Defining Israel's National Character

Summary of Article: Since its inception, Israel has been both a democracy and a Jewish State. As a Jewish state, t Israel exists as a haven and home for the Jewish people. As a democracy, the state represents all its citizens equally, including its 24% non-Jewish citizens. How are these two reconciled? Justice Minister Tzpi Livni has asked a professor, Ruth Gavison, to reconcile the two and draft a constitutional provision explaining this. 

Questions for Kids:

• Every country has a founding statement or philosophy that defines it. This is Israel's. Analyze what this means: 
• "The State of Israel will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations."

• What does it mean to be a democracy? What does it mean to be a Jewish state?
• Some people say there are tensions between these two concepts. In what way? 
• If you were asked to draft the constitutional provision reconciling these two concepts, what would you say? 

BONUS: send a letter to Professor Gavison and Minister Livni with your ideas. See if you get a response.