■ TODAY, SUNDAY, September 21, is International Peace Day, in which peace activists, students, public figures, politicians, and civilians – particularly those living in conflict zones – unite in a powerful call to action to help end wars and usher in peace. There will be at least two silent peace walks in Israel on Sunday. One will be in Nazareth, and the other in Jerusalem. The walk in Nazareth will begin at 10 a.m. and will leave from the Central Square on Paulus XI Street, after which there will be peace-related activities at Fauzi Azar, followed by peace workshops and several peace-related talks with the focus on human rights in both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Participants are asked to wear white and to carry a white flower.
The other interfaith walk begins outside the Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem at 10 a.m.
International Peace Day begins with the ringing of a peace bell at UN headquarters in New York City. The bell, presented just over 40 years ago by the United Nations Association of Japan, is cast from coins donated by people from many countries, and serves as a reminder of the human cost of war. In Israel, International Peace Day comes at a time when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains oblivious to all the warnings that continuing the war in Gaza endangers the lives of those hostages who have managed to survive almost two years in hell.
■ SEVERAL ISRAELI organizations, institutions, and individuals have received EU research grants, despite the escalation of academic, cultural, economic, and sports boycotts against Israel that are emanating from the European arena.
Among the recipients of EU research grants is the Sharett Institute of Oncology at Hadassah Medical Center. The grant came under the rubric of the EU’s Innovative Health Initiative, in response to some of the Sharett Institute’s groundbreaking advances. The IHI brings together more than 60 research, industry, and medical institutions from around the world, which are working to improve the management of cardiovascular complications among cancer patients and cancer survivors.
“We are essentially studying and trying to avoid cardiac toxicity in new oncology treatments,” explained Prof. Aharon Popovtzer, the director of the Sharett Oncology Institute. “Today, there are many therapies that extend life, and patients enjoy a very good quality of life while managing various illnesses. These therapies allow us to help patients in ways that we never could before.”
Popovtzer believes that physicians and researchers today feel a strong sense of mission in advancing science and medicine. “It is very important to present, explain, and demonstrate that Israel is a developed and innovative country – to show the world there is much more here than conflict,” he insists. “Personally, I am very proud of my Israeli identity when I travel to present research and findings,” he adds.
■ FOUNDED BY Father Patrick Desbois, Yahad-In Unum, a global research organization dedicated to investigating and documenting crimes committed against Jews and Roma in Eastern Europe during the Second World War, as well as contemporary mass crimes and genocides in Iraq, Guatemala, and Ukraine, has entrusted its vast archive to Yad Vashem.
The archive, which is a collection of documents and videos representing more than 20 years of field research, 8,000 eyewitness interviews, and documentation of over 3,100 mass killing sites, will be globally accessible beginning in 2026.
The partnership between the two institutions is generously supported by longtime patrons Phil and Rose Friedman in honor of Phil’s parents, Holocaust survivors Alexander and Aranka Friedman, and their family members who were murdered. As the survivor population dwindles, this effort guarantees that vital historical evidence is preserved for future generations.
Yad Vashem has itself collected information on more than 2,700 mass killing sites in the former Soviet Union through its Untold Stories research initiative.
“As the number of living survivors of and witnesses to the Holocaust continues to decline, and as physical traces of the mass murder fade, this partnership is crucial to preserve historical truth through rigorous documentation and education,” said Father Desbois. “Together with Yad Vashem, we are committed to uncovering the facts of the Nazi genocide and ensuring that present and future generations learn precisely what happened. This is especially important as we are faced with rising antisemitism and Holocaust denial.”
Yahad-In Unum is headquartered in Paris.
■ WHILE ISRAELI ambassadors accompany presidents and prime ministers of their host country on visits to their home country, it is extremely rare for Israeli ambassadors to be present when their opposite numbers present credentials to President Isaac Herzog.
In countries to which an Israeli ambassador is accredited, but in which there is no Israeli embassy, the ambassador works out of Jerusalem, and several times a year, visits the country to which he or she serves as Israel’s envoy. That’s the case with South Sudan, whose ambassador, Mou Mou Ring, presented his credentials last week. Among those who accompanied him to the President’s Residence was Gershon Kedar, the Israeli ambassador to South Sudan.
Kedar had been to Juba the previous week to participate in the launch of the University of Juba’s Mayardit Space Science Academy. He also helped launch the Juba Running Club, whose members are trained by Israeli coaches.
During the same week, a medical team from Israel’s Save a Child’s Heart opened a clinic at the Al Sabah hospital in Juba. As Kedar had already met his South Sudan counterpart, he thought that it was the right thing to do to be present when Ring presented his letter of credence and the letter of recall of his predecessor. There is considerable cooperation between Israel’s ambassador to any country and that country’s ambassador to Israel, though not on a frequent face-to-face basis. Because Kedar is stationed in Jerusalem, he can often meet with Ring, and the two men can achieve more together than when relying on technology to keep them connected.
■ TO MARK the 156th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, the great political and spiritual leader of India, two recent events took place in Netanya, initiated by the Embassy of India. One was the inauguration of the “India Corner” at the city library, and the planting of a tree as part of the “One Tree in the Name of Mother” campaign.
The initiatives are intended to serve as a cultural, educational, and environmental bridge between India and Israel, on one hand, and on the other, the India Corner will allow Netanya residents to explore the diverse facets of Indian culture. The tree planting symbolizes a shared commitment to a green environment and sustainability.
India’s Ambassador J.P. Singh said at the ceremony: “The ‘One Tree in the Name of Mother’ initiative, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in memory of his mother, is a gesture of love and gratitude – to our mothers, Mother Earth, and future generations. In times when climate change threatens the planet, every sapling we plant becomes a symbol of hope and responsibility.
“We are also inaugurating the India Corner here in Netanya – an open window to India’s culture, heritage, democracy, and modern achievements.
“The timing of these events is particularly meaningful, as we mark the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, a messenger of peace and non-violence. Gandhi-Ji said: ‘Nature provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.’ His words remind us of the need to balance progress with compassion and development with environmental preservation. Israel and India share similar values and challenges, including the fight against terrorism, which strengthens the bond between our nations.
“The cooperation between the Embassy of India and the Netanya Municipality has always been fruitful and warm – from International Yoga Day celebrations to cultural festivals and performances. I am confident that both the tree we plant today and the India Corner we inaugurate here will grow and establish themselves as symbols of sustainability, friendship, and enduring ties. I sincerely thank the Netanya Municipality, the library leadership, and all partners in these initiatives.”
Olga Luria, CEO of the Society for the Promotion of Tourism, speaking on behalf of Netanya’s Mayor Miriam Feirberg-Ikar, who was unable to attend, declared: “The philosopher and statesman Cicero said, ‘A room without books is like a body without a soul.’ We are grateful for the contribution of the Embassy of India in Israel, with whom we have close ties, and whose distinguished representatives have been active in Netanya for years, bringing initiatives and gestures to the city. Today is a particularly meaningful day, as it coincides with the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose tree planting initiative we are celebrating.”
■ A HAPPY and peaceful New Year to all, and a change of circumstances that will bring home the hostages, end the war, and allow families of hostages to resume normal life while doing whatever they can to aid in the rehabilitation of their loved ones. Even if it takes another week or another month for the hostages to be released, the very least that Hamas can do is to improve their food intake, provide them with medication and items for personal hygiene, and release the names of all those still living. If a deal is going through, even such callous evil-doers as Hamas must show a basic sign of human decency.
greerfc@gmail.com