Winter Warm-up!

{image_1}The air in Israel now has a chill and the winter rainy season is not far behind. Warm, hearty, comfort foods like goulash are back on the menu. Goulash made with cubed beef is a stew, but with ground beef—a soup.

Bomb-Proof Backpack for Children

{image_1}An Israeli designer has created a bomb-proof backpack that its designer says will protect all vital organs from the impact of an explosion with 19 layers of Kevlar fabric, the same material used in flak jackets. The British Daily Mail reported that designer Hila Raam is targeting the Israeli market, but the steep price (more than US $450) might be a deterrent. According to the report, in the event of an attack, the child must simply pull side straps and yellow strings from the hood to effectively create a personal bomb shelter.

Dozens of Judaica Items Unveiled

{image_1}A town near Strasbourg unveiled dozens of Judaica items hidden before the Holocaust and discovered during the renovation of a former synagogue. They had been hidden at what is now the new cultural center of Dambach-la-Ville, a town of 2,000 in eastern France.

History Course Online

{image_1}Tel Aviv University (TAU)—Israel's largest and most comprehensive institution of higher learning—is home to over 30,000 students studying in nine faculties and over 125 schools and departments across the spectrum of sciences, humanities and the arts. During the upcoming academic year, TAU will be offering two online history courses within the framework of Coursera—an education company that partners with the top universities and organizations in the world to offer courses online for anyone to take, for free.

Tel Aviv Free WiFi

{image_1}Tel Aviv has long called itself Israel’s “Startup City” for innovation and creativity. With more than 600 tech startups in its 20 square miles [52 sq km], the municipality is on a digital mission to keep the White City online and accessible all the time.

Israeli Technion—7th Best College for Tech CEOs

{image_1}A new ranking published by the American financial media company Bloomberg includes the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology among the world's top 10 academic institutions whose graduates lead companies with a market value of more than US $1 billion. The Technion made it to seventh place alongside the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Rice University and the University of Texas, Austin. Princeton, Stanford and Harvard universities top the list. The Technion is the only institution on the list located outside the United States.

A Heavenly Lookout!

{image_1}The Cliffs of Arbel

One of the advantages of being a Bridges for Peace volunteer in Israel is the opportunity to explore on your own. While Arbel National Park is not usually found on Israel tour itineraries, it is definitely worth a visit. The view from Mount Arbel is breathtaking, including the Golan Heights, Tsafat (Safed), Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee. The high cliffs reach an elevation of 181 meters (594 ft) above sea level at the peak for a total elevation of 380 meters (1,247 ft).

Divine Buzz

{image_1}Ethiopian Nun Emerges as Jerusalem’s Musical Treasure

At the recent four-day Sacred Music Festival in Jerusalem, hundreds of music lovers and performers crowded the city’s holy sites to hear the world’s spiritual and religious music traditions. With top talent from across the globe taking part, no one foresaw that the biggest attraction at the festival—part of the annual Jerusalem Season of Culture—would be a shy 90-year-old nun.

Refuge in the Storm

{image_1}Le Chambon-sur-Lignon—France

Pastor André Trocmé was the spiritual leader of the Protestant congregation in the village of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon in southeastern France. His predecessor, Charles Guillon, had been elected mayor of the town in the early 1930s. When in June 1940 France was occupied and the Vichy regime was formed, Trocmé urged his congregants to shelter persecuted fugitives of “the people of the Bible.” In so doing, he followed in the footsteps of Guillon, who had educated the congregation in this spirit. This policy and the generosity of spirit of many congregants made Le Chambon and the surrounding villages a unique refuge in France where many Jews survived the war.

Eighty Hours of Terror

{image_1}Israel Responds in Kenyan Crisis

On September 21, 2013, the African nation of Kenya experienced one of the worst terror attacks in recent history. The death and destruction shocked the world and devastated the country as pictures of injured and dying hit the internet. After the four-day siege ended, the UK and the United States were quick to send aid to the reeling country, but first on the scene was Israel.

Righteousness in Action – Tzedakah

{image_1}The word tzedakah appears 157 times in the Scriptures. It comes from the Hebrew root tzedek which means righteousness, fairness or justice. The word tzadik comes from this same root and is an adjective used to describe a truly righteous person. Tzedakah literally, then, means justice or righteousness. In Judaism, it refers to the religious obligation to do what is right and just and is seen, as it is in Christianity, as a foundational requirement of living a godly life.

Up In the Air, a Bird’s-eye View of Israel

{image_1}Israel has a number of cable car systems that not only provide transportation but make for some memorable aerial adventures as well.