Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Israeli Case: The Lack of Societal Pressure to Modify the Religious Marriage Policy

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Public Preferences and Institutional Designs

  • 128 Accesses

Abstract

Golan-Nadir presents the puzzle of the absence of public pressure against current marriage policy in the Israeli case. The chapter contains two sections. The first section aims to establish the existence of a disparity between the official religious marriage policy and public preference on marriage. The data supporting this claim includes existing public opinion surveys, state statistics, and the findings of the 2016 Public Opinion Survey on Marriage Policy designed and conducted for this research. Next, using a newspaper archival review and identifying thematic clusters, this chapter further shows that this enduring gap, however, has not generated public demand/pressure for policy change in this realm. This is despite the fact that, evidently, Israeli civil society is active in other realms in state–religion relations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Born to a woman who conceived a child with a man who is not her husband.

  2. 2.

    Denoting families who are considered to be the direct descendants of the ancient Israelite priests and who, by religious law, are forbidden from marrying divorcees and converts.

  3. 3.

    These two groups are mainly referred to as ‘Religion -less’.

  4. 4.

    Interview with author, 6 March 2016.

  5. 5.

    Interview with author, 24 March 2016.

  6. 6.

    Among the groups mentioned here, data on immigrants from the former USSR, and the ideological group who voice their discontentment are mostly evident. Lists of Jews forbidden from marrying other Jews due to Orthodoxy rules, and people defined by the Rabbinical authorities as illegitimate for marriage, are mostly kept confidential by the Rabbinate, which causes much debate.

  7. 7.

    The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) was established several months after the establishment of the State of Israel, as an autonomous unit within the Prime Minister’s Office. The establishment of the CBS was a direct continuation of the activities of the statistical departments of the British Mandate government, and the Jewish Agency for Israel which operated during the period of the Mandate. The CBS is headed by the National Statistician, who also serves as the Director of the CBS, with a Public Council for Statistics accompanying him. The CBS operates by the power of the Statistics Ordinance (New Version), 5732—1972. The Statistics Ordinance defines the tasks of the CBS, its mode of operation, the obligation of the public to provide information to the CBS, the obligation of the CBS to safeguard the confidentiality of the information obtained and the obligation of the CBS to publish the results of its statistical activities. The functions of the CBS are to perform statistical activities and projects regarding the State and its population.

  8. 8.

    CBS report to the media: “then and today: selected data on living in Israel in its first years compared with today”, 27 April 2017, No. 113/2017, Jerusalem. Available at: http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201711113.

  9. 9.

    Data provided by: The Population Registry , Israeli Ministry of Interior, personal correspondence with author, 5 June 2016.

  10. 10.

    The first official record of a public opinion survey on marriage was in 1969.

  11. 11.

    In a personal correspondence with the Israel Democracy Institute, I have acquired the right to use data of the following surveys of relevance: the 1969 Election Study; the Jewish Religious Behavior Survey in Israel, part B, 1991; the Jewish Religious Behavior Survey in Israel 1999; the Jewish Religious Behavior Survey in Israel, 2008; the 2009 Election Survey; the 2013 Election Survey.

  12. 12.

    See the NGO’s official website at: http://www.freemarriage.org.il/.

  13. 13.

    Survey available at a Walla! NEWS online article of 1 August 2014: https://news.walla.co.il/item/578830.

  14. 14.

    Pew Research Center official website: http://www.pewresearch.org/.

  15. 15.

    For the complete survey, see the Hiddush official website at: http://www.hiddush.org/article-12748-0-80_of_secular_Israeli_Jews_prefer_not_to_get_married_via_Orthodox_Rabbinate.aspx.

  16. 16.

    The survey was conducted in parallel time among a representative sample of 850 Sunni-Muslim Turks (margin of error ±3.4%). The Turkish survey is presented in Chap. 8.

  17. 17.

    More than one answer per reply was possible, as couples may use more than one alternative.

  18. 18.

    The Tzohar Rabbis organization is distinguished from the religious establishment, as it was created as a moderate organization which criticizes the Rabbinate strictness, yet at the same time is bound to the core Orthodox rules of marriage. In its official website it is stated: “TZOHAR has emerged as a powerful national movement of 1000 Zionist rabbis and women volunteers who are leading the revolution for an ethical, inclusive & inspiring Jewish Israel.” See: http://www.tzohar.org.il/English/about/.

  19. 19.

    In a personal correspondence with the Israel Democracy Institute, I have acquired the right to use data of the following nine surveys of relevance: the Continuous Survey on Public Concerns no. 67, 1975; the Continuous Survey on Public Concerns no. 242, 1986; the Continuous Survey on Public Concerns no. 248, 1987; the Jewish Religious Behavior Survey in Israel, part B, 1991; the Continuous Survey on Public Concerns no. 266, 1993; the Jewish Religious Behavior Survey in Israel, 1999; the Jewish Religious Behavior Survey in Israel, 2008; the 2009 Election Survey.

  20. 20.

    Dr. Carmit karin Yefet is a professor at the Faculty of Law at the University in Haifa. Interview with author, 10 February 2016.

  21. 21.

    The Yedioth Ahronoth headquarter was located at 138 Menachem Begin Road Tel-Aviv (it was relocated since the time of study).

  22. 22.

    Since 2011, Israel Hayom is considered to be the daily newspaper with the highest circulation, as it is distributed for free all across the country.

  23. 23.

    For the Ynet official website see: http://www.ynet.co.il/home/0,7340,L-8,00.html.

  24. 24.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 3 November 1972.

  25. 25.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 1 March 2000.

  26. 26.

    H.C. 693/91 Efrat vs. Director of Population Registration at the Interior Ministry, P.D.47(1) 749, 783 (1993).

  27. 27.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 9 April 1993.

  28. 28.

    H.C. 2888/92 Goldstein vs. The Minister of the Interior et al., P.D. 50(5) 89 (1994).

  29. 29.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 1 July 1994.

  30. 30.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 7 March 1972.

  31. 31.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 26 September 1975.

  32. 32.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 6 July 2000.

  33. 33.

    H.C. 143/62, Funk-Schlezinger v. The Minister of Interior, P.D. 17(1) 225 (1963).

  34. 34.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 24 February 1963.

  35. 35.

    H.C. 1000/92 Bavli vs. the Supreme Rabbinical Court, P.D. 48 (2) 221 (1994); H.C. 3914/92 Leah Lev vs. the Municipal Rabbinical Court of Tel-Aviv-Yaffo, P.D. 48 (2) 491 (1994).

  36. 36.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 1 March 1994.

  37. 37.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 2 May 1990.

  38. 38.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 2 February 2003.

  39. 39.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 2 April 2007.

  40. 40.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 5 February 2004.

  41. 41.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 11 March 2004.

  42. 42.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 2 August 2011.

  43. 43.

    Alternative marriage ceremonies are evaluated by their cost (in currency as well as effort) to the couples.

  44. 44.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 4 December 1972.

  45. 45.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 9 October 1991.

  46. 46.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 4 August 2004.

  47. 47.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 8 November 1964.

  48. 48.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 8 September 1971.

  49. 49.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 10 September 1998.

  50. 50.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 11 January 2002.

  51. 51.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 7 March 2000.

  52. 52.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 1 August 1975.

  53. 53.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 9 November 2011.

  54. 54.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 8 May 1972.

  55. 55.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 2 March 1980.

  56. 56.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 10 April 1987.

  57. 57.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 9 November 1992.

  58. 58.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 8 January 1964.

  59. 59.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 10 November 1971.

  60. 60.

    Yedioth Ahronoth, 7 April 1996.

  61. 61.

    Yair Ettinger is a reporter specializing on religious affairs at Haaretz daily newspaper.

  62. 62.

    Interview with author, 13 March 2016.

  63. 63.

    The law requires at least some observant Ultra-Orthodox Haredi men to serve in the national army. According to the bill, the Conscription Law applied from July 1, 2017, when every Haredi man was required to report for the IDF recruitment process. Further, in a very debatable clause, those who failed to report for duty would be liable for criminal prosecution as draft-dodgers. MK Lapid threatened to bolt from the coalition unless the new draft law included criminal penalties.

  64. 64.

    The organization’s central mission is to attain social and legal recognition of women’s right to wear prayer shawls, pray, and read from the Torah, collectively and aloud, at the Western Wall. See official website at: http://www.womenofthewall.org.il/.

References

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Policy Research, The University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, New York, USA

    Niva Golan-Nadir

Authors
  1. Niva Golan-Nadir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Niva Golan-Nadir .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Golan-Nadir, N. (2022). The Israeli Case: The Lack of Societal Pressure to Modify the Religious Marriage Policy. In: Public Preferences and Institutional Designs. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84554-4_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84554-4_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-84553-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-84554-4

  • eBook Packages: Economics and FinanceEconomics and Finance (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation