Social activism against the desecularization of non-religious state education in Israel: a social movement lens

אקטיביזם הדתה הורים חברה ישראלית חילונים חינוך

This qualitative study investigates the growing social activism against "desecularization" (often termed Hadata or religionization) within the non-religious state education system in Israel. Using a social movement framework, the authors interviewed activists to understand their ideological motivations, organizational strategies, and how they perceive political opportunities to defend secular principles. The study highlights a sector often overlooked in research - secular activism - and reveals that these activists are driven by a sense of urgency, perceiving a non-linear regression of liberalism in Israel and a systematic encroachment of religious values into the public sphere. They organize to "block" this trend and uphold the autonomy of secular education.