ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part traces the semantic journey of the term lefargen, which originates from Yiddish and means, roughly, "to be supportive and not to begrudge" and is employed in everyday speech by Israelis. It explores the cultural logic of speech communities in which metacommunicative terms are embedded. The part shows that the adoption of Hebrew as a legitimate language on behalf of Jewish nationalism has by no means reduced this society to monolingualism. The part focuses on the social and cultural impact-as expressed in language and communication-of the fact that Israelis live under the shadow of a protracted conflict with neighbors. It discusses the role of the media and language in reporting about events linked to Israeli-Palestinian tensions, portraying enemies, and commenting on rival political perspectives regarding the conflict. The part addresses the question of the relationship between society, the state, and the media.
