“Discovering Israel and the Jewish People: A Journey through 50 Unique Facts”

Here are 50 strange and interesting facts about Israel and the Jewish people:

Israel:

1. Israel has a museum entirely dedicated to hummus, showcasing the many variations of this popular Middle Eastern dish.
2. The Dead Sea, which lies between Israel and Jordan, is so salty that nothing can survive in it, hence its name.
3. Israel is one of the only countries in the world that consistently gains more trees than it loses each year.
   
   
4. The city of Haifa has an underground funicular, the Carmelit, which is one of the shortest subway systems in the world.
5. Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah,” means “The Hope” in Hebrew.
6. The first computer virus, known as the “Brain” virus, was created by two Pakistani brothers living in Lahore, but it was discovered and removed by an Israeli scientist.
7. Israel’s national flower is the Cyclamen persicum.
8. The country’s flag, also known as the Star of David, features the biblical symbol of King David.
9. Israel is home to the lowest freshwater lake on Earth, the Sea of Galilee, also known as Lake Kinneret.
10. The world’s oldest continuously inhabited city, Jericho, is located in the West Bank territory.Related: Why are there so many Jewish Nobel winners?

    
    
    

Jewish People:

11. The Jewish calendar follows both the solar and lunar cycles, which is why Jewish holidays fall on different dates each year in the Gregorian calendar.
12. The menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum, is a symbol often associated with Judaism and is prominently featured on Israel’s national emblem.
13. The tradition of putting a small piece of paper with a prayer or wish inside the Western Wall in Jerusalem dates back many centuries.
14. In some Jewish traditions, boys celebrate their Bar Mitzvah at the age of 13, marking their transition into adulthood.
15. The first recorded use of the word “Jew” was in the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible.
16. The Torah, the central reference of the religious Judaic tradition, contains 304,805 letters.
17. Jewish people make up less than 0.2% of the world’s population but have won 22% of all Nobel Prizes.
18. The tradition of Jewish matchmaking, or “shidduch,” has been passed down through generations.
19. Many iconic inventions and innovations, such as the theory of relativity and the polio vaccine, are credited to Jewish scientists and thinkers.
20. Jews have been involved in the film industry since its inception, with names like Louis B. Mayer and the Warner Brothers making significant contributions.
21. Yiddish, a language spoken by Ashkenazi Jews, is written using the Hebrew alphabet but has its own unique grammar and vocabulary.
22. The Jewish custom of covering mirrors in a house of mourning is a sign of respect for the deceased and a way to focus on the grieving process.
23. The Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, is considered the holiest day in the Jewish calendar and is observed with a 25-hour fast.
24. The concept of “tikkun olam” is central to Jewish ethics and means “repairing the world” through acts of kindness and social justice.
25. The Jewish holiday of Passover celebrates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt and is observed with a special Seder meal.

These fascinating facts provide a glimpse into the rich history, culture, and traditions of both Israel and the Jewish people.