Israel Active

Some 15 dolphins, including mothers and calves, gave an acrobatic display off the Israeli coast near Haifa. They performed for over an hour to a team of Haifa University marine scientists conducting an exploration project, 10 miles from the shore. It was the most exciting display ever seen by the scientists.

Beejhy Barhany was born in Ethiopia and grew up in Israel. She has opened Tsion Cafe - a kosher, vegan cafe in Harlem, New York. She describes it as a place of Pan-African love and Black Israeli pride.

University of Haifa archaeologists have uncovered a Byzantine-period (6th or 7th century CE) hoard of 97 pure gold coins and jewelry at Sussita National Park. They believe it was buried in fear of the Sasanian-Persian conquest. It includes a rare 610 CE tremissis (gold coin) of Emperor Heraclius.

Ashdod authorities recorded the the first documented sighting of a whale shark along Israel’s Mediterranean coast and only the third confirmed sighting in the entire Mediterranean. Whale sharks are occasionally seen in the Gulf of Eilat – this one is thought to have swum up the Suez Canal.

Israel finished 7th at the European Softball Championships. Israel placed 8th at the Women’s European U-18 Water Polo Championships. And Israel’s men’s U18 water polo team won the European Championship Division 1, having already secured promotion to the Elite tier.

The Israel Baseball National Team beat Switzerland 9-1 to reach the quarterfinals of the 2025 European Championship. Pitcher Justin Alintoff dedicated the victory to all the Israelis fighting in the war and those who have lost their lives. Israel finished 7th in the competition.

A pipe organ crafted some 1,000 years ago for Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity made music once more, as the instrument was unveiled at Jerusalem’s Terra Sancta Museum. It was hailed as the “oldest organ in Christendom.” It was rediscovered in 1906 during construction work.

The documentary “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue” has taken home the People’s Choice Award for best documentary at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). It chronicles retired Israeli General Noam Tibon’s daring rescue of his family during the Hamas invasion on 7 Oct 2023.

Israel’s Nimrod Ryeder (see previously) won two Jiu-Jitsu gold medals at the World Games in Chengdu, China. First in the Men’s under 77kg, and then the following day in the Men’s Open.

Readers may have read about attempts by Spanish thugs to disrupt riders from Israel Premier Tech during the recent Vuelta a España cycling tournament. Well they didn’t prevent IPT’s Matthew Riccitello from winning the White Jersey for best young rider. Matthew was also fifth overall.