Complexities

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Israel is many things to many people. It’s the Biblical Promised Land, a home to many peoples, a US ally, a democracy, the Jewish homeland, a high-tech hub, a military power, a melting pot, a place with deep spirituality and equally deep conflict, a cultural center, a flashpoint, and so much more. First and foremost, Israel is home to nearly 10 million people, each of whom lives a life filled with unique and common elements, each of whom is a complex world unto themselves.

While some people tend to boil those complexities down to “The Conflict,” and others prefer to ignore that aspect of Israel’s reality altogether, the truth is that Israel is a living, breathing place filled with all the complexities of modern life anywhere—and then some!

By embracing these complexities, we open the door to enriched, nuanced, and meaningful engagement with Israel. By applying the same standards of critical thinking and shades of gray that play an increasingly central role in general education, Israel educators can prompt people to find relevant entry points to deep and fulfilling connections with the country and the many peoples who live there. With the guiding hand of passionate educators, learners of all ages can engage with Israel in a multi-faceted and layered way.

This collection invites you to explore just a few of the complexities that come together to create the rich tableau that is the modern state of Israel. In her poem “I Am the Mizrachit,” Adi Keissar offers scorching insights into the reality of many Israeli Jews who trace their roots to Middle Eastern countries. Through his Four Tribes speech, Israel’s former president, Reuven Rivlin, offers a new approach to considering Israeli identity, and the Hamsa Aleinu photography exhibit provides rich opportunities to delve into the lived experiences of many strands of Israeli society. In Strangeness, a ground-breaking exhibit by the artist Raida Adon, images of suitcases conjure up countless questions about Arab, Palestinian, Jewish, and Israeli identities. And, finally, by opening a door to two children’s books, we offer an entry point to what all Israelis have always known: that the country is filled with every kind of person imaginable, all destined to live together.