Israel Active

“The Gatekeepers,” a film by Israeli director Dror Moreh, was named best documentary Sunday by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. The film is an exploration of Israel’s Shin Bet security agency, guided by all six living domestic intelligence chiefs.

The Friends of the IDF dinner was a great success with a superb Grammy from award-winning singer Chaka Khan. Over $11 million was raised and many tributes were given to (and by) Israel’s brave soldiers.

Haifa’s Holiday of Holidays Festival is open to the wide public, free of charge - an event that appeals and attracts both Jewish and Arab population. Highlights include art exhibitions, a performance festival, a poetry festival, concerts, street performances, family workshops, tours and food.

Three years after an accident on the Yarkon River left her on a respirator, Jasmine Feingold won the 2,000-meter event at the Israeli Rowing Championships and now is working towards competing in the 2016 Olympics. She recovered after spending a year at the Loewenstein Rehabilitation Center in Ra’anana – one of the best such facilities in the Middle East if not the world.

Seven times Grammy award-winning singer Alanis Morissette refused to be bullied by anti-Israel hate mail. For those familiar with her signature song “Ironic” you may be amused that the Canadian-American’s concert at Tel Aviv’s Nokia Arena was sold-out and that the very next day - it rained!

(Thanks to Israel21c) Denver’s Mizel Museum of Jewish Art, Culture & History sponsored a special Keshet tour called “Israel, Art and the Jewish People”. It included Ein Hod artists village, the Holon Design museum and dance workshops and performances in Tel Aviv and Mitzpeh Ramon.

(Thanks to Israel Seen) The Sheinkin Street Party was an appropriately hip way to celebrate the completion of the renovations to the trendiest area of Tel Aviv.

Israel’s Funtactix won this year’s Variety Entertainment App Award for “The Hunger Games Adventures”. Funtactix won in the category Best Entertainment IP-based Mobile Game: Award recognizing the overall best mobile game tied to a TV or film franchise.

12 Israeli pilots flying six aircraft 422 meters below sea level have set a new Guinness World Record for a low formation flight. The record setting flight is unlikely ever to be broken, due to the unusually difficult conditions that go along with flying at low altitudes over the Dead Sea.

The Michelin Guide awarded two stars to Moshik Roth’s new restaurant, named “&samhoud Places”. Roth was the first Israeli chef to ever receive a Michelin ranking, when his previous venture won a star in 2005 and a second star in 2009. (The video is in Dutch)