Religious Freedom
Promoting Pluralism and Tolerance
NIF works to secure freedom of and from religion, as part of a vision of a pluralistic and multireligious Israel. We fight for religious tolerance, for gender equality, and against the ultra-Orthodox monopoly on Jewish public life.
An overwhelming percentage of Israelis support religious freedom and yet the issue remains one of the core obstacles to true equality for non-Orthodox citizens.
Specifically, our work focuses on broad coalitions of Israelis from all walks of life who work together to end the Orthodox monopoly on state religion, as well as focusing on strengthening moderate and women’s voices within the orthodox community.
Examples of recently-funded projects include the Israel Religious Action Center’s legal defense for LGBTQ couples and Mavoi Satum’s legal aid for secular and religious women undergoing divorce in religious courts.
The Reform Movement's Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC)
Advancing Religious Freedom Through Congregational Education
IRAC advances religious diversity and defends freedom of religion in Israeli society. In 2024, this project will educate the Israeli public, and specifically Reform congregations, about their right to freedom of religion, and work with local communities to ensure that freedom of religion is a priority at a municipal level.
Standing up for Pride
The pride parade in the Negev town of Mitzpe Ramon went ahead in June as planned after Israel Police withdrew its decision to reroute the event to the city’s outskirts. Israel Police backed down on its instruction to reroute the parade following a petition to the...
Combatting the Exclusion of Women in Public
The Jerusalem Magistrate Court has ordered Israel Railways and Danel, the company that provides guards for trains, to pay Israeli citizen Maya Melitz NIS 16,000 ($4,600) as compensation for being forced to move to another car because she is a woman. Melitz was...
Combatting Erasure of Women From Public Spaces
Israel’s Dan Bus Company has withdrawn its requirement that drivers check the ‘modesty’ of ads on their buses before driving through the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak. The change came after the policy was exposed by the Israeli newspaper, Globes. The bus company...
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