There is a reason the Land of Israel is called the Land of life. According to Our World in Data the cost to each person of a year of life in Israel is lowest in the world. Based on the per capita health costs per person divided by the average life expectancy, nations were ranked on their "price of life" or, how much it costs a citizen for a single year of life. Japan boasts the longest life expectancy at 84 years. The price of a year of life in Japan costs a citizen $54. In America, with a life expectancy of 79, the people pay a whopping $127. That’s not cheap and not everybody can afford it. The high price of life in America makes breathing a privilege. The richest live at least 15 years longer than the poor. Israel has a life expectancy of 83 years, the 10th highest among the nations. It’s price of life is a mere $30, the most affordable of all the developed nations. As a result, everyone has a better chance to live a long life in Israel. Everyone Contributes and Everyone Benefits Over the last 50 years, the average lifespan for both Israeli Arabs living within the pre-1967 borders and Palestinian Arabs in Judea and Samaria has increased by over 20 years. The average Arab in Israel can expect to live a longer and healthier life than the average minority in America. This miracle has been a healthy, but unremarked, collaboration between both Jews and Arabs in Israel since the founding of the State itself. Over 35% of doctors in Israel are Arab, far higher than their 20% representation among the general population. Arabs are also highly represented as psychologists, social workers, and pharmacists. Arraba, an Israeli-Arab city just north of Nazareth has the highest ratio of doctors than any other city in the country. An Israel Arab studying in the Technion in Haifa is a candidate for the Nobel Prize in medicine. Combine the gains from Israeli Arab medicine with a country full of Jewish doctors and you have to admit there are some miraculous things happening in the Jewish State in the field of health care. The Future Trends Right after the Israel-UAE treaty was signed, the first comments coming out of the Gulf State were about Arab money investing in Israeli health tech to find a cure for COVID-19. Israel, a nation with 9 million residents, already has multiple vaccine candidates for Coronavirus in human trials. Currently, over 250 healthcare startups enjoy $6.5 billion in funding in Israel. As the Emirates, Bahrian, and potentially Saudi Arabia get into the game, expect that number to rise. There will be more Jews, more Arabs, more Israelis looking for ways to leverage today’s technology to make the quality of life better and the length of life longer. All of this points to a price of life for all Israel’s citizens to continue to remain attractive. Arabs and Jews have been working for decades together to transform the cradle of civilization into the ideal place to spend your golden years in health and agility. The best is yet to come. Thinking of a future in Israel? If you are thinking about relocating, be sure to contact your local Nefesh B’ Nefesh office and see what’s possible. Or call them at 1-866-425-4924. David Ben Horin works as a marketing manager in a hi-tech company in Hadera and loves Israel passionately. He can be found at https://www.proudlycandid.com.
