Israeli society

Every Christmas Eve, Jewish Israelis flock to churches in the Old City of Jerusalem for Midnight Mass at the Dormition Abbey on Mt. Zion. There are often more Jews in the church than Christians. And a priest knows just what to tell them.

Israel has been a hot topic of discussion recently at the U.S. Senate has considered Chuck Hagel’s nomination for defense secretary. All of that attention, though, has some Israelis more than a little uncomfortable.

Arabs make up about 20 percent of Israeli citizens, a block about equal in size to the Hispanic population in the United States. But while Hispanics in the United States made a big difference in the past election, Arabs in Israel have little impact on Israeli elections.

In a time when Israel and Iran disagree about almost everything, it’s hard to believe that an Iranian-Israeli singer could be a pop icon. Rita Johanforuz, better known simply as Rita, is in the midst of a U.S. tour right now.

Israel is putting its best face forward for President Obama, and what better face to put forward for America’s first black president than Israel’s first black beauty queen?