Just wondering how child orientated Israel is? Here in the UK I don't think that society is that child friendly. Certainly houses/flats are not built to accomodate those with children (very few have lifts etc). How easy do you find it to have kids in Israel and what are the good/bad points (especially asking any English ex-pats who now live in Israel).

I lived in Israel for 4 years recently.
I don't have kids, but from what I saw Israel is very child-friendly, certainly the most child-friendly place I've ever been.
First of all, most people have children in Israel - it is seemingly almost unacceptable not to have kids.
So it is sort of the norm, expected, that everyone does.

There are lots of day care centers, parks, other families with kids nearby (wherever you live), etc.

Also, Israelis tend to love kids, and will accomodate you and yours.
Kids generally feel safe there, playing alone outside, etc. Neighbors will look after your kids and you can look after theirs.
I think Israel is a great place for kids.

I've got relatives with a bunch of kids that live in a fifth floor walk up. I think this is fairly typical in certain areas and is not remotely child-friendly.

A mere 149,400 children were born last year

The number of children people have is not necessarily an indicator of whether a society is child-friendly or not. Japan is very child-friendly (perhaps to an extreme) but they have one of the lowest birth rates in the world (1.2 children per couple).  

Buildings aren't the only way of assessing whether a country is or is not child friendly. The UK has many more one-family houses with gardens which you would think made it child friendly and yet the Brits resent kids in public places such as restaurants, supermarkets. Child bearing age women are the lowest priority when recruiting. I don't know much about the job market in Israel but I do know that children are always welcome in restaurants etc. It's a shame so many large families live in apartments without access to outside space to play.

women are expected to work, but often have trouble advancing (especially if they're religious). lots of expectations that it's the women who will be making the sacrifices for the kids.

But compared to the UK, super child friendly. Not necessarily in terms of physical amenities, but people are used to children and expect them to be everywhere.

Israel is extremely child-friendly. Even child-centric. The best years to live in Israel are 1-18. The hospital does not let you take your baby out till they teach you the basics. Then the baby is registered in Tipat-Chalav which gives children shots, checks their weight and height etc. etc. The number of parks, playgrounds, after-school activities, chugim, youth groups, is not only greater than in the U.S., it is a whole different lifestyle. (One caveat - Israelis think that it is O.K. to let their dogs make in the sand-box in the playground; children then get worms and worse. I don't understand that).

The best proof is that children walk the streets safely at all hours; on Friday night, children walk home in the dark at hours that would land the parents in prison in the U.S.

I would imagine toilet training in Israel is fairly simple. Just send 'em out to the street...

Ramat Shlomo for example was built for strollers with ramps just about everywhere.

The children in Israel are very rude and unfriendly. Little kids call me fat all the time :'(
I need not even mention their behavior at Kiddushes and other shul functions...

Wow, that is a helluva lot of babies for such a small country.