An interesting report from the minutes of this very active branch.

While the 2008 Olympic Games were being held in Beijing a Fine Arts exhibition was on display. Pamela Silver was the lone representative from Israel, one of 300 artists from 40 countries whose work was on exhibition. They were invited for a luxury week of sightseeing and entertainment in Beijing – an unforgettable time for Pamela.

Coming from a Zionistic background in New York Channa Aranne arrived in Eretz Yisrael in 1947 to study at the Hebrew University. A month later Israel was partitioned and this is her account of living in Jerusalem at that time.

Petra was visited by Brian Braude. Built by the Nabateans it was a very important city controlling the trade routes. Parts of this beautiful city carved out of unique colored sandstone are very well preserved. For hundreds of years Petra was a “lost’’ city having been “discovered” only a hundred years ago and is now one of the wonders of the world.

Josie Shlain writes personal anecdotes from army life in 1948. With minimal Hebrew and little training and having been sent to various parts of the country he became the welfare officer of an English speaking unit.

Most days the press carries negative stories about Israel. StandWithUs, which started in California, is an organization set up to help counteract this. One of their projects is a one year Fellowship program in Israel where university candidates learn how to put Israel’s case to the world.

One of the most important archeological sites in Israel is Zippori in the lower Galilee. Findings date back to the first temple, and the beautiful mosaics from the third century are world famous. Lydia Aisenberg met the Nor family whose farm abuts the ancient site and who have been involved in many digs on the site.

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