title: Coping with illness and threat: why non-religious Jews choose to consult rabbis on healthcare issues.
abstract: Whereas modern and advanced medical services are available and accessible to all citizens of Israel, the phenomenon of consulting Orthodox rabbis (Jewish clerics) on healthcare issues is gaining ground among populations that do not identify themselves as religious. The objective of the research was to enquire why non-religious Jews choose to consult rabbis on medical issues. Fifty semi-structured open-ended interviews were conducted during 2009-2011 in northern Israel. The article presents the respondents' main motives, expectations, beliefs, and modes of consulting both physicians and rabbis. This study aims to contribute to discussion about conflating modern medicine with spiritual-religious beliefs in modern-secular society.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Western Galilee Academic College, P.O.B. 2125, Acre, 24121, Israel, Yaelk@wgalil.ac.il.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Keshet
authors.forename: Ido
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Liberman
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002977:Clergy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007557:Israel; D007585:Jews / Q000523:psychology*; D007599:Judaism; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D055815:Young Adult