Israel Active

Tu B’Av, the 15th of Av, is the Jewish Day of Love (this year Aug 8/9). The Jewish Matchmaking Movement has been hosting an online global Matchmaking Week from Aug 4 to Aug 10. Many Israeli “Oct 8 Jews” are “re-connecting to their Judaism and trying to find a partner”.

I’ve seen this before, but it’s certainly worth sharing. “There's something about Israel that makes people uncomfortable”.

Israeli-American venture capitalist and social entrepreneur Yadin Kaufmann founded Tmura (see previously) in 2002. Here he explains how he started the non-profit that startups donate some of their shares to.  Tmura later sells these - the proceeds benefiting many charities.

500+ Israeli women, all bereaved by acts of terrorism and war, gathered in Jerusalem for the annual Women’s Empowerment Symposium organized by OneFamily. The women shared their personal stories of loss, finding strength in community and learning to navigate their pain.

The first regular company of the IDF’s Hasmonean Brigade completed seven months of combat training, culminating in a “Beret March” to the Western Wall. The 50 ultra-Orthodox troops entered the Kotel Plaza blowing shofars and singing songs about the Jewish Temple.

Six-time Emmy-nominated multimedia journalist and her husband Jeff in partnership with , have launched the Karsh Journalism Fellowship - a first-of-its-kind program focused solely on improving media coverage of antisemitism, Jewish life and Israel.

Israel’s Tosha Bakery on the Lebanese border was rebuilding when last featured in this newsletter (see previously). It is hard to believe the transformation now. The serene pastoral atmosphere, trays of home-made croissants and jugs of sugar-sweet freshly squeezed juice from Golan Heights oranges.

In the heart of Tel Aviv’s residential areas devastated by Iranian missiles, volunteers from Kerem House bring shattered homes and broken hearts back to life - one act of kindness at a time. Kerem House organizes everything from holiday meals, clean-ups to emergency war support and home restorations.  

Well worth reading this article which highlights some of the positive aspects of sheltering together with neighbors during an Iranian missile alert. It may have been something similar for UK citizens during the bombing of Britain in the WW2 blitz of 1940.

It looks like some of the lessons of Oct 7 have been learned.