The Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/religious-minorities/ News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:11:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://static-cdn.toi-media.com/www/uploads/2018/11/toi_icon_512-200x200.png religious minorities | The Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/religious-minorities/ 32 32 Seeing Israel as a beacon, regional minorities gather in Tel Aviv to discuss future https://www.timesofisrael.com/seeing-israel-as-a-beacon-regional-minorities-gather-in-tel-aviv-to-discuss-future/ Tue, 28 Oct 2025 18:39:56 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3675888 Representatives of the Druze, Kurdish, Alawite communities attend conference aimed at forging ties between Israel and historically persecuted Middle Eastern groups

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]]> Qatar sentences Baha’i leader to 5 years over social media posts https://www.timesofisrael.com/qatar-sentences-bahai-leader-to-5-years-over-social-media-posts/ Thu, 14 Aug 2025 12:53:43 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3620244 Country's Supreme Judiciary Council claims Remy Rowhani 'cast doubt on the foundations of the Islamic religion,' weeks after experts sounded alarm over treatment of minority

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]]> Mourning their genocide, Israeli Circassians hold fast to multilayered identity https://www.timesofisrael.com/mourning-their-genocide-israeli-circassians-hold-fast-to-multilayered-identity/ Wed, 21 May 2025 07:51:49 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3551549 Over 160 years after their people were expelled from the Caucasus, residents of Kfar Kama maintain their language and culture while embracing life as Israelis and Muslims

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]]> Syrian fighters execute 35 in 72 hours, mainly officers from former regime, monitor says https://www.timesofisrael.com/syrian-fighters-execute-35-in-72-hours-mainly-officers-from-former-regime-monitor-says/ Mon, 27 Jan 2025 06:46:34 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3468792 Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says many of those killed were from religious minorities, rebels used 'unprecedented level of cruelty and violence'

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]]> Facing hurdles, devout athletes want sports bodies to do more to accommodate religion https://www.timesofisrael.com/facing-hurdles-devout-athletes-want-sports-bodies-to-do-more-to-accommodate-religion/ Tue, 02 Jul 2024 15:21:15 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3323468 Orthodox Jewish Israeli runner Beatie Deutsch cites missing Tokyo 2020 since race fell on Shabbat rest day, as competitors of multiple religions balance faith with sport

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]]> Iran arrests dozens of Baha’is, including 90-year-old, in fresh crackdown https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-arrests-dozens-of-bahais-including-90-year-old-in-fresh-crackdown/ Wed, 16 Aug 2023 05:48:55 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3073337 Advocacy group says recent weeks have seen 180 incidents of persecution against members of faith, which is shunned in Islamic Republic

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]]> Iran said to arrest 14 more Baha’i as part of recent crackdown https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-said-to-arrest-14-more-bahai-as-part-of-recent-crackdown/ Sat, 03 Sep 2022 07:07:32 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2829457 Group says the members of the religious minority were detained while 'studying and discussing together the role of education in social progress'

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]]> As Druze officer is hailed as a hero, lawmakers join call to ‘fix’ Nation-State Law https://www.timesofisrael.com/liberman-says-israel-should-fix-nation-state-law-as-druze-officer-hailed-a-hero/ Sun, 15 May 2022 09:24:31 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2762880 Liberman assails 'contradictions' in controversial legislation, despite supporting it in 2018; Blue and White party pledges to bring equality bill to committee hearing next week

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]]> Police chief: Odeh’s comments against Arab servicemen will only boost recruitment https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-chief-odehs-comments-against-arab-servicemen-will-only-boost-recruitment/ Tue, 12 Apr 2022 12:21:23 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2744587 Police force includes 1,232 Muslim officers; Shabtai says: 'I won't let anyone smear our Arab officers'

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]]> Iranian teachers ordered to identify Baha’i students in effort to convert them https://www.timesofisrael.com/iranian-teachers-ordered-to-identify-bahai-students-in-effort-to-convert-them/ Sun, 14 Mar 2021 09:16:47 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2505695 Leaked document instructs authorities to 'conduct strict patrols' on education of children in religious sect that says its followers are persecuted as heretics

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]]> Raised in one of Rio’s most violent favelas, he’s now a rising artist in Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/raised-in-one-of-rios-most-violent-favelas-hes-now-a-rising-artist-in-israel/ Fri, 26 Feb 2021 03:01:46 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2489974 New immigrant Alander Especie joins hundreds of fellow Brazilian expats in Ra'anana, which he and other creatives are working to beautify through art

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]]> US-based Zoroastrian priest killed in Iran, in apparent murder https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-based-zoroastrian-priest-killed-in-iran-in-apparent-murder/ Sun, 26 Jul 2020 14:44:19 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2354733 Local prosecutor tells Iranian media that body of Arash Kasravi, who was visiting to deal with his father's estate, found alongside those of two other men days after going missing

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]]> California Board of Education rejects proposed curriculum that angered Jews https://www.timesofisrael.com/california-board-of-education-rejects-proposed-curriculum-that-angered-jews/ Wed, 14 Aug 2019 18:12:20 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2130325 California Legislative Jewish Caucus says ethnic studies program erases American Jewish experience, omits anti-Semitism, denigrates Jews and singles Israel out for condemnation

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]]> Druze resume protests against nation-state law as Knesset returns from break https://www.timesofisrael.com/druze-resume-protests-against-nation-state-law-as-knesset-returns-from-break/ Mon, 15 Oct 2018 18:57:02 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=1942461 Minority group says controversial legislation enshrines inequality in Israel; MK says law a 'disgrace' and 'betrayal' of the community

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]]> Justice minister warns of ‘earthquake’ if High Court overturns Jewish state law https://www.timesofisrael.com/shaked-warns-of-earthquake-if-high-court-overturns-jewish-state-law/ Mon, 06 Aug 2018 09:59:06 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=1902989 Ayelet Shaked says top bench does not have the authority to strike down controversial legislation passed as quasi-constitutional Basic Law

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