Ultra-Orthodox

Religious orthodoxy can be fulfilling to the faithful. Religious fundamentalism responds to the baser of human instinctual needs to find fault with other groups and religions, and to maintain a rigidly inflexible belief in one's superiority and the exceptionality of one's religion. Religious fundamentalism seem to express the most intolerant of expressions of one group toward another, setting up indivisible barriers between people.

The ancient, rigidly encoded tribal mentality expressed in various exclusionary ways to satisfy the emotional needs of those who seem to naturally gravitate to viewing others as different, as somehow lesser endowed and incompatible with one's own tribe's values exemplifies fundamentalism.

It makes no difference which of the world's religions is involved, fundamentalism is inherently divisive and counter-productive to people living in a pluralistic way.

In Israel the ultra-Orthodox feel entitled to present themselves as closer to God than any others. They feel entitled to view other Jews as not representing the true nature of Judaism, that anything resembling secularism is an affront to them personally and a true blasphemy. It is they and their rigid and countless proscriptions that represent God's will and wishes.

Their total commitment to parsing and interpreting Holy Scripture is all-consuming.

The life of the religious, invested with doctrine, with no time to be set aside for the practical aspects of earning a living is represented by the ultra-Orthodox in Israel, representing a mere 6% of the population, but wielding a powerful influence in government through Israel's fractured political system of electoral representation and its plentiful political parties.

Israel was created as a secular state governed on behalf of the world's Jews for whom an open invitation to become citizens has always been extended, and diaspora Jewry have responded to a degree; some migrating to Israel, others content to remain where they have been citizens for hundreds of years, while supporting the concept of return or aliyah and sending financial support.

The Haredi, the ultra-Orthodox, have become so influential, despite their minority status, they have been successful in imposing restrictions on the majority secular population. Separation between men and women in synagogues, on public transit, in business enterprises have become an increasing irritant to a public that has good reason to resent the imposition on equality.

"How is it that as Jewish women, we are free in Berlin, in Rome, in Chicago and Toronto, while in Jerusalem, it is illegal and profane for us to read from the Torah?
"At the Wall, the question is whose Wall is it anyway? Is it really the holiest place for all the Jewish people? If it is the holiest place for all the Jewish people, you can't silence half the population.
"You can't criminalize what I am doing because what I am doing is what the Jewish world is doing.
"I am not the only woman wearing a tallith [prayer shawl] and holding a Torah scroll and praying out loud. I am one of many, many millions of women who are doing that. but in Israel, I am now facing criminal charges." Anat Hoffman, executive director, Israel Religious Action Centre, legal advocacy arm, Reform Movement, Israel

In Israel, the Haredi are excused from serving in the Israel Defence Forces. A majority of Haredi families exist on state welfare because the men study the fine points of Torah as perpetual students and engage in pilpul, leaving no time nor inclination for worldly pursuits like earning a living for their families. The women are seen and not heard, and are exhorted to enjoy a high birth rate.

Their schools do not teach core subjects; instead focus on religion, ignoring the need to teach science or language or mathematics. Their numbers among the general population are rising and will continue to rise. Their political influence and xenophobia will also continue to rise; they make up 20% of the country's poor.

Poor, devout, ignorant.