10 little known Facts About Israel

1. Israel Revived a Dead Language
Hebrew is the only language in the world that has been revived from being nearly extinct to becoming the official language of a modern nation. Eliezer Ben-Yehuda spearheaded this revival in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

2. More Trees Today Than 100 Years Ago
Unlike most countries, Israel has more trees today than it did a century ago. This is thanks to extensive reforestation and afforestation projects, making Israel one of the only nations with a net positive growth in trees.

3. The Only Country to Enter the 21st Century with More Water Than Before
Despite being mostly desert, Israel has developed world-leading water conservation technologies, including desalination, drip irrigation, and wastewater recycling, making it a global leader in water management.

4. The World’s Largest Airlift Rescue
In 1991, during “Operation Solomon,” Israel airlifted over 14,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel in just 36 hours, using 34 airplanes, including a record-setting El Al flight that carried over 1,000 people at once.

5. High-Tech Powerhouse
Israel has more startups per capita than any other country and is second only to Silicon Valley in tech innovation. Companies like Waze, Mobileye, and Check Point were founded in Israel.

6. A Leader in Medical Innovations
Israeli scientists have developed groundbreaking medical advancements, including the PillCam (a swallowable camera for diagnosing digestive disorders), robotic-assisted spinal surgery, and treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.

7. The Lowest Place on Earth
The Dead Sea, located between Israel and Jordan, is the lowest point on Earth’s surface at 430 meters (1,411 feet) below sea level. It is also one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world, allowing people to float effortlessly.

8. A Biblical Prophecy Fulfilled?
Many see the return of Jewish people to Israel and the rebirth of the nation in 1948 as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy, such as in Isaiah 66:8:
“Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment?”

9. Home to the Oldest Continuously Inhabited City
Jericho, a city in the West Bank, is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, dating back over 10,000 years!

10. Israeli Cows Are the World’s Most Productive
Israel’s dairy cows produce more milk per cow than any other country, thanks to advanced agricultural technology and monitoring systems.