Israel Active

Israel-born Arik met and married Indian-born Bat Chen – a member of the Bnei Menashe sect of Indian Jews – soon after Bat Chen immigrated to the Jewish State in 1999. Now their son Benayahu is celebrating his Barmitzvah and Bat Chen feels that she is now a fully integrated Israeli. www.breakingisraelnews.com/bnei-menashe-israeli-couple-celebrate-oldest-sons-bar-mitzvah-jerusalem/ Thousands at GA in Jerusalem. 3000 Jews from North America, Europe and Israel from across the political spectrum are attending the Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly held in the historic homeland of the Jewish people. They will hear 140 speakers - half of them women - and discuss issues facing Israel and the global Jewish community.

Newsletter subscriber Grant Crankshaw has had a great idea - a project to build a Bible-themed mini-golf park in Raanana. Grant is using Crowdfunding to raise funds - another great Israeli idea. Please support him by pledging to buy discounted tickets. Your contribution is only withdrawn from your bank if the campaign reaches its investment target. Please watch the video at the headstart crowdfunding site.

400 people gathered in New York to honor the legendary Bielski brothers, the partisan leaders who saved more than 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust. The Bielski grandchildren included an Israel Defense Forces battalion commander. Surviving brother Aron urged them all, “Supporting Israel is the most important. If they don’t, some day they will pay for it.”

Thousands of Ethiopian Jews gathered in Israel’s capital, Jerusalem, to celebrate Sigd. The Biblical holiday originally observed in Ethiopia 50 days after Yom Kippur to repent for sins, pray for their return to Jerusalem, the coming of the Messiah and a Third Temple.

More than 6,000 families up and down the country took part in Shabbat meals in an initiative to build community connections, with religious families hosting secular attendees. The Beit Hillel organization plans to make the initiative an annual event.

Israel’s high school graduation rate was 92% in 2010 (OECD average 84%). Israel spent 7.2% of GDP on educational institutions in 2009 (sixth highest in the world). And pre-school education is now free for all Israeli children from age 3 upward.

Israel’s Knesset approved the aliya of 899 Indians, known as Bnei Menashe. Some 1,700 Bnei Menashe, who claim to be Jews descended from the biblical tribe of Menashe, are already living in Israel. A further 9,000 remain in India and Burma.

The Center for North African Jewry in Jerusalem exhibits the culture that is common to the Muslims and to the Jews of North Africa, while the Israeli Andalusian Orchestra Ashdod creates a connecting link between Jews and Arabs.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has just issued its first-ever Human Capital Index. Israel came 4th in the world for capacity for innovation, 3rd for life expectancy, 2nd for tertiary education attainment and joint 1st for water, sanitation and hygiene.

(Thanks to Jacob Richman) The next letters sent from Israel may feature some of the latest set of beautiful biblical postage stamps.