Sarah Gehl, Keith Loughry,

Mckay Mcnair
 Israel

- The language primarily spoken is Hebrew & Arabic

- The population is roughly 8,000,000

 Background
Religion
Religion Breakdown - The Primary religion that is followed is Judaism

76.1% Judaism - Judaism bases most of its laws and teachings from the Torah

16.2% Islam - Israel is the worlds only Jewish state

2.1% Christain - It is the only country in the Middle East that has full religious freedom

1.6% Druze

3.9% Other
 Background
History
- The credited founder of the nation is Abraham

- He had a son named Isaac who had a son named Jacob who had 12 sons

- Jacob had 12 sons were fruitful and multiplied and made what we now call Israel

- Abraham, Isaac, and jacob are known as the patriarchs of Israel.

- The country has been fought over for years

- Power has been exchanged over who had rule of the country since 587B.C. to 1948

- The Jewish reestablished power in 1948

 Agriculture
- Two types of farms (Kibbutzim collective villages & moshavim cooperative villages)

- Israel has advanced technology and techniques (GMs, irrigation, pesticides)

- Only 2.5% of the workforce is involved with the production of agriculture

- Most of their agricultural produce consists of vegetables, cotton, beef, poultry, dairy, and citrus fruits

- Crops that are grown in the winter; wheat, silage, hay, legumes, and safflower

- Crops that are grown in the summer; cotton, sunflowers, chickpeas, green peas,corn, ground nuts
(peanuts), and watermelon

- Israel exports one third of their produce

 Common Meal Patterns
- Breakfast usually will consist of cheeses, breads, olives, juice, and coffee

- Breakfast is heavy, but not as heavy as lunch

- Lunch is the main meal of the day

- Dinner is usually lighter and generally consist of dairy products, salads, eggs,
and breads
- Have large meal on the Sabbath (also
known as Shabbat)
 Common food staples
- Bread is eaten in almost every meal

- Hummus

- Falafel (deep-fried chickpea balls in pita)

- olives

- chickpeas

- yogurt

- oils (such as olive oil)

- fruits
 Holidays & Food
- There are many Jewish Holidays and days of observance

- These Holidays include (Hanukkah, Purim, Passover, Shavout, and Rosh

Hashanah)
- During hanukkah latkes (potato pancakes) and Sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts)
 Islamic Republic of Iran

Official language: Persian

Currency: Iranian Rial

Capital: Teheran
Demographics
Population: 79,476,308

98% Muslim

90% Shiah (Official state

Religion)

10% Sunni

Islam governs the

personal, political,
economic and legal lives
of Iranians.
 Role of Religion in Iranian cuisine
Many practicing muslims will not consume alcohol
and other edibles prohibited by islamic code such
as pork, blood, and some kinds of fish.

Meat slaughtered according to islamic code and

is purchased at Halals.

During the holy month of Ramadan all Muslims

must fast from dawn to dusk.

Eid-e-Fetr - End of Ramadan. Celebrated with

large feast with family and friends.
 Agriculture
Roughly 40% of the country is not suitable for farming.
Most land that is cultivated does not have proper
irrigation. Despite this a wide variety of fruits and
vegetables are grown in the diverse areas of Iran that
are suitable to cultivation.

Primary crops: wheat, sugar, rice, pistachios, saffron,

tea

Worlds largest producer and exporter of pistachios

and saffron.
 Common foods
Rice and bread staples

Abgusht (meat and bean soup)

Dolmeh (vegetable stuffed w/ meat and rice)

Kebab

Drinks

Sweetened tea, fruit syrups, yogurt drink called dough

 Mealtime Customs
Iranians of opposite sex (unless related) do not sit next to each other while eating.

Talking is kept to a minimum

Hot and cold set of rules of ancient Greek medicine is used in selecting food.

Three meals with snacks.

Hunger and Poverty
Economic conditions declining.

Unemployment and Inflation is increasing.

45-55% of Urban population lives below

poverty line.

78% of Iranians suffer from a poor diet

that lacks fruits and vegetables.
Saudi Arabia
Fast Facts
Saudi Arabia is a desert country encompassing most of the Arabian peninsula, with Red Sea
and Persian Gulf coastlines.

Known as the birthplace of Islam.

location of the religions two most sacred mosques: Masjid al-Haram and Masjid an-Nabawi.

Mecca, the destination of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Medina, the burial site of the prophet Muhammed.

Capital: Riyahd

Currency: Saudi riyal

Population: 28.83 million

Official Language: Arabic

Demographics and Religion
Ethnic-

Arab 90%

Afro-Asian 10%

Muslim is the official religion

85-90% Sunni

10-15% Shia

Most forms of public religious expression inconsistent with the government-sanctioned interpretation of
Sunni Islam is restricted; non-Muslims are not allowed to have Saudi Arabia citizenship.
Agriculture
Saudi Arabia agriculture includes: wheat, dates, dairy products, eggs, fish, poultry, fruits,
vegetables, and flowers.

Large areas of desert has been turned into farm land with irrigation techniques since the
country only averages 4 inches of rainfall a year.
Common Meal Patterns
Traditional foods

dates

fatir (flat bread)

arikah (bread from the southwestern part of the country)

hawayij (a spice blend)

Most have settled in towns and cities, no longer following the nomadic lifestyle that once
dominated Saudi Arabian culture.

Follows Islamic rules; the restriction against eating pork and drinking alcohol.
Common Food Staples
Kapasa (Chicken and Rice)

Kimaje (Flatbread)

Laban Drink (Yogurt Drink)

Holidays & Food
National holidays:
Ramadan (month of fasting from sunup to sundown)
Eid al-Fitr (the feast at the end of Ramadan)
Eid al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice)

Holiday meals include:

thick soups
stuffed vegetables
bean salads
tabbouleh (salad made with bulgur wheat)
hummus
rice
flat bread
Questions?