Israel 2020: unconventional love

Amir Shurush is one of Israel’s most successful actors. He plays the part of Ramzi in the sitcom “Main Register,” which was nominated for an Emmy award in 2019, as well as the role of Knesset member Ayman Odeh, chairman of the Joint List, in the country’s most popular political satire. Shurush, 35, is the son of an Arab father and a Jewish mother. In an interview with Haaretz Jan. 1, he said, “The flag I wave is that I have no flag.”

In a country with over 9 million people, of whom 74% are Jews and 21% Arabs, mixed couples from different religions seem to be a natural and inevitable occurrence. No less complicated, and apparently no less inevitable, are relationships between Jews with different attitudes toward religious observance. Among the country’s Jewish population some 45% of people define themselves as secular, while about 30% range from very religious to ultra-Orthodox. Despite all the distinct differences between these sectors, it turns out that love wins, even when one partner is ultra-Orthodox and the other secular.

Eran, 35, and Michal, 32, from Tel Aviv, are the parents of a one-year-old daughter. They are a mixed secular-religious family. Michal is secular, while Eran, who grew up in a traditional family, began the process of becoming more religious when he was in his 20s. They first met six years ago. After spending two years together, they decided to get married. It was not an easy journey.

“We knew the problems and limitations when we first met,” Michal told Al-Monitor. “We could not go out on Saturdays, because Eran doesn't drive on the Sabbath, not to mention going out to have fun. But I fell in love with him anyway. I realized who he is, and I accept him for that.”