Catholic Law Professor Marshall Breger recently published an op-ed in the Winter Issue (2022) of Moment, the leading independent Jewish magazine. The piece, “A Jewish State But What Kind?” reflects on Israel as a Jewish state and the question of how to define “Jewishness.” Professor Breger is a regular contributor to Moment. 

Moment
Date: Winter Issue 2022
By: Marshall Breger
A Jewish State But What Kind? It’s more complicated than rabbis, courts or legal rulings.

…

The question goes back to the state’s earliest days. In 1947, the ultra-Orthodox group Agudath Israel agreed in negotiations with David Ben-Gurion to accept the new state if it used the Orthodox definition of Judaism for public functions and personal status issues (such as marriage). Orthodox political power has kept this deal in effect. But while the Orthodox community views the matter as decided, sociological changes on the ground—such as Sephardic and Russian immigration and the growth of a hedonistic, diverse urban culture in Tel Aviv—have kept the question open.

…

To read the full article by Professor Marshall Breger, click here.