[19 April/5 lyar] Happy Independence Day Israel!

Day 3,840, 05:31 • Published in Israel Romania • by VampireA
Israel


General information


Population : 8.8milion people (96th in the World,31st in Asia)
Total Area : 20,770 or 22,072 km^2 (150th in the World,41st in Asia)
Official languages : Hebrew, Arabic
Official currency : New shekel(ILS)
Capital : Jerusalem (limited recognition)
Population density : 401 people/km^2 (33rd in the World,12th in Asia)
Top 5 biggest cities : Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Rishon LeZion, Petah Tikva

Israel is a parliamentary democracy with universal suffrage. A member of parliament supported by a parliamentary majority becomes the prime minister—usually this is the chair of the largest party. The prime minister is the head of government and head of the cabinet. Israel is governed by a 120-member parliament, known as the Knesset. Membership of the Knesset is based on proportional representation of political parties.

The State of Israel is divided into six main administrative districts, known as mehozot – Center, Haifa, Jerusalem, North, South, and Tel Aviv districts, as well as the Judea and Samaria Area in the West Bank. All of the Judea and Samaria Area and parts of the Jerusalem and Northern districts are not recognized internationally as part of Israel. Districts are further divided into fifteen sub-districts known as nafot , which are themselves partitioned into fifty natural regions.







National sport : Football



National animals : Canaan dog


National plant: Anemone coronaria





The significance of the 5th lyar

I will start by saying that lyar is one of the months from the jewish calendar. Every year this date has a different corespondent from the gregorian calendar used by most of the countries. This year the date associated with 5th of lyar is 19th of april.

Now that you understood the calendar let’s see what happened.. On 5th lyar 1948 Israel declared Independence ( also known as Yom Ha'atzmaut) , the date from the gregorian calendar that coresponded in that year is 14 may.

*Coat of arms






The Temple of Jerusalem

The Temple of Jerusalem refers to either of two temples that stood on the Temple Mount, in the Old City of Jerusalem. They were centers of religious worship for the ancient Israelites, and as such, each of them is more commonly known as The Holy Temple.

The First Temple

According to the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), the Temple was built in 957 BCE during the reign of King Solomon over the united kingdom of Israel and Judah. It was dedicated to Yahweh (the God of Israel) and it housed the Ark of the Covenant (the chest that contained the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments).

The Temple was built in a Phoenician style, due to the fact that the workers, architects and materials were provided by Hiram I of Tyre, the Phoenician King of Tyre at that time (the Phoenicians, much like the ancient Greeks, were organized primarily in independent city-states). While the technical details are not well described due to the fact that the scribes who wrote about it weren’t architects or engineers, the descriptions were enough to inspire modern replicas and other, later structures.

Plan of Solomon’s Temple :


It was completely destroyed in the Siege of Jerusalem in 587 BCE by emperor Nebuchadnezzar II of the Babylonian Empire, who also captured many Israelites and brought them to Babylon (a period known as the Babylonian exile).


The Second Temple of Jerusalem was finished in 516 BCE, under the reign of emperor Darius the Great of the Persian Achaemenid Empire (the first Persian Empire). The actual reconstruction of the Temple and of Jerusalem was started by the founding emperor of the Achaemenid Empire, Cyrus the Great, who also ended the Babylonian exile. (Which is why Cyrus the Great is viewed positively in the Bible. In my humble opinion, Cyrus is probably the best emperor of any empire in history)

While the Second Temple was originally far more modest in aspect compared to the First Temple, it was vastly refurbished and expanded under the reign of King Herod the Great (37 - 4 BCE).


Unlike the First Temple, the Second Temple lacked the Ark of the Covenant (which proceeded to gain legendary status, much like The Holy Grail). Whether it was found by the Nazis and it melted their faces, I cannot tell 🙂).

All things come to an end though, and so the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE during the Siege of Jerusalem, thus officially beginning the Jewish Exile.


Roman soldiers taking the Menorah after the Siege of Jerusalem - from the Arch of Titus


Nowadays, all that remains of the Second Temple is the Wailing Wall, which posseses great religious significance in Judaism.

The Temple Mount which housed these temples didn’t remain empty though. The Romans built a temple to Jupiter, and after the Islamic conquest, the Ummayad Caliphate built two important structures here: The Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which remain there to this day and are important religious sites for Muslims.

Jewish eschatology (theology concerned with the end times) supposes that a Third Temple will be built on the Temple Mount.This however, is unlikely to happen anytime soon because of the two Islamic structures currently there.






Top 5 visited places by tourists


Jerusalem


*Dome of the rock


*Tomb of Jesus


*Tower of David


*Western wall




The heart of Israel beats strongly at Jerusalem, one of the oldest cities in the world. Though it’s known as the City of Peace, it has a violent history. It’s been attacked 52 times, destroyed twice and besieged 23 times. It is considered a holy city by three major religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Its historic Old City is divided into four quarters: Jewish, Christian, Armenian and Muslim. Here you can walk in Jesus’ footsteps on the Via Dolorosa’ pray at the Western Wall; see the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where Christians believe Jesus is buried, and tour the Tower of David, a medieval citadel.




Masada









Situated on a high plateau in southern Israel overlooking the Dead Sea, Masada was the last Jewish holdout to fall to Rome at the end of the First Jewish–Roman War. Masada was first fortified by Herod the Great in the late first century BC. In 66 AD, Sicarii Jewish patriots captured the fortress from the Romans, who tried to take it back seven years later. Rather than live under Roman rule, the 900 Sicarii opted for mass suicide. Today Masada is a symbol of ancient Israel and one of the best examples of Roman fortifications remaining. There’s a cable car for those who don’t fancy taking one of the various different paths that lead up the hill.



Ramon Crater







Ramon Crater is the largest of three erosion craters found in the Negev Desert. The geological landform is believed to have started forming millions of years ago when the ocean began receding. It was a few more million years before it became the crater it is today. Ringed by mountains, the colorful crater is more than 450 meters deep and nearly 40 km long. The world’s largest erosion crater is accessible to the public; you can ogle the varying terrain as you hike, bike or drive through it. Campers may enjoy staying at a campsite run by Bedouins.




Caesarea







Caesarea is both ancient and new. It was founded by Herod the Great in honor of Caesar Augustus, who gave him the city. In 1952, it became the only city in Israel to be governed by a private corporation. Antiquities park is where you’ll find ruins from Herod’s extensive building campaign. You’ll also find more ruins by walking through the old city or maybe you’ll want to take in a re-enactment of horse races in the hippodrome. The new Caesarea is modern and upscale. Maybe you’ll want to sunbathe on the sandy beaches, play golf or take in the annual jazz festival.





Dead Sea



The Dead Sea got its name for a reason. It’s almost 10 times as salty as the ocean, making it a harsh environment for anything to grow in. And at 400 meters below sea level, it’s the lowest elevation on land. For thousands of years; the salt and minerals from its water are used in cosmetics. Dead Sea water and mud have medically proven benefits, putting severe skin diseases and joint problems into long-term remission. All the luxury hotels along the coast have health spas, which are often booked solid for months ahead.











Top 3 locations suggested by the locals



Ein Gedi






Ein Gedi, literally "spring of the kid" is an oasis and a nature reserve in Israel, located west of the Dead Sea, near Masada and the Qumran Caves. Ein Gedi was listed in 2016 as one of the most popular nature sites in the country.


Rosh HaNikra grottoes









Rosh HaNikra or Hanikra is a geologic formation on the border between Israel and Lebanon, located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in the Western Galilee. It is a white chalk cliff face which opens up into spectacular grottos.


Sea of Galilee






The Sea of Galilee of Galilee is the lowest freshwater lake on earth, and the second lowest lake in the world – the lowest being the saltwater Dead Sea. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount was supposedly given on a hill overlooking the sea. It’s a popular destination for Christian pilgrims who want to see where Jesus walked on water. The 65-km long Jesus Hiking Trail that visits places where Jesus worked his ministry is another draw. People also come from all over the world to be baptized at the spot the lake flows into the Jordan River.







Inventions Israel gave to the world!

*Eshkol-Wachman movement notation!
*by Noa Eshkol and Abraham Wachman in 1958.





*Projection keyboard!
*by Canesta company in 2002.




*Waze!
*by Ehud Shabtai in 2006.




*Iron dome!
*by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in 2011



*Epilator!
*by Mepro in 1986












Famous people from Israel

David Ben-Gurion - was the primary national founder of the State of Israel and the first Prime Minister of Israel. Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946. As head of the Jewish Agency from 1935, and later president of the Jewish Agency Executive, he was the de facto leader of the Jewish community in Palestine, and largely led its struggle for an independent Jewish state in Mandatory Palestine. On 14 May 1948, he formally proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel, and was the first to sign the Israeli Declaration of Independence, which he had helped to write. Ben-Gurion led Israel during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, and united the various Jewish militias into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Subsequently, he became known as "Israel's founding father".

(1886-1973)


Yitzhak Rabin - was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995. He signed several historic agreements with the Palestinian leadership as part of the Oslo Accords. In 1994, Rabin won the Nobel Peace Prize together with long-time political rival Shimon Peres and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Rabin also signed a peace treaty with Jordan in 1994.

(1922-1995)


Yuval Noah Harari - is an Israeli historian and a tenured professor in the Department of History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is the author of the international bestsellers Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (2014) and Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2015). His writings examine concepts of free will, consciousness and definitions of intelligence.

(born 1976)



Ada E. Yonath - is an Israeli crystallographer best known for her pioneering work on the structure of the ribosome. She is the current director of the Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly of the Weizmann Institute of Science.
In 2009, she received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry along with Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Thomas A. Steitz for her studies on the structure and function of the ribosome, becoming the first Israeli woman to win the Nobel Prize out of ten Israeli Nobel laureates, the first woman from the Middle East to win a Nobel prize in the sciences, and the first woman in 45 years to win the Nobel Prize for Chemistry.

(born 1939)


Gal Gadot - is an Israeli actress and model. She was born and raised in Israel. At age 18 she was crowned Miss Israel 2004. She then served a mandatory two years in the Israel Defense Forces as a combat instructor. She began studying at IDC Herzliya college before pursuing modeling and acting.
Gadot's first film role came as Gisele Yashar in The Fast and the Furious film franchise. She went on to achieve wide recognition for portraying Wonder Woman in the DC Extended Universe, starting with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), and then the solo film Wonder Woman and the ensemble Justice League (both 2017). In 2018, Gadot was included on Time's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

(born 1985)








Traditional food


Falafel



Made from fava beans, chickpeas, or a combination of the two, a traditional falafel feast will be served with all the trimmings, including the aformentioned hummus, pink pickled turnips, pita bread, traditional Israeli salad and pickles too.

Cholent



Cholent or hamin is a traditional Jewish stew. It is usually simmered overnight for 12 hours or more, and eaten for lunch on Shabbat. Cholent was developed over the centuries to conform with Jewish laws that prohibit cooking on the Sabbath.

Pita



Pita, sometimes spelled pitta , also known as Arabic bread, Lebanese bread, or Syrian bread, is a soft, slightly leavenedflatbread baked from wheat flour, which originated in Western Asia,most probably Mesopotamia around 2500 BC.


Shawarma



Shawarma also spelled shawurma or shawerma, is a Levantine meat preparation, where lamb, chicken, turkey, beef, veal, or mixed meats are placed on a spit, and may be grilled for as long as a day.


Jachnun



Gachnun or Gahnun is a Jewish- Israeli pastry, originating from Adeni Jewry, and traditionally served on Shabbat morning.

Tahini



The tahini comes from nigella seeds and is sold in high volumes thanks to the need. Along with olive oil and garlic, tahini makes up the trinity of the fundamental ingredients of the food in Israel.

Shakshuka



Shakshuka is the traditional breakfast fare in Israel. It reminded me of western style huervos rancheros in that it involved a mix of peppers, tomatoes and coriander served hot as a nest for the eggs to cook in.




Traditional desserts

Kanafeh



Kanafeh is a Levantine Arabic dish and is very popular as a dessert in Israel. It’s basically a cheese pastry soaked in sweet sugar-based syrup.

Halva



Tahini halvah is very popular in Israel and among Jewish people all over the world. Spelled "halvah" in English, it usually comes in slabs or small packages, and is available in a wide variety of flavours, chocolate and vanilla being very common. Israeli halvah will usually not contain wheat flour or semolina, but will contain sesame tahini, glucose, sugar, vanilla and saponaria officinalis root extracts (soapwort), which are not usually found in other recipes.

Muhallebi



Muhallebi is a creamy pudding, similar to blancmange. It is milk-based, thickened with rice flour or cornstarch, and then topped with sweet syrup.

Rugelach



Rugelach is a Jewish pastry of Ashkenazic origin. It is very popular in Israel, commonly found in most cafes and bakeries.




Traditional drinks

Sachlav



This porridge/custard like ‘beverage’ is typically accompanied with coconut shreds, chopped pistachios and raisins.


Arak



Arak is the traditional alcoholic beverage in the Middle East, especially in the Levant,as well in Iran and Turkey.






Interesting facts about Israel


1.There are over 100 sushi restaurants in Tel Aviv making it the city with the most sushi restaurants per capita after Tokyo and NYC.
2.Israel has the third highest rate of entrepreneurship in the world.
3.Israel was the first country to ban underweight models.
4.Israelis consume the third most amount of vegetables and sweets in the world.
5.In regards to its population, Israel has the highest ratio of college degrees.
6.The first antivirus software for computers was created in Israel in 1979.
7.Israel published more books translated from other languages than any other nation in the world.
8.Israel is the only country to revive an unspoken language and establish it as its national tongue.
9.A group of Israeli artists have started bus stop libraries that are available free of charge to commuters traveling across Israel.
10.Only two countries began the 21st century with a net gain in their number of trees; Israel was one of them.






My 5 words when I hear about Israel:
#Jewish,#Jerusalem,#Religion,#Technology,#BarMitzvah

What are your 5?





Special thanks to RazorbladeByte and TheEnlightenedNaor and a message from them:


”Dear Israelis,
We have now grown in size and strengthened in the past 3 months. We have multiplied the damage by 4 times. We have established factories, reduced taxes and really build a community here. May the eIsrael state be like the real-life state, technologically developed and averse and supportive ally.

Yours enlightened.”






I leave you with some israeli memes:







Before I end I want to apologise for being so late with the article, RL got me here so I am like 3 more articles behind the schedule. Hope you will enjoy them.




Waiting for feedback , comments , opinions and if there is anyone that thinks I missed something , I could do something better or just wants to help me with this project , PM me !

Special thanks to Kariky for the spacers !!




Hope you enjoyed and see you next time!

P.S. Article 47/74!











P.S.2. Don't forget to push the flags !