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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