Israel Active

If you missed New York’s latest annual parade on Jerusalem Day to celebrate Israel’s 68th birthday, here is a 3-hour video featuring some of the thousands of participants in the event.

Israeli cancer charity Ezer Mizion hosted its annual Golf and Tennis Tournament to benefit its International Bone Marrow Registry.  The attendees met Josh, who thanked Ezer Mizion for enabling his two young children to grow up with a father.  Josh then met his bone marrow donor Ran for the very first time.

Shellie Grafstein tells the dramatic story of how her house in Bet Shemesh went up in flames and all the miracles that saved their lives.

Ten Cuban-Jewish women visited Israel for their first time on a trip sponsored by the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP) and Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs.  New life has recently been infused into Cuban Jewry, especially since the release of Alan Gross.

Asael Shabo barely survived the deadly Itamar 2002 terrorist attack that killed his mother and 3 brothers.  But thousands of fans cheered as Asael stepped out onto the court at half-time in the Israeli basketball semi-final between Hapoel Jerusalem and Hapoel Eilat to propose to his girlfriend, Saray Cohen.

Assaf Bar - one of the dozen injured in the deadly Sarona Market terrorist attack - clearly described events that evening when a gunman shot him twice in the head.

The Tzohar Rabbinical Organization hosted some 8,500 people at Shavuot learning-together sessions at 22 different venues in major cities throughout Israel.  The Tel Aviv program included discussions on social issues, halachic challenges, cultural and personal growth.

Israeli archaeologists in Modi’in have unearthed a hoard of 16 silver coins from the Hasmonean period (126 BCE).  The shekels and half-shekels - the property of a Jewish family - were minted in the city of Tyre and bear the images of king Antiochus VII and his brother Demetrius II.

On Israel’s Memorial Day (Yom HaZikaron) David Sarel was mourning his brother Maj. Benaya Sarel, who was killed in Operation Protective Edge in 2014.  Then he got a call from Ezer Mizion.  His DNA matched a patient who needed a bone marrow transplant.  David agreed to donate.

I reported previously about Rabbi Avraham Sinai and his amazing journey from Hezbollah terrorist to Israeli Rabbi.  Now his son Amos, who was born in Lebanon, has received a citation for distinguished service in the IDF’s Golani Brigade.