I am happy to share my story. I have lived in Israel 48 years counting my 1st year when I came on Sherut La'am in '65-'66. From the beginning, whenever I had health care needs they were taken care of by the Israel healthcare system. My anemia was properly treated enabling me to have children. Maternal and child health was marvelous! Hospitalization was covered. Child and adult immunizations were and are covered. As my children got older 2 of them developed mental illnesses. Thanks to our system, both of them are being treated. It allows them to work and be self supporting and pay taxes and have full lives. Two of my children have attended university. Again it is due to our government subsidizing higher education and making it affordable. They work part time and I have been able to swing the rest. My husband developed cancer in 1999. My only out of pocket expenses came to $35 a month. Even on my nurses' salary I could manage that and keep the family supported. Now I am retired. I became ill with Systemic Lupus Erythematosis 2 years ago. From the beginning from diagnosis to care I have been able to afford to buy medications and eat. The state provided me with a caretaker for 8 months of that first year until I could manage to take care of myself. There is always room for improvement in any system, but I am so grateful to be here in Israel and not in the US. I vote absentee in Texas, Federal offices only. I write my senators and representative all the time but needless to say they are Republicans and really do not care what happens to people. Still all the rest of my family is in Texas so I keep writing. Wishing all of you a Shana Tova u'metuka. Sincerely, Shoshana Katz