Israel, Its Origin, Culture, Geography and Tradition

Introduction

Israel is one of the most culturally rich countries in the world. Having a rich culture means that you will also have amazing cultural food. Since Israel has a diverse range of geological features like mountains, valleys, seas, rivers, deserts, and wetlands, it also boasts a large variety of foods that grow and are prepared there. The main export of food from Israel is fruits like avocados, melons, and tomatoes because of its range of climates. I believe Israeli food is some of the best in the world.

Israel: Its Origin, Culture, Geography, and Tradition

Economy and Technological Advancements

Israel’s economy is very technologically advanced, ranking as the 24th largest economy in the world. The science and technology sector in Israel is one of the most developed globally. The country ranks fourth in scientific activity, and Israel's percentage of the total number of scientific articles published worldwide is almost ten times higher than its percentage of the world's population, which is absolutely extraordinary (Friedman, 2020). Israel is also one of the world's three major centers for polished diamonds, right behind Belgium and India, with polished diamond exports in 2010 amounting to $1.45 billion (Goldstein, 2011). Furthermore, tourism is one of Israel's major sources of income, with 3.45 million foreign tourists visiting in 2010 alone! The country is rich in historical and religious sites, beach resorts, and archaeological tourism.

Cultural Traditions and Cuisine

Israel’s traditions are mainly based on the Jewish religion because the majority of people who live in Israel are Jewish. Food plays an important role in almost all Jewish celebrations. The Sabbath, which is observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening, is welcomed with an amazing dinner of wine (or grape juice), challah (braided bread), candles, and matzo ball soup. On Purim, celebrated on March 7th, we eat hamantaschen, a triangular-shaped cookie filled with jam like apricot (my favorite), strawberry, cherry, and sometimes even chocolate. During Tu BiShvat, the Jewish New Year, we eat apples and honey to celebrate a sweet new year and a round challah to represent the cyclical nature of life. On Passover, we refrain from eating leavened bread for one week, although I have yet to succeed, but eat a special unleavened bread called matzah, which is rather tasteless. We also have a special service called a “Seder,” meaning “order” in Hebrew, consisting of various foods like boiled eggs, charoset (a mixture of apples and walnuts), zeroah (a lamb or shank bone), maror (bitter herbs), and karpas (parsley or celery dipped in salt water).

Everyday Israeli Cuisine

In Israel, there are many different foods eaten daily, not only during special holidays. Falafel, made from ground chickpeas mixed with onions and spices, formed into balls and fried, is served in pita bread as a sandwich with tomatoes and lettuce. Tabbouleh, also quite popular, is a salad of bulgur wheat and chopped vegetables. One of my favorites is hummus, which is ground chickpea, usually eaten with warm pita. Baklava is a popular Arabic dessert made of flaky dough layered with honey and nuts, and it is very sweet. Coffee is also prepared in the Turkish style, which is extremely strong and thick. The combination of diverse culinary influences and local ingredients creates a unique gastronomic experience in Israel.

Conclusion

Although Israeli food is very different from ours, it is still extremely tasty. It is fascinating how religion and geography can influence the cuisine of an entire country. I love Israeli food, and I hope to visit someday to experience the culture, religion, and food of such an amazing country.

References

• Friedman, R. (2020). Science and Technology in Israel: A Historical Overview. Tel Aviv University Press.
• Goldstein, J. (2011). The Global Diamond Industry: Economic and Historical Perspectives. Cambridge University Press.