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Israel. Israel is a little smaller than the state of New Jersey 290 miles in length and 85 miles in width Located in the Middle East Mediterranean Sea borders the western side of Israel. Israel Population Facts.
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Israel is a little smaller than the state of New Jersey • 290 miles in length and 85 miles in width • Located in the Middle East • Mediterranean Sea borders the western side of Israel
Israel Population Facts • 806,000 residents when Israel 1st became a state (country) in 1948 • Current Population – 7,337,000 • 5,542,000 (75.5%) Jewish • 1,477,000 (20.1%) Israeli Arabs • 318,000 (4.4%) immigrants
Israel Facts • Has the highest number of scientists and engineers per capita in the world • Has the highest number of museums in the world • Home to 3 major religions: • Judaism • Christianity • Islam
Interesting Facts • Contains 40.6% of the world’s Jewish population • 75.5% of the population are Jewish • 20.1% are Arabs • 92% of the population live in urban communities • 65% of the Jewish population were born in Israel compared to 35% in 1948
Jewish Festivals • Shabbat (the Sabbath – day of rest on Saturday) • Rosh Hashanah (beginning of the Jewish New Year) • Yom Kippur (the day of atonement, of Divine judgment – day to pray for foregiveness) • Sukkot (Feast of the Tabernacles – celebrate the Exodus from Egypt)
Jewish Festivals continued • Hanukkah (Festival of Lights - celebrates the triumph of the Jews over the Greeks) • Passover (Pessah – celebrating the liberation and bondage from Egypt) • Independence Day (held on the anniversary of the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel – May 14, 1948)
Jerusalem • Capital of Israel • Seat of government and the historical, spiritual, and national center of the Jewish people • Largest city in Israel (population 719,000) • Urban population of 1,036,500 • Jewish, Muslims, and Christian live side by side
Worship Centers • 1,204 Synagogues • 158 Churches • 73 Mosques
Tel Aviv • Israel’s 2nd largest city (population of 360,000) • Israel’s largest metropolitan area – 2,896,900 • Tel mean “mound” and Aviv means “spring” – “The Hill of Spring” • Israel’s commercial, financial, and transportation center • 1st all-Jewish city in modern times • Founded in 1909 as a suburb of Jaffa
Tele Aviv Facts continued • City was originally built on sand dunes • Most densely populated area in Israel • 9 mile Mediterranean Coastline (beach) • Carmel Market in the Yemenite Quarter is one of the largest open air markets in the Middle East