Israel Active

Days before the Jewish holiday of Tisha b’Av, which commemorates the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem, charred wooden beams testifying to this very event were revealed to have been found by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).

Yonatan Rom’s life was saved in a terrorist attack by Eyal Tam in 2002. 24 years later, Yonatan decided to donate a kidney through Matan Chaim (see previously). Amazingly, he was matched to Reuven Tam – the brother of the man who rescued Yonatan 24 years ago.

The pace of French Aliyah continues to rise. Approximately 2,400 immigrants arrived from France between the beginning of 2026 and the end of July, an increase of more than 30% over the corresponding period in 2025. 7,000+ French Jews have moved to Israel since Oct 7 2023.

Following archeological research, 200 grapevines, planted from wild plants in the Negev, are producing grape varieties Ba’ar and Syriki that were grown in Talmudic times. These have been made into delicious wines by local Negev winemakers, without yeast, sulfites, or chemicals.

An ancient Cypriot silver-plated Siglos coin dating to the mid-5th century BCE was found at one of Ashdod's beaches, during a search to locate objects lost by visitors to the beach. It is the first coin of its kind to be discovered in Israel and is evidence of trade between Cyprus and Judea 2,500 years ago.

This moving video shows a man approaching IDF soldiers on the street and leaving them gifts, part of a Rehovot municipality initiative highlighting Israel’s kindness and appreciation for its soldiers.

The ancient synagogue at Huqoq in the Galilee is known for its internationally acclaimed mosaics (see previously). The Judeo-Christian Heritage in the Galilee Project is preparing digital reconstructions, films, and educational resources while continuing physical conservation.

Sderot was one of the first Israeli cities overrun on Oct 7, 2023. It is set to become the site of the world's first city-scale emergency response simulator. Israel’s Rafael, plus simulation specialist In3D, and the Sderot Municipality are building a training platform to rehearse complex disaster events.

Nine months after returning from Hamas captivity, Bar Kupershtein prayed, laid tefillin and recited Shema at the Nova site where he was abducted. He worked as the deputy security officer at the Nova festival and saved many lives before he was kidnapped.

Zechariah Haber, who fell in Gaza, was posthumously awarded a doctorate for his research that identified a gene in ancient wild wheat that researchers say could produce larger, more nutritious grains in modern wheat varieties.