Secularity vs. Religiousness: The concentrated expression of the tension between “modernity” and “tradition” in Israel

Abstract

Israel is a modern state that adopts parliamentary democracy. It is also the only Jewish nation in the world. Therefore, Israel has its dual characteristics-“democratic” as well as “Jewish”. These two characteristics embody the tension between “modernity” and “tradition” to some extent. The author argues that secularity and religiousness wrestling with each other inside Israel is the concentrated expression of the tension between “modernity” and “tradition”. On the one hand, Israel is a secular country, which has a democratic system; on the other hand, Orthodox Judaism possesses tremendous power in many respects. There are quite some contradictions between secular power and religious force. Since neither of them is willing to compromise, they have to continue to contend with one another.