Analysis of media reporting on desecularization in non-religious public education in Israel

אקטיביזם חברתי הדתה זהות יהודית-ישראלית חברה ישראלית חילונים חינוך סוציולוגיה

This study explores the intense public and media debate surrounding the perceived process of religious penetration into Israel's non-religious (state) education system between 2010 and 2019. Through a systematic analysis of 228 media items, the authors examine how different social and political groups frame the inclusion of Jewish content in secular schools. The research identifies a fundamental conflict between two main narratives: one that decries "religionization" as a threat to liberal-democratic values and secular autonomy, and another that advocates for a "return to heritage," viewing these educational changes as a vital restoration of Jewish national identity. By documenting these competing discourses, the article sheds light on the broader struggle over the cultural character of the Israeli public sphere and the shifting boundaries of secularism in contemporary Israeli society.