Israel Active

In the biannual report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Israel was rated third in quality of life among advanced nations, after Japan and Switzerland. The report also praised Israel’s high employment and high economic growth.

A report published by US News & World Report listed Israel as the 8th most powerful country in the world. A country's power was categorized in terms of being a leader, being economically influential, politically influential, having strong international alliances and a strong military.

Jerusalem’s Fire Service is distributing smoke detectors to large families, the elderly and Holocaust survivors in the city. 3,000 detectors will be installed nationally. The costs have been donated by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta came to Israel for a 3-day state visit - the first such visit by a Kenyan president to the Jewish State since 1994. The visit focused on economic and security cooperation. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said “Israel is coming back to Africa, and Africa is returning to Israel.

Egypt’s new ambassador to Israel, Hazem Khairat, told Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin that he was very happy and very proud to be in Israel and that he hoped for a situation in which the friendship between Jews and Arabs will be such that they can live in peace. And in a first, a new Egyptian schoolbook teaches about the peace treaty with Israel.  

Israel’s Lirom Global Education offers foreign students graduate courses in a variety of fields - far cheaper than a US degree. Eg, a 3.5 year bi-lingual bachelor of law degree (LLB), that qualifies students to practice law internationally, at the age of only 22.

In mid-March, Israel will host over 30 international scientists at a 4-day meeting of the Technical Committee of the AEWA (Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds). The meeting is a vital stage in the implementation of this UN treaty.

The JNF is presenting the first ever California-Israel Water Summit in Beverly Hills on March 2nd. Political and policy leaders, utility officials, investment executives, labor, business, and environmental leaders will discuss the future security of California’s water supply.

A recent edition of the AJC Live radio show focused on Israel's humanitarian work around the globe being carried out by IsraAid, which is supported by AJC. AJC Live interviewed Shachar Zahavi, the Founder of IsraAid. Here is the link to the show:

In 2015, some 13,000 trucks laden with products from Turkey and Bulgaria passed through Israel on their way to Arab states - an increase of more than 25% on 2014. An additional shipping line is to be added next month between Turkey and Israel, which will add another 150 trucks a month.