bepress Legal Repository

Religiously Oriented Universities in Israel

Asher Maoz, Tel Aviv University

Abstract

This paper examines the phenomenon of religiously oriented institutions of higher education in Israel. The paper examines the difficulty in defining a university as a “religious institution”, from religious, scientific and legal perspectives. It argues that a religious university is problematic from a religious perspective, by putting its emphasis on general, or "secular", studies, and by having to face Biblical criticism, which often contradicts religious beliefs and precepts. A religious university is problematic scientifically as well, to the extent that study and research may be subjected to religious restrictions. Finally, the university being "religious", affects the social fabric of the university and the character of its teachers and students. Moreover, restrictions of admittance on religious grounds constitute discrimination, which may bring the institute into conflict with state law, which prohibits discrimination. The article tests these assumptions by examining the history and internal conflicts at Bar-Ilan University, the only religious university in Israel. It tells the story of the university against the background of the changes in religious Zionism in Israel. It traces the murder of Prime Minister Rabin by a former student of Bar-Ilan as an event that shattered the university and brought about soul searching on the part of the religious Zionist movement as a whole. In addition to Bar-Ilan University, the paper examines all other religious institutions of higher education, at the university level, both Jewish and Arab. The paper examines "non-recognized" religious institutions of higher education. Some of these institutions, though not recognized by the Council of Higher Education, confer academic degrees that are recognized by various Arab universities. Finally, the paper examines problem of accrediting studies at yeshivot (religious academies for Judaic studies) for academic purposes. It notes that various American universities confer academic credits for such studies and mentions the failed attempt to recognize rabbinical ordination as equivalent to an academic degree.

Subject Area

Education Law, Religion

Recommended Citation

Asher Maoz, "Religiously Oriented Universities in Israel" (September 2007). Tel Aviv University Legal Working Paper Series. Tel Aviv University Law Faculty Papers. Working Paper 46.
http://law.bepress.com/taulwps/fp/art46

No readers' reactions have been posted for this article. To submit one, copy the URL for this article (http://law.bepress.com/taulwps/fp/art46) and click here.