Israel Active

I reported previously (21st May) on the new Steinhardt Museum of Natural History in Tel Aviv. Now the largest natural history museums in the Middle East is officially open. It estimated to attract 150,000 visitors annually to explore the environmental artifacts and cultural displays.

At the Judo Grand Prix in Zagreb, Israel’s Tal Flicker won gold in the under 66kg category. Or Sasson won silver in the over 100kg category.  There were also bronze medals for Israelis Baruch Shmailov (U66kg) and Tohar Butbul (U73kg). Israel finished 6th in the medal table.

Israel’s Liel Levitan, who just turned 7, won the Girls U7 category at the 2018 European Schools Chess Championships in Krakow, Poland. Liel is now eligible to compete in the World School Championship 2019 to be held in Tunisia.

The Jerusalem Development Authority (JDA) has launched a series of “iTravelJerusalem” services to make the city more accessible and convenient for tourists. A new Jerusalem City Pass entitles the holder to discounts on main attractions and includes a free bus ride from Ben Gurion airport.

Tel Aviv offers many bike pathways and is relatively flat, making it easy to enjoy a casual cruise along the beach and one of the best ways to see this dynamic city. Several bike-share companies offer 24-hour eco-friendly rental programs to grab a bike when needed and park it when finished.

I publicized previously (3rd Sep) this documentary of the 1970 attempt by 16 Jews to steal a plane and escape the Soviet Union. The film is going to be shown again on 29th July in Rishon Lezion.

The Jerusalem Season of Culture Festival (Mekudeshet) is an innovative art initiative from Aug 8 to Sep 4.  Events encompass music, art and extra-sensory experiences.

Don McLean was described as the “consummate professional” in presenting his master class of the Great American Songbook to a sell-out audience at the Ra’anana Amphitheater. Although everyone was ecstatic at American Pie and Vincent, the whole concert was pure rock & roll history.

The tenth annual Jerusalem Light Festival took place night in the Old City.  The streets were closed from 8pm to 11pm to accommodate tens of thousands of visitors. The light and music video projections were highlights this year. Illuminated inscriptions were in Hebrew, English and Arabic

The deep link between wearing sandals and being Israeli is the subject of a new exhibit at the Eretz Israel Museum. In 1961, archaeologists discovered 2,000-year-old sandals in a cave near the Dead Sea. Their resemblance to modern Israeli kibbutznik’s sandals, began a whole new fashion.