Historical Background
Beliefs and Traditions
Tenets and Precepts
Druze Women
Marriage
The Druze Educational System
Employment
Druze Revered Sites in Israel
Druze Towns and Villages
Druze Villages in the Golan
Druze Heritage Center
Druze in Politics
Israel-Syria Druze Engagement

Dana Ben-Shimon, “IDF sees sharp rise in enlistment from Druze, Bedouins, and Arab Christians,” Jerusalem Post, (December 2, 2025).
Facts and Figures

The Druze community in Israel is officially recognized as a separate religious entity with its own courts (with jurisdiction in matters of personal status - marriage, divorce, maintenance, and adoption) and spiritual leadership. Their culture is Arab, and their language is Arabic, but they opted against mainstream Arab nationalism in 1948 and have since served (first as volunteers, later within the draft system) in the Israel Defense Forces and the Border Police.

Worldwide, there are probably about one million Druze living mainly in Syria and Lebanon, with an estimated 152,000 in Israel (a more than tenfold increase since 1949), including about 18,000 in the Golan (which came under Israeli rule in 1967) and several thousand who emigrated to Europe and North and South America. The Druze community comprises 1.6% of Israel’s total population and 7.4% of Israel’s Arab population. The Druze live in two main districts: the Northern District (approximately 81% of the Druze population) and the Haifa District (approximately 19%)

The Druze community in Israel has a special standing among the country’s minority groups, and members of the community have attained high-level positions in the political, public, and military spheres.

Historical Background

The Druze religion has its roots in Ismailism, a religio-philosophical movement that founded the Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt in the tenth century. During the reign of al-Hakim (996 - 1021), the Druze creed came into being, blending Islamic monotheism with Greek philosophy and Hindu influences. Active proselytizing of the new creed was brief; since about 1050, the community has been closed to outsiders.

The first Druze settled in what is now southern Lebanon and northern Israel. By the time of the Ottoman conquest of Syria (1516), Druze also lived in the hill country near Aleppo, and Sultan Selim I recognized Fakhr al-Din as Emir of the Druze, with local authority. Civil strife between the Lebanese Druze and the Maronite Christians ended in 1860 with the autonomous administration of Mt. Lebanon, which was imposed by the great powers. The Druze never regained ascendancy in the region and the center of the community passed to Mt. Hauran in Syria, which became known as Jebel-el-Druze (Mountain of the Druze) - the name formerly synonymous with Mt. Lebanon.

Until the end of Ottoman rule (1918), the Druze were governed by emirs, as a semi-autonomous community. In 1921 the French tried to set up a Druze state under the French Mandate, but the attempt failed.

The Druze in Galilee and on Mount Carmel have always kept in contact with the other branches of the community, especially with those of Mt. Hermon and Lebanon. During the British Mandate over Palestine, they refrained from taking part in the Arab-Jewish conflict, and during Israel’s War of Independence (1948), became active participants on Israel’s side.

Beliefs and Traditions

The Druze consider their faith to be a new interpretation of the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. For them, the traditional story of the Creation is a parable that describes Adam not as the first human being but as the first person to believe in one god. Since then, the idea of monotheism has been disseminated by “emissaries” or prophets, guided by “mentors” who embody the spirit of monotheism. The mentors and prophets come from all three religions and include Jethro and Moses, John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth, and Salman the Persian and Mohammed - all reincarnations of the same monotheistic idea. In addition, the Druze hold other influential people - regardless of their religion - in great esteem as the advocates of justice and belief in one god. These include the Egyptian Akhenaton, the Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, and Alexander the Great.

Although the Druze recognize all three monotheistic religions, they believe that rituals and ceremonies have caused Jews, Christians, and Muslims to turn aside from “pure faith.” They argue that individuals who believe that God will forgive them if they fast and pray, will commit transgressions in the expectation of being forgiven - and then repeat their sins. The Druze thus eliminated all elements of ritual and ceremony; there is no fixed daily liturgy, no defined holy days, and no pilgrimage obligations. The Druze perform their spiritual reckoning with God at all times and consequently need no special days of fasting or atonement.

The Druze religion is secret and closed to converts. From the theological perspective, the secrecy derives from the tenet that the gates of the religion were open to new believers for the space of a generation when it was first revealed, and everyone was invited to join. Since, in their belief, everyone alive today is the reincarnation of someone who lived at that time, there is no reason to allow them to join today. Therefore, the Druze refrain from missionizing, and no member of another religion can become Druze.

Druze religious books are accessible only to the initiates, the uqqal (“knowers”). The juhal (“ignorant ones”) accept the faith based on the tradition handed down from generation to generation.

Tenets and Precepts

The Druze religion has no ceremonies or rituals and no obligation to perform precepts in public. The main tenets that obligate all Druze, both uqqal and juhal, are:

Speaking the truth (instead of prayer)
Supporting your brethren (instead of charity)
Abandoning the old creeds (instead of fasting)
Purification from heresy (instead of pilgrimage)
Accepting the unity of God
Submitting to the will of God (instead of holy war)

The uqqal are bound by more precepts than the juhal. Their external appearance is also different: the men have a shaven head covered by a white turban, a mustache, and a beard; the women wear a white head scarf, called a naqab. The most pious among the women hide all their hair under a separate covering, the iraqiyah, which is fastened around the head underneath the white scarf.

Druze are forbidden to eat pork, smoke, or drink alcohol.

Druze Women

Druze women can attain positions of religious significance, and some have achieved high ranks. Regarding personal status, their rights are almost identical to those of men; actually, Druze women are preferred over men in joining the uqqal, because they are considered to be better “spiritually prepared.” Consequently, there are more women than men among the uqqal. Female uqqal participate in the religious assemblies in the hilwah (prayer house), but sit separately from the men.

Uqqal men and women usually intermarry. If a juhal wishes to marry a member of the uqqal, the former is expected to declare in advance his/her intention to join in the near future. Druze men, both uqqal and juhal, may not have more than one wife, nor may they remarry their divorced wife, or even be under the same roof with her. Also, a male uqqal may not be alone with a woman who is not a close relative (spouse, daughter, sister, mother) nor even respond to her greeting unless a third person is present. Both men and women are encouraged to guard themselves against immodest or impulsive behavior.

The average number of children that a Druze woman is expected to bear during her lifetime (total fertility rate) was 2.00 children per woman in 2021 (1.94 in 2020 and 2.02 in 2019), lower than that of Jewish women (3.13) and Muslim women (3.01).

The fertility rate of Druze women has decreased by approximately 75% since 1964, when it peaked at 7.92 children per woman. It has continued to decrease over the past decade. It fell below the replacement rate (2.1 children per woman, the rate needed to maintain a population size) and was almost as low as that of Christian women (1.77).

Despite the decline in fertility rates in the Druze population, its average household size is higher than that of Jews and Christians because it is not common for Druze persons to live alone.

Marriage

The percentage of never-married men among Druze men aged 25 to 29 increased from 41% in 1997 to 70% in 2020. The percentage of never-married women among Druze women aged 20 to 24 increased from 49% to 76% during those same years.

The percentage of never-married men among Druze men aged 40 to 44 increased from 3% in 1997 to 8% in 2020. The percentage of never-married women among Druze women in the same age group was the same (10%) during those years. These statistics point to a decrease in the number of marriages in the Druze population.

In 2020, the average age of the Druze population at first marriage was 25.6 years among women and 29.2 years among men. In 2010, the average age at first marriage in the Druze population was 23.0 years among women and 27.6 years among men.

The marriage age of Druze women is higher than that of Muslim and Jewish women and lower than that of Christian women. The age at which Druze men marry is higher than that of Jewish and Muslim men and lower than that of Christian men.

The Druze Educational System

Since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, the Druze educational system has flourished. In 1948/49, only 981 Druze were enrolled in school - 881 boys and 100 girls. Some 30 years later, there were 18,729 Druze students, an increase by a factor of 19. Today, more than 30,000 Druze students are in the school system - some 2.3% of all pupils in Israel, although the representation of Druze in the general population is only 1.6%.

Still, 2.3% of the Druze did not attend school at all. Of those who did, 1.3% did not receive a diploma, 27.9% have a primary or lower-secondary education, 12.1% completed high school without a matriculation certificate, 39.7% received a matriculation certificate, 4.2% received a non-academic graduation diploma from a post-primary school, and 14.8% received an academic degree or diploma.

Of Druze upper secondary school graduates in 2012/13, 39.8% went on to study for a first degree within eight years of graduating high school, compared with 34.1% among all students in the Arab education system. The percentage of Druze who went on to study for a first degree at the universities was lower than this percentage among all students in the Arab education system (24.9% and 31.0%, respectively). However, the percentage of Druze who went on to study for a first degree at academic colleges was higher than this percentage among all students in the Arab education system (43.6% and 34.8%, respectively).

A substantially higher percentage of Druze men than Druze women studied at academic colleges (50.6% compared with 40.8%, respectively). On the other hand, a substantially higher percentage of Druze women than Druze men studied at the academic colleges of education (17.0% compared with 7.5%, respectively). No substantial difference was found between the percentages of Druze men and Druze women who went on to study for a first degree at the universities.

During the 2021/22 academic year, 5,900 Druze students attended all the higher education institutions in Israel, not including first degree students in the Open University. In the 2021/22 academic year, 2,453 Druze students attended universities; 2,668 attended academic colleges, and 702 attended academic colleges of education.

Employment

In 2022, 61,100 Druze were employed, and the employment rate among Druze reached 50.8% (as compared with 42.6% among the Moslems and 68.7% among the Christians). Of the approximately 42,000 Druze households in 2022, 81.2% were households with employed persons, higher than the percentage among Moslems (75.4%) and Christians (79.8%).

Among the Druze, as among the Moslems, there is a wide gap between the participation of men and that of women in the labor force. The percentage of Druze men who are part of the labor force reached 64.2% in 2022 (as compared with 59.5% among the Moslems and 73.5% among the Christians). The percentage of Druze women who are part of the labor force reached 40.2% (as compared with 31.3% among the Moslems and 68.2% among the Christians).

Among employed Druze, 27.9% worked as employees in sales and services, 26.8% worked as professional employees in manufacturing and construction, and workers in other professions. Of those who were employed, 19.2% worked in local and public administration and defense, and social security industry, 14.0% worked in the manufacturing industry, and 12.7% worked in the education industry.

Druze Revered Sites in Israel

Since there is no ritual or ceremony in the Druze religion, physical places are not sanctified. However, the Druze gradually instituted gatherings at significant sites to discuss community affairs, and over time, such gatherings have taken on the meaning of a sort of religious holiday.

Most regional assembly places are located in or near Druze villages in upper and western Galilee, in the Golan, and on Mount Carmel.

Jethro’s Tomb

One of the most important Druze gathering sites is the tomb of Nebi Shu’eib - the prophet Jethro - at the Horns of Hittin, overlooking Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). According to Druze tradition, Saladin had a dream on the eve of his battle against the Crusaders at this site, in which an angel promised him victory on the condition that after the battle he gallop westward on his horse. Where the stallion would pull up, the angel promised, he would find the burial site of Nebi Sheuib. When the dream came true, the Druze built a tomb at the site, next to which is a rock bearing a footprint believed to belong to Nebi Sheuib. On April 25th of each year, the Druze gather at the site to discuss community affairs.

The Druze built the older section of the existing structure in the 1880s after the community’s spiritual leader, Sheikh Mahna Tarif of Julis, summoned an assembly to discuss its construction. A delegation of uqqal traveled to Syria and Lebanon and collected funds for this purpose, and the local Druze also contributed extensively. Renovation work and additions to the building continued throughout the years of the British Mandate and more intensively after 1948. In recent years, access to the site has been improved, and electricity and water have been connected, with funding from the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare and various other government ministries, and the Minorities Unit of the IDF.

Sabalan’s Tomb

Sabalan was a Druze prophet, believed to be either Zebulun, the sixth son of the Patriarch Jacob or one of the emissaries who propagated the Druze religion in the eleventh century. Sabalan’s tomb is located above the Druze village of Hurfeish. It is the site of an annual festive pilgrimage and is visited annually by those who have taken a vow to do so.

Nabi al-Khadr

Al-Khadr means “green” in Arabic. It is also the name given to the Prophet Elijah in Muslim tradition. His tomb is to be found in Kafr Yasif, near Akko. Members of the Druze community gather at his tomb on January 25th.

Tomb of Al-Ya’afuri

The prophet Al-Ya’afuri is not mentioned in any other religion, and the name is neither Arabic nor Persian. His tomb, located near the village of Majdal Shams in the Golan, is considered an important place for the Druze.

Nabi Zakarya

This is, in all likelihood, the Jewish prophet Zechariah. His tomb is located in the village of Abu Sinan near Akko. It is a very modest site; there is no set date for gatherings there.

Tomb of Abu Ibrahim

Another minor shrine, the tomb of Abu Ibrahim, attracts Druze from all over Israel in fulfillment of vows and to receive a blessing. It is located in the town of Daliyat el-Carmel on Mount Carmel.

Tomb of Abu Abdallah

This tomb is visited almost exclusively by residents of the village of Isfiya in which it is located.

Druze Towns and Villages

Most of the Druze towns and villages in Israel are populated exclusively by Druze, although over the last century, a minority of Christians and Muslims have become residents in some of them. They are located in the north of the country, mainly on hilltops; historically as a defense against attack and persecution.

The largest Druze town in Israel (and the most southern) is Daliyat el-Carmel, located on Mount Carmel in the heart of the Carmel National Park, southeast of Haifa. Established some 400 years ago, Daliyat el-Carmel has a population of 17,600 Druze residents, who trace their ancestry to the hill country near Aleppo (Halab) in northern Syria, attested to by their strong Aleppo accent and the name of the largest family in the village - Halabi. The large market in the center of the town boasting traditional Druze and Arab products draws tourists from Israel and from abroad, and there is a memorial center for fallen Druze IDF soldiers. The shrine of Abu Ibrahim is located in Daliyat el-Carmel, and the ruins of several Druze villages are in the vicinity.

Isfiya, also on Mount Carmel, was built on the ruins of a Byzantine settlement. Many Crusader ornaments and relics found on the walls and in the houses led historians to believe that the village was once a Crusader center. In 1930, remains of the fifth-century Jewish settlement of Husifah were unearthed in the village. They include a synagogue with a mosaic floor bearing Jewish symbols with the inscription “Peace upon Israel” and some 4,500 gold coins dating from the Roman Period. The modern village was founded in the early eighteenth century when residents made their living from the olive oil, honey, and the excellent grapes growing in the region. Some 9,000 people live today in Isfiya: 70% Druze, the rest Christians and Muslims. The tomb of Abu Abdallah is located here.

Northeast of Haifa is the village of Shfar’am, a settlement with ancient roots. Shfar’am is mentioned in the Talmud, and in the second century, was the seat of the Sanhedrin (the supreme Jewish religious and judicial body). The Jewish community in Shfar’am, dating from the end of the Middle Ages, slowly dwindled during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Some 27,000 Druze, Christians and Muslims live in Shfar’am today, and the village has several holy sites and prayer houses for all three communities, as well as housing for discharged Druze soldiers.

Further north, overlooking Lake Kinneret, is Maghar, believed to be the site of the city of Ma’ariya, where a priestly family lived in Talmudic times. Historical sources mention the many olive trees surrounding the village, which still thrive today. Some 17,000 people live in Maghar today - 60% Druze, 20% Muslim, and 20% Christian.

The village of Rama (population 7,000), north of Maghar, was built on the site of the ancient biblical town of Ramot Naftali. Rama is noted for its level of culture, dating back to the Mandate Period; in 1948, the proportion of physicians, attorneys, and engineers in Rama was the highest in the Arab sector. Nearby is the smaller village of Sajur.

Located north of Rama, on the peak of Mt. Meron, is the all-Druze village of Beit Jan. The village is situated at the highest point in Israel (940 meters above sea level), with a population of some 9,000. Not far away is Peki’in, one of the most ancient villages in the country. It was frequently mentioned in historical sources from the thirteenth century onward, noting its many springs, flourishing gardens, orchards, and small Jewish community, which has been present there almost continuously since the Second Temple period. In and near the village are significant sites for Druze and Jews, including a restored synagogue dating back to the Roman Period. The oldest Druze school in the region was established in Peki’in by the Russian church at the end of the nineteenth century.

Ein el-Asad, the only all-Druze village founded in the twentieth century, is nearby. The village’s original residents came from Beit Jan, Syria, and Lebanon. Kafr Sumei’, west of Peki’in, is thought to be the site of Kefar Sama, mentioned in ancient Hebrew literature.

South of Kafr Sumei’, Kisra was the smallest Druze village in the country in the nineteenth century. The village now has about 3,500 residents. The nearby village of Yanuah is mentioned in the Bible (as Janoah), the Talmud, and Crusader documents. Next to the village is the shrine of the Muslim prophet Shams.

The only all-Druze town in western Galilee, Yirka, is the site of one of the largest factories in the Middle East: the steel mill belonging to the Kadmani Brothers. The factory has enabled the village to develop a large commercial and industrial zone. Home to about 17,500 Druze, Yirka is the second largest Druze city. It has several important sites, the most significant of which is the tomb of Sheikh Abu Saraya Ghanem, an important Druze religious scholar of the early eleventh century.

Abu Sinan, another large Druze town in the area, is mentioned in Crusader documents from the year 1250, as the fortress of “Busnen”. Abu Sinan became important during the reign of the Druze Emir Fahr ed-Din al-Mani, who built a palace there for his son Ali in 1617. Today Abu Sinan is home to about 10,000 persons - 35% Druze and the rest Christians and Muslims. The tombs of the prophet Zechariah and Sheikh al-Hanbali are in the town.

South of Abu Sinan is the tranquil village of Julis, home of Sheikh Amin Tarif, the longtime spiritual leader of the Israeli Druze community, who died in October 1993. His grandson, Saleh Tarif, who lives in Julis, was the first Druze appointed a minister in the Israeli government.

Druze have lived in Jat, a small village northeast of Abu Sinan, since the eleventh century. Druze sacred texts mention Sheikh Abu Arus, who was responsible for the propagation of the Druze faith in the region and was buried in the village. The population of Jat today is 8,000.

The village of Hurfeish is situated on the road that runs east from the coastal town of Nahariya and the site of the tomb of the important prophet Sablan. On September 10th each year, Druze come to celebrate his festival in the village. In 1972, a monument was erected in Hurfeish in memory of Druze soldiers who fell serving with the Israel Defense Forces.

Druze Villages in the Golan

When Israel captured the Golan Heights in the 1967 War, Druze villages were divided with some people left on the Syrian side and others in Israel. When Israel annexed the Golan Heights in 1981, it offered all residents Israeli citizenship, only a small minority accepted because of loyalty to Syria and the expectation the area would be returned one day as part of a peace agreement. In recent years, the number applying for citizenship has grown as a return of the land to Syria seemed less likely and the stigma attached to Israeli citizenship receded. Today, out of a population of approximately 29,000, over 20% hold Israeli citizenship.

With some 8,000 residents, Majdal Shams is considered to be the center of the Druze community in the Golan. The Abu-Salah and Safdie families are the most important spiritual and political residents. Majdal Shams is situated in the southern foothills of Mt. Hermon and is surrounded by thousands of dunams of orchards, the main crops of which include first-class apples and cherries.

Most of the 3,000 inhabitants of Mas’ada originate from the Abu-Salah and Safdie families of Majdal Shams. Originally founded as a farm south of Majdal Shams, Mas’ada developed into a large village that was involved in agricultural production.

South of Mas’ada is the village of Buka’ata. It was founded over 100 years ago when a family feud in Majdal Shams resulted in many inhabitants fleeing acts of retribution and revenge. Today, the 5,000 residents earn their livelihood from growing apples and grapes.

Ein Kenya lies in the southwestern foothills of Mt. Hermon, above the Banyas Nature Reserve. Until the Six-Day War the inhabitants of Ein Kenya included Christians, but today its 1,600 inhabitants are exclusively Druze.

Druze Heritage Center

Ground was broken on a 25,000-square-foot heritage center dedicated to telling the story of the Druze contributions to the IDF and the State of Israel in July 2017. Construction of the center was funded by Israeli-American billionaire Haim Saban, who attended and spoke at the ground-breaking ceremony. The site will serve both as a recreational center and resource, with amenities to include a 500-person auditorium, classrooms and offices, a cafeteria, a gym, and a heritage area celebrating the history of the Druze community in Israel. Additionally, the Druze Heritage Center will feature a memorial to the Druze who have given their lives in defense of the State of Israel.

Druze in Politics

Druze are represented throughout Israel’s political system. Ayoob Kara, a Druze from Daliyat al-Karmel, for example, is a Member of Knesset from the Likud Party. In the 2019 election, Gadeer Mreeh of the Blue and White Party became the first woman of Druze ethnicity to become an MK.

On April 22, 2012, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman appointed Naim Araidi, a Druze professor of Hebrew Literature, as Israel’s ambassador to New Zealand. He was the first Druze to serve as a diplomat for the state. At the time of his appointment, Araidi was the dean of the Arab Academic College for Education and a member of the Sapir Prize board. He taught at Haifa and Bar Ilan universities. In 2008, Araidi won the Prime Minister’s Award for Hebrew Literature.

“After years of representing the State of Israel unofficially, it would be a great privilege for me to do so in an official capacity and show Israel’s beautiful side, as well as the coexistence that despite all the hardships can only be maintained in a true democracy,” Araidi said during a press conference.

Military Service

The Druze community has experienced a sharp rise in IDF enlistment, primarily driven by the upheaval in Syria, especially the deadly 2025 clashes in Sweida, and by the impact of the October 7 massacre, which deepened their sense of shared fate with Israel. Most notable is the shift among Golan Heights Druze, who historically opposed Israeli sovereignty and avoided military service but are now enlisting at rates reportedly six times higher than before, with hundreds already trained and more seeking Israeli citizenship. IDF officials say this reflects a growing belief that Israel is the only reliable protector of Druze communities on both sides of the border, transforming long-standing attitudes and strengthening ties between Golan Druze and the state.

Israel-Syria Druze Engagement

On March 14, 2025, Israel facilitated a historic visit for 100 Druze sheiks from Syria to the Nabi Shu’ayb shrine in Tiberias, marking the first such visit since 1974. Under Bashar al-Assad’s rule, Syrian Druze were forbidden from maintaining ties with their Israeli brethren, making this visit a significant milestone. The sheiks, mainly from Hader in southern Syria, were welcomed by Israeli Druze upon arrival. The annual pilgrimage honors Nabi Shu’ayb, revered in Druze tradition as the prophet Jethro. During their visit, the sheiks met with Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, Israel’s Druze spiritual leader, and presented him with a plaque and a ceremonial sword. The visit coincides with Israel’s plans to allow Syrian Druze and Circassians to work in the Golan Heights, with Defense Minister Israel Katz affirming Israel’s commitment to protecting the Syrian Druze from threats under Syria’s interim president Abu Mohammad al-Jolani.

Sources: Israeli Foreign Ministry.
Central Bureau of Statistics.
Israeli billionaire to fund heritage centre for Druze IDF soldiers, JTA, (July 31, 2017).
“Druze Woman Set To Enter Knesset In Israeli First,” Jerusalem Post, (April 10, 2019).
Itamar Eichner, “Druze professor appointed ambassador to New Zealand,” Ynet, (April 22, 2012).
Fadi Amun in partnership with Shomrim, “Taboo no more: One in five Golan Druze now holds Israeli citizenship,” Times of Israel, (January 6, 2025).
“Druze sheikhs arrive in Israel from Syria in historic visit to prophet’s shrine,” Jerusalem Post, (March 14, 2025).
Dana Ben-Shimon, “IDF sees sharp rise in enlistment from Druze, Bedouins, and Arab Christians,” Jerusalem Post, (December 2, 2025).

The Druze in Israel: History & Overview