Nov 08, 2023
The right of equality is not enumerated in Israel’s Basic Laws but was established through interpretation by the High Court of Justice. Today, two public debates revolve around questions of equality: the participation of the ultra-Orthodox sector in the Israeli military and job market, and the status of women and LGBTQ+ people in Israel. Masua Sagiv will explore the discourse today, the legal roots of these debates, and possibilities for the future.
We the People: Israel’s Constitutional Moment
While lacking a formal constitution, Israel relies on Basic Laws that both function as a living constitution and are designed to form an accepted constitution in the future. Foundational to every constitution are three pillars: national identity, human rights, and a balanced distribution of power among governmental branches. In this 3-part series, Israeli legal scholar Masua Sagiv integrates legal, social, and cultural sources to illuminate these three aspects within Israel and the explosive debates underlying this moment in Israel. She will address the dynamics of majority-minority relationships, the ongoing discourse around liberal Zionism, and the significance of Israel as a Jewish democratic state. Finally, she will consider whether there is a narrative that can guide the future constitution and national trajectory of Israel.
Other sessions in this series:
This program is part of Ideas for Today, curated courses by Hartman Institute scholars on the big Jewish ideas we need to think better and do better.
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