Syllabus | Faculty of Law

Mediating Conflicts between Religion and State: Israeli Perspectives

Dr. Shai Stern, Summer 2018

The course deals with main conflicts in the Israeli society, concerning relations between religion, state, and the public sphere. Four subjects were chosen, a subject per day of the course, in which divergent ways of conflict resolutions can be demonstrated. While examining case studies dealing with Tensions between Jewish communities, spatial disputes, medical bioethics and opening businesses during Shabbath (Saturday) and holidays, we will address court rulings, covenants, multi-vocal legislations, committees, deletions, regional divisions, compromises, innovative suggestions and mediation attempts.

General Reading

1. Izhak Englard, "Law and Religion in Israel" 35 The American Journal of Comparative Law

(1987), pp. 185-208

http://weblaw.haifa.ac.il/en/JudgesAcademy/workshop4/Documents/Lecture6.pdf

http://www.jstor.org/stable/840166?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

2. Gavison-Medan Covenant

https://gavisonmedan.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/main-points-and-principles-gavison-medan.pdf

3. Cohen, Asher and Bernard Susser, "From Accommodation to Decision: Transformations in Israel's Religio-Political Life", Journal of Church and State. Autumn 1996, Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 817-839

https://oup.silverchair-cdn.com/oup/backfile/Content_public/Journal/jcs/38/4/10.1093/jcs/38.4.817/2/38-4-817.pdf?Expires=1494060553&Signature=IpASnzszLXO24FezEVZLhw545OyXnjayjqpNxoeVtqttPLOfrFSJa8bCg--tlGd1mvtpIGCeKs908lAJgj2HUhgPwvQXcM4yrbGbhQs34-1TUPzVvls46qt5z02~pgu64wYwoUGgdCfqSqTfpOE86~9n36EYIFLu2PcyTyqNIsNTsLwqhsd31BUby4JhJMQZldyXP~5tnC9-70APw~TCf8QsAlW1WsT4G225z9p4EEDQkjThG1SkvVs3Uhs8MIsLxYft2TJqluJqIenwJnnAk4~pPxu1zXbHxp9zth-~~CGTxpqx2~CPfredsiYjoxq~4qMBM3OUi4wEzbX7~huS4w__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIUCZBIA4LVPAVW3Q

Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty (1992)

http://www.knesset.gov.il/laws/special/eng/basic3_eng.htm

Ruth Gavison, "The Role of Courts in Rifted Democracies" 33 Isr.L.Rev (1999) 216

http://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/israel33&div=18&start_page=216&collection=journals&set_as_cursor=3&men_tab=srchresults

1^st Day: Tensions between Jewish communities: Religious and Cultural disputes

AAA 5875/10 The Conservative Movement v. Beer Sheva Religious Council

http://versa.cardozo.yu.edu/sites/default/files/upload/opinions/The%20Conservative%20Movement%20v.%20Be%27er%20Sheva%20Religious%20Council.pdf

Report of the Neeman Committee on Conversion Proposals

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-neeman-report-on-the-conversion-law-january-1998

4128/00 CEO of Prime Minister Office v. Anat Hofman (women of the wall)

https://www.womenofthewall.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Unofficial-Translation-BAGATZ-Decision-April-6-2003.pdf