Human Interest

​The Labor and Welfare Committee on Sunday conducted a tour of the National Memorial Hall for Israel’s Fallen, located on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.

 
The committee was accompanied by Aryeh Mualem, who serves as deputy director general and head of the Families, Commemoration and Heritage Division at the ministry of Defense. Mualem discussed the division’s activity and the support that is provided to bereaved families.
 
committee chair MK Michal Woldiger (Religious Zionism) said, “Alongside the immense pain, the Memorial Hall is an empowering site that inspires, instills pride, and provides a deeply moving expression to every fallen soldier. The number of fallen is beyond comprehension, but here we managed to feel them all. We sensed the presence of those who were and are no more, and connected to the legacy they left behind. We will not forget anyone.”  
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By Pesach Benson • January 8, 2026

Jerusalem, 8 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — In solidarity with freed hostages and evacuated families returning to their homes, Israelis selected the word “homecoming” (habaita in Hebrew), the Hebrew Language Academy announced Thursday.

“In the context of the past year, the word home symbolizes, in the eyes of many, the return of the abducted to their homes — after two years of threats, pain, and anticipation. Throughout this period, the word has risen again and again in public discourse, and it has even moved hearts in a song made for one of the symbols of struggle and expectation. It also represents the return (and the aspiration for return) to the [Gaza border area] communities and the northern communities,” the Academy said.

“Artificial intelligence” (bina milahutit) came in second place, while hope (tikva) came in third.

More than 125,000 Israelis were forced to leave their homes near the Gaza and Lebanon borders, while 11,000 more had to evacuate during 12 days of Iranian missile barrages in June.

Around 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. Most were freed in a series of exchanges with Hamas as part of a ceasefire, though soldiers recovered the remains of others in Gaza. The body of Israeli Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili remains in Gaza.

The academy announces its annual word of the year on the Hebrew birthday of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, a linguist who was the driving force behind reviving Hebrew as a modern spoken language. Born in present-day Belarus in 1858, he moved to Israel in 1881. Living in Jerusalem, he wrote the first dictionary of modern Hebrew and published a Hebrew-language newspaper.

His initiative was controversial, with many people believing that using Hebrew for everyday conversation profaned the language.

Ben-Yehuda died of tuberculosis in 1922.

By Pesach Benson and Omer Novoselsky • January 7, 2026

Jerusalem, 7 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Facial expressions may reveal more about human preferences than previously understood. A new study has found that the degree to which people unconsciously mimic the facial expressions of others can predict their choices, sometimes even before conscious decisions are made, Tel Aviv University announced.

The study — led by doctoral student Liron Amihai in the lab of Prof. Yaara Yeshurun, with collaborators Elinor Sharvit, Hila Man, and Prof. Yael Hanein — challenges the long-held view that facial mimicry functions primarily as a social tool for politeness or empathy, showing instead that it is an integral component of preference formation and decision-making.

The findings were published in the peer-reviewed Communications Psychology.

In the study, participants engaged in pairs where one person described two films while the other listened and later indicated which film they preferred. Using specialized technology to track subtle facial micro-movements, the researchers found that listeners consistently favored the option during which they had mimicked the speaker’s positive expressions most strongly. This effect occurred even when participants were explicitly instructed to make a choice based on personal taste rather than the speaker’s behavior.

“Facial mimicry between people — not just a person’s facial expression on its own — can predict what someone will prefer in a realistic social interaction,” Amihai told The Press Service of Israel. In pairs where one participant read aloud two movie synopses to the other, “the listener’s mimicry toward the reader predicted her eventual choice, whereas the listener’s facial expressions per se did not predict which synopsis she chose.”

The study demonstrated that this mimicry occurs automatically, before conscious evaluation. “Participants are not simply listening to a story — they are being ‘swept’ toward the speaker through facial mimicry, and this muscular feedback can influence decisions,” Amihai explained. “This mimicry often happens without awareness and can predict which option will be preferred long before it is articulated verbally. Facial mimicry, therefore, is not merely a polite gesture but also a component of the decision-making system.”

In a second phase, participants listened to an actress reading movie summaries using audio only. Remarkably, even without visual cues, listeners still exhibited facial responses corresponding to a “smile in the voice,” and this mimicry predicted their choices. “This indicates that voice-only settings — such as phone calls, podcasts, or voice agents — can elicit subtle embodied responses that shape preferences,” Amihai told TPS-IL.

The research team explained that facial mimicry functions as an internal signal that the brain uses to evaluate options and form preferences. “It likely serves as an implicit ‘agreement’ signal — a fast, embodied response that accompanies evaluation while preferences are still forming,” Amihai told TPS-IL.

Insights from the study could have practical applications in marketing and user experience. By tracking subtle facial mimicry, companies and designers can better understand consumer preferences and emotional responses to advertisements, products, or interactive content. This approach could inform the design of campaigns, websites, or apps, helping creators craft experiences that naturally resonate with audiences without asking direct questions.

The research also has potential applications in social development, particularly for autistic children. The team is developing platforms to help children recognize and practice mimicry skills, which are essential for forming friendships, navigating social interactions, and understanding others. Strengthening these skills may support improved social engagement and emotional understanding in contexts that can otherwise be challenging.

By Ezra Lev Cohen • January 6, 2026

Jerusalem, 6 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — It’s a bustling Friday morning in Jerusalem’s Machane Yehuda shuk, but it seems everyone has time to take a break from their pre-Shabbat shopping to say a few words of admiration about Deni Avdija, the Israeli basketball phenom from Kibbutz Beit Zera who is taking the U.S. by storm. On Monday, the Portland Trail Blazers forward was named the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Week.

The 25-year-old Avdija is even outpacing better-known stars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant in fan voting for the All-Star Game, which will take place in February.

“He is a great player,” one young man eagerly tells The Press Service of Israel.

“He’s the best NBA player,” says another.

“He shoots beautiful three-pointers. The whole defense is on him, because he’s the player that influences the contest,” says a third.

Even people who don’t watch sports feel the “Deni-buzz.”

“I hardly watch sports [but] I see him a lot… on the cornflakes box and stuff,” says one kid excitedly.

It’s no accident that Avdija, known as “Turbo” for his aggressive play style, has become so beloved. He’s averaging 25.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game, numbers reminiscent of LeBron James’ production at the same age. He’s singlehandedly led the Portland Trail Blazers to contention for a playoff spot for the first time since 2021. All this puts him on the cusp of becoming Israel’s first All-Star.

But it’s not just his skills that have made him so popular. He’s different from most NBA players. He has little social media presence and a humble personality in interviews. Yet his calm demeanor belies a huge community of fans and followers who latch on to his contagious personality and a lead-by-example locker-room style. As one older gentleman put it in the shuk: “Deni Avdija is a great man. He’s a mensch,” Yiddish praise used to describe a person of character and integrity.

Rakefet Arieli, the team nutritionist for Maccabi Tel Aviv, recalled being intrigued when a 16-year-old Avdija first walked into the Maccabi Tel Aviv training facility.

“I knew that he is very talented and I knew he has very good genes because you see his parents, but he was very… childish,” she told TPS-IL. She described how their early meetings consisted of Avdija pointing at pictures of the team’s stars and saying, “I want to look like them.” This wasn’t unexpected.

“At 16-17 years old, body image is important,” Arieli explained. “But there was a point when he understood that if he wants to play basketball in the EuroLeague and in Tel Aviv, he needs to take care of his body not just in an aesthetic state of mind but also from an athletic state.”

On the court, though, and with his teammates, Arieli watched a young man who was in his element. “Even when he was young, he was always dominant because he’s a funny guy, he likes to laugh,” she reminisced. “He puts his music very loud. You always heard his voice. He has very good vibes. He’s very friendly, he has a lot of friends, and all the teammates always loved him,” something of a rarity on professional teams where competing for playing time can often become the focus.

Avdija’s charisma off the court and talent on the court resulted in almost immediate success with Maccabi Tel Aviv. In 2018, at 17, he led the team to the Israeli League championship; then he did it again in 2019 and in 2020.

In 2020, at the age of 19, Avdija won both the Israeli League MVP and the Israeli League Israeli Player of the Year awards, the youngest athlete ever to achieve that feat. But all along, Deni understood his success in the context of his community, his country, and his people. In 2020, he was drafted ninth overall by the NBA’s Washington Wizards. At a post-draft celebration in Tel Aviv, Avdija declared to his family and friends, “I’m gonna make you proud. I’m gonna work 100%.”

Avdija’s Israeli and broader Jewish communities remain at the forefront of his identity, even as he’s found international fame. He doesn’t play on Yom Kippur. He lights the Chanukah candles every year. In the aftermath of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack, Avdija told reporters, “There’s really more important things than basketball in life. And it’s really tough for me, and my mind sometimes isn’t there. But I got to keep it professional and do my job, and when I have the chance to stand with Israel, I will.”

Meanwhile, Avdija’s play continues to improve. On Saturday, Avdija scored his third triple-double of the season and made a clutch three-pointer to seal Portland’s victory over the San Antonio Spurs. On online basketball forums and in Instagram comment sections, fans seemed more convinced than ever of his All-Star chances. In his postgame interview, though, all he could talk about was his teammates. “This team, this camaraderie, those players, it’s just fun to play. They’re fighting, they’re defending, we’re just an amazing team.”

Back in the shuk, the pride Israelis feel for Deni is infectious. “Deni, the king,” declares one passerby. “You’re going to make it to the All-Star Game, Deni, and we love you.”

“Deni Avdija has a soul,” says another. “You see that he’s playing for the people.”

One guy says it all: “Thank God for Deni Avdija.”

But even as they cheer him on, Israelis place a certain level of responsibility on Avdija.

“He wants to show the whole world that [though] Israel has much less funding for basketball, we can still make it,” says a man in the shuk. “He should just be a good person, a great basketball player.”

“He has a lot of responsibility. He’ll make it.”

This decision was made during a tour held over the weekend in the Dead Sea Regional Council, attended by the Head of the Council, Aryeh Cohen, and relevant professional officials from the Ministry and the local authority, including the Commissioner for the judea and samaria Region, Tami Nasa, and the Commissioner for bathing beaches in the Ministry, Atef Khir al-Din.

During the visit and tour, the council’s challenges and issues related to the development of the area were discussed. As stated, the planned bathing beaches will be established in the area, and their planning process and required permits will be completed in 2026, with one beach designated as a separate beach. 

Director-General of the Ministry of Interior, Israel Ozana: “The development of beaches in the Dead Sea region is an important step in making a unique national resource accessible to the general public and will assist in the development of the Dead Sea region. The new beaches will offer an organized, safe, and respectful bathing experience. We will continue to promote responsible planning and regulated, safe beaches for the benefit of the public.”

By Pesach Benson • January 1, 2026

Jerusalem, 1 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The Sachs family from Sydney, Australia –- father Trevor, mother Dalit, and daughter Ashira –- became Israel’s first immigrants in 2026 after arriving at ben gurion Airport on Thursday as trends point to rising Jewish immigration from Western countries.

On landing, the three were greeted by Minister of Immigration and Absorption Ofir Sofer, received Israeli ID cards, and officially began their new life in the country. The family’s son, Levi Sachs, had already immigrated ahead of them and enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces.

“The Sachs family’s choice to immigrate to Israel, especially when their son is serving in the IDF, is gratifying and encouraging. We are working for the aliyah [immigration] of Australian Jews to Israel and have already taken and will continue to take significant steps to that end,” Sofer said.

The arrival of the Sachs family adds to the nearly 22,000 immigrants who moved to Israel in 2025.

According to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), approximately 21,900 people moved to Israel last year, representing only about one-third of the previous year’s total.

Signaling a shift in the global pattern of Jewish migration, Russian and Ukrainian immigration fell by half, while arrivals from the United States, United Kingdom, and France increased. Overall, North American aliyah rose by 13 percent, and French immigration jumped 45 percent, the CBS reported.

The change is generally attributed to rising Western antisemitism.

“The changing composition of new immigrants shows how Israel continues to attract Jews from around the world,” a ministry spokesperson said.

As of December 31, 2025, Israel’s population stood at 10,178,000.

By Pesach Benson • December 25, 2025

Jerusalem, 25 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Most people like to think they want the truth, but daily life suggests otherwise. From unopened medical test results to investment accounts left unchecked during a market slump, people often choose not to know. New Israeli-Dutch research suggests that this instinct is not about denial or irresponsibility, but about managing emotional pain.

The study, led by Prof. Yaniv Shani of the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University and Prof. Marcel Zeelenberg of the Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the Netherlands, argues that avoiding information and actively seeking painful information are not opposite behaviors. Instead, both stem from the same emotional process: an effort to regulate distress in situations perceived as threatening.

“Our decisions about information are not only functional but often emotional,” the researchers wrote. “People constantly navigate between the desire to know and the instinct to protect themselves, weighing which option will hurt less — the painful truth or the uncertainty.”

Much of the existing research on so-called willful ignorance has focused on moral explanations, suggesting people avoid information primarily to escape responsibility or guilt toward others. The new study offers a broader and more personal account. According to the researchers, people often avoid information simply because they feel unable to cope with its emotional impact at a particular moment.

The study — published in the peer-reviewed Current Opinion in Psychology — is based on a broad review of recent empirical research alongside the authors’ own studies on information avoidance and on seeking information that serves no practical purpose. From this body of work, the researchers developed a simple framework built around two questions: “Can I bear uncertainty?” and “Can I bear the truth?”

The answers to those questions, they argue, determine whether a person avoids information or insists on knowing it. Importantly, the same individual may shift between the two strategies depending on circumstances and emotional capacity. “These behaviors are not opposites,” the researchers wrote. “They are two tools people use to regulate emotions and prevent psychological overload.”

The study points to common examples: individuals who postpone checking medical test results before a holiday, or investors who avoid reviewing their portfolios during periods of market volatility. “This behavior does not reflect indifference,” Shani said. “In many cases, people fully intend to face the information later. They are choosing when to confront the emotional burden.”

At the same time, the researchers identify an apparently contradictory pattern that arises from the same emotional mechanism. In situations dominated by uncertainty, people often seek out information they know will be painful, even when it offers no practical benefit. Consumers frequently check the prices of items they have already purchased to see whether they overpaid, despite knowing the decision cannot be reversed.

“In these cases, uncertainty itself becomes the greater source of distress,” Zeelenberg said. “Knowing may hurt, but not knowing can hurt more.”

This pattern was particularly evident in Israel following the October 7 attack, when many families sought definitive information about the fate of loved ones even when they understood the news could be devastating. The researchers note that prolonged uncertainty can generate ongoing emotional strain, while painful knowledge can sometimes bring a sense of closure.

“People are constantly weighing which emotional cost is easier to bear,” they wrote. “The truth, or the uncertainty.”

The study also examined moral situations, noting that people sometimes prefer not to know how their actions affect others in order to avoid guilt. However, when avoiding information risks serious harm, an inability to tolerate uncertainty may instead compel individuals to confront uncomfortable truths.

The study’s findings have practical applications across healthcare, public institutions, business, and digital communication. By showing that people’s decisions to seek or avoid information are driven by emotional coping, organizations can tailor how and when they deliver sensitive information.

In healthcare, test results or diagnoses can be shared with timing and support that reduce emotional overload. Governments and emergency services can structure updates during crises to balance urgency with people’s ability to cope. Businesses can present financial or product information in ways that acknowledge customers’ emotional responses, and digital platforms can design alerts or news feeds to prevent unnecessary stress.

“What matters is not only what information is conveyed, but how and when it is delivered,” Shani said.

By Pesach Benson • December 9, 2025

Jerusalem, 9 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — A farewell ceremony for Sudthisak Rinthalak, a Thai agricultural worker killed during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, was held Tuesday morning at Ben-Gurion International Airport. Hamas returned Sudthisak’s remains on December 4. His body will be buried in Thailand.

“I encourage all of us to safeguard the dreams of ordinary and innocent people like Mr. Sudthisak and the remaining hostages. The royal Thai government joins the Israeli people in praying for the return of the last Israeli hostage,” said Thailand’s Ambassador to Israel Boonyarit Vichienpuntu.

Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch, Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing reaffirmed Israel’s commitment “to continue to stand by the Rinthalak family.”

Rinthalak, 42, was killed by Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists in the orchards of Kibbutz Be’eri, and his body was taken to Gaza. He is survived by his parents, Thong Ma and Orn, and his older brother, Thepporn.

Before the war, 30,000–40,000 Thais worked in Israel’s agricultural sector. During the October 7 attack, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad killed 39 Thai nationals and abducted another 31.

Around 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. The body of Israeli Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili is the last remaining in Gaza.

By Pesach Benson • December 9, 2025

Jerusalem, 9 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Learning doesn’t have to slow down with age. In fact, new Israeli-U.S. research shows that older adults can thrive when taught the way young people are—through active participation, meaningful discussion, and material that connects to their lives. The findings suggest that seniors can boost memory, maintain emotional well-being, and even gain a renewed sense of purpose by engaging in education that respects their life experience.

The study, published in the peer-reviewed Educational Gerontology, was conducted by Prof. Anat Zohar of the Seymour Fox School of Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Dr. Yochai Z. Shavit of the Stanford Center on Longevity. It challenges the long-held assumption that aging inevitably limits learning, showing instead that the right teaching methods can help older adults thrive.

“We’re teaching older adults the wrong way,” said Zohar. “The dominant model is still the lecture, but it is built on assumptions that simply don’t hold for older learners. First, it relies heavily on memorization, even though memory is the very ability that tends to decline with age. Second, it doesn’t connect new ideas to the rich knowledge and life experience older adults already have—one of their greatest learning resources. And third, lectures rarely create the meaningful, relevant learning and relationships that drive motivation in later life. Despite the large industry built around them, lectures just don’t work pedagogically. Older adults enjoy attending them, but they don’t retain enough. High-quality, active learning can support cognitive abilities, promote health, and even contribute to longer lives.”

The research emphasizes that older adults learn best when education taps into their motivations, connects new knowledge to previous experience, and allows for active engagement. These principles mirror the methods that help children and young adults learn deeply, suggesting that age does not require a fundamentally different approach—just one that respects and builds on life experience.

The study builds on earlier research by the same team, which examined nineteen highly educated women in the “third age.” That research found that many participants felt they were learning better than at any earlier stage of life. They reported deeper understanding because they could connect new knowledge to decades of accumulated experience, challenging stereotypes about cognitive decline.

Shavit highlighted the psychological benefits of later-life learning. “Older adulthood is a time of real psychological depth,” he said. “When education taps into older adults’ motivations, like the search for meaning, connection, and self-understanding, it becomes not just effective, but deeply rewarding.”

Despite growing evidence supporting active, meaningful learning, many programs for older adults still rely on lecture-based formats. In the United States alone, the broader continuing education sector—which includes adult courses, vocational programs, and professional training—was valued at USD 66.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach about USD 96 billion by 2030. Yet a substantial portion of this spending continues to flow into formats that do not align with older adults’ learning needs.

The study suggests that universities, community colleges, and online learning platforms can apply these findings by redesigning courses to incorporate group discussions, hands-on projects, problem-solving exercises, and real-world case studies.

Employers and health programs can also benefit from these insights. Workplace training for older employees can shift from passive instruction to interactive workshops, mentorship, and collaborative problem-solving, boosting skill acquisition and motivation. Similarly, cognitive health initiatives—such as language classes, skill-building workshops, or lifelong learning programs—can help maintain mental sharpness, support emotional well-being, and even contribute to longer, more engaged lives, turning education into both a professional and personal resource for older adults.

“Older adults are not a separate category requiring entirely different rules,” Zohar said. “They are part of the continuous story of human learning, and education should treat them that way.”

By Pesach Benson • December 8, 2025

Jerusalem, 8 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — A long-term decline in the popularity of the name Mohammed among Muslim families continued in 2024, according to new data released Monday by Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) on the most popular names given to children in 2024.

Among Jewish boys, David claimed the top spot with 1,842 babies receiving the name, representing 2.7 percent of Jewish boys born that year. Levi came in second with 1,518, while Ariel ranked third with 1,479. Nine of the ten most popular names from 2023 remained in the top ten for 2024.

Avigail emerged as the most popular name for Jewish girls born in 2024, given to 1,437 newborns. The name was followed by Ayala in second place with 1,182 babies, and Sarah in third with 1,151. All ten names from 2023’s top rankings remained in the top ten for 2024, though with slight shifts in their positions.

Mohammed was the most common name overall among all babies born in Israel in 2024, with 2,257 boys given the name. However, the statistics reveal a significant long-term trend: the name’s popularity among Muslim families has been steadily declining. In the early 2000s, one in seven Muslim boys was named Mohammed, but by 2024, only one in nine Muslim boys received the name. Among Muslim girls, Maryam was the most popular choice with 566 babies.

One name showed a dramatic decline: Be’eri dropped by 343 babies compared to 2023, the largest decrease of any name. The name saw a surge following Hamas’ attack on Kibbutz Be’eri.

The data show clear geographic patterns in naming preferences. Traditional Jewish names like Esther and Sarah were particularly common in cities with large Orthodox populations, including Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, and Beit Shemesh. Meanwhile, the name Maya was more prevalent in central Israeli cities. Similarly, traditional boys’ names such as Abraham, David, Joseph, and Moses dominated in predominantly Orthodox areas, while Adam was notably popular in Tel Aviv-Jaffa.

The statistics also revealed stark differences across socioeconomic clusters. No single name appeared in the top ten across all socioeconomic groups for either Jewish girls or boys, highlighting how naming choices reflect broader demographic patterns within Israeli society.

Gender-neutral names continue to be a phenomenon, particularly among Jewish families. Ariel and Uri, both appearing in the top ten for Jewish boys, also ranked in the top ten gender-neutral names. The practice of giving gender-neutral names is far less common among Muslim families, according to the data.

The report, based on Israel’s population registry updated through April 2025, covers approximately 97.8 percent of births, with some names not yet registered at the time of data collection. The bureau noted that final figures may change slightly as remaining names are registered and some families make formal name changes.

Among the 3,024 multiple births where all babies received names, popular twin combinations included Mohammed and Ahmed, as well as Rafael and Michael. The pairing of Levi and Ari also proved popular among Jewish families.