Local Jewish stuff
Haaretz article about Judaism as a culture: in recent years, there has been much interest, among secular Jews in Israel, in their Jewish roots. Study groups are popular. This is not a return to religion thing. It’s about what I would call secular empowerment. There is a popular feeling that our Jewish heritage does not belong just to the religious. The belief is that it belongs just as much to secular Jews, who wish to study it in a secular manner, without attempts being made to make them religious in the process.

And there’s more from Haaretz on civil weddings: a Knesset committee has begun to function to work out a solution. In the meantime, Shinui party says the state may pay for nuptial trips to Cyprus.