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ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 596

secular Israelis

A poster memorializing Nirel Zini and Niv Raviv hangs outside the house where they lived in a neighborhood for young families at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, February 2025. (Bernard Dichek)
March 19, 2025, 4:34 am
Killed on Oct. 7, a modern-day Israeli Romeo and Juliet unite their families — and nation
The new Niv Nirel Center realizes the vision of Nirel Zini and Niv Raviv, who came from families on the opposite sides of the religious spectrum and together wanted to help society
By Bernard Dichek
Israelis from different walks of life meet at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem under the aegis of Rivon4 (Rivon4)
November 12, 2024, 8:17 am
Upstart grassroots org calls for mending societal rifts as Israel begins its ‘4th quarter’
Set on building a mass movement for change, Rivon4 urges Israelis from all sectors to imagine — and act for — a united future
By Sue Surkes
A secular man and an ultra-Orthodox man fight during a protest against the drafting of Haredi Jews to the military, outside the IDF army recruitment office in Jerusalem, May 1, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
June 21, 2024, 2:02 am
Poll: Israelis hopeful about smoothing civil divides but split on trust in government
Pew survey finds 19% on the left trust leadership, compared to 75% on the right; observant Jews more optimistic about prospects for religious cohesion than secular Israelis
By Elana Kirsh
A group of people in Jerusalem mark Israel's 75th Independence Day with a ceremonial reading of the Declaration of Independence, on April 26, 2023 (Credit: Mabua).
May 14, 2024, 9:01 am
Emerging Independence Day ritual inspires unity and gratitude in shadow of October 7
Reading the Declaration of Independence together in public bridges between secular and religious Israelis in a new-old tradition that can be adapted to any citizen’s faith
By Maya Zanger-Nadis
Religious and secular women take refuge from a summer heat wave at a public beach on one of three days in the week designated for women in Tel Aviv, Israel on July 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo, File)
October 5, 2023, 10:38 am
Religion has outsized role in Israel, yet most of its Jews aren’t really observant
Over three-quarters of country’s Jews define themselves as secular or traditional; ultra-Orthodox birthrate is 6.5; some 4,000 Haredim leave their communities each year
By Ilan Ben Zion
Israel's Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef speaks during a ceremony in Jerusalem on September 22, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi/ Flash90)
October 1, 2023, 11:45 pm
Sephardic chief rabbi claims secular Jews who eat non-kosher food ‘get stupid’
In latest inflammatory remarks, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef also says non-religious Jews ‘don’t find fulfillment in life’ and are ‘jealous’ of the ultra-Orthodox
By ToI Staff
A screen grab of Rabbi David Yosef, December 2022. (Screen grab via Twitter, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
December 27, 2022, 3:42 am
Shas spiritual figure vows party will not push bills that ‘harm’ secular Israelis
Rabbi David Yosef, member of Shas’ Council of Torah Sages and a son of late Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, says he wants to ‘calm secular people down’
By ToI Staff
Israeli secular protesters shout slogans in Jerusalem on August 12, 2017, during a demonstration of ultra-Orthodox Jews against businesses that operate on Saturdays in the city. The slogan, which rhymes in Hebrew, says, 'We're not against the Sabbath, we're against religious pressure.' (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90 )
November 9, 2020, 6:22 am
Ire as Jerusalem tries to regulate religious character of neighborhood councils
Mayor moves to determine exactly how many of the elected representatives should be Haredim, angering everyone; city says aim is to ensure all communities have a voice
By Sue Surkes
Hay Valer (Channel 12 screenshot)
February 28, 2020, 7:58 pm
Ex-Haredi woman dies by suicide after speaking of difficulties leaving religion
Haya Valer, 22, was recently interviewed by Channel 12 about her experiences, including being put on anti-psychotic drugs after expressing doubts
By ToI Staff
Israelis enjoy the Tel Aviv beach on Election Day, September 17, 2019. (Luke Tress/Times of Israel)
December 23, 2019, 10:37 am
Tel Aviv leads ranking of Israel’s ‘freest’ cities, Bnei Brak is last
Report by religious pluralism group criticizes Haredi city for failing to offer secular funerals or restrict separate-gender events; Ramat Gan wins most-improved
By ToI Staff
A public transport minibus drives through central Tel Aviv on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Tsafrir Abayov/AP)
November 29, 2019, 12:32 pm
Tel Aviv’s Shabbat buses barrel through Israel’s religious-secular rift
Secular activists say lack of public transit on Shabbat is prime manifestation of religious coercion, but opponents argue the buses are part of broader trend of creeping secularism
By Tia Goldenberg
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man walks past an electoral billboard bearing a portrait of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem, on April 1, 2019. (Thomas Coex/AFP)
September 21, 2019, 2:16 pm
Deadlocked election highlights Israel’s secular-religious divide
As secular voters complain of ‘overboard’ religious coercion, it appears Netanyahu’s iron-clad alliance with ultra-Orthodox parties has cost him politically
By Aron Heller
An elderly ultra-Orthodox Jewish man casts his ballot at a voting station in the city of Bnei Brak during the Israeli parliamentary election on September 17, 2019. (Menahem KAHANA/AFP)
September 19, 2019, 8:15 am
A look at Judaism’s place in Israeli politics
Battle lines often form around the country’s balance of religion and liberal democracy; those tensions were a central theme of Tuesday’s election
By Ilan Ben Zion
Beit Bina India runs secular Jewish programming for Israelis traveling through India. (Photo credit: Eyal Levkovich)
May 20, 2018, 2:32 pm
Beit BINA India connects Israeli travelers to a vibrant secular Judaism
Located in the northern city of Dharamshala, the center caters to backpacking Sabras wandering the ‘hummus trail’ — even during Shavuot
By Tracy Frydberg
An Israeli patient waits in the corridor of the Barzlai Medical Center in Ashkelon, southern Israel, February 15, 2012. (Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)
March 27, 2018, 2:14 pm
Hospitals split over rabbis’ orders to confiscate food not kosher for Passover
5 medical centers announce they won’t check visitors’ bags for leavened food, 3 say they will, following petition to High Court by secular Israelis against the orders
By Sue Surkes
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