Israel Active

Israel, Greece, and Cyprus have signed a new trilateral military cooperation work plan for 2026, further deepening security ties among the three eastern Mediterranean partners. It includes joint military exercises and training, working groups across multiple domains, and ongoing strategic dialogue.

537 men from the ultra-Orthodox sector enlisted in the Dec-Jan cohort for haredi tracks in the army, many  joining IDF combat units.  Others have enrolled in a course incepted by the Ma'alot Tzur association, to be trained as IDF welfare officers, and serve soldiers from the haredi community.

Sharon took a tour from Jerusalem to the Western Galilee. Her photos show how this season is peacefully and respectfully celebrated in Israel by members of different faiths. And (TY Hazel) the Jerusalem Municipality again distributed free Christmas trees to the city’s Christian residents.

Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reports that Israel’s Ethiopian community totaled 177,600 people in 2024. Of those, 53% were born in Ethiopia, and 47% are Israeli-born. Netanya has the largest population - 13,300. 57.7% of students went on to study at university, more than the general population.

Nuseir Yassin, better known as NAS Daily (see previously), continues to make thousands of entertaining videos about Israel. In this video he reveals the name of the country with the most billion-dollar startups per capita.  I bet you can guess which country that is!

At the Bethel Church, House of God in Anaheim, Calif., some 100 evangelical Latinos and their pastors gathered to express solidarity with Israel and launched La Iglesia a Favor de Israel - a new Zionist nonprofit targeting Spanish speakers.

Polyphony’s Liturgical Festival Dec (18-20), which had to relocate to Jerusalem last year, returned to its home city, Nazareth. Nazareth’s Polyphony Association has a vision of dissolving barriers between religions and cultures in Israel through musical education and projects.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir lit the 8th Chanukah candle with soldiers from the Hasmonean Brigade, the IDF’s first ultra-Orthodox combat unit. Zamir stated, “You are the Maccabees of our time – defending the people of Israel while maintaining a Haredi way of life”.

Israel will ban mobile phone use by children on elementary school grounds starting on Feb. 2. Phones were banned in classrooms in 2019. Now students cannot use devices during breaks or before lessons. Phones will be allowed only with staff approval for educational purposes.

The Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine has established the Robert I. Schattner Center for Oral Health for People with Disabilities.  The center will provide quality dental care for people with physical, cognitive, and complex medical conditions.