‘Jew Age’ among Israeli celebs: Jewish spirituality as discourse of citizenship

Abstract

During the past few decades, the decline in citizenship solidarity and legitimacy within democracies has been under debate. This crisis has been brought about by empowered separatist identity-politics. With a unique approach in mind, using narrative discourse analysis of 12 interviews with Israeli celebrities, this study reveals a new model of inclusive discourse of citizenship. By publicly sharing their personal stories and political ideas, and using their public images as role models in the national consensus, the celebrities act as agents of political discursive change. They express disappointment in celebrity life and separatist, Israeli, identity-politics, and, in reaction, formulate an alternative construction of the concept of citizenship, one that is based upon their personal, spiritual story and ‘Jew Age’ identity. By redefining Israeli-ness on a common, spiritual basis, the celebrities are forging an inclusive, democratic discourse of citizenship, which combines both primordial-local, Jewish, communal traditions, and global, western-orientated, New Age culture. This article thus offers a new perspective on the relations between celebrity politics, contemporary spirituality, and citizenship studies, by re-examining the ability of contemporary democracies to create a reliable and inclusive concept of citizenship, under post-secular, identity politics, through celebrity action in civil society as discourse agents.