Abstract :
Based on equity theory and sociocultural conditions, this study depicts the Israeli system of societal equity
from the perspective of the ethos of halutziut (Jewish pioneering). This ethos, which underscores the individual’s
contribution to the enhancement of collective goals, has created a correspondence between hierarchically
valued signifiers of societal contribution (e.g., military service) and social groupings defined along
gender, ethnic, age, and professional lines. This study used multivariate analysis, and Powell’s technique for
measuring and spatially portraying respondents’ perceptions of societal equity. Results supported the
expected pioneering hierarchy of groupings, mainly among Jewish respondents. Arab respondents differed
in their perceptions of groupings associated with Jewish pioneering but were similar regarding other groupings.
There is some evidence that perceptions of the contribution and rewards of several groupings, such as
social class and gender, may converge across different sociocultural contexts.
