Prof. Nurit Stadler, PhD

In my research I analyze the intricate relationship between religion and multiple facets of modernity, including the neoliberal democratic state, scientific breakthroughs, secular education, mass media, family dynamics, and the labour market. My primary objective is to unravel contemporary society's intricacies of religious revival, devotion, and ritual practices. Utilizing an array of methodological tools, I examine Jewish, Christian, and Muslim groups in Israel/Palestine. This examination encompasses fundamentalists, charismatic movements, and various congregations involved in distinct cults and rituals. Through this comparative approach, I highlight the socio-cultural developments and religious transitions, both locally and on a global scale.

My current project zooms in on the concept of secularities in Israel/Palestine, delving into the subtle interactions between micro and macro-level differentiations, distinctions, and cosmologies. A pivotal question guides this investigation: How are grassroots religious organizations reshaping the landscape of secularity in Israel/Palestine? As the 20th century drew to a close, Ultraorthodox organizations in the Israel/Palestine region became increasingly active in secular public domains. They embarked on a mission to weave Jewish laws, norms, and cosmologies with secular motifs and institutional practices. This dynamic interplay constantly requires these organizations to navigate the territories between secularities and religious ideologies.

My study centers on four key cosmologies and their corresponding organizations:

Death and the Public Sphere: I examine the Haredi Zaka organization's role in reinterpreting death cosmologies, especially in light of the rise in terrorist attacks since the 1990s.

Medicine and Religious Voluntarism: I delve into Yad Sarah, a grassroots religious entity that offers medical support to all, transcending religious boundaries.

Education, Ritual, and Conversion: My focus here is on Beit Chabad, also known as a Chabad house. While championing what they define as "traditional Judaism," they significantly influence ritual practices and education in Israeli society and also function with a transnational perspective.

Environment and Transcendence: I analyze Hardim leman Hasviva, representing religious factions that channel environmental issues to the Jewish religious audience, seeking sustainable resolutions and equitable environmental responsibility distribution. By investigating these grassroots religious entities and discerning their influence on secular structures, my research emphasizes the organic, bottom-up processes that mold religious terrains. This perspective challenges prevailing narratives that predominantly spotlight top-down institutional dynamics. Further, by understanding how grassroots organizations reinvent and employ diverse cosmologies, this research offers valuable insights into the contemporary renegotiation of religious traditions