Interesting facts Israel planet earth. Ten unusual facts about Israel that will surprise Russian people in Israel

Hello everyone, my dear viewers!

I am very glad to welcome you to my channel, in this video I want to talk about 10 things that can surprise a Russian person in Israel. If you are interested, stay with me. I would like to immediately note that everything I will talk about today is exclusively my experience, my observations and my opinion, and completely different things may be unusual for you. Be sure to write in the comments what surprises you in Israel, I will be very interested to read your opinion on this matter.

So, let's begin, the first thing that may surprise a Russian person in Israel is that in Israel there are a lot of people with machine guns: on the street, in a store, in a shopping center, in a cafe - everywhere you can meet people with machine guns. When you come to Israel for the first time, it can be a little shocking that there are people with machine guns everywhere around you: soldiers, people in civilian clothes, fragile girls with machine guns. And when you’ve been living here for some time, it becomes so ordinary, so commonplace that you stop paying attention to it.

The second thing that may be very surprising to a Russian person in Israel is that most Israelis consider military service not some kind of obligation that they do not want to fulfill; for most Israelis, military service is an honor. And for me, as a Russian girl who lived almost her entire adult life in Russia, it was very surprising for me to hear at first that people happily give several years of their lives to the army, to service to their homeland, and that they remember this time as the best time in their lives, that they are proud of it and happy that they served in the army, of course, for me this was very unusual and surprising. Of course, there are exceptions, and there are people in Israel who want to avoid military service and try to do this by hook or by crook, but this is very, very rare, and other people consider it a real shame, “and how is it possible for a person to doesn’t want to serve the army, doesn’t want to repay his debt to his homeland, this is shameful.” And such a person will definitely not be respected. Of course, in Russia, I am sure that there are people who are not trying to avoid the army, and are ready to give their duty to their homeland, are ready to serve in the army with joy, but the majority of young people are trying in every possible, impossible way to avoid the army.

The third thing that can really surprise a Russian person in Israel is sometimes some religious traditions, prohibitions, and so on that reach the point of absurdity. Let me give you an example. Surely you all know what Shabbat is. This is Saturday, this is the last day of the week in Israel, and on Saturday a believing Jew should only rest, he should not do any work. This does not mean that a believing Jew should not just not work on Saturday, it means that a believing Jew should not use any electrical appliances, he should not start a car, he should not cook, he should not light a fire... Sometimes, under these religious prohibitions, traditions should be adapted by non-religious people who, in general, have only an indirect relation to religion. Let me give you a specific example: we have an elevator in our house; to call the elevator you need to press a button, but a believer, a religious Jew should under no circumstances press the button on Saturday. And that’s why our elevator runs in “Shabbat” mode all Saturday. What does it mean? This means that our elevator travels to all floors, stops on all floors, stands on each floor for some time, about a minute, and moves on, and so it goes up and down, up and down. But the fact is that while it goes through all the floors and stops at each floor, it takes a lot of time, sometimes you have to wait for the elevator for a very long time - five minutes, ten, and sometimes even longer. Yes, you, of course, can say that you can go down the stairs on foot, you can go up the stairs on foot. Yes, in principle, it’s possible, we live on the fourth floor, but the thing is that we have a child, and, therefore, a stroller, and somehow with a stroller it’s not very convenient to constantly go up and down to the fourth floor. stairs, so we have to wait.

The fourth thing that may seem very unusual to a Russian person in Israel is, let’s say, the style of the average Israeli. As a rule, Israelis don’t care what they wear or what they look like, and people around them don’t care what you look like either. Very often you can meet on the street, in cafes, restaurants, shopping centers people in sweatpants with pulled knees, a torn T-shirt, and no one will look at this person condemningly, no one will think that he is a homeless person or a drunkard, he was the one who got into a fight, he they tore a T-shirt... For Israel, this is absolutely normal, and if you go to a restaurant dressed like this, for example, no one will tell you that there is dress control and you can’t come here dressed like that. You can enter almost any restaurant in any form. Of course, there are exceptions, for example, you can’t work in a bank dressed like this, the bank has some kind of dress code. But basically people don’t care how they dress, the main thing is that it’s comfortable, that it’s all ventilated, that everything is cool. This also includes the fact that Israeli girls very rarely wear heels. Of course, you can see girls in heels on the streets of Israel, especially in the centers of large cities, but this is very rare. And mostly girls wear high-heeled shoes only to some events. When compared with Russia, the vast majority of girls wear heels, even judging by myself. When I lived in Russia, I constantly wore shoes with heels: I went to work in heels, I rode the subway in heels, went shopping in heels... But when I came here, I realized that there was no such thing here, and this such a relaxing atmosphere, the atmosphere of dressing in something more comfortable, let's just say, it is, of course, very contagious, and I took off my heels, and now I only wear high-heeled shoes for some events.

Another interesting thing about the style of the average Israeli-Russian person may be surprised that at 20 degrees Celsius you can meet people on the streets in down jackets, boots, boots. For example, in 20 degrees Celsius I put on a T-shirt, a skirt and open shoes, and very, very dressed people can walk around me. For me, dressing like this is only suitable for zero degrees, for minus five degrees, but in Israel, apparently, Israelis are 20 degrees of heat is cold, and therefore they are insulated, this, of course, still amazes me very much and very, very surprised. And very often you can see situations where a guy is standing in flip-flops, shorts and a T-shirt, and next to him is a guy in a hat, down jacket, warm pants and some kind of winter boots.

The fifth thing that can really surprise a Russian person in Israel is that, as a rule, a car in Israel is exclusively a means of transportation. If in Russia, for example, very often a car is a means of prestige, and a person may not have an apartment, but, having saved a certain amount of money, buys himself a car, then in Israel this will not happen. And very often you can come across a situation where there is some very expensive mansion, a house in some very prestigious area of ​​Israel, and next to it there is a very, very simple car, from some shaggy era. Sometimes you even come across very broken-down cars, with the headlight stuck on with tape, and the door, you already think, is going to fall off. Both a person with average income and a very, very rich person can drive the same brand of car. You can never tell, either by car or by appearance, how much money a person has. And that’s why there are very few expensive cars in Israel, such as Mercedes and BMW. Of course, they do occur, but if you look at them as a percentage of Russia, there are much fewer of them. As for some very expensive sports cars, for example, Ferrari, Maserati, Bugatti, in the three years of my life in Israel I have never seen such cars. Of course, I’m sure there are such cars in Israel, but I think they can be counted on one hand. Although here everything is conducive to the fact that, if you have a lot of money, buy yourself such a car and enjoy driving on good roads, because in Israel, in fact, the roads are very good.

The sixth unusual fact that may surprise a Russian person is that there are very, very many stray cats in Israel. This is due to the fact that cats live very, very well in Israel: they know that no one will touch them, they are fed, it’s warm and good here, they sunbathe here in the sun and enjoy life. Of course, the state of Israel is trying to fight the breeding of cats, but somehow it’s not very successful. The state catches cats, castrates them at its own expense and releases them back, but cats tend to multiply exponentially, of course, this method does not really work, which is why there are very, very many cats in Israel. By the way, a very interesting fact is that when a street cat is neutered, a small piece of his or her ear is cut off so that people know whether this cat or cat is neutered or not.

This year, Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, is celebrated on April 23.

On the eve of the celebration of the 67th birthday of the Jewish State we have collected 10 little-known facts from his complicated history.

1. El Al Airlines had flights to Tehran

Relations between Iran and Israel generally developed quite warmly until the Islamic Revolution, which resulted in the overthrow of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in ​​1979. In 1950, Iran became the second Muslim country after Turkey to recognize Israel. Iran supplied oil to Israel during the OPEC oil embargo, and Israel sold it weapons. At that time, there was active trade between the countries, and civil planes regularly flew from capital to capital. A week after the Shah was removed from power, Iran cut off all ties with Israel, and an office of the Palestine Liberation Organization opened on the site of the Israeli embassy in Tehran. Today, even after 35 years of hostility, Iranians have less negativity toward Jews than other Muslim peoples in the Middle East. In 2014, an international survey on anti-Semitism conducted by the Anti-Defamation League found that 56% of Iranians held anti-Jewish views, compared with 80% of Moroccans and 93% of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The 2014 documentary “Before the Revolution” talks about the relationship between Israel and Iran.

2. Descendants of Nazis moved to Israel

At least 400 descendants of the Nazis converted to the Jewish faith and moved to Israel - the creators of a documentary film released in 2013 are sure of this. Many former Nazis also became Jews or married Israelis, but do not live in Israel. For example, the great-niece of Heinrich Himmler, who married an Israeli Jew and now lives on another continent. In the early years of Israel, there were heated discussions about whether to accept German reparations for the Holocaust or not (in the end, they were accepted). And Germany itself, like everything connected with it, remained an extremely controversial topic for a long time - from 1956 to 1967, films made in Germany were banned in Israel.

3. Ben-Gurion invented couscous

Tiny flour balls of Israeli couscous - ptitim - appeared in the 50s. Then Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion turned to food manufacturer Osem with a request to develop a local wheat product as an alternative to rice, which does not grow in the country and for which the country simply did not have the money to purchase in conditions of austerity. Ptitim, which was called “Ben-Gurion’s rice,” immediately won the love of the population.

This 1958 photograph of a family sitting in front of a television could not have been taken in Israel because there was no television there until 1966 (Wikimedia Commons)

4. There was no television in Israel until the late 60s

The first Israeli television appeared in 1966, primarily as an additional educational tool for schools. Regular public broadcasting began on Israel's Independence Day in 1968. For the next two decades, Israel had only one channel, and broadcasting was limited to a few hours a day. The second channel appeared in 1986, and cable television came to the country in 1990. Today, Israeli TV is a real source of inspiration for Hollywood. The series “Homeland” (Showtime), “Patients” (HBO), “Your Family or Mine” (TBS), “Devotion” (NBC), “Tyrant” and “Boom” (Showtime) are all remakes of Israeli projects.

5. Elizabeth II's mother-in-law was buried in Jerusalem

Prince Philip's mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, was born in 1885. The girl was born with a diagnosis of deafness, however, she learned English and German in the language of the deaf and mute and even married the Greek and Danish Prince Andrew. During the Nazi occupation of Greece, Alice hid a Jewish woman and children, for which Yad Vashem recognized her as one of the “Righteous Among the Nations,” and the British government as a “Hero of the Holocaust.” In 1967, she moved to London and lived at Buckingham Palace with her son and his wife, Queen Elizabeth II. Two years later, the princess died and her body was placed in a burial vault at Windsor Castle. In 1988, her remains were transported to the monastery at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives - before her death, she expressed a desire to be buried there. One of the oldest existing cemeteries is located on this mountain.

6. Alaska Airlines flew thousands of Jewish Yemenis to Israel

After Israel's victory in the War of Independence in 1948, anti-Semitic riots broke out in Yemen, and local Jews decided to move en masse to the historical lands. James Wooten, president of Alaska Airlines, was imbued with their difficult situation and ordered the organization of flights for repatriates. Between June 1949 and September 1950, as part of Alaska Airlines' secret Operation Magic Carpet, twin-engine C-46s and four-engine DC-4s flew approximately 430 flights, transporting approximately 50,000 Jews from Yemen to Israel. The pilots had to overcome many difficulties: lack of fuel, sand storms, enemy shelling, one of the planes even barely landed due to the loss of an engine. Despite all the difficulties of the flight, all passengers were safely transported to Israel.

7. Golda Meir was the world's third woman to serve as prime minister.

Meir (née Meerson) became Prime Minister of Israel in 1969. Before this, two women had already held such a high position in world history - Sirimavo Bandaranaike in Sri Lanka (1960-65) and Indira Gandhi (1966-77) in India. Meir was born in Kyiv, grew up in Milwaukee and after her marriage moved to Mandatory Palestine. She and her husband settled on a kibbutz, and Golda almost immediately began to be active in the Federation of Workers. Despite Meir's enormous popularity among American Jews, her policies are still heavily criticized in Israel - primarily because of the obvious mistakes they made during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, when Meir decided not to launch a preemptive attack on Arab forces on the Israeli border with Syria.

And although the state investigative “Agranat Commission” established that Meir was not directly responsible for what happened, she very soon left her post. She was replaced in 1974 by Yitzhak Rabin, who held the position until 1977. He was appointed prime minister again in 1992.

8. According to Israeli law of 1980, all new houses must have solar water heaters installed.

The law was adopted as a measure to combat the energy crisis of the late 70s - thanks to it, Israel became the first country in the world in terms of the use of solar energy per capita. According to official estimates, today 85% of homes use solar energy to heat water - that's 3% of electricity consumption in the entire country. But today, Israel lags behind other countries in the use of solar energy for other purposes, and more and more developers and homeowners are using loopholes in the law to circumvent the need to install just such a boiler system.

9. Jerusalem's Mount Scopus is not actually part of the West Bank of the Jordan River

Despite the fact that Mount Scopus is located in east Jerusalem, where the Hebrew University campus and the Hadassah Medical Center stand, it has been Israeli since the founding of the state. After the end of the War of Independence in 1949, the hill was controlled by Israeli troops, although it was located in Jordanian east Jerusalem. Every two weeks, under the protection of the UN, Israel transported military forces and supplies to this enclave. The convoy often came under fire from Arab forces, and in 1958 it was attacked, resulting in the deaths of 4 Israeli soldiers and one UN soldier. Mount Scopus became part of the Jewish territory of Jerusalem as a result of the Six-Day War in 1967.

10. Albert Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel

Einstein received this proposal from David Ben-Gurion in November 1952, a few days after the death of Israel's first president, Chaim Weizmann. Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Ebman wrote to the brilliant scholar that the prime minister's offer was "a gesture of the greatest respect that only the Jewish people can have for any of their sons." Enstien responded that he was "deeply touched by the offer of the State of Israel, but with regret and regret must reject it." Einstein did not accept the post, but did not stop worrying about the country. “My connection with the Jewish people has become my strongest human connection since I began to fully understand our dangerous position among the peoples of the world,” he admitted. It is noteworthy that Ben-Gurion officially denied press reports that it was he who offered Einstein such a post. Three years later the scientist died.

2. The population of Israel, according to the Central Statistical Office, as of April 27, 2017, was 8,680,000 people. Israel ranks 93rd in the world in terms of population.

3. Israel has the most museums per capita in the world.

4. Israel is in second place in the world in terms of book production per capita.

5. Israel is one of eight states capable of launching its own satellite into space.

6. The Dead Sea coast is the lowest landmass on Earth.

7. In 1964, Israel became the first country to establish a Motorola subsidiary outside the United States. Motorola in Israel specializes in providing unique communications solutions in areas such as control systems, building monitoring terminal systems for the postal service, and developing products and software solutions for cordless phones. Israeli engineers working for this company in Haifa, developed the first mobile phone.

8. Israel has the most scientists per capita.

9. The first antivirus was developed in Israel in 1979.

1. Israel is a paradise for tourists. There are excursions here to suit every taste. Religious tourists can go to biblical sites. You can visit Christian Jerusalem or Jerusalem of three religions, where you will be taken to places significant for Muslims, Christians and Jews. Those who like to improve their health and soak up the sun can go to the Dead Sea, where they can not only lie in salt water without drowning, but also visit hydrogen sulfide and mud baths. Men will be interested in an excursion to the Open Air Tank Museum, where military equipment from different countries and years is collected. Not far from the museum is the Latrun Monastery of the Virgin Mary, where silent monks live. There is a small cozy shop at the monastery that sells wine and brandy. Those interested will be given a tasting. In the same area is the Mini Israel Park, where all the significant sights of Israel are presented in miniature. The park will be interesting for both adults and children. For flora lovers, the Utopia Park is open, where orchids grow and butterflies soar. And women should check out the Diamond Exchange in Tel Aviv, where experienced gemologists will help you choose a stone to suit your taste and budget.

4. The capital of the country is Jerusalem. The main government institutions are located there. But Tel Aviv is recognized as the business center of Israel, where the headquarters of international corporations and the consulates of most countries are located.

5. Just as in Russia every city has Lenin Street or Lenin Square, and sometimes both together, so in Israel every city has a street named after David Ben Gurion or Theodor Herzl. In general, the ideologists of Zionism are glorified here in every possible way.

6. The institution of official, that is, formalized by the registry office, marriage does not exist. They tried to push through the bill more than once, but it did not get the required number of votes in the Knesset (local parliament). Therefore there is only religious marriage. Only representatives of one religion can get married. Interfaith lovers will have to travel to Cyprus or the Czech Republic, where you will be signed in the town hall in 5 minutes. Israel recognizes marriages performed in other countries.

7. Due to the current situation, the so-called “Paraguayan marriage” is widespread. This is a marriage that does not require the presence of both parties at the ceremony. It is concluded by a notarized power of attorney for marriage from the future spouse. The marriage certificate is certified by the Israeli consul in Paraguay and officially recognized. Such a marriage is recommended for couples who fear that if they leave, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will refuse to let their spouse, a citizen of another country, into the country.

8. The week starts on Sunday. And on Saturday (Shabbat) everything dies out. Although, as local residents say, it is no longer the same as 15 years ago, some shops are open.

9. The population of the entire country is equal to the population of half of Moscow. A quarter of them are Russian-speaking immigrants from the CIS countries.

10. The official languages ​​in the country are Hebrew and Arabic (this is the second language, but the main one is Hebrew), but English (signs are even duplicated in it), Russian (where would we be without it), Georgian, French and Amharic are also recognized.

11. There are probably not as many French people in France as there are in Israel. There is even a joke about this: “If you want to learn French, go to Eilat.” (Eilat is a resort and the southernmost city of the country, located on the shores of the Red Sea).

12. Hebrew is a simple and very logical language. You just need to get used to it, especially to the fact that the alphabet has no vowels and is written from right to left. The urge to open books from the beginning, and not from the end, as expected, is difficult to overcome.

13. There are few words in Hebrew, and there are generally four times fewer verbs than in Russian. Therefore, at the very least, you will be able to express yourself quite quickly; it will take about 6 months, subject to constant conversational practice. It will take much more time to read philosophical works, but you will pick up “Shukovsky” (from the word shuk - market) Hebrew quickly.

14. You can live your whole life in Israel and practically not know Hebrew, even Israelis born here will understand you. But as a job you won’t be able to advance beyond being a salesperson in a store selling souvenirs for Russian tourists. To find a good job, you need to know Hebrew.

15. And here is Russian folklore from repatriates from the CIS countries: “I live in a hole, I swim in a hole,” which translated means: “I live in an apartment, I swim in the sea.” Apartment in Hebrew - dira, sea - yam :)

16. The climate is humid and hot. In winter, however, it is quite cool: +15 degrees here feels the same as “0” in Russia.

17. Here you can easily meet a girl in sandals and a fur coat, or vice versa in short shorts and a T-shirt, but in fur boots.

18. Around June, swimming in the Mediterranean Sea becomes extreme. A myriad of scalding jellyfish approach the coast. Their venom leaves severe burns on the skin. It is better not to swim and wait until the number of these sea inhabitants decreases. When they leave, droplets of poison will annoy vacationers for another week, so take a bottle of vinegar with you. If the burn is large, then until professional medical assistance is provided, vinegar will save you.

19. It is almost impossible to buy land as your own. There is a private sector, but the land has been leased for almost a century. A 3-room apartment without renovation will cost approximately 200–250 thousand dollars. That's why many people live in rented housing for decades or take out a mortgage.

20. The average salary here is 2 times higher than in Russia, but at the same time the prices for a number of goods are 3 times higher. Therefore, if you receive 2000 thousand dollars here, you will pay half for renting a small apartment, a quarter will go on food and household goods.

21. Utility bills eat up another quarter of your salary. Electricity is 2 times more expensive, water is almost worth its weight in gold. Everyone has a filter at home, since drinking from the tap is not recommended. Otherwise, the kidneys will contain not only sand and stones, but also bricks for building a house :)

22. Everyone has split systems in every room in the apartment. But they try not to turn them on and tolerate them until the last moment, both when it’s hot and when it’s cold, electricity is expensive.

23. If you get a personal car here, get ready to pay 7 shekels ($2) for a liter of gasoline. And the price is constantly rising. But locals are ready to spend any amount just to travel in their own car rather than on public transport.

24. By the way, every Thursday evening and every Sunday morning it’s impossible to squeeze into buses and trains without special skills. The reason is that soldiers are allowed to go home from the army on weekends. Almost everyone is released one by one, no matter where they serve, and every 2 weeks.

25. The population of Israel today is about eight and a half million people. Therefore, if we take the dynamics since 1948, when only 806,000 people lived in Israel, which allows us to say that the population has grown 10 times over the course of 67 years.

It is worth saying that about 6,251,000 people, or 74.9%, live in Israel; in addition, the second largest nationality is Arabs. They are home to 1,730,000 people, which is about 20.7%. In addition, there is a category of “others” - these are Christians, people who are not Arabs, who have a different religion. This class also includes repatriates who do not have a religious affiliation, but were repatriated using the Law of Return. About 364,000 people in Israel fall into this category, which is 4.4%.
These statistics take into account all Jews who live in the lands of Judea and Samaria, while the Arab population living here, who do not value kosher products, is simply not taken into account.

Every year, approximately 176 thousand children are born in Israel and about 44 thousand die. At the same time, children are most often born in Jewish families, while among Arabs there is a slow decline in numbers.

It is worth saying that in Orthodox families, the number of children can reach 6-7, an ordinary Jewish family - 2-3 children, a religious family - from 4 children. In Muslim families you can find from 2 to 4 children. Of the total number of people living in Israel, one can single out Bedouin families, in which there are from 4 to 6 children and who are very fond of receiving Jewish gifts.

Every year, up to 32 thousand new repatriates come to Israel, and in total, since the declaration of Israeli independence, more than three and a half thousand repatriates have moved to live, which amounted to about 41.9% of the total population. Of this number, a third of all repatriates come from Asia and Africa, another two-thirds came from Europe, including from the countries of the former USSR, as well as America.
According to religious preferences, Jews are divided into secular - about 43% of the total number of Jews, 20% consider themselves traditional, while separating themselves from religious ones, 15% are traditional religious Jews, 10% are religious and 9% are Orthodox. As you can see, the national composition of Israel is not very colorful, but has its own specific characteristics.

26. Patriotism is developed to unprecedented heights. Almost all young people, even repatriates who came here as teenagers, consider it their duty to serve 3 years in the army. They say that if not them, then who will protect their parents and home.

27. Israel's relations with neighboring countries are tense. Here, more than anywhere else, the phrase “If you want peace, prepare for war” is relevant. And Israeli citizens are ready 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

28. Many citizens carry weapons. Most often this is a service weapon. Security officers, guards, etc. Not to mention conscripts who generally go out on leave with machine guns. It's wild at first, but then you get used to it.

29. In front of the entrance to every shopping center (canyon), government agency, school and university there is a metal detector frame and one or two security officers. While you pass through the frame, your bag will be opened and the contents examined. And absolutely without demand. They take safety very seriously here.

30. Police cars ply here often. But they do not harass civilians and tourists. However, I once observed the following picture: on a three-lane road, a policeman stopped a minibus for speeding. The minibus was moving in the far right lane and stopped there; the police car stopped in the middle lane, blocking traffic. The policeman came out, asked the minibus driver to get out and very violently and loudly explained to the minibus driver that he was wrong. Onlookers gathered. I got a temperamental servant of the law, although that’s all there is to it. East after all.

31. There is practically no crime in Israel. As local residents say, they simply have no time to think about all sorts of nonsense, since they have to work very hard. Parents calmly let their minor children go out all night.

32. Currency exchange is mainly done by Georgians. Inexplicable but the fact.

33. Trains in Israel are double-decker. Be sure to take a ride :)

34. Israel is famous for its medicine. And she is really at a very high level here.

35. A working citizen does not have to worry about his health; insurance will even pay for expensive tests and procedures if they are necessary.

36. There are many old people in Israel, due to their long life expectancy and good medicine. And they do not sit at home, but remain socially active. If there is a need, a social worker will be assigned to the elderly person, who will help around the house, prepare meals and keep company on walks.

37. The children here are plump, especially the girls. There are generally fewer women in Israel than men, so even not very attractive representatives of the fairer sex can easily find a mate.

38. There are many children in Israel. If you believe the statistics, then approximately 3 children per woman. The country owes this high indicator to religious citizens whose families have 5–7 children.

39. The local population is very friendly, they will help you and explain things in plain language. If you speak a little Hebrew but make mistakes, you will be corrected without any malice or ridicule.

40. There are no stray dogs, but there are a huge number of cats. When kind locals go out to feed stray cats, a whole flock of 20–30 quite heavy faces comes running. They don't starve here. Even pigeons calmly pass in front of their noses, absolutely without fear for their lives and health.

41. There is a problem with insects in Israel. Cockroaches are the size of American cockroaches - 5 centimeters in length. If you leave a piece of chocolate on the bedside table overnight, the ants will eat it and drag you into the anthill. Therefore, everything edible, including potatoes, must be stored in the refrigerator, and not in a bag in the pantry. It is better to store cereals and pasta in sealed glass jars, otherwise the weevil will not sleep and will completely destroy everything.

42. In cafes and restaurants in Israel they feed for slaughter. If you order chicken tabaka, be prepared to receive a chicken the size of an adult chicken. And if you want to try pork, then you have a direct route to Russian establishments. Pork is not a kosher product.

43. In general, with regards to cuisine, it is very diverse here. After all, repatriates from many countries came to Israel. Some borrowed dishes have become national. Like, for example, the Yemeni skhug (something like adjika). It is eaten mainly with meat, but some people also add it to borscht :)

44. Also a national dish is hummus - a snack made from chickpea puree, which is drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with various seasonings and eaten with pita bread. Some Russians call it sealant because of its appearance, but it is very tasty.

45. Falafel - deep-fried balls - is also made from crushed chickpeas. The dish is Arabic, but it is very popular in Israel. There are even croutons with Falafel flavor. They go very well with beer.

46. ​​There are a lot of Russian stores with signs in Russian, with Russian-speaking sellers and Russian products. But I still haven’t found the classic Doctor’s sausage.

47. If you like low-fat kefir, do not trust the inscription in Russian “Kefir 3%”, in terms of thickness it resembles 15% sour cream, you have to transfer it from a bottle into a mug with a spoon. It is better to take the 1.5% Israeli-made analogue, it is more similar to the usual product.

48. In supermarkets, prices are higher than in the market, and much more so. Therefore, most people shop at the market, where the vegetables are even cleaner than in stores, and the potatoes are all washed. The choice of fruits is colossal, and they are not considered exotic in Israel.

49. Can you imagine what an oriental bazaar is? Sellers don’t just shout, they yell, and not just any words, but simply make sounds so that people pay attention to their point of sale.

50. If you come across a bakery on your way, don’t pass by. The baked goods are simply amazing: mini-pizzas, pies with potatoes, tuna, spinach, cottage cheese, etc., not to mention classic oriental sweets. Lick your fingers.

51. The most significant of all the religious holidays in Israel (which is not really a holiday, but rather a day of remembrance and mourning) is undoubtedly Yom Kippur or Judgment Day. On this day there is strict fasting and you cannot drink water. It is forbidden to even brush your teeth or wash your face. Driving a car and talking on a mobile phone are also taboo, radio and television do not work. But the children have plenty of freedom - they ride bicycles and roller skates right along the roadway, even on the tracks.

52. As in any country in the world, being a tourist and living in it are two different things. But in Israel this contrast is particularly felt.

53. Both boys and girls serve in the army, thin and fat, tall and short, healthy and not so healthy - everyone finds something to do.

I have been living in Israel for several years now, and now I have a desire to introduce you to this amazing country. I'll start with a review of the simple facts. From them it is already clear how different this country is from others.))

1. The working week in Israel begins on Sunday. Many also work half a day on Friday.
2. Shops, shopping centers and other establishments are closed from Friday afternoon until the end of Shabbat (Saturday evening). Transport also stops running. So, it is advisable to purchase groceries in advance.
3. In Israel, there is no change of seasons that most people are accustomed to. For example, I miss colorful autumn leaves and snow before the New Year. Although this is not a matter of precipitation, but of the mood that each season brings. It’s warm here all year round, which is definitely a good thing. The best time for a beach holiday is May-June and September-October. In August it is very hot. In winter, it rains heavily for several days, and sometimes even snow falls in the north. Then the Israelis come in droves to look at this miracle and play snowballs with the children.
4. There is no central heating in Israel, and the floors in the apartments are tiled. All because of the almost year-round heat. The problem is that in winter the house is very cold. However, it can be hot outside during the day. We literally go for walks more often to warm up.)) Moreover, there is no hot water - it is heated only by solar boilers.
5. Israel has three seas: the Mediterranean - along the western coast of the country, the Red - in the south in Eilat and the Dead - a famous health resort.
6. - the lowest point in the world. Due to the high concentration of salt on it, it is easy to stay afloat, but it will not be possible to swim in the standard way. In addition, you should not stay in it for more than 10 minutes. There is a whole tourist town with hotels and spas on the shore.
7. Eilat is a famous Israeli resort in the south of the country, located on the Red Sea on the border with Egypt. As a tourist, you can go diving here and watch the underwater world of colorful fish and corals. Also from Eilat there are excursions to the city of Petra (Jordan), which is one of the new wonders of the world.
8. - the largest lake in the country, the lowest on the planet, a place of natural “forays”, and also, until recently, the only source of fresh water in Israel. Now the country has already developed its own system for desalinating sea water, but local residents are still economical about its use.

1. There is no standard New Year's celebration in Israel. It has its own holiday - Rosh Hashanah, which begins on different dates every year according to the Jewish calendar. Usually this is September-October.
2. There are generally a lot of holidays and weekends in Israel. This year, almost the entire month of October consisted of non-working days: starting with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Sukkot. During Catholic Christmas this year there will be Purim in the spring, when everyone puts on carnival costumes, and then, almost at the same time as the celebration of Orthodox Easter.
3. On Yom Kippur (Judgment Day) in Israel, all roads are blocked and transport stops running. All day long you can freely roller skate, bicycle, or simply walk along any streets of the country.

1. Despite the fact that half the country remains like this, Israel has a huge number of parks, trees, and flowers. Everything was planted by human hands, and each bush had a water supply system. There is also a gorgeous park of rare plants and orchids in the center.
2. The currency of Israel is the new shekel (formerly there were Israeli lira).
3. The official capital of Israel is not Tel Aviv, as many are sure, but Jerusalem. Although the first is certainly the cultural, economic and tourist center of the country.

1. There are 2 official languages ​​in Israel - Arabic. However, many local residents speak English well. revived from a language that was considered bookish for several centuries.
2. Israel is home to more startups than anywhere else in the world and a huge number of entrepreneurs.
3. One of the oldest Israeli universities, the Technion, is located in Haifa. It has the highest rankings among technical universities in the world.
4. Any person with Jewish roots from 18 to 26 years old has the right to a free 10-day trip to Israel to get to know the country, culture, and traditions.
5. Haifa is one of the most important cities in Israel on the Mediterranean coast. The city is located on Mount Carmel and is famous for its seaport.
6. The world's smallest metro, 2 kilometers long, is also located in Haifa. Its name is "Carmelite". These are 6 stations and a train of 4 cars that pass through a mountain tunnel by cable car. Thus, from the lower city you can get to the top in literally 10 minutes.
7. Since many Christians live in Haifa, before Christmas and New Year, a Christmas tree and a menorah (symbol of the Jewish holiday Hanukkah) are placed in the main square of the city, and the street is decorated with garlands and decorations. We even have a tradition - to walk here every year on December 31st. You feel like you are in pre-holiday Europe!

1. Israel has one of the longest life expectancies - 82 years.
2. In Israel, not only men, but also women are liable for military service.
3. Israeli cuisine is something special! Falafel, hummus, pita bread, sesame seeds, olive oil, sufganiyet donuts for Hanukkah... If you order breakfast or dinner in a cafe, you will be served a huge portion, and even with additional goodies.