Israel Active

Ancient artifacts can be discovered all over Israel. 11-year-old Zvi was hiking with his family when he stumbled upon a pottery figurine at Nahal Habesor in southern Israel. The Israel Antiquities Authority identified it as a 2,500-year-old iron-age amulet and awarded Zvi a certificate of appreciation.

Pope Francis sent a warm message to Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin during his flyover of Israel on the way from Rome to Iraq. In the first-ever papal visit to Iraq, the Pope met with representatives of the three Abrahamic religions in Ur of the Chaldeans, the city where Abraham originated.

Twins Gili and Nadav Dekel have just together completed the commander's course in the IDF Artillery Corps. Twins Ben and Tom Sorer also completed the course together. Ben and Tom’s parents both served in the Corps. Finally, the Corps’ Lieutenant Ben Kitzoni awarded his sister Liel her Sergeant’s rank.

Coronavirus was not going to prevent Israeli superheroes from bringing Purim cheer to hospitalized Israeli children. Real life superheroes from elite units of the Border Police and Firefighters abseiled from the roof of Haifa’s Ruth Rappaport Children’s Hospital to deliver sweets to the delighted young patients.

Yehoshua Soudakoff, Israel’s only deaf rabbi, is bringing the entire Torah to life for Israel’s 15,000 hearing impaired. He and his team are translating the Tanach (Five Books of Moses, the Prophets, and the Writings) into visual format using Israeli sign language.

Because of Shabbat, Purim this year in Jerusalem was spread over 3 days and residents celebrated for a whole week. The pandemic meant multiple, socially distanced readings of the Megillah of Esther, listening on cell phones with outdoor meals & music, while wearing spectacular costumes.

Nathan always dreamed of joining the IDF, but at age 6, he was diagnosed with cancer. Years later, after recovering, he was barred from the IDF due to his medical history. But he persevered and Sgt. Nathan has just completed his training in the IDF Nahal Brigade's elite battalion.

The Israel Antiquities Authority discovered under the Western Wall plaza the single largest collection of ancient dice in Israel, and they’re identical to modern dice. It seems the Romans also cheated - one die contained two four-spot sides but no side with three spots.

The American Zionist Movement (AZM) has launched a Herzl 125 initiative to highlight important Zionist anniversaries in 2021-22. The 14th of February was the 125th anniversary of Herzl’s 1896 publication of Der Judenstaat (The Jewish State) - the Zionist leader’s vision for a modern Jewish state in the land of Israel.

The stones of Jerusalem’s Western Wall are receiving injections, with medical-like syringes. Each 2000-year-old stone is inspected six-monthly for signs of weathering. Those needing repair are delicately injected with a liquid, limestone-based grout to protect the wall for at least another 2000 years.