Virginia Tech Tragedy, Prof. Liviu Librescu Among the Victims

Yesterday’s massacre at Virginia Tech was horrific and felt all throughout the world. For whatever it is worth, we here at Isrealli offer our heartfelt condolences to all of the victims and their families. This tragedy has captivated the entire world, and more so, because it has shown how interconnected we are as humans. As we have seen in the media reports, many of the students interviewed were from different countries, and tragically we have learned that many of the victims were as well. Professor Liviu Librescu an Israeli/Romanian of international stature was among the murdered. Heroically, it has been reported that Prof. Librescu died while barricading the door of his classroom while his students hid and escaped out of the windows. In a sad twist of ironic fate, Prof Librescu, a Holocaust survivor, was murdered on Holocaust Remembrance Day.

From YnetNews:

Israeli killed in Virginia massacre

One of victims in Virginia Tech shooting rampage Monday is Prof Liviu Librescu, senior researcher at university. Librescu was killed after he stayed behind his class to block door and protect students. Massacre claimed lives of 32 people

By: Yitzhak Benhorin

WASHINGTON – Prof Liviu Librescu, a senior researcher and lecturer at Virginia Tech, is among the 32 people who were killed during a shooting rampage at the university Monday.

His wife, Marlina, and two sons, Arieh and Joe, have already begun making arrangements for his burial in Israel.

The Virginia Tech Police Department identified the campus gunman as Cho Seung-Hui, 23, a student and native of South Korea.

An official at the South Korean Foreign Ministry said that it could not rule out that the shooter was from South Korea but said it had not received any such notification from the US Embassy.

One of Prof Librescu’s students, Alec Calhoun, who was with him at the classroom when the shooting started, told AP that at about 9:05 am, he and classmates heard “a thunderous sound from the classroom next door, what sounded like an enormous hammer.”

When students realized the sounds were gunshots, Calhoun said, they started flipping over desks for hiding places. Others dashed to the windows of the second-floor classroom, kicking out the screens and jumping from the ledge of the room.

Calhoun said that just before he climbed out the window, he turned to look at the professor (Librescu), who had stayed behind to block the door.

Continue reading Virginia Tech Tragedy, Prof. Liviu Librescu Among the Victims…

Let Us Remember

Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. Today time stops, literally stops, in the Jewish State for two minutes. This, in my opinion, is one of the most unique aspects of Israel. Every year on Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Ha’ Shoa), a siren rings in every corner of the country for two minutes. During the siren, everyone, no matter what they are doing (unless they are saving a life) stops completely and stands in silence. Every driver stops driving, every pedestrian stops walking, and it is as if every clock stops ticking. The moment creates a remarkable sense of complete collective unity and mourning across an entire nation, something I have only experienced in Israel.

So today, let us remember every person who was murdered in the Holocaust and let us never forget.

From HAARETZ:

Israel marks Holocaust Remembrance Day with siren, memorial services

By Haaretz

Israel marked Holocaust Remembrance Day on Monday with memorials at the Knesset and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority.

Names of Holocaust victims were read aloud at “Every Person Has a Name” memorials held at both locations.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert took part in the Knesset memorial by reading the names of his wife’s relatives who were killed in the Holocaust. Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu also read aloud the names of his wife Sara’s relatives.

Vice Premier Shimon Peres told of his farewell from his grandfather, Rabbi Zvi Melzer, who instructed him “to be Jewish.”

Continue reading Let Us Remember…

We’re Not the Only Ones Who Think it’s “Real”

In the 80s and 90s Henry Rollins was known as an alternative rocker, singing with Black Flag and fronting the Henry Rollins Band. Now, he performs the odd spoken-word gig and hosts his own TV talk show on IFC.

With a fresh season of his talk show premiering tomorrow night, IFC asked Rollins to produce a documentary special. Where did he suggest they shoot it? Israel.

In an interview with TVguide.com Rollins explained that he proposed Henry Rollins: Uncut from Israel because, “It’s a beautiful country … The people are very lively and very switched on… It’s an extraordinary place”.

The documentary chronicles the former rocker’s trip to Tel Aviv for a spoken-word gig. “I figured it would be hard for the show not to go down well,” Rollins said.

“In Israel, there’s a lot to learn from anyone, because to live there you’ve got to deal with the truth. Things happen real fast. Your day goes from cool to catastrophic in one second.

“Israelis know that the café you’re in could blow up, or the shopping mall, and they rock that … they celebrate hard. They love hard. They’re a very vigorous and passionate people. I can’t say enough about the people I’ve met there.”

What can I say?… Henry, we love you too!

The Henry Rollins Show airs on IFC this Friday, April 13 at 11, but catch the Henry Rollins: Uncut from Israel documentary at 9.30pm first

Pimpin’ IS not Necessarily Easy

In more fake news this week, our distinguished Ambassador to the UN made an appearance on the Daily Show in continuance of our efforts to engage with America’s youth (i.e. everyone working in this office). All in all, we think he held his own with a stiff upper lip. However, according to our colleagues at the UN mission, Amb. Gillerman does not necessarily think that ‘Pimpin’ IS Easy’ despite his measured reading of the script.

From Ynet:

Gillerman goes on The Daily Show

Israeli ambassador to UN steps into the ring as first ambassador to be interviewed on Jon Stewart’s satirical news show. In effort to reach young audiences with Israeli public relations, Gillerman answers questions on nukes, having a country run by Jews - and reads from porno script

By: Yitzhak Benhorin

WASHINGTON – In attempt to reach a new audience to improve Israel’s public image, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman decided to be the first ambassador hosted on the television satire The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Continue reading Pimpin’ IS not Necessarily Easy…

Creative Critics

We love the fact that everyone in Israel has an opinion and we particularly love the fact that our latest efforts to promote our sexy little country have caused such a stir. The most recent story on our Maxim foray featured in Newsweek captures this debate best.

Our rebuttal is that this project, and the many more like it to come, are not mutually exclusive from our efforts to promote Israel’s historical and religious goodies as well. As someone in our office always says… always, “one does not contradict the other”.

In fact, if any of you have been to Israel than you know how schizophrenic (umm should probably characterize as diverse) Israel can be sometimes. Basically there’s something for everyone in the Jewish state.

Since we have our ears to the nets we’d like to solicit some ideas from you, our adoring (or is that abhorring) reading public, for our next big PR project. How would you promote Israel to the world at large? What part of Israel would you like to see on your HD TV in the evening or in your favorite weekly/monthly? It is always easier to complain than to create, so have at it…

Send your ideas here

UPDATE: here and here.

Babes in the Holy Land
Israel flirts with a racy new public-relations strategy.

By Kevin Peraino
Newsweek

April 9, 2007 issue - Jim Malucci has two tattoos, one on each bulging bicep. On the left one, the photographer for Maxim magazine has etched an image of a seductively dressed pinup; on the right, he has stenciled the words GO WITH GOD in Portuguese. He leans on his left arm and points his camera at a model in a bikini on the Tel Aviv beachfront. “That’s hot, that’s wicked,” says Malucci, as the model shifts her hips and parts her lips. “I wanna see the curves. That’s it, honey. On your knees, legs apart. Nice arch in your back—boom!” The flash flickers as the sun drops toward the Mediterranean. A Hassidic man in a black hat accidentally steps into the frame. “Love the guy with the hat!” Malucci says, chortling.

Continue reading Creative Critics…

No Use Crying Over Spilled Oil

Oil spills have long been regarded – and rightly so – as a disaster of tremendous proportions. When the occasional spill occurs, often thousands upon thousands of gallons of oil spill out into the water or over land, killing many living beings and contaminating the environment for miles around.

Over the years there have been many attempts made at developing new ways to clean up oil spills, but they have largely remained as they were, horrible disasters which do a great amount of damage to everything in their vicinity.

Until now.

Thanks to Professor Eugene Rosenberg of Tel Aviv, the world may have a great new way to clean up those oil spills: eat the oil.

No, not us – according to this story brought by our friends at Israel21c, Professor Rosenberg has discovered bacteria which literally devour oil and turn it into harmless byproducts. Thanks to Rosenberg’s efforts, a new Israeli company called BioPetroClean has developed a solution that utilizes these bacteria, turning oil spills into simply carbon dioxide and water.

Talk about a different approach. Oh, and it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than cleaning up the oil any other way.

Check out the full story here.

A Different Kind of Spring Break

The words “Spring Break” conjure vivid images of college-aged folks letting loose at beach locations with beers, buddies and bikini-clad babes.

For the longest time, MTV coverage of Spring Break celebrations was usually confined to poolside broadcasts of seriously mindless partying.

But clearly, this isn’t the whole story. After a few classic Spring Break holidays, some college students yearn for a novel experience.

Last year MTV launched the “Think campaign”, a series of half-hour documentaries showing the experiences of students who chose to participate in spring breaks with a difference.

Out of the four half hour episodes, three make suggestions for alternative spring breaks in the US and one abroad.

This year’s Amazing Break segment abroad was shot in northern Israel. The documentary that aired on March 24 showed students planting trees or painting houses, giving a little back, during their alternative spring break experience.

One MTV crew member explained that “it doesn’t mean that we are abandoning coverage of the traditional spring breaks, but MTV has a very strong pro-social response, and we want to display to our viewers that there are alternatives”.

Read the full story on the Jerusalem Post website.