Israel Active

Israeli judoka Gefen Primo, 19, won a gold medal in the under-52kg category of the International Judo Federation’s Montreal Grand Prix, becoming the youngest Israeli judoka ever to place first in her weight category.  Teammates Shira Rishoni and Timna Nelson-Levy both won bronze medals.

I reported previously that Jennifer Lopez would be performing in Hayarkon Park Tel Aviv on 1st Aug. Not only has that been confirmed, but her fiancé, former NY Yankees baseball star Alex Rodriguez, will accompany her on the tour and is so excited ahead of his first time in Israel.

The 10th International Live Statues Festival in the central Israeli city of Rehovot saw daily circus shows and more than 100 live statues. Performance artists from Britain, the Netherlands, Poland and other countries joined Israeli artists for the festival. Over 100,000 visitors were expected to attend.

De Karina Chocolate Boutique was established in the Golan Heights by Karina, who brought her passion and talent for chocolate from Argentina to Israel. The chocolatier offers breathtaking views of northern Israel, chocolate making workshops, and of course delicious chocolates.

New Israeli stamps issued in July include features on the Ketubah (marriage contract), cycling in Israel, tourism, the Hiriya (Ariel Sharon) recycling park and IAF planes.

Israel’s Hanoked Dairy won gold at the 2019 Mondial du Fromage in France for its Leshem sheep milk cheese. Hanoked also won silver for its Beit Hakerem goat milk cheese and helped set a Guinness World Record for the largest cheese platter/board exhibit.

Israeli equestrian show jumpers took a huge leap for the country by qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics - the first time that Israel has earned a place in the games in that sport. Four Israeli riders took first place at the Olympic Jumping Qualifier at Maxima Park in Moscow.

Israeli tennis star Dudi Sena won the Little Rock Open in Arkansas - his first tournament win in two years after recovering from a long-term injury. It moves him from 208 up to 160 in the world tennis professional rankings.

Brazilian music superstar Milton Nascimento performed at the Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv on 30th June. Nascimento is noted for his synthesis of Brazilian and international music styles, including samba, jazz, pop, and even heavy metal.

Legendary conductor Zubin Mehta is retiring from his post as music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. He will be honored at Tel Aviv’s “Philharmonic in the Park” concert on July 13, which he will conduct. A non-Jewish native of India, Mehta was named Honorary Citizen of Tel Aviv-Jaffa in 1986