Israel Active

For the 1.6 million Israelis living under the poverty line, hunger is a reality. 8000 Pantry Packers volunteers distribute monthly food boxes to more than 40,000 families in 24 Israeli cities. The Colel Chabad run Jerusalem volunteer center celebrates its third anniversary on Jan 31.

15 years ago, Israeli Arnold (Arik) Nesis received the gift of a 1983 Ibanez X Explorer Destroyer X guitar from a US donor. The guitar helped Arnold launch his musical career and now he is asking social media users to help him find the person who changed his life forever.

Over 30,000 new immigrants arrived in Israel in the past year, 10% more than in 2014 and the highest number in over a decade. Nearly 8,000 came from France, while around 7,000 came from Ukraine. Tel Aviv received the most immigrants, followed by Netanya, Jerusalem and Haifa. Aliya from the UK in 2015 increased by 25% from the previous year. Aliya from Western Europe hit record levels.

Israel’s Academy of Sciences and Humanities is running its first-ever job fair to help over 3000 Israeli academics working overseas who have applied for assistance in finding a job in Israel. Over 1,700 of the applicants are currently working in the US, and 228 are employed in the UK.

3,000 young Jews from seven countries gathered in the Jerusalem International Conference Center for Taglit-Birthright’s Mega Event of 2016. And Israel is making it easier for Birthright and Masa participants to extend their stay in the Jewish State without unnecessary bureaucracy.

Israeli President Rivlin welcomed leaders of Emunah, the National Religious Women's Organization, to honor 80 years of caring and educating. Emunah in Israel operates 140 daycare centers, serving 9,000 children. Educational institutions include 19 midrashot for women.

13-year-old Naor Shalev Ben-Ezra recently has just had his Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall, two months after suffering life-threatening injuries when stabbed on his bike, by two Palestinian Arab teenagers. One guest was David Dalfon, the MDA paramedic who saved his life.

Despite having plenty of drinking water from desalination, Israelis are very happy to see the first increase in the level of the Kinneret / Sea of Galilee this winter. Previous rains fell mostly in the center and south of the country.

The three Jewish purchases of land recorded in the Torah are depicted in a painting by the artist Baruch Nachshon. The picture of Hebron’s Cave of Machpelah, Shechem’s (Nablus) Joseph's Tomb and Jerusalem’s Temple now hangs prominently in Israel’s Foreign Ministry.

Here is a new video of Israel’s unique Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.