Israel Active

A delegation of Israeli experts from the IsraAID organization is conducting the first-ever Gender Based Violence (GBV) training program for social workers in Africa's newest nation.

It was Cal State University (not Cal Tech) that re-instated its study program to Israel. Thanks to Dillon (a graduate of Cal State) for pointing out the typo in last week’s newsletter. Dalia fixes it. Dalia Bassa is responsible for all health related affairs between the Israeli Ministry of Health and Palestinian Authority. In 2011 she helped 100,000 Palestinian Arabs get treatment in Israel. In 2002 she brought a young Arab boy with 85% burns to Hadassah hospital. Ten years later she received an invitation to his wedding.

Nice short article by David Ha’ivri, refuting slanderous claims about apartheid.

The Tel Aviv Municipality has set-up shelters for homeless migrant Africans sleeping in Lewinsky Park in South Tel Aviv. The Municipality currently operates a women's only shelter, a shelter for male drug users, and one for recovering male drug users. The city estimates there are around 700 homeless people in the city currently receiving assistance from the municipality.

A delegation of 20 top French agricultural professionals has been on a weeklong tour, organised by the France-Israel Foundation. Specific interest areas included Israel’s innovations in irrigation and in milk production.

Israel and India have signed a key agreement on water treatment technologies last week. The deal includes the development of joint research and development ventures in the fields of resource management, sewage and drainage.

Recent events include the first ever visit by an Israeli Prime Minister to Cyprus; the signing of an agreement that will allow IDF planes and ships to use Cypriot airspace and territorial waters; and the launch of a joint natural gas and oil exploration venture.

California State University has reinstated its Study Abroad Program in Israel and has chosen the University of Haifa as its location of choice. The Cal State suspended the program in 2002 due to security concerns.

Saul Singer co-authored Israel – Start-up Nation. He knows Israeli skills are in high demand throughout the world. Countries also want to learn how they can become start-up nations like Israel. The ideal solution is for Israelis to teach them to use their own skills and to develop partnerships for mutual success.

Katherine Hooker, the Duchess of Cambridge’s favourite designer, has told New York magazine that she has based several of Middleton’s slim, close-fitting wool coats on a black silk frock coat that she bought years back in an Israeli second-hand store.