When the State of Israel was established in 1948, it had to contend immediately with its neighbors in a war for its very existence. The bitter battles that were forced upon the new State destroyed much of the infrastructure throughout the country and left Israel in a severe economic crisis. Under what were already dire circumstances, the Israeli population of 600,000 stepped up to receive masses of penniless Jews – Holocaust survivors from Europe, prisoners from the British internment camps and immigrants from Eastern countries.
Despite these nearly impossible initial conditions, the State of Israel succeeded not only to survive and exist, but has gone on to develop and attain a long list of noteworthy achievements on a global scale, in a wide range of fields.
Security
During the War of Independence in 1948, the State of Israel had to face the modern armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria with little and outdated weaponry such as the “Napoleonchik” canon (which appears on the stamp tab). The outnumbered and untrained IDF soldiers relied mainly on their faith in their goal.
After 75 years, that faith continues to exist and serves as a guiding beacon for one of the strongest and most advanced armies in the world. IDF soldiers safeguard the State of Israel and its people, deployed in the air, in space, on land and at sea. They are equipped with the best weapons, many of which are manufactured by the Israeli defense industry. Physical barriers impede the breach of Israel’s borders. Unique defense systems, such as Light Shield, Iron Dome and Arrow protect Israelis from rocket fire and control systems such as Ofeq satellites provide advance intelligence about potential enemy attacks.
Economy
Israel faced insolvency in its first years. Basic commodities were extremely scarce, forcing a regime of austerity and food rationing. The State even minted its first currency (which appears on the stamp tab) in aluminum because it lacked a more suitable metal.
Seventy-five years later, the Israeli economy is among the strongest in the world. Thanks to its sense of initiative and high quality workforce, the local hi-tech industry is the engine that leads the other sectors of the economy to groundbreaking achievements. Israel’s advanced agriculture sector develops systems for efficient water utilization and reducing manual labor. The food industry is progressing in leaps and bounds to develop new solutions, such as printing synthetic meat, which will make it possible to feed the world without harming animals or the environment.
Stable financial institutions, an advanced stock exchange and rich, diverse commercial systems that encourage continued development in the years to come support the Israeli economy.
Infrastructure
In its early years, it was difficult for the State of Israel to allocate even a fraction of its limited resources toward developing the country’s infrastructure. Most of the new immigrants, who doubled the country’s population in just a few years, had to spend months in transit camps and live in tents because it was impossible to construct houses. The initial effort was concentrated on building the National Water Carrier, which allowed the best possible use of Israel’s limited natural water sources to develop agriculture in the arid south.
Seventy-five years later, Israel is in a completely different situation. An extensive road and highway system is the backbone of transportation, connecting the country’s urban centers. Water desalinization facilities, along with wastewater recycling and purification plants have freed Israel from its dependency on climate conditions. A widespread network of cellular cables and antennas has improved the quality of communications throughout the country. Natural gas fields discovered along the Israeli coastline, along with the expedited development of renewable energy production plants, have allowed Israel to become less dependent upon foreign energy sources and allowed a gradual transition to electric cars and trains to replace transportation based on polluting fuels.
