Israel Birthplace of Nations

Ethnic Groups The majority of people in Israel are Jewish (75%) These include Israel-born Jews (74.4%), Europe/America/Oceania-born Jews (17.4%), Africa-born Jews (5.1%), and Asia-born (3.1%) Jews are the descendants of Abraham through his son Isaac. Arabs are the descendants of Abraham through his son Ismael. The remainder that are non-Jewish (25%)are mostly Arabs.

Celebrations and Holidays Israel is the Jewish State, and Jewish holidays are part of the national calendar. In the Jewish calendar, each day begins at sunset and ends at sundown of the following day. So Shabbat (the Sabbath) begins at sunset on Friday, and ends 25 hours later at sundown on Saturday. The Israeli weekend is Friday and Saturday; Sunday is a normal working day in Israel. The first and last days of Passover (Pesach), Shavuot (Pentecost), Rosh Hashanah (New Year) (two days), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and the first and last days of Sukkot (Tabernacles) are holidays with banks, businesses and offices closed. Holidays such as Purim and Chanukah are celebrated throughout the country, but nothing is closed.

Arts and Crafts Organized art activity in the country began in 1906 when Professor Boris Schatz arrived from Bulgaria and founded the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Crafts in Jerusalem to encourage talented young Jews to study art in the Land of Israel. By 1910, the school had 32 different departments, a student body of 500, and a ready market for its works throughout the Jewish world. In addition to painters and sculptors, the country's artistic life is made up of talented craftspeople (ceramicists, silver and goldsmiths, weavers, calligraphers, glass blowers, etc.), many of whom specialize in modern interpretations of traditional Jewish ceremonial objects. Enthusiasm for art prevails among people from all walks of life. Israelis encourage and support art activities by attending exhibits – from one-artist retrospectives to comprehensive group shows at the country's many museums and private galleries - by frequenting the artists' quarters of Safed and Yafo or the artists' village of Ein Hod, and by purchasing the works of local artists.  

6 Facts about Israeli Sports Israel has won seven Olympic medals: five bronze, one silver and one gold, mainly for judo and sailing. Israel has its own Olympics, the Maccabiah Games, held once every four years. Jewish athletes from all over the world come to compete. Soccer is Israel’s most popular sport. Israel’s highest FIFA ranking ever was 15th, but it has appeared in the World Cup Soccer finals only once. Israel second most popular sport is basketball and has two players in the NBA – Omri Casspi plays for the Houston Rockets and Gal Mekel plays for the Dallas Mavericks. Israel has its own ice hockey league! Hockey started in Israel in 1986 and today has following of over 1,000 players.

Traditional Folk Music The folk music of Israel embodies the hopes, aspirations, beliefs, customs, and daily lives of an ancient people, but it is also the music of a new country. Although Israel is located in the Middle East, its religion and its history of immigration make the country culturally very different from its neighbors. Israel is one of the most vividly multicultural countries in the world, and its folk music is as diverse as the people themselves. The origins of this music can be traced to every country where Jews have lived, both before and during the diaspora. Israel is a nation of competing and often conflicting voices and interests, but its folk music expresses community, continuity, shared tradition, and national identity.

Popular Music Cable television in the early 1990s brought MTV to Israel for the first time and opened up the country’s youth culture more than ever to the cutting edge of popular music from abroad. From Europe, Israel imported the electronic techno music popular in clubs. From the U.S., Israeli kids absorbed the rising popularity of hip-hop music. Israeli hip-hop rose to popularity just as the dreams of peace ended. Israeli hip-hop artists took their music in different political directions.  Mookie scored the first hip-hop hit by singing an anti- establishment song about peace and justice. But Subliminal and the Shadow released albums praising Israeli strength in the face of difficulties and displaying the Star of David on their album cover. As if coming full circle, the patriotic hip hop lyrics had returned the teenagers to the themes popular with their parents and grandparents 55 years ago at the birth of the country.

Food Jews have returned to their ancient land, bringing with them the foods and recipes they developed during their wanderings. These traditions have mixed with other Jewish recipes, Jewish dietary laws, and the native ingredients of the Land of Israel to create a dynamic cuisine. Many foods that are typically considered “Israeli” originated from the wider cuisine of the Middle East–including the popular falafel (deep-fried chickpea balls in pita) and the famous Israeli salad of cucumbers and tomatoes in distinctively small pieces. Geography has a large influence on the Israel cuisine, and therefore foods common to the region–olives and olive oil, wheat, chickpeas, yogurt–play a featured role in Israeli cuisine. Jewish dietary laws also have a strong influence, including the separation of milk and meat and the avoidance of foods such as pork and shellfish. In addition, Jewish holidays and festivals have helped shaped the cuisine, resulting in the Israeli tradition of sufganiot (soof- gah-nee-oht; jelly doughnuts) on Hanukkah and an original Israeli haroset (chah-roh-seht; a traditional Passover food) recipe.

Clothing for the Climate For most Israelis, dress is for what is suitable for the climatic conditions in the territories. Many Israelis obtain two wardrobes: one that is westernized and suited for such severe climatic changes; one to reflect the dominant religion. Light clothing of linen, flax and cotton can be worn inside desert regions. White reflects the sun’s rays and keeps the folks of this harsh land cool. Traditional attire in Israel resembles western style.

Clothing for Relgion Orthodox and Hasidic Jews commonly dress as outlined by Jewish Laws. Modesty and dark colors reflect the conservative nature from the Laws. Jews tend to be more likely to abide by Western garb during working hours, changing into traditional Jewish dress during holidays and also the Sabbath. Tznius clothing (Hebrew for modest attire) is vital for Hasidic and Orthodox Israeli women. The female is to be revered to be with her introspection and devotion to God, not her physical form.