ABSTRACT

This paper examines how members of the Haredi fundamentalists group challenge and negotiate issues of citizenships in Israel. Using concepts from the study of fundamentalism, we demonstrate how Haredi fundamentalists, allegedly perceived as hostile or indifferent to the secular state, participate and contribute to the Israeli collective good and crucial issues of citizenship. These new notions of participation are translated into concrete strategies by which Haredi fundamentalists integrate themselves into mainstream Israel. We argue that a new definition of fundamentalist citizenship and inclusion has emerged, one that is more pragmatic in its relations with the state and civil society, yet at the same time maintains high standards of Haredi piety and religiosity.