Life in Israel

JUDAISM

Three-quarters of Israeli citizens are Jewish and most practice some form of Judaism and observe the major religious holidays. While the officially sanctioned stream of Judaism is Orthodox and the majority of Jewish schools and synagogues are Orthodox, Reform and Conservative synagogues are available in many cities and the Conservative movement has its own school system. Around 30% of Jewish citizens define themselves as religious, and a higher percentage define themselves as traditional. Around two-thirds of Jewish citizens define themselves as secular.

Israeli official national holidays follow the Jewish calendar.

CHRISTIANITY

According to historical and traditional sources, Jesus lived in the Land of Israel and was buried on the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, making the Israel holy for Christians.  Ten churches are officially recognized under Israel's confessional system to oversee communal matters, such as marriage and divorce: Armenian Apostolic, Armenian Catholic, Chaldean Catholic, Episcopal, Greek Orthodox, Latin, Melkite Greek Catholic, Syriac Catholic, Syriac Maronite and Syriac Orthodox. The largest Christian community is the Greek Catholic, (Melkite), comprising 40% of the total Christian population, followed by the Greek Orthodox (32%),  Roman Catholics (20%), and Maronites (7%).

Most Christian citizens are Arab. Many other Christians living in Israel are citizens of other countries and have come to Israel to live and work, many in the country’s historic churches or monasteries.

ISLAM

Jerusalem is the third holiest city in Islam, after Mecca and Medina. The Temple Mount, or Haram al Sharif in Arabic, from where Mohammed ascended to Heaven, is today the location of the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

While most Muslims in Israel are Sunni, the Muslim community also includes Shia/Alawite, Ahmadiyya and Bedouin.  From 1516 to 1917, the Sunni Ottoman Empire controlled the area that is now the modern State of Israel. During the British Mandate (1917-1947), the Hashemites of Jordan were appointed the official guardians of all Islamic holy places of Jerusalem. After Israel reunited Jerusalem in 1967, the Israeli government gave the Waqf permission to continue administering the Temple Mount.

Like the Christians and the Druze, Israeli Muslims may use their own religious courts to adjudicate matters of personal status.

DRUZE

The Druze are a unique religious and ethnic minority in Israel. The Druze religion developed from Ismaili Islam but Druze are not considered Muslims (although they have similar restrictions to Islam, such as no pork or alcohol) and have their own distinct ethnic status in Israel.  The Druze live mostly in northern Israel.

BAHA'I

The Bahá'í has its administrative and spiritual centre in Haifa on land it has owned since the founder, Bahá'u'lláh, was imprisoned in Acre in the early 1870s by the Ottoman Empire.  Baha’i pilgrims from all over the world come to visit for short periods. Bahá'ís do not missionize in Israel and, generally, pilgrims require written permission from the Bahá'í World Centre prior to a visit.