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1. Language: Hebrew is the official language of the State of Israel. However, English is widely spoken across the country.
2. Currency: The New Israeli Shekel (NIS) is the official currency of the State of Israel.
3. Population: The total population of Israel is just over 9 million.
4. Religion: Israel is approximately 74% Jewish, 18% Muslim, 1.9% Christian, 1.6% Druze, and 4.5% other.
5. Founding: Israel was founding May 14, 1948. Independence Day is celebrated every year on the 5th of the Hebrew month of Iyar, normally in April or May.
6. Food: Traditional Israeli food is very Mediterranean in nature with lots of fresh vegetables. The majority of restaurants are kosher, meaning that meat and dairy are not served at the same restaurant.
7. Industry: Israel has one of the largest number of venture capital firms in the world and hi-tech, and is second only to Silicon Valley in the United States.
8. Government: The Israeli government is based on the parliamentary system, with the parliament being called the Knesset. Within the government, there is a Prime Minister (holding executive power) and a President (holding mainly ceremonial power).
9. National Anthem: The national anthem of Israel is HaTikvah (The Hope).
10. Clothing: Israel is a modern country and you will see all types of clothing during your trip. However, out of respect, it is good to dress modestly when visiting holy sites.
11. Holidays: The national holidays of Israel include holidays mentioned in the Bible. Starting from the weekly Shabbat (Sabbath) to other holidays such as Pesach (Passover) and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), it is incredible to take part in these ancient holidays.
12. Military: As a general rule, Israelis serve in compulsory military service start at age 18. Men serve for 32 months and women for 24. Because of the compulsory military service, you will probably see soldiers throughout your trip.
