Israel Active

Brad Chalupski’s 29th place at Lake Placid marked Team Israel’s entry into the World Championship bobsleigh and skeleton competition. Brad wore his newly-painted Magen David helmet proudly and was heralded on his first run by one of his fans with blasts on a shofar.

The leading Jazz bassist of the late 1960s disappeared for over 30 years before resurfacing in 2002. Interviewed prior to his performance at the Tel Aviv Jazz festival, Henry Grimes reveals what happened.

SXSW 2012 is an interactive technology, music and film show that takes place each March in Austin, Texas. Over a quarter of a million visitors attended SXSW 2011. This year at least 15 Israeli companies are exhibiting their innovations and dozens of Israeli bands will be performing. https://www.facebook.com/iMadeInIsrael

A great event to watch one of the finest hot-air balloon displays in Israel. It begins on 24th Feb in the Northern Negev. Also, please watch the video of last year’s event.

Dutch DJ sensation Afrojack will be giving a concert at the Bitan 1 club in Tel Aviv, Israel on March 16. Afrojack, whose full name is Nick van de Wall, was named as the seventh best DJ in the world in 2011, and he has performed around the world, winning a Grammy award along the way.

Alice Schlesinger all but secured her place in the 2012 London Olympic Games by winning the bronze medal at the Paris Grand Slam tournament. It will be Schlesinger’s second consecutive Olympic Games.

This new team is set to join the NASCAR racing league, a sport currently holding the number two spot in revenues and number of viewers (after football). The goal behind the new initiative: "Promote awareness of and support by Americans for Israel, the only true democracy in the Middle East."

Maccabi Tel Aviv became Israel's first volleyball team to reach a European quarterfinal after defeating Greek champion Olympiacos. Following defeat in Greece last week, the Israeli team won at home by 3 sets to 1 and then beat the Greeks 15-12 in the tiebreaker.

US-Israeli producer Arnon Milchan is to set up a content incubator in Israel. Milchan was the producer of several blockbuster movies including "Pretty Woman", "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" and "Free Willy”.

The international superstar has chosen Israel as the country to launch her 2012 world tour. Her first concert of the tour will be on May 31st at Ramat Gan Stadium. It will feature songs from her upcoming album MDNA. According to Haaretz, Madonna fans are begging Israel not to strike Iran until after the concert.