Country book · Middle East & Africa

Israel

Ancient stones, a startup pulse

Israel packs desert, coastline, holy cities and a hyper-caffeinated tech scene into a country the size of a small US state. Tel Aviv parties until sunrise while Jerusalem, an hour away, keeps three faiths' oldest rhythms alive.

Myths

What's true, what isn't

Actually true

Tel Aviv never really sleeps
Cafés fill by 7am and bars empty near dawn — it runs on a nearly 24-hour civic clock.
It's a genuine tech powerhouse
Per capita, Israel has one of the highest concentrations of startups and VC funding in the world.
Hebrew was revived from a liturgical language
It went from near-disuse in daily speech to a living national language within about a century.
Food culture is intensely mixed
Middle Eastern, North African, Eastern European and Mizrahi Jewish traditions all sit on the same table.

Commonly believed, wrong

"It's all desert"
The north has forested hills, the Sea of Galilee and green valleys; only the south is true desert.
"Everyone is deeply religious"
Israeli society ranges from ultra-Orthodox communities to a famously secular, beach-going Tel Aviv.
"It's a tiny place with nothing to see"
In a few hours you can go from Mediterranean coast to mountain desert to the lowest point on Earth.
"The food is just hummus and falafel"
The cuisine spans Yemenite soups, Iraqi kubbeh, Georgian khachapuri and Tel Aviv fine dining.

Highlights

The best of Israel

Floating in the Dead Sea

The saltiest, lowest body of water on Earth — you cannot sink even if you try.

Old City Jerusalem

The Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Al-Aqsa mosque within a ten-minute walk of each other.

Tel Aviv's Mediterranean beaches

White sand, Bauhaus buildings and a promenade that runs the length of the city.

The Negev desert

Crater canyons, Bedouin hospitality and some of the clearest night skies in the region.

Culture

Cultural riches

Shabbat rhythm

From Friday sundown to Saturday night, much of the country shifts pace, especially in Jerusalem.

Kibbutz history

Collective farming communities shaped early Israeli society and remain part of rural life today.

Street market culture

Machane Yehuda and Carmel Market are loud, colourful, and where the country actually eats.

Military service as rite of passage

Nearly universal conscription shapes friendships, slang and career networks for life.

Food

What to eat

Hummus

Creamy chickpea paste eaten fresh and warm, often for breakfast, with pita straight from the oven.

Shakshuka

Eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce, a North African dish now a national staple.

Sabich

Fried eggplant, boiled egg and amba sauce stuffed into pita — an Iraqi-Jewish invention from Ramat Gan.

Jachnun

Slow-rolled Yemenite pastry baked overnight, served with grated tomato and hard-boiled egg on Shabbat morning.

Malabi

A rosewater milk pudding topped with syrup and crushed pistachio, sold from Tel Aviv street stalls.

Music

World-famous voices

Idan Raichel

Cross-cultural project of global reach.

Netta

Eurovision-winning pop.

Ofra Haza

The voice of Yemenite-Israeli music.

Static & Ben El

Modern Israeli pop.

Asaf Avidan

Distinctive folk-rock voice.

History

Important people in history

David Ben-Gurion

1948–1954, 1955–1963

The country's first prime minister, who declared independence in 1948.

Golda Meir

1969–1974

The country's first female prime minister, a defining figure of its early decades.

Yitzhak Rabin

1974–1977, 1992–1995

Former general turned prime minister who signed the Oslo Accords.

Cities