Israel Active

A month after Iranian missiles struck the Weizmann Institute, demolishing cancer, heart research and environmental labs, repair work is fast underway. And a “miracle” prevented the mass of flammable materials on site from igniting.

Among the 1,904 graduates who just received Technion diplomas, was Adi whose brother, Shlomi was in the audience, having survived kidnapping by Hamas. Also twin brothers Ofek and Shachaf (electrical and computer engineering graduates) who completed 500 days of reserve duty together.

On social media. Abdollah Ganji, former editor of Iran’s state-controlled newspaper Javan, accused Israel of utilizing “Jewish witchcraft” and demonic forces during the recent war between the Jewish state and the Islamic Republic of Iran.  How else can anyone explain the Israeli victory?

The latest Tehumin journal from the Zomet Institute of Halacha and Technology includes rulings that prosthetics (even controlled by electronic sensors) are a basic part of the body. Therefore all use (including reassembling & rebooting after sleeping) may be performed on the Sabbath.

A rare First Temple-era seal impression (bulla) bearing a Hebrew inscription was unearthed three weeks ago by the Temple Mount Sifting Project. It reads, “Yed[a‛]yah (son of) Asayahu.” Asayahu was a servant of King Josiah of Judah who found a Torah scroll 2,647 years ago.

Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu presented President Donald Trump with two deeply symbolic gifts. The first was a mezuzah shaped like a B-2 stealth bomber, crafted from shrapnel from an Iranian missile. The second was a dollar bill, given to Rabbi Chaim Greenberg by the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

The UK Daily Mail featured Israel’s archaeological discoveries at Shiloh – the site of the Biblical Tabernacle for hundreds of years after the Children of Israel first entered the Land of Israel. (You may need to temporarily disable your ad-blocker to read it.)

Tu B’Av, the 15th of Av, is the Jewish Day of Love (this year Aug 8/9). The Jewish Matchmaking Movement has been hosting an online global Matchmaking Week from Aug 4 to Aug 10. Many Israeli “Oct 8 Jews” are “re-connecting to their Judaism and trying to find a partner”.

I’ve seen this before, but it’s certainly worth sharing. “There's something about Israel that makes people uncomfortable”.

Israeli-American venture capitalist and social entrepreneur Yadin Kaufmann founded Tmura (see previously) in 2002. Here he explains how he started the non-profit that startups donate some of their shares to.  Tmura later sells these - the proceeds benefiting many charities.