(Jerusalem Post) Dov Lipman - According to the World Happiness Index, Israel is the 11th-happiest country in the world, which means its citizens are happier than those in the U.S. (13th place), the UK (23rd), France (32nd) and Italy (50th). In addition, our country was named the fourth-best place in the world to raise children in the 2015 Family Life Index poll. A recent report by the Health Ministry reveals that Israel's suicide rate ranks second-lowest among 28 European countries, and the suicide rate among Israeli Arabs is lower than that of Jews. Every person who lives in Israel plays a role in building and strengthening our relatively young state, and plays a role in the continued survival of the Jewish people and in the contribution which our nation gives to the world. I believe that this sense of purpose and meaning is what feeds the feeling of happiness and satisfaction among Israel's citizens, despite the many challenges which we face. The writer, who served in the 19th Knesset with the Yesh Atid party, is director of public diplomacy in the vice chairman's office of the World Zionist Organization.
2016-05-06 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive