Israel Active

When Hamas attacked the Nova party revelers on 7 Oct 2023, Barak Nixon hid in a chemical toilet stall for 8 hours. He promised that if he got out of there alive, he would become religious. He subsequently moved to Mea Shearim, the ultra-orthodox area of Jerusalem. This is his story.

Israel opened its border to allow hundreds of Syrian Druze dignitaries and leaders to visit Israel. They visited the Galilee tomb of the Biblical Yitro (revered as a prophet) for the first time since 1948.  Amazing video. Useful article about the Druze at the second link below.

Israeli lawmakers from the coalition and opposition exchanged mishloach manot, gift baskets filled with food, on the last working day before the Purim holiday. “Purim is a holiday of unity,” explained National Unity Party Chairman Benny Gantz.

Firefighters from the Jerusalem District Fire and Rescue Authority dressed as Batman, Superman, and Spiderman to give Purim presents to children and youths. They descended from the rooftop of the Feuerstein Institute, an educational center for individuals with disabilities.

See the innovative Purim costumes and parade floats in Jerusalem.

The Jewish Futures Project has shown that children of Birthright Israel participants are more likely to be raised as Jews, have had a Jewish circumcision or a baby-naming ceremony, and be enrolled in formal and informal Jewish education compared to the children of nonparticipants.

The Alexander Muss High School in Israel has just launched its monthly podcast Muss Matters. Students share stories, perspectives, and experiences that bring Israel to life. Episodes include Jewish history, prophecy, where Jewish journeys start, and Zionism and the Shoah post-Oct 7.

Ezra Cohen is Panama’s envoy to the Jewish state. His father came to pre-state Israel from Colombia, fought in Israel’s 1948 War of Independence and was held prisoner by the Jordanians for nine months. When presented to Israeli President Herzog, he responded to him in fluent Hebrew.

Israel remains in the top ten list of happiest countries in the world despite an anxious year with the wars against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Its 8th placed in the World Happiness Report 2025 is down from 5th in 2024 but still remarkable, considering.

Waze co- founder Uri Levine has published a new edition of his handbook for entrepreneurs, “Fall in Love With the Problem, Not the Solution”. It now has a chapter on how to navigate crises, such as Oct 7 2023 and the subsequent war, using interviews with CEOs and their roads to recovery.