Israel Active

In the first of the Sept IDF drafts, 240 ultra-Orthodox Jewish men enlisted in combat and combat support positions. 198 joined combat units while 42 were placed in combat support roles.

Pastor Jentezen Franklin and his Ministry (JFMM) are installing 800 fortified safe rooms in Israeli border communities that previously had no inside protection.

Shlomit has left her job as a nurse at Meir Medical Center in order to enlist in the IDF reserves. She treats wounded soldiers in the IDF’s 401st Armored Corps deep inside Gaza where her husband (600 days reserve duty) and two sons (total of 10 months in the reserves) all serve.

The Moon passed completely through the shadow of the Earth on Sun 7 Sep.  The full “Blood Moon” was visible in Israel from 8:30pm until 9:52pm. The next time the event will occur is on 31 Dec 2028.  But in the auspicious Jewish month of Ellul – who knows?

Those familiar with the Biblical book of Genesis will know that Abraham weighed out 400 shekels of silver to purchase the Cave of Machpelah where he buried his wife Sara. Now Israeli archaeologists have proved that silver was used locally for commerce and payment over the centuries when coins did not exist.

Ben J. and Dorit Genet have donated $1.6 million to the Ohr Torah Stone network for its modern orthodox women’s seminary in the central Israeli city of Lod. Renamed Lod Midreshet Dorit, it supports women wishing to learn Torah, work in the community and serve in the IDF.

No, not SMS. Today, an unprecedented number of American Jews are seeking new ways to grapple with the complexity and nuance that is needed to understand Israel. The Jewish Education Project has the answer: return to the core texts of your people.

Marina Shear, wife of Newsletter subscriber Glen, can help any reader wishing to make Aliyah or purchase a property in Israel.  She has assembled teams of English-speaking lawyers, mortgage brokers, builders, property managers, inspectors and designers. Read her guide and contact her for more details.

Ok this is not the main reason for making Aliyah, but it’s good to get some help during and after the process.  It’s not a complete list – there are many more – please consult an Aliyah advisor.

The record $180 million to Rabin (Beilinson) Medical Center (see previously) was not the only donation from Israelis Shmuel and Anat Harlap. They also contributed tens of millions of shekels to the Weizmann Institute for restoring a building damaged in last June’s Iranian missile attack.