Israel, a young state, has no long established tradition of official ceremonies. The social and cultural structure of the state encompasses a largely tribal society, with conflicting national narratives among its Arab and Jewish populations and deep divisions between its secular and ultra-Orthodox communities. It is a society made up of more than 9 million people crammed into a tiny piece of land, each group with its own ethos and beliefs. For these reasons, the country tends not to unite around ceremonies.
During one of the most turbulent and divisive times in the country’s history, the July 7 inauguration of Isaac Herzog as the country’s 11th president stood out.
