By Ariella Gottesman

Many years ago, I heard a speaker – a self-proclaimed Zionist – taking HaTikvah to task. In her opinion, it didn’t speak to the Zionist dream, the true feeling of the Jewish heart aching to return home, or the mission of Zionism. She suggested that The Impossible Dream from the hit Broadway musical "The Man of La Mancha" take its place as the Israeli national anthem. The very words, she thought, encapsulated everything Zionism and Israel stands for:
 
To dream the impossible dream,

Some musical ensembles go against the norm and all odds.  Tonight at The Yellow Submarine in Jerusalem, Nefesh B'Nefesh and Mercaz Magshimim Haddassah is  producing a concert that you won't want to miss.

I don't know how many of you are following what's going on with the appointment of the new IDF (Israel Defense Force) Chief of Staff, but there’s a big scandal regarding if he did or didn’t takeover some public land around his private estate.

Now, I’m not into getting into the whole discussion around this, but when I saw this picture I got the feeling that things were going too far.  What's next? Send an SMS text message to * G-A-L-A-N-T with the word "Yes" or" No"?

Picture: 

We've been following the UN Watch blog, especially when events transpire around the Durban category. For those of you out there who are less informed, and/or more informed, the UN is scheduled to meet in UN Headquarters in New York in September 2011.  Thus, recent events have presented the following issues:

1. On Dec 24, 2010 the Durban 3 resolution was passed:
Draft resolution III

I still remember that feeling of landing in Israel for the first time as an Israeli citizen.  Sure the story has been told countless times, and I am only one in a sea of thousands from around the world that made the decision to make Israel their home, but it never gets old.  OK, maybe it does for some, but not for me. 

Recently the Jewish Agency announced that the final 1000 new immigrants of 2010 started to arrive to Israel - and who knows, but the time you read this, B"H they'll have all landed safely and be home.

Written by Dan Brown.

The worst fire in the history of the State of Israel is behind us and the process of assessing needs and rebuilding has begun. Residents have returned to their homes, the emergency command headquarters at the University of Haifa has been dismantled and the immediate crisis has passed. 

In between the recriminations, the government has begun a needs assessment. And so have most players in the global Jewish world.

As of today, 44 have lost their lives in the fire – 36 Israel Prison Service members, police officers and fire service members and one teen-age fire volunteer.

According to the Jewish National Fund (JNF), 25,000 were evacuated, homes were lost and more than 12,500 acres of forests destroyed. JNF foresters estimate over 5 million trees were burned.

“The extent of the burnt area is comparable in size to 40% of Jerusalem or no less than 7,142 football fields,” stated a JNF fundraising announcement.

A few months back we hooked up with the amazing people that put together TEDxTelAviv, and took responsibility to do all the video production for the event. it was much more work then we imagined - 22 lectures, filmed with 3 unsynchronized cameras, as we came to call them, a true editing nightmare.

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending a wonderful day-event during one of Israel Connect's recent delegation trips to Israel.  While there I met up with the lovely Karoline who kindly agreed to an interview...

Leadel (L): Hi, Karoline.
Karoline (K): Hi, Leadel.

Leadel: Karoline, can you please tell us a bit about Israel Connect?

Karoline: Sure! Israel Connect is a leadership programme and social network for young people from all over Europe.