Municipal Freedom Index 2023, by FNF partner organization “Israel Hofsheet” (Free Israel), illustrates the shifting status quo of state and religion in Israel’s different municipalities.

 The index shows the extent to which different municipalities in Israel respect liberal democratic values, particularly regarding religious coercion. By evaluating local authorities, the index provides a percentage ranking of how free a municipality is. With a government that has actively worked to erode democratic norms, undermine the judiciary and expand its unchecked power, many are concerned about increased religious coercion and the marginalization of liberal values.

The Municipal Freedom Index serves as a vital counterbalance, empowering citizens to hold their local representatives accountable. The Index evaluates municipalities based on the following categories: public transportation and commerce on Shabbat, the allocation of municipal budgets for religious purposes, the provision of civil burial alternatives, the composition of religious councils and the treatment of LGBTQ+ communities. Also, the exclusion of women from public spaces, level of religious pluralism, recognition and support of non-Orthodox Jewish communities and availability of civil marriage.