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- On the borderlands of culture : Israeli migrants beyond the TejoPublication . Iancu, Zohar; Gil, Isabel Maria de Oliveira Capeloa; Barkay, TamarAt the heart of this dissertation is the phenomenon of Israeli-Jewish citizens migrating to Europe, specifically to rural Portugal. This migration trend has gained increasing visibility in Israeli media in recent years. Numerous articles and news reports are dedicated to the emigration of Israeli-Jewish citizens from the nation-state. Within this context, migration to Portugal has often been portrayed as "the new dream" for Israelis. Against this backdrop, this study focuses on migration to the region of south-western Alentejo, Portugal. This area has become a popular destination for those seeking alternative lifestyles, including Israelis. The trend suggests that migration to Alentejo is influenced by and reflective of cultural and socio-economic trends at the Israeli, global, and local levels. To achieve a multi-dimensional and nuanced comprehension of the phenomenon at hand, the research is analytically grounded in cultural and sociological theorizations of migration and diaspora, particularly in the context of contemporary Israeli society. Concretely, the study juxtaposes considerations from culture, border, and diaspora studies, utilizes the notion of symbolic boundaries, and builds on research on in- and out-migration within Israel, and global trends of counterurbanization. This body of research and scholarship allows for the exploration of the thesis that phenomenon of the “borderlands” of Israeli cultural identity can challenge both the collective boundaries and the internal divisions within Israeli culture. Essentially, Israeli emigration to Portugal represents a territorial border crossing. However, this dissertation suggests that contextualizing this border crossing within a broader perspective contributes to our understanding of how physical and symbolic boundaries work together to shape mental, physical, and social human existence. To thoroughly explore the subjective experiences and perceptions of Jewish-Israelis in Alentejo, Portugal, the study employed an interdisciplinary qualitative approach. Data was collected over three years, from August 2021 to May 2023, using multiple research methods, including participant observations of holiday ceremonies, gatherings, and cultural events; 21 in-depth interviews with JewishIsraeli citizens residing in Alentejo, and a focus group of Jewish-Israeli women. The visual research method known as “photovoice” was utilized to document the daily lives of the women in the focus group. The research shows that while initially aiming to distance themselves from Israeli culture and other Israelis while pursuing cosmopolitan, alternative lifestyles, the participants in the fieldwork maintain close and intricate connections with their culture of origin, often forging meaningful social relationships with other Israelis in the region. Based on this finding, the study suggests that the participants operate within a “cultural borderland”—a liminal and hybrid space that draws on Israeli cultural practices while at the same time challenging conventional Israeli-Jewish collective identity. Overall, the dissertation suggests that the case study of the Israeli diasporic space in Alentejo illuminates how ex-Israeli communities are constructed and reimagined beyond Israeli national and cultural borders. In doing so, this dissertation aims to amplify voices that are often excluded from discourses on Israeli migration. The study’s empirical and analytical contributions enrich the literature on diasporas, particularly in the emerging field of modern Israeli diasporas, as well as in research on current migration patterns to rural Portugal, academic inquiry into the nexus of culture and borders, and the study of Israeli society and culture.