A Portion of Animosity: The Politics of the Disestablishment of Religion in Israel

thodox Judaism as the sole, official, state-recognized and supported religion for the nation's Jewish citizens. In the 5I years since independence, the original dominant collectivist ethos that supported that arrangement has been replaced by an increasingly pervasive individualism. The emergent political culture has fueled a major culture clash, bordering on a kulturkampf, over the role of Orthodox Judaism in the polity. Israel's Orthodox communities seek to preserve the status quo, while its non-Orthodox Jewish citizens increasingly seek to promote religious pluralism. At the heart of this conflictthis shesa b'am, as the Israelis call itare the civil courts led by the Supreme Court. The High Court has become the premier institution articulating and attempting to implement the values of individualism and pluralism associated with the new, Americanized, political culture. This article will explore how the Americanization of Israel's political culture led to this situation.