Vision for Israel 2048

Presented by Hiddush – For Freedom of Religion and Equality

03/12/2025 08:01

Tags: Regenration ·  vision ·  freedom of religion

Regeneration

The centennial of the State of Israel will require a renewed vision for Israel. There is no need to search far or create it from scratch. It already exists, and is embodied in the full implementation of the values of the (1948) Declaration of Independence, first and foremost the promise that "the State of Israel will ensure full equality of civil and political rights for all its citizens without distinction of religion, race, or sex; will ensure freedom of religion and conscience; and will be founded on the principles of liberty, justice, and peace as envisioned by the prophets of Israel."

The time has come to rebuild the education, welfare, and religious services systems in a manner that aligns with these values and with the diverse perspectives of Israel's citizens, giving respect and recognition to all. Such a path must faithfully reflect the will of the majority of the public and the fundamental values of the state. We must reject political leadership that trades away core principles and undermines human liberty and dignity in backroom deals.

The Declaration of Independence's promise of freedom of religion and equality still awaits full realization. This is a vital challenge for Israel as both a Jewish and democratic state. Moreover, the proposed vision and reliance on the Declaration of Independence are the only way to reconcile the state's Jewish identity with its democratic identity. Those who seek a theocratic state governed by Jewish law intend to relinquish Israel’s democratic identity - but the values of Jewish identity embodied in the Declaration of Independence are fully compatible with, and complement, democratic values.

The State of Israel, as a democratic state, will guarantee freedom of religion and conscience and equality without distinction of religion, race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, personal or social status, and will provide constitutional protection and adequate funding for these values. Israel will provide its services without discrimination to all its citizens, and will enable naturalization according to law and develop an immigration policy consistent with Israel's values, without distinction of religion and race.

The State of Israel, as a Jewish state, will nurture the full breadth of Jewish culture from throughout history, and will maintain a true partnership with Diaspora Jewry in all its diversity, expressing its role as the national home of the Jewish people and upholding the Law of Return.

A vision for a state is a complex endeavor that must provide inspiration and guidance in the many areas that constitute Israeli society. This vision focuses on issues of religion and state, to ensure they align with the values of the Declaration of Independence and no longer undermine the needs of security, economy, rule of law, good governance, education, welfare, equality, gender, and health. In this spirit, and consistent with the will of the majority of the public, our ‘Vision 2048’ proposes renewal in the following areas:

Education

• Every child in Israel has the right to a full and comprehensive education, which is essential for integration into modern life and for realizing opportunities for self-fulfillment. A complete core curriculum is the right of every child, and it is the state's obligation to ensure that all students learn a core curriculum, regardless of gender, religious outlook, nationality, or place of residence.
• Jewish schools will teach Judaism in a pluralistic spirit, exposing students to the wide range of interpretations of Judaism, including secular Jewish perspectives, and will enable each student to shape their Jewish worldview through free choice.
• The state education system will avoid religious indoctrination, both in curricula and by teachers and guest speakers.
• Educational institutions receiving state funding will be prohibited from having links with any political party.
• The education system will receive budgetary priority in order to improve teaching quality and enable teachers to receive fair wages and dedicate their professional time to teaching. 
• Alongside equality of opportunities and equal rights for all its citizens, Israel will require that all its citizens fulfill their civic duties and participate fairly in sharing the military burden

Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Divorce

• Couples will be able to choose a marriage ceremony of their choice — either civil or one of many types of religious ceremony — and register their marriage with the Population Registry.
• The State of Israel will not restrict marriage freedom based on the religious or gender identity of couples wishing to marry.
• Couples wishing to divorce will turn to the framework in which they chose to marry to arrange their divorce.
• Rights and obligations arising from separation and/or divorce will be adjudicated in Family Court, unless both spouses request that a religious court handle it.

Separation of Religion from Politics

• Israel will recognize freedom of worship for all its residents and will respect the holy sites of all religions.
• The Chief Rabbinate, City Rabbis, and Religious Councils will be abolished. The state will not delegate governing authority to any religious body, neither at the national nor local level. Religious services will be provided by municipal authorities according to the public's needs in each locality.
• Each religious community will be free to employ rabbis or other religious functionaries as they wish.
• Gender discrimination in the political arena will not be permitted. Lists and parties will not be allowed to compete in elections to the Knesset or local authorities if their bylaws contain structural gender discrimination, if their electoral body doesn’t include women, or if the candidate list they present does not include women.
• Except in cases of dissolving marriages conducted within a religious framework, the obligation to appear before religious courts will be abolished—those wishing to bring their matter before religious courts may do so privately, and only with the full and free consent of all parties. The state will not delegate governing authority to religious courts, and these will be subject to the law.

Shabbat - The Weekly Day of Rest

• A fixed and shared weekly day of rest is a social value to be preserved. Shabbat is the fixed and shared day of rest in Israel.
• Every person has the right to spend their day of rest as they choose, while respecting others' right to peace and quiet on the day of rest.
• Cultural and recreational institutions will be allowed to operate fully.
• On Shabbat and holidays, the state will ensure basic services, including public transportation services within communities where it is needed, as well as between them, giving people freedom of movement to travel and spend Shabbat as they choose.
• Commercial services will operate partially, according to local needs, allowing food stores to operate within cities, and general commerce to operate in shopping complexes distant from residential buildings.

Kashrut

• In public institutions, the availability of kosher food will be ensured.
• Kashrut certifications will be able to be granted by various religious bodies, without a state monopoly or stringent interpretations of Kashrut that inflate food prices.
• Food imports to Israel will not be subject to kashrut restrictions.

Military Conscription

• Alongside equality of opportunities and equal rights for all its citizens, Israel will require that all its citizens fulfill their civic duties and participate fairly – while giving priority to security needs – in sharing the military burden (or civil service), without discrimination based on religion, race, or gender.
• Recognizing the importance of Torah study in Jewish tradition, a limited quota of service deferments or exemptions will be allowed for outstanding yeshiva students, to be determined by external examinations (similar to deferments/exemptions granted to a limited number of elite musicians, athletes, and outstanding students).

Burial

• Every person has the right to be buried in Israel according to their beliefs.
• The Alternative Civil Burial Rights Law will be fully implemented, and civil cemeteries will be established across the country, managed by organizations or local authorities committed to offering secular and non-Orthodox religious burial options.
• Regarding military burials, the IDF will allow and facilitate a choice of ceremony according to the wishes of the fallen's families.