State of Israel
The creation of the State of Israel in 1948 is often seen as secular Judaism’s greatest achievement, with Hebrew as a spoken language rather than a language of prayer, and the majority of the population living secular Jewish lives. Some 2000 secular Israeli schools exist, where children study Jewish history and literature and celebrate the holidays without prayer or religion.
Institutes for higher education in Israel have not lagged behind. Oranim College and Meitar College for Judaism as Culture are some of the colleges established to further the study of secular Jewish culture.
Read more about this topic: Jewish Secularism
Famous quotes containing the words state of, state and/or israel:
“Wags try to invent new stories to tell about the legislature, and end by telling the old one about the senator who explained his unaccustomed possession of a large roll of bills by saying that someone pushed it over the transom while he slept. The expression “It came over the transom,” to explain any unusual good fortune, is part of local folklore.”
—For the State of Montana, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“Chippenhook was the home of Judge Theophilus Harrington, known for his trenchant reply to an irate slave-owner in a runaway slave case. Judge Harrington declared that the owner’s claim to the slave was defective. The owner indignantly demanded to know what was lacking in his legally sound claim. The Judge exploded, ‘A bill of sale, sir, from God Almighty!’”
—For the State of Vermont, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy,
And with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”
—Bible: Hebrew Psalm CXXX (l. CXXX, 7–8)