Israelis a country in theMiddle East, on the southeastern shore of theMediterranean Seaand the northern shore of theRed Sea. Itis considered part of theHoly Land(together with areas ofJordan,Egyptand thePalestinian Territories). The four major monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Bahaism—all have historical ties to the region. Israel thus contains a vibrant modern history and culture, based in part on the diverse, immigrant origins of its inhabitants returning from the Jewish Diaspora. These aspects make Israel a fascinating destination for many travelers and pilgrims. As a result of this vast mix of culture, in addition to the official languages of Hebrew and Arabic, Russian, French, Spanish, Amharic and Yiddish are also spoken by a significant minority of Israelis.