Fertility and marriage behavior in Israel: Diversity, change, and stability

Overview: We describe the fertility and marriage behavior of populations in Israel, broken down by nationality, religion, religiosity and nativity-status. Although our main focus is on a detailed presentation of fertility patterns, we also look at marriage behavior, as it is closely related to fertility in Israel..Until now, little has been documented about the basic fertility and marriage behavior of different population groups..The descriptive findings form the basis for a clearer understanding of fertility and marriage patterns in different population subgroups in Israel.

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Full Text: http://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol28/17/28-17.pdf

Okum, B. (12 Mar 2013).Fertility and marriage behavior in Israel: Diversity, change, and stability.Demographic Research  (Volume 28 – Article 17 )

Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research

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Rituals, ceremonies and customs related to sacred trees with a special reference to the Middle East

Abstract Excerpt:

Tree worship is very common worldwide. This field study surveys the ceremonies and customs related to sacred trees in present-day Israel; it includes the results of interviews with 98 informants in thirty-one Arab, Bedouin, and Druze villages in the Galilee.

A Sense of Place

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Full Text:

http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/3/1/28

By Amots Dafn

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2007, 3:28

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From Skopje to Jerusalem: The American Empire

Note:  A prescient geo-political analysis  from pre-9/11 2001.  LBW

By Dr George Friedman

Abstract:

Look at the time line of the last few years and trace a finger across a map.

NATO dispatches troops to Bosnia, Kosovo and now Macedonia. Sentiment builds within the G-8 to send forces to the West Bank and Gaza to control the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Russia reasserts its claims to the Caucasus, despite condemnation by the United States and its allies.

At first glance, these appear to be unrelated events. In fact, though, they are intimately connected. Each intervention by Western powers is on behalf of Islamic movements; a peacekeeping force in the West Bank would merely be the latest. Even Western opposition to Russia in the Caucasus is more of the same.

A step back reveals an important geographical and historical overlap: the United States and its allies are in the process of trying to occupy significant portions of the old Ottoman Empire. They are using sufficient forces only if unopposed and catastrophically insufficient forces when they are opposed. And the Western powers are, interestingly, intervening on behalf of Muslims against Christians and Jews.

Governments from Paris to Washington, as a result, are adopting old imperial responsibilities as the new century unfolds. Like other empires, they will not be thanked by anyone. And as policy goes, this one has not been explicitly stated; it is neither clear nor backed by sufficient force with an understanding of risks and rewards.

Of course, no policymaker will confess that this is policy; these governments are merely adopting a neutral, peacekeeping stance. That is their sincere intent, at least. But there is always a gap between intentions and reality. And the reality, however unintended, is mind-boggling in scope, cost and risk — and can easily swallow the ambitions of more than one political leader and even his nation.

Full Analysis Available. Requires Registration for Free Article.

http://www.stratfor.com/node/3503/analysis/skopje_jerusalem_american_empire

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