Life in Israel

Israel’s Kibbutz Movement Celebrates 100 Years

{image_1}One year after Tel Aviv celebrated its 100-year anniversary, Israel’s communal kibbutz movement—in many ways the opposite of Tel Aviv’s modern mega-city—is celebrating their 100^th birthday. In March, Israel’s first kibbutz, Degania Alef, hosted the kick-off ceremony for the year’s celebrations, as they gear up for the big, national celebration of the kibbutz on October 4. While the kibbutz community’s founding principles of egalitarianism, communal living, and an agriculture-based society are by no means unique to Israel, the kibbutz movement’s role and significance in the creation of Israel’s modern state help set it apart from similar movements around the world.

New Ways to Tour Israel

{image_1} Israel has been offering new ways to get around Israel that many people are not yet aware of. I recently tried two of them. If you are one of those adventuresome souls who come to Israel on your own, you may want to consider a different way to see Israel.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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!

OPEN House OPENS Hearts

By Rev. Cheryl Hauer,  BFP International Development Director

{image_1}There is a saying about Jerusalem, that even though it is a city of over 700,000 people, it is really just a very large small town. Bridges for Peace’s recent participation in the community open house event, called “Houses from Within,” made that seem even truer than ever. For the second year in a row, Bridges for Peace had the privilege of opening its doors to Israelis from all over the Land as they visited historic Jerusalem buildings on walking tours. Last year, we were excited that we had 300 visitors during the two-day event. This year, we welcomed 820 people through our gates, not only to see our building, but to learn about the work we are doing to build bridges of friendship between Jews and Christians.

Plums & Dates – Good For You

{image_1}ISRAELI RESEARCH is not just about new inventions or medicines; it is also interested in prevention and ways to promote good health. For instance, ISRAEL21c reported on new research from Israel's Volcani Institute, revealing that eating one fresh red plum with your meal counters the oxidizing agents in a seven-ounce portion of red meat. Antioxidant levels in plums are three times as high as those in pomegranates and five times higher than those in red wine, apples, and bananas.