Remains from the time of Judea’s Kings
After five years of excavations, Israel has inaugurated a Nature Park at Ein Hanya, near Jerusalem. Finds at the site include a column capital typical of royal structures from the First Temple era 2,400 to 2,800 years ago, and one of the oldest coins ever discovered in the Jerusalem area.
70 orchards for 70 years
Between now (Tu B’Shvat – New Year for Trees) and the 70th birthday of the State of Israel, Israeli farmers aim to plant 70 new orchards each containing hundreds of fruit trees and vines. To join in the Mitzvah of planting fruit trees in the Land of Israel, please visit this site and watch the video.
Aliyah “On Eagles Wings”
This week’s Torah portion includes the famous phrase “I carried you on the wings of eagles and I brought you to Me”. As this video explains, this links to the 1950s Aliya of Yemenite Jews in Operation Magic Carpet. But it also reverberates with every new immigrant who arrives at Ben Gurion airport.
Fulfilling a dream
Israeli cancer charity Ezer Mizion has a special program called “Fulfilling A Dream” that enables lonely, disabled elderly housebound people to choose an event they wish to experience. In this article two holocaust survivors (one 90, the other 99) are taken on the trips of their dreams.
11-year-old girl raises money for Puerto Rica
11-year-old Israeli Meital Sterntha is halfway to raising $4000 to purchase 100 water filters for the citizens of Puerto Rica still rebuilding after devastating hurricanes. In honor of her Bat Mitzvah, Meital founded PuertoTiko, which hand-makes and sells textile bags to raise aid money.
The first US Vice President to address the Knesset
On 22nd Jan, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence made history as the first American Vice President to address the Israeli Knesset. His references included the end of the Shechechyanu blessing, which gives thanks for a significant event in one’s life.
Israelis crack code to Dead Sea scrolls
Israeli researchers have finally decoded two of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in the 1960s. Believed to be written over 2000 years ago by a Jewish sect known as the Essenes, the scrolls revealed their 364-day calendar and four previously unknown festivals.
When immigrating to Israel is a senior moment
Reasons retirees give for making Aliya include a view over the Mediterranean; or following the kids or grandkids; or fulfilling a dream. Whatever the reason, this article gives advice on how to get here. And the second article (TY ) gives advice about retirement homes.
What it means to be a Zionist – from a non-Jew
Despite being a non-Jew from a UK center-left political background, Luke Akehurst has made it his mission to teach people about Zionism, as he does in this video. Luke is Director of “We Believe in Israel”. To find out more and sign up, please visit their website.
Welcome Vice President
Great scoop by my friend Sharon, of the red-carpet welcoming ceremony for US Vice-President Mike Pence with a military honor guard. US flags adorned main streets along the route of the Vice-Presidential motorcade and supporters outside the Knesset waved “thank you” signs. Sharon also captured his visit to the Western Wall (Final video is by Arutz Sheva)