Israel Active

Ronit Harpaz is nearing completion of her bachelor's degree in psychology and sociology. What makes her story exceptional is not that she balanced mothering twin girls, work and academic studies but that she lost her vision in the middle of her academic studies.

Israeli Designed International Development (ID2) is a 3-day event at Mitzpe Ramon that will show how innovators and entrepreneurs can achieve sustainable profits from products that save and improve lives. It connects hi-tech and established companies to the developing world.

The Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem are raising funds to send students from earthquake-ravaged Haiti to the Hebrew Uni’s agricultural school. The goal is to collect enough money to support two or three students a year over the next decade.

Anet Haskia who was born and raised in Acre is openly vocal about her support for the Jewish state of Israel. “I am proud to live in Israel,” she says. “I am even prouder that both my sons have served as soldiers for this country.” Please read Anet’s message.

At least these kids may not grow up to fire rockets at Israeli towns. Thanks to the Israeli charity Save a Child’s Heart (SACH), 11-year-old Mohamed Ashgar, six-year-old Salah and twin babies Remas, and Leen all from Gaza are at Wolfson Medical Centre, having heart surgery and follow-up care.

Foreign Policy magazine has selected Israeli educational entrepreneur Shai Reshef, founder of the University of the People, as one of the world's Top 100 Global Thinkers. The online university allows students from all over the world to study for free, to obtain a recognized bachelor's degree.

Following on the heels of Bar-Ilan University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has launched a special pre-academic preparatory program for the ultra-Orthodox (haredi) population. It will increase haredi society’s access to higher education.

This Israeli Government has lent $217 million to the University of Ghana to construct a 600-bed teaching hospital at Legon. It will be have a trauma and emergency service, a heliport and internal medicine including Surgery, Obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, cardiology, heart surgery and medicinal imaging.

Jerusalem-based global solar firm Energiya Global is transforming developing countries from burning fossil fuels to running on solar power. Projects are underway in Romania, Rwanda and the Galapagos Islands.

(Thanks to Herb) Indian and South Korean defence planners are keeping a close watch on the performance of Israel's Iron Dome that has been countering Fajr V rockets fired by Hamas terrorists from Gaza at Israeli cities. Iron Dome has intercepted 87 per cent of the short-range rockets.