Faithful atheists: the paradox of Jewish nonbelievers in Israel

אמונה אתאיזם ישראלי דת זהות יהודית-ישראלית חברה ישראלית חילונים מסורתיים

This article explores the paradox of "Jewish atheists" in Israel, focusing on individuals who explicitly state that they do not believe in God yet actively participate in Jewish religious practices. The study suggests that Israeli atheism is not synonymous with complete secularism or the abandonment of tradition but is instead composed of three primary approaches. The first is national-cultural atheism, where observing traditions such as holidays or circumcision is viewed as a way to maintain collective identity and a sense of belonging to the Jewish people regardless of faith. The second is "mirror" atheism, which uses religious practices to define personal and moral identity while rejecting formal religious institutions. The third approach is described as religiosity without God, involving the adoption of spiritual and ritualistic experiences like Torah study or secular prayer as a means of achieving a sense of meaning and sacredness in life without accepting a transcendent divine being. The researchers argue that this phenomenon stems from the unique fusion of religion and nationality in Israel, allowing many Israelis to remain faithful to their heritage based on the perception that Judaism is primarily peoplehood and culture rather than a faith-based religion.