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F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 1 ISRAEL HIGHLIGHTS R o t e m U r M o n t h l y N e w s l e t t e r I n s i d e t h e I s s u e ISRAEL'S BIG ACTIVE ISRAEL A NOTE FROM (MY NEWS RESOURCES 2ND) HOME COVID, the coming (4th!) Activities for kids, resources for Spending time in Israel during elections - here are these month's the whole family and various lockdown has some unique perks. highlights with resources for you learning opportunities - there's Now that I'm back (in my 6th to keep updated at all times! never a moment quarantine) here are some thoughts THIS MONTH'S IMPORTANT DAYS 2/12 Family day 2/14 Valentine's Day 2/15 President's Day 2/24-25 The Fast of Ester 2/25-26 Purim 2/26-27 Shoshan Purim P A G E 1 O F 3 WANT TO LEARN MORE? H e r e a r e a f e w r e s o u r c e s : Weekly news update with Shy Ashkenazi, Pozez JCC of Northern Virginia's Shaliach - Every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Click HERE to register ELECTIONS & COVID: Weekly News Headlines Email from Netta Asner-Minster, B'nai Fourth Elections - the final list of running parties and party leaders: Israel's Shlicha. Those that have representation in the Knesset right now: Click HERE to sign up Likud - Benjamin Netanyahu Yesh Atid - Yair Lapid Upcoming sessions: Blue and White - Benny Gantz Vaccination: Israel's COVID-19 Shas - Aryeh Deri immunization process and Joint List - Ayman Odeh pandemic response United Torah Judaism - Yaakov Litzman Thursday, February 4, 10:00am Yisrael Beiteinu - Avigdor Lieberman Click HERE to register Ra'am - Mansour Abbas Meretz - Nitzan Horowitz Recent Developments in the Ta'al - Ahmad Tibi Middle East Yamina - Naftali Bennett Sunday, February 21, 1:00pm Telem - Moshe Ya'alon Click HERE to register New Hope - Gideon Sa'ar Labor - Merav Michaeli The Question of the Next Israeli Religious Zionist - Bezalel Smotrich Election: An Unexpected Answer Gesher - Orly Levy Abuksis Tuesday, February 23, 12:00pm Jewish Home - Hagit Moshe1 Click HERE to register Parties who do not have representation in the Knesset at the moment: Am Shalem - Rabbi Haim Amsalem Democratic Party Ma'an - Mohammad Darashwe Or Hashahar - Yona Yahav Rapeh - Arieh Avni The New Economic Party - Yaron Zelekha Unity Party - Michael Bar-Zohar COVID-19 updates: 3,390,398 Vaccinated: 1st dose 1,986,370 Vaccinated: 2nd dose 680,856 Total cases 1,101 Serious cases 5,020 Deaths And on a positive note - Israel might have found a cure? A new medicine as started human trial and so far (with very few candidates) proved extremely promising Updated, February 5 F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 1 P a g e 2 o f 3 A NOTE FROM (MY SECOND) HOME b y R o t e m Visiting Israel during lockdown is a different experience. Usually when visiting I try to see as many friends and family as possible. Eat all the different kinds of food I have missed (especially cucumbers!) in restaurants and at home, travel around and hike all over the country. This time was different. I went for strolls around my village with my parents. (in the picture to the left). Finished a book about every ACTIVE ISRAEL RESOURCES two days. I worked in almost regular EST times. A n a s s e m b l y o f g o o d s f o r k i d s , t e e n s , f a m i l i e s a n d a d u l t s Tomer and I had date nights on the rooftop of my parents home Podcasts: and with much excitement we - The Hartman Institute 'For Heaven's Sake' podcast started planning our wedding. - JNF's 'Israelcast' With all the hope that came with - Israel Story - stories of regular Israelis the massive vaccination effort in the country, there's also a lot of Lectures, Talks and Sessions: fear with the massive rise in new - LIFE: online project - a collaboration of Shlichim started by cases every day. For the first time Rotem to gather Israeli content in one place. it also hit close to home with family members getting sick Online resources: (they're ok!). - The Jewish Agency's Israel education platform To sum things up, it was strange - being home, but only actually Escape Rooms: being home. Seeing the - Tel Aviv important people, enjoying the - Israeli Women warmth, waking up way before - A trip to Israel anyone in the states and going to sleep after my RS lessons a bit after midnight. I am very glad to have taken the opportunity to visit, while also very glad to be back. I can't believe I only have four and a half months left, and I really do hope to make the most possible from it! Shavua Tov Rotem F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 1 P a g e 3 o f 3.
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