Israel is more than just home to some of the important holy sites for many religions, like the Western Wall and the Al Aqsa Mosque.
The country is a common point where the latest technology and innovation meet ancient history.
Rich in culture and innovation, here are some fun facts about Israel you haven’t heard before.
1. Israel Is Home To The World’s First Deaf-Bling Acting Group
There is “Nalaga’at,” the world’s first professional deaf-blind acting academy in Tel Aviv.
Most of this academy’s members are suffering from Usher syndrome, a genetic disorder that leads to deafness at birth and gradual loss of sight.
The academy’s name means “Do Touch” because the actors acting there communicate through touch.
2. Starbucks’s Attempt To Enter The Country Failed Miserably
Shocking right? There aren’t many countries that successfully saved themselves from the green siren logo, but Israel is one of them. Their espresso and cappuccino are just so good!
In the early 2000s, Starbucks attempted to put its roots in Tel Aviv, but the response by the locals was not very favorable. The company left and has no intention of returning.
3. Israel Came Up With The Idea Of Bus Stop Mini Libraries
The idea of building small libraries on the bus stops from where passengers can take a book, read it on their journey, and return it when done, was proposed by two artists from Israel.
This idea aimed to promote reading and green transportation, which was later on adopted by several other countries worldwide.
4. Cherry Tomatoes Are An Invention Of Two Israeli Professors
The cherry tomatoes we buy now are, in fact, invented by the two professors. They are different from standard cherry tomatoes in terms of shelf life, which makes them perfect for commercial use.
5. Israel Banned Underweight Models A Decade Ago
Talk about body positivity! In the year 2012, the Israeli government passed a law that banned showing overly thin and underweight models in local advertisements.
The aim was to fight the widespread eating disorder among young women and men to achieve unrealistic body goals. Underweight models are also prohibited from going for any runway walks.
6. The Pill Camera Was Invented By An Israeli Inventor
Gavriel Iddan, an Israeli inventor, first developed the tiny wireless capsule that can be used to make the process of endoscopy easier. Known as the “PillCam,” the video capsule is a far better alternative than the conventional endoscopy process.
This cam is easy to swallow, and once it’s in, it travels perfectly through the digestive system while recording everything and comes out of the body naturally!
7. Israeli People Absolutely Love Hummus
Hummus is not just a dish but a unifying food tradition for the people of Israel. They are so passionate about the dish that they almost fought with Lebanon over who owns the dish!
Lebanon and Israel have had multiple battles over making and breaking each other’s record for creating a giant serving of hummus.
8. The Country Is Home To The Lowest Point On Earth
The Dead Sea of Israel has the lowest point of elevation and is the lowest waterbody in the world.
Located in Jordan, the sea is more than 400 meters below the mean sea level and is one of the world’s deepest hypersaline lakes too! The natural salt content makes you’ll always be floating.
9. Israel Revived A Dead Language And Made It A National Language
Hebrew is the world’s only dead language that has been successfully revived and is still spoken today as the country’s official language, and all the credit goes to Israel.
Many citizens either uses Modern Hebrew as their native language or as a second language.
10. In Israel Postal Service, There Is A Unique “Letters To God” Department!
It may sound unusual to us, but for a country that receives thousands and thousands of letters annually aimed at God, it’s pretty practical.
Thousands of letters arrive in Jerusalem each year from around the globe, specially addressed to God.
These letters are then opened by the people of the particular department and placed into the crevices of the holy Western Wall.
Twice yearly, these letters and other handwritten notes that are left on the wall are collected and buried on the mount of Olives.
11. Israel Recycles More Than 90% Of The Wastewater It Creates
With the help of an elaborate and multi-step process, Israel created a soil aquifer treatment (SAT), which is something a lot of countries should learn from. Most of this water is then used for agricultural irrigation.
12. Israel Is The Creator Of The Mighty Iron Dome!
Israel is a country that is famous for its defense system, and the Iron Dome is powerful piece of kit:
This defense system is so powerful that it can destroy most rockets before they get the slightest chance to strike the country!