Israel 21st Century Gets A Face Lift

One of my favorite news sites about Israel (one that I frequently reference here on IsraGood) has recently gone through a "cosmetic face lift" giving it a modern look to reflect the Israeli spirit.

(Israel 21^st Century) We welcome you warmly to ISRAEL21c's new, enriched and vastly expanded website. Not only do we have an improved version of our traditional ISRAEL21c news service website, but we've integrated our award-winning blog, Israelity, the journal of the reality of daily life in Israel. [...]

We've created this website to make it simple and easy to share virtually anything on the site with others through emailing, adding to your website as widgets, or posting feeds to your blogs, your Facebook or MySpace pages.

So welcome to our new world, one that we hope you'll find more engaging, interesting and useful.

The site is a definite improvement over the previous version, which had just the "bare bones" of a news site, but nothing more.

While the site does boast a talkback feature, hopefully the team would be more open to a friendlier commenting service such as Intense Debate (which I briefly tested on this site).

Aside from that, their new layout is very user friendly, and hopefully they will inspire other Israel news sites (such as the Jerusalem Post and Ynet News) to revamp their sites as well.

Note: Their site Israel21c.org seems to be redirecting to Israel21c.net (their beta site) although ".org" URL's will appear with the new look.

Organic Clothes For Your Organic Kids

(Image Credit: B Nature)

While some parents are willing to spend their last cent in order to provide safe, comfortable clothes for their kids, others are more interested in getting a bargain for their shekel (or dollar).

Now it seems as if a clothing company has found a unique way of meeting both interests--without harming the environment or the workers who create it.

(Israel 21^st Century) Messer's Tel Aviv based company, B nature, designs, manufactures and markets a line of organic baby and kids clothing made from 100% color grown (non-dyed) and natural dyed organic cotton. A family owned operation, B nature has been on Israel's clothing scene for a year and recently debuted in the US retail market. [...]

"In clothing manufacturing we understood a long time ago that the West is using the East to produce products cheaply. But the entire reason I got into organics was because I wanted to make a change. To show that we can make a product and preserve human rights and give workers fair salaries and get rid of the myth that everything coming from China these days is tainted with poison or child labor," said Messer, who personally visits B nature factories in Shandoong and Canton Provinces several times yearly.

According to the article, B Nature provides not only benefits to its workers in China, but also ownership by giving them corporate shares of the business.

Hopefully this company will be able to demonstrate some of their products within the American market, as many parents their are probably seeking out safe, affordable clothing for their kids.

Trade Between Israel And Nigeria Reaches $1 Billion

(Image: Map of Nigeria, Credit: Oxford Cartographers via Commmonwealth Secretariat)

Despite being predominantly Muslim, the nation of Nigeria seems to be very comfortable trading with their Jewish counterpart--which may be a sign of the times that the middle east is becoming Israeli friendly.

(Israel National News) Israel and Nigeria now do business annually to the tune of some $1 billion, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said ahead of a meeting between Olmert and Nigerian Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, who is in Israel to raise interest among Israeli investors for projects in his country. [...]

Besides being one of the world's largest producers of crude oil, Nigeria offers opportunities in power generation, mining, agriculture and manufacturing, he said.

Israel is already helping Nigeria turn their deserts into gardens and this latest figure should help strengthen relations between the countries, at least economically.

Note: Hopefully the two nations will move beyond the status trading partners, as Nigeria could offer the Israeli Space Agency a nice plot of land to launch rockets from.

New Jewish School To Be Built In Ethiopia

(Image: Falash Mura children learning Hebrew in the Gondar compound, Credit: Uriel Heilman of JTA.org)

With the Israeli government winding down the Aliyah of Ethiopian Jews, a new organization called the United Jewish Communities federation (or UJC) is raising money to construct a Jewish school in the city of Gondar, Ethiopia.

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency) The school project is being undertaken by the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry (NACOEJ), which funds aid operations in Ethiopia for the Falash Mura -- Ethiopians who claim links to descendents of Jews either by lineage or by marriage -- and has campaigned

"We're happy to have raised this issue, convened the federations and facilitated their support of this project," said Jim Lodge, UJC's vice president for Israel and overseas affairs. "Much of that money has been offered by federations, and we're in the process of getting that money to NACOEJ."

According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the group has raised $350,000 to construct the school, which should help out Ethiopian Jews unable to make Aliyah to Israel.

Ethiopian Jews have been seeking ways to visit their homeland after centuries of exile. Hopefully the school will aid those left behind in the nation, as well as help improve their lives economically, if not spiritually.

Israeli Car Industry: Business Is Good!

While the auto industry in the US is going through their own trials and tribulations, the Israeli car industry is experiencing nothing but sunshine.

(Globes Online) Israel's automotive sector ended one of the best years in its history yesterday, with more than 190,000 new cars, including taxis meeting Israel's roads in 2008. Nearly all importers saw double digit growth in deliveries, across all segments in 2007, compared with 2006, with the family vehicle segment recording exceptionally strong growth, including the niche and luxury vehicle segments.

Israel's strong auto market is a bit of a mystery (note: at least to me), but it may have something to do with the new hybrid demand as well as stronger purchases by businesses instead of the typical consumer.

Related Note: Israel may once again revolutionize the world next year when their flying car debuts.

Kosher Highlights Are Up!

For those of you wondering, the Kosher Highlights roundup has been posted over at Israpundit.

Feel free to check it out, and let me know if you want a story/blog post included in the next round. Cheers!

Note: IsraGood And Kosher Highlights Belated

For those of you reading, Kosher Highlights (formally known as Kosher Thursdays) on Israpundit will be delayed until after the Christmas holiday.

You can check out the previous highlight over here.

Also posts on IsraGood will resume after Christmas.

Until then, here is a funny video (in Hebrew) that I came across while surfing YouTube. Enjoy!

Update (12/28): Corrected some grammar.

Israel And The US Partner For Clean Energy

(Image Credit: Amazon.com)

With many nations looking for ways to reduce the gas price hike that has afflicted much of our planet, it looks as if the United States is teaming up with Israel in order to explore new ways to produce clean, green energy.

(Globes Online) The US Senate has approved cooperation with Israel in clean energy - the U.S.-Israel Energy Cooperation Act - as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. [...]

Israeli sources in Washington predict $20 million in allocations a year over the next five years for joint US-Israeli energy projects. The US Department of Energy and Israel's Ministry of National Infrastructures will formulate an agreement and settle related issues.

The Energy Independence Act includes financing grants for the production of energy from biofuel, biomass, wind, ocean waves, and geothermal sources. Projects will include joint basic research between US and Israeli academic institutions and applied research projects between companies from both countries.

This new bill (which will probably be signed into law, if not already) may help the US and Israel to finally gain their energy independence upon foreign oil.

Israel already has the lead when it comes to developing clean technology, which includes everything from turning fungus and cow manure into energy to building better solar houses to even recycling nuclear waste into energy.

With the help of US funding, America and Israel may not only be able to help themselves become energy independent by relying upon cleaner technologies, but also half of our planet as well.

Sovereignty Is Sweet! Jerusalem To Add 10,000 More Apartments

It looks as if the Israeli government is finally realizing that Israel, not the international community should dictate where Israeli's build their homes.

While some may wonder what Bush may say about this when he visits the holy land, it is certain that Israeli's will be glad to know that they can finally build on lands they owned before the modern Jewish state was birthed.

(Israel National News) The new neighborhood, in an area near the Kalandia checkpoint and the Separation Wall which includes the area of the abandoned Atarot Airport, will contain more than 10,000 apartments, making it the largest Jewish neighborhood in eastern Jerusalem. The zone is included in regions which were annexed to Israel following the Six Day War, and is part of lands which were owned by Jews before the establishment of the State of Israel. Boim is awaiting permission from the Israel Lands Authority (ILA) for the project. The ILA says it plans on approving a permit.

Hopefully construction of these apartments will begin soon, as many of these residents are probably anxious about moving into their new (long overdue) homes.

Update (12/28): Sadly, it looks as if these homes will not be built due to US pressure.

60,000 Christians To Visit Israel This Christmas

(Image Credit: Government Press Office, via Ynet News)

With tourism already booming in the holy land, it looks as if the Jewish state will have to prepare for an additional 60,000 pilgrims from the Christian faith this Christmas season.

(Ynet News) Some 60,000 Christian pilgrims are expected to arrive in Israel for the Christmas holiday, the Tourism Ministry reported Tuesday. This is an estimated 50% increase compared to last year.

Until the end of the year, about 1 million Christian tourists are expected to visit the country, half of them pilgrims. This figure represents a 30% increase compared to 2006.

The Israeli government is probably working with local businesses to ensure that their spiritual guests enjoy their stay in the Jewish state.

These pilgrims entrance will definitely help out the Israeli economy (especially the hotels industry) as well as expose new minds to the other side of Israel--especially the beaches.

United Nations Interested In Israel's Agricultural Expertise

(Image Credit: Flagline.com)

While the United Nations is not known for siding with Israel on every issue, one area they seem to be seeking Israel's advice on has to deal with agriculture.

With the United Nations determined to slash 50% of the world's poverty and global hunger by 2015, the organization known for passing resolutions against the Jewish state is now refusing to pass up the chance to learn from their Jewish member.

(Israel 21^st Century) The Israeli-sponsored resolution, "Agricultural technology for development," calls on developed nations to share their expertise and experience with the Third World. [...]

"Development has always been an issue of tremendous importance to Israel," Israeli counselor Ilan Fluss told the General Assembly. "Ever since it's earliest days of statehood and while still a developing nation, it has helped countless nations build capacities in a variety of fields around the world, including in our region, and to cooperate with our neighbors."

MASHAV initiatives include blindness prevention programs in Kenya and Nepal, the establishment of demonstration farms in Senegal and Kazakhstan, and micro-credit training seminars for women in rural India.

If this measure gains more favor, it could (finally) enlighten the world to Israel's compassionate side, an item that has often been over looked by more sensational news.

It could also open up other gateways, not just for Israeli's in the holy land, but for the world to rediscover what Israel is really all about.

Update: Centered photo.

Another Free Trade Agreement? (Israel And South America)

After seeking out Free Trade Agreements with India and Ukraine, Israel is setting its sights half a world away towards South America.

(Ha'aretz) Mercosur, the South American trade bloc, signed a free-trade agreement with Israel on Tuesday, its first pact with a country outside of Latin America. [...]

"This agreement is an enormous satisfaction that will help develop our links to the Mercosur countries," a statement from the Israeli Embassy in Argentina said. Trade between Israel and Mercosur countries neared $1.6 billion in 2006. Mercosur is comprised of full members Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, with Venezuela awaiting approval to join the trade group.

Israel already has free trade agreements with the United States, so this latest edition will hopefully position the Jewish state as "the middle man" between Mercosur and the US (who have yet to sign anything with each other).

This will also open up Israeli businesses to a "whole new market," which probably will benefit both regions over time.