Israel Active

Readers who are interested in the events and individuals crucial to the founding and development of the Jewish State are recommended to enroll (free) in the online Zionism University (Zionism U). It replaces the site Zionism 101 and contains resources to over 40 excellent short videos and other materials.

As promised, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu brought Moshe Holtzberg with him on his trip to India. Moshe visited the site from where he was rescued as an infant by his Indian nanny from the terrorists who killed his parents nine years ago. His nanny (now Israeli) keeps in close contact with Moshe.

When two United Hatzalah EMTs came to Netanya to give a presentation to WIZO, they were interrupted after only 5 minutes by having to respond to a call nearby.  They managed to revive a 77-year-old man who had no pulse. They returned to the WIZO hall to a standing ovation.

When a distressed mother phoned the dispatch service of United Hatzalah in Israel about her sick son in Monsey, New York, they didn’t hang up on her. Instead they contacted NYC paramedics and arranged his transfer to a hospital where he had successful surgery.

Eliezer Ben Yehuda was born on the 21st Tevet 160 years ago. Chiefly due to his efforts, biblical Hebrew was revived from its over 3000-years-old roots into today’s spoken Hebrew language - Ivrit. Another modern miracle.

When a baby born with Wiscott-Aldrich disorder was given just five years to live, Israeli charity Ezer Mizion found a perfect match on their bone marrow database. Two years after the successful transplant, Ezer Mizion brought donor Lior to meet his stem cells recipient for the first time. And the shy little boy ran to the “stranger” and kissed him!

The land of milk and honey was too tempting for ten Israeli hedgehogs. Overfed and overweight, they were unable to roll into balls to fend off predators. Locals found them waddling through Israeli streets and brought them to Ramat Gan Safari where they went on food and exercise regimes.

Druze firefighter Wiam Nevuani arrived at a fire in a synagogue at the northern city of Nahariah and did not hesitate when he burst into the burning building to save the Torah scrolls. Wiam said that he realized the importance of the site and felt he was saving a soul.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and First Lady Nechama Rivlin have regularly hosted Torah study sessions at Beit Hanasi – the President’s House. Guests at their latest session included the President of the Supreme Court, a top judge, a famous actor and a well-known writer.

Orit Dahan and her family own the well-known downtown Jerusalem restaurant Piccolino. Every Friday, Dahan - with The Lone Soldier Center - brings lone soldiers in the IDF to her restaurant for a free hot meal, as her way of thanking them for their selfless service to the country.