I have always been interesting in the Middle East cultures and finally this past December I was able to visit Israel. Of course, I did my research before traveling and found out these interesting facts about this small country:

• Israel has the most museums per capita than any country in the world
• Israel is home to the lowest point on Earth: the Dead Sea is located 1315 feet below sea level and is also one of the saltiest bodies of water

• Israeli company Mirabilis is credited with developing the software for the original instant messaging programs in 1996. Remember ICQ?
• Israel is the only country in the world that uses kosher glue for its postage stamps. So if you´re keeping kosher, lick away!
• There are also kosher McDonald’s
• An Israeli company developed the world´s first jellyfish repellent
• Israel is the only country in the world with a mandatory military service requirement of women
• The Jerusalem syndrome is a group of psychological phenomena triggered by a visit to Jerusalem, a well-documented phenomenon where foreign visitors suffer psychotic delusions that they are figures from the Bible
• Jerusalem, Israel, has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, captured and recaptured 44 times and it’s one of the world’s oldest cities

• All Jewish people who are between 18 and 26 years old are entitled to a free 10-day trip to Israel
• People who keep Shabbat can buy car insurance which doesn’t cover Saturdays, making it cheaper

• One of the two official languages of Israel, Hebrew, is the only language to be revived into a national language in all of world history. Hebrew had previously been a dead language not spoken for centuries
• Braille Bills – Israel bank notes have braille on them so the blind can accurately identify the amount
• Voicemail technology was invented in Israel
• The world´s only theatre company composed entirely of deaf and blind actors can be found in Israel. The organization Nalaga´at is located in Jaffa, where prior to the performance, visitors can try their hand at eating completely in the dark, while being served by blind individuals
• Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives is the world’s oldest continuously used cemetery

• Rummikub was invented in Israel. The man behind the much-loved game was Ephraim Hertzano, a Romanian Jew who immigrated to pre-state Israel in the 1930s. The game took off and became Israel´s number one export game. In 1977, it was the best-selling game in Israel
• Israel is the only country where the popular Starbucks coffee chain failed, as most locals enjoy their coffee from Israeli cafes

• On Yom Kippur, one of the most holy days for Jews, Israel shuts down. Traffic is nonexistent and by law, all stores must be closed. Radio and TV are also suspended
• Israel´s favorite beach snack for summer days is watermelon cut triangles with salty feta-like Bulgarian cheese sprinkled on top
• Out Magazine names Israel the gay capital of the Middle East
• The country has the most Bauhaus buildings in the world

• The Israeli serie, Hatufim, translated to “Prisoners of War”, was the inspiration for the Emmy-winning TV thriller, HOMELAND
• Israel produces more scientific papers per capita than any other nation: 109 per 10.000 people
• Israel was the first country to ban underweight models
• The humble and juicy cherry tomato was cultivated in Israel
• In 1952, Albert Einstein was offered the position of President of Israel. The famous scientist turned down the position
• The popular lady´s hair remover tool, the Depilator, was invented in Israel
• Israel is the 100th smallest country in the world, just ahead of El Salvador

I bet you feel like going to Israel now 🙂