Between State and Synagogue The Secularization of Contemporary Israel [Hardcover]

Guy Ben-Porat explores the evolving tensions between the liberal component in Israeli society and the constraints imposed by religious orthodoxy.Guy Ben-Porat's thoughtful new book explores the evolving tensions between the secularization of Israeli society and the constraints imposed by religious orthodoxy. Even though these fissures often have more to do with lifestyle choices and economics than with political or religious ideology, the demands and choices of a secular public and a burgeoning religious presence in the government are becoming ever more difficult to reconcile. This book makes an important and timely contribution to the study of contemporary Israeli society, as it looks beyond the formal arena of politics to understand the changing role of religion in public life.Guy Ben-Porat's thoughtful new book explores the evolving tensions between the secularization of Israeli society and the constraints imposed by religious orthodoxy. Even though these fissures often have more to do with lifestyle choices and economics than with political or religious ideology, the demands and choices of a secular public and a burgeoning religious presence in the government are becoming ever more difficult to reconcile. This book makes an important and timely contribution to the study of contemporary Israeli society, as it looks beyond the formal arena of politics to understand the changing role of religion in public life.A thriving, yet small, liberal component in Israeli society has frequently taken issue with the constraints imposed by religious orthodoxy, largely with limited success. However, Guy Ben-Porat suggests, in recent years, in part because of demographic changes and in part because of the influence of an increasingly consumer-oriented society, dramatic changes have occurred in secularization of significant parts of public and private lives. Even though these fissures often have more to do with lifestyle choices and economics than with political or religious ideoll³$