Israel Active

American pop star Justin Timberlake rocked tens of thousands of fans in Park Hayarkon during his first-ever Israel concert. Before the event he prayed at the Western Wall in Jerusalem - the photo posted on his facebook site received over 250,000 likes.

"Paris on the Water," by Tel Aviv University master's student Hadas Ayalon, is one of three winners in the foreign film category of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' 41st Student Academy Awards competition. The award will be presented on 7 June in Los Angeles.

Ronnie Wood, guitarist for The Rolling Stones, revealed that Bob Dylan put the idea in the Stones' circle to include Israel as a tour stop. “He said he loved it there," said Wood. "I said, we've never been there, so we'll have to go play there one day, so there you go.”

Israel’s Zohar Sharon won the ISPS HANDA World Blind Golf Championship title for a fifth consecutive time, in Port Stephens, New South Wales, Australia. Sharon lost his sight during his IDF service and caddie Shimshon Levi tells him exactly what shot is required.

The annual Light in Jerusalem Festival Jun 11-19 is free to the public. Highlights for 2014 include four light trails to follow; Light body designers and amazing street performers; 17-meter high light towers. The two videos below are of last year’s event.

(Thanks to www.Janglo.net) The Israel Festival (May 29 - Jun 20) is hosting free jazz and street theatre performances at the First (railway) Station in Jerusalem. Events also take place at Sultan’s Pool, the Israel Museum, the Jerusalem Theater and the Convention Center.

Top musicians in Israel this summer include Justin Timberlake, The Prodigy, The Rolling Stones, Passenger, Pixies & The Hives, Neil Young, Backstreet Boys, America and Lana Del Rey.

What was deemed as impossible just a few months ago became a reality on Sunday night, with Maccabi Tel Aviv recording a stunning 98-86 overtime victory over Real Madrid in Milan to claim a sixth European basketball championship title in club history.

One of the most successful pop/ rock bands of the 1970s – America – is going to make its Israel debut on August 7 at the Ra’anana Amphipark. Original members Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell still perform their hit “Horse with No Name” and in 2007 made a new album “Here and Now”.

Basketball star Amar’e Stoudemire is hosting a sports camp in Israel this summer. Stoudemire reconnected with his Jewish roots in recent years. He has married under a chuppah, made pilgrimage to Israel, met Shimon Peres, and applied for dual Israeli citizenship.