In one of my all-time favorite photos from Israel, the baby kibbutzniks of Kibbutz Nachson.
At sunset tomorrow night, the close of Yom HaZikaron will immediately transition to the opening of Yom Ha'Atzmaut, which celebrates Israel's national independence. Every year at this time, the government releases population figures. I always find a comfort in this custom.
On the eve of its 63rd Independence Day,
Israel’s population has surpassed 7.7 million, a growth of 2% or an additional 155,000 new citizens since this time last year, according to figures released Sunday by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
... Israel’s Jewish population makes up some 75.3 percent of the total population or 5,837,000 people, while the Arab population has reached 1,587,000 (20.5%) and those not identified with either group making up 4.2% of its citizens or 322,000 people.
Since Independence Day last year, 178,000 babies were born in the State of Israel while some 43,000 people passed away. Close to 24,500 new immigrants arrived in the Jewish country over the past year, of those 6500 were ex-pat Israelis returning home.
Despite those coming into the country, the CBS alsoreported that some 12,000 people left Israel for a variety of different reasons.
Other statistics published by the CBS for Independence Day show that in its 63rd year, the majority of the population - 70% - are Sabras or Israeli-born citizens and most are the second generation in Israel. This is compared to 1948, during Israel’s first year, when only 35% of the Israelis were born in the country.
In addition, the data shows that while in 1948 only one city, Tel AViv, boasted 100,000 residents, in 2011 some 14 cities hold that many people and six cities have more than 200,000, including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Rishon Lezion, Ashdod and Petah Tikva.
According to a CBS report released on the Jewish New Year last September, Israel is still a fairly young nation with nearly 28% of its population under the age of 14, compared to 17% in most other Western countries. Only 10% of the population is over the age of 65 in Israel...
Daniella Weiss: "I wake up every morning with an orchestra in my heart."
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