Israel Active

Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund has dedicated the “Iron Swords Forest” in memory of all soldiers and civilians who were killed on 7 Oct 2023 or during the subsequent war. Each bereaved family is invited to plant a tree at the 367 dunams (90 acres) forest at Khirbet Mador, southern Israel.

The Elite PALMAR Asaf combat medical extraction team helped the IDF air-rescue unit get wounded soldiers from the Gaza battlefield to Israeli operating rooms in under an hour. Dr Tuvia Book (see previously) explains. Also MDA’s whole blood system has halved battlefield mortality rates.

48 Israeli children who lost a parent serving in the IDF celebrated their coming of age in Jerusalem, in an event organized by the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization. It included a reception at the President’s Residence, where they were welcomed by Israeli President Isaac Herzog and his wife, Michal.

Former Israeli Chief Rabbi David Lau presided at the ceremony of Israeli female pop star Noa Kirel and Israeli goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. He likened their professions to the Levites’ temple duties: (Noa) singing and (Daniel) guarding the gate. Noa is the daughter of a Levite.

Despite two years of existential war including against Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and the Houthis, Israel’s GDP per capita is higher than Germany, the UK, Canada and France. It is 4th in life expectancy and 8th happiest. It doesn’t make sense unless you believe in something beyond the math.

In contrast to European daffodils, the Israeli variety comes into flower in the fall / autumn. As Israel welcomed home the last remaining hostages from Hamas captivity, nature joined in the celebration and the country was painted yellow.

Eliya Cohen proposed to his girlfriend Ziv Avud on a Tel Aviv hotel rooftop, eight months after his release from Gazan captivity. Before his kidnapping, Eliya had bought a ring and planned to propose. More than two years later, he was finally able to ask, and Ziv said yes.

Posters of dozens of now-freed Israeli hostages that have lined Israel’s main international airport for nearly two years are being gradually removed by individual family members as they wish.

18 of the 20 recently released hostages and their families visited the Azrieli Ayalon Mall in Ramat Gan for a three-hour shopping spree. They were given vouchers to all Fox Group stores, Food was provided by Landwer Café. The mall was closed to the general public.

The El Al pilot made an announcement on the flight bringing families of hostages back home to Israel from Amsterdam, ahead of the implementation of the hostage deal. The pilot congratulated them., saying, “It is a privilege to bring you home for the reunion that you've waited for.”