Freedom of religion in israel

Who owns Judaism? Israel must take it back from the religious establishment - opinion

Israelis have not abandoned Judaism. They are abandoning those who claim ownership over it.

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish protesters demonstrate against a cafe operating on Shabbat, while secular protesters hold a counter-demonstration, in central Jerusalem, August 29, 2026
A man puts on a tefillin in Washington Square Park in Manhattan on June 19, 2026 in New York City. Tefillin are a Jewish traditional ritual object, believed to be an approximately 2000 year old tradition.

Education Ministry establishes guidelines guaranteeing students' rights to lay tefillin in schools

People watch Macy's Fourth of July fireworks as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, from a ship at Brooklyn Bridge Marina, in New York City, US, July 4, 2026

Coast Guard removes environmentalist ship from US 250th anniversary parade over political banners

Scribe Nadav Elhadad writes a Torah scroll at Safed’s Mount Sinai Institute, in Feb.

Shavuot and Mount Sinai: Why modern Jews still wrestle with the Torah


It happened to my family. It can happen to yours.

“It’s sad and so unfair. Did you see how proud she was tonight? But unless someone figures out how to fix things she’s going to wake up one day and find out...”

The Rabbinical Court of Tel Aviv

Capital’s First Station complex won’t close on Shabbat

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, who has opposed closing the complex on Shabbat but could not muster a majority against it, said he was pleased by the Regional Committee’s decision.

Jerusalem’s cultural and entertainment centers are blossoming, from the renovated First Station complex (above) to the brand new Cinema City

The state comptroller’s report and religious services

Let us hope that by the next state comptroller’s report, we will have succeeded in democratizing Israel’s religious establishment by giving greater control of religious affairs to local communities.

A man stands in front of the Western Wall during a special prayer for rain in Jerusalem's Old City, December 28, 2017.

WATCH: Did the IDF bow to religious pressure by removing women’s video?

The video has a voiceover by female soldiers repeating frequent claims by rabbis in the religious Zionist movement, such as that women have no physical strength.

A female IDF soldier shaking out a blanket during a week-long survival course for women in the infantry at an undisclosed location in Israel

Ashdod mayor: City to stop fining shops open on Shabbat

The mayor explained, as he has in the past, that a ruling by the Ashdod Magistrate’s Court has forced the city to enforce its 1976 bylaw regulating businesses opening on Shabbat.

Yehiel Lasri

Church of Holy Sepulchre issue being used to clobber Israel

Although the doors to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre have been closed in past, Safadi said the church was closed “for the first time in over 1,000 years."

Worshippers stand in front of the closed doors of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

‘Religious coercion vs. religious conviction’

By inspiring love, we must attempt to express the glories of Shabbat. And love means accepting with love even those who decide to reject the laws of Shabbat.

Shabbat candles

A Substandard Discussion

The Jerusalem Post

Jewish nation-state bill runs into trouble with exclusionary towns clause

The 'separate communities' clause in the bill says that ''the state has the right to allow a community, including of one religion or nationality to establish a separate communal town.”

The Jewish-only kibbutz of Katzir, in nothern Israel

Big Brother and the rabbinate

The rabbinate’s new database of Jewishness is already being abused and has the potential to undermine the Jewish character of Israel.

Soldiers from the African Hebrew Israelite community