European U20 basketball runners up
Israel’s Under-20 national basketball team took the silver medal in the finals of the European Championship in Greece. The team lost to France 89-79 in overtime, having beaten Germany in the quarterfinals and overwhelmed Belgium 67-46 in the semifinals.
Jerusalem hosts major athletics championships
The Israeli Athletics Association hosted the 2023 European Athletics Under-20 Championships at Jerusalem’s Givat Ram Stadium. Although Israel didn’t win any medals, the prestigious event attracted almost 2,000 athletes and officials from 48 countries.
Cycling legend tackles the Israel Trail
Four-time Tour de France champion, Chris Froome completed a two-day “eye-opening” cycling adventure on the Israel National Trail. Froome was amazed at “how diverse the country is in nature, in culture, it’s really just been such an energizing experience.”
Eilat’s first waterpark
The Waterland park in Eilat has opened its doors to the public after four years of construction and costing 110 million shekels. The 5-acre site has some of the world’s most innovative water attractions including the highest water tower in the Middle East at 24 meters.
Omelet sandwich jingle goes viral
“Omelette Bread in Netanya,” the song in an ad for a shop of the same name in the coastal city, has gone viral in Israel, racking up millions of views on TikTok and spawning hundreds of spin-offs, parodies, and restaurant review videos. It is being played at parties and weddings.
Take it slow
Israel’s new 30-room Slowness Hotel on a kibbutz in the Galilee is built around wellness and relaxation, with unique touches like no TVs or reception desk. It is modelled on the Beit Havra’a (Wellness House) which up to the 1980s gave Histadrut labor union members a free annual vacation and a place to relax.
Christina Aguilera loves Israel
Superstar Christina Aguilera wowed 14,000 fans in Rishon Lezion with a powerhouse performance, in her first visit to Israel. “My heart is so full seeing all of you and getting to see your beautiful country,” she said. Highlights were her duet with local star Eden Ben Zaken and her hit “Beautiful”.
Gold medal sprinter
Israeli sprinter Blessing Afrifa won the gold medal in the Men’s 200 meters at the U23 European Championships in Finland recently. Blessing previously won gold at the U20 World Championships in Aug 2022, which this editor missed by being on holiday, last year!
Para swimmer wins 4 gold medals
Israeli para-swimmer Ami Dadaon clinched four gold medals at the Allianz Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester. He won the men’s 200m freestyle, the 150m individual medley, the 50m freestyle and the 100m freestyle in which he broke the world record.
Neuroscientist wins Jewish literature prize
Israel’s Iddo Gefen, a neuroscience researcher and writer, won the $100,000 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature. His debut short-story collection Jerusalem Beach fuses the humor of everyday life in Israel with technology's challenges and the latest discoveries about the human brain.