The greasy smell of falafel, the floating sensation of the Dead Sea, and the remnants of a 2000-year-old wall. Take these three alluring features and mix in some history, panoramas, and religious importance, and it’s easy to understand why 2.7 million people in 2009 visited a country with a population of only 7 million.

With a broad appeal, Israel attracts tourists galore. And understandably, the summer season is most popular. Who wouldn’t prefer the sunny beaches of Tel Aviv to the comparably gloomy walls of their office? The summer break from school is also the ideal time for organized young adult trips to Israel such as those sponsored by Birthright Israel (www.birthrightisrael.com).

Oddly enough, I myself came back from Israel right before the start of summer, ending a year of living in the country. While there, I had the opportunity to explore its geographical diversity and beauty, to better understand its political complexity, and to encounter its historical richness.

But most importantly, I spent my year primarily studying, engaging my surroundings through an academic lens. Whether learning about the history of Judaism, tracing the roots of Zionism, reading modern Israeli literature, or learning about the intricacies of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I found this the most fruitful way of interacting with and understanding this small parcel of land important to so many people. I emerged at the end of the year with a more mature and holistic perspective on Israel.

So for those of you heading to The Holy Land any time soon or those with hopeful aspirations to do so some time in the future, consider undertaking some form of study about Israel—if you’re desperate, just view it as some extra beach reading. It will make you ever-more appreciative of Israel’s richness.

If you’re not sure where to begin in your search for reading material, check out the following books on Israel-related topics:

• The Jerusalem Anthology: A Literary Guide, Reuven Hammer http://www.jewishpub.org/product.php?id=298

• A History of Israel: From the Rise of Zionism to Our Time, Howard M. Sachar
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375711329

• The Zionist Idea, Arthur Hertzberg http://www.jewishpub.org/product.php?id=272

• Reinventing Jerusalem, Simone Ricca
http://books.google.com/books/ibtauris?id=Cbd1ALFq9hAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=jerusalem&cd=3#v=onepage&q&f=false

• Jerusalem Curiosities, Abraham E. Milgram
http://www.jewishpub.org/product.php?id=286

• Jerusalem, Lee Levine
http://www.jewishpub.org/product.php?id=101