Israel Active

Haifa Egged bus driver Ro’e Levy turned his #40 bus filled with passengers into an ambulance after a woman passenger lost consciousness and collapsed. He closed the doors and ‘flew’ to Rambam Hospital. Doctors said Levy’s actions saved the 43-year-old patient’s life.

700 new immigrants are scheduled to arrive in Israel from Brazil in 2016 - a 45-year record and over three times the annual average. Better economic prospects is a main reason.  Since Israel’s establishment, more than 15,000 Brazilian Jews have immigrated to Israel.

Eritrean employee of the Bet Shemesh Osher Ad supermarket, Barak Tofsei, lost the $4700 he had saved up for his future wedding. A customer in Osher Ad found the packet of money, and together with the security supervisor traced the owner. He refused a reward.

One of the services that the charity Ezer Mizion provides to some of its 660,000 “customers” is its program for the elderly with depression. It relieves not just the patient, but sometimes also the volunteer caregiver – as this example shows.

One of the Jewish families escaping rising anti-Semitism in France is that of Amy and George Camara and their four children. Originally from the Ivory Coast, they heard much more anti-Semitic abusive remarks from friends who didn’t realize they were Jewish.

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) has brought another 250 Ukrainian Jews to Israel. Many of them had spent months in shelters or forced to live on the streets.

Israel’s immigrant absorption minister, Sofa Landver, wrote on Nov 8 - Israel’s first Aliya Day – about the new national holiday to celebrate those who have moved from the Lands of Dispersion, to live in the Startup Nation where Aliya is the ultimate personal startup.

12,000 18-30-year-olds are in Israel to participate in long-term Masa (journey) Israel programs, including gap years, study abroad, internships, teaching English to young students, and other post-college initiatives. Many attended a celebratory welcome event in Jerusalem.

AlmaLinks, a group focused on promoting ties between the global Jewish business community and Israel, has started sponsoring its own Birthright-style trip, bringing business executives to Israel to meet their local counterparts. Its first Diaspora delegation visited Israel in September.

Israeli Rabbi Adin Steinsalz established the Global Day of Jewish Learning in 2010 to mark the completion of his 45-year project to produce his commentary on the Talmud. This year, on Nov 20, he invites everyone to join in on-line.