Grapevine, March 13, 2026: Tech beats live human contact

■ DUE TO many uncertainties and the continuing barrage of rockets from Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, most organizations with occasions scheduled for this month have both postponed or canceled them.

Among the many postponed occasions is the annual Ladies of Valor Awards Ceremony hosted by the Ambassadors’ Membership of Israel (ACI). The occasion, which was presupposed to be held subsequent week, doesn’t but have a brand new date, as nobody is aware of how for much longer the struggle will final.

If it lasts for greater than one other month, the award ceremony as such could also be transferred to a social media platform. Some individuals who didn’t obtain official invites could also be curious to study the identities of this yr’s honorees who have been chosen for the management roles. These chosen have displayed their capability to resume what has been misplaced and set inspiring examples.

They embody Prof. Yifat Marbel, senior researcher on the Weizmann Institute of Science; Merav Leshem-Gonen, the mom of former hostage Romi Gonen; Orit Mark-Ettinger, media and public diplomacy skilled; Sogand Farakhi, a researcher on Iran-related points and a social activist; and Moria Azulay, chairwoman of the Aharai! (After Me) Affiliation.

That is the fifteenth anniversary yr of the ACI’s Girl of Valor awards, honoring ladies who function position fashions and symbols of resilience inside Israeli society.

■ SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS which have beforehand skilled issues of this nature have resorted to social media get-togethers, which will be held below nearly any circumstances, offered that there is no such thing as a electrical energy failure. It additionally saves money and time when worldwide participation is concerned.

Arising on Sunday, March 15, is a global Zoom briefing on Iran and Israel referred to as ‘What’s subsequent?’

Will probably be hosted by Ben-Gurion College of the Negev President, Prof. Daniel Chamovitz, and two of BGU’s consultants from its Division of Center East Research, Chair Prof. Yonatan Mendel and Iran historian Dr. Gershon Lewental, who will share their distinctive views on the present battle, what the long run might maintain for Israeli-Iranian relations and the bigger Center East, and its broader implications.

The occasion will start at 7 p.m. in Israel, 6 p.m. in Geneva, 5 p.m. in London, 1 p.m. in New York and Toronto, and 10 a.m. in Los Angeles.

■ THIS WEEK, on the identical day that German International Minister Johann Wadephul paid a lightning go to to Israel to satisfy along with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar, he additionally skilled what Israelis undergo a number of occasions a day.

After spending only some hours in Israel, Wadephul returned to Ben-Gurion Airport. He had simply boarded his army airplane for the return flight to Germany when a siren was sounded. He and his official get together left the airplane and took shelter in a bunker.

At roughly the identical time, the Israel Council on International Relations (ICFR), along with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung hosted an internet webinar on ‘The Center East Maelstrom: The Battle on Iran – Causes and Penalties.’

Audio system included Israel Council on International Relations President Dan Meridor; Col. (Res.) Avital Leibovich of the American Jewish Committee; Prof. Jonathan Rynhold of the BESA Middle for Strategic Research at Tel Aviv College; Dr. Guido Steinberg of the German Institute for Worldwide and Safety Affairs; and Dr. Michael Rimmel of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.

The occasion was moderated by ICFR Govt Director Dr. Laurence Weinbaum.

■ ON THURSDAY of this week, in honor of Worldwide Ladies’s Day, Jewish and Palestinian ladies who’re content material creators and alter makers participated in a Zoom webinar co-hosted by Ladies Champions for Change and Friedrich Naumann Basis (FNF) Jerusalem.

Titled: “Ladies, Voice & Narrative: Storytelling as Management within the MENA Area,” the occasion featured Shirin Taber, Iranian-American filmmaker and journalist, and founding father of Empower Ladies Media, whose work helps ladies storytellers throughout Abrahamic nations.

■ SEVERAL HOSPITALS shield their sufferers in totally geared up underground amenities. One such medical middle is the Herzog Medical Middle in Jerusalem, which this coming Sunday, March 15, is internet hosting a dwell webinar from contained in the underground wards.

Hospital President Dr. Yehezkel Caine and CEO Dr. Jacob Haviv will current a short image of how Herzog cares for its sufferers and continues life-saving remedies throughout disaster intervals. They may even focus on the eye now being given to psychological well being and the excessive incidence of remedies for numerous sorts of trauma. Broadcast occasions are 7 p.m. in Israel, 1 p.m. in New York, and 10 a.m. Los Angeles.

■ TOWARD THE finish of the month on March 25, at 7 p.m. EST, the Jewish Digital Library’s webinar will concentrate on ‘The Finish of the Arabist Doctrine in US Center East Coverage.’ For many years, US technique assumed that shut ties with Israel would injury relations with Arab states and destabilize the area. Latest occasions, together with confrontation with Iran and shifting regional alliances, have challenged that assumption.

Drawing on historical past and present developments, Dr. Mitchell Bard will study how Iran’s position and the evolving US-Israel cooperation are reshaping strategic considering in Washington and what this shift might imply for the way forward for American coverage within the Center East.

■ NOT ALL haredi (ultra-Orthodox) youth are evading service within the IDF. Actually, some are defying their religious leaders and are responding to call-up notices. However sadly, the majority of the haredi society defies Dwelling Entrance Command directions, holds massive weddings and bar mitzvah receptions, and retains its colleges open.

Near 30 haredi colleges have been working this previous week and, in so doing, have endangered the protection and even the lives of each college students and academics. No neighborhood has immunity from missiles. Israel has been fortunate over the previous two weeks, in that the variety of war-related fatalities and accidents have been comparatively low. However as has been seen, no neighborhood is immune.

Monetary sanctions are a farce as a result of haredi communities obtain funds from overseas.

Abolishing voting rights can be more practical. The worst offenders are reportedly residents of Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Ashdod, Modi’in Ilit, and Bnei Brak, all of which have suffered Iranian assaults.

In Jerusalem, Israel Eichler, has for years been the consultant of the Rebbe of Belz within the Knesset. Apparently, the Belz Hassidim have been essentially the most defiant in Beit Shemesh. Think about what would occur if Eichler not had a voice within the Knesset. It shouldn’t have to return to that, however finally, there might be a chief minister who is not going to yield to coalition blackmail.

■ IT’S COMMON information that Magen David Adom is Israel’s equal to the Purple Cross, simply as in Muslim-majority nations, the group is named the Purple Crescent. MDA just isn’t the one paramedic group in Israel whose workers and volunteers come from all sectors of society, however it’s the one quoted on digital media each time there’s some type of disaster or disaster during which individuals are injured or killed.

This is sort of a slap within the face to the 1000’s of volunteers of United Hatzalah, who normally arrive on the scene similtaneously these of MDA – and generally even earlier than.

The Jerusalem headquarters of the 2 organizations are inside lower than 5 minutes’ stroll from one another, however on Wednesday night time, when frequent alerts went out all around the nation, journalists in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa reported from MDA and ignored UH. The volunteers from each organizations, in addition to from smaller organizations, cooperate with one another and don’t compete, however on the government stage, it’s a distinct story.

Fortunately, President Isaac Herzog doesn’t play favorites.

On March 4, he and his spouse visited MDA’s Nationwide Operations Middle in Ramla, the place they got a complete overview of MDA’s operations, and the place they met paramedic Nissim Salem, who grew up within the Beit Shemesh neighborhood that suffered demise and destruction when hit by an Iranian missile. Salem’s mother and father and different family dwell near the impression website.

At United Hatzalah headquarters in Jerusalem this week, the Herzogs, along with being briefed by UH founder and president Eli Beer, participated in a dedication ceremony during which a brand new emergency car was devoted in reminiscence of Ronit Elimelech, one of many folks killed within the missile assault in Beit Shemesh.

Herzog famous the presence of haredi and Arab residents who’re UH volunteers. They might not serve within the military, however they’re carrying a part of the load concerned in saving lives – usually at their very own danger. “This sends a strong message,” mentioned Herzog.

“It displays a real and essential social mosaic.”

The next day, Herzog met with Bernie Galsim Lavarias, the husband of the late Mary Ann V. De Vera, the caregiver who was killed in an Iranian missile assault on Tel Aviv final week whereas serving to her employer attain security. Lavarias was accompanied by the Philippines Ambassador Aileen Mendiola.

■ NOT ONLY journalists obtain press playing cards and B1 and B2 visas for Israel. They’re additionally given to overseas nationals in all branches of communication, diplomats, quasi-diplomats, and numerous different folks. Ron Paz, the director of the International Press Division on the Authorities Press Workplace, mentioned that as a result of the Inhabitants and Immigration Workplaces are nonetheless closed for reception, all B1 visas and B2 visas that expire between February 22 and March 31, 2026, have already been robotically prolonged by three months.

Anybody who’s at the moment overseas and whose visa has expired is urged to acquire an ETA-IL (Digital Journey Authorization for Israel) previous to returning to Israel.

Folks whose Authorities Press Workplace (GPO) playing cards have expired or are near expiring needn’t rush to file functions for extensions. The GPO will lengthen playing cards accordingly and unconditionally upon demand. Till the safety scenario improves and reception at authorities places of work resumes, there is no such thing as a must file on-line functions for extensions of visas and GPO playing cards.