JPPI wishes to investigate the attitude of Israeli Jews and of the State of Israel toward Christians and Christianity in Israel.
The purpose of this research is to understand the present situation, first with the understanding that the attitude toward Israel’s non-Jewish community is a precursor to wider ideological movements in the State of Israel, which reflect the way the State of Israel today understands the place of its non-Jewish citizens, and the relationship between them and the country’s Jews.
Examining these dynamics can shed light on hidden or emerging trends concerning racism, attitudes toward religions, minorities and more.
We will also attempt to find solutions to repair and improve these relations, understanding that there is strategic importance in improving the existing situation.
The research group reviews the changes that have taken place in the country and in Israeli society vis-à-vis Christians and Christianity, from the establishment of the state until today, based on: past events, literature on the topic, meetings with the heads of the Christian communities and “people in the field” dealing with the subject, and a questionnaire that examines the subject comprehensively. The research group will formulate policy proposals (goals, and ways to realize them), which will be published upon completion of the research, with the hope of delineating ways and means required to improve the attitude of the State of Israel and its Jewish citizens toward Christians and Christianity in Israel.
Project head: Prof. Michal Bar-Asher Siegal