Shared taxis are a vehicle for kindness
Israel’s monit sherut is a shared 10-seater taxi alternative to the bus. Fares and change are passed between passengers and the driver. Strangers converse, visitors receive directions, and the elderly give advice to the young. The sherut provides positive shared experiences.
Bar Kochba “freedom” coin discovered
Winter rains in Israel’s Lachish region literally “unearthed” a rare 133 or 134 CE Jewish coin from the time of the Bar Kochba revolt. On one side is Shimon - Bar Kochba’s first name - in ancient Hebrew. On the flip side the inscription means “the second year to the freedom of Israel”.
The first El Al flight to Entebbe
An El Al Israel Airline flight has brought Israeli tourists to Uganda’s Entebbe airport for the first time since the IDF’s historic rescue of Israeli hostages on 4th July 1976. Some 250 Israeli nationals flew to the African country for a three-day visit.
The earliest images of Jerusalem
In 1844, French architectural historian Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey toured the Middle East and took 1000 daguerreotypes (a type of photograph) including 12 of the earliest surviving images of Jerusalem. The photographs are being exhibited in New York and Philadelphia.
What’s in a name
Many of the Arab names of places over the Green Line are derived from biblical Hebrew names. E.g. Bethlehem (Beit Lechem), Hebron, Jenin (Ein Ganim), Jaba (Geva), Mukhmas (Michmash) and El Jib (Giv’on). Also, Gaza (Azza) Lebanon (Levanon) and Jordan (Yarden).
Indian Jewish manuscript displayed in Israel
The National Library of Israel has acquired a manuscript used originally by the India’s Bene Israel Jewish community. The 180-year-old book contains 94 pages of prayers in Urdu, from circumcision through to burial, transliterated into Hebrew script and then translated into Hebrew.
Start the day the Jewish way
In ancient Israel, the section of morning prayers called Pesukei Dezimra were sung. This video is a musical version of Psalm 150. Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel’s new e-book features musical morning psalms and he invites you to tour the Judean mountains to experience a new-old way to start the day.
Police save stray cat
Israeli Police detectives in Eilat were on duty when they noticed a stray cat whose head was trapped in a tin can. They carefully cut the can and released the cat. The cat didn’t stay around long enough to thank them, though.
Israel’s young ambassadors
StandWithUs has launched the 13th year of its Israel Fellowship. It has recruited 150 articulate and diverse young Israelis, who have finished IDF service, to build bridges and educate people of all faiths and ages about Israel. By the end of 2019, the program will have graduated its 2,000th Israeli Fellow.
Ancient coin found on school trip
A student on a school trip discovered a rare 2000-year-old coin from the rule of King Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great (around 44CE). It was discovered at Nachal Shiloh (Shiloh stream) in Samaria.