Searching for Jewish spirituality: the narrative identity of new age Jews in Israel

אינדיבידואליזם התחדשות יהודית זהות יהודית-ישראלית חילוניות ניו-אייג' רוחניות

This study explores the phenomenon of "Jewish New Age" in Israel through the life stories of individuals participating in spiritual festivals and renewal communities. Werczberger identifies a "subjective turn" in Israeli culture, where the self - rather than the community or the Halakha - becomes the center of religious experience. The participants distinguish between "Religion" (seen as institutional, rigid, and political) and "Spirituality" (seen as authentic, personal, and healing). The article argues that by adopting Jewish spirituality, these individuals bridge the gap between their secular upbringing and Jewish tradition, creating a new, hybrid identity that challenges the traditional secular-religious divide.