Israel Active

Israeli windsurfer Shahar Zubari cruised to a gold medal in men’s RS:X at the Sailing World Cup in Qingdao, China. Israel’s Maayan Davidovich won bronze in the RS:X women’s division.

Israeli swimmer Amit Ivri finished second in the women's 100-meter individual medley at the FINA World Cup in Doha, Qatar. However, whereas all competitors had the flag of their country next to their names on TV, Ivri's was left white (blank) instead of the Israeli flag.

Israeli swimmer Amit Ivri broke her own record - and Israel's record – in her 200-meter individual medley heat at the FINA Swimming World Cup, being held in Dubai.

If you haven’t read the book “The Prime Ministers” by Yehuda Avner don’t worry – the film version opened in New York on Oct 18. I really enjoyed reading Ambassador Avner’s memoirs of Levi Eshkol, Golda Meir, Yitzhak Rabin and Menachem Begin. I can’t wait to see it in Israel.

It cost over 300,000 shekels, and is five times the size required by the team that uses it. But Netanya’s new soccer stadium looks magnificent. Now the Netanya council just needs to work out how it is going to pay for it!

The Alexander boutique brewery from Emek Hefer in central Israel has won a gold medal in the 2013 European Beer Star competition for its Alexander Black English-style porter beer. The competition included some 1,500 beers from 40 countries.

Israel’s new hi-tech TV show has been sold to French, German, Russian and now Scandinavian entertainment companies. Keshet’s singing competition allows home audiences to vote live for their favorite singers via a dedicated app, drawing them uniquely into the action on screen.

Remember the busking Rabbis in the Jerusalem mall that I featured in June? Well they have just become national celebrities by winning on the latest edition of Israeli TV’s “Rising Star” (see above). Amazing video. Who better to sing, “The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls.”

My friend Antithesis is exciting the airways, broadcasting Israeli and Jewish music twice weekly from Radio Station TLV1. Here is Thursday’s broadcast.

The Jewish State may have missed out on qualification for soccer’s World Cup, but they performed admirably in their penultimate match, away from home against the Portuguese favorites.