Israel Active

Thousands of wild animals are accidentally killed on roads in Israel each year. The organization Safe Wildlife Crossings aims to restore wildlife populations by improving the connectivity for wildlife to traverse between habitats and reducing roadkill.

Israel’s Wix.com earned the 2024 Web Almanac report’s “Most Accessible Website Platform CMS” and “Best SEO Performer”. It noted Wix's strong performance in key accessibility metrics compared to industry peers. Accessibility features include tools, templates and presets.

A new study by Israeli researchers found that adults with Down Syndrome demonstrated higher cognitive performance compared to adolescents in many areas. It suggests the continued potential for learning and development into the mid-40s.

400+ North American young Jewish leaders participated in ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran’s third “Race for Inclusion,” a celebration of ability at every level. Gap-year and college students were joined at the Negev village finish line by ADI patients, and raised more than $23,000 for post-trauma treatments.

The Israeli government is to advance Hebrew language proficiency among Arabic speakers, with a budget allocation of NIS 744 million ($202 million). Its aims include to foster social integration, boost employment prospects, and reduce crime in Arab communities.  

A team of 15 Israeli medics have just completed their latest mission to Ethiopia where they treated nearly 1,000 patients, restoring sight to hundreds. They also restored the eyesight of over 500 blind people with cataracts, distributed canes to a school for the Blind, and spectacles to others.

The World Zionist Village in Beersheva was the focus of talks at the JNF-USA Global Conference for Israel (see previously).  Watch Col Richard Kemp as he revealed he met a British soldier who had been blown up in Afghanistan and was saved thanks to an Israeli-developed blood-clotting agent.

Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather donated $1 million to Israeli emergency NGO United Hatzalah (UH) at their Miami Gala. Floyd also gifted a UH logo-shaped diamond necklace to philanthropist Dr. Miriam Adelson, in recognition of her unwavering support for Israel. The event raised a total of $14 million.

Some 100 U.S. leaders met in the U.S. Capitol to celebrate the 4th anniversary of the Abraham Accords, signed in the fall of 2020, which initiated the normalization of Israeli relations with several Arab countries. There are 28 daily flights to the UAE from Tel Aviv. (See write-up of our recent trip.)

A group of former yeshivah students have completed a three-month training course (the sixth in 2024) to become certified members of the Israel Police. About 150 to 200 haredi men currently serve with another 50 slated to join a new police training course that begins in January.