The Druze are an independent religious
community which has been in
existence since the beginning of the eleventh century. The sect's
religion
is secret . Although it has a
holy book of its own ,
it is not Islamic,
Christian
or Judaic . The
Principal beliefs are monotheism and
Reincarnation (
after death , a Druze person is
reborn to another Druze
Family ) . Accordingly
, no conversions are
allowed-either into or out the
religion.
The Druze are attached to
their land and property; they are village and
Mountain dwellers .
They harbour no national
aspirations for their own
State or country . Through their rigid adherence to
the rules of the clan
Patriarchs and through their
insistence on marriage only within the
community ( Druze who marry
non-Druze women are physically expelled
and excommunicated from Druze centers ) , they have maintained their
historical exclusivity.
The Druze have transformed
what was a religious
community into
something close to an ethnic entity, although the blood-line remains
Arab.
The sect split from Islam at
the beginning of the eleventh century , when
its adherents migrated from
Egypt to Lebanon. After only one generation
of, they became established along the western slopes of Mount Hermon.
From there they spread
westward into Lebanon ( mainly
the Shouf
Mountains ) ,south into Galilee and Mount Carmel ( near the city of Haifa)
in Israel, and east into Syria.
Today, besides the 98,000 Druze in Israel, there are believed to be some
900,000 Druze in Syria , 400,000 in Lebanon, a few small communities
(originally Lebanese and Syrians) living today in the USA, Canada, South
and Central America and Australia.
Israeli Druze lives in seventeen villages-all in Galilee, except for two
on
Mount Carmel . All are situated high in the mountains - locations resulting
Naturally from the Druze
policy of protective isolation . Of these
villages ,
Nine are entirely Druze and the remaining eight have mixed Druze and
Arab, mainly Christian, populations.
They strongly believe in co - existence between all
religious , national and
ethnic groups within the framework of one state and one flag.
Their strict adherence to their teachings has ensured their survival in their
own villages . Known as the " Sons of Grace " , they are a friendly , reliable
people , considered by many to be the most hospitable and courageous
race in the world, with the additional quality of never forgetting a
kindness.
The sect's beliefs include
loyalty to the countries in which they reside.
Therefore Syrian Druze
serve in the Syrian army ,
Lebanese Druze serves
in the Lebanese army, and Israeli Druze serve in the Israel Defense
Forces.
Many young Druze take part in the daily defense burden along
Israel's
Borders and some 175 Druze have sacrificed their lives for the
security of
the State of Israel . A substantial number have risen to commanding
positions in the Israel Defense Forces.
Thus Druze in Israel cooperated with Jewish pioneers in the late 1920s
and
This cooperation grew stronger over the next 20 years
until 1947, when the
majority of Druze sided with the newly - proclaimed State of Israel . During
the War of
Independence they fought alongside
the Israel Defense Forces.
Today they are the only non - Jewish community
in Israel who compulsory
Complete three years of
military service in the
Israel Defense Forces , in
Marked contrast to the
youth of other non - Jewish Israelis, who are exempt
from military service.
The young Druze , therefore , spend years in the
service of Israeli Defense
Forces and can start their
studies at am age when they have to take care
of their families.
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