Fundamentalism's encounters with citizenship: theHaredimin Israel

Abstract

This paper centers on the challenge that fundamentalist groups -such as the Israeli ultra-Orthodox community (the Haredim) -pose for citizenship. It focuses on two issues: challenges centering on contribution to and sacrifice for the Israeli nation-state; and alternatives that fundamentalism poses to definitions of citizenship. Empirically, it is based on research in three arenas: service in the Israeli military; a voluntary organization aiding state agencies after terror attacks (ZAKA), and a charitable association offering help in health and social welfare (Yad Sarah). Two trendschallenges to concepts of security and the state, and the weakening of the state in the economic sphere and social services -have opened up spaces for fundamentalist groups to operate in civil society and complement the state. The Haredi community has gradually developed a new concept of inclusion that both fits the state-centred view of citizenship and their own fundamentalist perspective.

The Effect of Religiosity on Political Attitudes in Israel

“…This may explain the tendency among non-religious veterans to level off their attitudes. At the same time, qualitative research by Stadler et al (2008) on ultra-Orthodox veterans showed that the IDF experience strengthens ethno-nationalist values among this very conservative, but initially ideologically “non-integrated” public. The radically simplified interpretation of the ethno-nationalist stance on Israeli Arabs suggests that the extended Jewish state can accommodate a subordinate Arab minority.…”

“…A brief overview of extant empirical works shows that the evidence is equivocal about the role of schisms in shaping political attitudes (Arian 1995; Peled 2013; Shelef 2010; Smooha 2002; 2005). On the one hand, research linking religion to political attitudes is burgeoning (Blackstone, Matsubayashi, and Oldmixon 2014; Federer-Shtayer and Meffert 2014; Fox 2011; 2012; Stadler, Lomsky-Feder, and Ben-Ari 2008; Wald and Martinez 2001). On the other hand, the impact of religiosity on attitudes can potentially be overshadowed by ideological or ethnic rifts (Ben Porat 2013; Peffley, Hutchison, and Shamir 2015; Peled 2013).…”

“…A religious person can be born, educated, married, employed, integrated politically, and eventually buried, all within a network of institutions controlled by the Orthodox religious community. Levels of commitment toward the in-group and rabbinical authorities are high, and come close to blind obedience, especially among the ultra-Orthodox (Ben Yehuda 2010; Freedman 1991; Stadler et al 2008). At the same time, outside pressures on the fast-growing Orthodox sector have made it impossible to preserve this social vacuum.…”

Israeli Ultra-Orthodoxy: Credit and Credibility

“…Commentators call attention to what they term 'the new ultra-Orthodox', that is, those who embrace consumerism and norms from outside their community (Caplan 2007;El-Or and Neria 2004;Sheleg 2000;Stadler et al 2008;Zilbershlag 2009). It seems, however, that their novelty is confined to availing themselves of new opportunities, leaving the credit currency of ultra-Orthodoxy unaltered.…”

Israel: state management of religion or religious management of the state?

“…In recent years, a growing unease among some sectors in the ultra-Orthodox world concerning their lack of participation in civic life (Stadler et al 2008) has given rise to initiatives such as the rescue brigades (ZAKA) for terror attack victims -and then for victims of other, less spectacular, incidents -which have been a vehicle for their pursuit of recognition as participant and contributing citizens. There are different interpretations of these phenomena, some seeing them as a symptom of adaptation and modernity and even erosion of haredi separation (Stadler 2009), while others see it as a 'haredization' of Israeli society, as the ultra-Orthodox way of life makes its appearance in previously unaccustomed contexts and places and as the haredi parties, notably Shas, the newest and biggest, exercise their influence in government and distribute the resources at their disposal to their actual and potential followers.…”