Currently in the United States, the health care debate has taken over our newspapers, our televisions, our day-to-day discussions and our Congress. In reanalyzing our own system of healthcare, many have turned to other countries, such as England or Canada, to bolster their health care arguments.  However, what is particularly interesting is that Israel, surrounded by nations lacking governmental infrastructures, has a completely socialized health care system. 
 
Israel's socialized system dates back to a pre-1948 era, during the British Mandate.  Groups referred to as HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations), otherwise known as Kupat Cholim in Hebrew, were established to provide healthcare for their members. Initially, these HMOs provided healthcare in exchange for a fee that members paid. However, the system slowly evolved to be more universal. 
 
Some of the issues that Israelis had with this old system of healthcare resonate with our own problems. Firstly, only 85% of Israelis belonged to an HMO, leaving a substantial portion of the country with no healthcare.  Additionally, three out of the four HMOs, much like our insurance companies here, would restrict the entrance of older and sicker members.  This left Israelis with health conditions no choice but to join the fourth HMO, Clalit.  Clalit, however, requires its members to belong to Hisdarut, the Labor party.
 
In response to the various problems Israelis faced when looking for healthcare, the Israeli government overhauled this old system of healthcare. On January 1, 1995 the Knesset established the National Health Insurance Act.  The law created a progressive health care tax on all citizens.  The money collected from this tax is distributed to the HMOs based on their membership.  The new law also ensures that Israelis can choose between any of the HMOs, regardless of their health situation or their political associations. The law also allows Israelis to switch HMOs once a year. Currently, the four national HMOs are Clalit, the largest, Meuhedet, Maccabi, and Leumit.
 
In addition to the national coverage that every tax-paying Israeli is entitled to receive, the HMOs also offer their members, for a fee, supplementary insurance, Bituach Mashlim. This insurance covers extra services and treatments that are not funded by the government.
 
Many critics of a public healthcare option in the United States say they are worried about a decrease in the quality of American health services.  However, in Israel, the quality of the services has been said to have improved since the 1995 law.  Unlike expectations here, competition in Israel rose with the increased socialization of healthcare. However, there are criticisms of the Israeli system. The main critique is that the addition of supplementary insurance offered by the HMOs proves that the national health coverage is not all-encompassing enough, and the supplementary insurance contradicts the goal of equality in the area of health insurance.  Additionally, many complain about the rising tax on wealthier Israelis.

After I came back from my year in Israel, I always lamented about how difficult it was to duplicate authentic Israeli cuisine in the States. To that end, I began to look for recipes that I could make here that would be comparable to those of my favorite food stands in Israel. Though I am still searching for a recipe for the perfect falafel balls, I have found ones for Israeli salad and chummus that are easy to make, and will almost make you feel like you are back in Mechane Yehudah (the shuk in Jerusalem):
 
Israeli Salad:
3 tomatoes, diced
3 cucumbers, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 scallions, diced
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
 
Mix together the dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and pour over the diced vegetables. 
 
Chummus:
4 garlic cloves, minced and then mashed
2 15-oz cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2/3 cup of tahini (roasted, not raw)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Pine nuts (toasted) and parsley (chopped) for garnish
 
In a food processor, combine the mashed garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, 1/2 cup water, and olive oil. Process until smooth. Add salt, starting at a half a teaspoon, to taste. Spoon into serving dish, and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley. Serve with crackers, raw dip vegetables such as carrots or celery, or with pita bread. You can cut the pita bread into thin triangles, brush with olive oil and toast for 10 minutes in a 400°F oven to make pita chips with which to serve the hummus.
Makes about 3 cups.