Israel Active

Jerusalem was recently transformed from Spring to Winter and then back to Spring. Two weeks ago, its almond trees (the symbol of Tu Bishvat - the Jewish New Year for Trees) were in full bloom. Then for less than a day, they were covered in deep snow. “Bless my homeland forever”.

Afternoon tea can be taken at several locations in Jerusalem, from high-end versions at Jerusalem’s Waldorf Astoria and King David hotels to a cozier option at Kumkum in Jerusalem’s Baka neighborhood. They include scones, pastries, sandwiches, and cakes, all elegantly served on porcelain china.

The National Library of Israel (NLI) has acquired 90 pages from Rabbi Yaakov ben Asher’s “Arba’ah Turim”. The 1492 Soncino edition is from the earliest period of Hebrew printing. No complete copies have survived, and these 90 pages cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

20-year-old downhill skier Sheina Vaspi will be Israel’s first and only competitor at the Winter Paralympics in Beijing, March 4-13. She is from a Lubavitch family in the Hula Valley and was the first Israeli to compete in the recent Para World Alpine Skiing Championships in Norway.

Children in Israel’s capital enjoyed a brief morning playing in 10 inches of snow that fell during storm Elpis. Even President Herzog and his wife joined in.

The Mayor of Israeli city Beit Shemesh is using Jewish artwork to unite the city’s diverse population. Exhibits in the lobby of the local municipality buildings include the works of local artist Naama Goldberg and her husband Asher, portraying Rabbis from almost every branch of Jewish culture.

Guitar Magazine has chosen an Israeli-manufactured guitar as their “Best Electric Guitar of the Year”. The Stinger is made by Macmull Custom Guitars in Ma’aleh Adumim, near Jerusalem.

The digitized archive of the Jerusalem Cinematheque now contains two sections. A pay-on-demand, “Artistic View,” contains 300 Israeli feature films. The free “Historical View” has every newsreel created in Israel from 1927 through 1972, plus home movies and family collections.

Mohamed Abu Arisha, a former player in the Israeli national basketball team, is the first Arab Israeli to play in Morocco's national top-level league. The 24-year-old forward signed a one-year contract with Morocco's Association Michlifen Ifrane Basketball, also known as AMI Basket.

Australian rock music duo Air Supply are returning to Israel for the 5th time, to perform two shows, on May 27 in Haifa and May 28 in Rishon Lezion. Also, rock legends Deep Purple, iconic pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, visit for the 6th time for a concert in Tel Aviv on May 22.