From Atheist Background to Jewish Homeland: Secular Jews Finding Their Place

Case Study: Naomi Levinson, Age 36, France

Background

Naomi Levinson grew up in Paris in a thoroughly secular Jewish family. Her parents, both academics with communist leanings in their youth, had deliberately distanced themselves from religious practice. They identified proudly as Jewish by heritage and culture but rejected religious observance and traditions. Naomi was raised without any religious education, never attended synagogue, and did not celebrate bat mitzvah or other Jewish lifecycle events.

Despite this secular upbringing, Naomi maintained a strong sense of Jewish identity rooted in cultural heritage, intellectual traditions, and family history. She pursued a career in journalism, frequently covering topics related to Jewish history, the Holocaust (in which she lost great-grandparents), and contemporary issues facing Jewish communities.

As antisemitism rose in France during her early thirties, Naomi began considering aliyah as a way to express her Jewish identity and find greater security. However, she remained firmly secular in her worldview and had concerns about whether her non-religious approach to Jewish identity would be compatible with life in Israel.

The Challenge

When Naomi applied for aliyah, she faced several obstacles:

1. She had no documentation of religious practice or community involvement

2. She had never participated in organized Jewish community activities

3. She had no knowledge of Jewish prayers, rituals, or religious traditions

4. She openly identified as an atheist while simultaneously claiming Jewish identity

5. She was concerned about potential pressure to adopt religious practices in Israel

6. Her documentation of Jewish lineage was limited to family records

The initial interviewer at the Jewish Agency expressed concerns about whether Naomi's secular approach to Judaism demonstrated sufficient connection to qualify for aliyah.

Precedent Case: The Ben-Gurion Principle (2016)

Naomi's situation closely paralleled the "Ben-Gurion Principle" established in 2016, named after Israel's first Prime Minister who was himself secular. This principle emerged from the case of Mikhail Brodsky, a secular Jewish mathematician from Russia who faced similar questions about his non-religious Jewish identity.

The ruling affirmed: "Jewish identity encompasses religious, cultural, historical, and ethnic dimensions. The founders of the State of Israel included many secular Jews who envisioned a homeland for the Jewish people in all their diversity. The Law of Return neither requires nor presumes religious observance, recognizing that Jewish identity may be expressed through cultural, intellectual, and historical connections. When an individual can document Jewish ancestry and identifies sincerely with Jewish peoplehood, their secular approach to that identity is fully compatible with the vision of Israel as a Jewish homeland."

Resolution Process

Guided by an aliyah advisor familiar with secular Jewish cases, Naomi developed a comprehensive application that included:

1. Family documents establishing her Jewish lineage through both parents

2. Her maternal grandmother's ketubah and other family religious artifacts

3. Published articles she had written on Jewish history and identity

4. Documentation of her participation in Holocaust remembrance events

5. Letters from French Jewish community figures who knew her professionally

6. A thoughtful personal statement articulating her secular Jewish identity and connection to Israel

7. Evidence of her Hebrew language studies, which she had begun in preparation for aliyah

Outcome

After a three-month review process, the Ministry of Interior approved Naomi's aliyah application, citing the Ben-Gurion Principle. The approval stated: "The applicant has clearly established her Jewish lineage and has articulated a genuine connection to Jewish identity through cultural, historical, and intellectual dimensions. Her secular approach to Jewish identity is consistent with a significant tradition within Israeli society itself and aligns with the inclusive vision of the Law of Return."

Naomi successfully made aliyah in 2023 and settled in Tel Aviv, where she found a community of like-minded secular Jews. She continues her work as a journalist, now writing for international publications about Israeli society and culture. She has reported finding a sense of belonging among Israel's secular Jewish population while maintaining her authentic approach to Jewish identity.

Key Principles Established

This case reinforced several important principles regarding aliyah approval for secular Jews:

1. Religious observance is not a requirement for aliyah under the Law of Return

2. Jewish identity can be legitimately expressed through cultural, historical, and ethnic connections

3. Israel was founded as a homeland for all Jews, including secular ones

4. Documentation of Jewish ancestry is the primary requirement, regardless of religious practice

5. Intellectual and cultural engagement with Jewish identity represents valid expressions of Jewishness

6. The diversity of Jewish identity in Israel itself includes substantial secular traditions

7. The Law of Return honors the multiple dimensions of Jewish identity without privileging religious expression

Naomi's case is now referenced by Jewish Agency representatives counseling secular Jews considering aliyah, confirming that non-religious approaches to Jewish identity are valid paths to Israeli citizenship when Jewish ancestry can be established.