Islam in Israel: Religious, Cultural, and Political Identity Dilemmas of the Arab-Muslim Minority

The Muslim citizens of Israel constitute one of the most distinctive Muslim communities in the contemporary world. Unlike Muslim minorities in Europe and North America, they are not immigrants but an indigenous population living in their historical homeland while simultaneously functioning as a minority within a Jewish-majority state. This unique reality has shaped the development of a dynamic Islamic religious, cultural, and social sphere.

This lecture explores the evolution of Islam in Israel from the late twentieth century to the present, focusing on the processes of Islamic revival, the growth of religious institutions, and the role of Islam in shaping personal and collective identity. Peculiar attention will be paid to the interaction between religion, culture, and everyday life, including religious education, community organizations, Islamic movements, and the ongoing negotiation between tradition, modernity, and citizenship.

Drawing on decades of research, the lecture examines how Israeli Muslims balance their belonging to the State of Israel with their attachment to the wider Arab and Muslim worlds. It argues that Islam in Israel represents a unique case of religious and cultural adaptation, reflecting both local realities and broader developments in the contemporary Muslim world.