On the other hand
Purim is fast approaching which means that children and adults alike have some hard decisions to make as to which fancy dress costume they will cavort around in this year.
This joyous Festival is a once a year occurrence whereas Israel’s innovative achievements are daily events. As we enter the last month of winter we can also marvel at the blessings bountiful precipitation has bestowed on this land.
UNTIL 120
A traditional Jewish blessing in wishing someone good health is “ad meir v’esrim” (until 120 years). Latest surveys reveal that we might be reaching that goal sooner than most people would have expected.
The latest Bloomberg healthiest country index has just been published and shows that Israel is in tenth place amongst 169 countries surveyed. The top ten healthiest countries are (in order) Spain, Italy, Iceland, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, Singapore, Norway and Israel.
Canada is placed 16thwhile New Zealand is in 18thspot.
USA only manages to reach number 35 in this survey.
This study also predicts that by the year 2040 Israelis’ average lifespan will be 84.4 years.
With all the stresses Israelis are subjected to compared to other countries it is amazing to see that living in the Promised Land can have health benefits.
MADE IN ISRAEL
These days a large proportion of products purchased bear a “made in China” label. In another example of Israeli entrepreneurship, there is a growing export of Israeli produced items heading to China.
The Psagot Winery in Samaria has begun exporting and marketing Israeli wine to the city of Guangzhou in southern China, with a population of over 13 million people. Due to the increase in the demand for quality products in China in recent years, and especially for foreign-made wines, and due to the huge size of the market, Psagot began to see China as a target market for its products.
China is the second largest export destination for the Israeli industry. The export of Israeli goods to China in 2018 surged to a new high of $ 4.3 billion, an increase of 35% from the previous year, mainly due to an increase in exports of electronic equipment, optical equipment and medical devices.
THE MIRACLE OF WATER
The Torah tells us that Moses managed to produce water in the wilderness by striking rocks with his staff.
Today, Israeli innovators are producing water out of thin air. Just as our Biblical ancestors survived forty years of travelling in the arid desert (albeit with Divine assistance) Israeli scientists are working towards producing this precious life-giving liquid which will sustain humanity in the years ahead.
Watch this video and be amazed at miracles happening in our day:
MORE WATER
This winter has seen a copious amount of rain falling which has helped to replenish the Kinneret and caused dried up rivers and the depleted Jordan waters to overflow. Our prayers for rain have seemingly been answered and the results are astounding. See for yourselves:
TRANSFORMATION
Last summer the forests and agricultural fields bordering Gaza were burnt and devastated by incendiary devices launched by terrorists. As a result of this winter’s precipitation the areas concerned have transformed miraculously into flowering and green landscapes.
This is a perfect example of nature rejuvenating itself with a lot of help from “above.”
