Amy Spiro

Amy Spiro is a reporter and writer with The Times of Israel.

Shirly Pinto, the first deaf Knesset member, is sworn in to the Knesset on June 16, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

July 30, 2021, 2:48 pm

Israel’s first deaf MK aims to be a full-time warrior for disability rights

Yamina lawmaker Shirly Pinto says she is devoting herself to ensuring that her hearing-impaired son will grow up in a different world than she did

By Amy Spiro

A man receives his second Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine from a Magen David Adom national emergency service volunteer, at a private nursing home in Ramat Gan, on January 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

July 29, 2021, 9:47 pm

Bennett calls on Israelis over 60 to get third COVID vaccine dose

TV polls indicate that more than 70 percent of those eligible intend to receive the booster shot

By Amy Spiro

Israel's Mitchell Glasser (22) collides with teammate Blake Gailen as he catches a fly out hit by South Korea's Jaeil Oh during a baseball game at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 29, 2021, in Yokohama, Japan. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

July 29, 2021, 5:22 pm

Israel’s Olympic baseball team loses first match 6-5 to South Korea

After coming up short in a nail-biter of a game with extra innings, Israel will face the US team on Friday

By Amy Spiro

Israeli swimmers (from left) Andi Murez, Anastasia Gorbenko, Gal Cohen Groumi and Itay Goldfaden at the mixed 4x100 medley relay at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on July 29, 2021. (Simona Castrovillari/Israel Olympic Committee)

July 29, 2021, 4:08 pm

Israel’s mixed swimming team makes finals of medley relay race

Aviv Barzelay advances to the semifinals of the women’s 200m backstroke, as Tomer Frankel falls short in the men’s 100m butterfly

By Amy Spiro

Trucks are parked at the Ben & Jerry's ice-cream factory in the Be'er Tuvia Industrial area, July 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

July 28, 2021, 8:44 pm

6 MKs walk back support for letter urging Unilever to undo Ben & Jerry’s boycott

Lawmakers indicate they did not see final wording; Labor MK says she was led to believe letter was aimed at saving the jobs of those employed at the ice cream factory in Israel

By Amy Spiro

Workers at the Ben and Jerry's factory near Kiryat Malachi, on July 21, 2021. (Flash90)

July 28, 2021, 5:45 pm

90 members of Knesset urge Unilever to reverse ‘shameful’ Ben & Jerry’s decision

Dana Olmert, daughter of former PM, signs letter in support of ice cream company’s refusal to sell over the Green Line, and calls Israeli rule of West Bank ‘apartheid’

By Amy Spiro

Israeli swimmer Andi Murez competes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on July 28, 2021. (Simona Castrovillari/Israel Olympic Committee)

July 28, 2021, 4:24 pm

Despite record efforts, Israeli Olympic swimmers come up short in latest races

Andi Murez sets a new Israeli mark in women’s 100m freestyle, while Gal Cohen Groumi and Ron Polonsky both swim personal best times — but all miss qualifying for semifinals

By Amy Spiro

Saeid Mollaei of Mongolia celebrates with his silver medal during the award ceremony for the men -81kg judo match at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, July 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

July 27, 2021, 4:26 pm

Winning judo silver in Tokyo, Iranian defector Mollaei dedicates medal to Israel

Judoka says ‘todah’ to Israelis for support; Israeli Sagi Muki, who had disappointing finish, congratulates his unlikely friend: ‘I’m so happy… He deserves it’

By Amy Spiro and Agencies

Israeli swimmer Anastasia Gorbenko competes during the 100-meter backstroke final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 27, 2021. (Amit Shisel/Israel Olympic Committee)

July 27, 2021, 2:50 pm

Record-breaking Israeli Olympian swimmer: I’m not done yet

With more competitions to come, 17-year-old Anastasia Gorbenko says her goal ‘is always to advance as far as possible, and to break my own personal records’

By Amy Spiro

Israel's Tohar Butbul gets ready to compete in the judo men's -73kg elimination round bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on July 26, 2021. (Jack GUEZ / AFP)

July 27, 2021, 1:27 pm

International Olympic Committee ‘concerned’ by forfeits to avoid Israeli judoka

IOC director of solidarity James Macleod says committee ‘will adopt a strict position’ on violations of the Olympic charter

By Amy Spiro

Israel's national baseball team at a team practice in Tel Aviv, January 14, 2020. (AP/Ariel Schalit)

July 27, 2021, 12:16 pm

Home run: Olympic baseball players hope medal can boost the sport back in Israel

The 24-man team will see its debut in Tokyo on Thursday with a game against South Korea, a day before it faces the US

By Amy Spiro

Brothers and Israeli Olympic triathletes Ran (left) and Shachar Sagiv, after the triathlon at the Tokyo Games on July 26, 2021. (Israel Olympic Committee)

July 26, 2021, 12:09 pm

For Israeli triathlete brothers, the Olympics is a family affair

Shachar and Ran Sagiv complete the men’s triathlon in 20th and 35th place, respectively, setting a new Israeli record

By Amy Spiro

Jordanian King Abdullah II, right speaks to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on July 20, 2021, at the State Department in Washington. (Nicholas Kamm /Pool via AP)

July 25, 2021, 9:55 pm

Jordan’s king: I was ‘very encouraged’ after meeting with Bennett, Gantz

In CNN interview, Abdullah says violent Jewish-Arab unrest in Israel during its most recent conflict with Hamas was a ‘civil war,’ should serve as ‘a wake-up call’

By Amy Spiro

A technician collects swab samples for COVID-19 at a testing center run by the Tel Aviv Municipality at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv on July 20, 2021. (Miriam Alster/ Flash90)

July 25, 2021, 8:30 pm

Serious COVID cases in Israel top 100, for first time in 3 months

Number of Israelis in serious condition with the coronavirus has doubled over the past 10 days, but remains a fraction of the figure seen in January

By Amy Spiro

Anna Plichta of Poland and Omer Shapira of Israel compete in the women's cycling road race at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Oyama, Japan. (Michael Steele/Pool Photo via AP)

July 25, 2021, 6:15 pm

Israeli cyclist who just missed out on Olympic medal: ‘I went with my gut’

Omer Shapira was out ahead of the pack for much of the four-hour women’s road race, but fell back to 24th place in final minutes

By Amy Spiro