The non-Jewish ‘Jews’ of Israel
They were with us during our Exodus. They still are.
Most of Jewish history was living as a minority in other people’s countries. When given the opportunity we proved to be loyal, contributing members, if not always citizens.
Today, the Jewish State of Israel is blessed – enriched and strengthened – by having such a model minority community itself. Like Jews in the Diaspora for millennia, this small Israeli community contributes well beyond what their small numbers might suggest.
Who are these amazing Israelis?
They are the Druze. Like Jews they too are a community defined by faith and peoplehood. Arabic speakers (with a unique dialect), their religion developed from Shia Islam, but they do not identify as Muslims. They revere Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, who joined the Israelites during the desert Exodus, accepted monotheism, and later rejoined his own people.
Now numbering about 150,000 in Israel, Druze comprise under 2% of the population…about the same ratio of Jews in the United States. As the boxing metaphor has it, the Druze “punch above their weight.”
Alongside Jews, Druze men are required to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. Their service is exemplary and inspiring.
They serve in greater percentages than even Jews. They then proceed, again in greater percentages than Jews, to serve in combat units and rise in the ranks to become officers.
Their achievements are not limited to the military. Prominent in politics, they often hold more than 2% of Knesset seats. Druze women and men work as teachers, in finance, high tech, and as public servants, including judges. While graduating high school at the same rate as Jewish Israelis, they do trail – 33% to 15% — in earning college degrees.
That lag in educational attainment contributes to multiple socio-economic challenges. That dynamic was exacerbated by the 2018 “Nation-State Law” which Druze experienced as marginalizing their place in Israeli society.
Ever since JUF — Chicago’s Jewish Federation — has worked to connect more deeply with this special group of self-defined non-Jewish Zionists.
During COVID we funded food packages for Druze families, distributing them through an organization employing Druze teenagers. This past year we launched the single largest Jewish community project ever for Druze…a leadership development mentorship initiative to further increase integration into Israeli society while maintaining their identity and strong communities.
More recently, during and after October 7, the Druze have again stood out: from fighting gallantly in combat to a brave Druze kibbutznik saving many lives by using her Arabic to deceive Hamas murderers and, from a Druze restaurateur koshering her kitchen so she could provide free meals to all soldiers to Druze spokesmen and women debunking the “apartheid” lie in the media and on campuses.
Most recently, JUF’s Israel Office Director General Ofer Bavly, Chicago-native Yael Eckstein, President of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) and I delivered community security kits to each of the Druze’s 16 villages. As Druze soldiers help defend Israel, it is appropriate that world Jewry in turn help defend the Druze communities that, generation after generation, birth Israel’s non-Jewish “Jews.”
Referring to the Druze as Israel’s “Jews” is intended as a compliment. That is true even if seeing the goodness in others as a reflection of you mainly compliments yourself, not such a complimentary habit.
It is more noble to aspire to emulate the goodness of others in yourself. And so may we Jews increasingly embody Druze kindness, courage, and their commitment to a safe, democratic Israel.
As we approach Passover and celebrate our Exodus, may Israel’s Druze, the descendants of Jethro, who still dwell among us, prosper.
