Israel Active

A salad with 99 ingredients (not including spices) broke the Israeli record at the 12th annual Israel Agriculture Summit. The Noi HaSadeh food chain provided the fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and herbs for the salad, displaying the strength of Israeli agriculture from the Galilee to the Negev.

18-year-old Gal Zuckerman won a gold medal in kiteboarding event at the Youth Sailing World Championships in Oman. She came first in every one of the competition’s 18 rounds. The Omani organizers treated the Israelis very well, but failed to play the Israeli anthem or raise its flag.

With the recent heavy precipitation from the Carmel Storm, sufficient snow (25cm) landed on Mount Hermon to enable the resort to be opened to Israeli skiers and sledding. In the first four hours of the site’s opening on Thursday, some 2,000 visitors arrived. And this week is the resort’s 50th anniversary.

Ex-pro American Israeli basketball player Tamir Goodman (“the Jewish Jordan”) has launched “Aviv” – a new sports-equipment innovation company. Its basketball nets dry the basketball from sweat and disinfects its surface every time the ball goes through the hoop.

Jacob Richman has created a website with links to dozens of regularly updated podcasts of Israeli news, technology, culture, entertainment and more. Visit

January events at Israel’s only dedicated theater for English speakers include 8th Jan Broadway with a Twist; 12th Jan Fun Innovation; 31st Jan Sorcerer’s Night.

One of the highlights in is the improved Sacher Park. The municipality has upgraded the infrastructure, improved accessibility, and is even adding Wi-Fi. New features include a unique playground, running trails, sports fields, security cameras and a dog garden.

Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko (see previously) won Israel’s first two World Swimming Championships gold medals in Abu Dhabi.  The 18-year-old won the women’s 50m breaststroke final and the women’s 100-meter medley final. Hear Hatikvah in the UAE.

Jacob has updated his website of Israeli stamps to include Waterfalls (Banyas, David, and En Avdat); Foot and mouth painting; Israel-Czech Republic Joint Issue; and “With Thanks to All Those Fighting COVID-19”.

The Six Senses hotel in Shaharut, near Ovda airport in the Negev, is the first hotel in Israel to receive the American Green Building Council approval for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). It also complies with the Israeli standard for green construction.