| Description |
1 online resource (267 pages) |
| Contents |
Cover; Title Page; Copyright; Contents; Foreword; Acknowledgments; 1. Introduction; Part I: The Development of the Religious Parties; 2. The Parties of Participation; 3. The Parties of Separatism; Part II: Structure and Strength of the Current Parties; 4. Organization, Membership, and Leadership; 5. The Voters; Part III: The Parties in the System; 6. Mafdal and the Nationalization of Religion; 7. Education; 8. ""Who Is a Jew?; 9. Conclusion: Religious Parties in a Modern State; Notes; Bibliography; Index |
| Summary |
Tradition and Politics is acomprehensive study of the religious parties of Israel. Gary S. Schiff traces the religious parties of the modern state of Israel from their origins in Europe early in the twentieth century to, in response and reaction to the rise of Zionism, their transplantation to Palestine, their adaptation to the new realities, their participation in the quazi-government of the Jewish community under the British mandate, and their unfolding roles after independence. Schiff examines a subject that has long fascinated and perplexed observers of the Israeli scene: the existence of four separate and distinct religious political parties within the Israeli political spectrum. Each party claims to be the one exponent of traditional Judaism; each demonstrates a distinctive political personality based on its historical development and ideological perspective. Religious (traditionalist) parties emerge in reaction to the pressures and predicaments of modernization and help to legitimize modernizing states in the eyes of traditional sectors of the public. Schiff finds the key to the uniqueness of the Israeli parties to be their divergent attitudes toward the relationship between tradition and modernity. After the labyrinthine histories of Israel⁰́₉s religious parties in both pre-state and post-independent eras, Schiff turns his attention to several key religious and state institutions: the Ministry of Religions, the chief rabbinate, and the separate religious school systems, and to some of the controversial issues that have racked Israeli society⁰́₄for example, the question of ⁰́Who is a Jew?⁰́₊ and the controversy over Sabbath legislation. He concludes with an analysis of the special significance of the religious parties in the Israeli political system |
| Notes |
The publication of this volume in a freely accessible digital format has been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Mellon Foundation through their Humanities Open Book Program |
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Gary S. Schiff was director of Middle East Affairs, National Jewish Community Relations Advisory council, and visiting assistant professor of political science at Yeshiva University. He received a Ph. D. in political science at The City College, City University of New York |
| Subject |
Political parties -- Israel -- History
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Religion and state -- Israel -- History
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Religious Zionism -- History
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HIS019000.
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LITERARY CRITICISM -- Subjects & Themes -- Politics.
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RELIGION -- Judaism -- History.
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Politics and government
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Political parties
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Religion and state
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Religious Zionism
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Israel -- Politics and government.
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Israel
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| Genre/Form |
History
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| Form |
Electronic book
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| ISBN |
0814343902 |
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9780814343906 |
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