First Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast

Knesset Members and Christian leaders from around the world recently gathered in Jerusalem for the first annual Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast. A highlight was a visit to the president’s house. “This is a significant convening,” Rivlin said. “The meeting at the Knesset and here at my residence is important as we long to receive the prayers

Pnina’s Chicken Pilaf

I grew up eating this dish almost every erev Shabbat (Friday evening). My mom learned from her mom who learned it from her mother-in-law. This recipe has been in our family ever since they left Bucharia (now known as Uzbekistan). It is traditional to cook the pilaf in a large cast iron pot but a

The Complexities of Living in Israel

The Status of Jerusalem “Fifty years ago we returned to the heart of our capital and our country, and 50 years ago we did not conquer—we liberated…With the bravery of our soldiers and with the love of our people, Jerusalem was reunited and so, today, I say to the world with a loud and clear

Arabs Want Peace with Israel, but Palestinians Do Not

Peace in the Middle East is more than just a dream. For multiple Arab nations and Israel, it’s already something of a reality—or at least close enough for now. That’s the opinion of Dr. Jonathan Spyer, a Middle East expert who told The Mideast Update that secretive relations between Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United

Rejoicing with Jerusalem

2017 will be remembered as the year of unforgettable anniversaries. In 1917 the Balfour Declaration was penned and General Allenby liberated Jerusalem from the Ottoman Empire. The first Zionist Congress met 120 years ago and issued a united declaration to establish a Jewish homeland. This was pivotal for the next milestone which came 70 years

Mobility Means Freedom

One of the keys to independence is mobility—being able to move from place to place at will. For those who have suffered spinal cord injuries or perhaps a crippling illness, a wheelchair is the ticket to that mobility and independence. Today there are between five and eight million disabled children in the world who need

Recycling Breakthrough!

We produce a lot of garbage in our instant, prepackaged society. Landfills around the world are overflowing with solid waste products. Yes, many people are recycling their plastics, paper and glass but can we do more? Infimer®, an Israeli company, has discovered a new process for treating unsorted garbage. The end result is an amazing

Removing Viruses from Drinking Water

Researchers from Ben Gurion University (BGU) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) have developed novel ultrafiltration membranes that significantly improve the virus-removal process from treated municipal wastewater used for drinking in water-scarce cities. Current membrane filtration methods require intensive energy to adequately remove pathogenic viruses without using chemicals like chlorine. Researchers at UIUC

Ottoman Water System Revealed

Recently, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) uncovered an Ottoman-period well and an elaborate water system located nearby as part of the work being carried out by the Netivei Israel Company to widen Highway 38 near Ramat Bet Shemesh. A large well, about 3.5 meters [11.5 ft] in diameter, was discovered at the site, dug into

The Battle for Jerusalem—2,000 Years Ago

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), in collaboration with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA), continues to unveil evidence of Jerusalem’s unique history, further reinforcing the indelible connection of the Jewish people to the city. Current excavations in the City of David are revealing evidence from the battle of Jerusalem two thousand years ago—a battle

2017: Anniversaries Tell the Story

Despite the serious issues today’s world is constantly facing, 2017 is proving to be quite the amazing year. A close look at this year’s calendar reveals over two dozen anniversaries of historical events that have significantly impacted civilization in one way or another. And there really is something for everyone. For the lighthearted among us,

To Deal or Not to Deal, the Trump Question for Israel

A quiet chuckle and a smile from Donald Trump stood out during his first face-to-face press conference with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in February. Of course, laughter can be the joint expression of joy or a false effort to appear humored—and relationships between Israel and the United States have sometimes felt like just that dichotomy

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