Residential integration and religious segregation in an Israeli neighborhood

Ephraim Tabory

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study asks how religious and nonreligious Jews in an Israeli neighborhood maintain tension free relationships, given the prevalence of religious conflict in Israeli society. Neighboring patterns and interpersonal relationships of religious and nonreligious residents in a middle class Israeli neighborhood (n = 79 religious and 177 nonreligious) were investigated by observations, and through interviews using an open ended and fixed choice questionnaire concerning Jewish and Israeli symbols and interreligious neighboring practices. The findings show that both groups maintain segregated friendship patterns despite the residential proximity of religious and nonreligious Jews in the area. It is suggested that a similar orientation toward cultural and religious symbols and practices affects both groups and leads them to refrain from conflict, especially given their residence in a religiously mixed neighborhood. The segregated friendship pattern also inhibits conflict by restricting interaction that may lead to friction over religious issues.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)19-35
Number of pages17
JournalInternational Journal of Intercultural Relations
Volume13
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1989

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