Israel Active

Israel’s Hebrew Learning Center, eTeacher, has announced that it will plant a tree in the name of every student who signs up to one of its Modern or Biblical Hebrew courses. This campaign was launched following the Jewish holiday of “Tu Bishvat” – the “New Year of the Trees” celebrated in Israel.

Israeli researchers have used a unique technique to separate fossilised pollen and identify what grew in the ancient royal gardens of Ramat Rahel near Jerusalem. They reconstructed the layout of the garden, including the earliest known local citron tree, which originated in India.

Nofar Ben Hamou from Lod was found safe after she had gone missing.

Phillip (age 95) and Dorothy (93) Grossman of Baltimore, Maryland have been married for 71 years. They were greeted by their great-great-grandchildren at Ben Gurion airport.

The quality of Israel's drinking water shows clear improvement. In a study of the national water carrier’s supply, only 0.07% of samples were found to contain disease-causing bacteria and parasites. Far less than the 6.5% level in 1991 and the 5.0% limit recommended by the World Health Organisation.

That’s effectively what Israel is doing by clearing 1500 mines from the border with Jordan. The area will then be used for agriculture - most likely for date crops.

Tourist Israel recommends visiting the Hula Valley, the Ramon Crater, Jerusalem the Gold, the Dead Sea and anywhere you can sea the sun setting over the Mediterranean.

(Thanks to Rodger) More about Umar Mulinde – the Ugandan pastor who was flown to Israel to get treatment for the burns he suffered in an acid attack. In this video he speaks bravely about the attack, his treatment and the love for Israel he learned via JerusalemOnlineU.com

Israeli rail passengers will enjoy free WiFi Internet access from October at all 53 stations and in all 620 rail cars. A pilot will be implemented in March at Tel Aviv Central and University stations and on two double-decker trains.

Jewish residents wrote letters in the Chabad movement’s Sefer Torah for Jewish Unity in a poignant ceremony near Rome’s Coliseum and Arch of Titus. Jewish spiritual and political leaders, Nobel Prize winners and intellectuals from all over the world have also written letters. The scroll was instigated by Israel’s national airline, El Al, and will accompany flights of national significance.