Israel is the only Jewish country in the world, and because of that, so much of its culture and national identity are connected to the Jewish religion. For many residents in Israel, being Jewish shapes public life, holidays, and even the weekly schedule. For example, Shabbat affects businesses, transportation, and family routines. Here in the United States, we call winter break Christmas break. And have off for all the Christian holidays. It is very interesting to think about how that norm is for the Jewish religion in Israel. At the same time, Israel is not culturally one-dimensional. Because it is located in the Middle East, it has also been influenced heavily by Arabic and Mediterranean cultures. You can see this in the food and music.
Geography also plays a role in shaping culture. Israel is a small country, but it has very different regions. Jerusalem feels like the spiritual and historical center. It holds major religious importance for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. After visiting the Old City, I saw how much it meant to people; some would even save up their whole lives to travel there. I can understand how spiritually and historically connected people feel to the city. Tel Aviv, on the other hand, represents a more modern and secular side of Israel. It is known for its beaches, nightlife, and technology scene. I find it interesting that two cities within such a small country can represent very different lifestyles. There are also deserts, the Dead Sea, and the Sea of Galilee, which all contribute to tourism and national identity. Physical space really does shape cultural experience.
Hebrew is the main language spoken in Israel, but there are many other languages spoken because of immigration. One thing that fascinates me is that Hebrew was revived as a spoken language after centuries of mainly being used for religious texts. That alone shows how connected language and identity are. Modern Hebrew still has biblical roots, but it also has new words for modern things like technology, politics, and just daily life.
Language creates a strong cultural distinction. A Jewish person in the United States or France may share religious beliefs with someone in Israel, but speaking Hebrew creates a different relationship to the culture. Certain Hebrew words hold meanings that do not translate perfectly into English. Even slang words like “yalla” or “sababa” carry cultural energy that goes beyond their literal meaning. Hebrew’s three-letter root system also requires specific understanding. Words are connected in ways that are not always obvious to beginners. To really engage with Israeli society, I would need to understand religious vocabulary, historical references, and everyday slang.
To engage deeply with Israeli culture, I would need more than just basic vocabulary. I would need to build knowledge of religious terms, government language, and conversational Hebrew. In my learning plan, I would include objectives like expanding cultural vocabulary, practicing reading simple Hebrew texts, and becoming more comfortable with sentence structure. Right now, I am still learning the alphabet, but understanding how language connects to culture motivates me to keep going.
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