Culture of Israel
We have been going through a series on Israel for the geography articles on this blog. Today, I want to discuss a few different topics concerning Israeli culture: education, transportation, cuisine, etc.
Education:
Education in Israel is not so different from ours in the United States. All students must attend kindergarten to 12th grade which is split into four categories: kindergarten, primary education (1st to 6th grade), middle school (7th to 9th grade), and high school (10th to 12th grade). The school year begins on September 1st, ends on June 20th for middle school and high school, and ends on June 30th for primary education.
There are five major types of schools that an Israelite can attend: state-secular schools, state-religious schools, independent-religious schools, Arabic schools, and private schools. At the end of most high schools, students are prepared to take the Israeli matriculation exam which tests students over seven mandatory subjects: Hebrew, English, mathematics, Scripture, history, civics, and literature.
After high school, all students are drafted into the Israel Defense Forces, regardless of gender. After they have served or gotten an exemption for immediate service, students can enter a university. Those who have completed all of their military service can receive as much as a 90% discount on their tuition.
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| The Open University of Israel |
With the exception of the Open University of Israel which accepts all students, the university will accept students based on credits, grades, and the Psychometric Entrance Test (PET) which is much like our SAT in America. This PET tests quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning, and English. The test may be taken in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, French, Spanish, or Hebrew and English. It sounds like Israel makes a good tourist location because at least some native will know your language.
Israeli parents place a high value on education as a pathway to getting a job in their highly scientific and technological industry. In the Bible, it seems that the Israelites also valued education, mostly the memorization of Scripture.
Transportation: Buses are Israel's main form of transportation although they also have cars, trucks, and trains.
Cuisine:
Israel's cuisine is heavily influenced by Mediterranean and European foods brought to the country by
the Ashkenazi Jews who lived in these areas until the World Wars. Chefs there experiment with fresh produce (avocados and oranges) and recently began incorporating "Biblical foods" such as honey, figs, pomegranates, and prickly pears.
Breakfast is not too unlike American breakfast since it includes eggs, bread, and a dairy product like yogurt or cottage cheese. This meal also includes salad in which everything is finely chopped. I'm guessing they use a spoon and not a fork to eat that.
Chicken and Lentil soups are popular in the winter time. Chicken is the most widely eaten meat (Chicken soup is the most popular soup) with turkey coming in second. Meats are usually grilled and barbecued. Baking is a staple in Israeli culture to make sweet goods or bread. Coffee is the most popular drink there, but tea and a version of lemonade also exists. Fish (including one called St. Peter's Fish), dairy products, chili-based sauces, rice, couscous, their own versions of pasta, and fruits are other food groups that are usually eaten.
I will collectively write about the holidays of Israel including tradition and food in the next geography article.
Climate:
The climate of Israel is Mediterranean. Mediterranean climates are dry and warm. They contain smaller plants and are also found primarily on the west coast of continents. Israel is on the west coast of the Middle East. The chart below shows the average monthly temperatures for Jerusalem.
Cuisine:
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| Typical Israeli breakfast |
the Ashkenazi Jews who lived in these areas until the World Wars. Chefs there experiment with fresh produce (avocados and oranges) and recently began incorporating "Biblical foods" such as honey, figs, pomegranates, and prickly pears.
Breakfast is not too unlike American breakfast since it includes eggs, bread, and a dairy product like yogurt or cottage cheese. This meal also includes salad in which everything is finely chopped. I'm guessing they use a spoon and not a fork to eat that.
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| Jewish Chicken Soup |
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| St. Peter's fish (also called Mango Tilapia or Galilean Tilapia) |
I will collectively write about the holidays of Israel including tradition and food in the next geography article.
Climate:
The climate of Israel is Mediterranean. Mediterranean climates are dry and warm. They contain smaller plants and are also found primarily on the west coast of continents. Israel is on the west coast of the Middle East. The chart below shows the average monthly temperatures for Jerusalem.
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That was all for today's article. I will speak about holidays/traditions and some of the individual cities in later articles. The verse for today is Matthew 6:33. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." The verses preceding this one say not to worry about necessities such as clothes or food. This isn't saying not to prepare or work for these things, but it does mean that we should trust God to prepare for our daily needs. If we seek God's wisdom, we will be confident that He will provide for our needs.
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