ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the discourse maintained by Israeli Pagans when discussing questions of organisation and of religious-political rights. It is argued that although Israeli Pagans may employ a community-building discourse, they constantly fear the perceived negative consequences of public exposure. They see the bond between (Jewish) religion and the state in Israel as a main factor in the intolerance and even persecution that they expect from the government and from religious fundamentalists. The result of this discourse during the first ten years or so of the presence of Modern Paganism in Israel can be seen through the metaphor of a dance, in which participants advance two steps forward, only to retreat one step back.
