More violence...and more aid

During the past week there were over 55 projectile launchings, approximately 30 of which landed in Israel. Among these, about 20 Qassam rockets launched into Israel, 11 of which landed in Israel in the past week. At least 9 civilians were wounded by Qassam fire, including a baby girl in Kibbutz Karmia, as well as structural damage that was caused to property in the western Negev.

At the same time, the IDF is continuing its efforts to provide a response to the humanitarian needs in the Gaza Strip. Throughout the last week (8-13/7) the following humanitarian aid was transferred from Israel into the Gaza Strip with the coordination of the Gaza District Coordination and Liaison Office:

• Sufa Crossing – Approximately 8880 tons food, medical supplies, dairy products, flour, sugar, reproductive eggs, rice, cooking oil, straw and animal feed, raw food materials and construction supplies.
• Kerem Shalom Crossing – Approximately 1050 tons of food, medical supplies, dairy products, meat products, fruit, cooking oil and reproductive eggs.
• Karni Crossing – Approximately 4180 tons of wheat seed.

Creating Electricity from....from....

Israel is a land of innovation. If there's a creative way to solve a problem, Israel will find it. While we are still looking for more ways to solve a deficit of water, perhaps we have found a way to solve or help solve our energy needs.

According to a recent article in Globes Magazine, a new plant in the Hefer Valley has begun to produce electricity from cow manure and other organic waste. The Tambour Hefer Ecology plant is located near Hadera. By creating electricity from...from...cow manure, Israel is able to add much needed resources to its often stretched electricity grid, reduce pollutants generated by the communities’ 12,000 dairy cows, and find a good use for 600 tons of manure.

This is Israel!

A Torah Comes Home

An integral part of Israel...is the concept that Jews belong in Israel. Throughout time, Jews have turned towards Israel, no matter where they were, and yearned to come home. This became a reality for hundreds of thousands in the years after Israel was established...re-established...on its ancient homeland. And even more, this became a reality for millions of Jews in the decades that have followed.

A few years ago, an organization known as Nefesh B'Nefesh began assisting Jews to find their way back to Israel by offering real assistance...whatever it would take to enable them to move here. Plane load after plane load filled with new immigrants have landed and today, a very special thank happened. Not only did some 200 new immigrants arrive from the United States, but one of the passengers brought something very special with him.

Dr. Kevin Schreiber, a pediatrician from New York, brought a 250-year old Torah scroll that had been rescued from Krakow, Poland. The scroll was found, almost 20 years ago, by a relative of Schreiber found it hidden in an ancient books' library during a trip to Poland in 1988. The relative took the Torah scroll back with him to the United States, and Dr. Schreiber has now brought it on its final journey home.