During my trips to the states, I enjoy seeing how much more expensive it would be for me to live there. The fruits and vegetables I live on here and that have helped me rid my body of 15 extra kilo (over 30 pounds) would be awfully expensive. The cost and complications of health insurance in America are also outrageous. For sure my university educated daughters would have graduated deeply in debt if they had attempted to get their degrees in the United States. A good Jewish education for five children would have had been a luxury there, too. And maybe there would have had been fewer kids if we hadn't taken the boat (Greek Lines, Anna Marie) to live our lives in Israel two months after our wedding...
So, I really can't stand the anti-Israeli Government campaign I hear on the news here all the time. They keep quoting all sorts of "studies" claiming that life here is more expensive than a host of other places. I don't agree. Most of the time they compare apples to pears or more like SuperSol prices from Israel to Costco.
Another distortion is what foods are chosen for the "sample basket." If you live on prepared foods and fancy breakfast cereals, yes, it would be cheaper in the states and many other places. But if you buy simple, natural foods and lots of fruits and vegetables in season, then it can easily be cheaper here in Israel.
An enormous difference is in health insurance. Americans don't expect health coverage from birth to death. Only some full-time workers can expect their employers to offer some sort of health insurance. Part-time workers there have no coverage, certainly nothing like the standard health insurance available to all Israelis whether working full-time, part-time or not at all. Most standard medications here in Israel are subsidized. The Tipat Chalav, Well-Baby Clinics are legendary for their excellent care here in Israel.
Just being logical, pragmatic, I consider my life here in Israel superior to anything I could have gotten any place else.
The Israeli media is brainwashing the public against the State of Israel
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