US Ambassador packs food for the needy
US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman joined volunteers at Israeli charity Colel Chabad's Pantry Packers center in Jerusalem to prepare packages for Israel's needy. They also re-packed rescued food for 200 elderly Israelis and gifts for 150 orphans.
Experiential learning in the Land
At Israel’s JNF Alexander Muss High School, students learn 4,000+ years of Jewish and Israeli history in a matter of months. The school uses experiential learning, teaching history chronologically at an advanced level, utilizing the Land of Israel as an immersive classroom
Inspiring Israelis of the decade
The reason for Israel’s incredible transformation over the last 10 years is its people – too many to mention here. 14 individuals, though, are highlighted in this article as being particularly inspiring. They include my own favorites, Navonel Glick (IsraAID) and Sivan Ya’ari (Innovation: Africa).
Ethiopian-Israeli MK lights candle in London’s Trafalgar Square
Member of Knesset Pnina Tamano-Shata lit a candle at a Chanukah ceremony in London’s Trafalgar Square. She said, “Hanukkah symbolizes …. the ability to change our world for the better together.”
French immigrants bake the best donuts
The recent wave of new Israeli citizens from France has made a huge difference to the quality of Israel’s Chanukah donuts (sufganiyot).
Haredi IDF unit celebrates 20 years
Hundreds of ultra-religious IDF soldiers have just participated in the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Haredi combat units. They include "Netzach Yehuda" (Kfir brigade) "Tomer" platoon (Givati ) "Chetz" platoon (Paratroopers) plus "Defenders of the Negev" platoon (Air Force).
Connecting young Diaspora Jews to Israel
As reported previously Israeli non-profit Ayalim builds student villages to increase the Jewish presence in the Negev and Galilee, plus help those living in the social periphery. It is now using “social impact investing”, to enlarge some of its 22 villages and build new ones.
Taxi driver finds and returns $60,000
An Israeli taxi driver was surprised to find a bag containing $60,000 in the back seat of his cab. He located the owner - an elderly woman he took to Tel Aviv’s Sourasky (Ichilov) Hospital, who needed the money for medical treatments. “I am a man of faith,” the taxi driver said. “The money isn’t mine”.
Israelis are forever young
Yosef Eshed, a 102-year-old Israeli who fought alongside Orde Wingate, can now register for kindergarten. Eshed was one of 20 Israelis over a century old to receive a kindergarten enrollment letter recently. Apparently, a computer glitch dropped the first digit of their age.
Never give up hope
Some real-life “miraculous” stories of cancer patients whose lives were saved by stem cell transplants, thanks to the bone marrow database, managed by Israel’s Ezer Mizion.