Israel Active

Amar’e Stoudemire, the NBA star who continued his basketball career by making Aliyah to Israel, has confirmed that his conversion to Judaism is now complete. His Hebrew name is Yahoshafat Ben Avraham. Stoudemire helped Maccabi Tel Aviv win the Israeli championship earlier this year.

The famous voyage of the ship Exodus in 1947 carrying 4,500 Holocaust survivors made a huge global impact. Netanya’s Ervin Birnbaum was on board and has been enthralling us with his eye-witness testimony.  Here are links to the first two parts of his story.  More to follow.

More than 83,000 Israelis have recovered from Covid-19 infection. They are requested urgently to call Magen David Adom Blood Services on 03-9101101 to donate plasma so that their antibodies can save lives. The Talmud states “Whoever saves a life it’s as if they have saved an entire world.”

Israel is re-opening its borders for international students to begin academic studies during the 2020-2021 academic year. Many universities and colleges are still accepting applications for the fall semester beginning mid-October. See the official Study in Israel website.

Good article about the Jerusalem College of Technology. 89% of their haredi students gain employment immediately after graduation. It has retrained garment makers into cybersecurity experts and placed haredim into the cyber departments of aerospace companies and also cyber start-ups..

Israeli-Arab Eyad and Israeli Jew Ya’akov are both paramedics with Magen David Adom. During their work saving lives of Jews and Arabs, they have developed a strong friendship.

Last week’s positive Israel newsletter was featured for the first time in two international media publications – San Diego Jewish World and Israel Bonds.

Harold Grinspoon’s Foundation HGF runs PJ Library, the world’s largest children’s Jewish book program. In 2009 it partnered Israel’s Ministry of Education to launch Sifriyat Pijama (Hebrew) and Maktabat al Fanoos (Arabic “Lantern Library”) the world’s largest Arabic book-gifting program.

Dr David Kupferberg volunteers for Israel’s emergency NGO United Hatzalah. But he did not expect to have to go into action at his own son’s wedding. Shortly after the chuppah, one of the female guests had a major allergic attack and the mother of the bride pulled him from the dance floor.

A first-of-its-kind charter flight from Mexico carried 50 Mexican Olim (immigrants) to Israel, plus 150 Hanoar Hatzioni graduates. Dubbed “Operation Home,” the flight also carried dozens of Israelis who had been stranded due to the coronavirus pandemic.