Yeshiva University launches hub based in New York City for Israeli startups to jump-start in the US; Netanyahu has a new granddaughter; snow at the Western Wall; and much more!

By Michael Ordman

THE JEWISH STATE

Yeshiva U hub for Israeli startups

Yeshiva University is launching a hub based in New York City for Israeli startups to jump-start in the US. The initiative coincides with 20 undergraduate students from Yeshiva University visiting Israel to see successful hi-tech companies and get an understanding of the start-up culture.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Yeshiva-University-fosters-Israel-Diaspora-cooperation-in-hi-tech-577328
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/yeshiva-university-to-launch-nyc-based-hub-for-israeli-startups/2019/01/19/

Ethnically apt food for the poor

Israel’s “ingathering of the exiles” has resulted in many different cultures and cuisines. Israeli charity Colel Chabad has recognized this and ensures that the food they provide to the poor relates to the recipients’ ethnicity and culture. https://unitedwithisrael.org/whats-in-the-box-unique-charity-prepares-ethnically-tasteful-food-packages-for-israels-hungry-citizens/

PM has another granddaughter

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s daughter, Noa Netanyahu-Roth, has just given birth to a baby girl – her fourth child. Noa lives in the Mea Shearim district of Jerusalem. Her husband is one of the many ultra-orthodox Jews working in the hi-tech sector.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256946

(Above: 2015 video of Netanyahu’s grandson’s brit milah – circumcision ceremony)

Snow at the Kotel

Wednesday’s storm brought some vital rainfall to increase the level of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). It also turned to snow in the Jerusalem area – bringing delight to many schoolchildren and inspired some visitors to the Kotel (Western Wall) to join hands and dance.

WeWork founder is a proud Jew

Adam Neumann – Israeli co-founder of multi-billion-dollar company WeWork – delivered a great speech at a UJA Federation event on what being Jewish means to him.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3753539,00.html

Aliya is on the way up

Almost 30,000 Jews made Aliyah (immigrated) to Israel this year compared with 28,220 new immigrants in 2017, a 5% increase. 10,500 came from Russia – a 45% increase from 2017. Over 3,500 Americans made Aliya in 2018, boosting Israel’s population to nearly 9 million.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/wonderful-aliyah-to-israel-grows-during-2018/
https://www.jns.org/in-2018-more-than-3500-north-americans-made-israel-their-new-home/

Tu B’shvat

Useful information about the Jewish New Year for Trees, including vocabulary, activities, graphics, clip art, greeting cards, photos, recipes, songs, quiz, games etc.  Also an article on the significance of the festival from Between The Lines
https://jr.co.il/hotsites/tu-b-shvat.htm  https://jr.co.il/hotsites/tu-b-shvat-photos.htm
http://israelbetweenthelines.com/2019/01/16/celebrating-the-new-year-of-trees/

Planting a Jewish future

To mark the Jewish festival of Tu Bishvat, World Mizrachi made this inspiring video to highlight the love affair between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel.  With Zo Artzeinu they are planting 11,000 new fruit trees in Israel. The subsequent sites promote their “Trees of Life” Project.

www.israeltrees.org/treesoflife
https://www.jewishpress.com/addendum/sponsored-posts/its-not-just-a-tree-its-life-itself/2019/01/16/

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