The Not-Always Holy Land: Law and Religion in Israel.

                                          Dr. Yael Efron

                                    Zefat College School of Law

                                              Israel


Recommended reading:

Halmai G (2016) Constitutionalism, Law and Religion in Israel a State’s Multiple Identities. J
Civil Legal Sci 5: 169.


Outline:

1.      Israeli Society: Identity Complex

1.1.   Who am I? - Judaism as Culture

1.2.   Who are we? - Citizens of Israel

1.3.   Who are we? – Jews in Israel

2.      Legal Framework for Law and Religion: Constitutionalism without a Constitution

2.1.   The Declaration of Independence

2.2.   The Status Quo Agreement

2.3.   Basic Laws

2.4.   "Jewish and Democratic State" interpretation

2.5.   The New Basic Law: Israel as the Nation State of the Jewish People

3.      Judicial Creativity in Balancing Law and Religion: 2 examples of the clash

3.1.   Shabbat laws

3.2.   Marriage and divorce

4.      Discussion