Israel Active

Some 7,000 Netanya children came to the city stadium to demonstrate unity and solidarity and express their desire to see the return of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas terrorists. See other videos of adults and children displaying that Israelis will never surrender to those that hate us.  

11-year-old Nati Tokiyar from Kibbutz Magen was evacuated to the Dead Sea to avoid Hamas rockets from Gaza. As he was exploring the area, he found a coin of Hasmonean king and high priest Alexander Jannaeus (104-76 BCE). The Israel Antiquities Authority gave him a certificate.

More about the work of the charity Machshava Tova (see previously), which uses funds from CJP in Boston to purchase computers, projectors, 3D printers, VR goggles and other equipment for children evacuated from Sderot.

Former US Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt and his family donated a mini-lance (mini-ambulance) emergency response vehicle to Israel’s United Hatzalah. He requested that will be specifically driven by a female Arab volunteer and deployed in eastern neighborhoods of Jerusalem.

Operation Hug (see previously) has now brought over 1,000 parents from over 50 different countries to visit their children who are lone soldiers serving in the IDF. Thanks to Nefesh B'Nefesh, JNF-USA, and FIDF (Friends of the IDF).  Watch some of the recent reunions here.

Israeli Doctors in America, together with the Israeli Ministry of Health and Israel’s Economic Mission to the USA – East Coast, have launched the IL-USDocAID Initiative. It brings US medical professionals to work either in Israeli hospitals or with Magen David Adom.

IDF reservist Itay returned to Israel on an overbooked El Al flight from Bangkok with a seat in a washroom. The other 14 washrooms also seated IDF reservists, plus 10 in the cockpit and elsewhere. Luckily, he had a pre-flight massage. Two days later he was dodging terrorist bullets in Huwara, near Nablus.

An extremely rare stone box, dating back to Jerusalem’s 2nd Temple, was found on the Pilgramage Road in Jerusalem’s City of David. Stone vessels cannot become impure and were often used in Temple times. The box’s burnt exterior fits with Jerusalem’s 70 CE destruction by the Romans.

Israel’s National airline El Al is granting free tickets to various destinations in Europe, to IDF soldiers who have completed 30 days reserve duty since the outbreak of the war. In addition, they will have priority in boarding flights and be thanked in an announcement on the plane at the beginning of each flight.

Rabbi Doron Perez of Mizrachi describes how Fri Feb 23 is Purim Katan – the day when miracles happen. Like us all he prays that all Israeli hostages are freed – including his son!