On the other hand
As we swing from sadness & solemn remembrance on Yom Hashoah and Yom Hazikaron to unrestrained joy on Yom Ha’Atzmaut we can take immense pride at the world breaking achievements which Israel has produced in the space of a mere seven decades.
Whether the rest of the world wants to acknowledge it or not the fact remains that this country has indeed become “a light unto the nations” in so many spheres.
AMAZING BUT TRUE
There are 539 multinational corporations from 35 countries operating in Israel’s tech ecosystem, with these firms seeing the startup-heavy country as a go-to place for new ideas and entrepreneurial culture, according to a report by Start-Up Nation Central (SNC) and PwC Israel.
These firms are in the fields of technology (18%), pharmaceuticals and life sciences (8%), financial services (13%), industrial products (10%), automotive and transportation technologies (11%), entertainment, communications and media (11%), food and agriculture 8%, and retail and consumer (10%), among others.
There are more than 6,600 startups in Israel’s small and connected economy, 14 times the concentration of startups per capita in Europe. And while Israel has just 0.1% of the world’s population, the nation attracts 19% of global investment in cybersecurity, ranks number one globally in R&D expenditures per GDP, and attracts the highest rate of venture capital funding per capita in the world — some $674 per capita in 2018, according to the report.
WE HAVE DONE IT AGAIN
Who would have thought in 1948 that one day Israel would be ranked as the eighth most important country in the world?
US News & World Report has ranked Israel as the world’s eighth-most influential country in the magazine’s 2019 version of its annual list.
The report describes Israel as “the only Jewish nation in the world… a small country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea” that has had a large influence on global affairs.
“For its relatively small size, the country has played a large role in global affairs,” the article said. “The country has a strong economy and landmarks of significance to several religions.
Israel came in ahead of several influential countries including Canada, Australia and India.
SAVING ANIMALS
It is well known by now that Israel sends teams of experts to help countries devastated by natural disasters. As well as aiding humanity Israel also is concerned with saving animals faced by extinction. This will not hit the international headlines so watch this short video and be enlightened.
CHAG SAMEACH
This video says it all. As we celebrate seventy-one years of restored Jewish sovereignty we can “kvell” in pride at what has been and will be forthcoming from the miracle that is Israel.
