Israel Active

An intact chicken egg dating back 1,000 years has been discovered by Israeli archaeologists at a site in Yavne. Whole chicken eggs are rare and this one was cracked during its extraction.  Experts say poultry farming was introduced in Israel 2,300 years ago, during the Hellenistic and Early Roman periods.

American NGO Passages has restarted its tours that connect Christian students with modern State of Israel. The program plans to bring 1,000-plus American students to Israel by the end of 2021, and 3,000 by the summer of 2022. Since 2016 Passages has brought 8,000 US students to Israel.

The buildings and streets of Jerusalem are in a state of flux. Reasons include preparing for a new President, the Israel Festival, summer activities for children, building a new business park, wedding ceremonies, preparing for tourists and pomegranates forming on trees along the streets.

Here is a recording of the webinar “The Tower of David Museum - A Window into the Past, Present and Future of Jerusalem” organized by the America-Israel Friendship League (AIFL). Its $40 million refurbishment transforms the museum into a “Must See” site during your next visit to Jerusalem.

Archaeologists at Tel Ashkelon National Park have found a magnificent 2,000-year-old Roman basilica - the largest of its kind in Israel. Herodian coins in the floor show it was built during the reign of Herod the Great, around the time he extended the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.

This week’s Real Jerusalem Streets features the rebuilding of the Schneller Compound (see previously) which will house a new interactive museum to feature historic and current Jewish communities from around the world.

After a gap of a year, the first Birthright Israel group has landed in Israel. The 10-day educational tour will take the vaccinated US students to Jerusalem, Masada, the Dead Sea, the Golan Heights, Safed, and Tel Aviv. Many more trips are planned from June to October.

Coins were minted by the Romans in CE 71 to celebrate their defeat of the Jews of Judea. Coins minted earlier by Jews were inscribed “For the freedom of Zion” (Jerusalem).  Coins of both type were found in Jerusalem and in 1958 Israel minted a medallion depicting both coins to signify that Zion is again free.

Masa Israel Teaching Fellows (MITF) is celebrating its 10-year milestone. MITF has brought some 1,700 college graduates from countries including the US, Canada and UK as volunteer English teachers at schools in 19 Israeli cities.

Over 30 communities in the US have teamed up with Israel’s Colel Chabad to provide gift packages to young children in Yavne, Ashdod and Sderot. The age-appropriate gifts included books and hand-written notes to help the Israeli children through a scary, confusing time.