On the Religious & Political Tension in the State of Israel

Ever since the founding of the Jewish state tension between the political and societal elements in Israel and the religious implications of a Jewish state have existed. In truth, the Zionist dream was hotly divisive across a very broad spectrum of the Jewish world fifty years before Israel’s founding. Recently several issues in the Israeli culture have propelled this debate to center stage again. A non exhaustive list: the compelling of Yeshiva students to join the army, government funding of Yeshivas, the status of Temple Mount, land for peace swaps. We will discuss some of the historical debates and positions regarding early Zionism, delve into the clashes and resolutions to this conflict that happened throughout the history of Israel, and try to explain the contemporary ongoing issues and various perspectives on these critical matters.