FACTS ABOUT ISRAEL THAT YOU ARE UNLIKELY TO FIND IN THE MEDIA

 

(Courtesy – Carmel Medical Centre)

·          Carmel Medical Centre in Haifa recently hosted the first annual Advanced Medical Clowning International Seminar. Dream Doctors, Israel’s leading medical clowning organisation currently has 70 clowns operating in 20 hospitals and clinics around the country.  Participants who came from Holland, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Russia and the USA took part in lectures workshops, round-table discussions as well as visits to hospitals.

(Thanks to Haifa Diarist)

 

·          Due to the successful clean-up of the Kishon River, once considered the most polluted in all Israel, wild life is beginning to return. This includes one of the rarest species of duck in Israel, the marbled duck, which was in danger of extinction.  A study conducted in the Jezreel valley in the 1990s showed only four of them to be in existence but this year, 112 of these beautiful ducks were found living in one reservoir alone.

(Jerusalem Post)

 

·          The week of Succot was the time for Israel’s largest tourist event this year, 7,000 Christians arrived in Jerusalem to take part in “The Feast” which has been organised annually by the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem since 1980. This year, taking part were Evangelical Christians not only from the western countries but from more distant places such as Bolivia, Botswana, and Cambodia, also Latin America, Africa and Asia, 80 countries in all.  During their stay the participants attended seminars and tours, as well as evening events which were notable for their pageantry in music and dance.  One evening of the week was designated “Israeli Night” and a special programme arranged for the enjoyment of an invited Jewish audience. This year, the theme of the entertainment was The Spirit of Grace and Supplication  from Zecharia 12:10.  The audience was entertained by a wonderful orchestra, choir and talented dancers.  Umar Melinde from Uganda, the Christian Pastor who converted from Islam and had acid poured over his head by Islamist extremists, made a moving appearance.  Umar, who is having his face reconstructed , free of charge, at the Burns Unit of Sheba Medical Centre talked about the wonderful kindness he has experienced in Israel and his love for the country.  The Director of Sheba Hospital was also present and was given a donation of 10,000 Dollars by the International Christian Embassy.

 

Pastor Umar Melinde with David Parsons, the ICEJ Media Director

·         British Christian contacts who visited us last week expressed great surprise that in Israel we do not have separate hospitals for Arabs and Jews. It seems the Apartheid slur is hard to combat. Recently four young Gaza residents suffering from kidney insufficiency have been receiving life-saving therapy at Ramban Childrens’ hospital in northern Israel where they have spent several months while waiting for kidney transplants.  Without this specialist treatment they would probably have died. They have been treated with updated forms of dialysis which are especially suited to children but not available in the West bank and Gaza.  Their parents have spent time at the hospital where they have received instructions from the hospital staff on how to perform the treatment themselves and will receive all the necessary equipment when the children are able to return home which we hope will have happened by the time this is published.  Over the past year, the pediatric Nephrology Unit has cared for many Palestinian children from the West Bank and Gaza who have arrived at Rambam medical Centre with various kidney diseases.

 

·          Among thirty-four NGOs receiving funding from the Ministry of Environmental Protection are a monkey sanctuary, and non-profit organisations caring for cats, dogs, horses and donkeys.  Organisations also receiving funding this year are ones focusing on animal welfare education, prevention of animal abuse and Israel Animal Watch that establishes off-duty volunteer policemen to protect animals from neglect and abuse.  The highest amount of funding will go to the Tel Aviv branch of the Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

 

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