Israel Active

Eurovision artists from 28 different countries visited Israel to perform their original songs live for Israeli fans as a part of Israel Calling 2017. The participants also toured Jerusalem's must-see cultural and religious sites. See other links to Israel’s entry “I Feel Alive” with Imri Ziv.

Upcoming concerts this month include Aerosmith, Paul Young and Jose Gonzales.

For Israel’s 69th birthday on 2nd May, 69 heritage sites will be open for free.  You can also visit four Air Force bases or watch the annual fly-past of 30 planes from 40 cities.  Beaches, barbecues, concerts – see here for details.

The European Judo Union has selected Israel as the host of the 2018 European Judo Championships. The success of the under-23 championships in Tel Aviv in November convinced the EJU to hand Israel the right to organize Europe’s most prestigious competition.

Israel’s Alex Shatilov won the bronze medal in the European Men's Gymnastics Championship held in Romania. It is the seventh European medal for Shatilov. 20-year-old Israeli Artem Dolgopyat also qualified for the finals and finished fourth.

I wrote previously about proud Israeli soccer star Tomer Hemed.  He and Muslim Israeli-Arab team-mate Beram Kayal helped Brighton & Hove Albion win promotion to the English Premier League. Tomer was interviewed by the BBC, which didn’t mention that he is Israeli.

Over 30,000 runners ran in the Jerusalem Marathon on Mar 17. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat spoke about the event and the 50th anniversary of re-unification.

Just over 1 hour away from Jerusalem, the Dead Sea is the lowest place on the Earth’s surface.  Magnificent in its beauty, rich in minerals, and beckoning to all who love the wonders of mother nature.

(Originally in Washington Post, but no longer available.) Iranian rock musician Shahin Najafi sang alongside Israeli rock star Aviv Geffen at a concert in Tel Aviv - the first performance by an Iranian artist at an Israeli rock concert.

Jerusalem’s Tower of David Museum is hosting a new series of tours in English exploring the architecture of the city. The next tour on May 26 focuses on how the architecture of the city changed after the Six Day War, as euphoric construction began in the re-unified city.