Economy and everyday life At one time, Great Britain was one of the most prosperous countries in Europe. British living standards are now below the EU average on most indicators. In 1992, these indicators provided grounds for receiving funding from the EU,

HOLIDAY OR EVERYDAY CLOTHING Whether it is a traditional tailcoat or lighter clothing, the equipment of musicians does not in any way affect the quality of their playing. Provided, of course, that the fabric does not interfere with the work of the instrument and is not too rough and impenetrable so that the musician does not

Life of a bee colony throughout the year It is known that each individual worker bee lives relatively short - about 40 days. During this time, she manages to live a useful, rich and vibrant life, the stages of which are described in detail in specialized literature. In different

Living among representatives of different nationalities and ethnic groups, different Jews fulfill the commandments of the Torah in different ways, concentrating more or less attention on any of its features. In both cases, the fulfillment of the commandment is correct.

Very often, Jews are divided according to the regions in which they live. There are two main ethnic groups of Jews: Ashkenazi, or European, Germanic Jews, and Sephardim, Middle Eastern or Spanish Jews. If we talk about Israeli Sephardim, we mean Jews who come from Morocco, Iraq, Yemen, etc. Separately, Bukharian, Mountain, Yemeni, Moroccan and even Indian Jews are often distinguished.

Briefly about different Jews

Bukharian Jews - Jews living in Central Asia. The first Jewish settlement here appears in Balkh. Apparently, the first Jewish settlers began to move to Bukhara back in the 7th century, when the Sassanids in Iran were defeated and the power of the caliphate was established there. They fled here along with Iranian refugees and established their neighborhoods here.

A new group of Jews arrived in Bukhara on the initiative of Timur. They say that in Shiraz (Iran) Timur was presented with a silk fabric of extraordinary beauty as a gift. He became interested in the craftsmen who made it. It turned out that the craftsmen were Jews. When the ruler of the new empire invited him to move to Bukhara, the Jewish artisans set one condition: they would move if ten families were allowed to do so at the same time, because... “according to their laws, prayer can be read with the participation of at least ten adult men.” Timur agreed. Ten families of skilled dyers moved to Bukhara. They created a separate industry in the Bukhara Emirate: dyeing workshops for dyeing silk and yarn.

The diaspora of Bukharian Jews developed quickly. They took over trade in some branches of handicraft. They did not assimilate into the Uzbek nation, but became an integrated part of it. They became part of the family of the Uzbek nation.

Of course, in the Bukhara Emirate they experienced persecution and humiliation. In relation to them there were religious hostility, their position was humiliating. Rich Jews were often beaten for demanding repayment of debt. This attitude towards Jews passed into both common law and legislation. Nevertheless, Bukharan Jews remained faithful to their faith, traditions, way of life, resignedly obeyed all regulations, but sought to live in friendship with the Uzbeks. They were not related, but lived as one family.

First historical evidence about Ashkenazi Jews belong to the X-XIII centuries. Culturally, Ashkenazi Jews are the only direct and immediate heirs of the Jewish cultural tradition formed in ancient Judea and Babylon. The Ashkenazi cultural tradition was formed at the turn of the first and second millennium. The spread of Talmudic learning and Hebrew among the Jews of Europe at the end of the first millennium appears to be related to the general movement of the Jewish population from Asia to the west that followed the creation Arab Caliphate in the 7th century. The collapse of the united Baghdad Caliphate and the economic strengthening of communities in Europe led to the outflow of Jewish scholars to the West and the emergence of new centers of Jewish learning in Europe.

During the first millennium, the two main Jewish religious traditions were Palestinian and Babylonian. Until the 13th century, Ashkenazi Jews pronounced vowel sounds in Hebrew in the same way as Sephardim, i.e. according to Palestinian tradition. But in the 13th century, among the Ashkenazis, this tradition was replaced by the Babylonian one. However, there is no direct evidence of the migration of masses of Jews from Iraq to Germany in the 13th century.

Sephardic Jews They spoke a Judeo-Spanish dialect called Ladino. They considered themselves the Jewish elite. Spanish Jews often had a good secular education and were wealthy people. Even after their expulsion from Spain in 1492, these Jews retained strong feeling group pride. The Sephardim who left Spain and settled elsewhere in Europe discriminated against other Jews. In the Sephardic synagogues of Amsterdam and London in the 18th century. Ashkenazim could not sit with the rest of the community; they were supposed to stand behind a wooden partition. In 1776, the Sephardi community in London decreed that if a Sephardi marries an Ashkenazi daughter and dies, then the Sephardi community's charitable funds cannot be used to help the widow. Over time, these harsh rules were relaxed. Fun fact: If you meet a Jew with the last name Ashkenazi, he is almost certainly Sephardic. Many generations ago, his European ancestor settled among the Sephardim, who nicknamed him Ashkenazi; the family nickname remained even when his descendants had long since become Sephardim.

There is another ethnic group - Mountain Jews - a branch of the Jewish people, speaking an Iranian dialect and traditionally living in the Eastern Caucasus. When Jews settled on the territory of Azerbaijan and Dagestan, another people already lived there - the Tats, Muslims of Iranian origin, they are also called Caucasian Persians. Actually, there are different versions about the resettlement of Jews to the Caucasus. At the end of the 19th century, ethnographer Ilya Anisimov, in his book “Caucasian Mountain Jews,” spoke about the similarity of the language of the Tats and Mountain Jews and concluded that Mountain Jews are Tats who converted to Judaism. And there is a version of the ethnologist Lev Gumilyov about the resettlement in the 6th century, that is, even before the advent of Islam, to Khazaria (now the territories of Dagestan and Chechnya) of Iranian-speaking Jews from Persia, where there was a large and influential Jewish community that switched from Hebrew to Persian.

Mountain Jews, in a sense, “complicate” their customs. They kept them almost unchanged - due to the fact that they lived unitedly and quite closed. For centuries they respected the laws of the Torah and remained faithful to the covenants of their fathers. Mountain Jews always had a rabbinical council, but in addition to this there was also a community council. Mountain Jews almost did not assimilate. Communities did not approve of mixed marriages.

Such different traditions

All Jews study Torah. But among European Jews, as a rule, it is customary to comprehend the Torah to a greater extent from the intellectual side. Sephardic people often have - higher value has an emotional perception.

Jews celebrate Shabbat every week. This day reminds every Jew of the spiritual purpose in his life. Shabbat is one of the foundations of the unity of the Jewish people. A day of rest is considered to be the period of time from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday. In the Middle Ages, when some Jews were forcibly converted to Christianity, non-observance of the Sabbath was considered by the Inquisition as one of the most convincing proofs of the sincerity of newly baptized Christians. However, the forcibly converted Jews of Spain and Portugal, especially women, resorted to all sorts of tricks to avoid violating the Sabbath regulations. The lighting of Shabbat candles was done in such a way that Christian neighbors could not notice it: instead of lighting special candles, new wicks were inserted into ordinary candles. On Saturday they put on clean clothes; women refrained from weaving and spinning, and if they visited a Christian neighbor, they pretended to work; men went out into the fields, but did not work there; traders left their children in the shops in their place. A famous dish that Sephardim cooked on Shabbat was hamin - a large pot of rice, beans and meat, simmered in the oven for 24 hours.

Bukharian Jews prepared a type of pilaf for Shabbat. Its main difference from ordinary pilaf was that it did not contain carrots, but did have greens. Because of this, it was often called “green pilaf”. Bakhsh can be cooked both in a cauldron and in a bag.

Mountain Jews transformed many Azerbaijani dishes to their own taste. A popular dish for their Shabbat meal is Osh Yarpagi. It consists of cabbage leaves stuffed with finely chopped meat, onions, rice and herbs and cooked with quince in a sour cherry plum sauce.

And, of course, how can we not remember Gefilte Fish - a traditional dish of Ashkenazi Jews, which is stuffed fish. Not a single holiday is complete without it, including Saturday.

One cannot ignore one of the most important and interesting Jewish customs - the Jewish wedding, that is, chuppah. Even 100-150 years ago, not only Jews, but almost all of them got married only through matchmaking. To this day, religious Jews, in particular Belz Hasidim, still get engaged in the traditional way. The bride or groom is found through matchmaking. First, the bride's father goes to look at the groom, later the groom's parents arrive to meet the bride, and a little later the young people meet each other. The girl has the opportunity to refuse the party, just like the boy. After the engagement, the bride and groom meet again, after which they separate until the wedding, which takes place in late autumn.

Both Ashkenazim and Sephardim exchanged gifts upon betrothal, with each Jewish community in Jerusalem maintaining its own customs. Among the Sephardim, the groom sent the bride trays of sweets for the holidays, where the most important among them was some kind of decoration. And the bride sent back the scroll of Esther in a beautiful case, an embroidered case for the tallit with the name of the groom. Among Ashkenazi Jews, the bride sent the groom a watch, shtreiml and tallit, and the groom sent the bride a silk dress embroidered with gold.

It is customary among Ashkenazi Jews for the groom to cover his bride's face with a veil before she enters under the chuppah. This gesture symbolizes the husband's intention to protect his wife, and dates back to when Rebecca married Abraham.

Depending on your ethnic group - Ashkenazi or Sephardi - there may be different dishes on the wedding table. Ashkenazis fry chicken and serve it with potatoes and various vegetables. Sephardim cook lamb or chopped chicken along with couscous (rice), generously sprinkled with spices and seasonings.

The Ashkenazis have a ritual called Kaparot. It is practiced by observant Jews on the eve of Yom Kippur. There are many different elements to the ritual, the most famous of which is spinning a live chicken or money over your head three times. The purpose of the ritual is to remind and make a person feel that sins are subject to severe punishment, which should prompt the person to repent the day before doomsday. The slaughtered chicken or money is given to poor people as a donation, thereby increasing their merits before the Day of Judgment. The spiritual leaders of the Sephardim have long condemned this ritual, considering it pagan. Only after Isaac Luria and his followers gave this ritual a mystical meaning, the Sephardi attitude towards it began to change.

Representatives of Haredi communities have at least one very strange ritual, which is not approved by representatives of other communities - a living person lies in a grave for some time. But for the ultra-Orthodox this is quite normal, even useful - they believe that it can prolong life.

Between the Sephardim and Ashkenazim there are also noticeable differences in the structure of the synagogues and the order of the synagogue service: for example, in the Sephardi synagogues the Sefer Torah was kept in a richly inlaid wooden or silver case (among the Ashkenazim - in a case made of brocade or silk), an ark (cabinet) for storing the scroll (hekhal, among the Ashkenazis - aron ha-kodesh) often had three compartments, of which the central one was the highest, the platform for public reading of the Torah (bima) was located in the center of the synagogue (among the Ashkenazis - near the aron ha-kodesh), the elevation of the Torah scroll was preceded his reading (among the Ashkenazis it followed him).

The Jewish people are large, diverse, and their people live in places with different everyday reality, mentality, and culture. But, despite this, we always felt our unity, as if intuitively sensing at a distance the joys and sorrows of our fellow tribesmen, trying to support and help. We know that thanks to this we will overcome everything and win, because another option is impossible for us.

Material prepared by Tatna Akhho

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Despite the fact that almost all Jewish traditions have religious origins, the majority of Israelis try to observe them.

If the whole country does the same thing on the same day, hour, minute, not obeying any decree, but of its own free will, then this speaks of the super-strong unity of the nation. You can talk as much as you like about the religious component of all Jewish traditions, but one cannot help but note the fact that Israel is a free state, and no one can force people to believe or not believe, to pray or not to pray, to observe traditions or not to observe them.

1. Drink yourself into oblivion

Once a year, on the holiday of Purim, you should get so drunk that you cannot distinguish enemy from friend. On this day, you can always find a variety of alcoholic drinks on Jewish tables, because the holiday of Purim tells Jews to free themselves from common sense. Even on this day, all schoolchildren and many adults dress up in costumes, all for the same reason, so that enemies cannot be distinguished from friends.

2. Live in a hut and eat under the stars

A few days before the celebration of Sukkot, Israelis build huts near their houses (and sometimes on balconies), which are called sukkahs (emphasis on the i). According to tradition, on this holiday one should live in a built hut in order to remember how our ancestors lived for 40 years in the desert. The most interesting thing is that if you have not built a sukkah, then you can go to any already built one, spend the night, drink water, and sometimes even eat there.

3. Don't drive on Yom Kippur

There is no law against driving on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), but 99.9% of all cars in Israel are parked on this day. The most interesting thing is that the roads are not empty, but filled with children on scooters and bicycles. On this day, writing in the Book of Life takes place, so many believers do not eat or drink anything, but only pray for the whole day.

4. Celebrate the holiday in the evening of the previous day

ABOUT! It's simply unique! “And there was evening and there was morning: one day” - this is what is written in the Torah. This means that the day begins in the evening, and, therefore, the holiday begins in the evening, as soon as the sun sets, and this is very convenient. Imagine, you ate, drank, celebrated until midnight, and in the morning you don’t have to go to work, beauty.

5. Eat matzo with chocolate spread

During the 7-day period of the Passover holiday, you cannot eat anything yeast (leavened), and only matzo can be eaten from flour. Matzah is oven-dried water and flour without salt or other additives. It’s not very tasty, to be honest, but if you spread it with chocolate paste, it’s impossible to resist such a delicacy.

6. Hang the Israeli flag on your car

Israel's Independence Day is celebrated every year on a huge scale. It was on this day that the fate of millions of Jews who were able to return to the homeland of their ancestors was decided. A few days before the holiday, people begin to decorate their homes and cars with Israeli flags. Without exaggeration, more than 50% of cars on the roads fly blue and white flags with the Star of David.

7. The whole country freezes for 2 minutes

On Disaster Day, at 10 a.m., sirens sound throughout the country. Everything freezes. People stop what they are doing, stop walking or driving, get out of cars and buses and freeze for 2 minutes. These are the most powerful two minutes in the world. People remember those who died in the Holocaust, terrorist attacks and wars...

Photojournalist Yaakov Naumi, who photographs various unusual rituals of Orthodox Jews, grew up in the Israeli city of Bnei Brak and studied in a yeshiva. In his youth, he, like many of his friends and relatives, personally observed or even participated in ceremonies that were strange for an uninitiated person, but quite understandable and familiar to a Jew. Today, coming from an ultra-Orthodox family, he introduces them to the whole world.

Tradition of lying in an open grave

For representatives Western culture Lying in an open grave may seem strange, to say the least. But for the ultra-Orthodox this is quite normal, even useful - they believe that it can prolong life. Naumi photographed a man wearing a white jumpsuit reclining in a grave from which a dead man had just been lifted.

Mitzvah dance at a Jewish wedding

An ultra-Orthodox rabbi dances the Mitzvah at his granddaughter's wedding in Bnei Brak. He is not allowed to touch the bride.

Another example of dancing at a Jewish wedding

The Torah prohibits a man from touching a woman unless he is her husband.

Tish ceremony

In a ceremony called tish, Jews celebrate the salvation of their people from destruction in ancient Persia.

Part of the Kaparot ritual

A Jewish woman leads a chicken on a rope. Then she will spin the bird three times over her head to convey to it her sins over the past year.

On Flash90.com, Jacob Naumi writes:

Over time, I learned to look at all this with different eyes - the eyes of a person to whom these traditions and rituals are new. If you look from this side, even the simplest ceremonies look strange.

I was born and raised in the Haredi community, which makes it easy for me to understand and follow Hasidic rules of appearance and behavior. Over time, it became clear to me that when representatives of Western culture encounter Haredim, the latter seem very strange to the former.

Despite the fact that Naumi himself belongs to the ultra-Orthodox movement of Judaism, he observed some rituals and ceremonies for the first time when he interned as a photojournalist for the Behadrey Haredim newspaper.

This is how the Orthodox express their protest

Hundreds of Orthodox Jews form a snake dance in Jerusalem to protest a government order to make military service compulsory for Haredim.

Ritual of ransoming the firstborn from a kohen

Dozens of hands reach out to a newborn child during the pidyon haben ritual - the ransom of the firstborn from a kohen - in Bnei Brak.

Jews perform the Tashlikh ritual, throwing leftover food into water to get rid of sins.

"Ransom of the first-born donkey"

This ceremony is called “Ransom of the firstborn donkey” - the donkey and the lamb are decorated with blankets embroidered with pearls.

Orthodox Jews

Thousands of Orthodox Jews gathered for the funeral of Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv in Jerusalem.

Thousands of Jews say goodbye to their rebbe

Tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews attended the wedding ceremony of Rabbi Shalom Rokach and Chana Batya Pener.

The wedding of Rabbi Shalom Rokach attracted thousands of Orthodox Christians

Jews burn the Israeli flag on Lag B'Omer, which commemorates the death of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in the 2nd century. AD

Burning of the Israeli flag by Orthodox Christians

When taking these photographs, I did not set out to present the Haredim as somehow strange; on the contrary, I wanted to show that these rituals have their own meaning.

Naumi says.

Branches of four types of plants - palm, etrog (a type of citrus fruit), myrtle and willow - are used in a special ritual for the holiday of Hosha on Rabba.

Raising 4 plants

Children of Orthodox Jews from the Nadvornenskaya Hasidic dynasty at the ceremony to receive their first Torah.

Children of Orthodox Jews

The baby stands on the stage on which Orthodox Jews are seated who came to the wedding of Hanaya Yom Tov Lipa, the great-grandson of the rabbi of the Vizhnitz Hasidic dynasty, in the city of Bnei Brak.

Jewish baby at a big wedding

Orthodox Jews gathered for the wedding of Hanaya Yom Tov Lipa, the great-grandson of the rabbi of the Vizhnitz Hasidic dynasty, in the city of Bnei Brak.

Orthodox Jews

Ultra-Orthodox men follow ancient Torah commandments and reap wheat with sickles in a field near the city of Modiin in central Israel. They will store the grain for almost a year, and then make flour from it, from which they will bake unleavened bread - matzo - for Passover.

Harvesting wheat for matzo

During the flagellation ceremony, one ultra-Orthodox Lelov Hasidim - malkot - symbolically beats another with a leather belt for his sins. It takes place in a synagogue in the city of Beit Shemesh.

Rite of Malkot

Women from the ultra-Orthodox community walk through the streets of the Mea Shearim neighborhood, covered from head to toe in clothing as a sign of modesty.

Orthodox women

Naumi says that if his photographs make someone take a break from everyday worries and think about what is depicted in the photographs, then his mission can be considered accomplished.

Introduction

History of Judaism , History of the Jewish people - history of religion and culture . It covers almost four thousand years and hundreds of other different peoples, their religions and cultures with which the Jewish people interacted throughout their history. A significant part of Jewish history is connected with the territory that is currently called the state . According to Jewish tradition, Jews trace their origins to the biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who lived in the land of Canaan from the 18th century BC.

During the Roman period, the Jews were dispersed and spread throughout the world in what is called . After During World War II, the State of Israel was created. ( Modern history Israel are discussed in a separate article ).

Geographical position

Israel, a unique country, loved by all Jews, and a tasty morsel for many nations, is located in the southwestern part of Asia. Its territory is washed by three seas. In the west it is washed by waters Mediterranean Sea, and on the southern side - by the waters of the Red Sea. Eastern run along the Jordan River and the Green Line, established in 1949. On its lands there is another unique sea - the Dead Sea. Its magical healing properties are known far beyond the borders of the Israeli state.

Today the area is almost 27 thousand square kilometers, of which the area of ​​Israel is 20 thousand square kilometers, and the area of ​​the Gaza Strip and the West Bank is 6.2 square kilometers. If we talk about the geographical position of Israel, then in the north Israel neighbors states such as Lebanon, in the northeast with Syria, with Jordan in the east, and with the state of Egypt in the southwest of the country.

The State of Israel has the most diverse topography - in the west of the country, the fertile lands of the Coastal Plain stretch along the shores of the entire Mediterranean coast, and in the northeast of the country there is a completely different topography - the Golan Heights. The east of the country is also mountainous - here are the Galilee Mountains, here are the mountains of Samaria, the east of Israel - these are the famous depressions - where the Jordan Valley lies, and where the most unique body of water in the world is located - the Dead Sea. In the south of Israel, most of its territory is occupied by sandy deserts - the Negev and Arava. The reliefs of the entire territory of Israel change dramatically from one another.

The highest point in the country is Mount Hermon, which is 2224 meters above sea level, while the lowest point in Israel is 418 meters below sea level, and this is the lowest point in the whole world.

officially his city is Jerusalem. This is a Holy City not only for Jews. It is the cradle of the world's most powerful religions; their main shrines are concentrated here. But due to certain events, in particular after Israel annexed East Jerusalem and issued the Jerusalem Law, many countries around the world maintain the status quo, recognizing the city of Tel Aviv as the capital of the State of Israel. But, at the same time, the city of Jerusalem performs all the functions that need to be performed by a city that has the status of the capital of the state. All government institutions are located here, the Israeli parliament - the Knesset - works, the Israeli Supreme Court, ministries are located here in Jerusalem, the President and Prime Minister of the state work, in short, political life takes place and the domestic and foreign policies of the state are formed. Jerusalem is the domestic capital of the Israeli state, while Tel Aviv is recognized as the international capital.

Israel's geographical position also contributes to the development of such a promising area as tourism. The location of the country is in the Middle East, where in the west the lands of the country are washed by the waves of the Mediterranean Sea, and in the south - crystal pure waves The Red Sea makes Israel an attractive resort destination. The Mediterranean coastline extends 230 kilometers along western Israel, and the Red Sea coastline extends 12 kilometers along the south of the country. In the east, Israel is limited by mountains - the Syrian-African Rift. The northern borders of the state of Israel lie next to the borders of Syria, and the northeastern ones - with Syria; Israel neighbors Jordan in the east, and Egypt in the southwest. And although the official borders of Israel have not been fully accepted, their total length is about 1,125 kilometers.

As for the geographical location of Israel, naturally most of everything lives in flat areas, in particular on the Coastal Plain. The coastal plain stretches inland for 40 kilometers along the Mediterranean coast. Almost half of all the lands of Israel are occupied by desert - this is the Negev Desert, which spreads its sands in the south of the country. But these territories are home to only 8% of Israel's total population.

There is only one freshwater body of water in the country - Lake Kinneret, also known as the Golan Sea. The Golan Sea is a very ancient body of water, mentioned more than once in the Bible. Many biblical plots and stories are associated with this sea. Lake Kinneret is located in the Jordan Valley, the most fertile valley in Israel. The geographical location in Israel of the Jordan Valley is from the borders of Jordan to the most deserted lands of the Arava, which are located south of the Dead Sea.

The most significant and deep-flowing river in Israel is the Jordan River. It passes through almost the entire territory of Israel, originating at the foot of Mount Hermon, filling with water from mountain streams, passing through the Hula Valley, flowing into the Golan Sea - Lake Kinneret, what is most interesting - it leaves it and, passing through the Jordan Valley, flows into Dead Sea.

AND geographical position Israel, and the climatic data of this country contribute to the development of resort areas on its territory. The main and most famous resort city of the country is the city of Eilat, located on the Red Sea coast, near the Gulf of Eilat. Eilat is the southernmost point of Israel. The climate in Eilat allows you to work and receive guests at the city's resorts all year round.

The water temperature of the Red Sea off the coast of Eilat never drops below +23 degrees Celsius, and therefore the swimming season can be throughout the year.

As for the geographical position of Israel, it quite often has a distorted appearance, since many believe that the state politically belongs to Europe. Observant people have noticed more than once that Israeli athletes take part only in European championships, and never take part in competitions at Asian venues. The international community resorted to such a cunning step in order not to inflame the already acute conflict between Arabs and Israelis. In addition, today one can argue for quite a long time about what made the lands of Israel so desirable for many peoples: the favorable geographical position of Israel or an increased interest in these places divine powers. But, be that as it may, for many hundreds of years this small piece of land, where history and geography come together, has attracted the intense attention of many peoples.

Israel also has mountains. The State of Israel itself has three seas. varied terrain (Mediterranean, Red and Dead)

State symbols

Flag The State of Israel is represented by two blue stripes on a white background, with the Star of David between them. The flag's fabric resembles a tallit, a white Jewish prayer shawl with blue stripes. Approved as a symbol of the state on October 28, 1949.

National emblemIsrael is represented by a seven-branched menorah framed by two olive branches (a symbol of peace) emanating from the name of the state written in Hebrew below. The golden seven-branched candlestick was one of the main cult objects in the First Temple in Jerusalem during the time of King Solomon. Approved by the Provisional State Council.

Israeli national anthem

Hebrew Transliteration Cyrillic Russian translation

כָּל עוד בַּלֵּבָב פנימה Kohl od balevav penima While inside the heart is still
נפש יהודי הומיה , Nefesh Yeudi Omiya The soul of a Jew beats,
וּלְפַאֲתֵי מזרח קדימה Ulfaatey Mizrah Kadima And to the edges of the East, forward,
עין לציון צופיה , Ain Le-Ziyon Tsofia The gaze is fixed on Zion, -

עוד לא אָבְדָה תקוותנו , Od lo avda tikvatainu Our hope is not yet lost,
התקווה בת שנות אלפים , ha-tikva bat shnot alpaim Hope, which is two thousand years old:
להיות עם חופשי בארצנו , Liyot am hofshi be-artzeinu To be a free people in our own land
ארץ ציון וירוּשָׁלַיִם . Erets Tziyon ve-Irushalayim Land of Zion and Jerusalem.

Nature of Israel

Israel is a land of contrasts. There are mountains, valleys, deserts. Inside the country there is the lowest point on the globe - the Dead Sea (394 m below sea level). The highest point in Israel is Mount Hermon (2294 m above sea level). Two mountain ranges divide Israel into three regions with completely different topography:

Maritime (or Coastal) Plain;

Mountain region;

Jordan basin.

1. Coastal plain. The coastal plain has a length of 190 km and a width of up to 40 km. It consists of the Zevulun Valley north of Haifa, the Hasharon Plain south of Haifa to Tel Aviv and the Judean Plain south of Tel Aviv. Behind the narrow sandy coast lies a strip of fertile arable land. The Maritime Plain is home to the majority of the population, the bulk of Israel's industrial and agricultural potential and the main port cities of Haifa, Ashdod, and Tel Aviv, the country's leading industrial and commercial center.

2. Mountain region extends from the Lebanese Mountains in the north to the Gulf of Eilat in the south. In the south it rises gently, forming chains of hills 200 - 400 m high. In the east the mountains are steep and precipitous. The height of the mountains reaches 1280 m. The mountainous region is also divided into three parts: Galileo in the north, the Central Highlands (Judea, Samaria and Shfela) in the center and the Negev Desert Highlands in the south.

3. Rift Valley . This unique depression, often called Jordan after the name of the river flowing here, is part of a large geological fault - the Syrian-African rift zone and includes the river valley. Jordan, sandwiched between the mountains of Judea and Samaria in the west, and the mountains of Jordan in the east; the Hula Valley between the Galilee mountains and Golan Heights; The Israeli valley between the mountains of Galilee and Samari, the Dead Sea depression and the longitudinal depression of Wadi al-Arab, connecting it to the Red Sea.

Flora and fauna

Israel is a small country with an incredible diversity of physical and climatic conditions and an astonishing wealth of flora and fauna. The length of the country from north to south is only 470 km, but at the same time, it exhibits such a variety of landscapes that in other countries is possible only at distances of thousands of kilometers. In the north rises Mount Hermon with its snowy slopes and alpine fauna and flora, and in the south lies the Gulf of Eilat with its stunningly beautiful coral reefs and fish of fantastic colors representing tropical fauna. Between these two points lie a desert zone, lush oases, Mediterranean forests and the Dead Sea basin - the lowest point on the earth's surface.

This wealth is reflected in 2,600 plant species (150 of which are found exclusively in Israel), 7 amphibian species, almost 100 reptile species, 500 bird species and approximately 100 mammal species. Israel serves as the meeting point of three plant belts: the Mediterranean, Irano-Turanian and Sahara-Sindian and exhibits an exceptionally diverse collection of grasses, especially annuals and geophytes, typical of all three zones. The Land of Israel is the northernmost limit for plants like Egyptian papyrus, and the southernmost for others like the bright red coral peony.

NHolidays, religion, customs, life yt.

Israelis are an amazing people. This is the only ethnic group in the world that for 2000 years did not have its own territory, but managed to preserve its language and culture. Only in the 20th century, by decision of the UN, did Jews finally find their own state.

Israelis have a multifaceted and multifaceted culture, honed by the main tool - time.The culture of Israel is a creative alliance of many subcultures of different communities living in Israel, their traditions and achievements of many generations. This is a multinational country where not only Jews live, but also Palestinian Arabs, Armenians, Georgians, Bedouins, Circassians, Samaritans and even Russians.

There is no other culture in the world that is at least somewhat similar to the Jewish one. She is colorful, original, unique. And despite all this cultural layer cake, the largest and most delicious “cake” is Jewish culture. Her influence is extremely great not only within her country, but throughout the world as a whole, since she is a direct and indisputable witness to the events of the ancient times of Christ and stood almost at the very origins of the birth of the world.

Israel‐ the only country in the world where life revolves aroundJewish calendar.

This is your own “personal” national calendar along with the Gregorian calendar. It is on it that the work of public and private enterprises depends, the time of school holidays, holidays are celebrated and signatures are placed on documents; it is the Jewish lunar calendar that decides whether today it is possible to have fun, wash dishes at home or receive guests.

Saturday for Jews it is a sacred day when everything in the cities “dies out”: on Saturday you will not only buy food at the market, but you will also not be able to get where you need to go by public transport. On this day, true Jews do not do any physical work, do not have fun, do not watch TV or answer the phone.Shabbat is a time of rest, a time for family and friendship. You can't turn on the lights on Shabbat; on Friday evenings, women light candles. They are placed on the festive table. Before the meal, prayers are read over wine and bread. Wine is poured for everyone present.

One of the most interesting holidays is the Jewish New Year or"Rosh Hashanah" , which according to our usual calendar falls between September 5 and October 5.

On the New Year's Jewish table there is always honey, in which the first piece of bread and a slice of apple are dipped for a sweet life

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year. For twenty-five hours, Jewish believers fast, do not wash, and do not wear leather shoes. They pray in the synagogue. The “Day of Atonement” ends with the prolonged sound of a ram’s horn – the shofar.
Hanukkah is in November and December in Israel. When evening comes, lamps (Hanukkiah) are lit above the entrance to the house or on the windowsill. Every day a new light is added until there are eight.
According to custom, donuts and potato pancakes are prepared at this time. The children are on vacation.
The most joyful holiday - Purim - is celebrated at the end of February. They organize carnivals, dance and have fun. On the festive table there are sweets, wines, cakes and the most important Purim dish - gomentashen (triangular pies with poppy seeds and raisins).
In March - April, Jews celebrate Passover (Easter). They prepare for the holiday in advance: all foods made from fermented dough are taken out of the house. Matzo (unleavened flatbread) is served on the table and eaten for seven days.

A wedding in Israel is called kiddushin, which means dedication. The bride devotes herself to the groom. Weddings are usually celebrated outdoors. A special canopy - hula - is held over the heads of the bride and groom. It symbolizes their common home. Guests and hosts feast for seven days.

Historical reference

Which people have the strongest roots on our planet? Perhaps this question is relevant for any historian. And almost every one of them will answer with confidence – the Jewish people. Despite the fact that humanity has inhabited the Earth for hundreds of thousands of years, we know our history in best case scenario over the last twenty centuries AD and approximately the same BC. e.

But the history of the Jewish people begins much earlier. All events in it are closely intertwined with religion and involve constant persecution.

First mentions. Despite their considerable age, the first mentions of Jews date back to the time of the construction of the pyramids of the Egyptian pharaohs. As for the records of themselves, the history of the Jewish people from ancient times begins with its first representative - Abraham. The son of Shem (who, in turn, is the son of Noah), he was born in the vastness of Mesopotamia.

As an adult, Abraham moves to Canaan, where he meets the local population, subject to spiritual decay. It is here that God takes this husband under his protection and enters into an agreement with him, thereby placing his mark on him and his descendants. It is from this moment that the events described in the gospel stories begin, in which the history of the Jewish people is so rich. Briefly, it consists of the following periods: biblical; ancient; antique; medieval; modern times (including the Holocaust and the return of Israel to the Jews).

Moving to Egypt . In the lands of Canaan, Abraham starts a family, he has a son, Isaac, and from him - Jacob. The latter, in turn, gives birth to Joseph - a new bright figure in the gospel stories. Betrayed by his brothers, he ends up in Egypt as a slave. But still he manages to free himself from slavery and, moreover, become close to the pharaoh himself. This phenomenon (the presence of a pathetic slave in the retinue of the supreme ruler) is facilitated by the narrow-mindedness of the pharaoh’s family (the Hyksos), who came to the throne due to vile and cruel actions that led to the overthrow of the previous dynasty. Once in power, Joseph transports his father and his family to Egypt. This is how the strengthening of the Jews begins certain area, which contributes to their rapid reproduction.

The beginning of the persecution. The history of the Jewish people from the Bible shows them as peaceful shepherds, minding exclusively their own business and not getting involved in politics, despite the fact that the Hyksos dynasty sees them as a worthy ally, giving them the best lands and other conditions necessary for farming. Before entering Egypt, the clan of Jacob numbered twelve tribes (twelve tribes), which, under the patronage of the shepherd pharaohs, grew into an entire ethnic group with its own culture. Further, the history of the Jewish people tells of deplorable times for them. An army leaves Thebes for the capital of Egypt with the goal of overthrowing the self-proclaimed pharaoh and establishing the power of a true dynasty. She will soon succeed in doing just that. They still refrain from reprisals against the Hyksos favorites, but at the same time turn them into slaves. The Jews endured long years of slavery and humiliation (210 years of slavery in Egypt) before the coming of Moses.

Moses and the withdrawal of the Jews from Egypt History of the Jewish people in Old Testament shows Moses as coming from an ordinary family. At that time, the Egyptian authorities were seriously alarmed by the growth of the Jewish population, and a decree was issued to kill every boy born into a family of slaves. Miraculously surviving, Moses ends up with Pharaoh's daughter, who adopts him. So the young man finds himself in ruling family, where all the secrets of government are revealed to him. However, he remembers his roots, which begins to torment him. He becomes unbearable at the way the Egyptians treat his fellow men. On one of his walking days, Moses kills the overseer who was brutally beating a slave. But he turns out to be betrayed by the same slave, which leads to his flight and forty years of hermitage in the mountains. It is there that God turns to him with a decree to lead his people out of the lands of Egypt, while endowing Moses with unprecedented abilities. Further events include various miracles that Moses demonstrates to Pharaoh, demanding the release of his people. They do not end even after the Jews left Egypt. The history of the Jewish people for children (gospel stories) shows them as: the ten plagues of Egypt; the flow of the river before Moses; fall of manna from heaven; the splitting of a rock and the formation of a waterfall in it and much more.

After the Jews left the power of Pharaoh, their goal became the lands of Canaan, which were allotted to them by God himself. This is where Moses and his followers are heading.

Israel Education Forty years later, Moses dies. Right before the walls of Canaan, where he gives his power to Joshua. Over the course of seven years, he conquered one Canaanite principality after another. On the captured land, Israel is formed (translated from Hebrew as “fighter of God”). Further, the history of the Jewish people tells about the formation of the city - both the capital of the Jewish lands and the center of the world. On his throne appear such famous personalities, like Saul, David, Solomon and many others. A huge temple is erected in it, which is destroyed by the Babylonians and which is restored again after the liberation of the Jews by the wise Persian king Crete. Israel is divided into two states: Judah and Israel, which are subsequently captured and destroyed by the Assyrians and Babylonians.

As a result, several centuries after Joshua conquered the Canaanite lands, the Jewish people scattered throughout the land, having lost their home.

Later times After the collapse of the Jewish and Jerusalem states, the history of the Jewish people has several ramifications. And almost every one of them survives to this day. Perhaps there is not a single country where the Jews went after the loss of the Promised Land, just as there is not a single country in our time where the Jewish diaspora does not exist.

And in each state they greeted “God’s people” differently. If in America they automatically had equal rights with the indigenous population, then closer to the Russian border they faced mass persecution and humiliation. And only in 1948, by decision of the United Nations, the Jews were returned to their “historical homeland” - Israel

National clothes

The traditional clothing of Jews is quite colorful, which allows them to stand out from the crowd by wearing things in the national style.

Like all national costumes, Jewish traditional clothing has a rich history.It was created with the expectation that Jews could assimilate in any country. The reason for this desire was the dislike of representatives of many countries towards people of Jewish nationality.The first traditional outfits were created under the influence of the Babylonians. After being freed from slavery, Jews continued to wear two shirts (one linen, the other wool), a caftan and a wide belt.

During the reign of Solomon, Jewish outfits became more luxurious - light, airy fabrics were used, costumes were decorated with gold embroidery and precious stones. Noble women loved to weave strands of pearls even into their hairstyles, emphasizing their social status.

But over time, such luxury disappeared from the outfits of ordinary Jews. Traditional clothing became more restrained, with a lot of attention paid to details andthe outfit emphasized a person’s religiosity and his belonging to a particular community.

Jewish culture has always been exclusively urban. Therefore, women did not make the material themselves, but bought it. A variety of materials were used, from cheaper to more expensive.

Traditionalthe men's suit consists of a simple black frock coat and cape.

The Hebrew name for this cape is “tallit katan”. This is an integral part of national attire, which is a black fabric rectangle with a slit for the head and special tassels along the edges. Each of them ends with eight threads.

Women's national costume consists of a dress or blouse with a skirt and an apron. The apron performed not only the function of protection from household dirt, but also protected against the evil eye.

Women's dresses old faith were long and decorated with hand embroidery or lace. The arms were hidden behind long sleeves that tapered at the wrists. This dress also had a stand-up collar, decorated with lace and tightly clasping the neck. A leather belt also wrapped around the waist with a tight ring.

Every Jew complements his traditional outfit with a headdress.. Sometimes there are even several of them at once - a skull cap and a “casket” or “dashka” on top of it. "Caskets" appearance They resemble caps of the old style and are widespread among Jews living in Russia and Poland.

IN Everyday life Part of the traditional Jewish costume is a black hat. This laconic headdress, despite its apparent simplicity, can tell a lot about its owner.

IN modern world traditional Jewish costume is still quite popular. Religious Jews yarmulkes and traditional capes are also used. A full suit is used for various special occasions and meetings.

Traditional Jewish costume is a reflection of all the features of the worldview of this nation. No matter how changeable the world around us may be, Jews successfully adapt to the changes in it. Likewise, their national clothing, changing depending on the era and location, remains unique and unlike the costumes of other nationalities.

A national dish

Dishes created by Jewish cuisine can tell about the history, lifestyle, and national tastes of the people. Religious customs left a certain mark on Jewish cuisine, which imposed specific restrictions on the selection and mixing of certain types of products. So, neither in the dishes nor in the menu can you combine meat and milk. Blood and pork are not allowed.

Elements of rational nutrition are clearly visible in Jewish cuisine. Among animal products, the most popular are fish and poultry, which are products of high nutritional and biological value.

In Jewish cooking, the use of spices is limited both in variety (onion, garlic, horseradish, dill, black pepper, ginger, cloves, cinnamon) and in quantity. Everything is aimed at preserving the mild, natural taste of the dishes. In general, the uniqueness of Jewish cuisine lies in the simple composition of dishes and their quick preparation.

Here is the recipe for one of them:

Traditional Jewish dish - Latkes

Latkes - This is one of the many traditional dishes that are most often prepared for Hanukkah. On this day abundance, for which everyone cooks , absolutely not limited.

What is the essence of this holiday? According to legend, when the Jews climbed the Temple Mount and cleansed the Temple, they had to consecrate it with a lamp lit with special oil. But when they began to look for oil, they found only one jug, which would hardly be enough for one single day of burning the lamp. But there was nothing to be done; the menorah was still lit, since the Temple needed to be consecrated. And a miracle happened! The golden menorah burned for eight days! This is exactly how long it takes to prepare new oil. And now Holy holiday Hanukkah is celebrated for exactly eight days, exactly as long as the miracle lasted.

During this holiday, people light a large number of candles and prepare a variety of treats using large amounts of vegetable oil, as we mentioned earlier. One of these treats is latkes, or in our language potato pancakes. You will learn how to prepare classic Jewish latkes from our recipe, and step by step photos will help you visualize the cooking process.

Ingredients:

Potatoes (3 medium tubers);

Onion (1/4 pcs.);

Egg(1 PC.);

Flour (1 tbsp);

Parmesan cheese (1 tbsp);

Ground black pepper to taste;

Salt (to taste);

Oil for frying.

1. First, we take all the ingredients and lay them out on the table in front of us to make sure that we haven’t forgotten anything. If everything is in order here, then you can safely move on to the next step.

2. Take the potatoes and chop them on a coarse grater. Onions can be chopped using a blender. Then squeeze out the excess juice from the potatoes. The drier it is, the better.Mix the ingredients shown in the photo below in a convenient bowl.

3. Water the frying pan generously with vegetable oil. Don't overdo it, latkes.should not drown in oil! Heat the frying pan, then take the potato mixture (1-2 tablespoons) and place it in the frying pan. Using a spatula, flatten the mass and wait until it is fried until golden brown.

5. Now we can remove our dish from the heat, place it on plates and serve, seasoning with sour cream and without waiting for the latkes to cool.