Israel Active

In the new budget, Israel’s Foreign Ministry will receive an extra $150 million for public diplomacy - more than 20 times that typically allotted in past years. One focus will be US college campuses, in cooperation with US Jewish groups and the Diaspora Affairs Ministry.

Peter Yarrow, the Jewish member of the 60’s folk group Peter, Paul & Mary, passed away last week at the age of 86. Remember “If I had a hammer”, “Where have all the flowers gone?” and “Puff the magic dragon”? Peter’s “Light one candle” recalls the Maccabees Chanukah fight to preserve Judaism.  (see awards)

Israel’s capital city was full of Chanukah, construction and color, to welcome 2025. Thanks, Sharon, for including a link to .

Israel’s Foreign Ministry is to fly a stone from the Western Wall to the upcoming 2025 World Expo to be held in Osaka (Apr to Oct). Israel Antiques Authority representatives will assist with its (temporary) removal. Five years ago a stone from the Kotel was transported to a US exposition.

ALYN Hospital and Sheba Medical Center have developed a device enabling amputees to put on tefillin independently.  It is already helping injured soldiers, restoring dignity and accessibility.  “It gave me back my independence,” said one user.

U.S.-supplied THAAD air defense system successfully intercepted its first ballistic missile, launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen. “18 years waiting for this” says one of the American soldiers operating the system.

20,000+ dunams of Galilee forest have been consumed by fires ignited by Hezbollah rocket strikes and interceptor fragments. But KKL-JNF’s chief forester Gilad Ostrovsky is sure that once burnt trees have been removed, the forest will regenerate naturally. Just as Israelis will return to the North.

I don’t know why this has not been widely reported (oh yes I do!). The Deir el-Balah desalination plant in central Gaza has resumed operations. Since being reconnected to Israel’s electricity grid last month, the plant has produced thousands of cubic meters of drinkable water per day.

Great article detailing how computer giant Applied Materials has been investing in its Israeli R&D center, despite the war. Having 15% (300) of its workforce in the IDF, it brought back retirees, rented a hotel for displaced families and gave financial and psychological help to employees.

Itamar Ben Hemo, co-founder of Israel’s Rivery (see previously) was serving in the reserves in Gaza when he was shot in the chest by Hamas terrorists. He was rushed to hospital in 45 minutes where despite almost dying, he recovered and eventually sold his company to Boomi (US) for $100 million.