On the upcoming holiday of Shavuot, we will read the Book of Ruth, reminding us once again of the significant difference between conversion then and today: Speedy conversion seems to have been the norm in the days of Ruth, the woman who would become the grandmother of the ultimate King of Israel – King David – and by contrast –…

The most conspicuous characteristic of Israel as the Jewish nation-state is the Law of Return, which permits not only Jews to enter the country, but also non-Jews who are related to them by specified family ties. As a result, of the more than a million Aliya-eligible persons who have immigrated to Israel from the former Soviet Union, about a third…

During the recent election campaign, the differentiation of left-wing versus right-wing did not concern the occupied territories. Rather, the focus was on an even more acute question: What kind of democracy exists in Israel, and what are its fundamental values? The clear victory by the right is an indication of the answer chosen by most Israeli citizens: Israel is a…

In today’s Israel, so heavily under the influence of identity politics, is there still a need for a religious Zionist party, which, even as it extols the virtues of placing country above party and ideology—remains very much a sectoral phenomenon? The ultra-Orthodox and the Arabs seek to disengage from Israeli society and maintain their separate identities (religious and national, separately).…

The last few months have clearly demonstrated that achieving democracy is a painful process. We’re nearing the finish line, exhausted and aching. We’ve bared our claws, shamelessly vilified our opponents, made outrageous assertions, and not shied away from telling brazen lies. We made promises we knew we couldn’t keep and did precisely the opposite of what we promised. We squeezed…

According to the polls, the religious-Zionists and ultra-Orthodox will hold a disproportionate number of seats in the next Knesset, as compared to their share of the adult population, which is estimated at 21%. There is nothing new about the fact that the religious and ultra-Orthodox parties—Torah Judaism, the Union of Right-Wing Parties, and Shas—are on the road to winning about…

The merger between the Jewish Home party and Otzma LeYisrael (“Strength for Israel” – a far-right political party) marks the end of an era. Since the founding of the State of Israel, the prominent Religious-Zionist parties have played a central role – yet they have now joined forces with the dangerous fringes on the extreme right.  As a result Religious-Zionism has…

Would you let one soccer team decide for its opponent – which players can take the field, in an upcoming match? The very question is absurd, because the conflict of interest reeks to high heaven. But this is precisely the situation of our Central Elections Committee (CEC), which rules on the disqualification of Knesset candidates and lists. Its members represent…

The following is an op-ed originally published by the Jerusalem Post A recent report from the Religious Affairs Ministry, which oversees the Chief Rabbinate, points to a significant drop in Jewish Israeli couples marrying through their auspices, the only legal option for Israeli Jews. The report notes a 6.2% decrease in rabbinate marriages in 2018, and a similar trend from 2017 to…