Israel

According to the Hebrew Calendar, today is Yom Ha'atzmaut (Independence Day), the national day of Israel, which commemorates the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948. It is usually celebrated on the 5th of Iyar.

The modern State of Israel was established as a homeland for the Jewish people, after mostly living in diaspora since the 2nd century CE (Common -or Christian- Era). The history of the country dates back to the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah, which emerged in the 9th and 8th centuries BCE (Before the Common -or Christian- Era), respectively. It is currently the world's only Jewish State and the Middle East's only democracy.

Israel's Law of Return gives Jews the right to live in Israel and to gain Israeli citizenship. Being a country of immigrants, its population is, therefore, constantly increasing: as of 2016, it totals more than 8 million people.

Israel is located at the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Gulf of Aqaba (also known as Gulf of Eilat) in the Red Sea. It borders Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the southwest. The highest point in the country is Mount Hermon at 9,232 ft, while the lowest one is the Dead Sea at −1,407 ft. The Jordan River runs between these two points.

With more than 800,000 inhabitants, Jerusalem is the most populous city and the capital of Israel. However, this is disputed by many countries due to the fact that the eastern part of the city lies in the West Bank, which previously belonged to Jordan and has been administered by Israel since 1967, although it is a partly autonomous territory and it is currently claimed by the State of Palestine. This state also claims the Gaza strip, which previously belonged to Egypt and had been administered by Israel from 1967 until 2005 and is currently ruled by a terrorist group called Hamas.

Tel Aviv, therefore, serves as the main gateway of the country and hosts most of the foreign embassies. It is also Israel's financial and technological center. It was founded in 1909 as a Jewish neighborhood of the old city of Jaffa, which is known to have been inhabited since 7,500 BCE. Although Tel Aviv's population is over 400,000 inhabitants, its metropolitan zone (the Gush Dan) houses almost 4 million people, which is 45% of Israel's population.

Israel's official languages are Hebrew and Arabic. Hebrew is the primary language of the state and is spoken everyday by the majority of the population. Arabic is spoken by the Arab minority, which constitutes around 20% of the country's population.

Many other languages are also used. English, for instance, is required as a second language in schools and universities. It is also present in many official documents and road signs. In addition, many television programs are broadcast in English with subtitles. On the other hand, one out of five people in Israel speak Russian. This is due to mass Jewish immigration from the USSR and its successor states in the most recent decades. The government and businesses often provide information in Russian. Furthermore, there is an Israeli television broadcast channel in this language.

The flag of Israel depicts a blue Star of David on a white background, between two horizontal blue stripes. These stripes are intended to symbolize the ones on a tallit, the traditional Jewish prayer shawl.
Israel's coat of arms shows a menorah surrounded by an olive branch on each side, and the word ישראל (Hebrew for Israel) below it. Although it can appear in different color combinations, white and light blue are the most common.
The national anthem of the country is called "Hatikva," which translates as "The Hope." Its lyrics are adapted from a poem written by Naftali Herz Imber in 1878. The content reflects the Jews' 2,000-year-old hope of returning to the land of Israel, restoring it, and reclaiming it as a sovereign nation. The music is most likely based on the melody of a Romanian folk song.

On a personal note, I would like to narrate my experience in Israel, which took place in May 5-9, 2016:

First of all, I was impressed by how safe the country is. Forget, please, what you see in the news. The country is 100% safe. Yes, sometimes bad things happen; but the Israel Defense Forces do a great job defending the country from terrorist attacks. For example, Ben Gurion airport has a lot of controls, and so do malls. In addition, the country is protected by the Iron Dome, which is a mobile all-weather air defense system designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 2.5 miles to 70 miles away and whose trajectory would take them to a populated area.

Another big surprise was the availability of vegetarian and vegan options that Tel Aviv offered. Indeed, how can't I love a country that has salad at breakfast? I also tasted the best hummus ever. I have been eating it for years and years at Moroccan, Syrian, Lebanese, Egyptian, Turkish restaurants; at friends' homes; vegetarian / vegan restaurants all over the world; from different supermarkets; and I have even made it myself sometimes at home. But if I had to choose a winner, that would be a restaurant called Mashawsha Hummus.

I was able to go to the beach every day. There, I was impressed by the number of people that practice sport: jogging, biking, surfing, and playing matkot. This sport is similar to beach tennis and is often referred to as the country's national sport. The goal of the game is to hit a small rubber squash ball with a wooden racket as many times as possible without dropping it. It is named after the racquet, the matka.
One thing that caught my eye was that the sea was very rough, especially after realizing that the waves were already being broken by the rock barriers. Does anybody know if it is that wild all the time? Nonetheless, the sea temperature was awesome.

I enjoyed biking through the Tayelet (Tel Aviv Promenade), Tel Aviv Port, Yarkon Park, and the adjoining city of Ramat Gan, where I saw Israel's tallest building (Moshe Aviv Tower) and the Diamond Exchange District. I also did some window shopping at the Azrieli Center (which includes Tel Aviv's highest building) and the Dizengoff Center, where I was able to find some gems at a record store called Disc Center. I would also like to mention another nearby one named The Third Ear.
In addition, I had the chance of enjoying two walking tours with Sandemans New Europe: a 2-hour one through the Old City of Jaffa, and a 3-hour one through Noga, Florentin, the American-German Colony, Neve Tzedek, the White City, and the Rothschild Boulevard.

Some of the things that fascinated me about Tel Aviv are its great variety and that there is plenty of life 24/7. I definitely sensed great quality of life there. I need to mention DIY Tel Aviv for having published a great guide on the city, which helped us a lot to feel at home.

I also took a guided tour with Tourist Israel to Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. After the bus stopped at a rest area that had an Elvis Presley themed diner in Neve Ilan, I arrived in the Mount of Olives. From there, I was able to capture a beautiful view of Jerusalem. I entered the Old City through the Gate of Jaffa and walked through the Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Armenian Quarters.
At the Jewish Quarter, I was able to see and touch the Kotel (Western Wall). I cried; it was an inexplicable feeling of happiness and sadness at the same time.

After eating a yummy falafel pita, I was driven to Kalia Beach, on the Dead Sea. There, I saw the desert for the first time in my life. And the coasts of Jordan. It was pretty warm, but I was prepared with light clothes, swimsuit, sun lotion, water and a cap.
The experience was unique: I first covered myself in mud and then removed it on the water while floating. My skin was feeling so soft and good, that I had to get me some Dead Sea products. The prices were amazing, since these products usually cost two to three times more if you purchase them in Europe or America.

Yes, I fell in love with Israel. So much, that I want to go back. Meanwhile, this song describes perfectly what I feel:

... You stole my heart, you stole my soul, you take my breath away

What can I do? What can I say when you're so far away?...

The above lyrics come from one of the musical gems that I found in Israel. It is a 3-CD compilation by Ofra Haza. Listening to her voice felt like reconnecting to my childhood, since I grew up listening to her music at home.

In summary, I am very happy I have been able to write this experience down and share it with you. I hope you enjoyed reading it, as much as I loved living it and remembering it.