Israel Active

More government funding, longer staff hours and teachers for specific subjects are some of the reasons why Israeli children are getting better test results. The next goal is to reduce class sizes and tackle the problems affecting children from poor families.

Israel now officially bans the import, marketing and sale of any cosmetics, toiletries or detergents whose manufacturing process involves animal testing. Head of the Knesset's Animal Rights Lobby MK Eitan Cabel said, the law represents "A true revolution in animal welfare in Israel”.

The Israel Antiquities Authority’s collection of 800,000 coins is one of the largest in the world. They are solid (often solid gold) proof of the ancient Jewish connection to the Land of Israel. Jews were even minting coins during the Roman siege of Jerusalem, 2000 years ago.

It’s true! The numbers of accidents and fatalities on Israeli roads have been falling steadily in recent years and have now reached a 50-year low. 2012 saw a 25% drop in road deaths. Reasons include improved infrastructure, technology, publicity and the work of NGO Or Yarok.

Fifty-three Jews from the Bnei Menashe community of northeastern India have just immigrated to Israel. 'We've been waiting for this moment for hundreds of years,' said Ben Asher, 23, who arrived with his family. The Bnei Menashe trace their Jewish roots to a biblical tribe lost over 2700 years ago.

Early-season predictions of “average annual rainfall” were somewhat pessimistic. If we get another 3 meters of rain (highly unlikely), we will be able to open the Jordan River dam.

Israeli graphic designer Ronny Edry posted an image on his Facebook one evening and began a massive exchange of images between ordinary Israelis and Iranians. If only everyone in Iran felt the same way.

Archeologists have uncovered rare remains of ritual objects and a 3,000-year-old temple while conducting excavations ahead of the renovation of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway. The area, known as Motzah (Mozah) is mentioned in the Book of Joshua.

A group of Jerusalem schoolchildren have renovated the pedestrian subway from the Jerusalem Bus Station to the Convention Centre. They removed all the garbage and graffiti and repaired the lighting. They also commissioned My Dog Sighs, a UK street artist visiting Israel, to paint murals in the tunnel.

Prof. Shimon Benita, director of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem School of Pharmacy, has received the Knight in the National Order of Merit of France for his scientific achievements and his contribution to the forging of close ties with French research.