Israel Active

13 senior police officials from the New York area returned to the U.S. after an intensive week in Israel designed to increase their counterterrorism training and understanding of antisemitism. They also visited the Nova music festival site and several kibbutzim.

The “Peace Team Garden” was inaugurated in Majdal Shams in memory of the 12 Druze children killed by a rocket fired by Hezbollah terrorists. The garden’s funders include pro-Israel Jerusalem-based Christian organization Bridges for Peace and Toronto-based One Free World International.

Foreign visitors arriving in Israel with valid student visas will now be able to enjoy a streamlined entry process. Upon scanning their passport at the automatic machines, they will receive a printed “VIP” slip and may proceed directly to the exit gates without stopping at the counter.

Israel Elwyn (see previously) has just opened a $7 million day center in Herzliya for people with disabilities aged 21 and over requiring constant comprehensive support. It is funded by the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, Bituach Leumi, and the Shalem Fund.

30 women leaders, from or with roots across the Middle East and North Africa, met in Tel Aviv for the inaugural Women Champions for Change summit. Israelis, Lebanese, Iranian, Tunisians, Saudis, Afghans, Moroccans, Emiratis, and Iraqis, discussed collaborating on social change.

Beit Issie Shapiro in Raanana has inaugurated Beit Raz, an inclusive early-childhood campus designed to integrate toddlers with and without disabilities from birth to age 3. And already, Beit Raz is to host professionals from UK Jewish children and families charity, Norwood – the UK’s oldest Jewish charity.

The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka, together with Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar, opened Fiji's embassy in Jerusalem - Israel's capital. Fiji joins the USA, Guatemala, Kosovo, Honduras, Papua New Guinea, and Paraguay. Argentina will hopefully be next.

12 Rwandan Muslim religious leaders arrived in Israel for a six-day visit. The group, including two women, toured the Al-Aqsa Mosque, an Israeli-Arab community, a Bedouin village, and the mixed Israeli city of Jaffa, as well as some of the sites devastated by Hamas on 7 Oct 2023.

Israeli NGO Tevel b’Tzedek (see previously) has developed a model for transforming village economies by comprehensively addressing their challenges. It improves access to water, seeds, fertilizer, agricultural knowledge, a way to store harvests and to bring them to market together.

The UK Ministry of Defence (who trained me in 1975) has banned training Israelis (see & ). In contrast, the United States and Israeli Air Forces are totally aligned. They recently concluded a weeklong strategic forum focused on strengthening operational cooperation and joint planning.