By Ron Raskin
Israel is a small country, but anyone who visits it will notice how colorful its society is. You’ll see Arabs in both traditional and modern clothing, Druze, Bedouins, religious Jews dressed in 18th-century-style clothing, and secular Jews in shorts and T-shirts. Just like their different clothing styles, each group has its own unique beliefs and values. With so many differences, it’s natural that there are tensions and misunderstandings. In this post, I’ll focus on the Jewish population in Israel, often referred to in Israeli jargon as “tribes” based on their values.
The Four Main Jewish Groups (“tribes”) in Israel
- Secular Jews (~43-45%)
- Their core values: democracy and liberalism.
- They have fewer children (~2 per woman) and invest heavily in their careers and their children’s future.
- Despite relatively low fertility rate the proportion of this group remains relatively stable due to inflow from traditional and religious groups.
- They were the backbone of Zionism and dominated politics, media, culture, and the army since the rise of Zionism.
- They drive Israel’s economy, technology, and democracy.
- However, their influence in the army, especially in the ground forces, is shrinking due to their low birth rate, their emphasis on the value of human life, and concerns over losing these lives.
- Traditional Jews (~20%)
- Their core values: democracy and Jewish culture.
- They have a moderate birth rate (~2.3 per woman).
- About 25% of them will become secular over time.
- They are well-educated, earn good incomes, and are well-represented in government and the military.
- Religious Jews (~25%, both: religious and traditional-religious)
- Their core values: Zionism and Judaism.
- They have a higher birth rate (~3.3 per woman: religious and traditional-religious weighted average).
- About a third will become less religious over time.
- They are well-educated and earn well, with strong representation in the army, government, and culture.
- They are highly motivated to serve in the army, especially in ground forces
- Given all of the above—their contribution to the economy, society, and the army—they are well-positioned to become a leading force in Israeli society in the future.
- Orthodox Jews (~10-14%)
- Their core value: Judaism.
- They have the highest birth rate (~6.5 per woman), with very few leaving the group.
- There is a net flow about 8% from Orthodox group to less religious groups which indirectly contributes to the demography of other groups.
- While the relative proportions of other groups remain relatively stable, proportion of the Orthodox population is growing rapidly.
- They have lower education levels and incomes and generally do not serve in the army or hold government positions.
- From a national perspective, this group can be seen as responsible for Jewish demographics and long-term Jewish success. In addition to pure political incentives, this is one of the reasons why all Israeli governments, for decades, have provided financial support to the Orthodox community, regardless of their economic or military contribution to society.
- Their increasing dependence on financial support from other groups is becoming unsustainable.
Fertility rate
Values
Movement from Orthodox to Religious and Secular groups
A Changing Society
Today, Israel—like many Western countries—is experiencing a shift. Liberal values (focused on democracy, progress, and high living standards) are giving way to conservative values (which prioritize higher birth rates and national defence). This struggle between liberals and conservatives is happening worldwide, from the U.S. to Europe to Israel.
Conservatives argue that their approach is better suited to today’s challenges, where demographics and motivation to serve society are increasingly important. However, the growing divide is concerning. A better solution would be for liberal groups to voluntarily adopt changes necessary to increase their birth rate, allowing them to uphold their values and maintain their leadership in society during these challenging times.
Hopefully, Israel’s colorful society will come together as a bright, unified light, rather than becoming a picture of division and conflict.
References:
The Intricacies of Israeli Demographics
Transitions Between Religious Groups among Israeli Jews: Abstract – The Israel Democracy Institute
Religious Affiliation and Conversion in Israel
Israel’s Religiously Divided Society | Pew Research Center
Publications Fertility of Jewish and Other Women in Israel, by Level of Religiosity, 1979–2021
Israel, West Bank and Gaza – United States Department of State
Latest Population Statistics for Israel
Very good post with a plenty of stats (with links!!! – special thanks about it)