The Declaration of Independence of Israel deserves the same critical scrutiny. It is unquestionably one of the foundational texts in the history of Israel. Yet its foundational status cannot exempt it from historical analysis. The Declaration was drafted under dramatic circumstances, marked by war, uncertainty, and intense political pressures. Above all, it was the outcome of a compromise: a compromise between secular and religious forces, between different conceptions of nationalism, and between divergent political interests. Its historical significance is beyond dispute. But historical significance does not mean that every one of its formulations should be regarded as normative for twenty-first-century Israel. The respect owed to a foundational text must never become an immunity from criticism.

Zionism, the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence thus point to the same underlying question: How should a democratic society approach its foundational concepts when the reality that gave rise to them has undergone profound change? This question is not confined to Israeli politics. It forms part of a much broader transformation in our relationship to authority, knowledge, and legitimacy.

The need to reassess our values stems, among other things, from the social and technological revolutions that are reshaping every sphere of........

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