Portal:Israel

More information List of selected articles, List of Good articles ...

Welcome to the Israel Portal
מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל

Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the southwest. Israel occupies the West Bank and the Gaza Strip of the Palestinian territories, as well as the Syrian Golan Heights. Israel's western coast lies on the Mediterranean Sea, its southern tip reaching the Red Sea, and the east includes the Earth's lowest point near the Dead Sea. Jerusalem is the government seat and proclaimed capital, while Tel Aviv is Israel's largest urban area and economic centre.

The Land of Israel, also called Palestine or the Holy Land, was home to the ancient Canaanites and later the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Located near continental crossroads, its demographics shifted under various empires. 19th-century European antisemitism fuelled the Zionist movement for a Jewish homeland, which gained British support with the 1917 Balfour Declaration. After World War I, Britain occupied the region and established Mandatory Palestine. British rule and Jewish immigration intensified Arab-Jewish tensions, and the 1947 United Nations (UN) Partition Plan led to a civil war. (Full article...)

Refresh with new selections below (purge)

Selected article - show another

King Solomon (1872) by Simeon Solomon

Solomon (/ˈsɒləmən/), also called Jedidiah, was a king of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah, according to the Hebrew Bible. The successor of his father David, he is described as the penultimate ruler of all Twelve Tribes of Israel under a united Israel and Judah. His reign is hypothesized to have lasted from c. 970–931 BCE. According to the biblical narrative, his reign brought commercial prosperity through alliances and trade, but his accumulation of wealth, horses, and foreign wives, many of whom introduced idolatry, led to divine punishment. After Solomon's death, his son Rehoboam’s harsh policies led the northern Israelites to reject the Davidic line and follow Jeroboam, splitting the kingdom into Israel in the north and Judah in the south, according to the Hebrew Bible.

Considered a Jewish prophet, Solomon is portrayed as wealthy, wise, powerful, and a dedicated follower of Yahweh (God), as attested by the eponymous Solomon's Temple. He is also traditionally regarded as the author of the biblical books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. He is also the subject of many later references and legends, most notably in the Testament of Solomon, part of biblical apocrypha from the 1st century CE. (Full article...)

List of selected articles

Featured picture - show another

This is a Featured picture that the Wikimedia Commons community has chosen as one of the highest quality on the site.

Image 1A view of Jerusalem from southeast, showing the Walls of Jerusalem, the Dome of the Rock, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. This image was taken sometime between 1900 and 1940.
Image 2A view of Jaffa, from the beachfront of Tel Aviv
Image 3Northeast exposure of Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, in the Old City of Jerusalem. Considered to be the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina.
Image 4Ceramic tile on the Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem
Image 5Young Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) on a stone wall by the edge of Makhtesh Ramon in Mitzpe Ramon.
Image 6David Ben-Gurion's room at Ben-Gurion's Hut, the retirement home of Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and his wife Paula (Pola) from the years 1953 until Ben-Gurion's death in 1973.
Image 7An aerial view of Makhtesh Ramon, a geological feature of Israel's Negev desert. Located some 85 km south of the city of Beersheba, the landform is not an impact crater from a meteor nor a volcanic crater formed by a volcanic eruption, but rather is the world's largest "erosion cirque" (steephead valley or box canyon).
Image 8Paratroopers at the Western Wall, an iconic photograph taken on June 7, 1967 by David Rubinger.
Image 9Diving tourism site on the southern coast of Eilat, around a horseshoe-shaped reef. Many animal species are found in the area, including dolphins.
Image 10Dead Tree in Sea of Life is an installation artwork from 2017 by Amiram Dora, a travel guide from the nearby city Arad. The work consists of a tree planted on a salt pile in the Dead Sea. The purpose of the work is to show that as opposed to its common name, the Dead Sea is actually a place of rich tourist activity, healing and relaxation.
Image 11A more recent section of the Israel-Egypt barrier fence, north of Eilat, June 2012. It is a border barrier built by Israel along its border with Egypt. It was originally an attempt to curb illegal migrants from African countries.^[1] Construction was approved on 12 January 2010^[2] and began on 22 November 2010.^[3]
Image 12Reading Power Station, built in Tel Aviv in 1938, was named for Rufus Isaacs, the 1st Marquess of Reading. Reading Light is pictured on the left.
Image 13Jews Praying in the Synagogue on Yom Kippur, an 1878 painting by Maurycy Gottlieb
Image 14Southern aerial view of the Temple Mount, a hill located in the Old City of Jerusalem that for thousands of years has been venerated as a holy site, in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Image 15"The Nile and the Sinai, to Israel and beyond. One sweeping glance of human history." Caption by astronaut Chris Hadfield on board the International Space Station.
Image 16The Jerusalem Railway Station c. 1900. The locomotive on the turntable is "Ramleh" (J&J No. 3), a Baldwin 2-6-0. The station was the terminus of the Jaffa–Jerusalem railway until its closure in 1998. Today, the station is abandoned and suffering from neglect and vandalism, although it is one of 110 buildings selected for preservation in Jerusalem.
Image 17An aerial view of Masada in the Judaean Desert, with the Dead Sea and Jordan in the distance

edit

Did you know - show different entries

...that the Jaffa Road (pictured) is one of the oldest and longest streets in Jerusalem?
...that the symbol of Fatima's hands, while widespread in Middle Eastern Islamic societies, is not officially condoned by Islam?
...that religious identity in Israel for Jews differs strikingly from that recognized in the Jewish diaspora?

More did you know...

edit

Related portals

edit

WikiProjects

WikiProject Israel – WikiProject Jewish history – WikiProject Judaism – WikiProject Jewish culture – WikiProject Hebrew

Good article - show another

This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

Black Hebrew Israelites (also called Hebrew Israelites, Black Hebrews, Black Israelites, and African Hebrew Israelites) are a new religious movement claiming that African Americans are descendants of the ancient Israelites. Some sub-groups believe that indigenous peoples of the Americas and Latin Americans are descendants of the Israelites, as well.

Black Hebrew Israelite teachings draw on a wide range of sources. They incorporate their own interpretations of Christianity and Judaism, and their beliefs are influenced by Freemasonry and New Thought, too. Black Hebrew Israelism is a non-homogenous movement composed of numerous groups with varying beliefs and practices. Many choose to identify as Hebrew Israelites or Black Hebrews rather than as Jews. Black Hebrew Israelites are a distinct group that is not affiliated with the mainstream Jewish community or normative Judaism, as they do not meet the established criteria—such as matrilineal descent or formal conversion—that are used to identify someone as Jewish. Additionally, they operate outside the doctrinal and organizational boundaries of Nicene Christianity, which forms the core of mainstream Christian denominations. (Full article...)

List of Good articles

Selected fare or cuisine - show another

Cholent or Schalet (Yiddish: טשאָלנט, romanized: tsholnt) is a traditional slow-simmering Sabbath stew in Jewish cuisine that was developed by Ashkenazi Jews first in France and later Germany, and is first mentioned in the 12th century. It is closely related to the French cassoulet and is believed to have been derived from hamin, a similar Sabbath stew that emerged in Spain among Sephardic Jews and made its way to France by way of Provence. (Full article...)

List of fare/cuisine articles

General images - show another

The following are images from various Israel-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Gal Fridman, winner of Israel's first Olympic gold medal (from Culture of Israel)
Image 2United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, 1947 (from History of Israel)
Image 3Obverse of Yehud silver coin (from History of Israel)
Image 4A Bookplate done for Martin Buber; The plate is adorned with the walls of Jerusalem in the shape of a Shield of David, viewed from above (from Culture of Israel)
Image 5The Arch of Titus in Rome depicts the Roman triumph celebrating the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE (from History of Israel)
Image 6Remains of the Roman theatre in Caesarea Maritima (from Culture of Israel)
Image 7Israeli breakfast (from Culture of Israel)
Image 8Ecclesiastes is known for its incipit vanity of vanities; all is vanity and concepts of Vanitas (from Culture of Israel)
Image 9A portion of the Isaiah Scroll. One of the earliest known manuscripts of biblical literature (from Culture of Israel)
Image 10The Merneptah Stele, dated c. 1209 BCE, is the earliest textual reference to Israel (from History of Israel)
Image 11Skhul Cave (from History of Israel)
Image 12Tiles in the Bezalel style, 1920s (from Culture of Israel)
Image 13Neo-Assyrian Empire at its greatest territorial extent (from History of Israel)
Image 14Tel Aviv Cinematheque (from Culture of Israel)
Image 15Illustration for the Song of Songs. Along with the Book of Esther, the ancient poem is an example of an ancient Israeli literature with no mention of God, and is traditionally read as an allegory of the relationship between God and Israel (from Culture of Israel)
Image 16Detail of the Siloam inscription (from History of Israel)
Image 17Sermon on the Mount. The New Testament was authored by Christian Jews during Roman-ruled Judea (from Culture of Israel)
Image 18David dictating the Psalms. The practice of psalms is referred to as a philosophical and theological problem (from Culture of Israel)
Image 19Occupied Enemy Territory Administration, 1918 (from History of Israel)
Image 20Intel core i7-940. Intel developed its dual-core Core Duo processor at its Israel Development Center in Haifa. (from Culture of Israel)
Image 21"Hezekiah ... king of Judah" – Royal seal written in the Paleo-Hebrew alphabet, unearthed in Jerusalem (from History of Israel)
Image 22Simulated view of a black hole. Jacob Bekenstein predicted and co-discovered black hole entropy (from Culture of Israel)
Image 23Menahem Zion synagoge, Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem (from Culture of Israel)
Image 24Jewish symbols in Israeli artworks (from Culture of Israel)
Image 25Portion of the Temple Scroll, one of the Dead Sea Scrolls written by the Essenes (from History of Israel)
Image 26Buchenwald survivors arrive in Haifa to be arrested by the British, 15 July 1945 (from History of Israel)
Image 27Hebrew ulpan in Dimona, 1955 (from Culture of Israel)
Image 28The opening ceremony of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem visited by Arthur Balfour, 1 April 1925 (from History of Israel)
Image 29Jewish youth dancing the Horah in the kibboutz Ein Harod in 1936 (from Culture of Israel)
Image 30First modern art exhibition in Israel at the Ohel Theatre 1926, organized primarily by the Histadrut art studio (from Culture of Israel)
Image 31Jewish Yemenite bride in traditional bridal vestment, adorned with a henna wreath, 1958 (from Culture of Israel)
Image 32Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, 2006 (from Culture of Israel)
Image 33Hiking near Lake Kinneret (from Culture of Israel)
Image 34Jewish workers in Kerem Avraham neighbourhood of Jerusalem (c. 1850s) (from History of Israel)
Image 35Habimah Theatre in Tel Aviv (from Culture of Israel)
Image 36Breads in Mahane Yehuda market (from Culture of Israel)
Image 37Aerial view of the Temple Mount showing the Dome of the Rock in the center and the al-Aqsa mosque to the south (from History of Israel)
Image 38Jewish Settlement Police members watching the settlement Nesher during 1936–1939 Arab revolt (from History of Israel)
Image 39The Bahri Mamluk dynasty 1250–1382 (from History of Israel)
Image 40Painting of the siege of Jerusalem during the First Crusade (1099) (from History of Israel)
Image 41Supply convoy on its way to besieged Jerusalem, April 1948 (from History of Israel)
Image 42Silver coin (gerah) minted in the Persian province of Yehud, dated c. 375–332 BCE. Obv: Bearded head wearing crown, possibly representing the Persian Great King. Rev: Falcon facing, head right, with wings spread; Paleo-Hebrew YHD to right. (from History of Israel)
Image 43Jewish Brigade headquarters under both Union Flag and Jewish flag (from History of Israel)
Image 44Tzofim Israeli scout movement fire ceremony in Tel Aviv (from Culture of Israel)
Image 45The route of the exiles to Babylon (from History of Israel)
Image 46Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem (from Culture of Israel)
Image 47Cultural map of the world according to the World Values Survey, describing Israel as a whole at parity in "Rational-Secular Values" and also at parity in "Self-expression values". (from Culture of Israel)
Image 48David Ben-Gurion proclaiming the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948 (from History of Israel)
Image 49Heraclius returning the True Cross to Jerusalem, 15th-century painting by Miguel Ximénez (from History of Israel)
Image 50Ofek-7 satellite launch through Shavit vehicle (from Culture of Israel)

edit

Topics

edit

News

Read and edit Wikinews

20 March 2026 – Middle Eastern crisis: Iran confirms the death of IRGC spokesperson Ali Mohammad Naini in an Israeli airstrike in Tehran. (Al Jazeera); Israeli forces strike Syrian military sites, including command and control centres and supply depots, in the south of the country, in response to Syrian government attacks on the local Druze population. (BBC News)
19 March 2026 – 2026 Iran war: 2026 Iranian strikes on Israel
19 March 2026 – Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war: KLM says that they will not resume flights to Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam until May 17, citing safety considerations as the US-Israel war against Iran continues. (Anadolu Agency)

Israel category at Wikinews

edit

Featured content

This is a list of recognized content, updated weekly by JL-Bot (talk · contribs) (typically on Saturdays). There is no need to edit the list yourself. If an article is missing from the list, make sure it is tagged (e.g. {{WikiProject Israel}}) or categorized correctly and wait for the next update. See WP:RECOG for configuration options.