Israel Active

Israel has increased the budget for rehabilitating polluted rivers and streams. The new total includes NIS 220m for the Kishon River, NIS 300m for the Beersheba River and NIS 178m for the Alexander, the Yarkon, the Taninim Stream, the Shikma Stream and the Tabor Stream amongst others.

Israel is to transform a disused landfill site in Netanya into a residential area for 2,062 families and 1,100 hotel rooms. It involves evacuating 2.5 million cubic meters of waste, increasing Netanya’s famous iris nature reserve and providing much needed housing for the seaside city.

Fifteen Israeli-Ethiopian teenagers have just visited the birthplace of their parents. During the trip they began to understand where they had come from and all that they had achieved. For Zahava it was as if a giant puzzle had been completed. “This was worth everything to me”, she said.

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.