Ethics of Hospitality and the Problem of National Identity in Israel

Abstract

This paper explores the challenges of Russian and Ethiopian Jew immigrants in Israel, and how those challenges relate to Israel’s national identity crisis, through Derrida’s concept of hospitality. Immigration has been a major issue in Israel for many years, especially among Russian and Ethiopian Jews, who bring their own unique cultural, religious, and sociopolitical backgrounds to the Israeli state. This cultural diversity has caused tension within the state, leading to a national identity crisis and difficult questions regarding the idea of hospitality. According to Derrida, hospitality is a foundational practice of societies and states, based on accepting the foreigner and stranger in order to preserve justice and peace. However, while Israel has strived to create a vibrant society where all its citizens can live in harmony, the challenges of integrating Russian and Ethiopian Jews into the Israeli state have meanwhile created a state of internal conflict. This paper argues that by respecting Derrida's notion of hospitality and prioritizing the integration of immigrants into Israeli society, the nation can continue to foster a harmonious identity for its citizens. The paper concludes that this is an important issue in Israel, which cannot be ignored or resolved without serious structural change.