Israel Active

AOL has bought the format for Israeli docu-series “Mechubar” (Hebrew for “Connected”) for adapting and broadcasting in the US. Five participants are given TV cameras to film their own lives for the audiences. The format has already been sold to Finland, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Ukraine, Estonia and Ireland. It is the first time AOL has bought a long format produced outside of the US.

Israel will be the center of attention at the Cannes MIPTV event starting on April 7. In its “Focus on Israel” series of lectures and screenings, the world’s top television industry executives will learn how such a tiny country has emerged as a silver screen powerhouse.

Sarah Avraham (20), of Kiryat Arba in Judea, won the Woman’s World Thai-Boxing (Muay Thai) Championship in Thailand. Sarah was born in Mumbai and converted to Judaism in 2008. She immigrated to Israel following the attack on the Mumbai Chabad House.

Israel Opera’s ambitious 30th anniversary program features seven operas, two Masada events and 10 dance concerts. Operas include Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville”, Verdi’s “Nabucco” and a new Israeli opera “The Lady and the Peddler”.

Design lovers can now use the Internet to preview some of Tel Aviv’s largest collection of Bauhaus architecture in the world. Artist Avner Gicelter has produced a series of colorful graphics that illustrate why Tel Aviv was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003.

(Thanks to Size Doesn’t Matter) Award winning actor and director Blair Underwood met with Mehereta Baruch, an Ethiopian Jewess who arrived in Israel aged 10 and is now Deputy Mayor of Tel-Aviv. He also toured a military base, Haifa’s Bahai Gardens and Rambam hospital.

It’s true! World renowned rock band The Rolling Stones confirmed that they will perform in Tel Aviv on June 4, as part of their “14 On Fire” world tour. Ticket sales for the Park Hayarkon begin Sunday, March 30 at 9 a.m.

One of the Jerusalem Marathon participants was partially paralyzed Raz Ruterman who raised funds and awareness for the NGO LOTEM – Making Nature Accessible. Raz serves as a tour guide for the inclusive trail at Nahal Hashofet in the Megiddo region – one of the first accessible trails in Israel.

Israel is hosting an inaugural birding sporting event. Fourteen international teams of birders will participate in the “Champions of the Flyway” in Eilat to celebrate and raise awareness of bird migration. The winning team spots the most unique species in 24 hours.

The Prime Ministers of Israel and the Netherlands established the “Going Dutch” conference - an international conference on urban planning and cycling culture. It also featured an interactive bicycle exhibition entitled Free Wheel, with more than 100 historic bicycles on display.