Some FAQ's

Many of you have asked questions about Israel and Jerusalem, so I thought I'd take some time and try to answer them . . . If this post doesn't answer a specific question you have, please let me know!


Geography/Population

Jerusalem is the capital city of the state of Israel, and it is also Israel's largest city both in area and population. Including controversial East Jerusalem, the city covers roughly 50 square miles. The Old City (the portion enclosed by 16th century stone walls) is a mere 35 square miles. Jerusalem has traditionally been considered a city divided into four quarters; the current divisions of Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim quarters were designated as such in the early 18th century.

Having existed and been inhabited for over 5,000 years, Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world. It has been completely destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured/recaptured 49 times.

As of 2007, 763,800 people resided in the city of Jerusalem. 64% are Jewish, 32% are Muslim, and 2% are Christian. (Keep in mind, the designation of "Christian" includes all branches of Protestant and Catholic faiths). A population density study completed in 2005 revealed that in Jerusalem, there are 14,893.5 people per square mile.

The city of Jerusalem sits approximately 2,500 feet above sea level; 37 miles west of Tel Aviv and the Mediterranean Sea, and 22 miles northwest of the Dead Sea (the lowest spot on earth).

The climate of Jerusaelm is considered Mediterranean--hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters. The average annual precipitation is 23", most of which falls as rain between October and April. It does snow in Jerusalem once or twice a year. The coldest month of the year is January, where the average temperature is 46 degrees Fahrenheit. The warmest months of the year are July and August, and the average temperature is 73 degrees. Temps can drop into the 30s during the winter, and the summer highs can be in the 80s. Jerusalem gets a refreshing sea breeze virtually every afternoon, and the evenings are almost always cool (even in the summer).

Israel and the United States each have about 40% of the world's Jewish popluation. Israel as a country has a population around 7 million, and 5.7 million of these people are Jewish.

The entire country of Israel covers 8,019 square miles (slightly more than Vermont). The terrain is quite variable--the Negev desert in the south, mountain ranges in the north, coastal plains on the west, and the Jordan Rift Valley in the east. The highest point in Israel is Mount Meron (in Galilee) which rises 3,963 feet. The lowest point of Israel (and the world) is the Dead Sea. The surface of the sea is 1300 feet below sea level, and the sea at one time was another 1300 feet deep.

Holidays
Obviously, the nation of Israel does not celebrate quite the same holidays as the United States! :-) Most of Israel's holidays are rooted in the Jewish faith.

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish new year, celebrated on September 8, 2010. This is the beginning of the Jewish year 5771. Jewish tradition celebrates the creation of the world on Rosh Hashanah.

Following Rosh Hashanah are 10 Days of Repentence. The first ten days of the New Year are spent in reflection, confession, and repentence.

The 10 Days of Repentence culminate in Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). This is the holiest, most solemn day of the year. It is a one day holiday and is honored by fasting. Jewish holidays begin at sundown and end at nightfall the following day. Thus, Yom Kippur will begin at sunset on September 17, 2010 and will conclude at sunset September 18th.

Other holidays/festivals include Sukkot/Feast of Booths (a seven-day festival, September 22-30; commemorating the Israelites living in tents in the wilderness), Purim (celebrating deliverance through Esther, February 27-28, 2010), and Shavuot. We know Shavuot as Pentecost. Traditionally, God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai on this festival day. Shavuot is also known as the Feast of Weeks and will be celebrated May 23, 2010.

Christmas is a Christian holiday; the Jewish equivalent is Hanukkah. Hanukkah commemorates the cleansing and rededication of the Temple by the Maccabees (in between the Old Testament and New Testament periods), and the 2010 celebration will begin at sunset on December 1st and last until nightfall on December 9th.

The most important holiday in Israel and in the Jewish faith is Passover. This commemorates the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. No leavened food is eaten (or allowed in the house) for a week. Although our calendars work differently than the Jewish calendar, our Good Friday/Easter often fall in the same timeframe as Passover.

There are four other national holidays designated by the State of Israel:
Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day)--celebrating the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967, May 12, 2010.
Yom HaShoah--Holocaust Remembrance Day, April 19, 2010.
Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day)--honoring all veterans, fallen soldiers, and civilians killed by acts of terrorism, April 19, 2010.
Yom H'atzmaut (Israel Independence Day). Though David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the statehood of Israel on May 14th according to our calendars, according to the Hebrew calendar, this will fall on April 20, 2010.

Israeli currency
The currency in the state of Israel is the New Israeli Shekel. It replaced the "old" shekel January 1, 1986. On January 1, 2003, the shekel became a freely convertable currency. It is one of only twenty or so world currencies for which there are widely available currency future contracts in the foreign exchange market. The Israeli shekel is a hard currency, and one can gain access to it almost anywhere in the world.

Interestingly, the shekel is not produced in Israel as the country has no mint. It is minted at Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation, or KOMSCO. This company is the banknote and coin producer for South Korea.

Shekels are similar to a dollar in that they are divided into 100 argorot. Available coins are 10 argorot, 1/2 shekel, 1 shekel, 2 shekel, 5 shekel, and 10 shekel. Banknotes are available as 20 shekel, 50 shekel, 100 shekel, and 200 shekel.

Currently, the exchange rate is roughly 3.6 shekels per American dollar.


This was probably more information than you ever wanted to know, but hopefully it gives you a glimpse into the fascinating country of Israel!