Religious Zionists are an increasingly influential part of Israeli society, and their influence is felt across the societal spectrum. They are a significant force in almost every sector of Israel, including the media and legal, military, and financial spheres. Their growing prominence, however, has created its own set of challenges. Deep ideological disagreements are dividing the Religious Zionist community from within. The political and theological glue that once unified the Religious Zionist world no longer exists, and ideological debates are creating the grounds for a possible political and social split within the Religious Zionist community.
What are the larger ideas that are causing this internal tension? Who are the Religious Zionist leaders at the forefront of this divide? Is this a uniquely Israeli phenomenon or are there parallel conflicts in English-speaking Modern Orthodox communities across the globe?
Frayed analyzes and discusses these issues. It takes its readers, both religious and secular, on an intellectual journey into the world of Religious Zionism. The book looks at burning issues such as the role of women in Jewish life, the scope of rabbinic authority, and the impact that the disengagement from Gaza has had on the community’s relationship to the state. Along the way, readers will get an inside look at the rabbis, politicians, female scholars, yeshivot, seminaries, synagogues, halakhic rulings, and internet forums that are reshaping the face of Religious Zionism.