Dispatch from Jerusalem

3,000-year-old House Preserved

{image_1}Can you imagine the thrill of uncovering a house from the time of Israel’s Golden Age when King David and King Solomon reigned over Israel 3,000 years ago? That’s what Dr. Shay Bar and Dr. Michael Eisenberg of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa experienced when they headed an excavation team at Tel Shikmona near Haifa.

Islamic-era Roman Bathhouse Found

{image_1}Perched atop a small promontory overlooking a Mediterranean beach, a local Don Juan appears to have built a Roman-era style bathhouse atop his fortress. Archaeologists from Tel Aviv University say that their dig at the Yavneh-Yam site, located between the current day cities of Tel Aviv–Jaffa and Ashdod, revealed a beautiful bathhouse with duplex floors, a water-heating system, and underground ducts, all in the classic Roman style.

Iran Threatens to Send Navy near US Borders

{image_1}With ongoing tensions with the United States and Iran over the latter’s nuclear program in the background, Tehran announced [in October] the intention to send a naval presence near US territory. According to the Iranian Fars News Agency, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari was quoted as saying, “Like the arrogant powers that are present near our marine borders, we will also have a powerful presence close to the American marine borders.”

Strong Words for Hard Times

On the Palestinian Bid for Statehood

{image_1}“…Today I hope that the light of truth will shine, if only for a few minutes, in a hall [UN General Assembly] that for too long has been a place of darkness for my country. As Israel's prime minister, I didn't come here to win applause. I came here to speak the truth.

Missile Protection for Civilian Aircraft

{image_1}Reports of 20,000 missing shoulder-fired, anti-aircraft rockets in Libya have sent shivers down the spines of many airline security officials, who fear they may find their way into the hands of terrorists. U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer has already called for hundreds of American jetliners to be outfitted with protection from such threats. No such commercially available protection system exists, yet. But an Israeli company has developed the world’s only civilian system that can be mounted on a passenger liner, which detects incoming missiles and—without shooting them down—deflects them with laser technology.

Hebrew Thinking or Greek Thinking?

{image_1}When I first heard about Greek and Hebrew thinking, I found it confusing because I was an American and was sure I didn’t think in either Greek or Hebrew. I read my Bible not understanding the thinking patterns of the writers who were Hebrews living in a biblical culture. I eventually learned, however, that the Western civilization I grew up in more closely resembles Greek or Hellenistic thinking, and that the differences between Greek and Hebrew touch every area of life.

Fatah Hangs Netanyahu in Effigy

{image_1}Palestinian Authority [PA] TV broadcast a news story about the trial and symbolic hanging of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, which took place during an event organized by Fatah for youth in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria]. The symbolic trial tried and convicted Netanyahu of “war crimes against humanity” and sentenced him to death by hanging.

When a Scorpion Meets a Camel

{image_1}Legend has it that a scorpion and a camel were sitting on the shores of the River Nile one hot summer’s day. The scorpion asks the camel to allow him to sit on his hump in order to ride to the other side. Scorpions, as is commonly known, can’t swim. Reluctantly the camel agrees. Half way across, the scorpion stings the camel. Realizing they’re now both going to drown, the startled camel asks the scorpion, ”Why?” With a grin, the scorpion answers, ”Welcome to the Middle East.”

The Harvests of a Fruitful Land

{image_1}The Bible describes the land of Israel in humble terms as a land of only seven species (Deut. 8:8): two grains and five fruits. However, despite being a land that is half desert, modern Israel produces 95% of its own food needs, has become a major exporter of fresh produce (especially citrus), and is a world leader in agricultural technologies. Though Israel produces over 40 types of fruit and groves abound, especially in the North, one can’t describe what the Land looks like without mentioning its vineyards and grey-green olive groves.

Capturing Carbon with Algae

{image_1}With the help of algae, Israel is turning carbon dioxide emitted by power plants into fuel and nutraceuticals [a word blend of “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical,” a food product that benefits health]. Seambiotic is an Israeli clean-tech company enlisting algae in the business of carbon capture. The company has five business deals in the works in the United States, Italy, and in China. It is also working with NASA in the United States to develop a commercially feasible biofuel variety from algae that has a higher freezing point than other plant-based biofuels from corn or sugarcane.