Secular

Café Basimta: The Jerusalem café where Shabbat, religious freedom, and evangelism collide - opinion

Secular Israelis began showing up, buying coffee not because they wanted to hear about Jesus, but because they wanted to make a point about religious coercion.

The writers – Jonathan Feldstein (L) and David Nekrutman – outside Café Basimta, not on Shabbat.
The empty streets in Tel Aviv, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and the holiest of Jewish holidays. Israel came to a standstill for 25-hours during the high holiday of Yom Kippur when observant Jews fast and Israelis are prohibited from driving, October 2, 2025.

In the shadow of October 7: How Yom Kippur has changed for some secular Israelis

A Jewish man blows a shofar at the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City during the final Selichot prayers ahead of Yom Kippur, September 19, 2026.

Most Israeli Jews fast on Yom Kippur, while over half take part in prayer services, survey finds

Haredi protestors stand under a bridge, blocking a road near Bnei Brak on Wednesday, 17 June.

Bnei Brak Municipality allegedly blocked road with dumpsters before Shabbat in protest - report


When solidarity was lost on the most important day of the Jewish year - opinion

The hurt felt by the broad section of the Israeli public that is moderately traditional may have serious consequences for the struggle against the government’s judicial overhaul.

 WE WOULD all have benefited from a different approach that left Yom Kippur outside the struggle, says the writer.

Can giving Israel Sundays off heal the religious divide?

Rabbi Warren Goldstein: "Introducing Sunday as an additional weekend day would mitigate the tensions and divisions within Israeli society concerning Shabbat."

 Businesswoman sitting on her desk in an office (illustrative).

Even with differing opinions, we should still respect others - opinion

It appears that in Tel Aviv, there is hardly a trace left of the deeply-rooted Jewish tradition within the public sphere.

 CONFRONTATIONS TAKE place at the onset of Yom Kippur on Sunday evening, at Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv, over the issue of the placement of a partition between men and women for a High Holy Day service there.

Awakening the secular soul: Reconnecting with Jewish heritage

As Yom Kippur concluded in Tel Aviv, it's imperative to contemplate the emotions that engulfed the demonstration—emotions that ranged from frustration to anger and even hatred.

 Re-CHARGING Reform Judaism conference on May 31, 2023

Israel opens first-ever mixed-observance seminary for Jewish girls

The year-long, post-high school program aims to bring together girls from diverse backgrounds for a meaningful learning experience. 

Hamidrasha Yisraelit

Who is lonely? The Jew struggling with doubt - opinion

The writer discusses two Jewish atheists: An Israeli who refused to enter a synagogue and a US veteran who liberated Dachau.

 A Star of David.

'Harming deterrence': Netanyahu urges IDF to hide internal issues

Netanyahu told the IDF's top echelon that he plans to seek compromises before continuing with the next part of the judicial reform.

 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seen with IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Why the sudden fears of an Israeli civil war? - opinion

The more Israelis are pushed and browbeaten into a system that seeks to repress and strong-arm their will as well as take away their freedoms and choices, 58% of them will feel the intimidation.

 RELIGIOUS AND secular Jews gather on Tisha Be’av, last week, outside of Independence Hall in Tel Aviv, to hear the reading of the Book of Eicha.

We need to think about how to tackle Jewish intermarriage - editorial

Regardless of one’s view of intermarriage, recent data make clear that it is a significant phenomenon that cannot be ignored but must rather be approached thoughtfully and sensitively.

An illustrative photo of a Jewish wedding in front of the Mediterranean Sea.

70% of secular Jews in the US, 50% in Europe married to non-Jews

The issue of intermarriage, viewed as a complex reality of Jewish life, prompts questions about how communities should treat the resulting children.

 There is less holding a second marriage together (Illustrative photo of a wedding).