In gesprekken met mensen in Israel viel me al vaker op dat veel mensen er moeite moeten doen om de eindjes aan elkaar te knopen, en dat de huizen er klein zijn is me ook opgevallen. Israel doet het economisch redelijk goed, maar de verschillen tussen arm en rijk zijn er groot en de economische groei gaat aan velen voorbij.
Another notable result for Israel found in the OECD's report is life expectancy. The average life expectancy in Israel is 81.1 years, exceeding the OECD average 79.3 years. However, the health findings were not all positive. Israelis ranked the 6th lowest life experiences in the OECD - feeling well-rested, being treated with respect, smiling, experiencing enjoyment. Also, more Israelis reported negative experiences (pain, worry, sadness, stress and depression) than any other country in the OECD.
Ook dat is me wel opgevallen: mensen lijken altijd gestressd en maken lange dagen. Ook maken veel mensen zich zorgen over de toekomst, en vaak vooral ook over die van de kinderen. Dit heeft natuurlijk ook te maken met het conflict met de Palestijnen en de Arabische wereld en Iran. Mensen die wij opzochten hielden serieus rekening met een nieuwe holocaust en een Iraanse kernaanval. Dit kun je niet afdoen als irreëel en ingegeven door de trauma's van de Holocaust. Er is een fundamenteel verschil tussen Israel en andere staten, omdat het Joodse volk een geschiedenis van discriminatie en vervolging kent, en ook van Israel het bestaansrecht veelvuldig ter discussie wordt gesteld of ontkend.
RP
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Israel has high life expectancy, birthrate, also poverty
By MICHAEL OMER-MAN
05/25/2011 12:44
http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=222146
OECD's Better Life Index puts Israel near member states' average, shows strengths in education, weakness in workforce participation.
In a new index released this week by the Organization for Economic Cooperation andDevelopment, the Better Life Initiative, Israel hovers around average compared to otherOECD states, excelling in life expectancy, education, birthrate and sense of strong community. The findings, do however, show that in some areas, much is lacking compared to other OECD countries.
Measuring how much room people have to live in, the OECD measures the number of rooms per person in a household. The average home in Israel has 1.1 rooms per person, less than the OECD average of 1.6 Also, 4.4 percent of dwellings in Israel lack private access to indoor toilets, in contrast to the OECD average of 2.5%.
Regarding income, Israel comes in both above and below average when compared with OECD countries. The average household disposable income in Israel - after taxes - is $19,456, which is lower than the OECD average of $22,284. However, Israel is high above the OECD average for average household wealth, although the organization's report notes several times that data for this indicator is only available for a small number of countries. The average household wealth, which also measures real estate assets and the total value of a household's financial worth, is $62,684 compared to theOECD average of $36,808.
When it comes to employment, the number of working-age (15 to 64) Israelis who have a paid job stands at 59 percent, slightly lower than the OECD average of 65%. However, when measuring only those participating in the workforce, Israel's unemployment rate is 1.85%, lower than the average.
Education, however, is one of Israel's stronger points. Compared to an OECDaverage of 73% high school graduation rates, Israel excels with 81% of adults in the labor market possessing the equivalent of a high school degree. When it comes to reading comprehension, Israel scored lower than the average.
Other indicators measured by the OECD are less economically oriented and attempt to measure quality of life. One such measure attempts to determine the strength of social networks and communities. Asked if they believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, 93% of Israelis answered yes, putting Israel close to the OECDaverage.
When it comes to personal safety, Israel is relatively average. Three percent of people in Israel reported falling victim to assault in the previous 12 months, lower than the average of four percent. The homicide rate, however, was slightly higher than the OECDaverage.
Among other notable findings released by the OECD in its latest report, is that Israel has the highest fertility rate of all countries in the OECD, with an average of 2.96 children per household. The country with the second highest birthrate is Iceland with 2.22 children per household, also above the average of 1.74.
Israel is also very much a country of immigrants, with 26.5% of the population being foreign-born, coming in second behind Luxembourg. The OECD average is 11.75%.
Another notable result for Israel found in the OECD's report is life expectancy. The average life expectancy in Israel is 81.1 years, exceeding the OECD average 79.3 years. However, the health findings were not all positive. Israelis ranked the 6th lowest life experiences in the OECD - feeling well-rested, being treated with respect, smiling, experiencing enjoyment. Also, more Israelis reported negative experiences (pain, worry, sadness, stress and depression) than any other country in the OECD.
Also reflecting negatively, Israel has the second highest income poverty rate in theOECD, coming in only behind Mexico. While the OECD average of income poverty is 11.1%, one in five - 20% - of Israelis qualify as living in poverty. In addition, 39% of Israelis "find it difficult or very difficult to live on their current income," a much higher rate than the average 24%.
Finally, only 36 percent of Israelis believe that their communities are tolerant places for ethnic minorities, migrants and gays and lesbians, ranking fourth lowest in the OECDand far below the average of 61%.
Many elderly 'fall between the cracks'
Child poverty here highest in OECD
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