Reply #9: In theory, Israel is secular, yes.

[TechBear_Seattle]

In theory, the United States is even more secular; unlike Israel, we were not founded as a homeland for a religious group. But theory and reality, as we see all too well in America, are two very different realities.

While the Haredim are a small minority in Israel, they have long formed a key faction within the Knesset; no government has stood for long without their support. Becuase of this, the ultra-orthodox have wielded a tremendous amount of influence in creating laws to entrench religious doctrine into secular law.