Israel, the Great Miracle of the Middle East
During an event with the Jewish community, held at the Holocaust Memorial in São Paulo, in conversation with Jewish journalist and writer Victor Grinbaum, a reflection emerged on two distinct portrayals of Jews in Brazil: the one often disseminated by mainstream media and the one found in real life.
In the media, Jews are frequently depicted as colonizers, imperialists, wealthy, white, and even as “owners of the world.” This caricature, shaped by stereotypes, stands in stark contrast to the everyday reality of most Jews. Far from any notion of global domination, they are people who face the same challenges as any citizen: working hard, struggling to pay bills, and living with doubts and uncertainties common to all.
A large portion of Brazilian society — including evangelical sectors — remains unfamiliar with the geography and geopolitical complexity of Israel. This lack of knowledge fuels distorted perceptions.
In practice, Jews form a diverse people, without cultural, political, or religious uniformity. Freedom of expression and the debate of ideas are central values. It is not uncommon for internal disagreements to become intense, to the point that a popular saying affirms: “where there are three Jews, there will be four opinions.”
Despite differences, there is a striking consensus: Jews recognize themselves as a historical miracle. The crossing of the desert with Moses is only the first of many episodes of survival and resilience that have marked their journey.
When analyzing demographic and geographic data, the perception of Israel acquires new dimensions:
- Israel accounts for only 0.3% of the total area of the Middle East.
- Its territorial extension is approximately 22,000 km².
- The Middle East as a whole covers about 7 million km².
- The population of the region is estimated between 375 million and 410 million inhabitants.
- Approximately 90% of the population follows Islamic tradition.
- Only 3% of the regional population is Jewish.
In northern Israel, countries such as Syria show a reduced proportion of Christians, estimated between 3% and 5% of the population. This religious group has historically been the target of severe persecution, resulting in forced dispersion and episodes of lethal violence. In contrast, Lebanon has a significantly larger Christian presence, ranging between 30% and 40% of the population. Despite this difference, both countries are predominantly Muslim and have historical records of persecution against Christian communities. Syria, in particular, ranks among the countries that most restrict and persecute Christian practice worldwide.
In the same region, states such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and the West Bank are predominantly Islamic. In Saudi Arabia specifically, the Christian population corresponds to approximately 1% to 2%.
Additionally, both Gaza and Palestine are territories with an Islamic majority. In this context, the preservation of Israel’s national identity and the Jewish community can be interpreted as a singular phenomenon, given the religious and cultural predominance of the region.
These data help to frame the reality of Israel and dismantle myths that still persist in the collective imagination.
