Irish dance troupe in Ariel
Nice to see entertainers from the Emerald Isle performing over the Green Line.
There’s more to sport than winning
As the national anthems were played prior to a friendly soccer match in the Ukraine, the Israelis shielded a group of children lined up in front of them on the field from the blistering cold and the rain. Israel lost the match 2-0, but won much support for their compassion.
But it’s great when you do
Yarden Gerbi, from Netanya, won the gold medal in the women’s under-63 kg class at the Judo World Championships in Rio de Janeiro. Yarden recorded ippons – judo’s knockout – in all five of her fights. When Hatikvah - Israel’s national anthem - began to play, Yarden burst into tears.
Where to cool down
Janglo has compiled a list of the top water parks in Israel. If you’re not on the beach, and/or you’re looking for something a bit different, try one of these amazing locations.
Tel Faher – now Israeli farmers can have peace
Here is a lovely short video from Shmuel, of Villa Rimona, featuring just one of the many thousands of Israel’s lesser-known historical sites.
Israeli paralympic gold
Israel’s Itzhak Mamistvalov won the 100-meter freestyle S1 race at the 2013 IPC World Paralympic Swimming Championships in Montreal, Canada. Itzhak has cerebral palsy and swims using only his right hand. Israel’s Inbal Pezaro won a silver medal in the women's 200-metre freestyle.
Shahar Pe’er wins Suzhou Open
Israeli tennis star Shahar Pe'er won her first tournament in four years, defeating unseeded Zheng Saisai 6:2, 2:6, 6:3 in the final of the Suzhou Ladies Open in Suzhou China. The win will move Pe’er back into the top 100 table of women tennis players.
“Tiny Dynamo”
Marcella Rosen has written a book (hardback and Kindle) described as “A fascinating collection of 21 stories detailing Israel's inventions that benefit all of mankind.” I look forward to reading it.
Israelis are world backgammon champions
(Thanks to Israel21c) A team of three Israelis in their seventies beat 32 other countries to win the Fortis World Team Backgammon Championships in Monaco. Team member Shimon Kagan said of the game, “You need to plan the next move, understand all the possibilities and theories.
The cycle of non-violence
The normally anti-Israel UK Independent newspaper has discovered that there is another side to Israel. “From vibrant Tel Aviv to the Negev Desert, Israel's network of bike tracks is growing.” It even publicizes how to travel there and the best places to stay.