73 fun facts about Israel

A young boy stands near a railing, facing away, from the camera to watch an air force show in the sky, with Israeli flags waving beside him under a partly cloudy blue sky.

To celebrate Israel’s 77th birthday, we bring you 73 weird, wacky and remarkable things about this tiny country in the Middle East you may not know.

Eight fun facts about Hanukkah

A close-up of a menorah with eight lit oil-filled glass cups, each with a visible flame. Other blurred menorahs are visible in the background.

It’s the most fun festival on the Jewish calendar, it’s supported by amazing archaeological evidence and the donuts are mandatory. What’s not to love?

Israel’s top 18 chefs worldwide

Composite photo from Instagram posts shared by chefs Einat Admony (@chefeinat), Alon Shaya (@alonshaya) and Joseph Hadad.

From Yotam Ottolenghi to Eyal Shani, Assaf Granit and Michael Solomonov, Israeli chefs are wowing the world by incorporating their native influences into daring new dishes.