An Israeli is any citizen of the modern state of Israel regardless of religious heritage or ethnic identity, including most numerously Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze and others. More contentiously, "Israeli" may sometime be seen to refer specifically to the Jewish portion of the citizenry of the state, to the exclusion of the population categorized by ethnic identity as Arab citizens of Israel who may be of any religious tradition, but by Israeli law, except Jewish.

The term "Israelis" should not be confused with "Israelites", which denotes the ethnic group as known to have inhabited the Kingdom of Israel in Biblical times.

Demographics

Israeli Bedouin soldiers chat with Arab civilians in Galilee, 1978

According to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, as of May 2006, of Israel's 7 million people, 77% were Jews of any background, 18.5% non-Jewish Arabs, and 4.3% "others".^[1] Among Jews, 68% were Sabras (Israeli-born), mostly second- or third-generation Israelis, and the rest are olim (Jewish immigrants to Israel) ? 22% from Europe and the Americas, and 10% from Asia and Africa, including the Arab countries. ^[2] Nearly half of all Israeli Jews are of European Decent, while around the same number come from Arab Countries, Iran, and Turkey, also, several hundred thousand are descended from Ethiopia, Indian, and Chinese Jews as well.

Israel has two official languages; Hebrew and Arabic. Hebrew is the major and primary language of the state and is spoken by the majority of the population. Arabic is spoken by the Arab minority and by some members of the Mizrahi Jewish community. English is studied in school and is spoken by the majority of the population as a second language. Other languages spoken in Israel include Russian, Yiddish, Ladino, Amharic, Romanian, Polish and French. American and European popular television shows are commonly presented. Newspapers can be found in all languages listed above as well as others, such as Persian.

In recent decades, considerable numbers of Israelis, estimated broadly from 760,000 to twice that figure, have moved abroad.^[3] Reasons for emigration vary, but generally relate to a combination of economic and political concerns.

Culture of Israel

The first stamps, designed before the new state adopted its name, featured ancient Jewish coins and the text "Hebrew mail" in Hebrew and Arabic languages

The largest cities in the country Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem are also the major cultural centers, known for art museums, and many towns and kibbutzim have smaller high-quality museums. Israeli music is very versatile and combines elements of both western and eastern, religious and secular music. It tends to be very eclectic and contains a wide variety of influences from the Diaspora and more modern cultural importation: Hassidic songs, Asian and Arab pop, especially by Yemenite singers, and Israeli hip hop or heavy metal. Folk dancing, which draws upon the cultural heritage of many immigrant groups, is popular. There is also flourishing modern dance.

Religion in Israel

Young Haredi men on Purim in Jerusalem.

According to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2004, 76.2% of Israelis were Jewish by religion (Judaism), 16.1% were Muslims, 2.1% Christian, 1.6% Druze and the remaining 3.9% (including Russian immigrants and some ethnic Jews) were not classified by religion. ^[1]

Roughly 12% of Israeli Jews defined as haredim (ultra-orthodox religious); an additional 9% are "religious"; 35% consider themselves "traditionalists" (not strictly adhering to Jewish Halakha); and 43% are "secular" (termed "hiloni"). Among the seculars, 53% believe in God. However, 78% of all Israelis participate in a Passover seder. ^[4]

Israelis tend not to align themselves with a movement of Judaism (such as Reform Judaism or Conservative Judaism) but instead tend to define their religious affiliation by degree of their religious practice.

Among Arab Israelis, 82.6% were Muslim, 8.8% were Christian and 8.4% were Druze. ^[1]

The Bahá'í World Centre, which includes the Universal House of Justice, in Haifa attracts pilgrims from all over the world.^[5] Apart from a few hundred volunteer staff, Bahá'ís do not live in Israel.

Notes

1. ↑ ^{a b c}
2. ↑
3. ↑ Andrew I. Killgore."Facts on the Ground: A Jewish Exodus from Israel" Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, March 2004, pp.18-20
4. ↑ Religion in Israel: A Consensus for Jewish Tradition by Daniel J. Elazar (JCPA)
5. ↑

External links

• BBC News | Israel's modern immigrants
• BBC News | Israel faces Russian brain drain
• Kehilot | Secular & Religious Jewish Communities of Israel

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