Shabbat…)
• As seen before, the seculars can be divided to
“anti-religion” (usually atheists), and “nonanti-religion”.
Excerpt from: "The New Discovery of the Secular Believer."
(Daliah Shehori. Haaretz 12/9/02)
When they took part in a study on Jewish identity, students
at Ruppin College came up with a term to describe
themselves: "secular believer." Most of them—91 percent—
defined themselves as secular, and 10 percent of this group
described themselves as "anti-religious secular." Just seven
percent of those taking part in the study described
themselves as traditional, and two percent as national
religious. Nevertheless, the study indicated that beneath the
secular veneer lies a craving for tradition and religion, if not
exactly as Orthodox Jews would understand it. Instead they
seek a traditional religious life that is open and liberal—a
live-and-let-live Judaism, a post-modern approach that
accepts any expression of Jewish identity....
The term "secular believer" may sound like an oxymoron. On the
one hand secular, on the other believing in God, religion,
tradition. Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz and Hadar Franco conducted the
study and both are aware of the apparent contradiction. They
emphasize that the concept was proposed by those taking part
and must be further explored by additional research. Still,
Kopelowitz and Franco say this is an authentic, correct category
that has been lacking in public discourse. It is a category that
responds to the needs of a very large population of educated
secular young people. They want to define themselves as
complete Jews with a world view of their own that is not derived
from religious or ultra-Orthodox Judaism, and is independent of
both. By this conception, tradition should serve as a source of
strength, not a nuisance and not coercion.
The Reform and Conservative
movements
• The Reform and conservative movements in
Israel will usually consider themselves as
seculars.
• The Reform movement has about 35
congregations.
• The Conservative movement has about 50
congregations.
US Jews for comparison:
• 37% consider themselves secular (“only
cultural Jewish identity)
• 60% consider themselves religious (keeping
the Torah and the Mitzvot).
• This number include most of the reform and
conservative Jews, that although not keeping
most of the Mitzvot still consider themselves
religious.
Is being a secular Jew in Israel
different than being a secular
Jew in the US?
Traditional - ‫מסורתי‬
• About half keep Mitzvot, and half don’t.
Religious– ‫דתי‬
• Keeps all the Mitzvot, but is not UltraOrthodox
• Similar to the Orthodox stream in US
Ultra-Orthodox - ‫חרדי‬
Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rQjhNCU-Cw
Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3jf0OnT7Q&feature=related
What defines your identity in the best way?
The way I keep the tradition
(religious/ secular)
Ashkenazi / Sephardic
Jewish
Israeli
Percentage of answering “important” and “very important” to the question how
much it is important to follow the following traditions:
Brit Mila
Sitting
Shiv’a
Bar Mitzva Saying
Burial by
(for males) Kadish
the Jewish
when a
tradition
parent dies
Bat Mitzva
(for
females)
Marriage
with a Rabbi
How much are the Jewish holidays important to you and you
celebrate them?
Fast in Yom
Kippur
Light
Don’t eat Read the
candles Hametz in Megilah
on
Passover in Purim
Chanukah
Celebrate
Shavu’ot
traditionally
Having a
Passover
Seder
Celebrate
Jewish
holidays by
the tradition
“Strongly Believe” or “almost always believe” in:
There is a God
There is a reward for good deeds
There is a higher power that guides the world
There is punishment for bad deeds
Prayer can help a person go
out from a bad situation
The Jewish people are the chosen people
The Torah and Mitzvot are God’s will
There is life after death
Jew who does not keep
the Mitzvot endangers
all the Jewish nation
The Messiah will come
Jewish connections in the US
Percent
Half or more of close friends are Jewish
Hold/attend Passover Seder
Light Chanukah candles
Fast on Yom Kippur
Light Shabbat candles
Keep kosher at home
Attend Jewish religious service monthly or more
Belong to synagogue
Belong to JCC
Belong to other Jewish organization
Volunteer under Jewish auspices
Participate in adult Jewish education
52
67
72
59
28
21
27
46
21
28
25
24
Visited Israel
Visited Israel two or more times
Contribute to federation campaign
Contribute to Jewish cause (not federation)
Read Jewish newspaper/magazine
Read books with Jewish content
Listen to tape, CD, record with Jewish content
Watch movie with Jewish content
Use Internet for Jewish purposes
Regard being Jewish as very important
35
20
30
41
65
55
45
44
39
52
Is a man Jew if he is…
Converted by
the Rabbinate
but doesn’t
keep the
Mitzvot
Converted
with a nonOrthodox
Rabbi
Was born to a
Jewish father
and a nonJewish
mother
Feels Jewish
but his
parents are
not Jewish
Relationship between Israel and the
Diaspora
The Jewish people
in Israel are a
different people
than the Jewish
people abroad
Feels part of the
Jewish people of
the world
Jews in Israel and
the Diaspora have
the same fate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfp_eW9IQV4