Ofir Abu

Tel Hai College, Multidisciplinary Studies, Adjunct

Kinneret College on the Sea of Galilee, Multidisciplinary Studies, Adjunct

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I teach at Tel-Hai Academic College and Kinneret Academic College. I am also a Research Associate at the Azrieli Center for Israel Studies of the Ben-Gurion Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism, where I am a member of the "Jewish World: Views from Israel" research group. This group focuses on the role of the Jewish Diaspora in Israeli discourse, culture, and politics. I hold a doctoral degree in political science from Brandeis University, where I was also a Graduate Fellow at the Schusterman Center for Israeli Studies.

My academic pursuits are complemented by my personal life. I am deeply interested in the complex and often contentious relations between state institutions and minorities, and how these relations influence identities and political processes. My articles have been published in peer-reviewed journals and collective volumes, a testament to my dedication and passion for my field. Currently, I am working on two main projects. The first project focuses on the representations of the diaspora in the homeland's political and public discourse, a topic that I find particularly intriguing. The second project, equally important, focuses on police-minority relations, a topic of increasing relevance in today's society. I am based in Haifa, where I live with my wife, Dana, and our two daughters, Shani and Shirel.

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Peer-reviewed Articles by Ofir Abu

“We just want equality”: perceptions of police, racism, and citizenship in Israel

Ethnic and Racial Studies, 2024

In this article, our focus is on examining intergenerational differences in attitudes toward the ... more In this article, our focus is on examining intergenerational differences in attitudes toward the police among Jewish Israelis of Ethiopian descent. Our quantitative analysis compares the results from our previous survey conducted in 2013 to those of a more recent study in 2022. Our analysis revealed three primary findings: 1. Levels of trust in the police have significantly decreased among Ethiopian Israelis and the majority group (non-Haredi Jewish Israelis). 2. In 2022, Ethiopian Israelis had lower trust in the police compared to the majority group, whereas in 2013, it was the opposite. 3. Younger Ethiopian Israelis (aged 18-30) have lower trust in the police than older community members. We used content analysis of media reports about Ethiopian-Israeli protesters to complement the quantitative analysis. According to our findings, the younger generation of Ethiopian Israelis believes that achieving full and meaningful citizenship will only be possible once institutional racism towards them by the police, as well as the state and society at large, has been eliminated. This is in contrast to the previous generations' expectation that their integration into Jewish society would reduce racialization and mistreatment by the police.

Modern Haredi Identity in Israel through Perceptions of American-Jewish Philanthropy

by Ofir Abu and Lee Cahaner

Iyunim Multidisciplinary Studies in Israeli and Modern Jewish Society, 2023

In this paper, we explore modern Haredi identity by focusing on the views of the new Haredi civic... more In this paper, we explore modern Haredi identity by focusing on the views of the new Haredi civic leadership in Israel (the homeland) on Jewish-American philanthropy (the diaspora). Drawing on ethnographic data, collected through interviews with 10 Haredi civic leaders and participant observation in a workshop that joined representatives of the two groups, we uncover the tensions which seem to constitute the symbolic boundaries of modern Haredi identity. One boundary relates to the dialectics of preservation and transformation: maintaining Haredi culture while pursuing a change in Haredi society in order to set it back on the right path. Another boundary refers to the dialectics of integration and distinction: the new Haredi civic leadership believes that Haredim can contribute to Israeli society as a whole but they should be able to do so while maintaining their Haredi values and Haredi way of life. The third boundary consists of the dialectics of differentiation and cooperation: The rejection of liberal Judaism (which Israeli Jews associate with American Jewry) alongside the willingness to cooperate with Jewish-American philanthropy. This study sheds new light on the issue of modern Haredi identity as it looks at how Haredi views of the diaspora serve identity construction processes in the Haredi society.

Ofir Abu

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