Thirteen Facts You Might Not Know About Israel

Here are a few things you should know about Israel.

1. Not all Israelis are Jews

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Though ethno-religious Jews make up 75% of Israel’s population, many other types of people define themselves as “Israelis" (and are recognized as such by Israel's laws). The other 25% of the population is made up of Arabs, Beduoins, Druze, Coptics, and others. These people vary in their faiths; their most common religions are Islam, Christianity, and Unitarian Druze.

Jews vary greatly in their own demographics. Some come from Ashkenazic backgrounds, meaning that their most recent ancestors came from Eastern Europe. Others have Sephardic, or Spanish/Middle Eastern ancestry, while others hail from Ethiopia. There are many other types of Jews who reside in Israel.

The point is: Israelis are a diverse people who are committed to their country. They pay taxes, matriculate at Israel’s universities, and can serve in the military. They vary in their appearances, lineages, and faiths, though they can all call themselves “Israelis.”

2. Israelis have extremely high life expectancies

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The average life expectancy in Israel is 81.70 years (around 80 for men, 84 for women). Israel is ranked as having the 15th highest average life expectancy in the world.

In comparison:

America’s average life expectancy is 78.70 years (around 76 for men, 81 for women) and is ranked 35th in the world.

3. Israel has a universal healthcare system that is one of the most efficient in the world

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Israel has compulsory healthcare coverage, meaning that Israelis must sign up with one of four Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). This is a form of all-inclusive, national healthcare that has worked extremely well for Israel, which boasts some of the best medical care in the world. Bloomberg ranks it 4th (out of 48 countries surveyed) in terms of medical efficiency. This means that better care is extended to more people at a smaller expense. Medical tourism, in which non-Israelis travel to Israel to receive quality treatment at a reasonable cost, is on the rise.

4. Abortion is legal in Israel (and is mostly covered by its national healthcare system)

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Though Israel’s abortion policy isn’t as liberal as it could be, it’s still incredibly progressive. According to the Times of Israel,

“Israel has always had a liberal stance on abortion, allowing women facing medical emergencies or those who are victims of rape or abuse to receive subsidies to help them terminate their pregnancies. Outside of those regulations, women can apply for abortions for reasons ranging from an emotional or mental threat caused by the pregnancy or for not being married to the baby’s father. All women who seek to end a pregnancy must appear before a three-member committee to state their case, but 98 percent of requests are approved. Women under the age of 20 or over the age of 40 were also previously eligible for subsidized abortions, regardless of the reason. With the newly amended health care package, however, funding will now be available for more than 6,000 additional women seeking to terminate their pregnancies, at the cost at some NIS 16 million ($4.6 million). No medical reason for the abortion is required.”

5. Israel is pioneering embryonic stem cell research

a1stemcells.com / Via forward.com

The Jewish Daily Forward reports,

“Between 1998 and 2007, Israeli academics researching human embryonic stem cells published 55 papers in scientific publications on the topic, according to an article in the scientific journal Cell Stem Cell. During this same time period, researchers in the United States published 150 stem-cell research papers. This means that Israel, with a population of 7.4 million, has been producing more than 10 times as much embryonic stem-cell research per capita as the United States, with its population of 300 million.”

The difference is partially caused by Judaism’s unique outlook on when life begins.

The Jewish Daily Forward continues,

“Talmudic tradition dictates that life begins significantly after conception. An embryo that has been harvested before reaching 40 days lacks any claim to human rights, according to a Gemara passage that deems it maya b’alma, “mere water.” In fact, because of the Jewish imperative to help humans in need of treatment, promoting these advances constitutes a special mitzvah.”

Note: "Mitzvah" roughly translates to “good deed.”

6. Israeli women are entitled to long, fully-paid maternity leaves

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The Israeli documentary “14 Weeks” draws a startling contrast between maternity leaves in Israel and those in America:

"Under the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act in the United States, women are entitled to twelve weeks of unpaid maternity leave and must receive the same position when they return. However, companies with fewer than fifty employees – reportedly more than half of businesses in the country – are exempt from the law. Only 16% of companies with at least one hundred workers give full pay during the period of maternity leave.

In Israel, the situation is different. Those who have worked from six to ten months are entitled to seven weeks of maternity leave at full pay and to receive the same position upon returning. People who have worked more than ten months must receive fourteen weeks of paid leave. (Half of the time can be taken before the birth of the child.) Moreover, the government pays a grant to families upon the birth of children – between NIS 1,652 (roughly $470) for the first child and NIS 12,390 (approximately $3,500) for the birth of triplets. "

7. Israel’s preschools are often subsidized by the government

mfa.gov.il / Via mfa.gov.il

According to Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

"Education in Israel begins at a very young age in order to provide children with an augmented head start, particularly in terms of socialization and language development.

Many two-year-olds and almost all threeand four-year-olds attend some kind of preschool framework. Most programs are sponsored by local authorities, some within day-care centers operated by women's organizations; others are privately owned. The Ministry of Education allocates special resources for preschool education in disadvantaged areas."

8. Israel’s public colleges are very affordable

cdn.timesofisrael.com / Via http://.timeshighereducation.co.uk

According to Times Higher Education, 70% of college tuition is subsidized by Israel’s government. Student fees account for only 20% of total university funding, and the other 10% consists of research grants.

On average, Israeli students pay the equivalent of $3,000 USD a year.

And who is earning these degrees? Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that women in Israel were a majority among those studying for each of the degrees: 56.1% for a bachelor's degree, 59.8% for a master's degree and 52.4% for a doctorate.

9. Israel has one of the highest percentages of college graduates in the world

dosomething.org

An Education at a Glance 2012 study shows that 46% of Israeli adults have a university degree, which is the third highest percentage in the world after Russia (54%) and Canada (51%).

10. Israel has a higher percentage atheists and agnostics than the United States

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Even though Israel functions as a religious epicenter, 15-37% of Israelis consider themselves atheist or agnostic. Compare that with the United States, where 3-9% of Americans consider themselves atheist or agnostic.

Many of Israel's atheists and agnostics are recognized as being culturally Jewish. This is not usual given that not all ethnic and cultural Jews follow Judaism.

11. Israel recognizes same-sex common-law marriages

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Although same-sex marriages are not performed in Israel, common-law marriages are allowed. These are commonly known as "cohabitations." Insurance companies recognize these cohabitations in regards to survivor benefits and pensions. Non-biological parents can legally adopt their partners' biological children.

Israel also recognizes gay marriages that happen outside of the country. That means if you were to marry your partner outside of Israel and then move to Israel, your marriage would be recognized.

Though Israel, like America, still has a long way to go, its marriage and inclusion policies are still incredibly progressive, considering that same-sex sexual activity (yes, activity) is illegal in many countries in the Middle East (and punishable by fines, jail time, or even death).

12. Homosexuals can serve openly in the military

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Since 1993, homosexuals have been able to serve their country openly. In 2013, Israel allowed its first male-to-female transgender woman to serve as a female soldier in the IDF.

13. Women, like men, are required to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces

kremesti.com

At the age of 18, most young Israelis are required to serve in the IDF. Men are required to serve for at least three years while women are required to serve for at least two. Many of these men and women go on to hold officer positions in the military. No other country requires mandatory conscription of women that could potentially put women in the line of fire. Israeli women soldiers are some of the best in the world and protect their country alongside their male counterparts.

Even in times of war, Israel manages to maintain a progressive domestic policy. This is part of what Israelis are trying to protect.