Israel Active

The World Wildlife Fund has designated green turtles as an endangered species. Israel began a breeding program in 2002 and the Israeli Sea Turtle Rescue Center at Mikhmoret beach has just released 60 of 200 hatchlings into the sea. In the coming years, this should increase to 1,000 per year

The Jerusalem College of Technology (JCT) has launched the first-of-its-kind Torah and Technology Research Center. With a unique combination of rabbinic scholars and engineering professors, it will provide the expertise needed to respond to today’s complex ethical and Halachic issues.

In Israel all you can hear is the sound of hammer against wood and metal as thousands of tabernacles (booths) are being assembled for celebrating the Festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles). Here are some of the events and activities taking place in Israel during the seven-day festival.

The Jerusalem Municipality has approved part of the Kidmat Gonen Pinui Binui urban renewal plan in the Katamon neighborhood. It includes five high-rise apartment buildings, 998 affordable housing units, commercial areas, new public areas and upgraded public space.

Just before Rosh Hashana, Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin held a reception for the Ambassadors of all countries that have diplomatic relations with the Jewish State. Between the Ambassadors of Jordan and Egypt sat the President’s Military Secretary Brig General Alaa Abu-Rukan.

Simon Phippen (8) fled Romania when the Nazis invaded in WW2. He was smuggled to England. Meanwhile his cousin Morris Sneh (10) escaped to Italy and immigrated to Israel. 75 years later, Simon’s granddaughter found Morris’s daughter on Facebook and Simon and Morris were reunited in Israel.

And the freshest honey in the land of milk and honey.

Where did the song Hava Nagila originate?  Manuscripts from musician Abraham Zvi Idelsohn, written around 1920, have just been examined in Cincinnati. It sheds light on its origins from Ukraine to Jerusalem and its connection with Eliezer Ben Yehuda, father of Modern Hebrew.

Nefesh B’Nefesh awarded its Bonei (Builders of) Zion prize to Hadassah’s Dr. Ora Paltiel (Epidemiology), Leah Abramowitz of Melabev (aging), Michael Dickson (StandWithUs), Dr. Beverly Gribetz (religious girls’ education) and Danny Hakim (Budo for Peace and Kids Kicking Cancer).

.  Jerusalem U has released 42 of its 54 planned videos about the History of Israel and had some half a million views.  It has also launched its media lab “Unpacked for Educators” of videos and resources to help teachers ask the big questions and allow students to find their own unique answers.