Israel Active

Netanya is the only large town in Israel that preserved its original cliffs, instead of cutting them down to the sea level. As a result, Netanya’s homes are built at 40-50 feet above the sea level, endowing the city with a lovely, cooling breeze most days of the summer.

On her first visit to Israel recently, Dr. Qanta Ahmed saw the country ‘as God sees it.’ The Muslim physician, and daughter of Pakistani immigrants to the US, was smitten by the natural beauty, history and modern achievements that came into vivid focus on a helicopter tour of the Jewish State.

Israel’s new pilots included 21-year-old Lt B who made Aliya from New Jersey in 2009. "I knew from a young age that Israel was an amazing country, and that I was destined to fall in love with it," he said.

The Moon came to its closest point of the year to Israel last week.

See these clips of some unusual Israeli buskers at the Mamila shopping mall in Jerusalem. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-KRMVdEYjc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D6dFViw2m8

It’s so lovely to have an almost positive article about Israel from the BBC. We may get a few more, now that most of their news reporters can’t risk working in any of the nearby war zones.

(Thanks to Size Doesn’t Matter) National Geographic Traveler has selected Tel Aviv in its top ten choices for the best beaches in the world.

There are some classic one-liners in Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Dave Barry’s description of his first visit to the Jewish State.

For the first time in recorded history, 20 pairs of the common chiffchaff have been found in Israel. The birds are nesting in a remote valley in the Hermon. Turkey is the furthest South previously detected. 534 species of birds can be found in Israel. 500 million birds migrate through Israel.

UK Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks gave an inspiring speech at the “Closer to Israel” event in London. He listed dozens of Israel’s innovations and humanitarian activities as well as the successful lives and the benefits that Arabs enjoy in the Jewish State.