Israel Active

The IDF treats hundreds of Syrians wounded in the ongoing civil war in that country; Two of the women who treat them when they first arrive at the border - Sgt. Rotem Einav and 2nd Lt. Leshem Shirgaouker describe the wounded they've seen, and the thrill of saving a life.

Israeli developer and business guru Rami Levy is building the first Israeli-Palestinian Arab mall along the road between Jerusalem and Ramallah. His existing shopping centers and supermarkets in Judea and Samaria have become points of friendly interaction between Jews and Arabs.

Dozens of Druze women are opening home-based businesses, in embroidery and in Druze traditional cuisine. In some cases, the women are the sole breadwinners in the family.  Israel’s Tourism Ministry provides courses in entrepreneurship and helps with advertising.

“The Equalizer” is a national educational and sports organization that brings 2,300 children from 152 Israeli schools together through their love of soccer.  They include Muslims, Bedouins, Jewish immigrants, Druze, and even children of Eritrean refugees.

In 2003 non-profit organization Machshava Tova opened a tech room for low-income Ethiopian children in Jerusalem.  Today it has over 12 centers spanning the country, providing 30,000 children, teenagers, job seekers and special needs with computer literacy skills, irrespective of ethnicity.

Israel is due to open in October a new 40-mile rail line between Haifa and a terminal 5 miles short of the Jordanian border. Trade between Israel and Jordan increased 65% between 2010 and 2015 as trucks with European goods travel on to Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the Gulf.

Israel has delivered 13 drip irrigation systems from Israel’s Netafim to farmers in San Pedro, Paraguay.  It is part of the “Family Drip System” plan led by Paraguayan agronomist Edgar Figueredo, a graduate of Mashav - Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation.

Over 650 women attended the 7th annual Temech Conference for Israeli Female Entrepreneurs on Jun 28 in Jerusalem.  Parallel programs were offered in English and Hebrew.  Temech was started by Anglos but Hebrew speakers were in the majority this year.

The latest JNF newsletter contains many great features on JNF’s latest activities not only in the fields of water technology, but also in coexistence and diversity projects like support for Bedouin Arabs and “Baseball for All”.

Jerusalem’s municipality has given season tickets to all lone soldiers for the Kiryat Yovel sports center. Free pool, gym and studio classes like yoga and Pilates.