Religion and politics in Israel: Boundaries and values

Religion and religiosity are a common theme in Israeli politics and play a large part in Israel’s social schisms. Scholars of religion and politics in Israel demonstrate that growing secularization occurs alongside religious resurgence and the entrenchment of religious institutional authority. In this chapter is explained the limitations of secularization by the role religion performs in Israel to maintain Jewish dominance. First, religion continues to delineate boundaries essential for the Jewish state. Being Jewish remains an important criteria for citizenship and rights, creating a hierarchy of citizenship and providing a legitimacy for it. Religion is also a reference point for values separating the “people” from the “elites.” Accordingly, religion helps separate not only Jews from non-Jews, but also “good” (i.e. traditional and committed) from “bad” Jews (i.e. secular and detached). This separation has become an essential tool for political parties claiming to represent the Jewish people.