By Dr. Juergen Buehler

Throughout world history, the Jewish people – even though small in number – have contributed much to humanity. It is the moral values of the Torah, especially the Ten Commandments, which still represents the foundation of most Western societies.

It was the revelation of the God of Israel as the Creator of the heavens and the earth which transformed entire nations even in the most remote parts of the earth.

Through the centuries great Jewish thinkers, artists and scientists contributed much to mankind. While the Jews make up only 0.25% of the world population, 25% of all Nobel laureates in Medicine, Chemistry, Physics and Peace were given in the past 100 years to Jews.

This great tradition is continued in the modern State of Israel. Israel is probably the only country which already had a world class university, scientific, medical and agricultural research institutes, and an internationally acclaimed symphony orchestra, all before the State of Israel was founded in 1948.

The agricultural development of Eretz Israel is historic. Today in any country where there is a desert region, the desert is increasing. Israel is the only nation where the desert area is consistently receding – even until today. No wonder that Israel is the only nation in the world which has more trees on its territory than 100 years ago. Therefore Israel’s agricultural know-how is exported and is making a significant contribution to many African countries and even to China. The Israeli patented “drip irrigation system” is used all over the world.

The scientific and technical achievements of the young nation of Israel are incredible. Today Israel’s technological products and advanced systems has become an integral part of the global high tech revolution. If you are among the 100 million users of ICQ to chat on-line with your friends around the world, you might not know that the software code for this ground-breaking utility was written by three young Israelis. If your computer uses a Pentium, Centrino or Quad Core Processor, they have been designed and developed in Israel.

Do you like to send SMS or Multimedia messages on your cell phone? You can do so thanks to technology developed in Israel. If you are in China and use the telephone, then your call and that of every other Chinese person is being routed through the Telecom DCME system which was developed by an Israeli Telecom company. Today many civilian airliners – including those which flew you into Israel – are being protected from ground launched terrorist attacks through a ground-breaking Israeli-developed surveillance software.

Did you know that the very first anti-virus software package was developed in Israel? And if your computer is protected today from hackers trying to penetrate your system, then you are most likely protected through a software code developed by the Israeli company “Check Point.”

If you happen to drive an S-class Mercedes, the Microprocessors which control all the vehicles electronics, are developed by a Tel Aviv-based high-tech company. And if you look in Copenhagen for a free parking space for your car, a monitoring system developed in Israel will direct you to the nearest free parking spot.

It is therefore no wonder that all prominent high-tech companies –  be it Microsoft, Motorola, Cisco, Intel, IBM and many others – have major research facilities in Israel. Kurt Hellstrom, President and CEO of Ericsson, a world leader in mobile systems, recently stated: “We must be in Israel today! It is an innovative and competent country. We are here to stay!”  

Israel’s achievements are literally out of this world, as Israel is one of only eight nations which have successfully launched its own satellites into space. It is today a senior partner in American and European space programs. The pictures you saw on your TV from NASA’s “Spirit Rover” on Mars could only be transmitted due to Israeli technology.

Today, Israel’s medical research has saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Approximately one medical drug out of 15 which is being sold in the USA comes from an Israeli pharmaceutical company. Israel’s medical research teams have become world leaders in non-intrusive check-ups and operations and in medical NMR scanning equipment.

The medical research laboratories of the Haifa-based Technion and the Weizmann Institute are on the forefront of combating Alzheimer’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis. Highly trained medical doctors from Israel saved countless lives in government-sponsored overseas missions in Haiti, Japan, Turkey and in many African nations. Israel truly has become a light to the nations!

As the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and on behalf of millions of Christians from around the world, we salute you! We consider it a privilege to stand at your side in love, support and in friendship! Chag Sameach and God bless Israel!