Author Archives: MichaelOrdman

Rare Jewish seal impression found in Jerusalem

A rare First Temple-era seal impression (bulla) bearing a Hebrew inscription was unearthed three weeks ago by the Temple Mount Sifting Project. It reads, “Yed[a‛]yah (son of) Asayahu.” Asayahu was a servant of King Josiah of Judah who found a … Continue reading

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What Bibi gave Donald

Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu presented President Donald Trump with two deeply symbolic gifts. The first was a mezuzah shaped like a B-2 stealth bomber, crafted from shrapnel from an Iranian missile. The second was a dollar bill, given to Rabbi … Continue reading

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UK newspaper “discovers” the Ark of the Covenant

The UK Daily Mail featured Israel’s archaeological discoveries at Shiloh – the site of the Biblical Tabernacle for hundreds of years after the Children of Israel first entered the Land of Israel. (You may need to temporarily disable your ad-blocker … Continue reading

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Matchmaking week

Tu B’Av, the 15th of Av, is the Jewish Day of Love (this year Aug 8/9). The Jewish Matchmaking Movement has been hosting an online global Matchmaking Week from Aug 4 to Aug 10. Many Israeli “Oct 8 Jews” are … Continue reading

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It must be something else

I’ve seen this before, but it’s certainly worth sharing. “There’s something about Israel that makes people uncomfortable”. https://jr.co.il/articles/something-about-israel.htm

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How startup philanthropy started

Israeli-American venture capitalist and social entrepreneur Yadin Kaufmann founded Tmura (see here previously) in 2002. Here he explains how he started the non-profit that startups donate some of their shares to.  Tmura later sells these – the proceeds benefiting many … Continue reading

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Empowering bereaved women

500+ Israeli women, all bereaved by acts of terrorism and war, gathered in Jerusalem for the annual Women’s Empowerment Symposium organized by OneFamily. The women shared their personal stories of loss, finding strength in community and learning to navigate their … Continue reading

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Haredi brigade receives berets at Western Wall

The first regular company of the IDF’s Hasmonean Brigade completed seven months of combat training, culminating in a “Beret March” to the Western Wall. The 50 ultra-Orthodox troops entered the Kotel Plaza blowing shofars and singing songs about the Jewish … Continue reading

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Improving media coverage

Six-time Emmy-nominated multimedia journalist Jacki Karsh and her husband Jeff in partnership with Jewish Federation Los Angeles, have launched the Karsh Journalism Fellowship – a first-of-its-kind program focused solely on improving media coverage of antisemitism, Jewish life and Israel. https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/shocked-by-poor-gaza-war-reporting-l-a-couple-launches-fellowship-to-improve-coverage-on-israel-jewish-life/ … Continue reading

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Bakery rehabilitated

Israel’s Tosha Bakery on the Lebanese border was rebuilding when last featured in this newsletter (see here previously). It is hard to believe the transformation now. The serene pastoral atmosphere, trays of home-made croissants and jugs of sugar-sweet freshly squeezed … Continue reading

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