January 3, 2015
Israeli citizen Andrei Pshenichnikov was released from an Egyptian jail on Saturday and returned to Israel.
In 2013, An Egyptian court sentenced Pshenichnikov to two years in prison after he infiltrated into the Sinai Peninsula. Pshenichnikov, 26, from Bat Yam, was originally ordered to be deported to Israel, but an Egyptian judge overturned the ruling. Pshenichnikov’s mother told Army Radio in 2013 that her son got a visa to enter Egypt, and was scheduled to meet friends from France in Cairo.The man was reportedly a left-wing activist, who lived in the Palestinian territories and was previously denied a request for Palestinian citizenship.He was not carrying a passport when he entered Sinai and his name was not on tourist arrival lists, according to the official Egyptian MENA news agency
March 16th, 2014
Senior American officials have been holding marathon meetings over the past 48 hours with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. They are attempting to resolve the crisis over the release of Palestinian prisoners and to formulate an agreement that will allow for the extension of negotiations between the two sides past April 29.
March 14, 2014
Prime Minister Netanyahu spends 10,000 shekels a year on ice cream. There are 40 independent book stores in all of Israel. Israeli authors produce the second most books per capita of any country. Israeli cows are tied for the most productive cows of any country (in terms of milk production).
February 27, 2014
Twitter announced that in 2013, Israel tweeted 'I love you' more than any other country on planet Earth. Israel- a small country, big on love and changing the world for the better.
December 12th, 2013
Palestinian Chairman declares that if Israel insists on maintaining security presence in the Jordan Valley, there will not be a peace agreement. The Ministerial Committee for Legislation is to vote on an Anti-Subversion Bill which would place 45% tax on the incomes of NGOs that support boycott of Israel, opposing the Jewish state.
November 17th, 2013
Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday stopped a plan to explore the potential construction of thousands of new homes in West Bank settlements, saying it had created "unnecessary confrontation" with the international community that threatened to weaken his campaign against Iran's suspect nuclear program.
The plan, which was announced by Israel's Housing Ministry earlier in the day, had prompted a Palestinian threat to walk out of US-brokered peace talks and drew angry criticism from officials in Washington, who said they had been blindsided by the move.
October 22, 2013
With the new USY year comes a new Israel Awareness Vice President. This year, Lauren Goldstein will be helping to satisfy your craving for knowledge and some rockin' Israeli music.
Hey East Windsor USY! To start off Israel Updates for the year and in honor of breast cancer awareness month, Israel has seen a sharp drop in deaths from breast cancer over the last decade! According to new data from the Health Ministry and the Israel Cancer Association, 87% of Jewish women survived the disease five years after being diagnosed, along with 79% of Arab women.
March 28, 2013
Hey East Windsor USY!! So this past week I was in Washington, D.C. The first day we spent in the Capitol with Obama in the same building. The second day we spent in DC, Obama was on a plane to Israel. The next day before Obama arrived, Netanyahu tweeted what he was serving Obama for dinner. When Obama arrived in Israel, he was greeted merrily by Netanyahu and full fan fare. Obama will be touring many places in Israel. He will visit Yad Vashem, Bethlehem, Jerusalem and many other sites. The White House has made it clear that there is no peace agreement being offered by Obama. Main issues to be discussed will be the Iranian nuclear program, and Syrian deployment of chemical weapons.
March 14, 2013
Hey East Windsor! We all know Israel is hot zone for conflict. By now
we've somewhat become used to attacks on the country. However a new
attack has begun upon the state of Israel. Swarms of tens of
thousands of locusts have invaded Israel from Egypt. The Agricultural
Industry has had to redouble it's efforts to get the locusts out.
However, the grim possibility is that millions more could be on the
way. Though many more pests could be coming, they are trying their
absolute best to control the insects within the state. They have been
using a pesticide that only has an effect on locusts, no other
creatures are harmed by it. The irony of the situation is the
oncoming Jewish holiday of Passover. One of the 10 plagues cast upon
the Egyptians was locusts. Israelis are beginning to wonder if the
Jewish State is seeing it's first plague ever.
March 1, 2013
Hey East Windsor!! So recently the police did a report and estimated that 10.5 million visitors to the Western Wall in 2012. The numbers indicate a boost in tourism in the past year. The data includes regular worshippers and the many thousands who come for special prayer services on holidays as well as tourists and other visitors. Police say they will continue to do everything in their power to keep visiters to the old city and the Kotel safe.
February 17, 2013
Hey East Windsor! In Israel there is an organization called the Zionist Organization of America or the ZOA who plans to distribute mishloach manot bags to the Israel Defense Forces for Purim. This year, the ZOA is teaming up with the World Mizrachi Organization, the International Youth Movement, American Friends of Yisraell Hatzair and Gillies Goodies to ensure that they can bring the maximum Purim joy to the maximum amount of people. This year the mishloach minot bags are going to be packaged by overseas students who are learning in various yeshivot and seminaries in Israel this year. This program is important to the Israeli community because it brings joy to those fighting for the defense of their country. Not only do they experience the happiness of receiving the gift but they also are able to join in on the festivities of Purim. This weekend we will celebrate Purim in our own way. The USYers will sleep in the synagogue and then join in on the Purim celebration with synagogue. The joy of the holiday of Purim reaches farther than Israel. It extends to our homes as well.
January 27, 2013
Hey East Windsor!! Hope everyone's surviving Mid-terms. I know I'm stressed but let's all just take a moment and keep in mind that today is actually a very important day. Today is the World Zionist Organization's Department for Countering Anti-Semitism's central event in Israel. Throughout this event the WZO will be broadcasting rallies from around the world. Countries hosting the rallies include France, the USA, South America and Australia.
Hey guys so I couldn't not post this video. C'mon it's called a Yiddish Mama and was posted by someone named CyberMench. Not to mention the fact that an orthodox man is singing backed up by the Budapest Klezmer Band. Quality right here guys. Quality.
January 3, 2013
Peppers? Really? This is what gets you angry? This sounds ridiculous right? But an argument did really break out in a major Lebanon supermarket when yellow peppers grown in Israel were spotted being sold. Laws exist in Lebanon stating that business agreements cannot be made with Israeli suppliers, whether they are direct or indirect. Because of this law, and the issues between Lebanon and Israel, when a man found the Israeli yellow peppers in the supermarket, he immediately was infuriated and contacted local officials. The local officials then contacted the Lebanese Army about the incident and they are investigating the situation. This occurrence shows how serious the problem between the two countries are. The fact that peppers can cause the army to get involved proves the severity of the trouble between the two nations.
November 27, 2012
Hey East Windsor. So my update for you is basically just an overview of what has occurred recently in Israel. Many of you probably know that Israel and the Palestinians had been sending rockets back and forth until just recently when a ceasefire was called. However, there's much more this story than the media tells us. We can't believe everything the media says because of the bias towards Israel. The story I am telling you is the Israeli perspective, the perspective that we, as Jews, believe and should try to pass on to other people.
Rockets had been fired by the Palestinians into Israel for 12 years. Israelis have been living in fear of these attacks for so long. Recently, the rate of the rockets had increased greatly. So many were launched into Israel that children couldn't go to school because they had been hiding out in a bomb shelter for a full week. Rockets also began reaching Jerusalem and tel aviv. They haven't reached that far into Israel in many years. This increased onslaught of attacks forced Israel to attack back. As the air warfare increased, Israel began to recruit members of the IDF in case a ground invasion was needed. However, 5 days ago, a ceasefire was called between the Israelis and Palestinians. Hopefully preventing a much higher death toll.
The fact of the matter is, the media does not portray what actually happens in this reason. The reality is, Israel calls every individual house in the area they are going to attack so as not to harm innocent civilian lives. The reality is, the Palestinians in Gaza, when injured, are taken to Israeli hospitals where they are treated by the best medics. The reality is, Israeli protects themselves with the iron dome while Hamas uses human shields. As Jewish people, and supporters of Israel, we can't believe everything we read. People twist the news to make it Anti-Israel. But we are responsible to pass on the truth.
October 7, 2012
Hey East Windsor!! So Israel has become one of the world's leading aeronautic space powers. In 2015, it will have the honor of hosting the international space conference! Israel's space agency was selected to host over many other leading space programs. The event has brought together more than 3,000 scientists from around the world in recent years. A quick fact: Ilan Ramon was the first Israeli astronaut in space. He was 48 when he lifted off with the crew of the ill-fated Columbia in February 2003.
A song for you, dear East Windsor, is yet another one that plays on repeat on my iPod. This one is called, "Kol Ma She Yesh Li" by Natan Goshen. So here's the video and the beautiful English lyrics. You're welcome.
I feel guilty if I cover up when I'm cold
and I'm close to not hearing anything at all
and I curve for a path I did not choose
to fight to be the man who did not fall
and you dream about things that promised
and wake up in the bed that once he left
and I'm tempted to think that someone will succeed
To see the things as they should be seen now
Because you, you're all I have, you
Because you, you're all I have, you
and it is too quiet maybe turn the radio on
and maybe we will listen to another singer who will soon disappear
and you will say that you understand exactly what happened to him
He will do everything just so we will remember that he exists
Don't look at me like you have something to say to me
And you win me over with that smile of yours
I don't want to think that you know how bad I'm feeling
I was here and long before he left
Because you, you're all I have, you
Because you, you're all I have, you
the sun won't set till the sky decide to
and I'm not move from here till the day is over
you can always scream to knock yourself out
maybe we love today and deal with it tomorrow
Because you, you're all I have, you
September 13, 2012
East Windsor!! I hope you all had THE BEST TIME at our opening event! So this morning, Alan and Leora, a young couple from Teaneck, made Aliyah. Okay, you're probably thinking so what? Well this couple was actually just married. And instead of going on a typical honeymoon to a tropical island somewhere out in the ocean, they decided to fulfill their lifelong dream of moving to Israel. They especially wanted to make Aliyah at this time so they could begin their new year in their new home, Eretz Yisrael. Beautiful, isn't it?
So for your Israeli music, you are getting another one of my addictions. This one is called "The Fire in Your Eyes" by Boaz Mauda. The really cool thing about this song is how he weaves some English into the choruses, so at least you can understand some of the words. So now go. What are you waiting for? Listen to it and love it forever.
September 9, 2012
Hello East Windsor! Can't believe it's been 2 whole months since I last posted. End of summer blues. But the end of the summer means a new USY year so GET PUMPED!!! So on Wednesday, after facing sharp criticism from Romney and the Republicans, the Democrats reinstated the language that recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This was part of Obama's platform 4 years ago but it has not been mentioned in this year's platform until now. This is a huge deal, my fellow USYers. So many people won't say that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel so the fact that a presidential candidate is, is amazing for the Jewish people.
For your song of the week, I bring you: "Tagidi Li At" by Shay Gabso. This is yet another song straight from my phone that plays constantly on repeat. Fall in love. Swoon. Faint. I really don't care what your reaction is. Just listen to this song now. You won't.
July 5, 2012
Hey EWUSY! Sorry for the long wait on the Israel Update but the beginning of my summer has been swamped with a new job (YAY!) and camp (YAYYY!). So on Thursday, the archaeological excavation site on Mount Gerizim was officially inaugurated in a special ceremony. Mount Gerizim and nearby Mount Eival were the places where the Priests and Levites addressed the tribes entering Israel after their journey across the desert, blessing them at the mountain if they kept the commandments. Mount Gerizim had been excavated for more than 24 years but Thursday's ceremony marked the reopening of the site after being closed for 12 years due to the Second Intifada or the Oslo War.
The music for the week is yet another song that plays on repeat on my iPod. The song is "Ani Esh" by Ran Danker and Elai Botner. It's catchy, the man singing it has a beautiful voice and it's just an overall fantastic song. Please go on and listen and get addicted just like I am. I dare you.
June 18, 2012
Hello East Windsor! I know we've all been swamped with finals but now that school is out we all have enough time to take 5 minutes to read some fun Israel news and listen to an awesome song!
It's never too late for a B'nai Mitzvah! Last Monday, David Arquette, soon to be ex-husband of Courteney Cox (Monica from the best show on earth, Friends), had his Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall at the age of 41. He's been touring Israel for his Travel Channel series, "Mile High". He is scheduled to visit the Dead Sea and the Judean Desert as well. The show will be broadcast to millions of viewers on both cable and satellite channels in the United States, highlighting Israel's tourism offerings. The segment will hopefully provide a window to the Holy Land for the rest of the world. He was interviewed briefly during his stay in Jerusalem:
My music for you this week is "Gvulot Higayon" by Natan Goshen. Now this song isn't just the first song that popped up on You Tube. Once I found it I bought it on iTunes and am obsessed with it. Music by Natan Goshen plays nonstop on my iPod. It's quality Israeli music so you guys should all listen to it and download it and fall in love with it!
June 6, 2012
Hey EWUSY! It's been a while so here you go!
In Israel, hundreds of people camped out on the top of Mount Zion for Shavuot. The neighborhood is at the site of what is called the Tomb of King David, the Diaspora Yeshiva, Israel's first Holocaust museum, the grave of the man known for Schindler's List, Dormition Alley and several large churches. Food and drink were provided to campers without charge. Sponsors donated to fund the event. On Saturday night, when the holiday ended in Jerusalem, singing and dancing took place on the Mount.
Also, connecting us to Israel, right now "The Great Kosher Chocolate Chip Crisis" is taking place in America. Trader Joe's has removed the pareve label on their chocolate chips as a way of cutting costs. American Jews are outraged that they now cannot eat their chocolate chips after eating meat until 6 hours have passes. Petitions have gained nearly 5,000 signatures in an attempt to get their pareve chocolate chips back. One woman spent over 100 dollars buying 40 bags of the pareve chips. In another store, a woman bought 90 bags.
In Music, Astrix (pseudonym of Avi Shmailov) is one of Israel's finest psychedelic musicians. Here's one of his songs, Closer to Heaven.
Here's a new segment for you guys. All USYers love food. It's a must in Jewish living. So I'm going to show you guys an Israeli taste with every update. This time, I give you Bamba. A peanut-y, crunchy, delicious snack from Israel!
May 22, 2012
In Israeli news, a family returning home were involved in a deadly car crash. 8 of the 9 people in the car died, except for one little girl, only 7 years old. Everything in the car was burned. EXCEPT, the family's bible.
Also, Jerusalem Day just recently passed. This day celebrates the city's reunification after 19 years of separation 1967. The festivities included a musical surprise, a march in the footsteps of the liberators and a spirited flag dance.
MUSIC! Hadag Nahash is an Israeli hip-hop group. Hip-hop really started to become popular in Israel in the 1990's but traces can be seen as early as the 1980's. This song, The Sticker Song, was the one with the most hits on YouTube. In Hebrew it is called Shirat Hasticker. And interestingly enough, the lines in the song are all direct quotes or plays on slogans that appeared on bumper stickers in Israel.
May 14, 2012
A new store in the heart of Tel Aviv, Kelim Sheluvim, is a result of the Israeli organization, Shikum Acher (different rehabilitation). What makes this store special is that the gifts and objects being sold are made by people with special needs. Also, the store is operated and worked by people with disabilities. The store helps the disabled integrate themselves with the community. This store is innovative, social, special, and one-of-a-kind.
For our music video, I give you Aviv Geffen. He is an Israeli rock singer. He was one of the most popular musicians among Israeli youth. His songs challenge the norm by speaking of love, violence drugs and alcohol. His appearance, somewhat like David Bowie, consists of heavy make-up and bizarre clothing. So this song is Leylot Levanim (White Nights) ...
MAY 6, 2012
So it is time to pass the torch of these Israel Updates on to the next IA VP. Laura has had a great time doing them for the past three years, but it is now time for this to become Sarah Chairnoff's page. Enjoy!
On April 15th of this year, 78 Pro-Palestinian activists were turned away from the
Israeli International Airport. However, when they reached the airport they were
met with this letter from Netanyahu...
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In keeping Laura's tradition of a song of the week, here's my first song. I thought the music video was awesome and it's a small taste of some chill Israeli music.