Relations Between Religious and Nonreligious Jews in Israel

Abstract

This study investigates the cognitions, attitudes and behavioral intentions concerning interpersonal contact between nonreligious and religious Jews in Israel. The hypothesis examined is that distance from Jewish tradition is related to a negative orientation regarding questions of state and religion, tolerance for demands on the part of observant Jews to further religious goals on the state level, and the social distance between religious and nonreligious Jews. The data for this study are based on closed ended questionnaires completed by 671 Jewish male and female Israeli university students. The findings indicate that those who identify themselves as more religious observe more ritual, have a more positive orientation toward an intertwining of religion and state on a macro level and to the specific demands for the observance of religious life in the public sector, and prefer contact with religious persons over contact with nonreligious persons. At the same time, the social contacts between the religious and nonreligious are characterized by more informal than formal isolation. These findings are discussed with regard to the question of social integration among Jews in Israeli society.This study examines the cognitions and attitudes of Jews of different religiosity levels in Israel and how they relate to interpersonal contact. Fishbein and Ajzen (1975), (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980) argue that attitudes, or the emotional orientations that one holds toward an attitude subject, stem from a weighted consideration of the cognitive information that one has regarding the subject. They further contend that attitudes lead only to behavioral intentions regarding the attitude subject. Correspondence between intentions and actual behavior depends on the social norms _____________ *

religiosity and perceptions of crime seriousness by jewish and muslim respondents in israel

“…Recent studies (e.g., Levy et al 1997; see also Peres 1992;Tabory 1991) indicate that about one-fifth of Israeli Jews defined themselves as religious (masorti: traditional), observing religious precepts, and more than one-tenth are very religiousstrictly observant (dati=charadi: religious-Orthodox). Of the four religious movements among Jews in the United States, namely Reformist, Conservative, Orthodox, and Reconstructionist, only the Orthodox has a significant presence in Israel, so the reference to religious groups in that country is mostly to the Orthodox.…”

“…This measure was limited in that it excluded behavioral dimensions of religiosity, such as attendance at religious services (see, e.g., Burkett and White 1974;Higgins and Albrecht 1977;Hirschi and Stark 1969;Jensen and Erickson 1979;Junger and Polder 1993). Nevertheless, self-definition in terms of levels of religious practice and identifications appears to be the most common categorization in terms of religiosity in Israel, used by the public at large and by studies on religiosity (Levy et al 1997;Peres 1992;Tabory 1991).…”

An Empirical Test of Feminist Theory and Research

“…The research sample was shown to be a fairly homogeneous group with regard to ethnicity, religiosity, and status in the country: The majority of the respondents were Jewish, secular, Israeli-born or veteran citizen, married men (data on the population: 52% women; 77% Jewish; 63% secular; 83% Israeli-born or veteran; Central Bureau of Statistics, 2004). In this regard, note that self-definition in terms of levels of religious practice and identifications appears to be the most common categorization in terms of religiosity in Israel, used by the public at large and by studies on religiosity (e.g., Peres 1992;Tabory, 1991). Two thirds of the sample reported monthly family incomes of more than 5,000 New Israeli Shekels (NIS; about US$1,000).…”

Counseling Psychology in Israel

“…Therefore, the existence of these groups, who hold different ideas concerning lifestyle, education, community structure and dynamics, politics, and almost everything else, is responsible for continuous social tensions (Tabory, 1991) and political and identity problems (Porat, 1992;Sharot, 1990). Therefore, the existence of these groups, who hold different ideas concerning lifestyle, education, community structure and dynamics, politics, and almost everything else, is responsible for continuous social tensions (Tabory, 1991) and political and identity problems (Porat, 1992;Sharot, 1990).…”

“…There is no legal separation between state and church in Israel. Therefore, the existence of these groups, who hold different ideas concerning lifestyle, education, community structure and dynamics, politics, and almost everything else, is responsible for continuous social tensions (Tabory, 1991) and political and identity problems (Porat, 1992;Sharot, 1990). Nonsecular Jews, especially Haredim, experience personal conflicts with modern lifestyle and traditions (Fishman, 1995).…”