Israel Active

100 babies were born on the Jewish New Year, at Shaare Tzedek Medical Center in Jerusalem - 51 girls and 49 boys. Prof. Sorina Grisaru, Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, said "… there is no greater happiness than starting a new year with a new baby in the family.

As last year (see previously), 800 children who lost one or more parents celebrated their bar and bat mitzvah at Israel’s Superland amusement park. Israel’s National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) Rehabilitation branch sponsored the event together with Colel Chabad.

50-year-old Eyal, a father of five from Holon, received a stem cell transplant to save his life from an Israeli donor who was a perfect match on Ezer Mizion’s bone marrow database. Eyal’s daughter was so grateful, that she registered with Ezer Mizion and her stem cells recently saved the life of a baby.

Pre-Yom Kippur services feature prayers to ask for forgiveness – “Selichot”. In Jerusalem, these are major events, taking place at the Kotel, the President’s residence, Sultan’s Pool, and Kikar Safra. After Yom Kippur, preparations for Sukkot (Tabernacles) and tree planting begin.

Seven Olim received the 2022 Sylvan Adams Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion Prize for their contributions to the State of Israel (see ). They include Prof. Eidelman (Neonatology and much more), Prof. Hartstein (Opthomology ), and Asher Friedman (Israeli-Emirati Forum).

The Jewish state absorbed 60,000 new citizens during the Jewish year 5782 - a 128% increase compared with 2021, when 28,500 Jews came on Aliyah. The majority went to the cities of Tel Aviv, Haifa, Netanya, and Jerusalem.

Many religious Jews have been waiting for the rare appearance of a red heifer – a cow with entirely brownish red hair, required for the purification process prior to service in the final Temple. Five kosher red heifers have just arrived at Ben Gurion airport – the gift of a Christian Zionist in Texas.

Israel’s population grew by 187,000 (2%) in the last Jewish year, including some 177,000 babies. The average life expectancy for males is now 80.5 years, whereas for females it is 84.6 years - one of the world’s highest.

Another example of it never being too late to make Aliyah. Stellah Rokoff is 101 years young. Born in Jerusalem, her family left pre-state Israel for the USA in 1926, when she was five. Israel has changed a bit in the last 96 years!  Welcome back Stellah.

A flight carrying 209 olim (new immigrants) from Ethiopia, including 41 children and toddlers, landed at Ben Gurion Airport as part of Operation Tzur Yisrael (Rock of Israel) to bring Ethiopia’s Jewry to Israel. They will celebrate Rosh Hashanah together with their relatives in Israel (see 2nd link below).