Israel Active

A huge 3rd-4th century CE ceramic oil-lamp workshop has been discovered during excavations by Israeli archaeologists in Beit Shemesh. Lamps and molds bore both Jewish and Christian symbols. The site was originally discovered in 1934 but the location was subsequently forgotten.

Morocco has agreed to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. At the Kotel Chanukah lighting, Israel’s PM said, “The light of peace has never shone brighter than today”. Each country will open diplomatic offices in each other’s country. There will also be direct flights between the two countries.

Just in time for Chanukah. A City of David archaeologist has discovered an intact oil lamp from the Second Temple Hasmonean period, over 2,000 years ago. It was found while excavating Jerusalem’s ancient Pilgrimage Road, adjacent to the Western Wall.

Great new song for Chanukah from Raanana Capella group Kippalive. They teamed up with Raanana-based charity Beit Issie Shapiro - one of the world's leaders in the field of helping people with special needs and disabilities.

Israeli researcher Michal Eshed has developed a map in Hebrew and English of the settlement of the people of Israel in the Land of Israel. It contains some 700 ancient Israelite settlements and holy sites across the entire historic Land of Israel. It highlights that the Jews are indigenous to the land. (Then click on “The Map” to preview before registering.)

The International Tunneling and Underground Space Association (ITA) normally awards prizes for railroads and road construction. But it was so impressed with the way Israel carefully constructs tunnels to uncover its history, that it gave Israel the “Oddities of the Underground” award.

In the opening flight of Operation Rock of Israel, 316 members of the Falash Mura community from Ethiopia landed in Israel on Thursday morning on a flight from Gondar. Approximately 100 more were due to arrive on Friday, and a total of 2,000 new Olim by end Jan 2021. Even the BBC reported it.

South African-born Harold “Smoky” Simon, who flew in Israel’s 1948 War of Independence, celebrated his 100th birthday by flying a vintage Tiger Moth around the Sde Te’eman airfield, near Beersheva. His two sons, both ex-IAF pilots, went with him for the ride.

Kurt Rothschild, President of World Mizrachi, will hopefully mark his 100th birthday on the first day of Chanukah.  Every day, until the coronavirus pandemic hit earlier this year, he reported for duty in his Jerusalem office. Every institution in the religious Zionist world, has benefitted from his assistance.

With so many recent discoveries of ancient Jewish artifacts in Israel it was only a matter of time before archaeologists chanced upon part of a game that Jews might have played during Chanukah 2,000 years ago. A die cube from the second Temple period was unearthed at the Khirbet Kfar Mor site in Beit El.