In the 27th May edition of Israel’s good news,
the highlights include:
·
A medical breakthrough - Israeli researchers have
turned human skin cells into heart cells.
·
An Israeli invention has enabled eight totally blind
people to read an eye chart.
·
An Israeli climber saved a Turkish climber 250 meters
from the summit of Everest.
·
The United Nations has recognised Israel’s humanitarian
aid to developing countries.
·
Israel has built Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAVs)
weighing under 20 grams.
·
Israel has made it easier for foreign lawyers to work
in Israel – so no more Aliya excuses!
·
Please watch the video
about Israel’s army – the most moral in the world.
·
Last week’s Jerusalem Post Israel Good News descriptive
summary
Click here for “A bumper
harvest for all, thanks to Israel”
Page Down for more details on these and other good news
stories from Israel.
Human skin cells turn into heart
cells. Israeli researchers
at the Technion and Rambam hospital in Haifa are the first scientists to
reprogram healthy stem cells from the skin of heart patients and turn them into
healthy heart cells. In the next
decade, the scientists predict that they will be able to repair damaged hearts.
It’s not junk after all. Scientists were baffled as to the purpose of non-coding RNA. Labelled as “junk DNA”, Dr Noam Shomron of
Tel Aviv University has discovered that when infected with a virus, ncRNA gives
off biological signals that indicate the presence of an infectious agent, known
as a pathogen. This provides scientists with a new avenue for fighting off
infections.
Working together for children. Ben Gurion University of the Negev is
collaborating with the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to create
medical devices for children. Current
paediatric devices are inadequate miniaturised adult devices. Israeli skills will develop devices that are
tailor-made for children.
200 healthy IVF births. Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek hospital specialises in pre-screening
the eggs of IVF patients for genetic diseases.
Since its first PGD-IVF birth in 2005, the hospital has helped deliver
200 healthy babies to “at risk” Jewish and Arab mothers.
The blind can see. In my 12th Feb newsletter I
reported a method developed at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for training
blind persons to "see sounds" through the use of a sensory
substitution device (SSD). Now, eight congenitally blind participants using the
system are actually able to "read" an eye chart.
IDF hosts NATO medical services conference. For the first time ever, the Committee of
the Chiefs of Military Medical Services in NATO (COMEDS) will hold their annual
conference in Israel.
Israeli abandons Everest attempt
to save Turkish climber.
24-year-old Nadav Ben-Yehuda was 250 meters from the summit of Mount
Everest when he spotted the body of Turkish climber Aydin Irmak in the
snow. He picked Aydin up and carried
him back to Camp IV and helicopter rescue.
Despite 200km/hr winds, no Oxygen and no gloves, both climbers
survived. Please read this amazing
story of selflessness and courage.
Israel to aid PA in event of earthquake. Israel has set up a mechanism to funnel aid
to the Palestinian Arabs in the event of an earthquake. Israeli military relief would be available
on request from the PA. A tremor
registering 5.5 on the Richter scale shook Israel and the territories last
week.
Finland adopts Israeli nursery education method.
Finland, with one of world's best education systems, has adopted the nursery
program of 90-year-old Bar Ilan Professor Reuven Feuerstein. "The secret
is that we do not teach content, rather we impart learning and cognitive
thinking strategies," said the Professor.
Israeli-Filipino TV star. 11-year old Kathleen Eligado recently performed Miri Aloni’s
classic “Ballad of Hedva and Shlomik,” in Hebrew, before a TV audience of a
million Israelis. Born in Israel to
Filipino migrants, she is one of the stars of the popular Israeli show “Music
School,” a kind of “American Idol” for kids.
Owl love knows no borders. Israeli farmers breed barn owls to control rodent pests on
farmland. The program has been extended
to the Palestinian Authority and Jordan and the Society for Protection of
Nature in Israel has just publicised the story of a breeding pair consisting of
an Israeli owl and a Jordanian owl.
Czechs have “a special feeling” for Israel. Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas entertained
Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu and seven cabinet ministers in Prague. Mr Necas said, “We’ve got a full
understanding of Israel’s situation as a small, democratic country in a very
dangerous region with very dangerous neighbours”.
Israel hardens security of critical US systems. The Department for Homeland Security has
turned to Israel’s National Information Security Authority and Motorola’s
ACE-3600 to protect its water and energy infrastructure.
US learned about homeland security from Israel. At the Motorola-Israel conference, former
Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice described the events of 9/11 that convinced
the US that it significantly needed to ramp up security. The US government turned to Israel, and
companies like Motorola, for help.
Israel and Japan mark 60th anniversary of diplomatic
relations. Annual bilateral trade
totals $3.3 billion. Scientific and
technological ties are strengthening, as is the cultural relationship. Japan also supports the Peace Corridor
project, which entails the establishment of an agro-industrial park near the
city of Jericho.
UN and Israel sign aid agreement. The Memorandum of Understanding between
Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation, (MASHAV) and the UN
Industrial Development Organization recognises Israel's abilities and
contributions to the world. It will increase cooperation in food security,
water management, women empowerment and industrial development in developing
countries.
An Ulpan to learn hi-tech. In Israel the place to learn Hebrew is at ulpan – an intensive school. But a similar method is being used to help
budding entrepreneurs learn how to succeed at running a hi-tech business. I featured Google’s R&D incubator
previously; here you can also read about Haifa’s hiCentre.
Slow, slow, quick-quick, slow. Scientists in Israel, the USA and Japan have
recalibrated rock-dating clocks due to a previous erroneous estimate of the
half-life of samarium-146 (146Sm). The
solar system is now thought to have been formed much quicker – although it is
still reckoned to be over 4.5 billion years old.
The world’s tiniest UAV. Is it a bird or a plane? No, it’s an Israeli Unmanned Ariel Vehicle. It weighs less than 20 grams and can “see”
into the most sensitive establishments.
Watch out Ahmadinejad – Israel is watching you.
An exclusive club – space technology. Daniel Hershkowitz, Israel’s minister of
science and technology, was interviewed by Scientific American magazine about
Israel’s homegrown platforms for launching satellites into space.
Great service.
(thanks to Israel21c and Globes)
A new Israeli app called Zappix takes the frustration out of automated
customer-service call centres, by putting menu choices into a visual screen on
your phone. No elevator music or wasted
time; just press the menu option to get straight through to the department you
want.
A super battery to last 500km. (thanks to NoCamels) The Israeli National Center for
Electrochemical Propulsion was founded one month ago, with the sole purpose to
research and develop new technologies that can store electricity more
effectively.
A “sea of inspiration” in Korea. The Israeli pavilion at Korea’s Expo 2012
captures Israel's unique marine offering as characterized across technology,
science, education, culture and environment.
Visitors will be able to re-live their visit with the Israel Pavilion
2012 app, available to smartphone and tablet users.
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFA%20events/Around%20the%20world/Israeli_pavilion_Yeosu_Expo_May_2012.htm
Rare giant turtle rescued. The male sea turtle only visits Israeli shores once in ten
years. So when one was caught in
Israeli fishing nets last week, it was returned quickly to the ocean, with the
addition of a tracking transmitter, specially flown in.
Azerbaijan invests in Israeli oil. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR)
has bought a 5-percent stake in Med Ashdod, Israel’s only economically viable
oil field, located 16 km off the Mediterranean coast. SOCAR wants experience of
international oil production and this will be its first foreign drilling
operation.
Lawyers for Israel. Minister of Finance Yuval Steinitz has
signed a directive removing barriers that prevent foreign lawyers from working
in Israel, and permitting collaboration between Israeli and foreign law firms.
“Head & Shoulders” above the rest. The name of Proctor and Gamble’s shampoo
could be the subtitle of its “Israel House of Innovation” R&D hub in Tel
Aviv. A recent visit by Forbes magazine
revealed why Israel is considered by P&G as a start-up Nation.
More jobs available.
Israel’s employment data revealed that 44,300 new jobs opportunities
opened in March.
Israel means business. Don’t forget the Israel Conference in Los Angeles on 31st
May and 1st June. 70 global
companies include Microsoft, CISCO, Oracle, Powermat, Max Brenner, Verizon,
LivePerson and Iron Dome.
Go for a stroll on Shavuot. The days surrounding the Jewish festival of Shavuot (Pentacost)
are an excellent opportunity to enjoy the weather and explore on foot. Here are five suggested locations.
Harlem Globetrotters in Jerusalem. (thanks to Israel21c) The venerable touring
jugglers/ball handlers glided into Israel last week for three shows – two in
Tel Aviv and one in Jerusalem. They
displayed some amazing magician-ship with the ball, tons of laughs, incredible
baskets, and good, clean fun.
Medals galore.
Israeli swimmer Jonathan Koplev won gold and Guy Barnea won bronze in
the 50 meters backstroke at the Euro 2012 European Swimming Championships. Meanwhile, Israeli swimmer Yakov Toumarkin
captured the bronze medal in the men’s 100-meter backstroke.
Tel Aviv streets to shut on the Sabbath. The centre of Tel Aviv is to become a
pedestrian paradise from Friday evening to Saturday evening. Rothschild Boulevard, Haaretz Avenue, most
of the length of Hasmoneans Street, Dizengoff Street, and Herzl Street will be
closed to allow the residents some peace.
Stand-up cops. You may have seen Israeli police using
3-wheeler Electric Stand-up Vehicles (ESVs) to supervise popular events in Tel
Aviv, Haifa and even in Netanya.
Following pilot trials, the Israeli government has signed a two-year
contract for the T3 Series ESV personal mobility vehicles.
Jerusalem to become global tourism centre. The Israeli cabinet approved the allocation
of NIS 350 million over the next six years for the development of public
tourist spaces in Jerusalem. The funds will be used to develop the city’s
infrastructure and open spaces, as well as to renovate major tourism sites.
'Israeli prison 5-star hotel compared to Syria jail'. A Turkish journalist compared his
experiences in Israeli and Syrian jails having recently been released from a
Syrian prison after a two-month detention period. Palestinian Arab terrorists previously on hunger strike should
take note.
Israeli author wins international book prize. Holocaust survivor Aharon Appelfeld has
become the oldest recipient of the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize at the age
of 80. The Israeli author's Blooms of
Darkness was inspired by his own escape from a concentration camp during World
War II. (Note the BBC’s headline.)
The 1000th Torah Titbits. For 20 years, The Orthodox Union’s Jerusalem
Centre has published its weekly guide to the Torah portion. Volunteers deliver the magazine to 500
synagogues across Israel. It is also
published online at www.ttidbits.com
Jerusalem Day Parade – in pictures. Thousands took part Sunday in the annual
Flag March in Jerusalem, which celebrates the city’s reunification in 1967
after 19 years of division.
Israel is not replicable. (thanks to Rodger) “Young New Zealander of 2010” Divya Dhar asked
the panel of Israel Conference in Harvard how New Zealand could become a
start-up nation like Israel. The answer
was “Move to Tel Aviv” or “do a small acquisition of a country in the Middle
East”. Israel – there’s no place like
it.
The most moral army in the world. I have no
words that can describe this video.
Israeli by chance.
Leon Arusi Medalia had everything he wanted in Mombassa, Kenya – until
his Israeli father and Kenyan mother were killed in a car crash. After being refused a Kenyan ID he came to
Israel and joined the army. “Here I got
everything I needed and I’m so glad this is my country.”
“We’ve been waiting for so very, very long”. The Bnei Mensashe tribe of India can’t wait
to get to Israel.
Please watch this video from their community centre Beit
Shalom in Manipoor, Northern India.
