Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the bifurcation of Israel

Uri Ram

doi:10.1007/s10767-007-9016-2

Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the bifurcation of Israel

Uri Ram

Behavioral Sciences Program

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Jerusalem and Tel Aviv are the two large and important cities of Israel.¹ Jerusalem, situated on the crest of the Judea mountains is the religiously sanctified and official capital of the state of Israel. Tel Aviv, situated on the shore of the Mediterranean, is the business and social metropolitan hub of Israeli society. The two cities are perceived in Israeli culture as representing two opposing political-cultural principles: Jerusalem is historical and holy-a probable prescription for cultural intolerance and political violence; Tel Aviv is contemporaneous and profane-a possible recipe for a thriving and hedonistic civil society. Such a perception will inform the first part of the essay. In its second part, a critical look at this perception will be offered. Critics contest the common depiction of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as two antidotal poles and consider it disingenuous if not deceiving. They contend that the two cities are more alike than the common perception would lead one to believe, and that they form in fact a common Israeli system, with just a slight division of labor among them. The third part of the essay will expand beyond Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as such and will consider the larger context of Israeli political culture and especially the bifurcation between post-Zionism and neo-Zionism. The fourth part will offer concluding reflections on the role of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as two perspectives or orientations in contemporary Israel.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	21-33
Number of pages	13
Journal	International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society
Volume	19
Issue number	1-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10767-007-9016-2
State	Published - 1 Dec 2005

Keywords

Globalization
Israel
Jerusalem
Neo-Zionism
Post-Zionism
Tel Aviv

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Sociology and Political Science
Political Science and International Relations

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1007/s10767-007-9016-2

Cite this

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title = "Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the bifurcation of Israel",

abstract = "Jerusalem and Tel Aviv are the two large and important cities of Israel.1 Jerusalem, situated on the crest of the Judea mountains is the religiously sanctified and official capital of the state of Israel. Tel Aviv, situated on the shore of the Mediterranean, is the business and social metropolitan hub of Israeli society. The two cities are perceived in Israeli culture as representing two opposing political-cultural principles: Jerusalem is historical and holy-a probable prescription for cultural intolerance and political violence; Tel Aviv is contemporaneous and profane-a possible recipe for a thriving and hedonistic civil society. Such a perception will inform the first part of the essay. In its second part, a critical look at this perception will be offered. Critics contest the common depiction of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as two antidotal poles and consider it disingenuous if not deceiving. They contend that the two cities are more alike than the common perception would lead one to believe, and that they form in fact a common Israeli system, with just a slight division of labor among them. The third part of the essay will expand beyond Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as such and will consider the larger context of Israeli political culture and especially the bifurcation between post-Zionism and neo-Zionism. The fourth part will offer concluding reflections on the role of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as two perspectives or orientations in contemporary Israel.",

keywords = "Globalization, Israel, Jerusalem, Neo-Zionism, Post-Zionism, Tel Aviv",

author = "Uri Ram",

note = "Funding Information: 1This paper was first created in response to an invitation from the project Jerusalem 2050 and I thank the organizers, especially Prof. Diane E. Davis, Associate Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning at MIT, for the opportunity they gave me to create and present it; and for the permission to issue this version of the paper here. Jerusalem 2050 is a project jointly sponsored by MIT{\textquoteright}s Department of Urban Studies & Planning and the Center for International Studies. By bringing together Palestinian and Israeli scholars, activists, business leaders, youth, and others, it seeks to understand what it would take to make Jerusalem, a city also known as Al Quds, claimed by two nations and central to three religions, a place of diversity and peace in which contending ideas and citizenries can co-exist in benign, yet creative, ways. The project launched the “Just Jerusalem,” a competition that invites participants worldwide to submit urban plans and other creative works that consider novel ways to transform this fractious city into a place where contending ideas and citizenries co-exist in peaceful ways. An international panel of diplomats, researchers and professionals will jury the competition. The winning participants will be awarded fellowships at MIT, a prize equivalent to $50,000 each. For details see the Jerusalem 2050 site: http://web.mit.edu/CIS/jerusalem2050/ whatis.html.",

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JF - International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society

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ER -

Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the bifurcation of Israel

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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