Can Israel Be a Democracy AND the Jewish State?

Israel is the Middle East’s only democracy, but with no constitution, few checks on power, and elections that seem endless, can it last? Turns out that the contradictions and fragile foundation that defines Israeli democracy may actually be the key to its resilience.

Big Ideas

1. At times there is tension between Israel’s definition as both a Jewish state and a democratic state. 
2. Israel’s governmental system was created through compromise between many different ethnic, religious, and cultural tribal groups.
3. Israel serves as both a national homeland for Jews and as a democracy for all its citizens.

Essential Questions

1. How does Israel balance its Jewish and democratic identities?
2. How does Israel accommodate the diverse needs of its citizens (religious and secular, Jewish and non-Jewish)?
3. What are the challenges and opportunities of creating a state that serves both as a national homeland for Jews and as a democracy for all its citizens?