How Learning an Instrument Makes you Smarter

Watch this video about how learning an instrument impacts your brain. Then discuss what you learned in the video and how the neurology works. Kids: do you play an instrument? If so, when you play, do you notice your brain working in a new way? How do you feel when you play?

Syrian Rebel Leader Visit Israeli Hospital

Article: A Syrian rebel leader visited Syrians who had been wounded in fighting and evacuated to an Israeli hospital. This was the first time a senior Syrian official had ever officially visited Israel. Dr. Al-Labwani, now living in Turkey, visited Israel for a week and met with Israelis on how to deal with the civilians hurt in Syria and how to rescue the remaining Jews in Syria. He met with a 12-year old Syrian boy whose big brother brought him on a donkey to Israel, after no one would treat his brother in Syria. Israel is treating him in a hospital in the north. The boy is severely injured, lost a limb, and is blind from shelling on his house in Damascus. But he is alive, thanks to Israel and his big brother.

Al-Labwani said his visit was, "amazing" and that "For 60 years, Assad [the leader of Syria] has taught us that Israel is the enemy, and now he slaughters us and Israel is taking care of us. Then who is the killer and who is the enemy?" He spoke about a desire for peace between Syria and Israel. See a video of him talking here.

Kids: what do you think of this?

  

Happy New Year!

Shanah Tovah! Happy (Jewish) New Year! 

As we begin a new year, let us first pause and watch this video, in which the mother of Naftali Fraenkel gives a New Year's message. Remember that if not for these boys, Israel might have faced catastrophe this Rosh Hashanah. 

And now, in honor of a new year, here's a video of IDF soldiers saying Shanah Tovah

And a return to a favorite musical number for Rosh Hashanah!

Shanah Tovah U'Metukah -- a sweet, happy New Year!

Iranian Youth Sentenced for Making "Happy" Video

Article: Ever heard Pharrell William's hit song, "Happy?" Iranian teenagers made their own version of the song that showed them dancing and celebrating in Tehran. As an Islamic State, Iran's government does not allow boys and girls to dance together or for women to appear without veils/their heads covered. The Iranian government responded by arresting them and now the 6 teenagers have been sentenced for "vulgar behavior:" 6 months in prison and 91 lashes. However, the sentences have been suspended for 3 years, as long as they don't do a similar offense during that time. Watch the video here. If you don't think these teenagers should be punished for being "Happy," sign the petition here. 

Imagine That: Violinist Performs During Brain Surgery

Naomi Elishuv was a violinist in the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra. Twenty years ago, she was diagnosed with essential tremor and was forced to stop playing. Last week, Naomi was operated on at a medical center in Tel Aviv to suppress her tremor symptoms. Amazingly, while the surgery was being performed, she returned to playing the violin! Naomi now feels she is finally returning to life, after not being able to play for so long. Watch this video of her playing Tchaikovsky during the surgery!

Kids: what is one thing you love so much that it would be devastating for you not to be able to do it for 20 years? Also, how do you think the doctors were able to perform surgery on someone while they played violin? Why did they want her to play violin?

Iron Dome for Snipers

Article: It seems there is nothing Israeli inventors don't think of. An Israeli weapons company says they have come up with a solution to keep Israeli and other friendly soldiers safe from snipers during fighting. (Kids: what is a sniper?) Using an electro-optical system (Kids: break these words down. What does this mean?) that the company created with the US Army, the system recognizes muzzle flash from a distant sniper shooter, fires a laser to figure out where exactly the fire is coming from, sends the information to friendly sniper shooters and other unites, and enables them to know where to respond to. The system can also locate several targets at once. (kids: how does this help friendly soldiers?) Click here for a video demonstration.

All Ashkenazi Jews are Cousins

Article: Kids: if you are Jewish, what is your Jewish ancestry? Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Ethiopian, Yemenite, etc. (where was your family from a few hundred years ago)?

A new study, conducted by medical researchers from America and Israel, has found that all Ashkenazi Jews can trace their ancestry to about 350 individuals, about 600 to 800 years ago. First they found that 128 Ashkenazi Jews, in comparison to non-Jewish Europeans, have extremely similar genetic markings, making them all 30th cousins. Genetics show that the original Ashkenazi Jews were half European, half Middle Eastern (this clarifies a long-standing question of whether Ashkenazi Jews are 100% European in origin or had roots in the Levant). Because the Ashkenazim Jewish community started out so small and remained genetically isolated (they didn't intermarry), they developed more disease-causing mutations, like breast and ovarian cancer, Tay-Sach's disease, as well as other traits, like longevity (living a long life).

One of the benefits of the study is hopefully to map Ashkenazi Jews' genes and study diseases prevalent among Ashkenazi Jews, as well as providing insight into the history of European Jews. (Kids: how will this help or prove useful?)

What Would You Build?

Article: This is what this guy decided to do with his dreams of being an inventor, combining his knowledge of computers and contracting. Watch the video. Then answer: what would you build? And how would you build it?

Israel Saves Irish Troops in Golan

Article: This weekend on the border of Israel in the Golan Heights and Syria (Kids: find on map), IS battled with UN peacekeeping troops from Ireland and the Philippines. IS was probably trying to kill or take the UN troops hostage, as they did last week with soldiers from Fiji. The UN told the troops to surrender to IS, which would have meant they be taken captive and tried under Shariah Law. Instead, they decided to defend their base and fight off IS. Israel, which had troops on the higher ground, helped them fight off IS and apparently Israel's help led to success: IS was successfully fought off. Then, Israeli soldiers helped guide the Irish and Filipino troops to safety.

Yosemite Hikers Saved from Wildfire

Two recent articles about hiking in CA:

Article #1: A wildfire has been raging through Yosemite National Park. At least 700 acres so far have been burned. The famous meadow has been on fire and other areas near Half Dome. Earlier, all roads leading into Yosemite were closed but now they have been reopened. At least 100 hikers were saved from the wildfire by helicopter. Kids: have you been to Yosemite or other hiking areas? What do you think it looks like and smells like right now? What would you do you came upon a wildfire?

Article #2: Recently a mountain lion attacked a 6 year old boy while he and his parents were hiking in a preserve near a winery in Cupertino. The mountain lion came out of nowhere, bit the boy on his neck and began dragging him into the woods. His parents fought back and managed to save the boy, who was taken to the hospital but is going to be 100% fine. Kids: what do you do if you ever encounter a wild animal on a hike? Experts say to stand tall, wave your arms, shout aggressively and fight back if attacked. Parents: do a role modeling/practice with your kids. They'll love to act it out.

Egypt Proposal to Palestinians

Article: The Egyptian President, General al-Sisi (Kids: find Egypt on a map) has proposed to Palestinian President Abbas to create a Palestinian state from the Gaza Strip into the Sinai, with partial autonomy in the West Bank. Egypt, which currently controls the Sinai, will give Palestinians land to make a Palestinian state under total control of the Palestinians. It would be demilitarized (Kids: what does this mean?) and all Palestinian refugees could live there. This new area would be 5x the size of current Gaza. In exchange Abbas would give up his demand of land from Israel. It is remarkable that the plan, which formerly was conceived by academics, was brought forward by the President of Egypt. (Kids: why?) Apparently Abbas has already rejected the idea. (Kids: why?)

How We Read: Electronic v. Paper

In a very interesting NPR segment this morning, a Tufts professor spoke about how we read and process information based on what we are reading on. Kids: do you read differently if you are reading off a phone/iPad or from a paper book? How? Which do you prefer? According to many studies, when we read electronically, our brain processes it as skimming and as if we are multitasking. When we read from paper, our brain analyzes and absorbs it more deeply. Kids: what other differences do you notice when you read on one format v. the other? The professor said she would love to do a study comparing Orthodox Jews or Amish children who rarely or never read off of electronic devices v. children who only read off of electronic devices and study how their brains process the material differently or similarly. Kids: what do you think the study would find?

First Bedouin Collective in World -- In Israel!

Article: Bedouin shepherds are having trouble in today's economy. They have having problems with grazing land being reduced, costs of animal feed increased and higher taxes. Looking for solutions, 10 shepherds from different Bedouin families have joined the Mara'i Sheep Breeders Cooperative near Beer Sheva, after a year of preparing. The goal is to lower costs and increase profits, despite deep traditions of family business and tribal identity and loyalty. The shepherds are also receiving training on business development and breeding methods to help their Cooperative thrive. This is the first beduin cooperative in the world.

Kids: what is a bedouin? Why is working collectively through a cooperative revolutionary for their lifestyle and traditions? Guess why this first cooperative may be happening in Israel and not elsewhere in the Middle East.