Israel Active

A giant lion-shaped playground, the largest of its kind in Israel and worldwide, has opened at Ashkelon’s Eco Park. The 13-meter high installation, covering 0.4 acres, was built by Israeli company Elu Et Nitzan. It has a central tower, tunnels, slides, swings, sensory sections, and much more.

King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo of South Africa’s AbaThembu Kingdom led a delegation to Israel including Princess Ntando, Prince Sinethemba, and other Chiefs and royal family members. They will meet ex-hostages & visit communities invaded by Gaza terrorists.

IAC Summit. Jan 15-17 is the date for the 10th IAC National Summit – the biggest pro-Israel summit in the US. Nearly 100 speakers include Dr Miriam Adelson, Haim Saban, Rabbi Doron Perez, Prof․ Eugene Kontorovich, Tony Gelbart (Nefesh b’Nefesh), and Gen Amir Avivi (IDSF).

Israel rose 2 places to 23rd in the 2025 Global Talent Competitive Index from the INSEAD business school and Portulans Institute for Research.  It scored high for R&D, retaining talent, and leadership. Political instability prevented a higher rating, as surprisingly did tolerance to immigrants!

At the opening of Ecuador’s new Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Jerusalem, Foreign Minister Sa’ar said that the South American country, under President Daniel Noboa’s leadership, “is among Israel’s greatest friends in Latin America and the world.” (see also in Science & Tech) .

In last week’s newsletter I wrote “Avera Manfisto - a 5-years hostage of Hamas”. It should have read Avera Mengistu – 10 years and 5 months hostage of Hamas.  Apologies for my wrongdoing (In Hebrew = Averah!)

President Herzog welcomed Imams and Muslim community leaders from Senegal, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, and Togo to Jerusalem. The delegation came to promote a message of peace, coexistence, and partnership between Muslims and Jews, and between Africa and Israel.

The Jordan Gateway Project would entail building a joint Israeli-Jordanian cross-border industrial park on a key node in the future India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). The park would include a hospital servicing seriously ill Jordanian patients.

Hundreds of Syrian Druze marched through Sweida - where radical Islamic terrorists once left a trail of slaughter - raising Israeli flags and photos of Israel’s Prime Minister. They were honoring the Jewish State, whose field hospitals and humanitarian aid helped their community survive.

The annual Eastern Jerusalem United Hatzalah event brought Arab and Jewish medics together, united by one mission: to save lives.