New: Jewish and Israeli Twitter directory

Hi Everyone!

Last night I created a directory of Jewish and Israeli active Twitter users.

The address is:
http://www.jr.co.il/hotsites/twitter.htm

If you are an active Twitter and would like to be added to this free directory, please send me your Twitter name and a few words about yourself. I will add you to the directory.

If you are unfamiliar with Twitter, you can learn about it at:
http://www.jr.co.il/hotsites/blogs.htm#twitter

Have a good day,
Jacob

New Israeli Educational Stamps Posted Online

Hi Everyone!

I scanned and posted on my website the new Israeli stamps that were issued in July 2008. I included the stamp itself, the first day cover, and an English and a Hebrew flyer about the stamp.

- Gush Katif

- Promenades in Israel

- The Olympic Games Beijing 2008

The new stamps are located at:
http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/stamps/index-2008.html

The top of the web page should display the date July 28, 2008. If the page has an older date, hold the control key and press the F5 key to refresh your browser with the updated page.

Have a good day,
Jacob

Only in Israel......

Hi Everyone!

On Friday afternoons, I buy several newspapers including Hebrew ones. Every so often, the Hebrew newspapers include a special insert.

If we get a new Israeli president there will be a picture of him / her; if a sports team wins a championship there may be a picture of them; before Passover you can find a free Haggadah; and before Israel Independence Day there is a large Israeli flag folded inside the paper.

This past Friday (July 25), there was a small glossy, two-sided, flyer in the Yediot Achronot newspaper.

On the front of the flyer is a family eating together at the table.
The Hebrew text reads: Friday is Reserved for My Family
To talk, laugh, eat together. There is one day of the week that you can sit with the whole family and connect. So we declare: Friday is Reserved for My Family.

On the back of the flyer is the Shabbat Kiddush.

I scanned in this cool flyer and posted both sides at:
http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/things/friday-night.htm

After close to 24 years in Israel, I still find nice surprises in the most unexpected places.

Shavua Tov,
Jacob
(22:30 Saturday night)

Welcome Home to the New Olim (and pictures)

Hi Everyone!

On Tuesday morning, July 22, I was at Ben-Gurion airport to greet the new olim that made aliyah from North America to Israel.

There were 217 olim on the flight including 50 singles (including 23 people joining the IDF through the Garin Tzabar program) 28 families with 98 children (98 - wow!). The youngest oleh in the group is 3 months old and the oldest oleh is 88 years old. The flight also included 4 dogs and 1 cat.

I took 247 pictures of the exciting event and I posted them online at:

http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/history/2008/a322.htm

When the first page appears, press the F11 key to view the full length of the pictures. To move from page to page, use the navigation buttons on the bottom of the screen.

May the aliyah from all over of the world grow and bring more Jews back to their homeland, Eretz Yisrael.

Have a good day,
Jacob

New Facebook Greentech Group: EcoIsrael

Hi Everyone!

Last night I joined a new Facebook group called EcoIsrael.

It is an environmental related, greentech group; that was formed for the purpose of sharing ideas, promoting events and networking with contacts in Israel.

You can read more about it (and join if you are interested) at:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=25753956084

Have a good day,
Jacob

New Online: Solar Energy in Israel

Hi Everyone !

Today I launched a new website called:

Solar Energy in Israel
http://www.solar.co.il

Solar Energy in Israel is a free, on-line, educational resource to learn about solar energy developments in Israel

The site features include:

Frequently Asked Questions - The FAQ sections provide you with answers to the common questions people ask about solar enegy systems in Israel and abroad.

The Solar Energy in Israel Blog - The weekly blog updates will keep you informed about developments and news related to solar energy in Israel and about updates to the website.

Videos - A selection of online, educational videos about solar enegy in Israel and abroad.

Companies - An index of solar energy companies in Israel

Glossary - Basic solar energy words and terms with easy to understand explanations

English - Hebrew Dictionary - A dictionary of Hebrew solar energy words and terms with English translations and transliterations.

Links - Solar Energy resources in Israel and around the world.

Feedback is welcome.

Please forward this message to anyone that may be interested in learning about Solar Energy in Israel.

Thank you!
Have a good day,
Jacob

Congratulations to the New Olim and 286 pictures posted online

Hi Everyone!

On Thursday morning, July 10, I was at Ben-Gurion airport to greet the new olim that made aliyah from North America to Israel.

There were 220 olim on the flight including 47 singles and 39 families with 85 children.

The youngest oleh in the group is 2 months old and the oldest oleh is 87 years old. The flight also included 4 dogs and 2 cats.

I took 286 pictures of the exciting event and I posted them online at:
http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/history/2008/a298.htm

When the first page appears, press the F11 key to view the full length of the pictures. To move from page to page, use the navigation buttons on the bottom of the screen.

May the aliyah from all over of the world grow and bring more Jews back to their homeland, Eretz Yisrael.

Shabbat Shalom!
Jacob

Bank Hapoalim offers loans for domestic solar panels

Hi Everyone!

Below is an article from Globes about financial assitance in purchasing a home solar power system. I am currently working on a website about Solar Energy in Israel and I hope to launch it soon.
Chodesh Tov,
Jacob

Bank Hapoalim has launched a financing package for private customers to buy home solar systems. The bank says on its website that it is offering customers full financing at low interest rates for up to ten years.

The bank added that the product was the first in a series of eco-friendly financial solutions that will support market needs in dealing with environmental issues. The bank said that, in addition to the contribution to the environment, it sees a business opportunity in a growing market.
The government recently published regulations under which Israel Electric Corporation will, from July 1, buy the surplus power from private producers of solar power generated electricity.

A homeowner with a solar power system will be eligible for a NIS 2.04 per kilowatt/hour (kw/h) rebate on electricity produced, and will pay NIS 0.50 per kw/h for electricity consumed. The result is cash flow. The return on investment in the system is estimated at 8-10 years. The regulations offer homeowners the financial incentive to encourage the installation of household solar power systems, in addition to the homeowners' environmental awareness.

New Israeli Educational Stamps Posted Online

Hi Everyone!

I scanned and posted on my website the new Israeli stamps that were issued in May 2008. (The Postal service just sent them out this week. The stamps I announced last month were from April.)

I included the stamp itself, the first day cover, and an English and a Hebrew flyer about the stamp.

- Jerusalem of Gold (souvenir sheet)
- Tel-Aviv Centennial Nahum Gutman (souvenir sheet)
- Children Paint Israel's 60th

The new stamps are located at:
http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/stamps/index-2008.html

The top of the web page should display the date July 4, 2008. If the page has an older date, hold the control key and press the F5 key to refresh your browser with the updated page.

Chodesh Tov - Have a good month,
Jacob

Pictures of the new Gush Katif Documentation Center and new Israeli Postal Stamp

Hi Everyone!

On Wednesday, July 2, 2008, the Gush Katif Documentation Center was opened in Nitzan.

Unique documents, pictures and materials from 35 years of settlement were presented to the public for the first time.

At the ceremony, the public was shown the design of the Gush Katif stamp that will be issued officially by the Israel Postal Service on July 14, 2008.

I took pictures of the new documentation center, the artist gallery, the historical picture exhibit about Gush Katif and the ceremony.

I also purchased and scanned the souvenir album with the new stamp. The stamp should be available at most local post offices in Israel on July 14.

I posted the pictures at:
http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/gush-katif/gk01.htm

When the first page comes up, press the F11 key on the top of your keyboard for a full page view. Use the icon buttons on the bottom of each page to navigate.

Have a good day,
Jacob

Intel dedicates Fab 28 in Kiryat Gat

Intel Corporation today dedicated Fab 28 in Kiryat Gat in an impressive and grandiose eremony filled with acrobats, drummers, pyrotechnics, and a children's choir. Intel invested more than $3.5 billion in the fab. The new fab is next to Intel's old Fab 18, now Fab 1 of Numonyx Inc.

Fab 28 is due to employ more than 2,000 people, out of the 7,300 people Intel employs in Israel. Fab 28 will manufacture 45-nanometer technology processors and is one Intel's three most modern facilities worldwide. Intel Israel general manager Maxine Fassberg will manage the facility, which occupies a 283-dunam (70.75-acre) site and has 20,000 square meters of clean rooms.

Fassberg said that a fab of this kind was "unparalleled in Israel. This fab will deliver $10 million worth of silicon wafers a day."

Intel estimates that Fab 28 will boost Israel's GDP by 2%. Intel estimates that Intel Israel had $1.54 billion in exports in 2007.

Globes
July 1, 2008