Israel Active

Israel’s Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) held a 3-day make-a-thon - a unique marathon in Tel Aviv, geared to producing affordable and cutting-edge products that will significantly improve the lives of people living with disabilities.

When Marshall Islands President Christopher Loeak appealed to Israel for assistance with their acute water shortage, Israel’s Foreign Ministry called in Israel’s G.A.L. Water Technologies. G.A.L supplied the islanders with a GalMobile that purifies enough water for 6,500 people.

Yona and her son Tomer aged 3, live in Kiryat Gat, a small town in Israel's Negev. Tomer was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome in 2014. Watch the video to discover how the JNF UK funded Marianne's Early Childhood Center has given Tomer and Yona the support they need.

Israeli cancer charity Zichron Menachem took some 100 young cancer patients on a special 3-day camp in the Galilee. They took part in ice-skating, bowling, paint balling, sailing, rafting, jeep tours and a helicopter flight. It also gave their parents a well-deserved rest.

In between defending the Jewish State, Israel’s Defense Forces are embarking on several ecological projects. They include repairing the Tel Kadesh archeological site, turning the Army Radio building into a habitat for indigenous animals and plants, and restoring the swallows to the IDF's Tel Aviv base.

I featured Maccabi Haifa-Nahalal’s youth football academy , with its Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Circassian players. Here is a video of Wiam - the team’s talented 13-year-old forward. Please listen to / read what his father says.

R Gopalakrishnan is a non-Executive Director of Indian giant Tata. He was previously Chairman of Unilever Arabia, in Jeddah. He also understands how important to Israel’s success are the terms “Rosh Gadol, Chutzpah and Bitzua. Read his translations here.

Tarek Abu-Hamed, of Sur Baher in East Jerusalem, was named as deputy chief scientist of Israel’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Space. He will be responsible for overseeing national scientific infrastructure, state intellectual property and taxation of academic institutions.

Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center delivered 22,030 babies in 2014 - probably the largest number in the world. Together with Yad Sarah and a nearby taxi company have for the first time arranged for the free lending of infant car seats to parents to get the babies home safely.

In my I reported that 18-month old Iraqi Christian Maryam Mansour had arrived at Israel’s Hadassah hospital for heart surgery, but her survival chances were slim. Well the good news is that the 8-hour operation was successful and Maryam should make a full recovery.