In the 30th July 17 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
·
Israeli
scientists have found a molecule to fix a damaged heart.
·
An Israeli
nurse breastfed the baby of a critically ill Palestinian Arab.
·
Israel is
top in 4 categories of the UN Global Innovation Index.
·
The first
European city to “plant” an Israeli solar-powered tree.
·
A record
$1.1 billion takeover of an Israeli biotech.
·
Tel Aviv
broke the record for the largest yoga art installation.
·
There is
now an App to help make the Aliyah process easier.
·
Click here
to see the 23rd July newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours (July 9th), Janglo
and United
With Israel. Also (TY Sandra) in German
and (TY Karen) in Portuguese.
·
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to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives of more
than 11,000 previous news articles.
·
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·
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ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
A molecule that restores heart function. Scientists at Israel’s
Weizmann Institute have uncovered a molecule called Agrin, that appears to
control the cardiac repair process. It was discovered in the surrounding
supportive tissue of the heart known as the extracellular matrix, or ECM. In
lab tests, Agrin healed scar tissue in a month.
Good results
in acne dual-treatment trials. Israeli biotech Sol-Gel
has announced positive interim results in its Phase II clinical trial for its “Twin”
treatment for acne. “Twin” combines two known acne treatments with a unique
method of molecular wrapping that makes it easier to penetrate the skin.
Alzheimer’s
disease can be seen in the eyes. Researchers at Israel’s Sheba Medical Center
have discovered a connection between mild cognitive impairment and the response
of that person’s eye pupil to red and blue light. More tests will check if loss
of retina function is an early warning of Alzheimer’s disease.
Eye-Control:
life-changing technology. Latest video about Israel’s Eye-Control, a
compact and affordable invention that gives a voice to locked-in patients who were
unable to communicate, due to diseases such as ALS. With Eye-Control individuals use their eyes to
spell out words and statements, proving that the eyes really are the window
into the soul. https://www.youtube.com/embed/_VaPBIViS7o?rel=0
£7 million for
UK-Israel joint research. (TY Hazel) The Britain Israel Research
Academic Exchange (BIRAX) has funded over £7 million in 15 bilateral research
programs including stem cell treatments for multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's
disease and therapies for Type 1 diabetes.
Surgery for
Fijian children.
(TY Hazel) More than 50 children will undergo free surgery and health
screening in Suva, capital of Fiji, by an Israeli team of three doctors and a
nurse. The team is part of Mashav, an arm of the Israeli Foreign Ministry,
which assists more than 60 countries to alleviate hunger, disease and poverty.
Nordic walking
and pain. I
reported previously (15
Jan) on the unique study led by Israel’s Dr. Donald Silverberg that showed
Nordic Pole Walking (NPW) can alleviate chronic low back, hip and/or knee pain. In this video, Dr. Silverberg describes his
study and its eye-opening (and back-straightening) results.
Israeli
surgeons save girl on Birthright tour. Kimberly
Winkler, from the Dominican Republic, suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm whilst
on a Taglit-Birthright tour of Israel.
She was rushed to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem where
surgeons performed three delicate operations to save her life.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Help for child daycare. (TY Atid-EDI) As part of
the Finance Ministry’s family assistance program, Israel is subsidizing
afternoon daycare for all families. The Israeli Parliament also passed a law
capping prices for after-school care. http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-cabinet-approves-afternoon-daycare-subsidies-1001189402
New accessible beach for the disabled. (TY Janglo)
Thanks to "Refuah V'simcha," an organization which helps sick and
needy people, Israel will have its first separate handicapped-accessible beach
in Ashdod. It will have an access route
right up to the water line, allowing the physically handicapped to preserve
their dignity.
Integrating Israeli-Ethiopians. I reported previously (Oct
2016 – TY Sharon) on Israel’s Tech-Career which has helped over 400 young
Ethiopian-Israelis launch careers in the Israeli hi-tech industry. Here is a more recent article about the work
of this vital non-profit organization.
Israeli to swim
round Manhattan to fund research. Israel’s Guy Cohen will take part in the 20
Bridges Swim around Manhattan - one of the hardest swims in the world. He is
raising funds for research by Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center into Sudden Cardiac
Death, which took his six-year-old daughter Netta 15 years ago.
Israeli nurses baby of
injured Arab mother. Finally - a positive Israel article in the
NYT. A Palestinian Arab mother was so badly injured in a car crash that she was
unable to nurse her baby, who wouldn’t take a bottle. Whilst family members
watched helplessly, Israeli nurse Ola Ostrowski-Zak took the child and
breastfed him.
https://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2017/06/12/israeli-nurse-breastfed-the-baby-of-a-critically-injured-palestinian-woman/
But please click, as this positive story doesn’t end here. (Original article in Today.)
The father of
Israeli social work. Eliezer Jaffe passed away aged 83, a week
after receiving the Bonei Zion Prize for significant contribution to Israel.
Jaffe founded Israel’s first academic school of social work, the Paul Baerwald
School of Social Work at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He also founded
the Israel Free Loan Association. http://www.jta.org/2017/05/30/news-opinion/israel-middle-east/eliezer-jaffe-a-father-of-israeli-social-work-dies-at-83
Israel-Asia Center graduates. 11 promising young leaders
from eight countries recently graduated from the Israel-Asia Center’s 2016-17
Leaders Fellowship program. Now in its sixth year, alumni are heading up Asia
operations of Israeli companies, establishing Asian accelerators in Israel and
setting up Israel-Asia ventures.
Child development program graduates. Haifa University’s
International Child Development Master’s Program aims to improve the lives of
children at risk worldwide, and is the world’s only fully funded
academic child development program. 2017 graduates are from Uganda, Myanmar,
Nepal, Nigeria, Liberia, Tanzania and Kenya. https://worldisraelnews.com/developing-countries-benefit-israeli-child-development-program/
Georgia – a 2,600-year link. Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu and visiting Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili highlighted
the 2,600-year history of Jewish relations with the Caucasus country. The
Georgian leader committed his Government and people to strengthen bilateral
ties.
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/jerusalem/watch-netanyahu-kvirikashvili-launch-talks-with-2600-years-bridging-jewish-georgian-people/2017/07/24/ https://www.youtube.com/embed/zJQE0XuVQxM?rel=0
The rising star of
Global Innovation.
The Jewish state ranked 17th overall in the United Nations Global
Innovation Index report, improving its standing by four places from 2016. It
topped the list for percentage of researchers, expenditure on R&D, Venture
Capital investment and IT services export.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Testing fruit for
freshness. Israeli start-up AclarTech has developed the AclaroMeter
app that works with a smartphone’s camera and the Israeli SCIO molecular
scanner, to monitor the ripeness, freshness and quality of fruit and
vegetables. It could revolutionize the global food market by helping prevent
wasted products.
More Israeli
protection from the Dark Web. I reported previously (see here) on three Israeli
companies that provide services to prevent cyber-attacks from the hidden side
of the Internet. Israeli start-up White
Hat is another. Staffed by former members of IDF intelligence units, White Hat deals
in “civilian cyber intelligence”.
Israeli cows are
still cream of the crop. (TY Atid-EDI) I reported
previously (Jun
2011) that in 2009 Israeli cows produced more milk than those in any other
country – around 10,000 litres a year each. Eight years later, Israel’s cows
are still world champions, now producing on average 11,970 litres (3,162
gallons) of milk a year.
French
town “grows” Israeli solar tree. I reported previously (Nov
2014) about the solar-powered artificial tree designed by Israeli start-up
Sologic. Now, a Sologic eTree has been placed in the French Loire town of
Nevers (population 37,000), allowing passers-by to charge their phones, use
free Wi-Fi and have a cool drink.
Nano-ink for
printed circuits. (TY Atid-EDI) I reported
previously (see here) on at
least three Israeli companies that have developed ink for miniaturized electric
circuits. Here is another – Israel’s PV
Nano Cell has just received a Japanese patent for its silver nano particles
ink, which should enhance its Japanese business.
The first certified fully-automatic drone. (TY Atid-EDI)
The Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI), has granted Israel’s Airobotics
the world’s first authorization to fly fully-automated commercial drones
without a pilot. The system uses
computer software and artificial intelligence instead of a human drone
operator.
http://www.airobotics.co.il/press-releases/airobotics-granted-worlds-first-approval-fly-fully-automated-commercial-drones-without-pilot/ https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y6fjPRwPr3c?rel=0
The boot is on the other foot. I reported recently (25 Jun)
about Israel’s Invertex which scans your feet to help you choose the right size
of shoe on the Internet. Now another
Israeli startup WizeSize does something very similar. Let me know if you can
tell the difference. https://www.youtube.com/embed/v1HftsBWWJ8?rel=0
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
$3.1 billion exports to US in 3 months. Israel Export Institute reported
that Israeli exports to the U.S. amounted to $3.1 billion in the first quarter
of 2017 - an increase of 5% over the same period in 2016. Medical equipment
exports rose 23% to $650 million.
UK-Israel trade increases. (TY Hazel) The British
Embassy in Tel Aviv has reported that since the Brexit vote, from June 2016 to
May 2017, 32 new Israeli companies have entered the UK market, investing £152
million and creating 888 new jobs. http://www.bicom.org.uk/news/uk-israel-trade-increased-brexit-vote/
Top Israeli entrepreneurs give advice. Israeli organization AlmaLinks promotes Birthright-like ties
between the Jewish business community in the US and Israel. It brought 200 Diaspora
business executives to hear from Israelis who have led their companies to become
“Unicorns” - i.e. having valuations of a billion dollars or more.
Lower water rates. (TY Atid-EDI) The Israel
Water Authority Council has reduced the rate for the first 3.5 cubic meters of
water per person for household consumers by 14.5%. The cost to farmers has been cut by 20%.
Help for small and medium businesses. (TY Janglo)
Israel’s Ministry of Economy and Industry has set up Maof - The Agency for
Small and Mid-Sized Enterprises. Maof has 40 branches, providing subsidized
consulting, help to raise funds, organizing conferences, courses, training and
special projects.
The largest exit of an
Israeli healthcare company. I reported previously (four times) on Israel’s
Neuroderm and its innovative treatments for Parkinson’s sufferers. Neuroderm has just been bought by Japan’s
Mitsubishi Tanabe for $1.1 billion – a record for an Israeli life-science
company. It should bring products to market faster.
A $2.6 billion company. Israel’s Tower
Semiconductors, which specializes in analog chips, has seen its share price
double over the past year. It is now
valued at NIS 9.5 billion ($2.6 billion). First quarter profit rose nearly 60%
to $45.5 million. The demand for analog
chips has soared, even in the digital world.
Elbit’s cyber unit opens in Singapore. Cyberbit, a subsidiary of Israel’s Elbit Systems, is opening new
offices in Singapore which it sees as an important center for cybersecurity
technologies in the Asia Pacific region.
Elbit acquired Cyberbit from Israel’s Nice Sysems in 2015 and it already
has offices in the US and Europe.
Acquisition to
help educate coders. I reported previously (three times) on Israeli
cyber-security startup Checkmarx which is preparing a NASDAQ listing. Checkmarx has just taken over the UK’s
Codebashing, whose software trains programmers to write secure code, by use of
Codebashing’s interactive game-like app.
Jaguar goes into Israeli car-tech. (TY Zvi) Through its
InMotion Ventures, Tata Motors (owner of Jaguar Land Rover) has invested in the
$40 million VC fund of Israel’s Maniv Mobility. This invests in autonomous
driving, connected cars and vehicle data and already has investments in Israeli
startups Otonomo and Cognata.
Cheaper shoes. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s
Finance Ministry has canceled the 12% customs duty imposed on shoes. Its aim is
to reduce the gap in prices between Israel and abroad without hurting domestic
industries.
Tel Aviv to Rome by Ryanair. Ryanair, Europe's largest low-cost carrier, is to launch a daily
Tel Aviv-Rome route from October 29 with fares starting from €17 in each direction.
Ryanair CEO David O’Brien praised Israel’s transport and tourism ministers for
opening the skies and for promoting Israel as a tourist destination.
New Intel factory. (TY JNI
Media) Intel Israel has announced that it will open a new microprocessor
manufacturing plant in Kiryat Gat that will employ 1,500 workers. Production at
the new plant is expected to begin by 2018.
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/intel-to-open-new-chip-plant-in-israel-and-create-1500-jobs/2017/07/22/
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Israeli actress is the most popular. Gal Gadot, the Israeli star of the film “Wonder Woman,” rose to No.
1 on The Hollywood Reporter’s Top Actors list, which is a ranking of the most
popular actors on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Google Plus.
Record-breaking yoga
event. On
International Yoga Day, Tel Aviv organized the world’s largest yoga mat art
installation. Israel’s Amit Trainin, of
the Bezalel art institute, designed the 1,400-square-meter yoga mat painting,
which was assembled using 1500 yoga mats in Rabin Square, for use by hundreds
of Israelis.
Save on summer attractions. (TY Janglo)
If you're looking for a fun day out in Israel this summer, you can save BIG
with discount vouchers and savings, thanks to Janglo, Kosherfrugal.com and
Groupon deals. Indoor, outdoor activities and kosher restaurant / take-away
deals.
Jerusalem Beer Festival. (TY Janglo)
The Jerusalem Beer Festival is the largest and most unique festival of its kind
in Israel. At Independence Park from 6pm to midnight on Aug 23 & 24, you
will find 120 different beer types, from well-established brands to local
boutique breweries. It also features DJs & musicians.
The magic of The Pixies. Having just experienced
Britney, Guns N’ Roses and Radiohead, Israelis were excited to see post-Punk
legend The Pixies return to Israel for two concerts in Caesarea on July 25
& 26. In the first, the Boston quartet performed for 2 hours and included
30 songs.
Israel’s National Trail. The Israel National Trail is
one of the most beautiful trails in the world. It’s also a way to see places that
regular tourists don’t sees. One day
you’re by the water; next day, the woods and next day, the desert.
Feeding half-a-billion migrating birds. (TY WIN)
Watch this 360-degree video of a tractor driver in Israel’s Hula Valley, spreading
food to birds migrating between Europe and Africa to keep them from destroying
local agriculture. https://www.youtube.com/embed/RVy5IyOxAuI?rel=0
Soccer chances. I don’t want you to get too
excited, but there are currently still three Israeli soccer teams competing in the
finals of European Cup qualifying rounds. Bnei Yehuda have a difficult tie, but
Maccabi Tel Aviv and Beersheba both have good chances of reaching the group
stages.
Silver in the hoops. Israel’s Under-20 basketball
team reached the European final in Greece.
Although underdogs, they beat France 74-52 in the semi-final, losing to
their Greek hosts 65-56 in the final.
THE JEWISH STATE
After
70 years, Exodus passengers meet Israeli President. At
his Jerusalem residence, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin met 12 of the 4,554
Holocaust refugees who traveled on the Exodus, seven decades after the ship’s
iconic voyage to the Land of Israel. All were deported in 1947 but many
returned to the new State.
From the swamp to oasis. I recently visited the
kibbutz (Sde Eliyahu) featured in this excellent video which charts the history
of Israeli agriculture from its malaria-infested beginnings to its current
model for alleviating world hunger. The kibbutz develops ecologically-friendly
methods to eradicate pests for global benefit.
Soon – no need to
convert your driving license. (TY Janglo)
Israel’s Transportation Ministry has announced that Olim and returning
residents with valid driving licenses for five years will now be able to get
Israeli licenses immediately. Currently, all drivers must have lessons and do a
practical test to get an Israeli license.
The prayer for
Israeli security forces. (TY Janglo)
The words “Israel Police officers” have been added to the traditional prayer for
the Israel’s Defense Forces, which is recited in synagogues around the world.
Make Aliyah easier –
download the app.
(TY Janglo)
Aliyah is a series of steps that leads to complete integration: papers,
diploma, language, work, going to Ikea, etc. Now MyAliyah - a new iOS app - helps
you follow the stages of relocation and absorption and receive your benefits, to
ensure a successful Aliyah.
More Aliyah from Venezuela. Jews are fleeing the rapidly
deteriorating conditions in Venezuela.
26 (from seven families) recently opted to use their eligibility for
citizenship in Israel. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews
organized and paid for their flights and subsidized each family member.
1st Temple artifacts found in Jerusalem. Israeli archaeologists
excavating the Jerusalem’s City of David recently exposed evidence of the
destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians. The excavations on
the eastern slope of the City of David, revealed charred wood, grape seeds,
pottery and rare artifacts.
