Israel Active

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

83 members of the Falash Mura community with relatives in Israel have arrived from Ethiopia. This editor of will talk in Netanya on the 5th of March at a lunch organized by the Forgotten People Fund. Proceeds will go to purchase computer equipment for Israeli-Ethiopian students.

2018 saw Taglit-Birthright bring a record 48,000 participants from around the world on a free 10-day tour to Israel. Since the launch of the initiative in 1999, some 650,000 young Jews from 67 ‎countries have participated in various ‎Taglit-Birthright tours.

250 new Olim have just arrived from the Ukraine on a flight arranged by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. The IFCJ was founded by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein who passed away last week.

Please watch Jewish National Fund President Dr Sol Lizerbram at the 2018 JNF National Conference. Hear JNF’s plans for the Galilee and Beersheva, especially the JNF Institute of Technology. And the JNF Boruchin Israel & Zionist Education Center program for teens to go to Israel.