Israel Active

Israel’s Sesame Enable is giving away its specially-designed smartphone to those who have limited or no use of their hands. Co-sponsors of the initiative are Israel’s organization for the disabled Beit Issie Shapiro and Google. See and for previous newsletter features on Sesame Enable.

The OECD’s “Education at a Glance 2015” report shows Israel well above the OECD averages. Its high school dropout rate was just 14.6% compared to the OECD average of 24.7%. Israel is one of the few states to increase education spending during the global financial crisis. =

Liberia’s senate president Armah Zolu Jallah, is making the first visit to Israel by any head of his country’s parliament. He thanked Israel for its help in wiping out the fatal disease Ebola in Liberia. Israel sent mobile clinics and medical experts who trained Liberian medics.

Jerusalem scored 84.715 out of 100 to earn 11th place in Conde Nast Traveler’s “Best Cities of the World”. The cities were selected from the 128,000 comments of Conde Nast readers.

Israeli brewery Herzl Beer of Jerusalem has been chosen to make a joint Israeli-German beer to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reinheitsgebot, Germany's and perhaps the world's first beer purity law. The new brew will be introduced at the Munich Jewish Museum in April 2016.

In 1967, only four of the 706 Arab towns captured by Israel had running water. Today, Israel supplies clean water to 96% of Palestinian Authority Arabs. In thirsty parts of the Islamic world there may be a chance that Israel could now trade “water for peace”. Hope springs eternal.

Israeli nonprofit Fair Planet, is giving smallholder Ethiopian farmers access to cutting-edge seed technology and showing them how to get the most from these seeds with minimal changes to their traditional practices. The farmers can increase their productivity five times and income up to eight times.

The Art Club, organized by the Machol Shalem Dance House and funded by the Jerusalem Foundation, brings together East and West Jerusalem teens (aged 13-15), to create art and break down barriers.

A merchant from Gaza suffered a heart attack at the Erez crossing into Israel. An Israeli customs officer, who had paramedic training previously, began resuscitation using a defibrillator. Magen David Adom paramedics transported the Gazan to hospital where he underwent catheterization and regained consciousness.

4.500 Israeli Arabs volunteered for National Service in 2015 – an increase of 13% on 2014. Israeli Arabs are not drafted, but can volunteer for the IDF, or can serve the State by doing National Service. By doing so, they receive rights and benefits similar to those of IDF soldiers.