Israel Active

US actor Kevin Spacey recently made a surprise trip to Israel. He visited the Gaza border communities, spoke to lone soldiers, and held a two-hour acting masterclass in Tel Aviv. He also met Knesset speaker Amir Ohana and visited wounded Israeli soldiers at Sheba Medical Center.

Netflix has purchased the award-winning Israeli comedy series “Six Zeros,” the first season of which aired in 2023 on Israel’s public broadcasting network, Kan 11. The TV show explores what happens when people win millions in a lottery and how it changes their life.

The 3rd season of the award-winning Israeli spy thriller “Tehran” premiers on Dec 9 on Apple TV+ and Israel’s Kan public broadcaster. British actor Hugh Laurie (ex-House) joins the cast, as the series continues to explore the complex personal journey of Tamar Rabinyan, an Iranian-Jewish Mossad agent.

A 16th century (Ming Dynasty) bowl has been unearthed in an archeological dig on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. It contains the earliest Chinese inscription found in Israel. It translates as “Forever we will guard the eternal spring” and probably was brought from China by the Ottomans.

Sam Halaby, a young Israeli Druze artist from Daliyat al-Karmel, has stunned the art world with The House of Colors, a multidimensional art project transforming his childhood home into a living masterpiece. The video of his vibrantly colored house has had 90 million views.

Israeli chef (and former IDF officer) Gilad Peled has just received a second Michelin star for his Colonnade restaurant at Switzerland’s Mandarin Oriental hotel. Gilad previously ran Gordon Ramsay's Le Pressoir d'Argent restaurant in Bordeaux, where he also won two Michelin stars.

Israeli wheelchair dancer Tomer Margalit and her partner Orel Chalaf won the Combi Freestyle Class 1 event at the Para Dance Sport European Championship in Prague. They danced to Israel's Eurovision song 'Hurricane' and dedicated their routine for the return of the hostages.  (from an earlier event)

When Ireland played Israel in the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket qualifiers in Riga in February (see ) the Irish players refused to shake hands with the Israelis who won 87-57. When the teams met again in Riga in November, the Irish players did shake hands. Israel still trounced them: 90-61.

The ADL’s annual “In Concert Against Hate,” in Washington, DC included performances by Israeli singer Eden Golan of her original song “October Rain,” and by Australia’s Sia, of Titanium”. Sia dedicated her performance to the Nova festival survivors of the Oct 7 Hamas-led terrorist attack.

Israel’s soccer team finished its UEFA Nations League campaign with a respectable 0-0 draw against France and a stunning 1-0 win against Belgium (world number 6). The goal was scored in the 86th minute by Yarden Shua (Israeli Jew) assisted by Dia Saba (Israeli Muslim).