Israel Active

The Zomet Institute has designed the “Shabbatphone” for those engaged in vital (non-life saving*) services on Shabbat. It works on the principle of changing electric capacitance. Numbers are printed on a smooth sealed surface. On ordinary phones, pressing buttons completes electric circuits, which Jewish law prohibits on the Sabbath. (*Jews may of course break Shabbat laws in order to save life.)

The Zomet Institute has also developed a kosher-for-Shabbat capacitative keyboard, which operates on the principle of “gramma” (indirect action). The IDF has purchased 500 of the keyboards for religious soldiers who need computers to perform military duties on the Sabbath.

“Vhi Sheamda” – this video is a “must-see” before the Passover Seder. An inspiring message from South Africa’s Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein and the music of Yaakov Shwekey.

Irish artist Nicky Larkin underwent a personal transformation whilst making a film about the Israeli-Arab conflict. This has to be the “must read” for this week’s newsletter. Nicky Larkin’s film “Forty Shades of Grey” will premiere in Dublin in May.

(thanks to Embrace Israel) A heart-warming true story about how teachers and staff at the Dolev School, together with her hosting family, helped Miriam undergo an amazing change. From being a seriously “at-risk” teenager, Miriam is now training to become a midwife.

Israel is at the top of the recycling league for recyclable bottles. 77% of glass bottles are returned, one of the highest rates in the world. In addition, 41% of larger plastic bottles, for which there is no deposit, were returned.

The level of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) has risen by two metres thanks to the winter rains and the contributions from Israel’s desalination plants at Ashkelon, Palmachim and Hadera. When the Ashdod and Soreq plants come on line at the end of 2013, Israel’s water crisis should be over.

Now there’s no need to wait for an undetermined amount of time for the Shabbat elevator to arrive. Shlomo Friedman has developed “BeeOnTime” tracking device that informs would-be elevator users in their rooms or apartments when it will reach their floor.

Despite over 200 rockets from Gaza in less than a week threatening over one million Israeli civilians, couples in the South are still going ahead with the most important events of their lives. If the siren sounds, it’s up the isle and then down the shelter.

Whilst schools in the South of Israel were closed due to terrorist rockets from Gaza, the credit card company Isracard treated many children to a day at the Jerusalem Ice Festival.