Israel Active

Lieutenant Moshe Brodetzky was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star in the US Army during WWII. Then in 1948 he led Israeli soldiers in the defense of Ramat Rachel, winning the Jabotinsky medal. He has just passed away at the age of 99 and was buried on the Mount of Olives.

For the very first time, evidence has been found in Lod from the Gallus Revolt, the last Jewish resistance against Roman rule in 351-354 CE. Archeologists found 94 silver and bronze coins dating between 221-354 CE, plus many artifacts – some with Hebrew inscriptions.

An Israeli-led scientific study of Second Temple period phylacteries found near Qumran has found that they were not colored black, as is mandated by contemporary Jewish law. Neither of the two methods (soot/charcoal, and tannin with iron oxide) were used on these 2000-year-old relics.

The iCenter for Israel Education has just finished its 13th cohort with 100 graduate students and faculty of its iFellows master’s program convening in Israel. Students from 17 North American and Israeli universities study Jewish education, rabbinics, nonprofit management and more.

The theme for the 2024 Jerusalem Unity Prize was “Caring for one another”. In the five categories, the winners were: “Home Front” – ; “Strengthening the South” – ; “Strengthening the North” - Pre-Military Academy; “Reservists” - ; “Diaspora affairs” -  

Nonprofit Kachol Balev (Blue at Heart) has enlisted hundreds of volunteers in the US (students and others), with a whole range of hi-tech skills, to work remotely for Israeli startups. They occupy some of the gaps left by tens of thousands of Israelis called up for IDF reserve duty.

Israeli NGO Social Delivery collects surplus goods, from clothes to furniture, from retailers and offices of tech firms and delivers them to Gaza border communities. For the first three months of the war, Social Delivery sent products to hotels housing evacuees. Now it sends the products to the Gaza border again.

Hundreds of Nazi descendants have been marching the streets of Ashkelon, and Jerusalem in solidarity with the Jewish State. Many participated in the March of the Nations because of the events of Oct 7.

Ezra Yakhin, 96, serves in reserve service as a motivational speaker in the Education Corps “Torchbearer Unit”. Since the beginning of the war, he has been inspiring the soldiers of today with fighting spirit. He has just been promoted to the rank of Command Master Sergeant.

Due to an overload of war casualties Yonatan, an injured IDF soldier had his follow-up surgeries in Israel delayed. A compassionate doctor and Five Towns Premier Rehab Center in Woodmere, NY, agreed to admit him.