Being a Nation State in the Twenty-First Century

Since the founding of the Zionist movement until today, the question of the relationship between “Church” and the state remains unresolved. This book is the historical and contemporary story of this conflict. It is impossible to understand the State of Israel properly without reading it.

Dr. Shuki Friedman, qualified rabbinate, jurist and expert in constitutional and Muslim law, serves as vice president of the Jewish People's Policy Institute and is a law lecturer at the Peres Academic Center. Friedman is also an expert on the ultra-orthodox community and its relations with Israeli society. Over the years he worked in the Prime Minister's Office, and also led policy changes Pertaining to the relationship between religion and state in Israel and the integration of the ultra-Orthodox community into Israeli society, Friedman has published studies and articles on these topics, and recently the first prose book by him was also published.

“Friedman shows us in this informative book that the delicate balance between religion and state in Israel is not working, and the political fragility of a narrow parliamentary balance will ensure it cannot work…Friedman is right; clearly

something must be done.”

— Shaul Magid, Journal of Church and State

“Friedman’s monograph, in short, constitutes a concise and clear introduction to the vexing issue of the relationship between church and state in Israel, and it is certain to become a much-referenced work in this niche of Israel studies.”

— David Rodman, Israel Affairs

“The book is a fascinating read for readers outside of Israel that may not understand the basics of, and the inherent complexities of how the government of Israel operates, its laws, and the many tensions between the secular and religious communities.”

“Friedman adroitly examines the slow and steady erosion of the Status Quo over time by illustrating how Israel is becoming more secular and more religious at the same time, demarcating a ‘democratic-liberal Israel’ and a ‘Jewish-national Israel.’ Whereas one could suggest a healthy tension between them, Friedman shows how these deep divisions erode national Jewish co-existence. … Friedman shows us in this informative book that the delicate balance between religion and state in Israel is not working, and the political fragility of a narrow parliamentary balance will ensure it cannot work.”

— Shaul Magid, Journal of Church and State

“Judaism is a unique entity. It is a religion and a culture, but it is also a national entity. The State of Israel, the fulfillment of a dream of two millennia, when without a foothold in the promised land, Jewish continued existence depended on religious, spiritual, and intellectual values. But, how can this state, Jewish and democratic, relate to state and religion matters? … Shuki Friedman, in his concise but very informative, balanced, and well-organized book, surveys the issues systematically and describes the development of state and religion issues since the establishment of Israel.”

— Justice Elyakim Rubinstein, from the preface