Israel Active

This blog posting from one of cancer charity Ezer Mizion’s children is a moving account of his/her physical and spiritual journey from treatment to remission.

In 1932 Rabbi Dr Akiva Posner, leader of the Jews of Kiel, Germany, lit his menorah in the window of his house overlooking the Nazi Party’s local HQ. Rabbi Posner’s great-grandson, also named Akiva, now lights the menorah in Israel next to an amazing 1932 photo.

Two of the new stamps issued in December commemorate the founding of NILI – the Jewish organization that helped the British in World War 1 to defeat the Turks in pre-State Israel.

I missed sending out this link to amusing Chanukah videos during the Festival of Light. But hopefully you will still be able to appreciate them, during these long (Northern hemisphere) nights.

Excellent analysis of the major discoveries of Biblical proportions, during excavations in the Land of Israel.

Dudu Shevy was paralyzed in a car accident 12 years ago. Thanks to Amit Goffer, founder of Israel’s ReWalk, Dudu surprised his family by walking down the aisle to his bride wearing a ReWalk exoskeleton loaned to him for his wedding day.

An “Accessibility Shabbat” was held in communities across Israel on 5 Dec 2015, to highlight the need for greater respect for the handicapped and disabled within the religious community, and in Israeli society in general. Events were led by the Tzohar Committee on Jewish Ethics.

A previous newsletter featured a wine (Marawi 2014) produced from indigenous Israeli grapes. You should also look out for Dabouki 2014 and 2015. And at Ariel University, Eliyashiv Drori has made tiny batches from about 30 different grape varieties.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat always seems to be at the right place at the right time. When the wife of Interior Minister Silvan Shalom fainted in Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda market, Barkat was on the scene to revive her. See the mayor’s previous “superhero” activities and .

The Am Yisrael Foundation aims to bring Jewish education and Jewish faith to the center of Tel Aviv. Together with the North Central Synagogue of Tel Aviv it is dedicating a brand new Sefer Torah in honor of the 72 soldiers killed during Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014.