Learning about life in Israel
A group of US Hispanic journalists and another of Chinese bloggers visited Israel at the height of Operation Pillar of Defense. They heard sirens indicating a rocket attack and publicised their amazement at how Israelis cope and still manage to be such a progressive and innovative country.
Israeli mother defeats terrorist
Yael Matzpun of Moshav Sdei Avraham was stabbed in the face by an Arab infiltrator from Gaza, whilst her four children were sleeping. Yael managed to push the terrorist into the adjacent bathroom and jammed the door using her child's bed. IDF troops later chased and killed the terrorist.
Ask what you can give to your country
Lev and Svetlana Hazant, both in their 80s, moved from the Ukraine to Israel 11 years ago but have just finished selling their foreign home. They decided to donate the proceeds to fund the renovation of an IDF outpost on the Israel-Egypt border. “What we have is enough”, they said.
Broaden the conversation
Israeli Consul General of New York, Ido Aharoni, has been encouraging people like me to build relationships with Israel via through its creative contributions. Hi-tech, agriculture, dance, fashion and TV programs as areas of Israeli creativity that can be inspiring to international audiences.
On-line schooling in bomb shelters
Just because hundreds of rockets are falling on Israeli homes doesn’t mean that kids have to stop learning. Israelis put such an emphasis on education that the classroom has gone virtual. This new program is from World ORT and is called the Schulich Canada Smart Classroom Initiative
Technology helps life under fire
Call it a silver lining, maybe, but videos and websites are help Israelis stay safe and inform the world about what life is like for Israelis under attack.
Our ambassadors
20 students have begun a 10-day tour of UK university campuses to put over Israel’s case face to face. Good luck!
“We will stand in for you”
(Thanks to Haifa Diary) A delegation of twenty doctors from the American Physicians Fellowship for Medicine in Israel arrived in Haifa on US Election Day. They pledged their readiness to be "drafted" to help Israel in times of national emergency.
“And we are your Ambassadors”
This year marks the 8th year of the successful StandWithUs" Ambassadors Club" program, at the IDC Herzliya for Israeli public diplomacy. It will be educating 250 students who want to represent Israel to the best of their abilities around the world.
A super scientist to the end
(Thanks to Israel21c) The sad news that retired Hebrew University Professor Nathan Citri has passed away aged 90 is tinged with a fair bit of pride. This year he was still developing his medical “superbug” diagnostic kits and obtaining fast-track CE approval, as “I don’t have that kind of time”.