Israel Culture

Israel is an old-new country, small in size, but with a culturally active, heterogeneous population.

Four thousand years of Jewish heritage, a century of political Zionism and six decades of modern statehood have contributed to the development of an Israeli culture which reflects worldwide elements while striving for an authentic identity of its own.

Cultural expression through the arts in Israel is as varied as the people themselves, with literature, theater, concerts, radio and television programming, entertainment, museums and galleries for every interest.

There are various activities, offering professional talent of international standard alongside a wealth of opportunities for aspiring artists and amateurs.

A largely immigrant society, Israel's creative expression has absorbed many different cultural and social influences, as it blends tradition and innovation, and strives to steer a course between Israeli particularism and universalism.

The constant search for cultural identity is expressed through creativity in a broad range of art forms, appreciated and enjoyed by a great many people as part of daily life.

People of the Book

Basic to the development of literature in the country is the century-long revival of Hebrew, both for everyday use and as an expressive literary language. Authors and poets deal extensively with local images and events as well as with universal themes, reflecting the changing nature of the country's concerns and the development of its complex, multilayered society. Some 2,500 titles are published annually, which, in addition to republications of classics and imported books, may be found in the many bookshops of every town and city. About 1,000 libraries provide reference and lending facilities, including several bookmobiles serving outlying districts. The biennial International Book Fair draws thousands of visitors to Jerusalem, and every spring Hebrew Book Week turns city squares and parks into crowded book markets.

Visual Arts

Contemporary painting and sculpture, while reflecting international trends, are also influenced by the specific Israeli temperament and landscape. Art in all its forms enjoys wide exposure at museums, and in the many galleries spread throughout the country. Old neighborhoods of Jerusalem, Yafo and Safed have been restored as artists' quarters, and the artists' village of Ein Hod lies nestled in the Carmel mountains, near Haifa, for those seeking art in a rustic setting.

Music and Performing Arts Several major symphony orchestras, including the world-renowned Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, a number of choirs, an opera company and dozens of chamber ensembles perform throughout the country. Professional dance groups, as well as folk dance troupes, appear regularly before enthusiastic audiences. Habimah, the national theater company, a number of municipal theaters and various smaller professional and amateur drama groups produce plays ranging from classical dramas and musicals to the latest works of Israeli playwrights. The growing film industry is beginning to compete on the international scene. Singing is an integral part of daily life, with the songs of Israel sung regularly at public and private gatherings and competing in international song contests. Popular folk songs have achieved a distinctive style, rooted in diverse ethnic melodies coupled with Hebrew lyrics. Many of them have generated the creation of folk dances, which is an activity widely enjoyed by Israelis, from teenagers to senior citizens, throughout the country. Archeology The link between the country's past and present is substantiated by some 3,500 registered archeological sites, representing thousands of years of history. Finds attesting to the long connection of the Jewish people with the Land of Israel include Solomon's stables at Megiddo, houses from the Israelite period in the City of David (Jerusalem), ritual baths at Masada, numerous synagogues throughout the country and the Dead Sea scrolls, containing the earliest extant copy of the Book of Isaiah in still-readable Hebrew script. Excavations have also revealed the vestiges of other civilizations which have left their imprint on the land over the centuries. All finds are recorded, and historical sites are carefully preserved and marked, for scholar and visitor alike. Museums Some 170 museums, covering subjects from archeology to zoology, are maintained in cities, towns and kibbutzim throughout the country and record more than eight million visitors a year. The Israel Museum, the country's national museum, devotes areas to archeology, Judaica, Impressionist and Israeli painting, as well as special collections such as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance Authority, includes a new museum that documents events of the period through dozens of video screens as well as the traditional glass-encased exhibits. Ha'aretz Museum and others feature exhibits specific to the development of the country, from prehistoric times onwards. Unique in concept, the Museum of the Diaspora (Beit Hatefutzot), traces the history of world Jewish communities by means of scale models, dioramas and audio-visual displays. Unique collection depicting the cultures and civilizations of the ancient lands of the Bible, is presented in Jerusalem's Bible Lands Museum. There are many more museums for every interest. Learn more about israel's museums in The New York Times article: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9A0DEEDE153CF930A15751C0A960948260 Media The tradition of a free press, an integral part of Israel's democracy, is expressed by the publication of seven Hebrew-language dailies and eleven in other languages, including Arabic, as well as a large number of periodicals. Two television channels, cable and satellite TV (local channels as well as dozens from around the world) and several radio stations present a wide variety of programs, including news, interviews, panel discussions, game shows, films and entertainment, in addition to educational and cultural features. Programming in Arabic is geared to the interests of the Arab population, while that in other languages caters to the needs of immigrant groups and tourists. Shortwave broadcasts are transmitted regularly for listeners abroad.

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