Israel Active

Israel’s Poppins is a video solution that allows autistic children and their parents to filter the content of videos to accommodate the child’s visual preferences and prevent sensory overload. Poppins is licensing a range of TV programs and will also be producing its own educational content.

Last year over 1,000 Israeli farmers donated 26,450 tons of surplus fruit and vegetables to Israelis in need through Leket Israel-the National Food Bank. Leket, now in its 20th year, also rescued 1.9 million hot meals last year. The surplus produce feeds some 234,000 Israelis in need each week.

A 63-year-old Palestinian Arab man was brought to the Hashmonaim Crossing by relatives after suffering a cardiac arrest. Israeli security guards immediately initiated CPR. United Hatzalah volunteer EMTs plus other paramedics eventually managed to get a pulse and the patient was taken to hospital.

A work-vacation visa agreement has been signed between Japan and Israel. Each year 200 young Israelis aged 18 - 30 can combine work and studies in Japan for up to one year. In addition, Israeli high-tech, cyber, health, and agriculture personnel will be able to work in Japan.

The Jerusalem Post’s annual conference takes place in New York City on Jun 5. The extensive list of scheduled speakers includes top Israeli diplomats, politicians, entertainers, high-tech innovators and thought leaders. Tickets are available at the following site.

Israeli emergency NGO United Hatzalah, with support from the Rifman Institute, have been giving first aid training to students in Bedouin communities in the south of Israel. They are then able to respond to emergencies, assist UH responders and be ambassadors to the Bedouin community.

On 4th May (“May the Fourth be with you”) in an Israeli capital city not so far away… Star Wars fans flocked to the Tower of David Museum. They met villains from the 501st legion of Star Wars fame who call themselves “Bad Guys Doing Good”, visiting children in hospitals, schools, and the periphery.

Israel’s Yad L’Olim has obtained permanent state funding for public hospitals to employ medical experts who speak the languages of Olim as their mother tongues to assist Olim patients with translations. They include English, French, Russian, and Amharic (Ethiopian).  

Researchers at Ben Gurion and Haifa Universities have reported that 1.2 million Israelis (over 20% of the adult population) provide free care for their relatives and others with disabilities. In the Haredi sector, this increases to 34%.

Israeli-founded Gigawatt Global (see previously) has installed a solar power plant in Burundi, Africa, that makes Gitega the only capital city powered 100% by solar energy during the daytime. Further solar fields will provide Burundi with 20% of its power requirements.