Israel - Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture: Essential Guide to Customs and Culture [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

This book gives a good brief introduction to the history, sights and people of Israel, though it is not extremely detailed or thorough. This is certainly sufficient if you are going for a business trip (the focus of the book) or a short vacation. As the book states, there are only a few good general rules since the population in Israel comes from very diverse backgrounds - in general you will have to watch and see!

The book starts with a brief history and then a discussion of the various major political and religious groups. A section of Jewish holidays is also provided, though there are some major customs that are left out (such as the bonfires on Lab b'Omer).

As a bonus, you get a mini-guide book in a few pages. It mentions the major cities and the prevalent attitudes of each. While some major festivals are given, approximate dates are not provided. If you are interested in sight-seeing, get a good travel guide book as well.

The book does discuss what to do if you are invited to dinner (or any other meal), what to generally expect in transportation, what to wear (for business), daily routines and family life, cultural values and how Israelis consider friendships. This book is certainly not exhaustive or all-inclusive, but will give you general ideas about how many people behave.

The section on security was rather small (one page) considering the importance in daily life in Israel. From an American perspective, some insight into how screening is done (i.e. you may have to open your car trunk before entering certain places) would have been a helpful addition for those who wouldn't expect it. The book suggests following all instructions given, which is a good general rule even if you have other expectations.

Though it is nice that the book is fairly small, it would have been better to add a few more pages to give just a bit more detail. I've mentioned a few missed points above, but in addition there are no instructions for dealing with police (not that this is a likely event), helpful tips such that you usually must flag down a bus from a stop, negotiation techniques in markets, e-mail etiquette or even how the banking system works (since there is a definite business focus in the book). There is also a small addition that needs to be made - on Page 11, it should be noted that you will typically find the two-round-pronged European-style plug, not a three-pronged angled plug.

For the price, this book is a good way to gain some ideas of the cultural and political attitudes in Israel in a short amount of time. If you are a procrastinator, you certainly can read the entire book on the plane!

I'm including the table of contents below, since as of this posting, it was not available and you can not see inside the book.

CONTENTS:

Map of Israel 7
Introduction 8
Key Facts 10
1: Land and People
Geography 12
Climate 13
A Brief History 14
Key Events Since 1948 36
Israelis Today 44
Government 49
The Israel Defense Force 55
Cities and Towns 57
The Kibbutz 61
The Moshav 63

2: Values and Attitudes
Wars and Occupation 64
Secularism and Religion 65
Family Life 70
Togetherness and Groups 72
Attitudes Toward Each Other 73
Attitudes Toward Minorities 75
Humor 77

3: Customs and Traditions
Jewish Festivals and Holidays 78
Muslim and Christian Festivals 86
Rites of Passage 86
Courtship and Marriage 88
Death and Mourning 90

4: Making Friends
Hospitality 93
Gift Giving 95
Manners 96
Immigrant Associations 98

5: Daily Life
Homes and Lifestyles 102
Weekday Routine 104
Education 106
Leisure and Sports 110

6: Time Out
Wining and Dining 112
Shopping 116
Fashion 118
The Performing Arts 120
Museums and Galleries 122
Nightlife 124
Beaches 125

7: Travel, Health and Security
Flying 128
Taxis 128
Buses 129
Trains 130
Driving 130
Seeing the Country 133
Health Care and Emergency Services 143
Safety and Security 145

8: Business Briefing
Business Culture 146
Protocol and Presentations 147
Personal Relations 149
Negotiating Styles 150
Contracts and Fulfillment 151
Women in Business 152

9: Communicating
Language 154
Body Language 157
The Media 157
Telephone 161
Mail 162
Conclusion 163

Further Reading 165
Business Web Sites 165
Index 166
Acknowledgements 168

This book certainly provided me with lots of information about Israel. I do wish however I had looked around a bit more as it was boring in presentation and this is a real shame considering the subject matter. In saying that I did find it helpful.

Though many travel to Israel and it is very Westernized, it is good to remember that there is a Religion and cultural base that is not taken lightly.
The source of good information to be followed.