That is what was said of the inhabitants of Jerusalem back in biblical times, and it’s still being said today. Life at high altitude is more involved and more difficult than in the coastal region. This causes people to become more robust. Gradually, tenacity becomes a part of their nature.
Today, there are over 900,000 people living in Jerusalem, half of whom are Jews. (The Arabs in East Jerusalem have the right to vote in local elections, but not in elections for the Knesset.) If only the residents of Jerusalem were to go to the polls, Israel would find itself led by a right-wing ultra-Orthodox government coalition with 91 out of 120 seats in the Knesset. The remaining 29 seats would be shared among four secular and left-wing liberal parties. This was the conclusion reached by the daily newspaper Yediot Achronot following a recent survey.
Jerusalem is the exact opposite to Tel Aviv. On the coast, a left-wing liberal atmosphere and philosophy tends to prevail. These cities symbolize the spiritual and political tensions in Israeli society. In Tel Aviv, there is...
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