Over three-quarters of country's Jews define themselves as secular or traditional, while some 4,000 Haredim are estimated to leave their ultra-Orthodox communities each year
Mayor pushes advance decision on how many elected positions should go to Haredim, non-Orthodox, angering everyone; city says aim is to prevent one side pushing out the other
Report by religious pluralism group criticizes the city for failing to offer secular funerals or restrict separate-gender events; Ramat Gan wins most-improved
Secular activists say lack of public transit on Shabbat is prime manifestation of religious coercion, but opponents argue the buses are part of broader trend of creeping secularism
As secular voters complain of 'overboard' religious coercion, it appears Netanyahu's iron-clad alliance with ultra-Orthodox parties has cost him politically
Battle lines often form around the country's balance of religion and liberal democracy; those tensions were a central theme of the recent national election
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