June 12, 2014
8:51 pm

Dana International (photo credit: courtesy)

Dana International’s gay pride video causes stir

Clip of Israeli transsexual star dancing suggestively in a synagogue in front of children has been taken offline

By Yousur Alhlou

May 8, 2014
8:32 pm

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the 4th Likud Party conference in Tel-Aviv. May 07, 2014. (photo credit: Tomer Neuberg/FLASH90)

Netanyahu reported to say legal system based on Talmud

Ultra-Orthodox member of the Likud party also says PM told him Israel would officially adopt Hebrew calendar

By Marissa Newman

January 5, 2014
1:20 pm

Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee Chairman MK David Rotem (Yisrael Beytenu), in July 2010. (photo credit: Flash90)

Coalition dispute delays bill to shutter religious councils

Yisrael Beytenu measure would transfer powers, assets of state-funded Orthodox Jewish religious councils to local elected officials

By Haviv Rettig Gur

December 31, 2013
10:55 pm

A mikveh, or Jewish ritual bath, in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Nof, May, 2013 (photo credit: Uri Lenz/Flash90)

Yisrael Beytenu seeks to disband Israel’s religious councils

New bill would shift responsibility for all religious services from exclusively Orthodox bodies to elected local government

By Haviv Rettig Gur

December 25, 2013
7:24 pm

Meretz MK Zahava Gal-On. December 25, 2013. (Photo credit: Flash 90)

Religious freedom bill shot down in Knesset vote

Constitutional law that would have allowed for civil and gay marriage is defeated in preliminary reading

By Marissa Newman

December 15, 2013
7:42 pm

Members of the homosexual community demonstrate in Tel Aviv's Habima Square, December 14, 2013. (photo credit: Roni Schutzer/Flash90)

Gay rights activists rally in Tel Aviv

Over a thousand protest Jewish Home’s veto of a bill that would grant same-sex male couples child tax breaks

By Times of Israel staff

October 31, 2013
6:01 am

View of the Knesset plenum hall, October 14, 2013 (photo credit: Miriam Alster/Flash90)

Quiet revolution afoot as reforms sail through Knesset

Electoral change, pay equality, raised marriage age, rabbinical competition — a stream of liberal legislation is moving with unexpected ease through an ostensibly right-wing government

By Haviv Rettig Gur

October 28, 2013
2:59 pm

Illustrative photo: Members of Women of the Wall wear prayer shawls as they read from the Torah and pray at Robinson's Arch, near the Western Wall in Jerusalem March 12 (photo credit: Miriam Alster/Flash90)

Women of the Wall issue demands that could take years to meet

Group says it will continue to hold prayer services on women’s side of holy site until 16 key requirements are met

By JTA

September 5, 2013
12:30 am

Ultra-Orthodox and secular Jewish men face off in Jerusalem, 2008. (photo credit: Nati Shohat/Flash90)

Majority of Israelis support freedom of religion, marriage

Annual study shows sizable segment of Jewish population highly dissatisfied with religious restrictions imposed by the state

By Adiv Sterman

April 25, 2013
3:20 pm

Women of the Wall director Lesley Sachs is detained by police for wearing a prayer shawl at the Western Wall on April 11 (photo credit: Miriam Alster/Flash90)

Women of the Wall ‘ecstatic’ over court win

Jerusalem court rules that police were wrong to arrest five members of the group, in decision that could alter the status quo at the holy site

By Matti Friedman

April 4, 2013
12:54 pm

Members of the Women of the Wall organization pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on October 17, 2012 (photo credit: Miriam Alster/Flash90)

Women can’t say mourner’s prayer at Western Wall, police announce

Kotel rabbi says later that offenders won’t be arrested

By Aaron Kalman

September 12, 2012
7:02 pm

Street art, depicting an artist graffitiing, in south Tel aviv (photo credit: Michal Shmulovich/Times of Israel)

Art or vandalism? Graffiti paints life into unexpected corners

From surfboard exhibitions to poetry on walls in Florentin, Israeli artists are exploring new media for their work. Along the way, graffiti is being accepted by the art establishment

By Michal Shmulovich

September 9, 2012
2:13 pm

Bike rental controversy reawakens issues of religion and government in Israel

It is time to put an end to religious coercion in Israel, and to restore a Judaism where everyone is free to exercise their most basic human and Jewish right – choice

By Dov Lipman

August 2, 2012
6:02 pm

Ultra-Orthodox men celebrate Lag BaOmer at Mount Meron (photo credit: Abir Sultan/Flash90)

Months after completing NIS 1.5 million pathways, state to tear them down

Temporary structures were built based on religious strictures

By Aaron Kalman

July 12, 2012
1:26 pm

Israel’s heart is in the wrong place

The limitation of religious freedom here is government policy, which makes it far more disturbing than the rabbis’ most virulent anti-Reform statements

By Uri Regev

Topic: religion and state in Israel

Dana International’s gay pride video causes stir

Clip of Israeli transsexual star dancing suggestively in a synagogue in front of children has been taken offline

Netanyahu reported to say legal system based on Talmud

Ultra-Orthodox member of the Likud party also says PM told him Israel would officially adopt Hebrew calendar

Coalition dispute delays bill to shutter religious councils

Yisrael Beytenu measure would transfer powers, assets of state-funded Orthodox Jewish religious councils to local elected officials

Yisrael Beytenu seeks to disband Israel’s religious councils

New bill would shift responsibility for all religious services from exclusively Orthodox bodies to elected local government

Religious freedom bill shot down in Knesset vote

Constitutional law that would have allowed for civil and gay marriage is defeated in preliminary reading

Gay rights activists rally in Tel Aviv

Over a thousand protest Jewish Home’s veto of a bill that would grant same-sex male couples child tax breaks

Quiet revolution afoot as reforms sail through Knesset

Electoral change, pay equality, raised marriage age, rabbinical competition — a stream of liberal legislation is moving with unexpected ease through an ostensibly right-wing government

Women of the Wall issue demands that could take years to meet

Group says it will continue to hold prayer services on women’s side of holy site until 16 key requirements are met

Majority of Israelis support freedom of religion, marriage

Annual study shows sizable segment of Jewish population highly dissatisfied with religious restrictions imposed by the state

Women of the Wall ‘ecstatic’ over court win

Jerusalem court rules that police were wrong to arrest five members of the group, in decision that could alter the status quo at the holy site

Women can’t say mourner’s prayer at Western Wall, police announce

Kotel rabbi says later that offenders won’t be arrested

Art or vandalism? Graffiti paints life into unexpected corners

From surfboard exhibitions to poetry on walls in Florentin, Israeli artists are exploring new media for their work. Along the way, graffiti is being accepted by the art establishment

Bike rental controversy reawakens issues of religion and government in Israel

It is time to put an end to religious coercion in Israel, and to restore a Judaism where everyone is free to exercise their most basic human and Jewish right – choice

Months after completing NIS 1.5 million pathways, state to tear them down

Temporary structures were built based on religious strictures

Israel’s heart is in the wrong place

The limitation of religious freedom here is government policy, which makes it far more disturbing than the rabbis’ most virulent anti-Reform statements

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