Israel Active

Shila Naamat was 20 months old when a rocket fired by Gaza terrorists struck his home in Sderot 20 years ago. He suffered a severe leg wound and today has a metal plate fitted into his leg. He has just completed the IDF officers’ training course.

Israeli and international researchers have found the earliest evidence of cooking at the Gesher Benot Ya’aqov (GBY) archaeological site in Israel. Remains show that fish were cooked on fire, some 780,000 years ago. Until this discovery, the earliest evidence of cooking dates to approximately 170,000 years ago.

Israel’s capital in November may have dark nights but it was brightened up by the Zalman Shazar Prize for Jewish History, the preview of Israel’s presentation to COP27, publicity for the Einstein, Animation, and Piano festivals, and the honoring of Walter Bingham.

New United Hatzalah video emphasizing that the Israeli emergency NGO’s 6,200+ volunteer EMTs come from all Israel’s major religions. The video also highlights that they save the lives of Palestinian Authority residents.

Nov 1 was Aliya Day, coinciding with the Torah portion where Abraham is commanded to go to the Land of Israel.  Here is a new song, “Kumi Ulechi Lach” (Get Up and Go) written by Eliad Eliyahu specially to celebrate the event. It combines the lyrics of Rachel the poetess and Rabbi Shlomo Elkabetz.

Using the discovery of the earth's magnetic field recorded in burnt remnants reported previously, researchers have accurately dated 17 Israeli biblical sites. These findings verify the accounts of the Egyptian, Aramean, Assyrian, and Babylonian military campaigns against the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

The latest Israeli elections revealed some interesting facts. Israel is now first in the world in terms of frequency of elections since 1996. Voter turnout was 71% - the most since 1999.  Voters had the choice of 39 separate parties. And despite being a national holiday, retail sales boomed.

Yossi Barash, 94, has never missed a chance to cast his ballot since Israel’s 1948 inception. Barash was born in Tel Aviv in 1927 and now lives in Kfar Yehoshua. He voted in rain, storms and intense heat and never prioritized vacation plans over voting. He says voting is the most important civic duty.

On Oct 25, I was on a ship with 2,000 Israelis sailing from Haifa. At 2pm I read that a partial eclipse of the Sun would be visible in Israel, peaking at 2pm. I rushed to the top deck and projected the sun’s image onto a black surface. The ship’s Rabbi walked past, and we said the blessing “Osei Maasei Bereisheet”.

Nearly 4,000 men and women ran in this year's International Bible Marathon. The 42.2km race began and finished at Ancient Shiloh, where the original Biblical Tabernacle was sited on entering the Land of Israel over 3,300 years ago. The race always takes place during the Jewish feast of Tabernacles.