Israeli public schools seek to integrate Wikipedia into curriculum
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) A new initiative promoted by the Israeli Education Ministry seeks to have public school students produce Wikipedia entries.
The program was recently suggested during a meeting between Education Minister Shay Piron and Wikimedia Foundation Chairman Jan-Bart de Vreede, with the Education Ministry expressing interest in integrating Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia that can be edited by any user, into its “meaningful learning” initiative.
A statement posted on the Education Ministry’s website read, “Meaningful language learning is characterized by its being active, constructive, authentic and cooperative. Learners are motivated when they have the opportunity to engage in activities that they feel are useful in their lives.”
Israeli history, geography or science teachers would undergo a professional training program that would instruct them on how to help students complete Wikipedia entries. Additionally, the Education Ministry is weighing whether to allow students who speak foreign languages to write entries on Wikipedia sites in languages other than Hebrew, with the goal of improving Israel’s image abroad.
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Israel calls for return of Palestinian Authority forces to Gaza
(JNS.org) The Israeli government is seeking a return of Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces under the command of PA President Mahmoud Abbas to Gaza and a dismantling of Hamas forces there, according to a memo.
In the memo, sent by the Israeli Foreign Ministry on June 5, the ministry instructs Israeli ambassadors abroad to demand to foreign governments that Abbas live up to his pledge to follow the so-called Quartet principles of recognizing Israel, recognizing past agreements, and renouncing violence.
“Abbas must prove that the Palestinian government’s disavowal of terror—part of its acceptance of the Quartet’s conditions—is being implemented throughout the area over which the government purports to apply its sovereignty, including the Gaza Strip,” the memo said, Haaretz reported.
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IDF chief warns of ‘dramatic instability in the entire region’
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) The Middle East is facing “dramatic instability in the entire region, and we must remain alert and prepared,” Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz said Monday at the annual Herzliya Conference.
Gantz said Iran’s advanced nuclear aspirations have not diminished.
“I am convinced that Iran must be stopped before it achieves nuclear power, which, in turn, will spark an arms race,” he said. “With the help of the international community, we can make it so that Iran will never get there, be it by use of force or without use of force. Iran must not achieve nuclear power.”
The IDF chief warned that in Syria there is “a radical axis developing, led by Iran and Hezbollah.” He believes Israel will soon “encounter Hezbollah offensives, be it frontally or in the form of widespread combat within Lebanon.” Gantz also voiced concerns over “dramatic” armament in Gaza, noting “considerable drama in the scope of mid- and long-range rockets.”
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Jewish actress Sophie Okonedo wins Tony Award
(JNS.org) British-Jewish actress Sophie Okonedo took home honor for best performance by an actress in a play at the 86th Tony Awards for excellence on Broadway.
The daughter of an Ashkenazi woman and a Nigerian father, Okonedo won for her Broadway debut in A Raisin in the Sun. The play, about a Chicago family seeking to become wealthy, also stars Denzel Washington.
Producer Scott Rudin “had the vision to know that a Jewish Nigerian woman could play one of America’s most iconic parts,” Okodeno said in her acceptance speech.
Okonedo was previously nominated for an Oscar in 2004 for her role in the movie “Hotel Rwanda.”
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EU and Israel ink Horizon 2020 scientific cooperation agreement
(JNS.org) The European Union and Israel have signed the Horizon 2020 cooperation agreement, enabling the Jewish state to join one of the largest scientific and research programs in the world.
Israel will have the same access to Horizon 2020 as other EU member states, allowing Israeli researchers and innovators to participate at the start of research programs. Israel, in return, will contribute to the program’s budget—which is nearly $109 billion.
“Israel is a strong player in research and innovation and for this reason is an important partner for the EU to address societal challenges of common concern, such as aging, food safety, environment protection, or cleaner energy, and to strengthen the competitiveness of our industries,” said European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
Israel has already cooperated with EU scientific and research programs for nearly 20 years, and its population has one of the world’s highest proportions of researchers.
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Gaza rocket explodes in Ashkelon region
(JNS.org) A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip exploded in the Ashkelon region of southern Israel on Sunday night, Israel Hayom reported.
No injuries or damage were reported. Warning sirens sounded in the area before the rocket exploded. Early last week, the Israeli Air Force struck two terror targets in Gaza in response to rocket fire from the Hamas-controlled coastal enclave.
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