Life in Israel

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.

Natural Cure for Insomnia Found

{image_1}TRADITIONAL SLEEPING PILLS have many side effects. Now an Israeli company is
introducing a new drug that works with the body’s natural processes to
induce sleep. Sleeping pills often come with risks: inducing
dependency, withdrawal symptoms, and occasionally even cognitive
impairments such as short-term amnesia. Not so with Circadin,
a new drug produced by Neurim Pharmaceuticals.

Eliminating the ‘‘World Wide WAIT’’

{image_1}WHILE ALL OF US KNOW WHAT THE ‘WWW’ really stands for, there are times when we
could be excused for believing that it refers to a “world wide
wait”—such are the sluggish response times you often contend
with. But Ofer Gadish, cofounder of FasterWeb, created a better way to
connect to Web sites. The result? Gadish’s FasterWeb application, which
promises to make Web surfing up to 10 times faster.

A New Look for an Old City

By Charleeda Sprinkle, Assistant Editor

{image_1}Incessant pounding reverberates as deep caverns are dug for the foundations of new apartment buildings and hotels; pedestrians cautiously walk down torn-up streets; and buses are rerouted to accommodate revised construction schedules. What a mess! God’s great city, Jerusalem, is undergoing a makeover!

Shavuot a harvest celebration

{image_1} Shavuot, also known as the Feast of Weeks and Pentecost, occurs on the sixth of the Hebrew month of Sivan in Israel. In ancient times, it was one of the three pilgrim festivals which required a visit to the Temple, along with Pesach (Passover) and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). Today, the holiday commemorates the giving of the Torah (Gen.–Deut.) at Mount Sinai where the covenant relationship between God and His people was formalized. It is marked primarily by services in synagogues beautifully decorated with flowers and greenery and by the eating of dairy foods.

The Story of God’s Deliverance—Pesach

{image_1} Pesach (Passover) is one of three pilgrimage festivals during which all the men of Israel are to come up to Jerusalem. The other two are Shavuot (Pentecost) and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). Celebrated on the Hebrew month of Nisan 14–21 (generally in April), Pesach is an eight-day holiday remembering the Hebrews’ exodus from Egypt. Unlike most of the biblical feasts, Pesach is celebrated primarily in the home with friends and family, not in a synagogue. At least 98% of Israeli Jews participate, to some degree, in Pesach, celebrating God’s protection and provision. It’s a popular time for Jews from the nations to visit Israel, and many Israeli families take week-long vacations.