By Barry Rosenfeld
This tiny nation is always in the news—why?
“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’” (Genesis 12:1-3)
Although it is one of the smallest nations in the world, covering a land mass about the size of New Jersey, Israel is unique in the number of accomplishments that have been achieved by its 8 million people. And all of this in the midst of an ongoing conflict that periodically breaks out into full blown war as is the current situation.
Facts you may not know about Israel:
– Israel is the only country that has the distinct attribute of having revived a previously unspoken language and made it its national tongue.
– There are only two countries worldwide that entered the 21st century with a net gain in the number of its trees, and Israel is one of them.
– There are more chess grandmasters in the city of Beersheva per capita than in any other city in the world.
– Per capita, Microsoft has more employees in Israel than it does anywhere else in the world.
– Per capita, Israel has the highest number of museums in the world.
– Israeli academics produce more scientific papers per individual citizen than any other world country. (The JC.com)
– Israel represents only 1/6 of one percent of the Middle East’s total population.
– The Nobel Prize has gone to an Israeli, nine times.
– Israel is the inventor of drip irrigation, a system that allows for the conservation of millions of gallons of water a year throughout the world.
– Israel is second only to the US in number of startups, a country forty times its population size.
– There are more scientific papers produced per capita in Israeli universities than in in any other country.
– An Israeli invented voice mail.
– The first baby monitor was designed in Israel in 1991.
– ICQ, the world’s first messaging system, was invented by Israelis, who later sold it to AOL for $400 million.
– Within a day following the Haitian earthquake of 2010, 220 Israeli doctors and relief works had been sent to that country.
– The Israeli nonprofit Save a Child’s Heart provides free open-heart surgery to children worldwide. Almost half of the patients are from Palestinian communities.
– Cherry tomatoes were first developed in Israel in 1973.
– Every Israeli citizen may vote without regard for race, gender or religion.
– Almost a third of Israelis are immigrants ranging from over 100 different countries.
(Israel Campus Beat.org)
…to be continued.
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