Zum Thema: Israel

Israel Is One of the Strongest Countries Economically

The Economist magazine ranked Israel as the fourth best economy in 2022. “In the Middle East, Israel has prospered over the past year despite the political chaos,” writes the British weekly.  The ranking of 34 OECD countries was compiled using five macroeconomic indicators: GDP growth, annual inflation, inflation breadth, stock prices and public debt. As… […]

Robot-assisted Lumbar Spine Surgery Performed for the First Time

A new immigrant from Brazil has now performed the first robotic lumbar spine fusion in Israel. The 36-year-old Dr. Cezar J. Mizrahi works at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.  During an internship in the intensive care unit in a hospital in Brazil, he realized that he was more fascinated by neuroscience: “I wanted… […]

First Heart Surgery for Four Children from Sudan

Three years after the end of South Sudan’s civil war, the country’s healthcare system has descended into chaos. Special treatments, such as those required for children with congenital heart defects, can no longer be carried out by local doctors. That’s why the Tel Aviv-based non-profit organization IsraAID, together with the NGO Save a Child’s Heart,… […]

The Sound of Our Music, a Unique Look at the Israeli Jazz Scene

The jazz scene today has quite a different sound and culture than it once did since the time of its inception. Today, ethno jazz, which incorporates different ethnic music traditions, has become popular all around the world. Israel has become one of the biggest producers of world renowned jazz musicians, especially impressive for its small… […]

Three Swiss in Israel – Three Stories

Story By Katharina Hoeftmann Ciobotaru About 22,000 Swiss citizens live in Israel. We met three of them to talk about their lives, feeling homesick and new paths in another country… Tabea and Matthias Oppliger “You live here as if there is no tomorrow” Actually, Tabea and Matthias Oppliger only wanted to go on a vacation to… […]

‘Tis the Season – A Jerusalem Olah’s Take on the Holiday Senses

By Rebecca Steiner When walking around the streets of New York in December there are told tell signs that the holiday season has begun. There’s the smell of chestnuts roasting, the display of Christmas trees, and the sound of any and all versions of “jingle bells” playing on the radio. When it comes to the… […]

Government Introduces European Food Standards

By Katharina Hoeftmann Ciobotaru Another measure to lower the cost of living in Israel has been introduced. The government wants to now adopt European food safety standards and most Israeli guidelines are to be repealed. The changes affect, among other things, the production and import of canned vegetables, pasta, rice, sweets, spices, soup powder, condiments and… […]

Rising Sea Levels: Is Israel Losing Its Coast?

By Katharina Hoeftmann Ciobotaru According to research by Haaretz newspaper, some experts at the Environment Ministry believe that sea levels in the country will rise by up to one meter by 2050 due to climate change. So far, the Israeli government has largely ignored this issue. Researchers at the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institution… […]

Basel Celebrates 125 Years Since the First Zionist Congress

Israeli President Isaac Herzog flew to Basel this week to attend an event marking the 125th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress, one of the most important milestones in the history of Zionism. Planned by the World Zionist Organization (WZO), the event will come 125 years after the three-day 1897 conference where Theodor Herzl addressed… […]

“I Have the Perfect Guy For You” An Inside View Into the Jewish Dating System

Dating is complicated. With the global marriage rate declining, the Jewish community, through its thousand-year-old “shidduch” system is trying to stay far away from that decline. A “shidduch” is usually used to describe a match, someone you have been set up with, or going out with. In the Jewish Community, the shidduch system is one… […]

Israel’s Only Cement Company Fined for Breaking the Clean Air Law

No one likes a bully. When it comes to big corporations around the world, it feels almost as if they are all unregulated, free to do as they please. Nesher Israel Cement Enterprises (Clal Industries) has been fined NIS 6m (US$1.9m) for breaking the Clean Air Law. The Clean Air Law, according to the Ministry… […]

“Switzerland Has Known About Money for 200 Years”

In our new series “More Swissness in Israel” we write monthly about current topics that show the presence and activities of Switzerland in Israel in all of its diversity. A bit of Swiss attitude towards life in Israel. “Swiss banks in Israel?” Philippe Weil frowns and considers, “I can think of ten Swiss banks here… […]

The 2022 Maccabiah Games and Israel as a Sporting Host Center

The 21st Maccabiah Games, the third-largest sporting event in the world after the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, brought in over 10,000 athletes from 65 countries to compete in 3,000 events in 42 sports. The games have been held every four years in Israel since 1932, with the participation of many Jewish athletes from all over… […]

Land Frozen in Time – The Rise of Ecovillages in Northern Israel

An Ecological Village or ecovillage is defined as a community with the goal of becoming more socially, culturally, economically and ecologically sustainable. These villages strive to produce the least possible negative impact on the natural environment through intentional design and ways of living.  Clil, Adama, and Kadita are some of larger villages located in the… […]

Plans to Lighten the 700,000 Passport Backlog

If you have to renew your passport in Israel, there’s only one thing someone may tell you, “good luck.” During the pandemic many Israelis were reluctant to travel.  Now that things are getting closer to normal, people are making travel plans once again and realizing that their passports are expired. There’s currently a backlog of… […]

The Anu Museum of Jewish People and Why You Should Visit

Located on Tel Aviv University’s main campus, the Anu Museum of the Jewish People is a history museum with a perspective unlike any other. “Anu” in Hebrew means “we” and this museum is a celebration of us. Built on the principles of openness, positivity, and history this is an interesting, colorful and lively museum, something… […]

How an Open Art Call Raised Funds for Ukraine and Created a Community

Dasha Ilyashenko, an independent curator, had a vision of using art and community to raise funds for Ukraine, while encouraging artists to share their raw response to war and peace through their work. The results? A powerful exhibit whose effects will last long after its end. There were two goals; raise awareness and raise funds.… […]

What is a Gaon and Who Was Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky?

It’s reported that close to a million people attended the funeral of Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky on March 20th, making it the largest funeral in Israel’s history. Dozens of schools were cancelled, roads were closed, traffic was redirected, there was even a special train from Jerusalem to Bnei Brak for those who wanted to pay their… […]

Passover 2022 and the Return of the Tourist Season

The tourism industry as a whole was arguably the most affected by the closing of the borders and the limitations placed on tourists entering the country in the past two years since the onset of Corona. Lockdowns within the country made it that there was no additional stream to cover this difficult period. Thousands of… […]

The Most Diverse Israeli Supreme Court 

Zo Flamenbaum’s Last Israel – Between the Lines Edition –  A Farewell Message For close to 6 years and nearly 300 issues, Zo Flamenbaum published ISRAEL BETWEEN THE LINES week after week with great dedication and journalistic skill, winning many new readers with her refreshing writing style. Zo has opened the doors to many topics… […]