Portal:Israel

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מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל

Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the southwest. Israel's western coast lies on the Mediterranean Sea, its southern tip reaches the Red Sea, and to the east is Earth's lowest point near the Dead Sea. Jerusalem is the government seat and proclaimed capital, while Tel Aviv is Israel's largest urban area and economic centre.

The Land of Israel, also called Palestine or the Holy Land, was home to the ancient Canaanites and later the kingdoms of Israel and Judah and Hasmonean Judea. Located near continental crossroads, its demographics shifted under various empires. 19th-century Jewish nationalism, alongside European antisemitism, fuelled the Zionist movement for a Jewish homeland in Palestine, then an Ottoman region with an overwhelming Arab majority. The movement gained British support with the 1917 Balfour Declaration. After World War I, Britain occupied the region and established Mandatory Palestine. British rule and Jewish immigration in the leadup to the Holocaust intensified Arab-Jewish tensions with Arab opposition to Zionism driven largely by concerns of displacement and dispossession. The 1947 UN Partition Plan proposed separate Arab and Jewish states. The Jewish leadership accepted the plan while the Palestinian Arab leadership rejected it, arguing it violated the principle of self-determination and constituted Western colonial interference. Civil war followed, and Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, shortly before the end of the mandate. The conflict subsequently escalated with the intervention of Arab states. (Full article...)

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Aliyah (US: /ˌæliˈɑː/, UK: /ˌɑː-/; Hebrew: עֲלִיָּה, romanized: ălīyyā, lit. 'ascent') is the immigration of Jews from the diaspora to, historically, the geographical Land of Israel or the Palestine region, where (in the 20th century) the State of Israel was established. Traditionally described as "the act of going up" (namely, toward the Jewish holy city of Jerusalem), moving to the Land of Israel or "making aliyah" is one of the most basic tenets of Zionism. The opposite action—emigration by Jews from the Land of Israel—is referred to in the Hebrew language as yerida (lit. 'descent'). The Law of Return that was passed by the Israeli parliament in 1950 gives all diaspora Jews, as well as their children and grandchildren, the right to relocate to Israel and acquire Israeli citizenship on the basis of connecting to their Jewish identity.

For much of their history, most Jews have lived in diasporas outside of the Land of Israel. Dispersion has resulted both from voluntary emigration (e.g. to seek employment or improved conditions of life) and from various historical conflicts that have been associated with Jewish persecution, expulsions and exoduses. In the late 19th century, 99.7% of the world's Jews lived outside the region, with Jews representing 2–5% of the population of the Palestine region. Despite its historical value as a national aspiration for the Jewish people, aliyah was rarely undertaken prior to the "national awakening" and the development of the Zionist movement in the late 19th century. Larger-scale immigration of Jews to Palestine had consequently begun by 1882. Institutionalized antisemitism and the rise of the Nazi rule in parts of Europe contributed to significant Jewish immigration waves from Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. Mandatory Palestine became a major destination for Jewish immigrants where Palestine absorbed 247,000 newcomers between 1932 and 1939, representing approximately 46% of Jewish emigration from Europe during that period. The 1939 White Paper set a restriction on Jewish immigration to 75,000 over the following five years, with Arab consent for further immigration afterwards. These restrictions contributed to increased illegal immigration (Aliyah Bet) during the British Mandate period. The largest surge in modern Jewish migration to the region occurred between 1948 and 1951, when more than 680,000 immigrants arrived. This period following the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948 saw the Jewish population more than double within a few years. Since 1950, millions of Jews have immigrated to Israel under the Law of Return. As of 2014^[update], Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories contain approximately 42.9 percent of the world's Jewish population. (Full article...)

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This is a Featured picture that the Wikimedia Commons community has chosen as one of the highest quality on the site.

Image 1Southern aerial view of the Temple Mount, a hill located in the Old City of Jerusalem that for thousands of years has been venerated as a holy site, in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Image 2A more recent section of the Israel-Egypt barrier fence, north of Eilat, June 2012. It is a border barrier built by Israel along its border with Egypt. It was originally an attempt to curb illegal migrants from African countries.^[1] Construction was approved on 12 January 2010^[2] and began on 22 November 2010.^[3]
Image 3Jews Praying in the Synagogue on Yom Kippur, an 1878 painting by Maurycy Gottlieb
Image 4Ceramic tile on the Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem
Image 5Northeast exposure of Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, in the Old City of Jerusalem. Considered to be the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina.
Image 6David Ben-Gurion's room at Ben-Gurion's Hut, the retirement home of Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and his wife Paula (Pola) from the years 1953 until Ben-Gurion's death in 1973.
Image 7An aerial view of Makhtesh Ramon, a geological feature of Israel's Negev desert. Located some 85 km south of the city of Beersheba, the landform is not an impact crater from a meteor nor a volcanic crater formed by a volcanic eruption, but rather is the world's largest "erosion cirque" (steephead valley or box canyon).
Image 8Reading Power Station, built in Tel Aviv in 1938, was named for Rufus Isaacs, the 1st Marquess of Reading. Reading Light is pictured on the left.
Image 9Young Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) on a stone wall by the edge of Makhtesh Ramon in Mitzpe Ramon.
Image 10"The Nile and the Sinai, to Israel and beyond. One sweeping glance of human history." Caption by astronaut Chris Hadfield on board the International Space Station.
Image 11A view of Jaffa, from the beachfront of Tel Aviv
Image 12Diving tourism site on the southern coast of Eilat, around a horseshoe-shaped reef. Many animal species are found in the area, including dolphins.
Image 13The Jerusalem Railway Station c. 1900. The locomotive on the turntable is "Ramleh" (J&J No. 3), a Baldwin 2-6-0. The station was the terminus of the Jaffa–Jerusalem railway until its closure in 1998. Today, the station is abandoned and suffering from neglect and vandalism, although it is one of 110 buildings selected for preservation in Jerusalem.
Image 14A view of Jerusalem from southeast, showing the Walls of Jerusalem, the Dome of the Rock, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. This image was taken sometime between 1900 and 1940.
Image 15Dead Tree in Sea of Life is an installation artwork from 2017 by Amiram Dora, a travel guide from the nearby city Arad. The work consists of a tree planted on a salt pile in the Dead Sea. The purpose of the work is to show that as opposed to its common name, the Dead Sea is actually a place of rich tourist activity, healing and relaxation.
Image 16Paratroopers at the Western Wall, an iconic photograph taken on June 7, 1967 by David Rubinger.
Image 17An aerial view of Masada in the Judaean Desert, with the Dead Sea and Jordan in the distance

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...that the Jaffa Road (pictured) is one of the oldest and longest streets in Jerusalem?
...that the symbol of Fatima's hands, while widespread in Middle Eastern Islamic societies, is not officially condoned by Islam?
...that religious identity in Israel for Jews differs strikingly from that recognized in the Jewish diaspora?

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WikiProject Israel – WikiProject Jewish history – WikiProject Judaism – WikiProject Jewish culture – WikiProject Hebrew

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This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

Israeli cuisine primarily comprises dishes brought from the Jewish diaspora, and has more recently been defined by the development of a notable fusion cuisine characterized by the mixing of Jewish cuisine and Arab cuisine. It also blends together the culinary traditions of the various diaspora groups, namely those of Middle Eastern Jews with roots in Southwest Asia and North Africa, Sephardi Jews from Iberia, and Ashkenazi Jews from Central and Eastern Europe.

The country's cuisine also incorporates food and drinks traditionally included in other Middle Eastern cuisines (e.g., Iranian cuisine from Persian Jews and Turkish cuisine from Turkish Jews) as well as in Mediterranean cuisines, such that spices like za'atar and foods such as falafel, hummus, msabbaha, shakshouka, and couscous are now widely popular in Israel. However, the identification of Arab dishes as Israeli has led to accusations of cultural appropriation against Israel by Palestinians and other Arabs. (Full article...)

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Challah sprinkled with sesame seeds

Challah (/ˈxɑːlə, ˈhɑːlə/ (K)HAH-lə; Hebrew: חַלָּה, romanized: ḥallā, pronounced [χaˈla, ħalˈlaː]; [c]hallot, [c]halloth or [c]hallos, Hebrew: חַלּוֹת), also known as berches in Central Europe, is a special bread in Jewish cuisine, usually braided and typically eaten on ceremonial occasions such as Shabbat and major Jewish holidays (other than Passover and Yom Kippur).

Ritually acceptable challah is made of dough from which a small portion has been set aside as an offering. Challah may also refer to the dough offering. The word is biblical in origin, meaning "loaf". Similar (usually braided) breads with mainly the same ingredients including brioche, kalach, kozunak, panettone, pulla, tsoureki, vánočka are found across European cuisines. (Full article...)

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The following are images from various Israel-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1David dictating the Psalms. The practice of psalms is referred to as a philosophical and theological problem (from Culture of Israel)
Image 2The opening ceremony of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem visited by Arthur Balfour, 1 April 1925 (from History of Israel)
Image 3The Merneptah Stele, dated c. 1209 BCE, is the earliest textual reference to Israel (from History of Israel)
Image 4Jewish Settlement Police members watching the settlement Nesher during 1936–1939 Arab revolt (from History of Israel)
Image 5Hiking near Lake Kinneret (from Culture of Israel)
Image 6Menahem Zion synagoge, Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem (from Culture of Israel)
Image 7A Bookplate done for Martin Buber; The plate is adorned with the walls of Jerusalem in the shape of a Shield of David, viewed from above (from Culture of Israel)
Image 8Tiles in the Bezalel style, 1920s (from Culture of Israel)
Image 9Israeli breakfast (from Culture of Israel)
Image 10Portion of the Temple Scroll, one of the Dead Sea Scrolls written by the Essenes (from History of Israel)
Image 11First modern art exhibition in Israel at the Ohel Theatre 1926, organized primarily by the Histadrut art studio (from Culture of Israel)
Image 12Supply convoy on its way to besieged Jerusalem, April 1948 (from History of Israel)
Image 13Painting of the siege of Jerusalem during the First Crusade (1099) (from History of Israel)
Image 14Ecclesiastes is known for its incipit vanity of vanities; all is vanity and concepts of Vanitas (from Culture of Israel)
Image 15Gal Fridman, winner of Israel's first Olympic gold medal (from Culture of Israel)
Image 16Habimah Theatre in Tel Aviv (from Culture of Israel)
Image 17Intel core i7-940. Intel developed its dual-core Core Duo processor at its Israel Development Center in Haifa. (from Culture of Israel)
Image 18Tzofim Israeli scout movement fire ceremony in Tel Aviv (from Culture of Israel)
Image 19Aerial view of the Temple Mount showing the Dome of the Rock in the center and the al-Aqsa mosque to the south (from History of Israel)
Image 20Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem (from Culture of Israel)
Image 21Jewish youth dancing the Horah in the kibboutz Ein Harod in 1936 (from Culture of Israel)
Image 22Sermon on the Mount. The New Testament was authored by Christian Jews during Roman-ruled Judea (from Culture of Israel)
Image 23Illustration for the Song of Songs. Along with the Book of Esther, the ancient poem is an example of an ancient Israeli literature with no mention of God, and is traditionally read as an allegory of the relationship between God and Israel (from Culture of Israel)
Image 24Silver coin (gerah) minted in the Persian province of Yehud, dated c. 375–332 BCE. Obv: Bearded head wearing crown, possibly representing the Persian Great King. Rev: Falcon facing, head right, with wings spread; Paleo-Hebrew YHD to right. (from History of Israel)
Image 25Masada fortress overlooking the Dead Sea, the location of a 1st-century Roman siege (from History of Israel)
Image 26Hebrew ulpan in Dimona, 1955 (from Culture of Israel)
Image 27A portion of the Isaiah Scroll. One of the earliest known manuscripts of biblical literature (from Culture of Israel)
Image 28Buchenwald survivors arrive in Haifa to be arrested by the British, 15 July 1945 (from History of Israel)
Image 29Cultural map of the world according to the World Values Survey, describing Israel as a whole at parity in "Rational-Secular Values" and also at parity in "Self-expression values". (from Culture of Israel)
Image 30Jewish symbols in Israeli artworks (from Culture of Israel)
Image 31Simulated view of a black hole. Jacob Bekenstein predicted and co-discovered black hole entropy (from Culture of Israel)
Image 32Ofek-7 satellite launch through Shavit vehicle (from Culture of Israel)
Image 33Remains of the Roman theatre in Caesarea Maritima (from Culture of Israel)
Image 34Neo-Assyrian Empire at its greatest territorial extent (from History of Israel)
Image 35Hasmonean coin of Antigonus II Mattathias, depicting the Temple menorah (from History of Israel)
Image 36"Hezekiah ... king of Judah" – Royal seal written in the Paleo-Hebrew alphabet, unearthed in Jerusalem (from History of Israel)
Image 37The Bahri Mamluk dynasty 1250–1382 (from History of Israel)
Image 38Obverse of Yehud silver coin (from History of Israel)
Image 39Jewish Yemenite bride in traditional bridal vestment, adorned with a henna wreath, 1958 (from Culture of Israel)
Image 40Occupied Enemy Territory Administration, 1918 (from History of Israel)
Image 41Breads in Mahane Yehuda market (from Culture of Israel)
Image 42Skhul Cave (from History of Israel)
Image 43United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, 1947 (from History of Israel)
Image 44Detail of the Siloam inscription (from History of Israel)
Image 45Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, 2006 (from Culture of Israel)
Image 46The Arch of Titus in Rome depicts the Roman triumph celebrating the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE (from History of Israel)
Image 47David Ben-Gurion proclaiming the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948 (from History of Israel)
Image 48The route of the exiles to Babylon (from History of Israel)
Image 49Heraclius returning the True Cross to Jerusalem, 15th-century painting by Miguel Ximénez (from History of Israel)
Image 50Tel Aviv Cinematheque (from Culture of Israel)

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Israel News

September 24, 2026 – Middle Eastern crisis: The Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet say that they have killed Hamas's chief financial officer in the Khan Younis area of the Gaza Strip. (Israel National News) (The Yeshiva World)
September 23, 2026 – 2026 Israeli legislative election: The Central Elections Committee votes to disqualify Ra'am and all parties on the Joint List from running, alleging they promoted terrorism against Israel. Balad leader Sami Abu Shehadeh and MK Ofer Cassif are also specifically barred from running. (Times of Israel)
September 19, 2026 – Middle Eastern crisis: Israeli airstrikes kill at least three Palestinians in Gaza, including the eldest son of the Gaza Health Ministry director-general. Israel says it targeted militants, while medics report additional deaths in Sheikh Radwan and Shuja'iyya. (Reuters)
September 17, 2026 – Middle Eastern crisis: Israeli government response to the October 7 attacks; Lt. Col. "Aleph", the chief police officer in the Southern Command's Gaza Division, is dismissed following his role in the failures leading to the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel. (The Times of Israel)

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