David Stav: 'Israel as a state should not be a religious state'

Israel should not be a religious state, Rabbi David Stav says, and then its citizens could more freely welcome religion into their lives. The Chief Rabbi of Shoham, an Israeli town with a large secular populace, Rabbi Stav has long dedicated his life to bridging the social divides between religious and secular life. After the Rabin assassination, he and other rabbis founded Tzohar—an organization that "makes Jewish life accessible to secular Israelis—which received the 2009 Presidential Award for Volunteers. Rabbi Stav was previously a candidate for Israel's Chief Rabbinate and sought to revolutionize the relationship between religion and state. Now, he joins Sruli Fruchter to answer 18 questions on Israel, including democracy, IDF drafts, and Messianism. This interview was held on Sept. 11. Here are our 18 questions: As an Israeli, and as a Jew, how are you feeling at this moment in Israeli history? What has been Israel’s greatest success and greatest mistake in its war against Hamas? How have your religious views changed since Oct. 7? What do you look for in deciding which Knesset party to vote for? Which is more important for Israel: Judaism or democracy? Should Israel treat its Jewish and non-Jewish citizens the same? Now that Israel already exists, what is the purpose of Zionism? Is opposing Zionism inherently antisemitic? Should Israel be a religious state? If you were making the case for Israel, where would you begin? Should all Israelis serve in the army? Can questioning the actions of Israel’s government and army — even in the context of this war — be a valid form of love and patriotism? What do you think is the most legitimate criticism leveled against Israel today? Do you think the State of Israel is part of the final redemption? Is Messianism helpful or harmful to Israel? Do you think peace between Israelis and Palestinians will happen within your lifetime? Where do you identify on Israel’s political and religious spectrum, and do you have friends on the “other side”? Do you have more hope or fear for Israel and the Jewish People?