Buddha-Dhamma in Israel: Explicit Non-Religious and Implicit Non-Secular Localization of Religion

This article describes and analyzes aspects of non-religious and non-secular translation and localization of a world religious tradition in the contemporary post-secular globalized period. The case under consideration is the recent phenomenon of Jewish-Israeli adoption of Buddha-Dhamma (the path of the Buddha). The article presents ethnographic as well as quantitative data to highlight two seemingly opposing practices regarding religion and secularism. On the one hand Israeli practitioners reject religious identity by explicitly distinguishing Dhamma from the Buddhist religion. Nevertheless on specific occasions they combine their Dhamma practice with Jewish symbols and customs. Thus, they reject implicitly secular identity as well. These simultaneous and seemingly contrasting practices have several consequences: they reaffirm local national identity that is entangled with local Jewish religion; they cultivate a cosmopolitan identity; and finally they religionize global others, specifically Buddhist Asians.