Israel Active

When Jerusalem burned on the 9th Av 586 BCE, the intense heat realigned magnetic material in the floor of a building being excavated in the City of David. Yoav Vaknin of Tel Aviv University has been able to measure the Earth’s magnetic field on the day the 1st Temple was destroyed.

Eli Beer, CEO of Israeli NGO United Hatzalah has just donated blood plasma to help Covid-19 patients recover. Eli almost died after contracting Covid-19. The doctors at Hadassah Medical Center said that his blood was particularly high in antibodies. Eli is also running to raise funds on Aug 16 (see video).

The Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation, based in Montreal, Canada, has launched a scholarship program to support Israeli graduate students of Ethiopian descent, in partnership with Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Readers may remember that last week I asked for suggestions for expanding the Abbreviation for the Jewish State. The winner (TY Pamela) is: Innovation, Survival, Righteousness, Antiquities, Eternity and Loyalty

Thanks to Hazel and our friend, Israel’s Samuel Green (a.k.a. Antithesis) for this excellent blog and rap in response to Wiley, the “Godfather of Grime”, who went on a wild antisemitic rant on Twitter.

Since March, 140 Brazilian Jews have immigrated to Israel. Another 2,400 recently attended an online Aliya fair, organized by the Jewish Agency for Israel. In June, the Jewish Agency opened files for 632 Jews in Latin America – twice the number of June 2019.

Israel is approving entry visas for foreign students planning to study in gap-year programs, including at yeshivahs and seminaries. In a typical year, more than 12,000 yeshivah and seminary students arrive in Israel from aboard to study individually or to take part in organized programs.

Israeli archaeologists have discovered a trove of artifacts from 2,700 years ago in Jerusalem. The 120+ jar handles with seal impressions, inscribed “to the King” in ancient Hebrew, indicate a key administrative site of the 1st Temple Kings of Judah - close to today’s US Embassy.

Many Jews and former Israeli residents have decided that if they have to deal with Covid-19, they will be better off doing so in Israel. This June, 3,000 North Americans opened Aliya files versus 480 in June 2019. Demand for new apartments is at an all time high.

The film "I Am Israel" is a soaring journey through the Land of the Bible. It introduces Jewish men and women whose very lives are a testimony to divine promises. "I Am Israel" is narrated by award winning actor John Rhys-Davies, best known for his roles in the Indiana Jones and Lord of the Rings series. (inspiring trailer) (film clip – City of David)