HEB 348: Israeli Society and Culture

Please use the following tabs to navigate this guide:  

Background Research: Read background information before you dive in! General information on the State of Israel, online resources for social and cultural life in Israel, including Holocaust Studies, and news articles from Israeli and other nespapers.

Journal Articles: Find the best databases for your topic (Jewish Studies, Religion, Arts, Political Science, multidisciplinary databases).

Books: Find print books and eBooks related to your research topic.

Hebrew Language and Literature: Dictionaries, Hebrew grammars, and Hebrew literature. 

Film: Feature and documentary films from and about Israel; journal articles in relevant databases.

Music, Art, Theater: Reaserch the the Arts in Israel; journal articles in relevant databases.

Primary Sources: Original documents and other material.

The dominant population in Israeli society is Jewish. As reported by The Central Bureau of Statistics in May 2016, of the 8.5 Million citizens in the State of Israel, 74.8% are Jews, 20.8% are Arabs (Muslim, Christian, Bedouin), and 4.4% are Druze, Circassians, Baha'i, non-Arab Christians (several denominations), and others. 

The Jewish population is diversified, too. As reported by the Pew Research Center in March 2016, 40% of Jews are secular, 23% are traditional Jews (keep some religious traditions), and 18% are religious. The latter group is quite diverse,too: the ultra-orthodox are organized in many groups, some of them divided by Ashkenazic/ Sepahrdic lines, few are anti-Zionist; Hassidic groups follow numerous Rabbis courts; and religious Jews follow various liturgical traditions, sometimes based on parental decent.