The Battle on the Hill – San Simon

Bitter and bloody, the battle for Jerusalem’s San Simon Monastery in 1948 was etched deeply into the memories of all who fought there. Their bravery and self-sacrifice forged the founding ethos of the Israel Defense Forces

Cooking Up Independence – Barbecues on Israel Independence Day

In the State of Israel’s the formative years, its education minister called for a haggada to mark Independence Day, and the Histadrut’s Folk Dance Department envisioned mass horas. Much to the chagrin of the country’s elite, however, popular festivities coalesced around something else entirely. How did the barbecue become Israel’s ultimate Independence Day ritual?

Full Circle – Hora

Though nostalgically associated with Israel’s early days, the hora was originally neither socialist nor Jewish. So how did this folk dance become synonymous with young Zionists circling under a starry sky?