Israel Active

The National Library of Israel has released many rare photos of Sukkot (Tabernacles) being celebrated during the 1973 Arab Israeli war. Many soldiers built improvised sukkahs (booths) on jeeps and other military vehicles - some even in enemy territory.

Despite the pandemic, immigration to Israel has increased by 31% over the same period last year to over 20,000. From the USA the increase was 41%, from France 55% and South Africa 56%.

Nefesh b’Nefesh has awarded grants to seven winners of their 2021 “Initiative for Zionist Innovation” (IZI). They are ProSheva, Olim Portal for Environmental Networking & Integration, Yakar Tel Aviv, Givat Shmuel Community, NCSY Israel, Be'erot Beit Midrash, and Kochav Darom Community.

81-year-old Polish Catholic Priest discovered that his mother gave him as a baby to a Christian neighbor for safekeeping during the Shoah. Then one year, just before Rosh Hashana, he met with an Israeli Rabbi and now lives as a Jew in Jerusalem, working for the Yad Vashem museum.

These unique sukkah decoration designs from Israel’s Air Force may be too late for this year, but the site is worth bookmarking for next year. Or just search for “Sukkah decoration”.

Archaeologists have discovered a vast 2,000-year-old quarry near Jerusalem that includes large stones like those King Herod used to extend the Jerusalem Temple. Meanwhile a Temple-like structure is being unearthed just outside of Jerusalem.

Ayman Abu Suboh has been on a long journey. Aged seven, he decided he wanted to leave his life of hatred in Gaza and convert to Judaism. Beaten severely, he ran away from schools and eventually fled to Israel and was adopted by a religious Jew. At 28, he converted and is now Dor Shachar.

Midwives at Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center and its Bikur Cholim campus delivered 133 babies over the two-day Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year) festival.

The winners have been announced for the competition to design the new JNF-USA World Zionist Village. (see previously). The Israel Education and Technology Campus will be sited in the Be’er Sheva River Park. It comprises a technology center, tourist education center and an Israeli school.

Reuben Pinsky is director-general of Israel’s National Service. Some 18,000 Jews, Arabs, religious, secular, and Haredi citizens volunteer for one-year programs in medicine, education, government offices, and more. The video includes an example of the vital work they do.