Israel Active

In a unique ceremony, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented the Turkish Academy of Sciences’ honorary commendation to Hebrew University Professor Amnon Cohen for his extensive research into the Land of Israel under Ottoman rule.

Eight wheelchair-bound teens with cerebral palsy from Herzfeld Special Education School in Holon celebrated their long-awaited induction into the Israel Defense Forces. It concluded two years of intensive training to improve their physical, cognitive, and social skills.

Last week Israel’s Innovation Authority allocated NIS 17.6 million to train 2,500+ new immigrants and ex-pats in hi-tech (see ). Now a further NIS 21.6 million will fund 12 programs to train and place 2,200+ Israeli Arab men and women in hi-tech over the next two years.

A wolf with rare white fur was photographed roaming the Negev region. Making it still rarer is that it’s not an albino. The rare breed has been seen before in Israel, including in 2012 in Evrona, a nature reserve near Eilat, and in 2015 in Mishor Yemin, a nature park in the northern Negev.

Israeli archaeologists have discovered the earliest evidence of cotton in the ancient Near East during excavations at Tel Tsaf, a 7,000-year-old town in the Jordan Valley. The site has provided a wealth of discoveries, including the earliest example of social beer drinking and ritual food storage.

The Second Annual Ancient Roots Israel (ARI) International Herbal Conference (Jan. 22 – 24) at the Ana Poriya Resort near Tiberias.

The heads of Israel’s four major religions attended a conference on breastmilk for newborns in need. Chief Rabbi David Lau, Qadi Eiad Zahalka (head of Sharia Courts), Archbishop Dr. Yousef Matta (Greek Catholic Church), and Qadi Abu Ayash (Druze) all supported the use of donated milk for premature babies.

Yoseph Haddad, founder of Israeli Arab changemaker group Together Vouch for Each Other, has just won the Menachem Begin Heritage Center’s 2022 Begin Prize, recognizing people or organizations making an extraordinary contribution to Israeli society.

Israel participated in the inaugural Arab International Cybersecurity Exhibition and Conference in Manama, Bahrain (Dec 6 - 8). It joined the UAE, Morocco, Kuwait, Oman, and other countries. Israel’s National Cyber Directorate head Gabi Portnoy also led a joint workshop.

97 autistic new recruits completed their basic training last year. Three more have just begun officer’s training. And as their recent meeting with the IDF Chief of Staff shows, they won’t be the last.