Israel Active

Tel Aviv’s Planning and Building Commission has approved a plan to build Israel's highest skyscraper. Eurocom Global Real Estate is to build a 70-storey skyscraper in Givatayim.

The most rain since the Israel Meteorological Service began keeping records. Most stations in northern Israel recorded at least 26 rainy days in January and some 29 rainy days. The previous record was set in January 1947, with 25 days of rain in the north. The Kinneret rose 55cm in January.

A report from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development indicates that Israel ranks second in percentage of population with post-secondary degrees. With 45% of Israelis completing university degrees, Israel ranks ahead of countries such as Japan (44%), the US (41%), the UK (37%), only lagging behind Canada (50%).

The Egyptian authorities have pardoned Maikel Nabil after being imprisoned for 10 months for “defaming the Egyptian military”. In February he posted a video clip that said, “I believe that democracy and human rights and women’s rights are basic Israeli values.”

According to the Better Life Index of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Israelis devote relatively little time to family and hobbies each week. Yet when asked, according to the OECD, "72% of people in Israel said they were satisfied with their life, above the OECD average of 59%." I reckon that we must be working so hard to save this planet! Full article in Haaretz.

A new survey by the Guttman Centre of the Israel Democracy Institute has shown that 84% of Israelis believe in God and the numbers are rising. Over 76% eat kosher at home and 90% hold a Seder.

After hiding from the Nazis, Knesset Yossi Peled emigrated to the Jewish State, served in the IDF for 30 years and then another 30 as a member of the Knesset. But for the first time he returned to Berlin to say the Kaddish prayer for a father that he never knew.

Construction work has started on Eilat’s new inland port. It involves digging 140 million cubic meters of earth, which may be re-used, for agriculture or other purposes. The port will also include a new high-speed railway link to the rest of Israel.

An encounter between 1 year-old Imad Gadir from Shfaram and a 35cm coin snake ended in a surprising outcome Thursday, when the infant’s mother walked into his room to find he him chewing on the dead reptile. The infant had left his parents' bed and headed to his room, where he found the snake. He then grabbed it and bit its head off.

Ayelet Hashahar, which aims to bring different parts of Israeli society closer together, arranged for Israel’s Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger to spend Shabbat on Kibbutz Ein Harod. Dozens of secular kibbutznikim, wearing jeans and T-shirts, sat down for the Shabbat eve meal with the Chief Rabbi and recited prayers.