Israel Active

Israel's Tekuma Administration – the government's arm for rehabilitating the Gaza periphery – reveals that 87% (50,000 out of 64,000) of Gaza border residents have returned to their homes. 244 projects, totaling $1.7 billion, have been initiated, to rehabilitate the region.

Israeli emergency NGO United Hatzalah honored Oct 7 volunteers and victims at a “Heroes of Life” Memorial Ceremony in Jerusalem. The ceremony also paid tribute to United Hatzalah’s volunteers who played a pivotal role on Oct 7, and in the ensuing months, transporting wounded to hospitals while under fire.

Kibbutz Yehiam near the Lebanese border, has converted its bomb shelters and protected rooms into classrooms. Now, over 110 students can locally learn instead of being driven on school buses to schools some half-an-hour away. When safe, children join from outside the kibbutz.

Moshav Liman, just 1.3 miles from Lebanon, had a population of 850 before Oct 7.  Now, some 125 hardened Israelis continue to cultivate their small family farms. They include Kfir and Clarise who lived through bombardments in 1978, and the Lebanon wars of 1982 and 2006. They stayed then, as well.

Hila was planning to study at Israel’s Technion Institute on Oct 10, 2023. When Hamas attacked Sderot on Oct. 7, Hila had to evacuate her home, arriving at the Technion without any belongings. The Technion, however, made sure she had everything she needed.

Despite losing their elder siblings at the hands of Hamas terrorists, Yael Eshel, sister of Sgt Roni Eshel, and Yuval Marciano, sister of Cpl Noa Marciano, have just begun their IDF service on the same day.  Their sisters were serving together on Oct 7 at the IDF’s Nahal Oz base near the Gaza border.

Samaritan’s Purse, founded by Franklin Graham, son of the late evangelist Billy Graham, has donated two more armored ambulances to Magen David Adom. They previously donated 14 ambulances and have committed to donate 28 more. They have also donated 1,000 trauma kits.

Despite the war and the anniversary of the events on Simchat Torah last year, Jews joyously celebrated the festivals of Simchat Torah and Sukkot in Jerusalem in defiance of the evil plans of our enemies.

My home city of Netanya was the destination that took most Olim (immigrants) this year with over 4,700 new Olim becoming residents here. It surpassed Tel Aviv (4,480), Haifa (3,870) and Jerusalem (2,260).

Birthright Israel brought 12 adult volunteers to Israel, all either on the autistic spectrum and/or with other non-physical disabilities. In addition to agricultural work, the group’s 10-day visit included volunteer activities where they helped pack up food and supplies.