On Independence day, May 6, 2014 , the state of Israel will turn 66.

We all know a things about Israel; its history, about the Bible, places to go, the ethnic dishes, the great beaches….however, we thought that you may be interested in some other facts, pointing out the evolving state and its people.

Here we go –

o Did you know that at first, when the state of Israel was established, the leaders thought of naming it “Judea”. Others suggested “Zion” or “Kan’aan”.

o It was David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, who decided to use the name-“State of Israel”, so that all citizens could be called “Israelis”; instead of “Judeas” or “Jews”.

o What is Israel’s most favorite dish? Many will say it is the “Pfalafel”; meat balls made out of Humus or Ful. However in recent years, many people offer the delicious Humus, a dip used with Pitta or salad, originating in Egypt, thousands of years ago…
o Do you which city of the largest in Israel? Most people tend to believe it’s Tel Aviv, but it’s actually Jerusalem. In year 2014, the city inhabits some 800,000 citizens!

o Ha-Tikva is the Israel national Anthem. It has been used as of day one but it was acknowledged by law only in year 2004. Originally it had served the Zionistic youth movement and is based on the words by Naftali Herz Imbar.

o Israel began participating in the Eurovision song contest in year 1973. Singer Ilanit sang the famous song “Somewhere” which brought her fourth place.

o Later, in year 1978, Israel won the contest with Izhar Cohen’s song “ABA-NIBI”. Year 1979 won first place for group “Milk & Honey” with “HALE-LUYA”.
o In year 1998, Dana International won first place with “DIVA”.

o Year 2014 portrays a number of 8,107,000 citizens in the state of Israel, of which 75% are Jewish, 21% are Arab, 4% are “others” (non-registered newcomers, or citizens who prefer not to state their religion).

o Which animal is usually associated with Israel? The Camal… do you know why? Well, because Israel is partly a land of desert and the Camel is the desert’s ship. However, most contemporary parts of the country are non-desert ones, ad there ear many horses, dogs, cats, and a variety of other species in the land …

o Did you know that a special siren of one to two minutes is sounded in Israel, on the Holocaust Memorial day and on Memorial Day, by which the public in Israel stands at attention, in respect of the memory of the dead? It is customary that traffic stops and drivers step out of the cars, in order to stand attention during the sounding of the siren.

o Did you know that the world quality of life survey, published in October 2010, rates Israel the 15th (even ahead of Denmark!) in quality and length of living…

o Did you know that Israel’s start up firm, by the name of “Given Imaging” had developed a uniquely small video camera?

o Did you know that Yeshiva students who declare that their holy studies are their main path life (and who do not work) receive a draft postponement, and in actuality never join the army. This is an ongoing public debate in Israel and as for now, all attempters to change the situation have failed.

o Did you know that in recent years, all elevators built in Israel have special brail buttons for easy use for the blind?

o Did you know that both “Microsoft” and “Cisco” had established their R&D facilities outside the US- in Israel?

o Did you know that Israel has the highest number of Hi-Tech firms, outside of Silicon Valley?

o Did you know that Israel has the highest number of start-up companies in the Western world?

o Did you know that Israel has the highest number of scientists and engineers per capita than any other country in the world?

o Did you know that US-Israel two-way trade exceeded $18 billion in 2000?

o Did you know that an Israeli start up firm, by the name of “Check-Point” had created the well known “Firewall technology”, currently used around the world, to secure corporate and personal networks?

o Did you know that The IDF does not recruit, on a mandatory basis, Israeli Arabs, and only a small amount of them chooses to volunteer to the army? However, many Bedouins choose to voluntarily join the IDF. In terms of Druze and Circassian men, a mandatory recruitment is adhered.

o Did you know that AOL’s instant message program was designed by an Israeli Software Company, by the name of “ICQ”?

o Did you know that Israel has the highest number, except from the U.S., of a ratio of patents filed creations?

o Did you know that young girls, as of 18, who declare that they maintain a religious work style, get an immediate exemption from the army (the IDF)? They have the opportunity to join the National Service instead, doing various tasks in volunteer community work.

o Did you know that Israel produces more scientific papers per capita – 109 per 10,000 – than any other nation?

o Did you know that Israel has the highest number of solar-power water heaters (per head) in the world?

o Did you know that Israeli scientists developed the first fully computerized, scanning device for breast cancer?

o Did you know that the “Baby-Sense” is yet another product that had been developed in Israel, and is used for preventing Sudden death in infants?

o Did you know that Israeli an Israeli firm by the name of “Tecnomatix” created the software that is used by many major car manufacturers to manage their production?

o Did you know that Israel is ranks as number two (1) in the world for VC’s, outside the US?

o Did you know that Israel is the largest immigrant absorbing country (per head of curse)?

o Did you know that Israel has one of the highest numbers in Museums per capita?

o Did you know that Israel is one of very few worldwide nations that has the capability to launch its own satellites into space.

o Did you know that in relativity to its population, Israel has the highest concentration of hi-tech industries in the world?

o Did you know that Israel has and still is sending her emergency forces to help local populations in times of national disaster? Some examples are Romania, Turkey, Indonesia, Thailand, and other places.

o Did you know that US-Israel has the largest number of startup companies, in absolute terms, than any other country in the world, save the US (around 3,500 companies mostly in hi-tech)?

o Did you know that many Israeli companies are on the US stock exchanges (126) after the US and Canada, with market capitalization of over $35 billion?

o Did you know that Israel is one of the most secure countries in the world –to do business with? English is the official business language.

o Did you know that the cell phone was developed in Israel by “Motorola-Israel”? Motorola had established its largest development center worldwide in Israel

o Did you know that in recent years, foreign entities invested more than $3 billion in the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange?

o Did you know that Twenty-four percent of Israel’s workforce holds university degrees, thus ranking third in the industrialized world, after the United States and the Netherlands?

o Did you know that Israel has been at the frontier of some of the major technological advances in recent years, including: the cell phone, most of the Windows NT operating system, the Pentium MMX Chip technology and voice mail (ICQ) technology was also developed in Israel?

o Did you know that Israeli bank-notes have brail writing on them so the blind can identify them?

o Did you know that Arab patients, from Israeli-hostile countries (such as Iraq, Saudi Arabia etc.) are being treated in the various hospitals in Israel, in discretion?

o Did you know that Israel has the fourth largest air force in the world (after the U.S, Russia and China), including an aerial immense arsenal?

o Did you know that glue on Israeli stamps is kosher?

o Did you know that almost one third of all Israelis are volunteers?

o Did you know that half of he youth population in Israel volunteer? Surveys show an increase of 13% in the last five years.

o Did you know that in July 2003 UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee declared Tel Aviv as “The White City” – the unique, historical, and architectural Municipal texture in the heart of Tel Aviv, to be a World Heritage site? With this declaration the international community recognized the architectural and urban qualities of Tel-Aviv-Jaffa as an attractive tourism venue on the world map.