Israel Active

Finally, we may one day see all Israeli children growing up knowing their historical connection to the Land.  Reforms placing Jewish and Zionist studies at the heart of the core curriculum in all publicly-funded state schools will start in 2026.

NGOs and have partnered to take thousands of Jewish teens from Israel this summer to Hungary, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Spain and France. In each locale, the students will study issues related to local Jewish history and strengthen the spirit of solidarity with Israel.

Birthright Israel has launched its summer session, welcoming the first groups of U.S. participants to Israel. Running from mid-May through Sept, the program expects to bring more than 20,000 young Jewish adults from across the United States, Canada, and 30 additional countries.

Eliezer Meir Seidel, an expert baker and owner of the Showbread Institute in the Samaria community of Karnei Shomron, is proud that he has perfected the recipe for the special 12 loaves of “wonder bread” that were displayed continually in the Temple 2000 -3000 years ago.

Surgeons at Hadassah Medical Center saved a young Israeli whose heart artery was torn by terrorist shrapnel. The surgeons used Israel’s unique HemaShock tourniquet (see previously) to squeeze his blood just to his vital organs. His heart restarted while surgeons repaired the artery.

Flying Production, a subsidiary of Israel’s Elbit Systems, has begun serial production of its new X-Intra combat drone that can carry loads up to 30kg. Stored disassembled, it fits into a padded bag that one soldier can carry, and can be deployed and operational within just two minutes.

Israeli defense giant Elbit Systems has raised $512 million on Nasdaq to help expand its production of military systems. On 31st March, Elbit had a record $23.1 billion backlog of orders. The new cash will be used to establish more infrastructure and invest more in R&D.

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Trophy’s active armored defense system has saved the lives of many Israeli soldiers during the war. Finland's majority government-owned Patria group will now integrate it onto its vehicles to protect them from anti-tank missiles, UAVs, and other threats.

During the 2025 Spring recruitment, 1113 new immigrants enlisted in the IDF. It compares to 883 in Spring 2024 and 799 in 2023. Most of the recruits came from the US, Russia and Ethiopia. Over 700 lone soldiers joined the IDF this year – most of them new immigrants.

Reservists of the Israel Defense Forces’ 8110th “Yoav” Infantry Battalion recently celebrated the bar mitzvah of their commander in Rafah, Gaza. The commander, who had got engaged a few days earlier, had never celebrated his bar mitzvah, so his troops decided to surprise him.