Israel and halachah

(JNS) — The role of halachah in the State of Israel was a point of contention even before the state was founded. In his landmark book The Jewish State, modern Zionism’s founder Theodor Herzl wrote, “Shall we end by having a theocracy? No, indeed. Faith unites us, knowledge gives us freedom. We shall therefore prevent any theocratic tendencies from coming to the fore on the part of our priesthood.”

“We shall keep our priests within the confines of their temples in the same way as we shall keep our professional army within the confines of their barracks,” he went on. “Army and priesthood shall r...