A Mosaic of Israel's Traditions: Unity Through Diversity

Israel is a melting pot that other freedom loving nations can truly envy. With so many people from so many lands rediscovering the home of their forefathers, a tidal wave of different Jewish customs has found its way to the Promised Land. What happens to these customs? Are they integrated into the Israeli culture? Do immigrants cast away their customs upon arrival? Or are immigrants able to retain the customs of their fathers while fitting into the mainstream *Israeli* culture?

Esther Shklaim, in her book, A Mosaic of Israel's Traditions: Unity through Diversity, finds the answers to these questions and more. The young people interviewed for this book explain the Jewish holiday customs as practiced in their family's country of origin. They reveal how immigrating to Israel has impacted these ancient traditions, and reflect a flourishing Jewish history that is forming a cohesive Jewish future, as the Children of Israel return to their home.