San Diego Jewish World~home page

	San Diego Jewish World 'There's a Jewish story everywhere'

UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. (Press Release)—The United Nations appealed today for $55 million to reconstruct the Nahr el-Bared camp for Palestinian refugees in northern Lebanon, which was badly damaged during months of intense combat between the Lebanese army and Fatah el-Islam gunmen.

UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Geir O. Pedersen told a donor meeting for Nahr el-Bared, being held in Beirut, that “thousands of displaced Palestinian and Lebanese civilians” now depend on the support of the international community to restart their lives.

“We, the United Nations, will continue to assist and support the people affected by the conflict to the best of our ability,” he said, adding later that “we count on the continued support of the international donor community to ensure that the recovery and reconstruction phase will move forward rapidly and effectively.”

Earlier this month the Lebanese army announced that it seized full control of Nahr el-Bared from the Fatah el-Islam gunmen group, which it began fighting in May, forcing most of the camp’s estimated 31,000 residents, including about 8,000 classified by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as special hardship cases, to flee to the nearby Beddawi camp and other areas.

In his statement, Mr. Pedersen voiced the UN’s support “to the Lebanese Government, the army, the Lebanese people and the Palestinian refugees and the PLO for the courage, determination and unity with which they have faced and overcome the challenges posed by the criminal aggression of Fatah el-Islam.”

How Colonel Moyal is making IDF personnel physically fit

JERUSALEM (Press Release)--Since the days of the Palmach, Israeli soldiers have represented the pinnacle of physical fitness to the world.   In all the songs the soldiers were referred to "the fair of hair and complexion.”

However, sometime in the 90's the trend began to change. Male soldiers no longer looked like Michelangelo's David and studies showed female soldiers put on weight during service. This phenomenon is not specific only to the IDF but is standard in most other countries as well.   The IDF, on many occasions attempted to combat this problem but the results were not satisfactory. Two years ago, those responsible for the general fitness and health of IDF soldiers, decided to once again press the issue of improving the soldiers' physical image.  After all, a healthy soldier is an efficient soldier.

The IDF Medical Corps decided to take responsibility not only in treating and curing ailments, but also in preventing them.   Medics were trained in prevention methods as part of a new program. In November of 2006 the first class of disease prevention medics graduated the newly established course.   These medics, with one or more designated to every base, are responsible for educating the soldiers about having a healthy lifestyle, organizing lectures by nutrition specialists and create a support system for soldiers trying to quit smoking.

These medics are also responsible for organizing daylong seminars on health for their bases and for sanitary inspection of the bases' facilities.

An emphasis was put on improving the soldiers' physical wellbeing throughout the corps of the IDF, and the human resources branch to oversee the matter established a special commission.   The commission is responsible for coordinating the many branches of the IDF in establishing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle regimen in the army:   The Logistics branch is responsible for provision of food and the medical corps and the combat fitness center are responsible for the soldiers' fitness. Colonel Dr. Avi Moyal, who began his position as head of the combat fitness center in February of this year, has been working on the issue of improving physical fitness during his 30 years of service, well before the issue was brought up formally in the IDF. (Jump to continuation)

Brig. Gen. Dr. Hezi Levi      IDF photo

Levi retires as IDF Medical Corps head

JERUSALEM (Press Release)--Brigadier-General Dr. Hezi Levi, who served as head of the Medical Corps for the past four and a half years, is retiring from a 34 year career in the Israel Defense Force. He is being succeeded by his deputy, Brig. Gen. Nachman Esh.
During Levi’s tenure he oversaw medical treatment to IDF soldiers, police officers and residents involved in the Disengagement in the summer of 2005. He was also responsible for the medical aid provided on the battlefront during the Second Lebanon War.

During his last year as Chief Medical Officer, he was involved in implementing the changes that were seen as necessary in light of inquiries into operations in the Second Lebanon War.   Amongst the changes he oversaw in the Logistics branch, was the restructuring of equipment supply and the training of field medicine.

Brigadier-General Levi also established medical clinics for career soldiers as part of his focus on improving medical care in the IDF.

"I was duly impressed on numerous occasions by your strength, your diligence, and your devotion to the spirit of professionalism; all during the daily war we wage to better the lives of our fellow man.    You uphold your oath to serve, even when it requires putting your lives in jeopardy, whether operating on the ground, in the air or at sea", said Brigadier General Levi during his speech to the Medical Corps troops in attendance at the ceremony.

"When I look at each and every one of you an image becomes clearer for me: This is my country, my army, my Medical Corps.   It is very difficult for me to retire my uniform. Here and now I call on you to make full use of your training, to don your uniforms and to be a partner in the heritage of this corps."

The Chief Medical Officer also thanked the civilian health system and Magen David Adom (MDA) for their wide scale and courageous participation in the treatment of IDF soldiers and citizens in Israel. He concluded his address by wishing luck to his replacement, Brigadier General Dr. Nachman Esh.

"I thank you for your many actions and for your excellence in the service of your country. It recognizes and appreciates all you do in its name, "said Major-General Avi Mizrahi who presided over a change of command ceremony..

"Being appointed today to the position of the IDF Chief Medical Officer is a great privilege," said Brigadier General Dr. Levi.   "It is also a great privilege to continue the honored chain of command which has led this corps for close to 60 years."

The Chief Medical Officer thanked the Chief of Staff and the Head of the Logistics Branch for the faith they entrusted in him, and wished success to the departing Chief Medical Officer.

The preceding was provided by Israel's Defense Force

(Return to top)

Please click this ad to learn more about the Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind

Israel offers countries of world its knowledge to make deserts bloom

MADRID (Press Release)--Israel is showcasing its leading role in the worldwide battle against desertification and the development of arid regions at the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (Cop8).

The eighth session of the Conference began September 3 and continued through September 14, at the invitation of the Government of Spain.

On the first day of the conference, MASHAV, the Israel Foreign Ministry's Center for International Cooperation, hosted some 60 delegates, including representatives of African countries, international organizations and NGOs who are involved in the struggle against desertification, as well as members of the UNCCD secretariat, who were welcomed by the Israeli ambassador to Madrid, Mr. Raphael Schutz.

The new MASHAV training program for the African continent, 'Combating Desertification and Dryland Development in Africa' was presented to the delegates. This program includes a workshop for African decision makers and senior officials, which will be held in Israel during 2008. The workshop, organized under the auspices of the UNCCD, will allow the participants to observe for themselves Israeli applications in the field of desertification. Follow up programs for the forthcoming years will be developed at the end of the workshop sessions.

The workshop will be held in cooperation with leading, internationally acclaimed Israeli authorities on desertification and arid region development. These institutions have developed capabilities that enable them to contend with the issues of desertification. The participating institutions will include:

-      CINADCO – Center for International Agriculture Development Cooperation, MASHAV branch
-      Ben-Gurion University of the Negev – The Joseph Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research
-      The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Agriculture
-      The Israel Meteorological Service
-      Volcani Center for Agricultural Research
-      The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies
-      Keren Kayemet – Jewish National Fund

The preceding was provided by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

France's FM Kouchner on 3-day Israel visit