Israel Active

The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs has signed an historic agreement with the Derasat Institute of Bahrain to set up a network of research institutes in the Gulf region and elsewhere. Also, Bahrain’s senior foreign ministry diplomat made a first visit to the IDF to discuss strengthening security ties.

In December, Awad Suleiman (see previously) became the first member of Israel’s Druze minority to be promoted to the rank of Colonel in the Israeli Air Force. He has now taken command of his new unit. His commander said Awad would be an inspiration for many to follow him.

The developers of Israel’s dog-walking app Dogiz (see previously) have launched a social-impact project called Walking Together. They work with several NGO's and the IDF to offer training and paid dog-walking work to adults (e.g., with severe autism) who cannot find employment.

A record 320 female recruits have begun their training for Israel’s Border Police, which for the first time will have a majority of female officers. Currently only one place is available for every 10 wishing to join the Border Police, so two new units are to be setup.

Tali Shem Tov of Israeli digital IT Services company Speedvalue is the only woman CEO of a hi-tech, traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. She was previously CEO of Qualitest (see ) until it was acquired by Bridgepoint VC for $420 million.

Reda Masarwa, from the Israeli city of Taybeh, has been promoted to Vice President at Intel Israel – the company’s first Arab VP. During his 24 years at Intel, Reda managed the construction of Intel’s chip plants, heading a team of 150 Intel engineers and over 2,000 external engineers.

Israeli surgeons at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital restored the sight of a toddler from Gaza, suffering from a malignant tumor that covered half her eye. The treatment took several months and included chemotherapy plus an innovative procedure using a direct, precise injection into the eye.

After nine months of rehabilitation at Israel's Sea Turtle Rescue Center, Stitch the loggerhead sea turtle has been released back to the Mediterranean Sea. Fishermen found her off Israel's coast in December with a fishing hook lodged in her mouth that had caused her lungs to fill up with water.

The Israeli Defense Forces’ National Rescue Unit recovered 81 of the 97 victims from the Champlain Towers South condo collapse site in Surfside, Miami. The IDF team used experience and hi-tech to search the rubble and worked with families to identify where to find their relatives.

Non-Jewish US youths, including African Americans from Brooklyn and Harlem, joined Israeli Jews and Arabs on Givat Haviva’s “Horizon” program - an international summer camp with a difference.