Sixty-nine years ago, on May 14, 1948, nobody could have imagined what Israel would look like today. A thriving democracy of eight million people with a significant number of citizens from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia would have seemed unthinkable. A “Start-Up Nation” with more companies traded on the stock exchange than any foreign country other than China would have been unimaginable. Energy and water independence was beyond a dream. Most significantly, a strong, secure, self-reliant State with the ability to protect its population for itself and by itself. While all of these statements are taken for granted as normal by my peers, they are all seemingly miraculous to those who experienced firsthand the birth of the State of Israel.
Based on the fact set of the past 69 years how can anybody make any type of prognostication as to what Israel will look like in the year 2086?
With all of the achievements of the past, numerous challenges remain that will shape the future of Israel. Will there continue to be waves of immigration and if so from where will they come? Will and how will the Haredi community be integrated into the mainstream of Israeli society? Will the areas outside of the Tel Aviv to Jerusalem corridor be developed and how? Will Israel be recognized by its neighbors in the Middle East? And of course what will the geography of Israel look like and specifically what will be the status of the West Bank?
As a 16 year old who is about to embark on her third trip to Israel, I am not prepared to forecast the future, but am excited to continue to learn and maybe even influence the future.