How Religious Views Shape Music Education in Israel

Diverse religious views on music and their impact on music education in Israel

In Israel, music education is not considered a core subject in the school curriculum. This means that beliefs about the value of music play a major role in determining whether music classes are offered. Israeli society is made up of several religious communities, each with its own perspective on music. This article examines the various religious attitudes toward music and music education, and how these attitudes have developed historically.

Both Judaism and Christianity mention musical practices in their holy scriptures, so music is generally accepted as part of religious and secular life. In Islam, however, very few musical activities are directly referenced in the Qur’an. As a result, orthodox Islamic authorities developed interpretations that banned many forms of music. These bans, later adopted by the Druze religion as well, persisted for over a thousand years. The differing stances of these four main religious cultures have influenced the availability of music education within each community. It is possible that the gap in music education provision is partly due to these historical religious attitudes.

How children encounter music in Israel

Children in Israel can experience music through formal education, conservatories and academies, or informal community activities. Taking part in music contributes to a general sense of well-being. Although the importance of music education is widely recognized, it is not part of the core curriculum. A child’s religious background can significantly affect their access to musical learning opportunities. The major religious groups in Israel are Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Druze.

Judaism and Christianity treat music as a natural part of both worship and everyday life. In Islam, because few musical references appear in the Qur’an, orthodox authorities from the ninth century onward interpreted Islamic teachings in ways that banned many musical practices. These restrictions lasted for centuries. The Druze religion adopted similar prohibitions. These religious perspectives on music have shaped the inclusion of music education in schools. Today, most Jewish elementary schools offer music classes, but schools in the Arab sector—predominantly Muslim, with a Christian minority—are far less likely to do so. The absence of music classes means that students and their communities miss out on the personal and social benefits that musical activities provide.

Music and music education

Making music is a natural human behavior from infancy to adulthood, as Sloboda, Wise, and Peretz (2005) noted. Children begin singing very young, and by the age of two or three their singing becomes meaningful and accompanies their activities, according to Young (2002, 2006). School-age children often consider themselves "playing-musicians" if they have access to an instrument, even without formal lessons, as Lamont (2002) observed.

Secondary schools, high schools, and conservatories offer teenagers structured opportunities to play in ensembles with members of different ages. Rehearsing in such groups allows young musicians to consult one another in a relaxed, supportive environment, as Moore, Burland, and Davidson (2003) described. Teenagers who form their own bands without adult guidance operate in what Hargreaves and Marshall (2003) called the "third environment," where they learn new techniques from each other informally. Continued engagement with music during the teenage years helps develop musical identity.

Research has consistently found that participation in music making enhances individual well-being. Kokotsaki and Hallam (2007) showed that ensemble playing boosted participants' sense of achievement, self-confidence, and self-esteem. Unwin, Kenny, and Davis (2002) found that choir singing had positive effects on mood.

Kokotsaki and Hallam (2007) also catalogued the broader impact of musical activities: improved technical and musical skills, social benefits such as making friends and learning to cooperate, and personal benefits including mental and social well-being. The United Kingdom's Department of Education (2012) affirmed the value of music in its national music education plan, stating:

"The value of music as an academic subject lies in its contribution to enjoyment and enrichment, for its social benefits, for those who engage in music seriously as well as for fun. High quality music education enables lifelong participation in, and enjoyment of, music, as well as underpinning excellence and professionalism for those who choose not to pursue a career in music."

Conflicting values around music education in Israel

Music education in Israel remains an elective subject, along with art and theater, in kindergarten and elementary school, as outlined by the Ministry of Education (Pre-elementary education division, 2005; Core program for the elementary school, 2005). Whether a school offers music classes depends heavily on the values held by the headmaster and the community. In a society made up of many religious groups with differing views on music, these values are shaped by religious affiliation. The positive benefits of music education may therefore come into conflict with religious traditions, ultimately deciding whether music programs exist and to what extent.

Four religions, four approaches to music

Israel's population of about eight million includes roughly 6.2 million Jews (75%), 1.7 million Arabs (21%), and half a million Druze (4%). Within the Arab population, about 84% are Muslim, and the remainder are Christian (Central Bureau of Statistics, 2015). The religious authorities of these four communities influence musical possibilities. Their attitudes range from complete acceptance, as in Judaism and Christianity, to long-standing orthodox bans on secular music in mainstream Islam and the Druze faith.

The following sections describe the historical development of each religion's relationship with music.

Jewish music traditions

What we know about the music of the ancient Israelites comes from neighboring Bedouin practices, early Islamic writings, and the Old Testament. Singing and playing simple instruments were likely common among the local people, as Kraeling and Mowry (1991) suggested. Responsorial singing, or call-and-response, was a typical practice in tribal and folk music worldwide. The Old Testament provides a vivid example:

Numbers 21:17 tells how the Israelites sang, "Spring up, O well! Sing to it!" The Hebrew original can be read as "answer it," reflecting the call-and-response style. Singing and musical activities appear throughout the Old Testament, often connected to celebrations or rituals in the Temple (Burkholder, Grout & Palisca, 2006).

Music has always been part of Jewish life—before biblical times, during the Temple period, and throughout the diaspora, as Werner (1991) recorded. Even before the founding of modern Israel, Jewish culture included singing, instrumental playing, and the publication of songbooks, as Ben Ze'ev (2006) noted. Today, music study is common and well accepted in Jewish Israeli society.

Christian music practices

Christianity emerged from the Jewish tradition, and the New Testament naturally continued musical practices. Similarities can be found in the melodic formulas of psalm singing, which resemble Jewish formulas (Burkholder, Grout & Palisca, 2006). The first musical event recorded in the New Testament is hymn singing by Jesus and his disciples: Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26 state, "When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives."

From the fourth century onward, informal public gatherings for chanting prayers took place in basilicas (Burkholder, Grout & Palisca, 2006). The Church fathers—St. Basil (ca. 330–379), St. John Chrysostom (ca. 345–407), St. Jerome (ca. 340–420), and St. Augustine (345–430)—recognized music’s power to evoke strong emotions. They believed these feelings should be directed toward spiritual worship, not simple earthly pleasure. For that reason, the Church fathers did not approve of instrumental music, thinking music without words could not guide thoughts toward Christ. References to harp and trumpet music in the Old Testament were interpreted allegorically. This view shaped Christian musical practice for over a millennium, restricting it to unaccompanied singing—the first time a ban was placed on certain types of music.

It is noteworthy that in the eleventh century, the monk Guido of Arezzo devised an innovative notation system that allowed chant singing to be studied with far greater precision than had been possible through memorization, according to Grout and Palisca (1980). From its earliest days, music was woven into Christian life and remained so through diverse practices. Making music became entirely natural within the Christian religion.

Music in Islam

Singing and playing instruments have always been part of life on the Arabian Peninsula. In the pre-Islamic period known as Jahaliyya, artistic culture reached a high point in poetry and music, as Shiloah (1999) documented. Mecca and Medina—in what is now Saudi Arabia—were leading artistic centers. Many performers were qiyan, female singing slaves who were educated to perform poetry and music for wealthy households or in entertainment venues. Male musicians were few, as noted by Kraeling and Mowry (1991).

Early Islam expanded through the conquests of the Prophet Muhammad and his followers, bringing new artists and musicians into the Arabian Peninsula, as Shiloah (1999) described. A rich musical tradition developed, especially in Medina, and became associated with a life of pleasure. Musicians and poets devoted their creative energy mainly to love songs, creating a link between music performance and permissive culture. Yet the Qur’an itself records that music was performed at both the Prophet’s wedding and his daughter’s wedding, according to Hood (2007).

The first version of the Qur’an was compiled shortly after the Prophet’s death in 632 CE, and the final version was established by the mid-tenth century, as Grandguillaume (2010) noted. During the seventh century, two conflicting views about music performance emerged: one saw no conflict between the Prophet’s teachings and musical activities; the other banned all secular musical expression, as Shiloah (1999) recorded. The second view was adopted by leading orthodox authorities. Because they found no explicit prohibition against music in the Qur’an, these authorities began to interpret the text in a way that supported their position. It must be said, however, that daily life in Muslim communities has always included music tied to life events and ceremonies, as Baily (2006) and Hood (2007) observed.

The ban on music playing and study influenced many in the Muslim community for over a thousand years. In the last 150 years, however, Abdel-Rahman Hamza (2014) notes a shift: music has become more accepted in countries such as Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt. Today both men and women participate in musical performance.

Druze religion and music

The Druze faith is a monotheistic religion that began in Cairo, Egypt, in the eleventh century. It absorbed the Islamic distinction between sacred and secular music, and orthodox Druze leaders similarly prohibited secular music. As with Islam, devout followers typically obeyed the ban on varied musical activities while less orthodox members allowed them, as Hood (2007) observed. According to Dana, Salman, and Sulayman (1998), sacred prayer with singing occurs during the special holiday known as Layali al-Ashur. Other musical occasions include unaccompanied religious glory songs in responsorial style, as well as religious hymns set to popular tunes or composed music sung by Lebanese Druze. Music is interwoven with Druze life (Hood, 2007). Druze songs deal with love or war and are performed at life-cycle events—birth, child rearing, engagement, wedding, and funeral. Men typically sing of war, honor, and love of homeland; women sing about love and social relationships. At funerals, men perform prayers that sound much like Qur’anic recitation. Children learn songs and dances through active participation in festivities (Hood, 2007).

Current educational systems and their effect on music education

Israel has several educational systems organized by language, religion, and level of orthodoxy. Most schools are under the authority of the Ministry of Education. Elementary schools are generally divided by the language spoken: Hebrew or Arabic (other languages exist but are uncommon).

Most Hebrew-speaking students are Jewish and attend schools that observe the Jewish calendar. About 85% of Jewish elementary schools offer music programs, as do many kindergartens (the exact percentage is unknown because of the many separate institutions serving this age group).

Arabic-speaking students include Muslims, Christians, and Druze. Muslim and Christian students usually attend school together, speaking Arabic and observing both Muslim and Christian holidays. Christian communities also run independent private schools with their own programs, as Ben Ze'ev (2006) noted. Druze students living in Druze villages—such as Daliyat al-Karmel and Yirka—attend local village schools where most other students are Druze; others go to school where they live.

In areas where Arab schools serve Muslim and Christian students, the Ministry of Education and the Compulsory Education Law both apply. However, evidence suggests that music programs are less common even in affluent Arab communities, compared with average Jewish communities. This disparity shows that religion influences attitudes about the value of music and may affect the authentic musical opportunities available to children in Israel.

For Arab society in rural areas, the situation differs considerably: access to music instruction is limited and shaped by multiple factors including religious attitudes toward music, financial constraints, and political issues linked to education (Ben Ze’ev, 2006).

Discussion

This study set out to synthesize several perspectives on the existence and promotion of music education (ME) and musical activities in Israel. A key finding is that attitudes regarding the value of music activities and ME are shaped by religious and cultural affiliation. Within Israel, Jewish and Christian communities widely embrace music learning. For Muslims and Druze, however, music education is influenced by the historical tension between orthodox positions and more liberal views on music’s value. Orthodox authorities historically sanctioned music only for religious purposes since other musical pursuits were viewed as linked to decadence and immoral behavior. This perception originated in the 7th century and persisted for over a millennium.

These traditional Muslim norms have shaped the inclusion of music classes in Arab schools across Israel. The positive values associated with music education may conflict with the religious identity of the school and its surrounding community. Such factors determine both the presence and scope of music programs within a school.

This situation reflects current conditions in Israel. The majority of Jewish elementary students receive music instruction, whereas only a minority of Arab elementary students do. This disparity deprives many Arab students of music learning opportunities. The lack of access affects not only individual students but also entire communities, who miss out on the personal and societal benefits connected to musical engagement.

Additionally, geographic location is tied to music learning possibilities. Arab music students from central cities such as Nazareth, Haifa, or Jerusalem, as well as from some rural areas with available music teachers, have had opportunities to study and play instruments during childhood. In contrast, those from rural areas lacking music teachers typically acquire a musical background informally—through watching and listening to community musicians or participating in local ceremonies.

These differences inevitably affect the music proficiency level of students who apply for bachelor’s degrees in music or ME. Regardless, all students—including those from rural areas who successfully complete these programs—hold the potential to drive meaningful change in their communities by teaching music. Operating a music program in a local school exposes young children and their families to music, thereby fostering a musically engaged community.

The expressed motivations of two Arab college students illustrate their belief and determination to create such change.

One student noted in conversation: “I want to see teenagers in my village meeting together to play music instead of walking around the streets, and I will make it happen.” Another student spoke of music-making’s power within a group: “I want to create circles of women of all ages that would meet together and sing. That activity will start a process that they will hear their voices and would dare to start speaking.”

Conclusions

Music activities and ME are deeply embedded in Jewish Israeli society. They have long been accepted within Israel’s Christian community, whereas acceptance among Muslim and Druze societies has emerged only recently. Although many Jewish elementary schools offer regular music classes, many Arab elementary schools—which serve Muslim, Christian, and Druze students—still lack these classes. The disparity in implementing music curricula may partly stem from the historical influence of differing religious views on music. Advancing music classes in the Arab community requires both the willingness of school principals to incorporate music into the curriculum and the availability of Arabic-speaking music teachers. The broader recognition of musical activities’ value that has spread across Arab countries over the last century—and continues today—has helped establish music as a positive endeavor, widely embraced by society.