Dispatch from Jerusalem

Israel Barred from Turkish Air Space

{image_1}TURKEY, which has recently made political maneuverings to mediate future peace talks between Israel and Syria, warned of dire consequences for Israel if it used Turkish air space against Iran. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey would respond harshly if Israel were to infiltrate its air space in an attempt to spy on Iran..

Wing of Love

{image_1}WING OF LOVE IS A WILDLIFE park with a social mission. Located in Kibbutz Kfar Menahem in south central Israel, it is a place where 14 to 18-year-old boys with police records work with mostly protected species of fowl, such as the spectacular Asian pheasant. It is also home to ibex, oryx, and other indigenous animals. And the singular “wing” in its name is not an error.

In Range: The Missile Threat and Israel’s Response

{image_1} One night in early November of last year, Israeli Navy commandos boarded a freighter ship flying an Antiguan flag in the Mediterranean Sea. The naval forces were looking for smuggled weapons heading for Hizbullah in Lebanon. What they found was staggering. According to Isranet, 320 tons of weapons, including rockets, mortars and more, were packed in crates aboard the ship, known as the Francop. Locating the origin of the arms was easy—IRISL (Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines) was clearly labeled on some of the containers.

Insulin Research Brings Hope

{image_1}RESEARCHERS FROM THE HEBREW University of Jerusalem, in collaboration with Japanese and American universities, have discovered how a specific gene within the pancreas affects secretion of insulin. Their work opens the way for a new understanding of possible paths to battle diabetes (excessive blood sugar) and diabetes-related health problems, which are on the rise all over the world. Blood glucose levels are tightly regulated by secretion of insulin from beta cells in the pancreas. Defective insulin secretion results in poorly regulated blood glucose levels and diabetes.

Do you have the desire to bless the Jewish people?

Have you always wanted to spend some time living in Israel?

You can do both by volunteering with Bridges for Peace. Whether you like sitting in an office or working with your hands, there are plenty of opportunities. So, why not have the experience of a lifetime? You can make an impact…and you can do it in Israel!

Tax Exemptions for Israeli Food

{image_1}GOOD NEWS for Israeli food manufacturers: As of January 1, 2010, food products exported to Europe have been tax exempt. The products include chocolate, pastries, waffles, pasta, coffee, fruit juice concentrates, marshmallow, fresh salads, and more. As a result, the prices of Israeli products in European markets could be reduced, increasing their competitiveness. So far, the exports of Israeli processed foods have been exported to Europe under restrictions of high levies, preventing their exports in some cases.

Report—1 in 4 Israelis Poor

DATA PUBLISHED last year points to an extremely grim picture: There are 1,651,300 needy people living in Israel, including 783,600 children. The percentage of poor people in Israel dropped slightly to 23.7%. In other words, one in four Israelis is defined as needy.

Anti-Semitism Up, Islamophobia Down

{image_1}RIGHT-WING PARTIES are growing stronger in Europe, and Swiss citizens have even voted in favor of a ban on mosque minarets, yet the fear or hatred of Islam in the continent has dropped over the past year. However, hatred of Jews and homosexuals is on the rise, according to a study conducted in Germany by the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence at the University of Bielefeld.

Adopting Towns Builds Relationships

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AUSTRALIAN AND ISRAELI FLAGS were flying in the breeze as joyful Hebrew music played and hundreds of school-age children clapped along. The elementary school in Beit Shemesh was humming with excitement as we walked in with the Australian ambassador to Israel. The town was rolling out the red carpet for his visit. At the same time, BFP volunteers from Australia were working at the school: cleaning, painting, creating playground decorations, and tutoring students in English. The ambassador heard of this activity and came to see the Australian — Israeli cooperative venture for himself.

A Light to the Nations

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God said that the Jewish people would be a blessing to the world (Genesis 12:3). We see that happening repeatedly as Israel is quick to respond to emergency situations around the world.