Diverse Cultures of United States and Israel

Although the people of Israel date from about 3,500 years ago, Israel became an independent state in 1948. Israel is a small country, roughly about the size of the state of Massachusetts. The country lies within the region of the world known as the Middle East. The Mediterranean coastline forms the entire western side of Israel. To the north and northeast are Lebanon and Syria, respectively. To the east is Jordan. To the south and southwest is the Sinai Desert of Egypt. In addition to Israel's own territory, there are the Occupied Territories, including the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank. Neighboring Arab states have often been at war with Israel: "Israelis live between wars, the last always too close to forget, the next always too close to escape. Mourning and war preparations go hand in hand."

In contrast to Israel, the United States has enjoyed a relatively peaceful existence, which has contributed to the country's robust economy. Since its founding in 1776, the United States has only had one major armed conflict within its boundaries, the Civil War in the 19th century. Peace has allowed the United States to expand from the original thirteen coloni

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and have minimal connection to their immigrant roots. Recent immigrants, however, most notably those from Central and Latin America and Asia, cling to many aspects of culture from their homelands. In Israel, the cultural traditions of the newer Israelis are often very different from those of Israel's founders, producing more change. However, the relatively homogeneous nature of the population facilitates the preservation of folk customs. People tell folktales, dance the folk dances, sing folk songs, and on many occasions dress in native dress, particularly those in rural communities during the spring planting and fall harvest periods: "Many Oriental Jews, especially in the second generation since immigration, are traditionalists, expressing this commitment in observance of folk customs such as ethnic festivals and pilgrimages." Both the United States and Israel have dominant cultures. In the United States, the dominant culture is white and Christian. More than three quarters of the population is white, including those of Hispanic origin. The remainder is mostly African-American, followed by Asian and American Indian. There is no official religion in the United States but the vast majority of the population is Christian,
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Approximate Word count = 1743
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

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