23rd Annual Student Research Conference
Secular Versus Orthodox In Modern Israel
Heidi L. Geisbuhler
Dr. Mark Appold, Faculty Mentor
The separation of church and state, a familiar dilemma that rarely fails to incite arguments and tempers, is a well-known cause of debate among Americans. Many Americans do not realize, however, that this same subject is being heatedly discussed in Israel. Because Israel is commonly known as the Jewish state, it may seem surprising that contention exists about the issue, but the nation is in fact rife with dissension. Israeli Jews today, most often divided between secular and Orthodox sympathies, face extreme internal strife due to their disagreement over the roles that religion and democracy should play in the nation. In this paper, I examine the two antagonistic extremes and why Israel continues to find itself consumed with domestic religio-political discord.
Keywords: Israel, Judaism, Religion
Topic(s):Philosophy & Religion
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 31-2
Location: MG 1090
Time: 9:45