Dispatch from Jerusalem

New Agricultural Research in Israel

{image_1}Strange things are happening at the Volcani Center. Potatoes sprayed with spearmint oil are not sprouting for months, Granny Smith apples deprived of oxygen stay fresh for over a year, and cows are eating less grain and producing more milk.

An “Extinct” Frog Makes a Comeback

{image_1}The first amphibian to have been officially declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has been rediscovered in the north of Israel after some 60 years and turns out to be a unique “living fossil,” without close relatives among other living frogs.

Shield or Defense—Magen

{image_1}Shield is a strong word, bringing to mind images of protection from threat of physical danger or bodily harm. In biblical times, a shield was the primary piece of defensive equipment used by soldiers during combat that was up close and personal. We seldom see this kind of shield in modern warfare, but the concept is still very much with us today. A shield is meant to stand between me and something that can bring me harm.

Dazzling Nights in the Old City

{image_1}Jerusalem’s Festival of Light was a week-long extravaganza of light and art—vibrant scenes splashed across the stones of ancient walls, light sculptures, brightly colored mobiles floating overhead, performances on stages and in the streets—all taking place at various locations in Jerusalem’s Old City, long after the sun had gone to bed.

What Does the Lord Require?

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“Not a Title to Glory”—The Irena Sendler Story

By Kathy DeGagné, BFP Staff Writer

She was a mere whisp of a thing—barely five feet tall—but she was a woman who defied the powerful Nazi war machine—and triumphed.

Saving the Med—Israeli Leads International Effort

{image_1}By Karin Kloosterman, ISRAEL21c

Over the millennia, the Mediterranean Sea has become much more than a transport hub for empires that control the region—it links nations, feeds countries, and its shores hold some of the world’s most expensive real estate and natural beauty.

A Palestinian Crisis of Expectation

{image_1}Many nations considered the appointment of Rami Hamdallah as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA) a ray of hope for stability. Although he lacked any previous experience in government, he was lauded as a moderate. With some hope remaining that a national consensus government, comprised of both Fatah and Hamas loyalists, would be formed by the end of the year, many believed Hamdallah would create an interim atmosphere of cooperation that would make it possible for both the PA and Israel to deal with the many difficult issues facing Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) today. Remarkably, his term only lasted 18 days.

Developed in Israel! Top 12 New Fruit and Vegetables Species

{image_1}By Abigail Klein Leichman, ISRAEL21c

Since the first half of the 20th century, Israeli agricultural wizards have been bringing new fruit and vegetable varieties to the global market, from vividly colored squash to seedless peppers. Every year, Israel exports more than [US] $2 billion worth of produce—tomatoes are its fourth-largest commodity—and is among the world’s top developers of better-looking, better-tasting, disease-resistant, and more nutritious varieties.

Cool Globes Jerusalem

{image_1}An exhibit of 18 large globes of planet earth is on public display near the Old City’s Jaffa Gate. Each of the globes, weighing 2,000 pounds (907 kg), artistically portrays a solution to climate change—from solar power to rooftop gardens; green buildings to fuel efficiency.

Sleep Apnea Could Protect Heart Attack Patients

{image_1}By Viva Sarah Press, israel21c.org

Sufferers of breathing disorders such as sleep apnea are usually thought to be at higher risk for cardiovascular disease. A new study from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology scientists suggests that some heart attack patients with these conditions may actually benefit from mild to moderate sleep-disordered breathing.