Israel Active

This is the title of an article by Mahdi Majid Abdullah, writing in “Elaph”, a pan-Arab newspaper based in the UK and Saudi Arabia. He begins “I regret with most remorse the daily hate I had of Israelis” and then includes a long list of Israel’s positive activities.

(Thanks to Haifa Diary) “Israel is my home and where my friends – Arabs & Jews – live. Israel is where I have rights and Israel is where my family lives. I’m proud to be Arab & Israeli.”

19-year-old Arab Christian Lina Mahoul from the northern town of Acre (Akko) won “The Voice Israel” television song contest with a touching version of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’. The three other finalists were all women and included a religious Jew, and an Ethiopian.

Jews living in Judea and Samaria had surplus bread that they needed to dispose of prior to the Passover holiday. Rather than burn it, they distributed them to needy Palestinian Arabs. It was the 3rd consecutive year that members of the Eretz Shalom movement sent this message of peace to their neighbors.

Due the number of wounded Syrians Israel has been treating, the IDF has set up a "military field hospital" in the Golan Heights. The hospital will treat injured Syrians near the border fence to avoid having to send serious cases on long journeys to hospitals inside Israel.

12-year old Aviva Krainess from Bet Shemesh lost most of her sight 5 years ago but never stopped dreaming of enjoying stories. Together with her father, they started Aviva Productions and Mind Theatre. It’s like a Hollywood movie where you create the pictures in your own mind.

(Originally in Ha’aretz) Pupils at the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium are perfecting a growth system for Spirulina, an algae that’s been dubbed the “superfood” because it contains 70% protein. The algae growing system was developed in Kibbutz Ein Shemer to wipe out malnutrition in Africa.

The theme of the Milan Fair is “Feeding the Planet – Energy for Life”. Expo’s CEO Giuseppe Sala said, "The outstanding innovative expertise of Israel in the field of technology for agriculture in arid areas undoubtedly represents a huge added value for the development of the Expo's theme".

(Thanks to Israel21C) Aged 26, Israel’s Amir Asor has just won this prestigious prize from Britain's Youth Business International non-profit organization. Using Lego models, he teaches children advanced engineering, physics and mathematical skills through guided play.

In Jerusalem, President Obama met Sa’id Haruf, one of 600 Arabs working for Intel Israel, who explained the Maantech program to him. Founded by Cisco CEO John Chambers, Maantech is a hi-tech “finishing school” that helps Israeli-Arabs become more integrated into Israel’s hi-tech scene. The US president then publicized Maantech when he gave a press conference in Ramallah.