Israel Active

Hundreds of journalists and social media personalities attended the recent 3-day Jewish Media Summit in Jerusalem. On day 2, 40 of them chose one of four options – a trek to Judea to hear about the project where Jews and Palestinian Arabs pick up trash together to “clean the hate”.

NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo inaugurated Jerusalem’s 9,290 sqm Sylvan Adams sports complex (the largest in the Middle East). It will be the venue for the 30 teams of Jewish, Muslim and Christian 11-to 13-year-olds playing in the Junior NBA Jerusalem International YMCA League.

When Russian-born Alex contracted leukemia, he contacted Ezer Mizion who found a 10-out-of-10 match on their bone-marrow database. Shlomo (like many Haredi students at Jerusalem’s Meir Yeshiva) had registered his DNA. 9 years later, they met - brothers in arms.

700 Israeli high schools in 12 cities participate in Rochvim Rachok (riding far) programs. Currently, 160 at-risk teens have changed their ways and joined Rochvim Rachok’s monthly bike trips.  They also learn bicycle maintenance at Netanya’s Wingate Institute.

Two Israeli charities are changing the lives of two hard-to-reach groups. SAHI (Sayeret Hessed Yihudit - Special Grace Unit) encourages at-risk teens to volunteer to distribute food to the poor. Yad Tamar (Tamar Fund International) helps cancer patients get economic and social entitlements. (terrific video)

Dr. Rashad Abusaleh, of Rambam Medical Center has been appointed by the International Union of Angiology (IUA) to be its International Youth Young Committee Vice Chairman. Dr. Abusaleh will represent Israel and Asia for the next three years.

Israel’s Innovation Authority (IIA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Research and Innovation. Each authority will allocate $5 million over five years to support R&D projects leading to solutions to technological challenges relevant for both nations.

I reported previously that Israeli diplomats were to receive training in technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship prior to going overseas. They are now being trained how to “talk tech”, show off Israel’s innovation and use it to promote the nation. About time too!

In 2010, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gabriela Shalev, said “Israel is the most isolated, lonely country in the world”.  But in the last eight years, the Jewish state has had extraordinary diplomatic breakthroughs in India, China, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa and the Gulf.

An online course at Bar-Ilan University, titled Biblical Archaeology: The Archaeology of Ancient Israel and Judah, has drawn more than 1,000 students from around the world, including from Pakistan, UAE and Oman, who have no ties to Israel.