Israel Active

With roughly 1.75 million members, Christians United for Israel (CUFI) calls itself the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States. At their annual summit in Washington, CUFI leader David Brog said, “we have to speak out and be a voice for Israel”.

Nachal Teninim (Aligator stream) is a wonderful national nature reserve and is home to a Roman dam and aquaduct that brought fresh water to Caesarea. Also features an ancient rock quarry, a byzantine flour mill and waterfalls.

A mosaic depicting a non-biblical battle scene has been uncovered in a 5th century CE synagogue in Northern Israel. It features a group of soldiers and elephants clad in armor. It might be a depiction of Alexander the Great meeting Jewish high priest Jaddua (Simon the Just).

AMIA leaders came to Israel to mark AMIA’s 120th anniversary and the 20th anniversary of the attack on AMIA’s center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 and injured hundreds. Ariel Cohen Sabban, AMIA treasurer, said, “We will never forget that Israel helped us.”

As residents of Judea and Samaria express concern over the frequency of public transportation and the resultant need to hitchhike, the Egged bus cooperative has launched six new routes and announced improvements to several others.

Israel Always, a US-based Christian NGO, is caring for a group of 20 Holocaust survivors who have been bombarded by rockets in Sderot. It has taken them to Jerusalem, where it is providing free hotel accommodations, meals and activities.

(Thanks to Howard) As in previous years, the Jewish Community Center, Bergen County, Washington, New Jersey is running a program that provides respite and fun to Israeli teens that live along the Gaza border. Please can other communities in the USA offer this kind of mitzvah (good deed).

Some 400 French Jews have just made Aliyah, undeterred by the ongoing rocket fire and conflict with terrorist groups in Gaza. Most of the immigrants are from the Paris area. They include 195 minors and 18 babies. 900 Jews made Aliyah in the past week.

This song was composed by a local teacher and has been taught to hundreds of schoolchildren within firing range of Gaza's rockets to help them deal with the fear and trauma of having 15 seconds to run for cover when the Color Red siren sounds.

Guides from the KKL-JNF quit their regular jobs to assist in activities for the children of Ashkelon in shelters and protected spaces. KKL-JNF also organized a fun day in the forests of Jerusalem for families from Gaza border communities.