As Israel was once again targeted by rockets fired from Iran and Lebanon, the Association of Community Centers sprang into action with programs and projects aimed at boosting resilience and self-worth.
Some of these programs dealt with both the physical self-images and mental health problems of participants. The finale of one such program took place in the Galei Yam Community Center in Netanya with a fashion show produced by well-known initiator and producer of such events, Motty Reif, along with fashion stylist Sandra Ringler and fashion show producer Batel Green.
Among the 18 women who modeled clothes that they had personally selected under the slogan of “They are themselves” were women struggling with mental health problems. Facing them together and realizing that others had the same or similar fears and anxieties helped them develop greater resilience regarding their own issues.
The only path to peace
It is difficult during and in the immediate aftermath of a war to accept people from the other side as decent human beings who grieve over the loss of loved ones who fell in battle or who were killed by missiles. But the only path to peace is to look at former enemies with mutual hope for future cooperation, peace, and harmony.
We can see this in Egypt, which, for several years, was a forceful enemy. However, less than a week ago, Egypt permitted Israeli planes carrying passengers who had been stranded abroad to land in Taba and cross into Eilat. No one could have imagined this during the Yom Kippur War in 1973.
In the mid-1970s, the “Good Fence” between Israel and Lebanon was established, and Lebanese citizens were free to enter Israel to work, shop, and receive medical treatment. Some of these people and their descendants live in Israel to this day. One of the first stops of Lebanese who came through the good fence was Metula, Israel’s most northern village, where they made many friends.
But along came Hezbollah, which consistently attacked Metula, which, after October 7, became a ghost town from which most of the residents were evacuated. Some have returned and have been attacked again, but still hope for a peaceful future.
Further afield are Israelis and Palestinians who have lost loved ones in terror attacks, retaliation, and other clashes. Long ago, they formed the Parents Circle, which evolved into the Families Forum with a branch in the US, whose executive directors – Shiri Ourian, Ayelet Harel, and Nadine Quomsieh – have not allowed the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas nor the events of the last nearly two and a half years to drive a wedge between them.
In a message they jointly posted, they noted that the Parents Circle, whose more than 850 bereaved families have paid the price of wars, is deeply concerned over the increasing loss of life throughout the region and will always promote the sanctity of human life and the shared humanity of Israelis and Palestinians.
They make a point of praying for the lives of all people in the Middle East.
The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Iran, numerous charitable campaigns have been flooding the internet, in addition to those traditionally held between Purim and Passover. Among the new campaigns is one that is being run by the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, headquartered in North America.
In an open letter, Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, CEO of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and the Rabbinical Assembly, announced an emergency appeal on behalf of the Masorti Movement in Israel.
“Our Conservative/Masorti family in Israel is facing another painful and frightening chapter. As the current conflict unfolds, communities are once again navigating loss, fear, and deep uncertainty. Congregation Eshel Avraham in Beersheba, in the south of Israel, has sustained physical damage as a result of a nearby missile impact. A number of community members have been directly impacted and displaced from partial or total home loss. Others are facing significant destruction.”
“Rabbi Mijael Even David, community rabbi of Eshel Avraham, writes, ‘At the moment of impact, I was inside the [synagogue] together with several children, including my own, rehearsing for our Purim spiel. We had only seconds to respond to the sirens and run to one of our shelters. The sound of the explosion, the shaking structure, and the cries of frightened kids are not easily set aside. Even in a city accustomed to alerts, there are moments that mark a community in a different way. This was one of them.'”
“We are launching an emergency appeal to support our Masorti community in Israel. All funds will be collected by United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and allocated through Masorti Israel.”
Tennis weekend unites Palm Beach Jewish community
A special tennis weekend in Palm Beach, Florida, was hosted by The Israel Tennis and Education Centers Foundation to raise support for underprivileged children in Israel. The ITECF empowers children and transforms lives by providing opportunities for youth across Israel, regardless of geography, religion, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background, using tennis as a tool to build life skills, confidence, and community.
The event brought together senior representatives of the foundation, prominent Jewish supporters, and community leaders for a weekend of sport and philanthropy. Former Israeli tennis champions Andy Ram, Harel Levy, and Yoni Erlich took part in exhibition matches alongside board members and longtime supporters.
A delegation of children from the ITECF in Israel also attended, adding a meaningful and personal touch and helping create an atmosphere that combined competitive spirit with a shared commitment to Israel’s next generation
Funny in-flight occurrence
A little humor never goes astray. The following item has appeared on various internet platforms. Passengers on a flight were being served by an obviously gay flight attendant. He put everyone in a good mood as he served food and drinks.
As the plane prepared to descend, he came swishing down the aisle and told passengers that Captain Marvey had asked him to announce that the “big scary plane” would be landing soon, “so lovely people, if you could just put your trays up, that would be super.”
On his trip back up the aisle, a well-dressed Arab-looking woman hadn’t moved a muscle. “Perhaps you didn’t hear me over these big brute engines, but I asked you to raise your trazy-poo so the main man can pity pat us on the ground.”
She calmly turned her head and said, “In my country, I am called a princess, and I take orders from no one.” Without missing a beat, the flight attendant responded, “Well, sweet cheeks, in my country, I’m called a queen, so I outrank you. Tray up!”
The Honorary Fellow of Afeka
The title of “Honorary Fellow of Afeka” is traditionally awarded by the Afeka Academic College of Engineering to trailblazing personalities who have made a significant mark in the fields of science, technology, state, and society. Three leaders were conferred this honor as the Class of 2025 at an awards ceremony for graduating students held at the Rabin Center in Tel Aviv.
The three honorees were Boaz Levy, CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries; Gilles Darmon, founder and president of the humanitarian aid organization Latet; and Prof. Sarab Abu Rabia Quader, associate professor at Ben-Gurion University’s School for Education and vice president for diversity and inclusion.
The ceremony also included the annual Afeka Alumni Award, which went to Dr. Yoav Matia and Snir Shoshani, both graduates of Afeka with degrees in mechanical engineering.
Matia, who is a leading international researcher and co-founder of a new scientific field in engineering, completed his master’s and doctoral degrees at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and postdoctoral studies at Cornell University. He currently serves as an assistant professor at BGU.
Shoshani, a lieutenant-colonel in the naval reserves, is the deputy director-general of infrastructure at Israel Railways. During his military service, he led advanced technological projects with a critical security impact. In his civilian role, Snir leads large-scale strategic projects in the field of national infrastructure.
Afeka President Prof. Yossi Rosenwaks said, “Afeka’s awards of appreciation express our commitment to engineering that has a broad meaning and impact on society and the country.
The winners of the Honorary Fellow and the 2025-2026 Graduate Award represent leadership, excellence, and values, which have been the core of Afeka for 30 years. They are an inspiration to our students and remind us all of how knowledge, responsibility, and actions can change reality.”
Floridian and Israeli billionaire mansions
US President Donald Trump is not the only tycoon in Florida with a multi-million-dollar mansion. Social media billionaire Mark Zuckerberg recently paid $170 million for a Miami Beach mansion that is still under construction.
The ultra-affluent in Israel are also shelling out big money for luxury homes, especially in places close to the sea and bearing a unique charm, such as Tel Aviv-Jaffa’s Neve Tzedek neighborhood, where cyber billionaire Shlomo Kramer has reportedly paid NIS 100 million for a duplex. And there are people in Israel who barely make NIS 5,000 per month.
Incidentally, Zuckerberg and other hi-tech company heads are dispensing with some of their top employees.
Zuckerberg has said that artificial intelligence can do the work that previously required entire teams.
Many jobs and professions are going to become obsolete thanks to AI. Somewhere along the line, someone will have to pull the plug.