On the Altars of Sacrifice in Israeli Cinema

This essay examines the development of a recurring topos in Israeli cinema that embodies a central cultural myth and its transformations over time. Although this myth does not originate within Israeli culture, it interacts dynamically with national and patriotic mythologies prevalent in Western national cultures, as well as with specific Middle Eastern societies that demand altruistic sacrifice for religion and nationality. In a Middle Eastern context marked by ongoing national and religious conflicts – where the call for self-sacrifice persists alongside unrelenting threats to peace, stability, and life – the evolution and transformation of the myth of individual altruistic sacrifice for the nation’s revival and survival takes on particular significance. The essay sheds light on the processes that inspire individuals to mobilize for war, as well as the growing inclination to refuse sacrifice in favor of peace. By tracing this distinct Israeli myth and ethos as depicted in Israeli cinema, and by exploring its historical and contextual evolution, this essay offers critical reflections in the wake of the October 7, 2023, massacres, confronting both the renewed challenges to peaceful coexistence and the existential threats facing individuals and communities.