Jewish Secularism and Ethno-National Identity in Israel: The Traditionist Critique
This article examines traditionist (masorti) Israeli Jews' critique of the dominant secular Israeli culture and identity. Based upon 102 in-depth personal interviews with Jewish Israelis who identify as traditionists, the article suggests that the traditionist ability to transcend the secular...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Carfax Publ.
[2011]
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| In: |
Journal of contemporary religion
Year: 2011, Volume: 26, Issue: 3, Pages: 467-481 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Resolving-System) |
| Summary: | This article examines traditionist (masorti) Israeli Jews' critique of the dominant secular Israeli culture and identity. Based upon 102 in-depth personal interviews with Jewish Israelis who identify as traditionists, the article suggests that the traditionist ability to transcend the secular vs. religious' dichotomy offers an alternative view of the complex relationship between modernity, religion, ethnicity, and national identity. Crucially, the traditionist critique of secular Israeli culture and identity offers a unique perspective—intimately familiar yet resolutely critical—which portrays secularity as appealingly liberated yet significantly lacking in some vital aspects of ethno-national Jewish identity. This critique highlights secular Israelis' dependence on the State for the maintenance and preservation of their Jewish identity. Further, the traditionist perspective suggests that the secular malady is closely related to the supposed ethnic neutrality' or whiteness' of Israeli secularism. |
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| ISSN: | 1469-9419 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of contemporary religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/13537903.2011.616041 |