PEOPLE
Of the approximately 6.43 million Israelis in 2007, about 76% were counted as Jewish, though some of those are not considered Jewish under Orthodox Jewish law. Since 1989, nearly a million immigrants from the former Soviet Union have arrived in Israel, making this the largest wave of immigration since independence. In addition, an estimated 105,000 members of the Ethiopian Jewish community have immigrated to Israel, 14,000 of them during the dramatic May 1991 Operation Solomon airlift. 32.9% of Israelis were born outside of Israel.
The three broad Jewish groupings are the Ashkenazim, or Jews who trace their ancestry to western, central, and eastern Europe; the Sephardim, who trace their origin to Spain, Portugal, southern Europe, and North Africa; and Eastern or Oriental Jews, who descend from ancient communities in Islamic lands. Of the non-Jewish population, about 68% are Muslims, about 9% are Christian, and about 7% are Druze.
Education
is compulsory from age 6 to 16 and is free up to age 18. The school
system is organized into kindergartens, 6-year primary schools,
3-year junior secondary schools, and 3-year senior secondary schools,
after which a comprehensive examination is offered for university
admissions. There are seven university-level institutions in Israel,
a number of regional colleges, and an Open University program.
With a
population drawn from more than 100 countries on 5 continents,
Israeli society is rich in cultural diversity and artistic creativity.
The arts are actively encouraged and supported by the government.
The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra performs throughout the country
and frequently tours abroad. The Jerusalem Symphony and the New
Israel Opera also tour frequently, as do other musical ensembles.
Almost every municipality has a chamber orchestra or ensemble,
many boasting the talents of gifted performers from the countries
of the former Soviet Union.
Israel
has several professional ballet and modern dance companies, and
folk dancing, which draws upon the cultural heritage of many immigrant
groups, continues to be very popular. There is great public interest
in the theater; the repertoire covers the entire range of classical
and contemporary drama in translation as well as plays by Israeli
authors. Of the three major repertory companies, the most famous,
Habimah, was founded in 1917.
Active
artist colonies thrive in Safed, Jaffa, and Ein Hod, and Israeli
painters and sculptors exhibit works worldwide. Israel boasts
more than 120 museums, including the Israel Museum in Jerusalem,
which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls along with an extensive collection
of regional archaeological artifacts, art, and Jewish religious
and folk exhibits. Israelis are avid newspaper readers, with more
than 90% of Israeli adults reading a newspaper at least once a
week. Major daily papers are in Hebrew; others are in Arabic,
English, French, Polish, Yiddish, Russian, Hungarian, and German.
Population (2007 est.): 6.43 million.
Annual population growth rate (2007 est.): 1.2%.
Ethnic groups: Jews 76.2%; Arabs 19.5%; other 4.3%.
Religions: Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Druze.
Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic (official), English, Russian.
Education: Years compulsory--11. Literacy--96.9% (female 95.6%; male 98.3%).
Health: Infant mortality rate (2005 est.)--7.03/1,000 births. Life expectancy at birth--79.32 years; female 81.55 years, male 77.21 years.
Work force (2.68 million; Central Bureau for Statistics, 2004): Agriculture--2.1%; manufacturing--16.2%; electricity and water supply--0.8%; construction--5.4%; trade and repair of motor vehicles--3.6%; accommodation services and restaurants--4.3%; transport, storage, and communication--6.5%; banking, insurance, and finance--3.3%; business activities--13.4%; public administration--4.7%; education--12.7%; health, welfare, and social services--10.7%; community, social, and personal services--4.6%; services for households by domestic personnel--1.6%.
