Halutz: "The Enemy is Not Standing Before Us" by Hanan Greenberg

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz discussed last week the impending summer pullout from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank for the first time since he officially assumed his new position. "Israel stands before a national task of supreme importance, the task of disengagement....The role of executing it has been placed on the IDF. We have not become accustomed to such missions, we were not built for this, however we will implement it with sensitivity and determination through great understanding and responsibility."

"The enemy is not standing before us, our brothers in arms are....We are not looking for a struggle, but rather understanding and cooperation. We do not want to win the mission, we want to implement it understanding the difficulty, understanding the crisis our brothers the evacuees are facing, as well as the IDF evacuators." (Ynet News)

Seed of Extinct Date Palm Sprouts in Israel after 2,000 Years
by Matthew Kalman

It has five leaves, stands 14 inches high and is nicknamed Methuselah. Planted on Jan. 25, the seedling growing in botanist Elaine Solowey's nursery at Kibbutz Ketura in Israel is 2,000 years old - the oldest seed ever known to produce a viable young tree.

The seed, whose age has been confirmed by carbon dating, was discovered during archaeological excavations at King Herod's palace on Mount Masada, near the Dead Sea.

The Judean date is chronicled in the Bible, Quran and ancient literature for its diverse powers and as a cure for a wide range of diseases including cancer, malaria and toothache.

Archaeologist Ehud Netzer found the seeds, which were identified by the department of botanical archaeology at Israel's Bar-Ilan University. Then they were placed in storage, where they lay for 30 years until scientist Sarah Sallon heard about the cache. "When we asked if we could try and grow some of them, they said, 'You're mad,' but they gave us three seeds," she said.

When the Romans invaded ancient Judea, thick forests of date palms towering up to 80 feet high and 7 miles wide covered the Jordan River valley from the Sea of Galilee in the north to the shores of the Dead Sea in the south. The tree so defined the local economy that Emperor Vespasian celebrated the conquest by minting the "Judea Capta," a special bronze coin that showed the Jewish state as a weeping woman beneath a date palm.

Today, nothing remains of those mighty forests. The date palms in modern Israel were imported, mainly from California. The ancient Judean date, renowned for its succulence and famed for its many medicinal properties, had been lost to history. Until now. (San Francisco Chronicle)

How Local Baseball Helps Israelis by Sandy Friedman

As calls of "Play ball!" echo across baseball fields this season, one player knows that every play holds special meaning for him and has the potential to strengthen his connection with Israel.

Sam Crystal is not only dedicating his season to Israel but he has come up with a unique fund-raising idea to help the victims of terrorism there.

Sam, 14, knew he wanted to do something to help Israelis, so he turned to his love of baseball. "A couple days before the first game I mentioned to my dad that I wanted to commemorate my play this year for the State of Israel because of all the troubles they've been having with all the terrorist attacks," Sam said.

He was originally planning on making a mark inside his hat for every defensive out and assist he made for his Columbia Cougars team. He and his father talked about Sam's feelings and what a player could do to help.

Together they came up with "Outs for Israel." The fund-raiser hinges on how many defensive outs and assists Sam makes this season. He is asking people to pledge a certain amount for each out he makes in the field, then he will donate the grand total to an organization called Non-profit Association for Volunteering and Assisting the Hurt (NAVAH). NAVAH volunteers visit the victims of terrorist attacks in Israel, bringing them care packages and cash donations. (Baltimore Jewish Times)

Advocacy 101 by Rachel Bayefsky-Anand

'It's imperative that high school kids get involved now," said Jennifer Sutton, a senior at Bard High School Early College and a member of Write On For Israel, an advocacy journalism program for high school students.

"Because high school and college kids are the future," added Ben Decker, a senior at West Orange High School and a participant in Write On For Israel.

On April 10, Sutton and Decker, along with their fellow Write On seniors and over 100 high school students from around the New York area, had a chance to influence that future. Decker and Sutton co-chaired a conference called "Students for Israel: Advocacy 101," which was held at the Columbia University Kraft Center and sponsored by Write On For Israel and the Avi Chai Foundation. The purpose of the conference was, according to Decker, "to educate kids about how to be Israel advocates in college."

Tal Ben-Shahar, a speaker from the David Project, which educates students and teachers about the Israeli-Arab conflict and supports college activists, addressed the students. He explained succinctly the historical background of the Israeli-Arab conflict and taught students a strategy for refuting anti-Israel arguments: address, reframe, and message, or ARM. Many of the students who attended cited Ben-Shahar's presentation as the most interesting and informative part of the conference.

Many of the students who attended the conference said that they planned to become leaders in Israel activism in college. If the trend continues, Israel will not lack defenders on college campuses. But the battle for the opinions of future leaders of the government and media will be long and hard – one in which every discussion, speech or conference counts.

Rachel Bayefsky-Anand is a senior at Solomon Schechter High School of Manhattan and a student advisor for The Israel HighWay. (New York Jewish Week)

Anne Heading for Holy Land to Help Victims of Bombs
by Vicky Huntley

An alternative therapist from Ascot, England is traveling to Israel this weekend to help victims of suicide bombs. Anne Galvin, 42, of Fernbank Crescent, will be offering alternative therapies to people in Jerusalem who have been affected by bomb attacks. Victims will benefit from Ms Galvin's holistic treatments such as reiki, aromatherapy, accupressure, massage and reflexology which she practises at Thames Hospicecare.

She said: "The reason I learned the therapies was to do them for people who really need my help. I wanted to do something with my life and my career that was useful. My wish was to do something as a career that I could totally believe in."

Ms Galvin said: "I have always wanted to go to Jerusalem. Ever since I was at school I have wanted to work in a kibbutz and because my aunt worked in Israel it really makes me want to go." The center Ms Galvin will be working for will house holistic practitioners and specialist equipment for treating victims. (ic Berkshire - UK)

Israeli Arab Trauma Surgeon Honing Skills in North America
by Leora Eren Frucht

If you ever got mangled in a car crash, you'd want someone like Amal Khoury to put you back together again. Khoury has already mended hundreds of people who have passed through Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem where he is one of the country's top orthopedic trauma surgeons.

Over the last two years, Khoury has been further honing his skills through a fellowship that brought him to Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital, Canada's largest trauma center, as well as New York's Hospital for Special Surgery, where he is currently visiting.

"There are at least 50 orthopedists [at Hadassah] who can mend a broken bone, but only three or four whom I call 'elite commandos' - doctors who can deal with multiple, critical injuries - and Amal Khoury is one of them," says Hadassah Orthopedic Trauma Service head Prof. Rami Mosheiff, describing the affable 36-year-old from Nazareth. "What's more, as cars go faster, and bombs become more powerful, the type of orthopedic injuries we see are much more complex," says Mosheiff, "making people with Khoury's expertise even more critical."

During his stay in Toronto, the Israeli surgeon has given a series of lectures and presentations offering North American colleagues a unique insight into what he calls his "unfortunate area of expertise" - terror injuries. (Israel21c)

Graduate Plans a Future of Peacemaking by James Fernald

While most new high school graduates are planning a cross-country trip, a fun summer job or even entry into the working world, one Western Albemarle High (Va) graduate is postponing college to learn about her heritage overseas.

Alina Khurgel, a Toronto native, has deferred admission to Marlboro College in Vermont for a year, to learn Hebrew and Jewish-Arab relations in Israel. She was accepted into the Young Judaea Year Course program.

"I never thought I'd take a year off," Khurgel said. "I think it's a part of everyone's growth to learn about a different culture. I feel like it'll give me a lot of outlook. It'll give me a lot more insight into Arab-Jewish relations. Now I'll have a more grounded opinion, not to mention I get 26 college credits for going."

After five years of French classes and a year of German, Khurgel is excited to visit a country that is "a big part of my heritage" and will teach her another language. In Israel, she will spend the fall attending "intense" Hebrew classes at the University of Judaism in Jerusalem, followed by a winter in Tel Aviv volunteering to teach English in a low socio-economic area, she said.

Khurgel's spring trimester plans have not been decided, but she said she might work in a kibbutz or do basic training for Israel's defense force.

Her French teacher, Jennifer Waine, said the trip to Israel will prepare her well for college. "I think it will enable her to find her true calling in life," Waine said. "I think she'll appreciate college more for it. I wish more students would be willing to take a gap year."

Using skills she learned in photography classes at Western, Khurgel hopes to take pictures of Jewish and Arab children and make a photo journal upon her return. "It's always been my opinion that peace starts with the kids," she said. (Daily Progress)

Montana Public Schools Superintendent Takes Trip to Israel with Other Educators by Ellen Thompson

Havre (Montana) Public Schools Superintendent Kirk Miller had many teachers during his recent trip to Israel. Sponsored by the American-Israel Friendship League, Miller traveled as part of a delegation of eight educators who, in a five-day tour, learned about the region's history and education system.

Miller said he learned from his fellow travelers, his Israeli tour guide and the students and teachers he met there. (See picture of Miller with Israeli student.) He also learned from the landscape. "It just amazed me how people live in the confines" of such a small area, he said. You couldn't help but get caught up in" the history, he said. At the site of a hill known in English as Armageddon, Miller said he learned that 25 cities had been built and destroyed on that spot. Miller also saw something of contemporary life. He noticed many fields of sunflowers, grown mostly for oil, as well as vineyards and olive trees.

In Israel, students who finish high school are required to serve two to three years in the military. Service can be deferred while the person attends a university. "They all learn service to country and to community," Miller said. The outcome was also that young adults in Israel are often a bit older when they have decisions to make about their lives. (Havre Daily News)

Phoenix City Councilman Visits Sister City, Ramat Gan
by Nedra Lindsey

Phoenix City Councilman Greg Stanton was part of a delegation of 25 that traveled last week to Ramat-Gan, Israel, a new sister city to Phoenix that could build on the city's interest in biotechnology. "I think we'll have a long-term relationship and one that will be fruitful for Phoenix and Ramat-Gan because of the exchange of ideas," Stanton said. A city of about 150,000, Ramat-Gan is regarded as a leader in biotechnology, said Stanton, adding that Phoenix's T-Gen program makes for a logical fit.

"They are doing a lot of biotech research," Stanton said. "It will be an opportunity for research and exchange with scientists." Stanton also cited the city's experiences in dealing with water conservation issues as well as its approach to airport security as further reason for the partnership. (AZCentral)

'Court'ly Love Turning Lives Around in Israel by Ellen Schur Brown

Dor Amir started playing tennis at age 7, and since then no one can stop him. Luckily, he found the Israel Tennis Center (ITC) to help him focus on his training. The native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, now age 14, says he has no problem waking up at 5:30 a.m. for early morning drills.

Known as the Israel Children's Centers, the 14 independent centers use sports as a platform to teach social skills like cooperation, tolerance and self-esteem. They also provide a safe haven for young Israelis living amidst terrorism and help new immigrants fit into Israeli society. All are located in poor or underprivileged neighborhoods.

Ari Strasberg, now 26, joined the ITC at age 7, and he is one of the Center's success stories. He won the Israel Junior National Championship in 1995, and after his army service, went on to play for the University of Washington in Seattle, a top 10 team. "I wasn't any good at the beginning. It was really frustrating, but I had a love of the game," said Strasberg. "The Tennis Center defined my life - the people, the education, traveling around the world, the different cultures. Everything you want to learn about life - planning for (the future), achieving goals - I learned through tennis."

Today, the centers also serve children with developmental challenges, including autism. The ITC trains children in wheelchair sports and hosts a Special Olympics with fast action wheelchair tennis competitions. The centers also have added programs for abused and neglected children, including after-school tutoring programs and computer classes. (Cleveland Jewish News)

'Haifa Hitman' Knocks Out Gutcher by Daniel Greenberg

Sin City had never seen such a display of Israeli pride, as fans waving blue and white flags showed up at the Plaza Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to cheer on undefeated Israeli heavyweight Roman Greenberg as he crushed Josh "The Griz" Gutcher in five rounds. Fans were not disappointed by Greenberg's display of power.

There was much anticipation for the Greenberg-Gutcher match because Gutcher had the strongest record out of all of Greenberg's previous opponents to date. Gutcher, 17-4 with 13 KOs, hails from Des Moines, Iowa, and is a U.S. Marine who just returned from a stint in Iraq.

Although "the Griz" appeared as if he came to fight, he was no match for the "Haifa Hitman." Greenberg took control from the fight's onset. Using powerful combinations to the body, Greenberg knocked Gutcher to the canvas in the fourth round. By the fifth, it was clear "the Griz" had enough. The referee ruled a KO at 2:40 in the fifth round.

"I am happy with my performance," said Greenberg after the fight. He showed his appreciation for his Israeli and Jewish fans by wrapping himself in the Israeli flag. (Jerusalem Post)

The Kids Are All Right; Something's Missing on the Birthright Trips by Allan D. Abbey

For all of the inspiring sites offered on the birthright israel missions, the trips miss an important aspect of modern life in Israel, and I don't mean controversial communities or sites in Gaza or the West Bank, such as the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron.

What they don't show is modern, high tech Israel. There are no visits to the Intel plant in Kiryat Gat, Weizmann Institute laboratories in Rehovot or state-of-the-art medical facilities such as Hadassah-University Hospital Ein Kerem in Jerusalem.

Maybe taking these kids to places that might offer them professional or educational opportunities would make them think too much about moving here. Maybe hi-tech clean rooms and ER's aren't as inspiring as mountaintops and desert vistas.

But the picture isn't complete without them. The birthright view, for all of its 21st century "venture philanthropy" and state-of-the-art marketing, is essentially the old exotic, distant, biblical Israel, one night in a disco notwithstanding.

The reality of Israel is far closer to North American and Western European reality than it is to the biblical Holy Land. Bringing birthright kids to modern Israel would offer them a better way to connect with the country - and provide them with a more realistic way of connecting to the country personally or professional in the future. We're not riding around on camels anymore. (Israel21c)

Dershowitz: Israel Obliged to Treat Settlers as Heroes
by Dan Izenberg

The government is not violating the human rights of the Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip and Samaria by forcing them to return to Israel, but it ought to treat them like heroes, Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz told The Jerusalem Post.

"I think Israel has an obligation to treat the settlers as heroes, not pariahs," he said. "The settlers went pursuant of Israeli policy, both Labor and Likud. They ought to be justly compensated. I would say more than justly compensated. They ought to be very generously compensated.

"They ought to be treated with extreme deference and they ought to be told they are heroes of Israel. They were heroes when they went and they are heroes when they are returning. They served in the front lines."

Having said that, Dershowitz added that it was the "state's prerogative to make territorial decisions and to make existential decisions about boundaries and peace." (Jerusalem Post)

Youth Movements and Camps

Every summer the estimated 250,000 members of a dozen youth movements spend a few days or even a few weeks at camps where they hike and tour, learn campcraft, and steep themselves in their movements' philosophies. Some groups, like Bnei Akiva and Ezra, are based on religious philosophies. Others, such Hanoar Ha'oved, Ha'shamir Hatza'ir, or Betar were formed around political philosophies and political parties. And the unaffiliated Tzofim, Israel's Scouts, are comparable to Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts of America.

One third of the participants in the Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet camp in Israel are Israelis; the rest are teens from all over the world. It is a joint summer program of the Tzofim (Israel Scouts) and the Gadna, the Educational Division of the Israel Defense Forces with cooperation of the Ministry of Absorption and the Jewish Agency. The camp is actually run by the IDF.

Another camp that brings North American teens together with Israelis is Camp Koby, named after 13-year-old Koby Mandell who was killed by terrorists four years ago. Camp Koby works with Israeli children and teens whose families have been stricken by terrorists. North American teen volunteers help the Israeli kids as they cope with the aftermath of terror.

This summer, some observers expect Bnei Akiva and Ezra members to be actively involved in the national debate on whether Israel should withdraw from Gaza and parts of Samaria, now scheduled for August. Already, many members of the youth movements have participated in rallies, marches and prayer gatherings.

Cooling Off

While Israel's political scene will likely heat up this summer, many teens will make their way to Israel's beaches and national parks to find cool relief. Most places in Israel are not far from the Mediterranean or from the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret). And there is never – yes, never – a chance of a thunderstorm forcing swimmers out of the water. Some of Israel's beaches can be viewed live on the Isracam network.

Frommer's Guidebook calls Israel's beaches "an amazing variety of swimming experiences." Frommer cautions, however, "The beaches of Israel look beautiful, but be careful about going in the water. Unusually strong riptides, whirlpools, and undertows along the Mediterranean coast can claim the strongest swimmer. Never swim in unguarded areas."

Chilling will also be on teens' minds at some of the best concerts outside of the U.S. and England this summer. The Orange Music Experience in Haifa Port, June 28, 29, 30 will provide three days of music by international stars and bands such as Faithless, Earth Wind & Fire, Bjorn Again, Infected Mushroom, Stereo MC's, and more.

The Red Sea Jazz Festival in Eilat, August 22-25, is the major jazz event in the Middle East, annually attracting top performers to Eilat. The event attracts some 40,000 people and typically features more than 30 concerts over the four days, staged in four open-air locations. The Red Sea and the surrounding mountains form a magnificent backdrop.

And for those who are happy tuning out and tuning in to the latest music, Israeli teens listen to stations like the popular Army Radio, Galgalatz. The top-10 foreign songs this week in Israel include songs by Coldplay, Kelly Osbourne, Black Eyed Peas, 50 Cent, and Gorillaz.

The top five Israeli songs, as tallied by Galgalatz are Lo Otoh Davar by Ivri Lider; Hatshuva by Mashina; Israel's Eurovision contest entry Hasheket Shenishar by Shiri Maimon (pictured); Tov Levad by Efrat Gosh; and L'sham by Miri Mesika.

American Camps

Hundreds of Israeli teens and counselors will be attending Jewish camps in the United States and Canada this summer, some as part of the Jewish Agency for Israel's Summer Shlichim program.

Scores of Israeli teens – mostly Jewish, but also Christian and Muslim – will be attending camps and seminars dedicated to forming bridges of friendship with teens from the West Bank, Gaza, and neighboring Arab countries. Leading this effort is Seeds of Peace with its camp in Maine and a Center for Coexistence in Jerusalem. According to the organization, "Seeds of Peace has focused primarily on bringing Arab and Israeli teenagers together before fear, mistrust and prejudice blind them from seeing the human face of their enemy."

Tisha B'Av - Solemnity in the Middle of Vacation

The most mournful day in the Jewish calendar – the Ninth Day of Av – will take place on Sunday, August 14. Starting the night before, Jews sadly mark the anniversary of the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem, as well as other calamities that befell the Jewish people throughout their history.

The Western Wall plaza is a gathering spot for many Israeli teens on Tisha B'Av. And if you can't be there in person, you can visit on two live webcam sites: Aish.com or The Western Wall Heritage Foundation

A final word: Whether you stay at home this summer, go to camp, or travel to Israel, you can now connect with Israeli teens in spirit, music, and instant computer communications. Readers of The Israel HighWay recently read that actor Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock from Star Trek) was in Israel last month. Perhaps the only thing still missing in the Israel-North American connection is the "transporter room" and "Beam me up, Scotty." How do you say that in Hebrew? (The Israel HighWay)

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