Israel Active

Ari Teman writes about his parents, who were ordinary suburbanites in New Jersey. They were boring and predictable – but then they made Aliya.

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has discovered an industrial olive press from the 6th – 8th century CE. The site was found near Hod HaSharon, North of Tel Aviv. The olive press system had been carved into huge building slabs that were sunk into the ground.

84-year-old Judaic expert Menachem Cohen accomplished a 30-year task to correct all known textual errors in Jewish scripture. Cohen identified 1,500 inaccuracies in vowels and cantillation notation in the Old Testament’s prophets and writings.

In the middle of the Arava desert is Kibbutz Neot Semadar growing several varieties of native date palms and organic grapes that it transforms into sulphur-free wines. It also contains Pundak Neot Semadar - a charming all-organic restaurant with a dining area enclosed by a veritable jungle.

The Rabbis probably would have objected to a young religious Jewish man’s 30km Shabbat trek from Jerusalem to Ofra in order to propose to his girlfriend. Due to having to carry a bottle of water, a spare shirt plus, of course, the ring – they would have ruled that true love should wait a bit.

Ask Herzl is a website that will serve as a database for Israel programs and strategies. It will also connect students and professionals around the country who are working on similar initiatives and facing similar challenges to collaborate and share material and ideas.

This is for all those senior readers who think that they are set in their ways. Jay and Lina Padgug, ages 85 and 82, both widowers, got a second chance at love when they met on JDate. The two tied the knot two years ago, and recently decided to make an old dream come true by moving to Israel.

(Thanks to Israel21c) Red food colouring has always been a problem. Animal sources do not satisfy vegetarian, kosher or halal customers and the synthetic version can cause behaviour problems in children. Lycopene from Israel’s LycoRed, is safe, approved and made from the humble tomato.

The Central Bureau of Statistics has published that 15,600 Israelis left to live abroad in 2010. The emigration rate is now 0.7 for every 1000 citizens, the lowest it has been since 1973. The CBS suggests that the global economic crisis is the reason. There are 570,000 Israelis living abroad today.

A dramatic rescue brought a Jewish woman and her two young children out of the clutches of a brutal husband with whom she lived for 28 years in the Arab town of Tulkarm, East of Netanya. On reaching safety, Dinah’s children begged her, "Mommy, promise us you never will go back there again."