Israel Active

As can be seen in these photos, Sukkot (Tabernacles) in Jerusalem this year was a much more relaxed and intimate festival than in previous years. Also, Israel21c published some photos of beautiful, scenic or just interesting tabernacles that Israelis built throughout the Jewish state.

Israeli archaeologists believe they have discovered the precise dimensions of ancient biblical measure the ‘tefach’. 370 storage jars from the 7th to 9th century BCE have been scanned and found to have almost identical sized inner rims - 8.9 cm - the average size of a man’s hand today.

60 new immigrants from Argentina arrived in Israel in time for Sukkot and despite the pandemic. They sent many elated messages from the plane including "The truth is, there was almost no need for a pilot or navigator on this flight, we just flew from the intensity of excitement, enthusiasm and joy.”

The Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) has delivered 225 brand-new sukkahs to bases throughout Israel. They will allow soldiers to eat and pray outdoors in a safe space due to coronavirus restrictions.

An extremely positive Shabbat and New Year message from Shamma Sohail AlMazrui, minister of state for youth affairs in the United Arab Emirates.

A 2000-year-old mikveh (ritual bath) found in the Galilee (reported previously) has been successfully excavated and transported to the religious Kibbutz Hanaton. The directors of the excavation were Abed Ibrahim and Dr. Walid Atrash of the Israel Antiquities Authority:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed the Abraham Accords with the Foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates and of Bahrain. The historic signing took place on the lawn of the White House.

A 2000-year-old clay inkwell has been discovered intact in Gush Etzion. The discovery of the inkwell strengthens the hypothesis that literacy was relatively common among the Jewish population in Judea and Samaria during the Second Temple period.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the Israeli government has allocated $51 million to bring another 2,000 Falash Mura - Ethiopians with Jewish ancestry - to Israel this year. Those prospective Olim are currently living in temporary camps in Gondar and Addis Ababa.

Dr Sarah Sallon, who together with Dr Elaine Soloway brought back the Judean date palm from extinction, describes the “miracle” of trees Methuselah and Hannah that were planted from 2000-year-old seeds discovered at Masada. The dates are described as delicious – naturally!