Israel Active

On the fourth night of Chanukah, Israel’s Education Ministry held the final of the International Bible Quiz for Adults at the Hebrew University. The winners were Israel’s Liron Ben Moshe from Alfei Menashe and Yair Yosef Guggenheim from Karnei Shomron.

Great article advocating immigration to Israel. 10 months’ sunshine; exotic food; vaccination success; Government tax incentives and support for hi-tech training to fill 14,000 vacancies; entrepreneurship programs; demand for English speakers with Western culture experience and more.

An 11-year-old Israeli girl found a 2,000-year-old shekel of pure silver whilst sifting dirt excavated from under the Pilgrimage Road in the City of David. Inscribed Shin Bet (2nd year) it was minted by Jews during the Great Revolt against Rome around 67-68 CE.

Archeologists found a 2000-year-old amethyst seal under the Pilgrimage Road in Jerusalem. It is inscribed with a bird and a branch of a plant identical to the persimmon plant grown at the Balm of Gilead farm., The farm reproduces the balsam balm, as was used in the 1st and 2nd Temples.

In Israel, in spite of all the challenges, the level of happiness is higher than Canada, UK and USA. GDP per capita in 2009 was $27,733; in 2020 $43,610 - one of the fastest rates of economic growth in the developed world.

In 2019, my wife and I helped plant 1,000 olive trees near Yavniel in the Galilee.

Over 700 children, who had lost a parent to illness or other tragedy, celebrated their Jewish religious “coming of age” together. The event at the Superland amusement park in Rishon Lezion included Jewish arts & crafts, rides, food, and a concert by Israeli pop star Eden Hasson.

The Israel Museum has unveiled the Florence Scroll. The 11-meter hand-painted 14th century parchment is the focus of “Painting a Pilgrimage,” an exhibit depicting the earliest known visual travelogue to the Land of Israel by a medieval Egyptian Jew from Cairo.

56 letters penned by a fretting wife to her husband on the frontline, during the Yom Kippur War have finally been delivered, 48 years after they were mailed to him. They eventually reached Baruch “Buki” Snir, who had endured three months of war without hearing a word from his wife.

After delays due to Covid, Roni and Svetlana finally arranged their wedding date. But then Roni was suddenly rushed to Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon on suspicion of having had a stroke. Rather than postpone their wedding again, they decided to get married in the yard of the neurology department.