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Israel News for June 2, 2017

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Stabbing Attack
A 16 year old female terrorist stabbed and lightly wounded a soldier using a screwdriver, at the entrance to the settlement of Mevo Dotan in Samaria Thursday morning. The terrorist was shot and wounded by security forces, and later died of her wounds. The wounded soldier was treated at the scene and did not need to be evacuated.

For further reading click here.

Embassy Staying
President Trump has signed a waiver temporarily circumventing the law requiring the US to move its embassy to Jerusalem. The six month waiver has been signed by presidents for years.

A statement issued by the White House said:

“While President Donald J. Trump signed the waiver under the Jerusalem Embassy Act and delayed moving the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, no one should consider this step to be in any way a retreat from the President’s strong support for Israel and for the United States-Israel alliance.”

“President Trump made this decision to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, fulfilling his solemn obligation to defend America’s national security interests. But, as he has repeatedly stated his intention to move the embassy, the question is not if that move happens, but only when.”

PM Netanyahu responded by stating:

“Israel’s consistent position is that the American embassy, like the embassies of all countries with whom we have diplomatic relations, should be in Jerusalem, our eternal capital.”

“Maintaining embassies outside the capital drives peace further away by helping keep alive the Palestinian fantasy that the Jewish people and the Jewish state have no connection to Jerusalem.”
 
“Though Israel is disappointed that the embassy will not move at this time, we appreciate today’s expression of President Trump’s friendship to Israel and his commitment to moving the embassy in the future.”

The Palestinians and Jordan both welcomed Trump’s decision.

For further reading click here.
 

Kotel Deal
PM Netanyahu met with leaders of the Haredi parties regarding the agreement to allow egalitarian prayer at the southern part of the Kotel (Western Wall). The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Netanyahu, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, and MK Moshe Gafni.

Haredi leaders want the agreement to be rescinded. Netanyahu suggested that the agreement be frozen and its implementation delayed instead. He asked for Haredi support of his plan. A bill was recently submitted in the Knesset to recognize the Kotel as an Orthodox synagogue. If passed the bill would make any attempt to introduce non-Orthodox services at the Western Wall illegal.

For further reading click here.

Population Surge
According to data published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Israel’s population is set to reach 10 million by 2025 and 20 million by 2065. That means at least 500,000 new apartments will need to be built in the next 7 years and over 1.5 million within the next 20. And forget about living in a detached house. Experts say that the scarcity of land demands high rise construction exclusively, even in the outlying areas of the country.

One expert says that the government should establish at least three new metropolitan cities containing high-rise buildings. And those high-risers will need to be taller — 40 stories instead of the current 20 stories.

For further reading click here.

Israel Parade
The annual Celebrate Israel parade will take place this Sunday in NYC. The Parade will go up Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue from 57th to 74th Streets and is scheduled from 11am to 4pm. The will be a concert in the park following the parade.We will be there on the sidelines (in the 70’s) wearing IsraelAM T-shirts, so please stop by to say hi!!

For information about the parade click here.

For information about the concert click here.

ivanka kotel

Israel News for May 23, 2017

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Terror and Protests
A Palestinian with a knife charged at Border Police near Abu Dis, a Palestinian town on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Police shot and killed the terrorist before he could cause any harm.

Meanwhile, dozens of Palestinian youths clashed with Israeli troops, and Palestinian shopkeepers shuttered their stores across the West Bank and east Jerusalem yesterday in solidarity with hundreds of hunger striking prisoners held in Israeli jails. The hunger strike is in its 36th day. Palestinian Authority government offices along with public transportation also closed down. Organizers of the protest hope to draw the attention of President Trump to their cause.

At the Qalandiya checkpoint on the outskirts of Jerusalem, Palestinian youth through rocks and bottles at soldiers and set tires on fire. Troops responded with tear gas and rubber bullets.

For further reading click here.

Terror Attack
A 45 year old Palestinian attacked and stabbed a Border Policeman in Netanya today. The policeman managed to shoot and neutralize the terrorist. The policeman was in light condition, while the attacker, a 45-year-old Palestinian, was in moderate condition. Another civilian who was at the scene was lightly injured from shrapnel. The terrorist reportedly called out “Allahu Akbar” before attacking the police officer.

In an unrelated development, a rocket was fired from Sinai at Israel today. There were no injuries or damage, and it’s not clear if the rocket actually landed in Israel or exploded midair.

For further reading click here.

Trump and Abbas
President Trump met with Palestinian Authority President Abbas in Bethlehem today. At a press conference after the meeting Trump said, “peace can never take root in an environment where violence is tolerated, funded and even rewarded.” He also vowed to do everything possible to help broker a peace agreement and said that an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal would bring peace to the entire Middle East. He said, “In the spirit of hope we come to Bethlehem asking God for a more peaceful, safe and far more tolerant world for all of us.”

Abbas reiterated the Palestinian position of accepting the two-state solution in the 1967 borders with east Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state and called on Israel to recognize the state of Palestine. He said, “the conflict is not between religions. Respecting religions is an integral part of our faith. We want to get along with our Israeli neighbors.”

Abbas also brought up the issue of the Palestinian prisoner hunger strike, calling on the Israeli government to “meet their humane and legitimate demands.” He said, “We want to build bridges instead of walls inside our lands.”

For further reading click here.

Kotel Visit
President Trump, Melania, Ivanka and Jared visited the Kotel yesterday. It was the first time that a sitting American President has done so. They were accompanied by The Chief Rabbi of the Kotel Shmuel Rabinowitz and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation director Mordechai Eliav. No Israel government officials were present. The entire Western Wall plaza was closed off during the visit.

After reciting two psalms with the Chief Rabbi, Trump, wearing a black kippa, approached the Kotel alone and touched the stones while he recited a prayer. Melania and Ivanka prayed in the women’s area of the Kotel.

After the President was done, many American officials proceeded to pray at the Wall. They included Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and chief economic advisor Gary Cohn.

After the visit Trump changed his Twitter header to a photo of him touching the Western Wall. Quite a statement to his 30 million followers.

Ivanka tweeted, “It was deeply meaningful to visit the holiest site of my faith and to leave a note of prayer.” She included a photo of her praying with her hand touching the Wall.

To see a gallery of photos and video of the visit, click here.

Yad Vashem
President Trump and Melania visited Yad Vashem today, where they laid a wreath on a stone slab under which ashes from some of those killed in concentration camps are buried.  They were accompanied by Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev, PM Netanyahu and Sara, and Chairman of the Yad Vashem Council Rabbi Israel Meir Lau. Ivanka and Jared also joined.

Trump signed the Yad Vashem guest book and received a token of remembrance; an exact replica of the original Holocaust-era personal album that belonged to Ester Goldstein who was murdered during the Holocaust at the age of 16.

Trump called on the world never to forget “history’s darkest hour” and said, “This place is a testament to the unbreakable spirit of the Jewish people.”

For further reading click here.

Israel News for March 31, 2017

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New Settlement
The Security Cabinet unanimously approved the establishment of a new settlement for the former residents of Amona, which was evacuated last month. Other government ministers were contacted after the vote to obtain their approval. This is the first time in over 20 years that the government has decided to establish a new settlement. The former Amona residents praised the move.

A senior US administration official said that President Trump has accepted the construction of the new town as an exception to his request that Israel “hold off” on settlement construction.

The official said, “We would note that the Israeli prime minister made a commitment to the Amona settlers prior to President Trump laying out his expectations, and has consistently indicated that he intended to move forward with this plan. Going forward, and as we move into more detailed discussions regarding the possibilities for advancing Israeli-Palestinian peace, the Israeli government has made clear that Israel’s intent is to adopt a policy regarding settlement activity that takes President Trump’s concerns into consideration.”

A spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the decision to build the new settlement saying, “The Secretary General has consistently stressed that there is no Plan B for Israelis and Palestinians to live together in peace and security. He condemns all unilateral actions that, like the present one, threaten peace and undermine the two-state solution.”

The Palestinian Authority as well as Peace Now also condemned the building of the new settlement.

For further reading click here.

Limiting Settlements
The Security Cabinet also decided last night to restrict all construction beyond the Green Line to within the boundaries of existing settlements. The decision comes after nearly three weeks of discussions with US officials in Israel and Washington. Sources said the decision was taken out of consideration of the position of US President Donald Trump, and that Israel will also significantly curb building to enable efforts to advance a diplomatic process with the Palestinians.

The decision implies that Israel will make every effort to build within existing settlements where possible. However, if no land is available within a settlement, then building will take place as close to the settlement as possible. So the decision basically bans the establishment of outposts or brand new settlements.

For further reading click here.

Pro BDS Jews
Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) will kick off its national conference in Chicago today. According to its mission statement, the JVP “seeks an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and east Jerusalem” and “a just solution for Palestinian refugees based on principles established in international law”, among other things. The organization has been a vocal supporter of the BDS movement.

One of the speakers at the conference will be convicted Palestinian terrorist Rasmea Odeh, who participated in two bombings in Jerusalem in 1969 in which two were killed and nine injured. Odeh was released in a prisoner exchange in the 1980s. She later moved to the US, but in 2014 she was convicted by a US federal jury of immigration fraud, for concealing her arrest, conviction and imprisonment for the 1969 bombings. Last week, she agreed to plead guilty to this.

In response to outrage over Odeh’s participation in the conference, the JVP said that it is honored and proud to feature her and that, “The accusations against Odeh stem from a context of long-standing anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim persecution by both the Israeli state and the United States, policies which are escalating under the Trump administration.”

Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan said: “The JVP is an antisemitic organization which incites against Israel. It regularly cooperates with extremist organizations which seek Israel’s destruction. It is inexcusable that the organization chose to host at its conference a terrorist who was convicted for her involvement in murdering two Israeli students.

I will continue to lead a determined struggle against those who seek to harm Israel and undermine its legitimacy. As a Jew I am ashamed that a conference that is filled with hatred for Israel, and whose sole purpose is to harm the homeland of the Jewish people, is led by a Jewish organization.”

For further reading click here.

Flight Compensation
If you’ve been stuck at the airport waiting for an El Al flight that’s been delayed, you might have some recourse. The Rehovot Magistrates Court has ordered EL AL to pay NIS 92,000 to 35 passengers (NIS 2,050 each) who’s flight to Moscow was delayed for 17 hours.

According to the Aviation Services Law, compensation is awarded based on the length of the flight. The law exempts airlines from paying compensation in cases in which the cancelation or delay of a flight was caused by “special circumstances.”

El Al did provide the passengers with dinner and hotel rooms.

For further reading click here.

Israel News for March 24, 2017

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Terror Attack
Three terrorists exited a vehicle and threw gasoline bombs at the Best El settlement near Ramallah. IDF soldiers fired at the terrorists, hitting them all. One of the terrorists, identified as Muhammed Hattab, 17, died of his wounds a short time later. A demonstration against Israel’s military rule took place in Ramallah’s Manara Square in the hours following the Hattab’s death.

For further reading click here.

Ambassador Confirmed
The US Senate voted 52 to 46 to confirm David Friedman as the new US Ambassador to Israel yesterday. Just two Democrats, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Bob Menendez of New Jersey, crossed party lines to vote in favor of confirmation.

PM Netanyahu tweeted, “New US ambassador to Israel David Friedman will be warmly welcomed as President Trump’s representative and as a close friend of Israel.”

Israel’s US Ambassador Ron Dermer tweeted, “Congratulations to David Friedman! Looking forward to working closely with you to make the US-Israel alliance stronger than ever.”

The YESHA council, which represents the settlement movement, said in a statement, “The Yesha Council look forward to working together with him to build a brighter future for everyone in the region. The Israeli towns in Judea and Samaria are an integral piece in the puzzle for peace and can no longer be sidelined.”

Friedman has been an outspoken supporter of the settlement movement and a one-state solution.

J Street slammed Friedman’s appointment saying, “Almost half of the Senate voted to oppose this deeply unqualified and inappropriate nominee, whose predecessors had all been confirmed without a single vote cast against them. The strong opposition to Friedman made clear that his extreme views and rhetoric about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are firmly outside the mainstream of American policy making.”

Now the question is where will Friedman work — Tel aviv or Jerusalem?

For further reading click here.

Settlement Talks
The White House released a statement following talks between US and Israeli delegations in Washington this week. The talks followed a visit to Israel by US envoy Jason Greenblatt, who lead the US delegation in the discussions.

The White House statement said:

“A principal focus of the discussions was specific measures that could have a meaningful impact on the economic environment in the West Bank and Gaza, allowing the Palestinians to more fully realize their economic potential.

The two delegations also discussed Israeli settlement construction, following up on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to Washington and Mr. Greenblatt’s recent visit to Israel.

The United States delegation reiterated President Trump’s concerns regarding settlement activity in the context of moving towards a peace agreement. The Israeli delegation made clear that Israel’s intent going forward is to adopt a policy regarding settlement activity that takes those concerns into consideration.”

The Prime Minister’s Office released a statement denying that Greenblatt had demanded any form of settlement construction freeze, after that was reported in the Israeli media.

Netanyahu told reporters on Wednesday, before he left China, that “significant progress” had been made in the talks in Washington but gave no further information.

For further reading click here.

Caller Busted
The Israel Police announced yesterday the arrest of an 18 year old Israeli -American resident of Ashkelon, who called in dozens of bomb threats to JCCs and other public institutions in the US, Australia and New Zealand over the past few months. The arrest was the culmination of a joint investigation between the Israel Police and the FBI.

Police got their break when the suspect, on one occasion, neglected to mask the IP address he was using to make a call. The address led police to a public wifi spot near the suspect’s apartment, which had a large antenna extended out of the suspects window. Police said they found at least five computers, a number of network interface controllers, satellite and antenna equipment during the arrest raid.

The suspect’s lawyer said that her client suffered from a “very serious medical condition” which had prevented him from attending school or serving in the IDF.

For further reading click here.

Texas and Samaria
A special cooperation agreement was signed between the State of Texas and the Samaria Regional Council in the Knesset last week. The agreement will include the exchange of technologies and expertise in agriculture and water technologies.

Public Security Minister and Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan said, “The State of Israel and Texas share many common values, including the deep connection to the land and the importance of working and preserving it, and the potential for increasing economic cooperation between Israel and Texas is enormous. I thank the Texas government for its steadfast support for Israel and for promoting legislation against the BDS movement. I believe that legislation is an effective tool to combat the delegitimization campaign against Israel.”

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said, “We want to re-establish the relations between Texas and Israel, and especially with Samaria, which is such a significant part of the Land of Israel, we want to be partners of Israel and Samaria to recreate the brotherhood that was lost in recent years.”

For further reading click here.

Israel News for March 2, 2017

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Terror Attack
A Palestinian terrorist infiltrated the Mor Farm outpost near the settlement Teneh Omarim in the southern Mount Hebron area of Judea. A resident, Shabtai Kushelevski, heard noises and exited his house, where he saw the terrorist holding two knives. He ran home to get his gun, chased by the terrorist. They both entered the home, where the terrorist stabbed him before his wife and children.

Luckily, the Kushelevski family dog Sofie jumped into action and attacked the terrorist, allowing Kushelevski to grab his gun and shoot and kill the terrorist. Kushelevski was only lightly injured.

Yekutiel Ben Yakov, Director of the Israel Dog Unit (IDU), a non-profit organization that helps place protection dogs throughout Judea and Samaria said, “We continue to urge Jews to arm themselves with dogs, which have proven to be the most effective biological weapon. The proper use of dogs can save many Jewish lives.”

For further reading click here.

Rocket Strike
A rocket fired from Gaza landed in an open area near the coastline south of Ashkelon. There were no reports of damage or injuries. There were also no claims of responsibility, although Israel holds Hamas responsible for any attacks emanating from Gaza.

For further reading click here.

PM Praises Trump
In the wake of President Trump’s public condemnation of anti-semitism in his address to Congress on Tuesday night, PM Netanyahu, in a pre-recorded message to the Jewish People Policy Institute’s annual conference, told participants he “appreciate[s] the fact that in the last few weeks and days, President Trump and Vice President Pence have taken a strong stance in condemning anti-Semitism.”

He said, “This is what we expect too from European leaders. Most of them have done it and this is what we must demand from governments around the world because Jews around the world should not live in fear. World leaders need to unequivocally condemn anti-Semitism wherever it is found.”

For further reading click here.

Israel News for January 31, 2017

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Jordan in DC
Yesterday Jordan’s King Abdullah held private meeting with US VP Pence followed by a meeting with US Defense Secretary James Mattis at the Pentagon. Among other issues, like the fight against ISIS and the war in Syria, the King discussed the Israeli Palestinian conflict and the proposal to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. Trump is expected to greet Abdullah at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington on Thursday.

Abdullah is the first Arab leader to meet with the new US administration. He will apparently not be meeting with the president. PM Netanyahu is due to meet with Trump on February 15th.

When announcing Netanyahu’s upcoming visit, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters,
“I think that with respect to Israel and the Jewish people specifically, there’s been no better friend than Donald Trump when it comes to protecting Israel, building a better friendship with Israel. You look at what Prime Minister Netanyahu’s talked about: He welcomes this administration. He appreciates the friendship and respect that he has shown to Israel and the Jewish people.”
 
For further reading click here.

Embassy Move
President Trump discussed the issue of moving the US embassy to Jerusalem in a recent interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network. He said, “We’re studying it very long and hard. You know it’s a very big decision because every president for the last number of presidents, large number, they’ve come in and they were going to do it and then all of a sudden they decide they don’t want to get involved. I’ve always liked the concept of doing it, I will tell you that.”

He also said, “We are doing very detailed studies on that, and we’ll come out very soon. I hate to do that because that’s not usually me — studies — usually I do what’s right. But this has two sides to it; it’s not easy, and I will make a decision over the not-too-distant future.”

Do you think Trump will move the US embassy to Jerusalem?

For further reading click here.

Pathetic Reaction
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer called the reaction of Jewish groups to the omission of Jews from the Presidents Holocaust Remembrance Day statement, which was apparently written by Jewish aide Boris Epshteyn, “pathetic”. We’ve already said our piece regarding this in yesterday’s issue, so if you want to read more about Spicer’s statement click here.

Bus Crash Heroes
Last week’s tragic bus crash that killed two passengers and injured seven also produced some unlikely heroes. Moments after the Egged bus broke through the barrier and tumbled down a thousand foot cliff, the twelve members of the Azzeh family, a Palestinian family living in a nearby village were rushing down the hill in their pajamas to help.

After calling authorities to report the crash the family members did what they could to help the wounded until rescue teams arrived. Then they worked together with the rescue workers throughout the night.

Jamal, Samih, and other members of the Azzeh family said they didn’t think about the broader political context around them when they went to aid the bus crash victims. “We acted because the victims of the bus crash are people. Our lord does not allow us not to help them. It did not matter that they were Jews – we would have helped anyone.”

Jamal added that he and his wife believe it is important to consider other people’s humanity before anything else. “We grew up with the values of love, tolerance and peace, and we teach our kids these values as well. We gain nothing from despising and hating others.”

The Azzeh family have received numerous phone calls of thanks along with visits from IDF and security officials. The army coordinator’s office also presented them with certificates of appreciation for their heroic actions.

Most of their neighbors have praised their actions, while a small number criticized them for helping Jews.

For further reading click here.

Israel Books
If you’re searching for any book on Israel or the Holocaust, Click here. We get a small commission for anything you buy on Amazon for a full 24 hours after you use the link. In other words, if you end up buying a computer and lawnmower, we get the commission on that too. It’s a great way to support us while getting great deals on your shopping. And it doesn’t cost you a cent! So please use this link for all your Amazon shopping.

Israel News for January 23, 2017

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Trump and PM
President Trump and PM Netanyahu spoke on the phone yesterday. The President invited Netanyahu to meet in early February. According to a White House statement regarding the call, “The Prime Minister expressed his desire to work together with President Trump on their shared vision to promote peace and security in the region without having gaps between the US and Israel. The two leaders discussed the Iranian deal, the peace process with the Palestinians and other issues.”
 
The White House said that the two “discussed ways to advance and strengthen the special relationship between the United States and Israel and the security and stability of the Middle East. The President emphasized the importance the US places on close military, intelligence and security cooperation with Israel, which reflects the deep and binding partnership between the two countries.”
 
The statement also mentioned that the two “agreed to continue to discuss regional issues closely, including the Iranian threat,” and that President Trump once again confirmed the US’s unprecedented commitment to Israel’s security and stressed that the fight against ISIS and other radical Islamic terrorist groups is a top priority for the US government.
 
According to the statement, “President Trump stressed that a Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement can only be achieved through direct negotiations and the US will work closely with Israel to achieve this goal.”

No mention was made of the promise to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, the security cabinet voted unanimously to postpone a vote on the annexation of Ma’aleh Adumim until after the PM’s meeting with Trump.

For further reading click here.

Embassy Move
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said in a statement yesterday regarding the move of the US embassy to Jerusalem that, “We are at the very beginning stages of even discussing this subject.” White House sources said no announcement of an embassy move was imminent.

During his presidential campaign Trump promised to move the embassy. So did Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. But despite a law passed by Congress in the 1990’s, no President has yet to do so, despite their promises. Doing so apparently has ramifications that they believed to be detrimental to US policy and interests in the region. Will Trump, who clearly articulated a policy of “America First” at his inauguration, make the move even if he decides that it will harm US political and economic interests?

If Trump determines that in order to fulfill his promise of eradicating radical Islam from the face of the earth, the US requires the cooperation of “moderate” Moslem countries to form a united coalition to fight ISIS and other terror groups, could he decide that moving the embassy will damage that opportunity and not be the best thing for America?

Does “America First” equal “Israel First”?

War Crimes
Knesset Member Tzipi Livni, who in previous governments served as Foreign Minister and Justice Minister, has cancelled a planned trip to Belgium, where she was supposed to attend a conference on security for Jewish communities. The cancellation came after an announcement by a federal prosecutor in the Belgian Justice Ministry that Livni would be detained and questioned in connection with war crimes charges upon landing in Brussels.

For further reading click here.

IDF Social
The IDF has released a new guide for soldiers on how to use social media, in the wake of recent attempts by Hamas to hack the phones of soldiers. In a video a soldier explains how he was fooled by a Hamas operative using a fake Facebook profile: “She sent me a message on Facebook. We spoke a lot over a few days. She said she was a prison guard, and I told her I was in the army. Then she asked me to download this chat app so that we could talk more. I downloaded it, but it did not work. I tried to reach her again on Facebook, but she didn’t answer.”

The chat app was actually a spy tool used to collect information and track location even when the phone was turned off. While the IDF claims that no material intelligence damage was caused by the hacking of dozens of soldiers, the potential for major security leaks is huge. For example, since phones have GPS tracking, it’s very possible for sensitive military locations to be revealed.

Hopefully, soldiers will now be more careful with whom they “friend” and what they download.

For further reading click here.

Shiva Call
PM Netanyahu visited the Belzer Rebbe, who is sitting shiva for his mother. The PM spoke about how his faith is the foundation that keeps him strong. Te Rebbe blessed the PM and his wife.

To view photos and a video click here.

Shark Warning
If you’re planning to go swimming near Hadera in northern Israel, you should reconsider. Around 150 bull and sandbar sharks have been spotted in the area.

To watch video click here.

Jerusalem Biography
If you want to learn the history of Jerusalem from a book that will keep you enthralled from beginning to end, you must read Jerusalem: The Biographyby Simon Sebag Montefiore. It’s the kind of book that you’ll read more than once and keep on your shelf as a go to reference. I personally love it. I think you will too. To read more reviews and get the book, click here