Secularism: To what degree are the church and state separated in Israel?

There's a lot of confusion and misinformation about the term "Jewish", including in the answers here, in an effort to paint Israel as a religious state. There is a religion called Judaism, however the term "Jewish" in Israel refers to the Jewish people, or nation. When Israel claims it is the Jewish state, it means it's the state of the Jewish people, regardless of religion. Just like Germany accepted immigrants who were of German descent from the Sudeten and Russia after WWII, Israel also accepts immigrants who are of Jewish descent. Again, regardless of religion. This in no way impinges on the rights of non-Jews who are Israeli citizens, and have full equality in front of the law. As for the issue of church and state, in Israel family law is under the primary jurisdiction of religious courts. All matters of family law (marriage, divorce, etc.) are primarily handled by these courts. Everyone has the ability to go to a civil court if the religious court is not accepted. However, one can only get married in a religious ceremony in Israel, and can only divorce from that religious institution if it comes to that. This is why many Israelis are getting married overseas and getting the marriage recognized in Israel in a civil court. This is a left-over from Ottoman law, and gives the impression that Israel is a religious state. It is not. Only family law is affected.

The following lists may not run in the elections: A list which acts directly or indirectly against the existence of the State of Israel as the state of the Jewish people or against its democratic nature; a list which incites racism; a list which supports the armed struggle of an enemy state or a terrorist organization against the State of Israel. Well these groups are banned from standing for office. So if you say Israel isn't Jewish, but secular, you can't stand for office. That doesn't sound like separation. http://www.knesset.gov.il/description/eng/eng_mimshal_yesod.htm Israel is building a gigantic wall to separate it from its neighbours, this is how much separation of Church and state their is. Any jew can emigrate to Israel, but it is very selective about other religions http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Land_Authority All land or at least 93% of it is owned by the state. You have to lease land. This wouldn't be so bad, if the leasing of the land was on a fair basis. The laws are highly discrimatory, with whole populations of non-jews being displaced. http://adalah.org/eng/Articles/557/Seeking-Cancellation-of-Discriminatory-ILA-Land I think on most major issues Israel is a state run by jews for jews. The remainder of the population are seen as a "nuisance". It is building a massive wall to separate it from the outside world, a paranoid state with entrenched discrimination on religious grounds.

Israel is mostly "secular" in a strict interpretation of the term. Judaism as a "religion" is recognised in the establishment of two "Chief Rabbis" of Jerusalem, who then "advise" in matters relating to the "Jewish State". There is no "official recognition" of other religions, but there is freedom of religion. Israeli citizens can be atheist, agnostic, Christian, and Muslim as well as "Jewish". I put quotes around "Jewish" even in this context, because the religion itself is not that well defined. Someone can NOT believe in God and still be called a "religious Jew" - because he worships a Wall. Judaism as a type of "race" is not technically a religion, and even here there are many examples that show that it isn't "racism" as we usually understand it. Yemenite Jews are "Jewish Arabs" - what separates them from their Muslim relatives is their religion, not their "brown Arab race". Ethiopian Jews are "Ethiopian Christians who say they were forcibly converted" - what separates them from their Christian relatives is their saying they were forcibly converted, not their "black Ethiopian race". Ashkenazi Jews with German names and blonde hair and blue eyes are Germans who are Jewish. What separates them from their German relatives is that their German relatives may have though their religious belief meant they were NOT German. Most of what is defined as a "Jewish State" is not the religion but the "race". In other words, it isn't Moses that says you are Jewish Listen Israel God is with us God is one you are Jewish if you BELIEVE, OBEY THE COVENANT,  and bear the MARK. it is Adolf Hitler's both the Bolshiviks and the Bankers are our enemies you are Jewish if your grandfather is, he is Jewish if his grandfather is ... and at the end of the sequence about 6 million years ago Lucy is not Jewish, so therefore all of her descendants are not. The "Jewish State" is QUASI-RELIGIOUS in the sense that the "Chief Rabbis" are the ultimate authority in defining who is "Jewish" and what the "Jewish State" should mean FOR NON-JEWS. There are sufficient number of Israeli citizens who do not consider themselves "religious" and who thus challenge any attempt made by the state to support a GREATER imposition of religion - at any level - than already exists. A "Christian Arab" Israeli citizen for example, could "theoretically" be a member of the IDF and therefore have a Christian chaplain while serving to minister to his religious needs. In real life, this doesn't happen, and not just because Christians are able to exempt themselves from military service. However, in every aspect where a "Jewish identity" is under threat and this is most obvious in laws about marriage, immigration, and the right to buy a house in a certain area Israel is very much a "religious state" even though the definition they use for "Jew" is Adolf Hitler's not Moses'.