Snacking in Israel:  Mandel Bread

By Charleeda Sprinkle, Assistant Editor

So what might you enjoy snacking on while walking, biking, hiking, or touring around Israel? Besides Israel’s alluring ice cream, sugar-dusted Turkish delights, sticky baklava (sweet Greek pastry), and large array of tempting baked goods, I can name a few that are very Israeli, each one with a fascinating history.

From Islamic Hamas…

{image_1} “Jerusalem will be retrieved to the Palestinians not through negotiations or by hugging and kissing the enemy, but by way of jihad, blood, shahids [martyrs], and resistance. With Allah’s help, Jerusalem will be returned…The Israeli–Arabs are safeguarding the Al-Aqsa Mosque; it is as if they are inside the belly of a whale. They represent the Islamic nation.”

The Dead Sea Scrolls…Online?

{image_1} Specialists working for the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) have begun a limited pilot program that they hope will eventually lead to all of the more than 1,200 plates of Dead Sea scrolls and fragments being photographed and made available online. The scrolls and fragments will be imaged using state-of-the-art equipment and techniques, and the IAA team even includes a retired NASA scientist, Dr. Greg Bearman.

Israel’s Economy Under Caution

{image_1} Israel responded to the international economic crisis by cutting interest rates 50 basis points. Bank of Israel Governor Professor Stanley Fischer initiated the move. “The chances of a slowdown in Israel’s rate of economic growth in the near future have risen,” the bank warned.

Bees Get a Flu Shot!

{image_1} It is a real-life nightmare scenario—honeybees are in trouble and, by extension, so is the human race! Last winter, over 36% of the US bee colonies collapsed, affecting honey production, affecting the one-third of all food production that requires pollination—from fruits and nuts, to the dairy and beef cows that feed on alfalfa. Now, Israeli–US company Beeologics is taking rapid measures to bring to market a proprietary anti-viral agent that promises to alleviate the effects of the virus strongly associated with Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

The Russian Bear Returns

{image_1} When the September visit to Moscow by Israel Prime Minister Olmert was cancelled, the press speculated it was because he was embroiled in police enquiries in Israel. Olmert was expected to meet with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to discuss Israeli concerns regarding developments between  Russia and Syria.

First Aid Olympics

{image_1} When Magen David Adom (MDA) hosted an Olympics in August 2008, the events were much different than the norm. MDA, the Israeli ambulance service, started the Olympic competition to challenge other international services to test their skills. The two-day competition was called “Saving Lives at the Dead Sea.”

Raising Sturgeon in Israel

{image_1} As sturgeon populations decline in the Caspian Sea, scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have found a way for Israel to cash in on the world’s growing demand for caviar. Professor Berta Levavi-Sivan of Hebrew University and Dr. Avshalom Hurvitz have successfully reared Israel’s first sturgeon.

Helping Paraplegics Walk

{image_1} After being paralyzed for the past 20 years, Radi Kaiof began to walk down a street in Israel to the sound of a dim mechanical hum. That was the sound of an electronic exoskeleton, developed by a small Israeli high-tech company, propelling the 41-year-old paraplegic down the street with a proud expression on his face.

From Warmongering Hizbullah…

{image_1} Hizbullah’s secretary-general continues his psychological warfare against Israel. Hassan Nasrallah said that “Hizbullah is still at war with Israel,” warning supporters that “at the moment the enemy feels we are weak, it will return to occupy us.” Nasrallah stressed that even if Lebanon receives control of the Shebaa Farms, his organization will continue to battle Israel. “We are not using Shebaa as an excuse to bear weapons. If the area is freed, the weapons will remain because we are talking about a defensive strategy against a threatening country such as Israel,” he said.

US Radar Deployed in Israel

{image_1} A new American-developed and -staffed radar installation has been deployed in the Negev desert in southern Israel, marking the first permanent deployment of US military personnel in Israel, the Defense News Web site reported.

From Nuclear-producing Iran…

{image_1} Another world war will erupt if Israel or the United States attacks Iran, the Islamic Republic’s deputy Chief of Staff General Masoud Jazayeri warned: “Any aggression against Iran will start a world war.” Global Zionism and America’s unrestrained greed he said is leading the world towards a dangerous precipice. “It is evident that if such a challenge occurs, the fake and artificial regimes will be eliminated before anything,” he said.