Jewish Religious Order and Civil Order in Israel and Spain
ITEM 16 The Hebrew religious order is closely related to the civil order that rules the country, only in monistic Jewish Israel. Different jurisdictions, European civilians and elsewhere, give some recognition to the way marriage is made in accordance with Jewish religious norms, and Spain is one of these countries.
Fundamentals of the Jewish Religious Order
Some basic notions about the Jewish religion and law:
The Jewish religion is monotheistic; that is, it believes in the existence of one God. Unlike other major religions, this focuses on the idea of a chosen people (the Jewish people), with which God, at the time of Abraham, established a covenant. This is much more radical and closed than in other religions.
After a long period of captivity on Egyptian soil, the Jewish people, led by Moses, came to the so-called “Promised Land”, Palestine (now Israel), and established themselves there definitively. For much of history, however, the Jewish people lived scattered around the world, suffered persecution, and were subject to expulsion.
After the Second World War (1948), the State of Israel was established. Since then, many of the Jews, wherever they may be, returned to their former territory, forming one of the largest Jewish communities on Earth. But most Jews continue even outside the territory of Israel, spread across the world. They are called Jews of the Diaspora. The largest Jewish community in the world is in the U.S. today.
Israel is a state governed by the rules of Judaism, but there is a particular characteristic of this religion that decisively determines the right attached to it: the existence of different Jewish communities in the heart of this great religion. This causes the regulation applied in each case considered and the current legislation to be considered in each case to vary significantly, depending on the interpretation that resonates in the community they belong to.
Main Groups Within Judaism
Within Judaism, there are three main groups:
- Orthodox
- Conservatives
- Reformers
The Orthodox and Reformers have different understandings of their faith: The first advocate a stricter interpretation of Jewish rule, more traditional and demanding. The latter, however, offer a more relaxed religious life, adapted to modern society and less rigid in the observance of religious obligations. Conservatives, on the other hand, take a middle path.
One can speak of two main branches:
- The Ashkenazim, representing 85% of the population of this religion.
- The Sephardim, who are a minority.
Both branches have liturgical rites and religious customs that are diverse, with differences in prayer, worship, music, food, etc.
Another element to consider is the manner in which membership is seen in the Jewish people, as this does not arise from the acceptance of a particular religious belief, but strictly from birth within the community. Thus, it can be argued that one is not Jewish by accepting a creed, but by birth within the village. Despite that, conversions to Judaism, while difficult, are possible. This conversion will have higher or lower constraints depending on the sector of Judaism from which the community the convert wants to join.
The Jewish Community in Spain
The exact number of Jewish people in Spain is unknown, but it seems very risky to consider that the number of believers of this religion in Spain is still limited. However, it could exceed 100,000. According to the Ministry of Justice, there are fifteen communities in Spanish territory, thirteen of which are entered in the Register of Religious Entities.
Most of these communities formed in 1982 the Federation of Jewish Communities in Spain (FCIE) to sign agreements with the state, and in fact, signed the Cooperation Agreement on April 28, 1992.