Israel Active

Detailed account of the “miraculous” journey of 100 children and 50 adult carers from Zhytomyr, Ukraine (see previously) to the beautiful JNF-KKL Ness Harim forest school that is now their home and the help from Israelis everywhere.

The Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) took 21 children and siblings of fallen IDF soldiers on its 17th annual Legacy Summer Camp in the USA. They included Arab and Druze participants, all benefiting from the opportunity to feel normalcy among other similarly affected children.

Good article containing details of some of the many archaeological discoveries, from just the last 12 months, that confirm the ancient connection of Israel to the Jewish people.  Plus, a 2,000-year-old mikveh (ritual bath) found when installing an elevator for handicap access near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

At the Jerusalem meeting of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Agency, Secretary General Josh Schwarcz said we are in historic times. They will bring at least 50,000 new immigrants to Israel this year, because of the war in Ukraine and from Ethiopia and other places - the largest number since the 1990s.

400 Torah scrolls are being safeguarded at an IDF military base. Some are 750 years old, written on thicker parchment than today. Many have interesting histories – one is called “The Prisoner”, as it was captured by Egypt in 1973 and “released” in 2000.

Shira Ish-Ran, who was shot by terrorists in 2018, has now obtained the B.Ed degree she was studying for at the time. Although she lost her unborn baby in the attack, she said, “I love the nation of Israel much more than ever, and I want to raise people who appreciate this nation…”

13-year-old cancer patient Eyal underwent a successful bone marrow transplant. In gratitude for the donation of stem cells, Eyal donated his Nintendo to another patient, bringing joy to both children.

Ari and Ron, twin 18-year-old brothers from New York, made Aliyah recently with Nefesh B'Nefesh. They applied to join the Navy at the highest possible level and were drafted into the prestigious “Shayetet 13” unit of the Naval Brigade.

Accompanying US President Biden on his Israel trip is Anne Neuberger. She is an orthodox Jew from Brooklyn New York. Granddaughter of Shoah survivors, she speaks Hebrew, Arabic, and Yiddish (and English!). Her parents were rescued by Israelis at Entebbe in 1976 – the year she was born!

An exhibit at Jerusalem’s Israel Museum uses Virtual Reality (VR) to “rebuild” the Aleppo synagogue, destroyed by the Syrians. The exhibit was only possible thanks to the 50 photos smuggled out by Sarah Shammah, a young Syrian Jew, on the last plane to Israel from Beirut in 1947.