Christian in Haifa Expresses his Vews

A view of one of, what I believe, is the silent majority. what a pity that they feel threatened when expressing the opinions. 

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JH. is not an ordinary man. J who was born in Haifa identifies himself firstly as an Israeli citizen: secondly as a Christian and lastly an Arab. An Israeli-Christian-Arab in that order. He has a strong conviction that the Jews have a  claim on Israel. Two things make Joseph extra ordinary: his thoughts about Jews and his lack of fear in expressing those views.

 He is 38 years old, married with 4 children, two sons and two daughters. After high school Joseph studied accountancy and business management at Haifa University. His acquired knowledge helped him build a business making custom made furniture in his workshop in Downtown Haifa. He speaks with pride when he says he owns is own home and can provide for his family.

J. admires the Jewish people and calls them ‘brilliant’.  ‘From nothing’ he says ‘they have built a great nation’. He sees them as a people with unique God given abilities that think creatively and make good managers in business. He also believes that the Jews have a historical right to claim Israel as their national homeland with Jerusalem as the capital. These views would cost J. his life if spoken in the West Bank or Gaza: even in some Arab communities within Israel he could expect persecution by way of rejection. He states that many Christian Arabs feel this way but are too afraid of speaking out.

J. wants a strong Israel. When Israel shows weakness he says Christian Arabs feel insecure. With concern he sites the recent wars and compares them with the Yom Kippur war in 1967 when Israel took Jerusalem for its capital. Since 67 Israel have gained nothing from their battles. He highlights the recent war in Gaza and asks after all the losses on both sides what has Israel gained? Hamas lives to fight again. This he says is a weakness of Israel’s leadership and a recipe for disaster.

J. says to survive in Israel a man needs a dream. His dream is to enter into politics and have a place in the Knesset. He speaks of Ghandi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King as men who had dreams and became leaders. Today he is a hard working carpenter: tomorrow could be a different story.

Arab-Israeli MD tops her Technion class

Dr. Mais Ali Saleh graduated No. 1 in her class, although Hebrew is not her native language, while juggling work, studies, and getting married.

(By Avigayil Kadesh)

Mais Ali Saleh on graduation day, posing beside her

student research project

The newest staff obstetrician-gynecologist at Carmel Medical Center in Haifa is hardly the only Arab-Israeli physician on staff, nor the only female. Dr. Mais Ali Saleh’s main distinction is that she was the No. 1 student in the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology’s 2013 medical school graduating class.

“From the time I was five years old, I wanted to be a doctor,” she says. “I was never interested in anything else.”

By the time she was in 11th grade she had decided to go into OB/GYN. “Most women prefer a female doctor,” she explains in a phone interview during a few minutes stolen from her busy schedule. “With intimate problems such as urinary incontinence, they are embarrassed to go to a male doctor.”

Ali Saleh emphasizes that although people outside Israel may have the impression that Arab-Israeli students at Israel’s premier engineering and science university are rare, this is not the case.

“The Technion medical school has about 35 percent Arab-Israeli students,” she says. (In June 2013 the actual number was close to 50%, according to some sources; 22% of all medical students in Israel are Arabs) Overall, Arab students make up some 20% of the university’s student body, paralleling their numbers in the Israeli population. 

Nor is it unusual for a non-Jewish Technion student or faculty member to achieve star status. Last year’s Technion valedictorian was Arza Haddad, a Christian woman from a Lebanese family who earned a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering.

Another notable example is Prof. Hossam Haick, a chemical engineer at the Technion’s Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute and inventor of the NA-NOSE device that detects serious diseases by analyzing breath samples. A Christian Arab, he was raised in Nazareth.
Ali Saleh, 27, grew up nearby in the mixed Muslim and Christian village of Yafa an-Naseriyye (“Jaffa of Nazareth”) and at first struggled with the Technion’s Hebrew classes. Though she had learned the language at school, it took awhile for her to become fluent.

Better opportunities

Ali Saleh could have avoided the language barrier by studying in Jordan, but she says the Israeli medical schools are of higher quality and the opportunities after graduation are superior. Earning excellent grades on the high school matriculation exams and the psychometric college entrance exams, in addition to her personal interview, put her ahead of the fierce competition. 
“Those who can't meet the admission requirements are forced to study abroad,” she says. “Getting high achievements in the psychometric exam doesn't make you a better student; you need to solve many complicated questions in a very limited time, and this exam constitutes a major obstacle for both the Jewish and Arab students.”

Impressive as it is that she gained admission to the Technion’s Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and overcame her linguistic difficulties, it is even more impressive that she rose to the top so quickly. In her first year, she was chosen by the Knesset as one of eight students from around the country to receive an academic award of excellence.

She did this while juggling medical school and work. Ali Saleh was an instructor in a psychometric preparation course, an educator in the Technion’s Student Advancement Center and a research assistant in the clinical biochemistry laboratory. And she also got married while in the midst of her studies, to Technion Medical School alumnus Dr. Nidal Mawasi.

Ali Saleh credits good time management for her extraordinary achievements.

“I think the main thing is to divide time wisely between study, work and personal life,” she says. Unlike many of her fellow students, she never crammed for tests or pulled all-nighters.
“I didn’t just learn material right before the test. I was constantly reviewing. If you study little by little, you internalize it better. And I made time to have fun. At four or five o’clock I’d finish studying and close the books and go to the sea.”

Ali Saleh comes from a family and hometown that fully supported her ambitions. Her own mother got a college degree later in life and now is studying for a doctorate in education.
Now that she’s a mom (her first baby – a girl – was born in October 2013), Ali Saleh says her goal is to continue working at the hospital part time and spend the rest of her working hours in a community practice.

Helping the Unfortunates in Haifa

Here in Haifa, there are many opportunities for assisting those who are in unfortunate circumstances. We have two pet projects:-

a)    A center for children with learning difficulties http://www.haifacenter.org/en_default.asp

b)    A sheltered home for battered women

Now the two projects have converged thanks to the local Rotary who made it possible to provide a series of emotional treatments to women in one of the shelters in Haifa for battered women. In this home there are a number of women from the Arab community who have to escape the potential dangers of "honour" killing.

The center's expert therapist used art to help women discover their inner world and express hidden feelings. In some cases Dyadic Therapy (mother-child) took place. Mothers reported increased self-awareness, self-confidence, and empowerment preparing them for life outside of the shelter. To quote the therapist: “This was the first time I worked with this population, and as much as I gave to them, I gained myself”. It is hoped to continue these treatments in the future

In a second innovation in the center, it is known that many children have difficulties when starting school. The demands and atmosphere in a classroom are completely different to those in kindergartens, and often pose a challenge to small children – with rules and instructions, and sitting at a desk for hours carrying out a range of new tasks - many Grade 1 pupils find themselves out of their depth.

A new service has been started, funded by Health Services in which small groups of 5 and 6 year olds will meet with an Occupational Therapist who will prepare the children for Grade 1 and teach both organizational and graphic-motor skills, while enhancing social skills and providing emotional support before the changeover from a kindergarten to a school framework.

School principals are very excited about this new venture and are referring children for assessments, so that they will be eligible to participate in school readiness groups.

A Walk to Clear the Mind

Although theoretically a pensioner (?), sometimes, with the pressures of the amount of e-mails I try to read each day it is great to able to get out for a walk which helps to clear the mind.

In Haifa, the Dado beach promenade is often bustling with activity with swimmers, surfers, those exercising and other pastimes. 

During the winter months there can be days with little activity and the following photos are representative of the hardy individuals that frequent the beach irrespective of the weather.

A cafe that is typically full of patrons, on this cold day has
no-one ready to sit outside

The backgammon regulars are always present irrespective
of the weather

And if the weather is really bad, there is always a corner
where the open areas can be covered with cardboard
against the weather. 

There are always surprises as one progresses along the well trodden promenade but on a day like this, the exercise machines lay idle with no oversize individuals trying valiantly  to lose a kilo or two! No roller bladers practicing their intricate maneuvers through rows of bottles.

Even the cats have to be patient waiting for tidbits from the
rare number of brave souls prepared to sit outside, well
wrapped of course. 

However, there are always those hardy individuals who will barave all weather conditions.

No waves in  sight!!

Time to go home.

Haifa to be Invaded by Chinese?

Haifa is about to be "invaded" – by Chinese tourists, writes David Lev  http://tinyurl.com/ote6rgw . Workers from Shanghai, Sanjin, and Chengdu will be offered low-cost vacation packages to the city, after Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav signed an agreement with officials from the tourism department of the three cities.

Considering the fact that there are about 200,000 workers in the unions – and those visiting are expected to come with their families – the city is preparing itself for an inundation of Chinese visitors.

After a ceremony this week, Chengdu joined the other two cities as Haifa's Sister Cities. The agreement include working together on municipal improvement projects, developing technology together – and a mutual tourism agreement. Haifa will do its share to encourage residents to visit China, while the Chinese cities will put the word out about Haifa-oriented vacations. But considering the potential pool of visitors from either side, it's likely that Haifa will be much more impacted than its Chinese partners.

“Haifa is expanding its arc of connections with municipalities around the world,” Yahav said. “We have extensive contacts in China, and now we are making a critical move to enhance tourism from that country by making this deal with some of China's largest cities. We place a great deal of importance on these ties, which will give businesses, developers, and entrepreneurs a wonderful opportunity to enhance their connections with China.”

A Haifa municipality spokesperson said that they expected the visitors to make a “significant contribution” to Haifa's economy. To prepare for the visitors, Yahav has spoken to developers, and hopes to increase the number of hotel rooms in the city from the current 1,700 to about 2,300.

“Hopefully,” the official added, “they won't all come at the same time.”

Haifa's Festival of Festivals 2013

The colourful Festival of Festivals, now in its 16th year, takes place every weekend in December in Haifa’s mixed Arab-Jewish Wadi Nisnas neighbourhood. Thus quotes "Jewish Times Asia" which just goes to show that the event is reaching a wide world audience.

The festival promotes cultural and artistic events that celebrate - Chanukah, Christmas and Eid al-Adha. This year, the festival includes an art exhibition featuring the works of 50 Jewish and Arab artists in Wadi Nisnas; an art trail and an exhibition of paper cuts by international artist Tzipora Neeman with the cooperation of Jewish and Arab women.

There are photography and video exhibits and an antiques fair that opened on 28 November and runs for five weekends at Beit Hagefen.

Further there is an arts and crafts fair; a children’s art exhibition; folklore concerts by the Romanian gypsy band Fanfara Shavale and others and music concerts in Haifa’s churches and concert halls that combine liturgy, Arab and Israeli music.

Also taking place are street activities and free shows for adults and children; art activities and creative workshops for children; ethnic food stalls; coexistence routes of song and literature in Wadi Nisnas - marked by posters lining the streets; processions, carnivals, folklore dancing and more.

The festival, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year, is produced by the Municipality of Haifa and Gefen House (a Jewish-Arab center in Haifa), in cooperation with residents of the Wadi Nisnas neighbourhood

Women’s empowerment - Haifa conference Nov 2013

Haifa is the centre for the activities of MASHAV, the training arm of Israel's Foreign Office. The courses offered in the centre bring people from all over the world even from countries with no diplomatic relations.

In November together with the UN Development Program and UN Women, MASHAV and the Haifa Centre is organizing the 28th International Conference for Women Leaders on “The Post-2015 and Sustainable Development Goals Agenda: Ensuring the Centrality of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the Next Framework.”.

If this conference is anything like the last, it will be very impressive. See more details of the work empowering women in the article below

Women’s empowerment: Education as a tool for achieving equality

By DANIEL CARMON

10/20/2013 21:45

Investing in women’s and girls’ education is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty.

As the 2015 target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals approaches, a number of processes are under way among UN Member States, the UN system, academia, policymakers and civil society to reflect on the post-2015 development framework.

A growing number of states are reviewing and prioritizing the lessons learned that need to be incorporated into the post-2015 framework. The most recent (2012) Millennium Development Goals Report revealed that while there was notable progress in some gender equality dimensions there remains much to be done in every country, at every level, to achieve equality and women’s empowerment.

Empowerment means moving from enforced powerlessness to a position of power. Education is an essential means of empowering women with the knowledge, skills and self-confidence necessary to fully participate in the development process. Sustainable development is only possible when women and men enjoy equal opportunities to reach their potential.

Women and girls experience multiple and intersecting inequalities.

Structural barriers in the economic, social, political and environmental spheres produce and reinforce these inequalities. Obstacles to women’s economic and political empowerment, and violence against women and girls, are barriers to sustainable development and the achievement of human rights, gender equality, justice and peace.

Across much of the world, either by law or custom, women are still denied the right to own land or inherit property, obtain access to credit, attend school, earn income and progress in their profession free from job discrimination.

Women are significantly under-represented in decision-making at all levels.

While the economic benefits of educating girls are similar to those of educating boys, recent findings suggest the social benefits are greater.

Women have the potential to change their own economic status and that of their communities and countries in which they live yet usually women’s economic contributions are unrecognized, their work undervalued and their promise undernourished.

Unequal opportunities between women and men hamper women’s ability to lift themselves from poverty and secure improved options to improve their lives. Education is the most powerful instrument for changing women’s position in society.

Investing in women’s and girls’ education is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty.

In line with the Millennium Development Goals and the objectives established by the international community, MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, at Israel’s Foreign Ministry, consistently promotes the empowerment of women, considering women’s education a critical component of development policy and planning, and central to sustainable development.

Following important changes in the international development landscape in recent years MASHAV adopted a dual approach to development: We engage in active development policy dialogues and development diplomacy, thus contributing to and shaping policy at a higher, multilateral level.

And, through professional programs, we maintain an active and effective presence at the field level.

One of MASHAV’s earliest affiliate training institutions, The Golda Meir Mount Carmel International Training Center (MCTC), has addressed the connection between gender, poverty reduction and sustainable development for over five decades.

MCTC places education at the core of women’s ability to contribute to all activities, working to enhance knowledge, competency and skills, including in the development process and in their contributions to civil society.

Guided by this mindset, MASHAV, together with MCTC, the UN Development Program and UN Women is organizing the 28th International Conference for Women Leaders on “The Post-2015 and Sustainable Development Goals Agenda: Ensuring the Centrality of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the Next Framework.”

This November, senior women and men from the public and associative sectors – ministers, members of parliaments, heads of women’s associations, representatives of international organizations and representatives of the judicial, business and academic sectors – will convene in Haifa to discuss progress achieved and gaps remaining in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals from a gender perspective. We will highlight lessons learned and best practices in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Education is important for everyone, but it is a critical area of empowerment for girls and women. This is not only because education is an entry point to opportunity but also because women’s educational achievements have positive ripple effects within the family and across generations.

Education is much more than reading and writing. It is an essential investment countries make for their futures, a crucial factor in reducing poverty and achieving sustainable development.

Co existence Haifa style

Ulfat Khaider is the fascinating star of the video below on the subject of co-existence co-existence in Israel in general and Haifa in particular. 

She has reached high peaks not only as a mountain climber, extreme sportswoman and volleyball player (she played for the Israeli national team), but as a remarkable woman striving for peace.

Ulfat is a project manager at Beit Hagefen, a Jewish-Arab cultural center in Haifa. Self-defined as a person searching for peace with herself and with others, she promotes projects that bring Jewish and Arab students closer together. Ulfat uses extreme sports, mountain climbing and nature programs to install positive values in young Israelis. 

This is the real Israel and certainly the real Haifa

IAF intercepts UAV in Israeli airspace near Haifa

Date: 25/04/2013, 2:59 PM Author: IDF Website

An unmanned aerial vehicle was succesfully brought down by an Israel Air Force fighter jet off the coast of the northern Israeli city of Haifa.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attempted to violate Israeli airspace from the north at approximately 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 22. The UAV was tracked by IDF ground and aerial surveillance for the duration of its flight path as it attempted to approach Israel's coast. Israel Air Force aircraft intercepted the UAV and successfully downed the target five nautical miles off the coast of the northern Israeli city of Haifa.

IDF naval forces are currently searching the area.

This is the second time in the past seven months that a UAV has been intercepted in Israeli airspace.


UAVs pose a serious threat to the State of Israel's security. The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to violate Israel's sovereignty or harm its security.


In October 2012 the IDF downed a UAV over the northern Negev. The UAV had infiltrated Israeli airspace from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea. The craft was identified by IDF control systems and was tracked for the length of its flight path in Israeli territory by ground and aerial surveillance, including IAF fighter jets. After several minutes, the craft was successfully brought down in the northern Negev desert, to avoid potential harm to a populated area.


During the Second Lebanon War in August 2006, Israel Air Force fighter jets intercepted two Ababil UAVs launched by Hezbollah toward Haifa. The UAVs were located and identified by the IAF's northern air-defense and aerial control units before it managed to cross the border from Lebanon into Israel. The UAVs were downed by F-16C fighter jets – one fell in the Mediterranean Sea in Lebanese territory while the other was taken down north of Haifa.

Japanese Student Discovers Bisli

Another student at Haifa University has discover the famous snacks of Israel. see what he is reporting to his friends in Japan

Just Like Me, Just Like You

Our University in Haifa is an amazing cosmopolitan campus. Two students from the International School felt that they should record their feekings and those of the students in film.

The two students won 1st place in video compwetition.

Hope you enjoy it

American Doctors Vote for Rambam

On November 6th, Election Day in the USA, a delegation of 20 North American doctors came to Rambam Health Care Campus http://www.rambam.org.il/Home+Page/  and pledged their readiness to be "drafted" to help Israel in times of national emergency

The physicians have promised that in an Israeli national crisis, they will come here to help––for example, by taking the place of surgeons and other hospital doctors who have been called to the battlefront.

The physicians were given a survey of Rambam’s disaster management network, and also voted with their feet by touring the Emergency Room and the Sammy Ofer Fortified Underground Emergency Hospital http://www.rambam.org.il/home+page/Support+Rambam/Needs/Capital+Projects/Sammy+Ofer+Underground+Emergency+Hospital>.

“I’ve spent several years trying to learn best practices in emergency department disaster preparedness,” said Dr. Peter Sananman of Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. “This was a great opportunity to learn best-in-class systems and processes from those who’ve learned from experience."

The delegation was sent to Rambam by the American Physicians Fellowship for Medicine in Israel http://www.apfmed.org/ (APF, est. 1950). The organization’s flagship program gives fellowships to Israeli doctors for advanced clinical training in the USA and Canada. The APF also annually sends members to Israel for an Emergency and Disaster Management Course offered in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the IDF Medical Corps.

The APF is the only North American body designated by the State of Israel to maintain an Emergency Medical Volunteer (EMV) Registry. Most recently, Registry members took part in a nationwide Israeli drill testing the health care system's preparedness for a massive earthquake. “Their response to the simulated call-up was phenomenal," says APF Israel Director Amir Blumenfeld, MD. "Sixty-eight physicians immediately volunteered to be in Israel within forty-eight hours."

To watch the visit of the American doctors,

RAMBAM SURGEONS CHANGE THE LIFE OF A 12 YEAR OLD

Kirill, a 12-year-old boy from Latvia was born with a congenital defect making right arm movements impossible. He is now able to function normally and return home, thanks to surgeons at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa.

Kirill suffered from brachial plexus palsy, a defect that occurs in one of 3000-5000 births. But in 90 percent of cases, the disability passes by the age of three months. In the case of the Latvian boy - and in approximately eight Israeli children a year - it never did.

A week ago, the boy arrived in Haifa to undergo a relatively rare and complicated operation by Dr. Mark Edelman, head of the pediatric orthopedics department at Rambam. The surgeon rotated the boy's wrist 65 degrees and set it in its new location with six screws.

Edelman said that it was only the second case he had encountered in his career as a surgeon.

"Kirill taught himself to cope with life using only one of his hands. This is a very difficult disability for such a small child," he said.

After the three-hour operation and one day of hospitalization, he was discharged last week. Kirill feels well, and for the first time in his life, is able to use both hands.

33 Operations in Four Days

Rambam orthopedist took part in a surgical "marathon" in Ecuador: within four days the surgeons performed 33 operations, most of them on children


A senior Rambam orthopedist, Dr Mark Eidelman, recently participated in an international medical delegation to the city of Loja in southern Ecuador. There, delegation doctors treated local patients with various orthopedic problems, some of them severe. Dr Eidelman and another Israeli doctor held a surgical marathon: within four days they performed operations on 33 patients, most of them children from neighboring villages. By way of comparison, surgeons at Rambam, northern Israel’s largest hospital, carry out five to ten pediatric orthopedic surgeries weekly.


The delegation acted under the auspices of a voluntary US organization, ‘Operation Rainbow’. The California-based organization sends surgeons to different Latin American countries, to areas lacking medical knowledge, equipment and personnel. Among those on the 22-member delegation were five doctors, nurses, and physical therapists, accompanied by two and a half tons of medical equipment.


According to Dr Mark Eidelman, director of Rambam’s Pediatric Orthopedic Department, the doctors faced a difficult challenge. “The university hospital in Loja, where we performed the operations, publicized our mission about a year ago. Since that time, some 350 candidates requested operations, and doctors at the hospital chose 75 cases that seemed most urgent,” explained Dr Eidelman.


On their first day in Loja, the doctors examined the cases and ranked them according to severity. During the four following days, the delegation doctors performed surgeries and treatments on patients of different ages, with varying problems. “Every day we arrived at the operating room at 7:00 am and finished working at 11:00 at night,” recalls Dr Eidelman. “The pace was insane, but we wanted to treat as many patients as possible.”


Despite the fact that this effort involved orthopedic patients with limited mobility, people covered great distances to receive treatment. “Most of the patients came from villages in a range of 500 kilometers from the hospital, but these people had little choice. What can an eight-year old girl who has waited five years for treatment do if there is no pediatric orthopedist in her region?” said Dr Eidelman.


Patients ranged in age from 65 years to a five months, and Dr Eidelman remembers nearly every case. Though he has returned to Israel, the surgeon’s memories of Ecuador remain vivid. “This was the first time I took part in a delegation like this, and it was an incredible experience. I hope that in the near future I can participate in this crucial effort once again.”

California State U Reintroduces Study Abroad at Haifa U

Travel-abroad program to Israel is reinstated, after 9-year suspension **The University of Haifa has been chosen by California State University as its only approved study abroad program in Israel. The decision signifies the end of a nine-year suspension of its travel-abroad program to Israel**

Almost a decade after suspending its study abroad opportunities for students wanting to study in Israel, California State University<http://www.calstate.edu/> has reinstated the program and chosen the University of Haifa<http://www.haifa.ac.il/index_eng.html> as its location of its study abroad students in Israel.

The Cal State Study Abroad Program is being reinstated in Israel after it was suspended in 2002 due to security concerns. The decision to choose University of Haifa was made after representatives of Cal Sate visited the Haifa campus and met with university officials, including the head of campus security.

"We are honored and pleased that Cal State has chosen the University of Haifa as the location of choice for Study Abroad in Israel. This decision affirms the strength and attractiveness of University of Haifa Study Abroad Programs<http://newmedia-eng.haifa.ac.il/?p=4883>,” stated Prof. David Faraggi, Rector of the University of Haifa. The new opportunity is being opened to the entire student body of the Cal State system, which comprises 23 campuses and over 400,000 enrolled students.

Prof. Hanan Alexander, Dean of Students and Head of the International School<http://overseas.haifa.ac.il/> added, "Today the International School hosts over 800 students each year from over 40 countries around the world in fall and spring semester programs, as well as summer and winter intensive language programs. During the coming five years, we are looking to double those numbers by increasing partnerships with universities abroad who are attracted to the unique combination of academic excellence and cultural immersion offered by the University of Haifa."

About University of Haifa and the International School The campus of the University of Haifa stands atop the Carmel Mountain ridge southeast of the city of Haifa<http://www.tour-haifa.co.il/eng/> and is surrounded by the Carmel National Park<http://www.parks.org.il/BuildaGate5/general2/data_card.php?Cat=~25~~698900455~Card12~&ru=&SiteName=parks&Clt=&Bur=825485882>. The University considers the link between academic excellence and social responsibility as its flagship, and service to the community as one of its important goals.

The University of Haifa is the largest research university in northern Israel. It supports a wide range of interdisciplinary programs and cooperative endeavors with academic institutes around the world. As a thriving academic center marked by multiculturalism and tolerance, the University of Haifa is a growing institution with internationally recognized faculties. With some of the world's most renowned professors, several of which are recipients of the prestigious Israel Prize, the country's highest civilian accolade, the University is one of Israel's foremost institutions of higher education.

The University houses six faculties (55 departments and 60 research centers): Humanities; Social Sciences; Natural Sciences; Law; Social Welfare and Health Sciences and Education; and numerous Schools including the Graduate School of Management, Social Work, History, Public Health, Political Sciences, the Graduate School of Creative Art Therapies and the Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences. Some 18,000 students are studying toward a degree (B.A., M.A., or Ph.D.) in 2011/12.

The University of Haifa has recently launched several international MA Programs taught in English: Peace and Conflict Management; Business Administration and Patent Law; Holocaust and Genocide Studies; Creative Arts Therapies; and Maritime Civilizations.

One year later, the Carmel is recovering

In early December 2010, the worst fire in Israel's history claimed the lives of 44 people, burned more than one third of the Carmel Forest - about five million pine, oak, cypress and pistachio trees and countless plants and creatures - and damaged thousands of homes. Firefighters from Israel and 18 countries finally put out the blaze, which displaced 17,000 people.

One year later, there are signs of life. Winter flowers are blooming in the charred areas, and new undergrowth is coloring the landscape green again as the trees slowly regenerate. The University of Haifa has given scholarships to 44 students in memory of each victim of the disaster, in return for a commitment to actively perpetuate his or her memory.

These small steps are significant. But the human and natural damage from the massive fire started by a couple of careless teens will be a long process.

For full report see http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/IsraelExperience/Mount_Carmel_recovering_fire-Jan_2012.htm

Holiday of Holidays Festival - Haifa

The 18th Holiday of Holidays Festival multicultural event marks Hannukah, Eid Al-Adha and Christmas in interfaith harmony.

It's a happening that brings tens of thousands of happy people to the streets of Haifa every December. Now in its 18th year, the Holiday of Holidays Festival is once again filling the Jewish-Arab mixed Wadi Nisnas neighborhood with good cheer, musical concerts, art exhibits, delicious bites and, most importantly, a feeling of togetherness.

It's actually a combination of holidays of the three main monotheistic religions: Hannukah, Eid Al-Adha and Christmas celebrated in interfaith harmony every Thursday through Saturday in December. "We honor everyone who lives here," says Asaf Ron, CEO of the Beit Hagefen Arab Jewish Center, which organizes the event. "The festival is very important for dialogue, community activity, neighborliness and tolerance."

On the bill are an antiques fair, outdoor art exhibits, crafts fair, Christmas tree decorating, Christmas parades, liturgical concerts, neighborhood tours, concerts, street theater and Israeli street food.

"First of all, visitors must see the art exhibits. This year the artists look at their origins. The art is at the heart of the festival," says Ron. "Secondly, the [concert] stages are a center point and a real Israel mix. You can hear everything on the stage: Baha'i music, modern Arabic music, world music, Israeli music. This is a happening for everyone. It's great to see all the religions in the same festival."

Pilgrimage to Haifa

Travelers tend to go to Haifa to see the Baha'i Gardens, Stella Maris Monastery, the Cave of Prophet Elijah, the Achmadim Mosque and the Old German Colony area. The city does not boast a particular pilgrimage site as found in Jerusalem or Nazareth.

"Haifa offers something else. We're not a holy site specifically, but we have people that want to live harmoniously; the atmosphere here is special. The feeling is one of pluralism," Ron says.

The annual festival attracts some 200,000 people from across Israel and even from abroad. More than 40 percent of festivalgoers are out-of-towners. "The festival is very important for dialogue and a shared experience of togetherness," Ron says, noting that Beit Hagefen’s goal is to educate toward coexistence by means of cultural and artistic activities.

The festival takes place in the neighborhood of Wadi Nisnas, where Jews, Christians and Muslims live side by side. A few churches are located here, but the area is best known for its art and culinary delicacies. Here you’ll find some 100 works of art by Arab and Jewish artists from across the country. And the marketplace (shuk) is known for its mounds of indigenous herbs and oriental pastries.

During the year Wadi Nisnas is a quaint neighborhood with an open-minded atmosphere. During the festival, it's one of the most energetic and boisterous places in Haifa, if not in all of northern Israel.

Festival highlights

One of the best-loved activities is taking a photo with Haifa's own Santa Claus. "At least 80 percent of those taking pictures with Santa are Jewish," reports Ron. "It's an attraction for everyone."

Another highlight is the coexistence walks. Beit Hagefen conducts these guided tours year-round at NIS 20 per person, but it is at the festival that demand really heats up. The tours are conducted in Hebrew, Arabic, English, Spanish and Russian. Ron says they're working on getting French-speaking guides as well.

The Art Works route includes displays by dozens of Jewish and Arab artists; the Poetry Path includes excerpts by Arab and Jewish poets and explains how their words connect to the neighborhoods; the Taste of Wadi Nisnas route includes samplings of traditional foods like knafeh, baklava and olesh (chicory); and the German Colony route gives a short history of the Templar settlement amid the beautiful historic buildings.

While informative, Ron says, the purpose of the tours is to introduce visitors to the cultural mosaic of Haifa. "Educational messages of peace, pluralism, tolerance, cooperation, neighborliness and joint hope for a better future, are conveyed through the tours," reads the Beit Hagefen website.

And then there's the Christmas parade. Ron says December 22-24, 2011 is "the" weekend to be in Haifa. "Hannukah and Christmas get their start with the Santa parade that winds around the neighborhoods. The parade ends with the lighting of a hannukiah (menorah) and with two Israeli-Jewish and Israeli-Arab bands playing on stage." There really is a little something for everyone.

27th Haifa Film Festival

The Haifa International Film Festival, the leading cinematic even in Israel, was founded in 1983 as the first international film festival in the country. Growing steadily in both the number of screenings and attendance, The Haifa Film Festival has earned a world-wide reputation for both the quality of its program and the friendly atmosphere.

The Haifa Film Festival is held on the beautiful Mount Carmel, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The festival brings together each year an ever-growing audience of 70,000 spectators along with hundreds of Israeli and foreign professionals from the film and television industries and premiers some 170 new films (280 screenings). 300,000 people in total take part in the activities of the festival, including the outdoor events, screenings, workshops and more, and dozens of journalists from both the print and broadcast media, from Israel and abroad, cover the event

International Bloggers Have a Taste Of Israel

By Wendy Blumfield
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With the growth of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel activism on campuses throughout the world, it was refreshing to meet a group of young non-Jewish International bloggers who were on a solidarity visit with the organisation "Stand With Us." http://www.standwithus.com

Their hosts in Haifa, Hadassah and Stuart Palmer and some of their friends who are activists for the environment and social change, greeted the group of students on the second day of their trip to Israel. Stuart Palmer is chairman of CoHav, the International Coalition of Hasbarah Volunteers and author of the blog, Haifa Diary.

Stand With Us is an international organization dedicated to bringing peace to the Middle East by education about Israel.. Through brochures, conferences, missions to Israel and internet resources, the organization strives to stop the tide of misinformation about Israel on university campuses, in the media and in the community. Founded in 2001 to ensure that Israel is accurately portrayed and justly represented, Stand With Us, a non-profit organization, has its headquarters in Los Angeles with chapters and activities in the USA, the UK, Australia, South Africa and Europe and of course Israel..

Sitting on the Palmers terrace on Mount Carmel, the group gave their impressions of their first look at Israel.

"Every country has its own story with its own people, it is a great opportunity to exaplore this country which is steeped in so much history," commented Australian Chris Richardson. "meeting beautiful and interesting people, I felt I`d known them for years. Here I was in Israel and the media abroad says: don`t go there, it`s not safe. I want to go out see the rest of Israel and its people because I am in love already."

Asked about his first impressions of the trip, the answer was simple, "I was blown away."

"Even if you are not religious, the sight of so many Jewish men and women praying at the Wailing Wall moved me to tears," said Feng Yimeng from China while Eunice Khong of Singapore can`t wait to write her blog on the culture, food, people and scenery.

Kaustubh Katdare from India related how his family were very worried about his trip to Israel and pleaded with him to take a gun. And now he talks about his visit to the beautiful and peaceful Bahai Gardens where he met Bahais from India. "People in Delhi do not realize that the Lotus Temple is actually a Bahai house of worship."

Marcello Arrambide from South America was bowled over by Haifa. "People are curious and want to know about you and your life, not just about what we think about what`s happening in Israel. It was really refreshing to meet a people that are so genuine."

As they continue their whirlwind tour, it is fortunate that they are experienced bloggers for they want to remember every detail in their journey from the green and fertile Galilee to the harsher conditions of the Arava, visiting cities as diverse as Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Wikimania Goes Ahead in Haifa

In spite of the calls by anti Israel forces to have the 2011 Wikimania conference cancelled in Haifa, the organisers have not succumbed to the pressure and this week sees the start of a very full program.

Over 480 participants have registered of which 360 are very 56 different countries. Wikipedia has today over 18 million entries on the web in 270 different languages and typically has 400 million hits a month.

On Tuesdsay and Wednesday there will be preliminary sessions prior to the main event starting on Thursdsay with over 125 presentations.

The event will conclude on Saturday night with a big beach party and I can imagine the boadwalk being crowded as it it is also the time of the community folk dancing which draws big crowds and takes place eveey week both on Saturday night and Tuesday evenings.

Finally on Sunday there are a number of tours available which will give the visitors a chance to see a country of the type not normally portrayed in the mass media.