Reading the Spaces. Narrative Perception of Eretz Israel

Furthermore, the study considers Matilde Serao’s travelogue, In the Country of Jesus, written during a transformative era when the land associated with the Jewish figure of Jesus was beginning its journey toward becoming the Jewish State. The interplay between geographical reality and literary imagination is central to understanding these evolving narratives. Finally, the paper incorporates testimonies from women of the First Aliyah, offering firsthand accounts of the socio-cultural and spatial transformation of the land.

These testimonies serve as a lens to explore how individual and collective experiences shaped the perception of Eretz Israel as both a historical and symbolic space. Through its interdisciplinary approach, this research paper provides a nuanced understanding of the geographical and literary constructions of Eretz Israel, illuminating its multifaceted identity before its modern political establishment.