Israel Active

The Kitchen is the first FoodTech incubator in Israel, established by the Strauss-Group food company and backed by the Innovation Authority. Its goal is help Israeli FoodTech startups flourish and make the global food market more productive, affordable, sustainable, and healthier. (see Ourcrowd video)

Some 200 Israeli entrepreneurs will take part in the annual Spark Hackathon in Tel Aviv, producing workable solutions for challenges in education, remembrance, and quality of life for Holocaust survivors. They will be supported by mentors from Microsoft, EY and NICE Systems.

Watergen, the Israeli startup that produces clean water out of air, has donated a GEN-350 mobile generator to provide water for over 120 children at an orphanage in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. The city experiences serious water shortages and was recently without drinking water for almost two days.

Israel’s very “special” Shalva band were unable to represent Israel at Eurovision due to the competition’s requirement to rehearse on Shabbat. But their performance of “A million dreams” during a break in the semi-finals was inspirational. And two Israeli TV channels catered to visually impaired.

SignTalk Foundation, a U.S.-based non-profit that promotes, fosters and advances public awareness of the deaf community, launched its online social network, SignTalkers, in Israel. New York-based deaf performer Douglas Ridloffv presented workshops and performances around Israel.

The annual International Festival of Classical and Andalusian Arabic Music is held in the Crusader fortress in Old Acre (Akko) and throughout the city. The opening night of the Arabesque festival features the Firqat El Nour orchestra of Arab and ultra-orthodox Jewish musicians.

Israel came in sixth in the InterNations report of the best places in the world for Digital Life Abroad. Based on the latest Expat Insider survey, Israel rated 3rd for unrestricted access to online services (e.g. social media) and ease of getting a local mobile phone number.

A new 2,200 sqm terminal is set to open in 2020 at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion airport. It will cater to the 80,000+ families traveling with pets annually.

Injured former UK service personnel and their families are shortly to participate in a 5-day Veteran Games event in Tel Aviv, to celebrate the vital roles sports and family play in rehabilitation. The initiative will include a conference on PTSD and mental health.

200 volunteers plus 19 wounded soldiers spent three days at the ReStart/TOM Make-a-thon in Tel Aviv.  They developed non-patented devices to alleviate injuries for specific individuals that can then be mass-produced to help millions globally with similar injuries.