First Haredi woman minister
Omer Yankelevich is the first Haredi (Ultra-Orthodox) woman to become an Israeli government minister - of diaspora affairs. She was educated in Haredi schools in both Gateshead (UK) and Bnei Brak. She has a BA degree from Cambridge (UK) and a Masters, in law, from Bar Ilan University.
First Ethiopian-Israeli woman minister
Pnina Tamanu-Shata is the first Israeli woman of Ethiopian origin to become an Israeli government minister - of immigration absorption. She came to Israel in Operation Moses in 1984 when she was three years old. Benny Gantz was one of the commanders of the operation.
Aid for every continent
Israeli humanitarian aid nonprofits SmartAID and IsraAID work with local partners to supply Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to health centers in Puerto Rico and Haiti and to five hospitals in Sydney, Australia. They also sent aid to Iraq, Vanuatu, Guatemala, Mozambique, Germany and the Bahamas.
Ramadan in Israel
In the Jewish State, Muslims celebrate Ramadan freely. The initiative “Ramadan Nights from Jerusalem.” includes virtual events in Arabic, Hebrew and English. There is a Holy City virtual tour on the Tower of David Museum website and virtual lectures at Israel’s National Library and Museum of Islamic Art.
From soccer to seniors
As soccer matches have been suspended, the players, managers and fans of Beitar Millennium Jerusalem Football Club are teaching digital skills to isolated seniors. It is one of the “Sympathy for Older Persons” projects of the National Digital Israel Initiative of the Ministry of Social Equality.
Israel to give $60 million to fight coronavirus
The EU hosted a conference of national leaders including Israel, the UK, Japan, France, Germany, Canada, Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the UN. Their aim is to fight the coronavirus outbreak. Israeli PM Netanyahu made a speech, pledging $60 million to the initiative.
Israelis raise money for US medical workers
An Israeli-American Council’s (IAC) virtual concert raised $325,000 for protective equipment (PPE) and food for health-care workers on the frontlines of the US COVID-19 pandemic. The event featured Israelis Idan Raichel, David Broza, Rotem Cohen, Shlomi Shabat, and others.
Food and PPE for Ecuador
The Israeli Government has donated food for 1,000 families in Ecuador and personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical personnel faced with the health emergency of COVID-19 in public hospitals.
Helping pilots escape coronavirus
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) hosted a virtual forum for global air force commanders, on how to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendees came from Italy, the United States, Belgium, the UK, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Greece, Norway, Spain, France, Cyprus and Croatia.
Global media goes into reverse
Israel’s Department of Public Diplomacy reports that coverage of Israel in the global media has recently undergone a transformation. Israel’s efforts to control coronavirus were initially criticized. Now, its virus control success, rescue of citizens and interfaith cooperation are being highly praised.