Other Security Fences…besides Israel’s!

{image_1}If we were to review a list of Israel’s actions that have incurred the wrath of the nations, it would actually be hard to decide which should be ranked at the top. Certainly in the running would be the decision, over a decade ago, to build a security fence, the largest infrastructure project in Israel’s history. Developed specifically to protect citizens from the infiltration of suicide bombers after years of intifada (Arab uprisings)—which left 1,226 Israelis dead and 8,341 maimed— the cost was nearly US $2 billion.

Young Adults Discovering Their Roots

{image_1}Two names, two programs, one Jewish, the other Christian, but there are more similarities than differences between them. While Taglit-Birthright is aimed at helping young Jewish adults of the Diaspora [the Jewish population outside Israel] reconnect with their Jewish roots, Zealous8:2 seeks to connect Christian young adults to the Hebraic roots of their faith. Both are using tours to draw young people around the world to Israel. The curious bystander in Israel who observes the endless lines of excited, English-speaking Jewish youth on Taglit tours must wonder how this program began.

Gaza–Not the Full Story

{image_1}Perhaps no single place on earth is so misrepresented as the Gaza Strip. On September 12, 2005, the last of the Israeli soldiers and civilians left the Strip after 38 years. Not a Jew remained. Even the bodies in the Jewish graveyards were removed and reburied in Israel.

Wonders—Pele

{image_1}One of the things which sets God apart from false gods is His mighty power. The Bible is replete with examples of the miracle-working power of God. One of His attributes as described theologically is omnipotence, the ability to do anything.

Israeli Mom Goes Green

{image_1}Imagine pulling back the tab of a drink box, drinking its contents, and then throwing what’s left in the backyard compost heap to fully decompose––just like one would a fruit peel? This was the dream of mother and computer-engineer-turned-entrepreneur Daphna Nissenbaum from Israel. Her dream has turned into an award-winning, green-packaging company, Tipa, which is starting to roll out a few products already.

Detecting Breast Cancer…with Dignity!

{image_1}Early detection is the key to improving breast cancer survival rates, but mammography is not the ideal method to accomplish this goal. Medical experts agree. Not as clear is what could do the job without the disadvantages of mammography—which often causes pain or discomfort; emits radiation; cannot properly image dense breast tissue; relies on a radiologist’s interpretation of the image; and is not recommended for routine screening of women under age 40 or 50.

Tomatoes Replace Red-40 Dye

{image_1}No one knows fresh tomatoes like the Israelis. It makes sense, then, that the Israeli company LycoRed should corner the market for lycopene, a new super-food and natural dye extracted from the tomato. Lycopene is quickly replacing artificial and animal-based red dyes across America.

The Strait of Hormuz—The Iranian Oil Chokehold

{image_1}It is almost hard to believe that a number of the world’s most famous and significant oil producers somehow seek to channel their black gold in waterway lanes of just two miles (3.2 kilometers) wide. While the Strait of Hormuz is technically 21 miles (33.8 kilometers) wide at its narrowest point, its shipping region is something of a two-lane sea highway—with lanes two miles across in each direction and a two-mile buffer zone between. That means that an Iranian “roadblock” in the Strait could bottleneck it and cause an oil-carrier “pile up” that would hurt the oil industry in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and more. But this is no traffic accident. It’s viewed as a serious Iranian threat to the international community…Is it really?

Akko’s 2,300-year-old Harbor

{image_1}Continuing the archaeological excavations of the old city of Akko (Acre) and its ancient harbor, Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) archaeologists have begun to expose marine installations dating from the Hellenistic Period (323–31 BC). In this period, Akko Harbor was believed to be the most important and largest harbor of its kind in Israel.

Reconstructing a Royal Garden

{image_1}Ramat Rachel is an ongoing archaeological dig on the southern outskirts of Jerusalem. A 2,500-year-old garden at the site holds many secrets about the past waiting to be uncovered. An elaborate network of irrigation channels made it clear that this was a garden, but what was planted in it has been a big mystery.

Another Large Gold Cache Found

{image_1}In the August Dispatch, we splashed the latest gold finds in Israel, and then just after our deadline, yet another one hit the news. In a dig near Herzliya (15 kilometers or 9 miles north of Tel Aviv), 108 gold pieces were found hidden in a pot, in similar fashion as one of the earlier gold discoveries.

Reinforcing Ground Forces

{image_1}Earlier this year, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) purchased 2,000 Hummers from the US Army that were left behind with they withdrew from Iraq. They have low mileage and were purchased at less than one-third the standard price, according to a WorldTribune.com article. “The new vehicles, which will expand our fleet, will significantly improve our maneuvering ability during an emergency,” explained Maj. Amit Trep, head of the Department of Weapons Mobility. “This will be a giant leap forward.” They will arrive in Israel in stages at around 100 per month, according to the IDF’s Web site.

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