Israel Active

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin used the theme “Sukkot in the Environment” when he invited the public to join him in his Jerusalem sukka.  Visitors enjoyed activities and displays promoting recycling and reuse, green space, bio-gas from waste and sustainable construction.

The Ugandan Jewish community of Abayudaya had no Arba Minim (4 species) with which to celebrate the festival of Sukkot.  So Melanie Lidman traversed facebook, Tel Aviv, Istanbul, Entebbe airport and Kampala to bring a set donated by total strangers to the eagerly awaiting Jews.

Lt. Col. John Henry Patterson led the British Army’s Jewish Legion to battle against the Turks in WW1.  He was widely recognized as a “true righteous among the gentiles”. To commemorate the 147th anniversary of his birth, Lt. Col. Patterson’s ashes will be re-interred in Israel. =

In 1953 Yigael Yadin - the first Chief of Staff of the new Jewish State - discovered letters written by Simon Bar Kochba - the last commander of Judea.  The letters, now on display in the Israel Museum, were addressed to commanders of the Jewish army - perhaps including Yadin, some 1820 years later.

Archaeologists working in the hills outside of Jerusalem uncovered an ancient Jewish ritual bath that reveals not only remnants of Second Temple-era life in the area, but also the inscriptions of two Australian soldiers who visited the site while passing through during World War II.

This is the ultimate for those wanting 8 days in a 5-star penthouse overlooking Jerusalem.  Full board for a family of four with your own huge sukkah costs a cool $50,000.

It’s kosher, and easy to put up - an idea for next year, perhaps?

A time of Repentance.  Several events took place to raise the spiritual level of Jewish Israelis during the past days between Rosh Hashana (New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).  Jerusalem’s Beit Avi Chai hosted its annual Piyut Festival.  Meanwhile inmates at Beer Sheva’s prison enjoyed a Selichot service performed by Ashdod’s Andalusian Orchestra – see IBA News video at 21 minutes.

On the eve of the Jewish New Year, the population of Israel reached 8,904,373 - 173,811 more than the same time last year.  176,230 babies were born in 5774.

24,800 new immigrants arrived in Israel in the Jewish year 5774, a 28% increase compared to the 19,350 immigrants who arrived in Israel in 5773 and the highest number of the past five years.  For the first time in history, more immigrants arrived from France (nearly 6,000) than from any other country.