Israel Active

Israeli swimmer Jonathan Koplev won gold and Guy Barnea won bronze in the 50 meters backstroke at the Euro 2012 European Swimming Championships. Meanwhile, Israeli swimmer Yakov Toumarkin captured the bronze medal in the men’s 100-meter backstroke.

Israel is hosting several United States television stars as part of an initiative to show the world the real Israel. They include Omar Epps (House); Mekhi Phifer (formerly on ER); Holly Robinson Peete (21 Jump Street); Anna Lynne McCord (Nip/Tuck) and Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds).

Morrissey will give a concert at Tel Aviv’s Bitan 1 club on July 21st 2012. He last performed in 2008. Morrissey was the lead singer of 1980?s group, The Smiths and has since had a successful 25-year solo career.

In the 50th year of diplomatic relations between Israel and South Korea, Jerusalem audiences will soon be treated to a unique Korean cultural and musical experience in the comedic stage show NANTA. Kitchen items are turned into percussion instruments to prepare for a wedding banquet.

The 51st Israel Festival (May 23 to June 14) in Jerusalem features 31 different events in dance, theatre, jazz, classical, Israeli and world music. Twelve countries, including Japan, the Czech Republic and China are sending some of their best acts to the event.

The annual Fresh Paint Tel Aviv Art Fair hosts 30,000 visitors each year and presents works by leading contemporary galleries and independent artists, making it one of Israel’s largest and most influential contemporary art events.

Ooo – another rare, positive article about Israel in the New York Times.

Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli will play a sly seductress in a new movie called “Kidon” about the 2010 assassination of a Hamas terrorist in Dubai. Rafaeli told reporters, “I would love to be in the Mossad and maybe I am. Who knows? I think that being a famous model is the best cover.”

I know some of you love the Israeli youtube film clips I post. The first was produced by a non-Israeli company to advertise a film channel. The second is an Israeli response. Enjoy!

Andy Ram and Yoni Erlich won their 15th career title together and their first in 2012 with a 4-6, 6-2, 10-6 win over Martin Emmrich and Andreas Siljestrom in the final of the Serbia Open tennis tournament in Belgrade on Sunday.