Israel Active

Israel marks Hebrew Language Day on 21 of Tevet - the birthday of Eliezer Ben Yehuda, the father of modern spoken Hebrew. This year, the date corresponds to Dec 25, 2021. Jacob Richman here publicizes the Hebrew quizzes that Israeli dairy company Tnuva prints on milk cartons.

A 2,000-year-old synagogue from the Second Temple period was recently discovered in Migdal, the second synagogue from the period to be found in that location. Migdal was the main base for Yosef Ben Matityahu (Flavius Josephus) when he fought against the Romans in the Great Revolt.

Israel is an inspiration to the New Zealand Maoris. They see parallels in the two nations - specifically the revival of the Hebrew language, the genealogies in the Tanakh, the literature describing the longing for Jerusalem and the reverence for the Tomb of the Patriarchs.

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog presented Israeli astronaut Eytan Stibbe with a glass cube inscribed with a prayer for the welfare of Israel that he will take into space next year. The prayer is in the handwriting of its author, the president’s grandfather Isaac Halevi Herzog, Israel’s first chief rabbi.

The Israeli-American Council’s (IAC) 2021 National Summit in Hollywood Florida became “little Tel Aviv” as 3,000 participants enjoyed a weekend of music, culture, and discussions. All were Covid-19 tested and the communal Shabbat dinner was held on the poolside terrace.

A book found on the Israeli roadside has been identified as a copy of a section of the Talmud that survived the Nazis. The book (tractate Sanhedrin) will now be preserved in the archives of Yad Vashem. It is further evidence of Jewish devotion to Torah study, even in the most difficult of times.

An archeological discovery announced on the first day of Chanukah was a lead slingshot stone found at Tel Zif in Judea. It was inscribed in Greek with the name of Diodotus Tryphon, who reigned over the Seleucid Empire between 142 and 138 BC and fought against the Hasmoneans.

Ludmilla (85) and Boris (88) made Aliyah from Russia with their daughter and granddaughter in the 1990s. After studying Judaism at Giyur K’Halacha, all three women decided to convert on the same day, followed by Boris and Ludmila remarrying under a chuppah (wedding canopy).

Archeologists have uncovered more verification of the account by the Biblical Prophet Isaiah of the battle of Lachish (see previously) where the Assyrian army under Sennacherib defeated the Judean forces some 2700 years ago. They found the quarry used by the Assyrians to build their siege ramp.

Religious Jews in Israel can receive the priestly blessing Birkat Cohanim every day. Award-winning Christian and Jewish musicians from the US, Africa and Israel wanted to show solidarity with Israel and they united to produce a beautiful musical rendition of the blessing.