The nation of Israel is the world’s first Jewish state in two millennia. The word Israel comes from Abraham’s grandson, Jacob who was renamed “Israel” by the Hebrew God in the Bible. As such, it remains the focus of widespread Jewish immigration.
Much of what scholars know about Israel’s ancient history comes from the Hebrew Bible. According to the text, Israel’s origins can be traced back to Abraham, who is considered the father of both Judaism (through his son Isaac) and Islam (through his son Ishmael).