Dispatch from Jerusalem

Dare to Dream of a Rebuilt Temple

{image_1}On October 5, just prior to the traditional Priestly Blessing during the week of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), police limited the number of Muslim worshippers allowed on the Temple Mount as a precautionary measure against possible rioting. This is a normal procedure whenever a special event takes place at the Western Wall. This time, some 150 Arabs arrived at Lions Gate and began stoning police. The Islamic Movement made statements to purposely incite Arabs, and Hamas called for a new intifada (uprising).

Missiles: From Iran to Tel Aviv

{image_1}BEFORE THE DUST SETTLES from Israel's attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, the Islamic Republic will send its ballistic missiles into the very heart of Tel Aviv. This was spelled out by a deputy of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's representative in the Revolutionary Guards, Mojtaba Zolnour.

Wireless Luggage Finder

{image_1}ISRAELIS LOVE TECHNOLOGY. They are early adapters and relentless innovators, always looking for ways to improve their lives. So, it's no surprise that some of the world's top gadgets were designed and developed in Israel.

Regenerating Lost Limbs?

{image_1}A 3D SCAFFOLD THAT CAN REPLACE missing bone while helping it regenerate, a biodegradable stent that releases drugs while keeping a weak artery open, a wound dressing that releases antibiotics and then magically disappears when the job is done… all this has been made possible by Meital Zilberman, an Israeli researcher at Tel Aviv University's Department of Biomedical Engineering, who has invented a series of drug-releasing fibers that dissolve over time.

Yemenites Spice Up Israeli Culture:  Zhug

{image_1}Israel is an amazing country in many ways, one of which is the diversity of its population. The “average Israeli” may have come from Asia, Africa, Siberia, or Florida, bringing along customs and cuisine as varied as the countries themselves. Each of these communities has contributed to the exciting cultural landscape of modern Israel, making it a true melting pot of nations. One such contributor is the Jewish community of Yemen.

A Cure for Leaky Pipes

{image_1}Curapipe, IN ASHKELON, has a new solution that can detect and repair a problem that hides below the radar of the water and gas industries. Tiny pinhole, almost undetectable leaks emit water, oil, and natural gas, costing the taxpayer money. The World Bank estimates that about 88 billion liters [23 billion US gallons] of water is lost through urban pipes every day.

Roman Glass—A Shopper’s Delight

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ONE OF ISRAEL'S MOST luring items on the market for tourists is their Roman glass jewelry. The stunning pieces of 2,000 year-old glass—flecked with natural blue-green and aqua patina and encased in sliver or gold—are a shopper’s delight. Though the original clear glass was made by man, the colors were created by nature, according to how they were exposed to minerals under the ground for centuries. Thus, each piece of glass unearthed in archaeological digs is, indeed, unique—no two are alike.

Study Rewrites Hasmonean History

By Charleeda Sprinkle, Assistant Editor

{image_1}AFTER AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIG, it takes some time before all the data is collected and studied thoroughly. In the process, oftentimes, an archaeologist’s first summation of the site or finds changes. That was the case recently after researchers analyzed artifacts from excavations by Dr. Rudolph Cohen, retired Deputy Director of Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), who worked in the region of the Negev for 25 years. When Horvat Ma’agurah, south of Beersheva, was first uncovered, Cohen believed it to be the remains of a Roman fourth-century fortress.

Almighty—Shaddai

IN the polytheistic world of the ancient Middle East, it was important to know the exact name of the god that you served. This gave you a glimpse into his character as well as a degree of power over him. Since these deities were seen as capricious and exacting, appeasing them was a part of everyday life. Mandated worship took up tremendous amounts of time and demanded huge gifts that primarily benefited the local priesthood.  There was no guarantee that one’s prayers were heard or would be answered if they were. Therefore, any information that would help manipulate such gods was very helpful. This may explain the question Moses put to God upon meeting Him in the burning bush: “…when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” (Exod. 3:13).

Vilnai: Next War to Include All Israel

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THREE-AND-A-HALF years have passed since the Second Lebanon War, and on November 24 a project for the renovation and restoration of bomb shelters in northern Israel was celebrated in a festive ceremony. The Prime Minister's Office and the Defense Ministry invested NIS 96 million (roughly US $25.27 million) in the renovation of 3,019 public shelters. An additional 1,838 joint shelters were renovated by the administration for the restoration of the North.