Questions for Dr. Pipes about the effects of Orthodox and Islamic growth in Israel
Reader comment on item: More about the Future of Judaism

Submitted by Pez Dispenser (Israel), Aug 7, 2007 at 16:27

To sum up some interesting stats:

-1 out of 3 Jewish students will be Ultra-Orthodox by 2012
-1 out of 4 kindergartners is Arab (According to Yedioth Aharonoth/ Ma'ariv)
-By 2020, the Israeli Ultra-Orthodox population will make up 17% of the population.
-Muslim Arabs make up at least 16% of Israel's population today, with expected growth
-Neither group must serve in the military, the Ultra-Orthodox and Arabs have high unemployment rates and many are on welfare, and neither are well known for their zionist ethos.

My questions for Dr. Pipes are the following:

1. How long will Israel be able to handle such a situation where most of the security and economic burdens fall upon the shrinking majority?

2. Do you expect an exodus of secular-minded young Israelis to the west as Israel becomes a more religious country (i.e. the growth of Ultra-Orthodox Judaism among Jews and Islamic Fundamentalism among Arab Israelis)?

3. Do you expect to see zionism faltering after 2020 if these trends prove correct? A citizenry of over 30% of "non or anti-zionists" in the world's only Jewish zionist state creates a strange paradox.

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Daniel Pipes replies:

1. This strikes me as Israel's forthcoming crisis. It could prompt the Haredim to reassess its attitudes toward Zionism.

2. An exodus of seculars could well take place.

3. As I write in a forthcoming column: "I watch these several trends with a foreboding about Israel's future, even if I can console myself by recalling few of these problems were evident in 1989. Perhaps in 2025, Zionism's prospects will again brighten."