New UK Ambassador is an expert
Daniel Taub replaces Ron Prosor as Israel’s UK ambassador. His skills as a lawyer and a previous Oxford University debating champion will be vital in this key posting.
A very personal gift
Keren Urzach from Jerusalem celebrated her bat mitzvah and gave a gift instead of receiving one. Her long hair was made into a wig for a 13-year old girl who went bald due to cancer treatment.
The largest animal collection in the Middle East
The Ramat Gan safari park in Tel Aviv has 250 acres of wildlife and is the 5th most popular paid-entry site in Israel. See this, plus the other nine, in the following video.
“They will all come to Jerusalem”
The ROI Summit in Jerusalem brought together young Jewish innovators from around the globe. Writers, activists, artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, fundraisers and social media gurus. Like Dylan’s classic – “Come gather round people wherever you roam … for the times they are a changing!”
“Old soldiers never die”
Yitzhak Taito has just celebrated his 70th birthday – and he is still serving in the IDF. He has spent 52 years in uniform, having enlisted in 1959, and is Israel’s oldest soldier by a long shot.
Our new man at the UN
Ron Prosor will be well known to UK readers of this newsletter. His excellent record in London has vaulted him into the “lions’ den” of world politics.
They’re still coming
May 2011 was another record month for tourism. 308,000 tourists arrived – 5% more than May last year.
Free-wheeling
The JNF have launched 3 new bike trails in the North of Israel.
What have they found this time?
Dig under a car park in Acre and find a 1500 year-old Byzantine church. History is uncovered almost every time someone disturbs the soil in this amazing country.
Morocco comes to Jerusalem
A newly restored centre for North African Jewish heritage promises to become one of the capital's most colourful tourist sites.