Hard boiled eggs in the sand
The Israel Antiquities Authority announced the discovery of eight ostrich eggs 4,000+ years old, during an archaeological dig at Nitsana sands, in the southern Negev near the Egyptian border. They were found close to the remains of a fire, indicating they were deliberately collected.
Jerusalem builds
One day all the construction projects in and around Jerusalem will be completed. Sacher Park, the Jerusalem Gateway, the Light Rail extension. New projects include Sultan’s Pool and the Pool of Siloam excavation. Sharon even made a video of the final construction of the new Government.
The first new Israelis of 2023
Liel and Sergey of Rehovot celebrated the birth of their third son just after midnight on Jan 1st at the Shamir Medical Center (Assaf HaRofeh) near Tel Aviv. And see the second article for other babies born on the first day of 2023 – a microcosm of Israel’s population.
Surge in demand for Masa journeys
Hundreds of Jews aged 18 to 30 from the former Soviet Union have joined Masa Israel Journey’s two-to-12-month study, service, and career development programs. The demand for pre-Aliyah programs was so great it had to be funded by a $3 million donation matched by the government.
Uncovering the Pool of Siloam
The Israel Antiquities Authority, the Israel National Parks Authority, and the City of David Foundation have begun excavating the 2,700-year-old Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem, described in the Bible in the Book of Kings II, ch20: v20. The excavation site will soon be opened for tourist access.
70,000 new immigrants
Some 70,000 people from 95 countries immigrated to Israel in 2022 – the most in 23 years. Over half came from Russia; 20% arrived from Ukraine, thanks to an unprecedented rescue operation involving dozens of Israeli organizations. Nefesh b’Nefesh helped over 3,500 North Americans make Aliyah.
1,000+ French-speaking Jewish students visit Israel
1,125 students from 27 schools in France, Switzerland, and Morocco participated in the "Seniors in Blue and White" program, in which students explore options for continuing their studies in Israeli higher learning institutions in Jerusalem.
Jewish mothers leave conflict to visit Israel
Momentum, a group for Jewish mothers, brought 200 women from Ukraine, Russia, the Baltic states, and Germany for an eight-day visit to Israel. Momentum deliberately chose to bring Russian and Ukrainian women on the same trip, as an opportunity for Jewish unity.
The mystery of the Carmel-Sapphire
The discovery of the previously unknown gemstone Carmel-Sapphire was reported previously. This article explains how it was found - due to a famous Rabbi’s comment and an Israeli jeweler who unraveled the text in the Book of Deuteronomy, Ch 33, verse 19.
2nd Temple-era tomb discovered
A 2,000-year-old Second Temple-Period burial cave, one of the most impressive burial caves discovered in Israel, is being uncovered in the Lachish Forest. It was still in use in the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods and became known in Christian tradition as the Salome Cave.