Israel
Updated: Sep 30, 2022
Country Name
Israel, or officially the State of Israel.
Location
Israel is located in Western Asia, on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
It surrounds by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to the east and west, respectively, and Egypt to the southwest.
Capital
Jerusalem.
Reason Of Naming
Under the British Mandate (1920–1948), the whole region was known as Palestine. In 1948, the country formally adopted the name 'The State of Israel'. In the early weeks of independence, the government chose the term "Israeli" to denote a citizen of Israel. The names Land of Israel and Children of Israel have historically been used to refer to the biblical Kingdom of Israel and the entire Jewish people respectively. The name 'Israel', refers to the patriarch Jacob who, according to the Hebrew Bible, was given the name after he successfully wrestled with the angel of the Lord. Jacob's twelve sons became the ancestors of the Israelites, also known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel or Children of Israel. Jacob and his sons had lived in Canaan but were forced by famine to go into Egypt for four generations, lasting 430 years, until Moses, a great-great-grandson of Jacob, led the Israelites back into Canaan during the "Exodus".
Flag
The Flag of Israel was adopted on October 28, 1948. The flag is known as Degel Yisra'el or "the flag of Israel". The flag consists of a white background with two blue stripes near the top and bottom of the flag with a blue hexagram at the center.
The blue hexagram represents the Star of David which is widely recognized
as a symbol of Judaism and is also known as the Shield of David. The star is made of two equilateral triangles. The star represents the Jewish people.
The blue stripes are inspired by the Jewish prayer shawl called "tallit", According to the Torah, the blue on the prayer shawl would serve to remind the Israelites of the commandments.
Language
There are 35 languages and dialects spoken in Israel.
The most common of these languages are Hebrew with over 5 million speakers, and Arabic is a second language. Modern Hebrew, which is a dialect of ancient Hebrew, is one of the two official languages used in Israel. Also known as New Hebrew, Modern Hebrew is the most popular language used in Israel
The two most important foreign languages are English and Russian.
English is used as the primary language in international relations, but the language is not used in domestic government communication, particularly in the Knesset. The education curriculum in Israel has adopted English, and it is used as a second language in learning institutions. Russian is the other major foreign language in Israel and is the most popular non-official language in the country, with over 20% of all Israeli citizens being fluent in Russian.
Religion
The majority of Israel’s population identified as Jewish, 17.7% as Muslim, 2% as Christians, and 1.6% as Druze. The remaining 4% include other faiths, such as Samaritans, Hindus, Baha’i, Buddhists, Neopagans, and African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem.
Currency
Israeli new shekel (ILS).
Time Zone
+02:00 GMT.
+03:00 GMT. (Summer Time).
Government Regime
Unitary parliamentary republic.
Climate
Summers in Israel are hot and bright, and there is a long period of sunlight with a clear sky from May to September. The rains (where they fall) are most intense from November to March.
The best times to visit Israel are spring and autumn, and in particular, the months of April, May, and October. Easter is therefore usually a good time to visit the sites of historical and religious interest in the country.