Can anyone tell me what the Druze in Israel are like?
Do they face discrimination because of their Palestinian-Arab background? What is the socioeconomic status of their community - are they poor, rich or just average by Israeli standards? Are they wealthy compared to Arab Muslims in Israel? And what about compared to Israeli Jews?
And what are the women in the Israeli Druze community like? Do they work and have jobs? Is it still quite a patriarchal society? I am asking this because all the Israeli Druze guys I know have Facebook, but there are literally NO Israeli Druze girls on Facebook. I'm not trying to look for them and chat them up or anything, it was just something interesting I noticed how there are no Druze girls with Facebook compared to boys, and it kind of resembled what goes on in places like Saudi Arabia where the girls are not allowed. So is this the case for the women in Druze community of Israel? Also do they wear hi jabs, or do they just dress normally?
To answer you, like the rest of the Israeli population they are treated as equals.They the Druze, some 100,000 Arabic-speakers living in 22 villages in northern Israel, are a separate cultural, social and religious community to the rest of the Muslim Israeli community.
They are very well liked, in fact over the years have had members of the Druze community serving as government ministers.In Israel there is a a separate Arab/Druze school system, by choice of their leaders in order to to maintain their distinct identity and not assimilate. The Druze community in Israel is officially recognized as a separate religious entity with its own courts (with jurisdiction in matters of personal status - marriage, divorce, maintenance and adoption) and spiritual leadership. Their culture is Arab and their language Arabic but they opted against mainstream Arab nationalism in 1948 and have since served (first as volunteers, later within the draft system) in the Israel Defense Forces and the Border Police.The Druze community in Israel has a special standing among the country's minority groups, and members of the community have attained high-level positions in the political, public and military spheres. Druze women can attain positions of religious significance, and some have indeed achieved high rank. Regarding personal status, their rights are almost identical to those of men; actually, Druze women are preferred over men in joining the Iqbal, because they are considered to be better "spiritually prepared". Consequently, there are more women than men among the Iqbal. Female uqqal take part in the religious assemblies in the hilwah (prayer house), but sit separately from the men.
Uqqal men and women usually intermarry. If a juhal wishes to marry a member of the uqqal, the former is expected to declare in advance his/her intention to join in the near future. Druze men, both uqqal and juhal, may not have more than one wife, nor may they remarry their divorced wife, or even be under the same roof with her. Also, a male uqqal may not be alone with a woman who is not a close relative (spouse, daughter, sister, mother) nor even respond to her greeting unless a third person is present. Both men and women are encouraged to guard themselves against immodest or impulsive behavior.
I believe the Druze do not consider themselves to be the same people as "Palestinian Arabs."
They maintain their own identity. Many also volunteer in the Israeli army. However, they are by and large "separate." They have communities in both Israel and Syria and do not want to be sucked in to the conflict between Syria and Israel. So, they try to remain separate from either side and maintain either neutrality or some pretense of being a little pro Syrian. But, my experience with them is that they don't believe it but say so in public for fear of what Syria might do to their relatives in Syria if they though the Druze had chosen Israel as a side.
I am a Lebanese Druzie and i love every sibling there is. I do hate the Jews, but the difference is that we are peaceful with each other, and enemy countries will never separate us. Meaning all thought i am Lebanese, and i am an enemy with Israel, i would love if i met a Druzie from Israel. i would love him just because he is a Drucie and not because of our countries.
The overwhelming majority of Israeli Druze don't even consider themselves Arab let alone 'Palsetinian'. Palsetinian is no ethnicity but a mere political tool created in the last few decades.
Druze women can attain positions of religious significance, and some have indeed achieved high rank. Regarding personal status, their rights are almost identical to those of men; actually, Druze women are preferred over men in joining the Iqbal, because they are considered to be better "spiritually prepared". Consequently, there are more women than men among the Iqbal. Female Iqbal take part in the religious assemblies in the Hialeah (prayer house), but sit separately from the men.
Since the cash deriving from agriculture proved to be insufficient, the next marketable item in the community is the military skills of its men who serve in very large numbers in the army, police, border police, and prison service. Today the number of Druze army officers has increased substantially and a Druze has reached the rank of brigadier-general. Practically all military units that used to be closed to the Druze for security reasons are now open to them, and some serve in very sensitive posts. Yet many officers find discharge from military service traumatic because the civilian economy and society in the Druze sector do not offer any occupations commensurate with their record.
Druze society has been traditionally higher than among the Muslim Arabs, women have been expected to refrain from public activity or work among men, a tradition observed not only by religious Druze but also those for whom Druze tradition is appealing and important. On the other hand, the modern market economy in Israel attracts women to work outside the home, just as its norms in general encourage women to take a more active part in social and public life.
PHOTOS ?! I found this in Facebook --- Elena Abdulkhalek
In Israel, Druze judges have forced the government to waive the requirement for a Druze woman's photograph to appear on official documents, such as identity cards. They also object to male doctors attending or autopsying women. Many conservative Druze consider these acts as a shaming of a woman's honor, in addition to things such as going to a cinema. It is becoming more common, however, for women to leave the house with other women in pursuit of innocent pleasures such as shopping or going to lectures
I visited Israel and met Druze people.
if you call them Arabs, it will be the most offensive for them.
My impression was that Druze and Arabs really hated each other.
They do face some discrimination, like any minority; but pretty much they live fulfilling lives and are well respected by most of Israeli society.
They have a decent scion-economic status, and hold a variety of jobs and positions. Many of them are involved with the Military, and there are quite a few in Israeli politics as well. Compared to the average Muslim, they are wealthy, as to the Jews, I would say the average Jew might be wealthier if you take out examples like the Orthodox, otherwise they on average are wealthier.
They live in the Middle East. Thus, a Patriarchal society. Hell, if you live in this world, you live in a patriarchal society, so what makes them different? However, the Druze hold similar customs on female purity as the Muslims, and thus it might shame the family to have a female with a face book. However, there should still be many who do have face books, since there are quite a few female Druze rebels from what I can tell. Basically, they aren't expected to go to college and get high paying jobs, like traditional societies, and they are to refrain from touching the opposite sex. However, it's far from as bad as Saudi Arabia, with all of those restrictions. There is also honor killings, but that's quite a taboo subject, and takes away from the fact that many of them do find success in Israel, since they have the same rights as any other female in Israel. Some dress normally, with a modest sense, but many do wear traditional clothing and do cover their hair.
Reading all these Israelis' answers, sorry to say; some are so ignorant; as all the Druze are from a mountain called "Jabal El-Arab" The mountain of Arabs, and if some Israeli Druze are denying being Arabs, it is because they are afraid of discrimination in a racist society.
What are the Druze in Israel like?
