History of Israel Good News - April to June 2012


Israel Good News Archive – 1st April to 24th June 2012
120624

In the 24th June edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·        Israeli men live longer than men in almost any other country.
·        Exclusive story – read how Israel Technion students are able to study and have babies.
·        The Israeli cabinet has approved a proposal to build artificial islands.
·        Record-breaking numbers of PhD graduates from Israeli Universities.
·        An Israeli company is helping India to develop drought-resistant rice.
·        The son of the founder of the Hamas terrorist organisation urges Arabs to support Israel.
·        Some excellent youtube videos this week.

·        Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary:

Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Sequencing the human genome in 2 minutes.  That’s the target of scientists at the Israeli Technion’s Lokey Lifescience centre in Haifa.  It will allow doctors to prescribe drugs tailored to the individual’s DNA, rather than generic to the condition.  Watch this video and marvel at this and other amazing Israeli medical research.

The future of brain science.  At the President’s Conference in Jerusalem, scientists presented Israel’s innovative research and devices including a neuro-stimulator implanted in the brain for treating Parkinson’s and schizophrenia.

Israeli men have world’s 3rd longest life expectancy.  At 79.6 years, only men in Switzerland (79.9) and Iceland (79.7) live longer than Israeli men.  According to Ha’aretz, the reasons are money and diet.  With 25% of Israelis living below the poverty line and all the fried food, I doubt it!  Medical science seems likelier.

The world’s largest, most advanced underground hospital.  I was torn as to whether to include this news story because it is sad that the hospital had to be built.  However, it shows that Israel’s priority is to life.

Israelis discover reason for Devergie’s disease.  After 10 years research, researchers at Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center have identified the genetic mutations that cause the severe skin disease pytiriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) also known as Devergie’s disease.  It affects approximately one in every 5000 people.

Healing brain injury using cannabinoid compounds.  The medicinal benefits of cannabis are still controversial, however award-winning Hebrew University researcher Dr. Lital Magid has designed and synthesized compounds of the drug that reduce brain inflammation and promote healing.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Technion babies – Israel’s scientists of the future.  Israeli students are unique.  They go from high school into the army; then many get married, go to university, have children and get degrees.  Weird sequence?  This article by writer and childbirth expert Wendy Blumfield explains how it works.  And it works very well.

Free dental care for children up to 12.  The Israeli cabinet has approved extending free dental care for children (previously up to 10 years old) to the age of twelve. It includes examinations, x-rays, removing plaque, fluoride treatments, fillings, first aid, reconstructions, root canal, extractions, crowns, and other treatments.

Training to save lives together.  The IDF holds drills each year with the US Armed Forces to practice how to extract injured victims from a collapsed building, to clear paths through debris and to navigate in the chaos that is left by a natural disaster.

US Jews use Israeli hi-tech to save African lives.  Jewish Heart for Africa has used Israeli solar and agricultural technologies to assist rural villages in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Malawi and Uganda.  The technology serves 250,000 people and JHfA is shortly to complete its 57th project.

Israeli education program for Ghana.  (Thanks to Stuart Palmer)  The 1st Early Childhood Education training course took place in May in Accra. The MASHAV (Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation) program focuses on using proven Israeli knowledge and experience to train qualified teachers in Ghana with skill sets that focus on studying through play.

Africans speak up for Israel.  The inaugural Africa's Voices in Israel mission has arrived in Israel and features a delegation of Bank Governors from Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Zambia, Ghana and Swaziland.  The tour will include Save A Child's Heart, where 40 percent of the patients are young children from Africa.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Israel does more with less.  Over 2000 people viewed PM Netanyahu’s speech prior to the Rio+20 Environmental Summit (featured here last week and on my JPost blog).  Please also watch Gilad Erdan - Israel’s Environment Minister – who was elected Vice Chairman of the conference.

Israel to build artificial islands.  Tiny Israel is well known for its outside-the-box thinking, but the cabinet’s approval for new islands is truly ambitious.  Plans include a new airport, a seaport, a desalination plant, a power plant and a military testing base that would normally have required valuable coastal land.

Scientists use the media to change society.  Technion President Prof. Peretz Lavie credits the media for bringing about Israeli scientific improvements such as teaching science in Hebrew, Israeli Summer Time and “silent” radio to provide an emergency channel to alert the public if necessary during wartime.

The Israeli projects to make fuel from CO2.  Ben Gurion University Professors Moti Herskowitz and Miron Landau have just been awarded a grant to further their groundbreaking research in liquid fuels.  Weizmann and Technion scientists and Israeli start-up NewCO2Fuels are also working to achieve a similar result.

How the octopus makes itself invisible.  A new paper, co-authored by Ph.D. student Noam Josef and Dr. Nadav Shashar of Ben Gurion University's Department of Life Sciences, suggests that octopi focus on a limited selection of nearby objects in order to determine their disguise.  The youtube video is remarkable.

Israeli IT education is unique.  Ruth Boneh, formerly of Intel, is Director of Technion's new Computer Engineering Centre. She describes this one-of-a-kind centre where students can study academic and practical computing in one place.  It leads to some amazing developments.

Israeli “hackers” honoured for helping Twitter.  Four Israelis were included in Twitter's "2012 White Hat Hackers" list, honouring users who helped prevent hackers taking over user accounts.  The four discovered a security "hole" in Twitter itself, provided solutions and even helped Twitter through the repair process.

Record-breaking Ph.D. graduates.  366 new doctorate students received their Ph.D.’s from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.  They also received a pep talk from honorary doctorate Rick Hansen who has been paralysed since the age of fifteen.  “New goals and new dreams will be unfolding.  Anything is possible.”

Israel leads the world in water technology.  Here is a Newsletter first – a link to a radio program - Walter’s World on Israel National Radio, hosted by Walter Bingham.  In 2015 when you turn on your water taps in Israel, 75% of all water will come from desalination plants. Today, already 80% of water used in agriculture is recycled wastewater.

Israel’s first start-up – The Technion.  One of the greatest innovations in history, that helped conceive and shape a nation.  The Technion’s first seventeen graduates in 1922 included Israel’s first female architect.  By 1971 there were 10,000 Technion graduates and today more than 70,000.  25% have founded a start-up.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Israel’s teenage entrepreneurs.  Mickey Haslavsky (18) of Holon is already on his 2nd start-up.  Tal Hoffman (15) of Haifa, founder of Itimdi, says the “Start-up Nation” has encouraged young business developers.  Gal Harth (15) of Herzliya set-up Doweet to get his friends off their games consoles and into the real world.

Janet had Imaginenation.  Following her Aliya from Australia, Janet Sernack founded the Israeli start-up ImagineNation, based in Zichron Yaakov.  The aim of the company is to coach innovation skills.  In a nation of innovators, that idea definitely displays imagination.

Israel to clean up Russia’s water.  14 Israeli water companies attended Ecwatech Russia, the largest water technology event in Eastern Europe. They included Amiad and Aqwise and attracted much interest for their wastewater treatment systems.

And produce better rice for India.  Israel’s Evogene Ltd has signed a cooperation agreement with India's Rasi Seeds Ltd. to develop drought resistance rice with better crop yields.  Rice is highly dependent on rain, and droughts can cause widespread hunger.  India is the world's leading rice producer.

India’s Infosys signs pact with Israel.  Bangalore based IT company Infosys has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Office of the Chief Scientist of Israel to drive industrial research and development.  This will help industrial cooperation in cloud, information security, sensors, analytics, and sustainability.

Leviathan gas production tests successful.  Work at the site of Israel’s largest natural gas deposit is back on track.  Meanwhile there is more gas and oil at Israel’s other sites than previously estimated.

It could have been mine!  An all-electric Better Place Renault Fluence ZE has been spotted and photographed in South Netanya.  And then I saw it parked just 200 meters down the road from where I live.  Having promised that my first Israeli car will be all-electric, I admit that I could not justify the expense.  But I can still dream….


ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

The holy city bathed in light.  The 2012 Jerusalem festival of light featured some mesmerising displays.  Jaffa Gate, Damascus Gate, Earth Harp, the Davidson Centre and Zedekiah’s cave illuminated Israel’s capital city.

Jerusalem of Gold.  Jerusalem’s Bible Lands Museum is marking its 20th anniversary with an exhibition of ancient gold never before seen in public.  Many of the items are well over 2600 years old and include artefacts from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Rome, Greece, Etruscan Italy and Persia.


THE JEWISH STATE

Rare rhino born in Ramat Gan Safari.  Ramat Gan Safari announced Friday the rare birth of a white rhino calf. The birth, following an 18-month pregnancy has important implications for the endangered species.  White Rhinos are notoriously difficult to breed in captivity and this is the 2nd successful birth for Tendra, the mother.

2000-year-old Israeli jewellery unearthed.  Israeli archaeologists have discovered 140 Roman gold and silver coins, earrings, rings and sticks of silver that probably were hidden by a wealthy woman around the time of the Bar Kochba revolts.  The find was uncovered near Kiryat Gat.

Happy 3025th birthday King David.  He looked a lot younger, however, as he celebrated with residents and visitors in the streets of Tel Aviv.

Israel’s top supporter – the son of Hamas’ founder.  Mosab Yousef spoke to thousands of Druze soldiers during Druze Soldier Day in Tiberias.  "It is time that the neighbours will learn from Israel what the value and holiness of life is.”  Yousef has prevented dozens of terrorist attacks and helped Israel capture his father.

Israel’s President wins US Presidential Medal of Freedom.  You can watch the whole event here.
and the transcript of President Peres’ speech – which differed slightly from the actual speech he made.

Tomorrow.  The theme of this year’s Israeli Presidential Conference was “Tomorrow”.  Its sessions were designed to look forward to a better future within the fields of Science, Medicine, Social Issues, The Economy, The Environment, Politics, Religion and even Art.


120617

In the 17th June 2012 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·        Medical robots from an Israeli company have performed brain surgery on humans.
·        Israel’s delegation to the Rio+20 summit has the answer to the world’s environment problems.
·        The Israeli inventor of micro-irrigation has won the World Food Prize.
·        An Israeli company has developed a process to generate energy from Aluminium (Aluminum)
·        Natural gas has started flowing from one of Israel’s new gas fields – just in time for summer.
·        Israel Opera staged Bizet’s Carmen at the magnificent Dead Sea fortress of Masada.

·        Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary -

Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Israeli robots perform live brain surgery.  Mazor Robotics announced that three procedures for obtaining brain tissue biopsies were successfully carried out using the company's robotic system. The procedures were carried out on live patients. The surgeons said that the procedures were a complete success.
Here are Mazor’s systems; SpineAssist for working on the spine and Renaissance for inside the cranium.

The bones of a major breakthrough.  (Thanks to Michael A.)  Israeli biotech Bonus BioGroup has produced human bones using fat tissue stem cells. The patient’s body will more easily accept these regenerated bones because they will be formed from the same patient’s tissue. Over 2 million bone grafts are performed annually.

Lower melanoma rates for Israeli women.  Incidents of skin cancer amongst Israeli women and subsequent mortality rates have decreased by 30 percent since 1992 thanks to increased awareness and use of sun protection.  Globally, however, melanoma rates continue to rise.

Haifa doctor removes objects from babies’ lungs.  In the same week, Doctor Arye Goldin examined two babies and found food items trapped in their lungs. Using a broncoscope only 4mm in diameter Rambam hospital doctors gently inserted a tiny pair of tweezers to pull the items out.

Teva’s Copaxone prevents MS relapses.  Phase III clinical trials using 40mg Copaxone three times a week on 1400 Multiple Sclerosis patients in 155 sites worldwide, resulted in a 34.4% reduction in relapse rates. 


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Free education for another 250,000 kids.  A quarter of a million Israeli 3-4 year-olds will benefit from the free education law in the coming year.  The three-year plan has been implemented two years ahead of schedule.  The cabinet also discussed Israeli Book Week and Hebrew literature, integration of minorities and natural gas.

New vacation village for sick children.  Legendary actor Chaim Topol was one of several celebrities who inaugurated the 60-acre campus overlooking the Yavne’el valley in the Galilee.  The village will provide respite for children with serious or life threatening illnesses and was the dream of Hollywood legend Paul Newman.

Haifa Uni celebrates Israel’s Mosaic.  Haifa University’s 40th Meeting of the Board of Governors enjoyed a festive and exciting opening ceremony to celebrate “The Israeli Mosaic“.  Nine honorary doctorates were conferred on people who have contributed to humanity and have made the world a better place.
And here is a positive article highlighting that these Israeli honorary degrees actually mean something.

Kenyan doctor trains in Israel.  Peter Magabe’s first job after leaving school was as a tea-picker in Kenya.  Now Dr. Magabe returns to his homeland from Israel, trained as one of the two interventional radiologists in East Africa, an area of 1.8 million square kilometers with a combined population of more than 130 million.

Israel is Wiki’d.  The keynote speaker at the 4th annual Israel Wikipedia Academy conference at the Herzliya IDC was Jay Walsh, Head of Communications at the Wikimedia Foundation.  He said that the Israeli Wikipedia community is a great model for success to look at. We have a lot to learn from what’s going on here.”

Israel can solve the world’s environment problems.   Israel has sent a 66-member delegation Rio de Janeiro for the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.  Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan said, “Our main goal is to present Israel’s solution to the world crisis. We want to focus on giving them our knowledge”.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

World prize to Israel’s inventor of micro-irrigation.  Daniel Hillel has won this year’s $250,000 World Food Prize during a ceremony in Washington. Hillel is credited for the development of drip irrigation methods that conserve water while allowing food to be grown in some of the world’s driest climates.

Israel is top of the global hi-tech table.  Senior Goldman Sachs strategist Abby Joseph Cohen gave a lecture at Israel’s Technion entitled "Economic Growth and Innovation".  She praised Israel’s high-value products and co-operation between Israel and the US, especially with the Technion Cornell University venture in New York.

Apple runs Israel’s Waze traffic report software.  Apple Inc has again adopted Israeli technology, this time deploying Israeli traffic report navigation app Waze Ltd. as a source for its iOS6 Maps operating system.

Intel selects adaptors from Mellanox.  Israel’s Mellanox Technologies announced that Intel Corporation has selected the company’s 56 Gbps InfiniBand solution to optimize Intel's I/O Expansion Modules and half-width server boards for high performance applications.

Power from Aluminium.  (Thanks to NoCamels) Israeli company Alchemy Research offers a new method to power electric cars by using energy stored in aluminum grains.  They have developed a process that produces clean energy from a reaction between aluminum and water.  It also can make very efficient electric batteries.

You walk, and your phone talks.  (Thanks to NoCamels) Israeli developers at Microsoft have produced an application called “on{X}” that can detect what is happening and perform automatic actions that you have pre-programmed.  Drive or walk somewhere and your Android phone can text someone or suggest something.

Israeli firm wins solar-thermal prize.  Israeli company TIGI Ltd. was one of three winners in the solar-thermal category at this week's Intersolar Europe Exhibition.  TIGI won thanks to its "Honycomb Collector," a new type of solar-thermal technology that uses a transparent insulation mechanism that significantly increases the efficiency of the collector with minimal heat loss, making it suitable for places like northern Europe.

Negev berry uses mice to propagate.  Scientists at Israel’s Technion have discovered a desert plant that uses a “mustard bomb” toxin to induce mice to spit out its seeds and help the plant germinate. Taily weed, is the first known single species using “directed deterrence” to have itself eaten by an animal that will spread its seeds.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

New natural gas starts flowing.  The Yam Tethys' Mari B satellite field, Pinnacles, is due to produce 150 million cubic feet of gas a day.  The development timetable was brought forward and will save Israel NIS 650 million of energy costs in this summer alone.

Tel Aviv is 5th most popular city.  Tel Aviv ranks as the fifth most visited city in the Middle East and Africa according to the annual MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index. The report analyzes visitor traffic and travel spending in 132 cities around the world.

Haifa to build life-sciences park.  The 85,000 square meters industrial park will cost NIS 500 million and contain five buildings that will host biotech companies.

Israel sells hummus to Mexico.  Israel’s Strauss Group and Pepsico have announced that their joint venture “Sabra Dipping Company” will launch Obela - a range of healthy refrigerated dips and spreads brand in Mexico.

More broadband to Uruguay.  Israel’s Alvarion has won a follow-on order with Uruguayan carrier Dedicado Telecomunicaciones SA to provide wireless broadband services to its corporate customers in the country's capital and business center, Montevideo.

India to use Israeli garbage-to-fuel technology.  Bangalore has decided to turn its landfills into alternative power units using Israel’s refuse-derived fuel (RDF) technology.  The city needs to overcome its growing garbage disposal problem from the 3,000 tonnes of rubbish it generates every day.

Israel is really going Dutch.  The Netherlands is Israel’s 2nd largest European trading partners and trying to get even bigger.  Over 60 Dutch business officials have come to Israel with Maxime Verhagen, the Dutch Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation.

Another Boeing contract for Elbit.  Israel’s Elbit Systems unit Cyclone will supply $80 million worth of structural components to Boeing over the next seven years.


ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Carmen at Masada.  50,000 people attended the Israeli Opera’s production of Bizet’s Carmen at the ancient desert fortress of Masada by the Dead Sea.  The high notes were sung at the lowest point on Earth and when Carmen died on stage, the whole mountain was floodlit in a chilling blood red.  Next year – Puccini’s Turandot.

First ever Israeli film festival in London.  London hosts “Seret”, the UK’s first-ever Israeli film festival celebrating the contribution that Israeli film and television has made and the diversity of its projects. The festival is the brainchild of Odelia Haroush, a former manager of the Ahava cosmetics store in London.

Israeli singer Rita is big in Iran. Rita Jahanforuz, 50 years old, is Israel's most famous female singer—and suddenly she's big in Iran. Iranian-born and fluent in Persian, Rita’s album went gold in Israel in just three weeks, despite being sung entirely in Persian. It also propelled Rita onto the music scene in Iran.


THE JEWISH STATE

Deceased donates 7 major organs.  Over 2000 people came to the funeral of 46-year-old chef Gil Karo.  His legacy has saved the lives of five patients who received his heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and pancreas.  His corneas will restore the vision of two further patients.

From prisoner in Sudan to policeman in Israel.  Asher Ayesa, a former Prisoner of Zion in Sudan is about to become an Israeli police officer.  Ayesa's journey to Israel began when he was two years old and was carried on his mother's shoulders from his native Ethiopia.  On reaching Sudan, he was imprisoned until seven years old.


120610

In the 10th June 2012 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·        An Israel company has developed a system that destroys breast cancer tumours using extreme cold.
·        An Israeli-developed bone marrow drug has been found to be effective in treating lung cancer.
·        Four Israeli women have been named in the list of the top 100 most influential European women.
·        The OECD is consulting the Israeli National Water Carrier to help solve the global water crisis.
·        Israel has made another massive oil and gas discovery.
·        Israel’s Arava “desert” is truly blooming and now produces 60 per cent of Israel’s vegetable exports.
·        The Jewish State publishes one new book every 80 minutes.  Read all about the People of the Book.

·        Click here for last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary “Israel has true vision”

Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Removing tumours without surgery.  Israel’s IceCure Ltd.has announced the first use of IceSense3, its cryoablation procedure for the removal of breast cancer tumours.  Having previously been used to remove benign tumours, this is the world’s first extreme cold system to remove cancerous tumours.

Effective against cancer.  A study has found that the drug Treanda, from Israel’s Teva, worked better than standard therapy, to slow the growth of immune system tumors, and had fewer side effects.

Rewriting DNA to understand what it ays.  A new Weizmann Institute study advances our understanding of the genetic code. It proposes a way of effectively introducing numerous carefully planned DNA segments into genomes of living cells and of testing the effects of these changes.

Israeli success in lung cancer treatment.  Researchers at Hadassah University Hospital have identified that protein receptor blocker BKT140 kills cancer cells and reduces tumour growth by about 50 percent.  BKT140 was developed by Biokine Therapeutics of Rehovot, originally to increase bone marrow cell production.

Hope to the handicapped.  Read Israel’s greatest medical breakthroughs – Rewalk’s exoskeleton, BrainGate’s robotic arm, artificial fingers, artificial pancreas for diabetic children and sound that gives sight to the blind.

BioMed 2012 Conference highlights Israel's excellence.  The ILSI-Biomed 2012 Conference in Tel Aviv displayed the achievements of the Israeli biotech industry.  It also highlighted Israel’s drive to tailor medical devices to the individual patient whilst making them easier for the expert physician to operate.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Israel increasing imports from PA territories.  Original article was in the Media Line, but nice to see it here.

Free seminar for PA in Netanya.  The Israeli Ministry of Agriculture provided three days of lectures, free of charge, for officials of the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Agriculture at the Seasons Hotel in Netanya. The seminar focused on various agricultural technologies and methods of plant protection to improve output.

4 top Israeli women.  Four Israelis made the list of the 100 most influential women in high tech in Europe drawn up by Girls in Tech London Group, the UK branch of Silicon Valley-based Girls in Tech.  Selections were made on the basis of leadership and excellence in innovation and technology.

Mandatory access for handicapped.  New Israeli government legislation has been approved that requires tour companies and car rental firms to provide services and facilities for handicapped people.  Tour companies must have accessible buses and rental firms must provide vehicles that can transport disabled passengers.

Ethiopians come to learn from MDA.  The head of the situation room at Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry Getachew Teshoma and his deputy Yeganaw Mengist Belay visited Magen David Adom at MDA’s Tel Aviv headquarters to learn from Israel’s first aid, ambulance and blood supply organization.

From Buddhist to Christian to Jew.  Moshe Hattori served as a Protestant minister in Japan’s fourth-largest city – much to the annoyance of his Buddhist parents.  However his journey to Judaism and becoming a Jerusalem kollel student is an even greater eye-opener.

Israel to help stave off world water calamity.  Israel’s national water company Mekorot is working with the OECD to disseminate Israeli know-how and technologies to third world countries as part of an effort to deal with the global water crisis.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Galaxy S3 – with Israel inside.  Samsung’s latest smartphone uses security software from Israel’s Discretix.  It is also reported to use the innovative wireless recharging system developed by Israel’s Powermat.

Decoding the tomato.  Professor Dani Zamir of Jerusalem’s Hebrew University was a key member of an International team of scientists that has decoded the 35,000 genes that comprise the genome of the tomato.  The project began in 2003 and benefits will include improving the nutrition, taste and yield of this important plant.

A new cheaper fuel.  Haifa’s Dor Chemicals is manufacturing a fuel called M15 – which is 85-percent benzene and 15% methanol – to be used in an upcoming six-month pilot program.  This will determine if a methanol mixture can provide a more environmentally friendly, less expensive fuel with no changes to cars or the pumps.

Bringing clean water to the world. (thanks to Israel21c) Great article about the water filtration systems developed by Kibbutz Amiad, where my cousin works.  Amiad’s filtration and treatment technologies bring clean water to industries, households and farms in 70 countries.

A true “Friend” of the Technion.  Cambridge Professor Sir Richard Friend talks about his research and relationship with Israel’s Technion.

100 Israeli companies developing alternative energy solutions.  Head of national economic council Professor Eugene Kandel revealed to Israeli ministers that more than 100 alternative energies start-up companies are active in Israel today, in addition to 100 university-based research groups.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

New giant oil & gas discovery.  Israel Opportunity Energy Resources reported that the Pelagic licenses have an estimated 6.7 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas.  The five deep-water Pelagic licenses - Aditya, Ishai, Lela, Yahav, and Yoad - cover two million dunam (500,000 acres) 170 km west of Haifa.

Success of Jerusalem’s Startup Weekend.  150 budding entrepreneurs participated in the first Jerusalem competition to select hi-tech business ideas.  Among the 13 final selections were several from the Arab and ultra-orthodox religious communities, plus from the Palestinian Authority.

Israel’s vegetable paradise – the desert. 60 per cent of all Israel’s agricultural exports are now grown in the Arava – originally the desert region from Eilat to the Dead Sea.  Israel has truly made the desert bloom.  600 farms now produce 150,000 tons of peppers per year, plus tomatoes, dates, melons, mangos, and even fish.

Israel can be Hong Kong squared.  Professor Charles Murray – author of “The Bell Curve” – spoke at the Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies conference on the free market.

Israel is top country for R&D investment.  Also 2nd for most investment in education.  And Israel ranked 19th of the world's 59 leading economies in terms of competitiveness, according to the 2012 World Competitiveness Yearbook of the International Institute of Management Development.


ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Checked in his final attempt.  Israel’s chess grandmaster Boris Gelfand was just one game short of beating the world champion Viswanathan Anand at the Chess World Championship in Moscow.   The Indian won 2.5 to 1.5 in the 4 tie-break “blitz” games after a thrilling final in which the matches were tied 6-6.

The magic of Israel.  Last month, the city of Holon was transformed into a magical place thanks to it being the venue of the International Magicians Convention.

June events in Israel.  (thanks to Janglo).  A broad spectrum of entertainment is available to visitors to the Jewish State this month.  From Carmen at Masada to sixties band The Doors, to heavy metal band Sceptic Flesh.  But don’t miss White Night Tel Aviv on 28th June.


THE JEWISH STATE

I’m really happy about this.  Moving up from 8th place, the world’s sixth happiest people in the world are – the Israelis!  It’s published in the Wall Street Journal.

Hero of Silence.  British Jew David Littman, who passed away recently, had been a Mossad agent, human rights activist and a historian.  His biggest achievement was rescuing 530 Moroccan Jewish children and bringing them to Israel in 1961. In 2009 Israeli President Shimon Peres presented him with the “Hero of Silence” citation.

“Israel is a beacon of true freedom”.  Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee certainly didn’t hold back on the accolades for the Jewish State at the 8th annual Jerusalem Banquet of the Eagles' Wings organization in Manhattan.  "Every time we win a friend for Israel, we win a friend for democracy, freedom and justice."

Israeli teenager is top volunteer.  Ben Havardi is the youngest winner ever to receive the “President's Award for the Volunteer” given to those who have contributed to Israeli society in an extraordinary way.  He works with special needs children, distributes food to the needy, visits nursing homes and much more.

A new book every 80 minutes. A new book, CD or magazine is published every 80 minutes by the “People of the Book” in the Jewish State, amounting to about 20 titles per day, according to data released by the National Library ahead of Israel Book Week. 6,302 books were published last year, 240 CDs were released and 334 new newspapers and magazines were founded.


120603

In the 3rd June edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·        Israel’s bone marrow donor registry has just celebrated its 1000th transplant.
·        Israel provides insulin for diabetics in Samoa.
·        Technion scientists have made a ten-fold improvement in the magnification of microscopes.
·        Israelis won four sporting International gold medals.
·        An Israeli attorney is winning the fight against terrorism in the law courts.
·        Archaeological proof that Bethlehem was a Jewish city 800 years BCE.

·        Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary - click here for

Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

The 1000th stem cell donor.  Israeli charity Ezer Mizion runs the world's largest Jewish Bone Marrow Donor Registry.  The registry just marked its 1,000th transplant. The stem cell donor, 24-year-old Liraz, joined the Registry in 2004. She was thrilled when she was called to donate her stem cells to save the life of a patient.

Hope for cure to inherited mental retardation.  In the Benvenisty laboratory at the Hebrew University, scientists have identified a chemical compound that restored normal gene expression to mutated neuronal cells of patients with Fragile X syndrome – i.e. severe mental retardation.

US approves Israeli endoscope.  The US Food and Drugs Administration has approved a special device for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).  The SRS endoscope already had Europe’s CE Mark certification and can now be used on patients with GERD – at least 5% of the world’s population.

Clue to Hepatitus B in Korean mummy.  A joint Israeli-South Korean scientific team has been able to analyse the evolution and spread of the Hepatitus B virus from studying a recently discovered 16th Century mummified Korean child.  Hebrew University researchers compared ancient and modern DNA sequences.

Surgeons use Israel’s Kinect. The BBC did an excellent feature about UK trials of Microsoft’s Kinect gaming device being used for touch-less surgery.  Pity they didn’t mention (surprise, surprise) that it is Israeli technology.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinect (see under “History”).


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Top Arab judge receives honour.  The University of Haifa is conferring an honorary doctorate upon Israel’s Supreme Court Justice Salim Joubran for his many years of distinguished service to the legal profession and for his efforts to improve Jewish-Arab relations and create a more just and equitable society in Israel.

Insulin for Samoa.  The Israeli Government, in partnership with the Australian charity Insulin for Life, has donated much needed diabetes supplies to the Minister of Health of Samoa at a special ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of Samoa’s independence.  Israel supports similar projects in the Pacific and Central Asia.

Israel can teach China “to ask questions”.  Jiang Xueqin is a deputy principal at Peking University High School and the director of its International Division.  He and twenty of his students travelled to “arguably the world’s most dynamic economy” for six days to study what makes Israel “a start-up nation.”  A great article.

Iranian flies Israel flag outside Manchester home.  After having been subjected to torture in the Islamic Republic, Ali Ramezan fled his home country and settled in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, where he now supports the State of Israel and is attempting to file charges against the Iranian regime.

Empire State Building in blue and white.  Between 1st June and 3rd June New York's landmark building, the Empire State Building, are to be lit in the colours of the Israeli flag in honour of Israel's 64th anniversary.  And on 3rd June Manhattan's Fifth Avenue will see the largest ever Israel Parade of 35,000 marchers and 29 floats.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Technion improves microscope resolution 10-fold.  Israel’s Technion patented a breakthrough technique that improves tenfold the performance of any type of sophisticated microscope and imaging system.  It brings about the ability to view dynamically changing molecules smaller than the wavelength of light.

Israel’s electric car – in China.  Guangzhou, located in China’s Pearl River Delta, isn’t the kind of setting in which one would expect to find a demonstration centre for Israel’s Better Place electric vehicle.  But it is ideally positioned - just across the road from the largest auto mall in southern China.

Jerusalem – capital of Jewish innovation.  There are more Jewish social innovators in Israel’s capital city than in any other city in the world.

Intel opens computational intelligence centre in Israel.  "It was only natural that when we started to think about where we'd might locate a new research institute that we'd want to look at Israel," said Justin Rattner, Intel's Chief Technology Officer.  The Israel Technion and Hebrew University will collaborate on the project.

Israeli teens win international prizes.  Israeli religious high school students won third place out of 1,500 candidates – in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh. Nerya Stroh and Gal Oren, designed AquaStop - a user-friendly computerized device that detects and stops water leaks in buildings.

Still photos from video.  Israel-based Macadamia Apps, have developed StillShot that analyses videos taken on an iPhone and extracts each frame as an individual photo.

Israeli storage is Flash.  Big article in ComputerWorld magazine publicising Israel as the land where the USB flash drive was invented and where innovative companies such as Anobit and XtremIO are drawing American companies to their shores in droves to get a piece of the intellectual property pie.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Israelis can speed through US customs.  Frequent Israeli visitors to the US will soon have an easier time entering the country.  Israel will be admitted into the Global Entry program so that business travellers, diplomats, and those with family in both countries can utilize a streamlined, computerized customs procedure.

Barclays tips 4 Israeli companies.  “Israeli technology stocks appear well positioned for 2012,” Barclays Capital analysts Joseph Wolf and David Kaplan wrote in its Global Technology Outlook. It recommends Mellanox Technologies Ltd., Nice Systems Ltd., EZchip Technologies Ltd. and Ceva Inc.


ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

John Cleese in Israeli film.  British comic actor John Cleese has signed on to a film by Israeli director Reshef Levi.  Cleese will play a disgraced, eccentric British lord in the heist comedy Hunting Elephants, in which three Israeli senior citizens help a 12-year-old boy hatch a plan to rob a bank in order to save his family home.

Hollywood stars rave about Israel.  Here are some photos of the eight US actors touring Israel with America’s Voices in Israel (AVI).  On their last day, they had a martial arts class at the Inbal Hotel Jerusalem.

CSI investigates Israel.  Jonathan Frederick Togo and Omar Benson Miller (stars of CSI: Miami) and Carmine Giovinazzo and AJ Buckley (stars of CSI: NY) will visit Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea, Masada and the Galilee among other sites. It is the first time any of the actors have visited the Jewish State.

She’s here.  Superstar Madonna has arrived in Israel to start her 2012 world tour with a concert in Tel Aviv.

Four Israeli gold medallists.  Following Israel’s success at the Euro swimming championships, Israelis also won gold in windsurfing (Shahar Zubari), judoka (Alice Schlesinger) and archery (Guy Matzk).  Gymnast Alex Shatilov won bronze at the European championships in France.


THE JEWISH STATE


Bible Lands are our Birthright.  The Bible Lands Museum has launched a new Jewish Heritage Tour for Birthright-Taglit that shows the Bible as Israel’s true birthright.  The Museum is gearing up for 1,200 Birthright visitors from North America, and the tour is part of the Museum’s Birthright Israel Education Fair.

 “This is your country.” Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed the thousands of young Jews who came to Israel as part of the Masa Israel project.

And Jerusalem is our heart.  The Prime Minister’s Jerusalem Day  speech on Ammunition Hill.

The law is on our side.  One of the recipients of the 2012 Moskowitz Prize for Zionism is Attorney Darshan-Leitner, who fights for the interests of victims of terrorism in Israel, filing lawsuits against major terrorist organizations, such as Hamas and Hizbullah, while upholding the victims’ dignity.

Peres receives first fruits.  Children from the Megilot-Dead Sea Region brought President Shimon Peres some of the first fruits of harvest, in place of the ancient temple offerings at the time of the festival of Shavuot.

Tel Aviv has come a long way.  Another feature on the “White City”, this time by Steve Rubin.

Bethlehem was Jewish 800 years BCE.  Archaeologists in Jerusalem have discovered a 1.5cm clay seal with the name of Bethlehem in ancient Hebrew.  It is the first time the name Bethlehem appears outside the Bible.

3000-year old treasure unearthed.  Archaeologists from Tel Aviv University have found jewellery from the eighth millennium BCE at Tel Megiddo, near Afula.  The jewels include over 1000 beads of gold, silver and carnelian. Nine gold earrings include one shaped as a basket bearing a bird.


120527

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


Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

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.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

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.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

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.

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.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

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.


ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

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.


THE JEWISH STATE

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.


120520

In the 20th May edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·        A new Israeli discovery addresses the cause of Parkinson’s disease, rather than the symptoms.
·        A Haifa doctor extracted a toothbrush from a woman’s stomach, without need for an operation.
·        Israel is to build an agricultural village in South Sudan that will become a model for the country.
·        Israel’s innovations on show at AgriTech 2012 in Tel Aviv have attracted the world’s attention.
·        Israeli university researchers have developed a sensor that can detect toxic chemicals instantly.
·        Another record month for Israeli tourism and British Airways’ 80th anniversary of the Israel route.
·        The new Beit David museum in Tel Aviv celebrates King David’s birthday.

·        Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summaries


Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Halting Parkinson’s in its tracks.  Tel Aviv University researchers have developed a peptide, which protects dopamine-producing neurons in sufferers of Parkinson’s disease. The peptide can be delivered easily by daily injections or absorbed into the skin through an adhesive patch.

The genetic systemic cause of autism.  There is no single gene responsible for autism, however Hebrew University scientists had discovered several genetic mutations, all located in specific functional groups.  This could pave the way for large-scale genetic scans that allow for early diagnosis and targeted medication.

Israeli medical breakthroughs offer hope to autoimmune patients.  A team of Israeli scientists from the Weizmann Institute managed to “trick” the immune systems of mice into targeting an enzyme known as MMP-9, which triggers autoimmune diseases and spreads cancer.

New dental implant is the “root” to treatment.  Israel’s Sialo Technology has received Europe’s CE mark for its unique Dynamic Implant Valve Approach or DIVA.  It is the first solution ever to allow the dentist to perform complex surgical procedures, such as a closed sinus elevation, via the implant in a minimal invasive manner simultaneously with the implant insertion.

New MRI scanners put to the test.  The new MRI unit at Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek hospital offers a level of advanced medical imaging not available in any other hospital in Israel.  A soldier, seriously injured in the tragic collapse the Mount Herzl stage, underwent surgery expertly dictated by images produced in the MRI Unit.

Sometimes, it gets personal.  Oded Stern, 36, has a rare and incurable disease − Late Onset Tay-Sachs.  Oded’s father runs the Endocrinology Institute at Ichilov’s Sourasky Medical Center and has been overseeing a unique research effort aimed at finding a drug to halt the disease’s progression and save his son’s life.

By the skin of her teeth.  This is a “must read”.  Dr. Uri Segol, at the Carmel Medical Center in Haifa, removed a toothbrush from the stomach of a 24-year old woman after she accidentally swallowed it.  Following a CT scan, Dr Segol used a diagnostic endoscope to inch the toothbrush up the woman’s esophagus, into her throat and out of her mouth, to a standing ovation from hospital staff.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Arab-Israeli swimmer to represent Israel in Europe.  Arab-Israeli swimmer Jowan Qupty will represent Israel at 100m breaststroke at the European Swimming Championship in Hungary in June.

Israeli police rescue dogs smuggled to Jericho.  Judea and Samaria Police officers backed by IDF, and Border Guard forces, raided an Arab gang's hideout in a search for stolen Israeli dogs.  Despite Palestinian Arabs pelting police with stones and Molotov cocktails, the dogs were eventually reunited with their relieved owners.

Now we’re cooking.  A unique cooking workshop for the blind and the visually impaired took place this week, for the first time in Israel.  The workshop was organized by the Lions volunteer organization and was held in the “Cooking Experience” centre.

The technological power of women.  "TechCamp Tel Aviv", held at Kfar Maccabiah, brought Jewish-Israeli and Arab-Israeli civil society organizations together under the theme of women's empowerment with the focus on education and entrepreneurship.

Everyone in the race for breast cancer cure.  The parks and streets of Jerusalem were full of Jews and Arabs united in one cause – raising money and awareness for the treatment of breast cancer.  The second Komen Race for the Cure was led by Jerusalem’s Mayor Barkat, US Ambassador Dan Shapiro and Senator Joe Lieberman and their wives, of course.

Europe Day at the Hebrew U.  The Hebrew University in Jerusalem hosted 12 European Ambassadors on 8th May to mark Europe Day, an annual celebration of peace and unity in Europe.

Israel to build agricultural village in South Sudan.  Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon met with South Sudan’s Minister of Agriculture, Betty Ogwaro at Agritech 2012 in Tel Aviv. Together they decided to promote the establishment of an agricultural village in South Sudan which will be constructed based on Israeli methods and technologies and will serve as a model for other villages in the future.

ORT helps disabled in Montenegro.  USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance has given the maximum grant from its global fund for disabled people to the Persons with Disabilities Initiative in Montenegro, implemented by World ORT’s International Cooperation division.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Rain from a cloudless sky.  One of the many Israeli innovations featuring at Agritech 2012 in Tel Aviv includes a solar-powered drone that can fly for six months without landing and extract water from the atmosphere to irrigate crops.
And 2000 Indian farmers, including 600 from Gujarat flew in to attend the event.

Sustainable plastics for farming.  Delegates from over 54 countries observed Israel’s innovative use of plastics in irrigation systems, greenhouses, netting and other systems, at the 2012 International Committee for Plastics in Agriculture Conference: Plasticulture for a Green Planet, held alongside Agritech 2012 in Tel Aviv.

Hi-tech Israeli agriculture on show in Holland.  60,000 people visited the Israeli pavilions at the Floriade agriculture expo in the Netherlands.  At Israel’s high-tech lounge, visitors created imaginary fruits or vegetables For each new fruit, Israel pledged to donate 100 seeds to be sown in hunger-stricken countries.

Increasing yields and staying fresh.  Yissum – the research and development company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem – is spinning off the discovery of four HU professors.  Their cyclopropene derivative both increases wheat crop yields and extends shelf life of harvested crops and flowers.

Heliofocus Solar Technology Dish Unveiled in Israel.  In the heat of the Negev sun, Ness Ziona-based firm HelioFocus opened the demonstration phase of its HelioBooster system, a solar-thermal process that aims to back up existing power plants.  The system is jointly funded by Chinese and Israeli entrepreneurs.

The largest online foreign exchange platform.  Two Israeli brothers developed eToro, which provides users with a social investing platform for easy trading of forex, commodities, and stock indices. eToro has 2.5 million users in 80 countries (including Arab countries).  See the video clip for its latest innovative facility.

Israeli technology defends the free world.  Boeing has purchased Elbit’s Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) for the US Navy and Air Force, plus Finland, Australia, Belgium, Canada and Switzerland.

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.

The cutting edge of science, with Jewish values. US Ambassador Daniel Shapiro visited Bar Ilan University and was impressed how its scientists were breaking into new areas of knowledge whilst holding the utmost respect for the wonders of creation.

I know that face.  (thanks to NoCamels) If you have trouble remembering names, now your smartphone can tell you.  Face.com has just released KLIK 1.0 for the iPhone. 

Dip chip test for toxicity.  Scientists from Tel Aviv and Hebrew Universities have developed a sensor that can detect toxic chemicals.  When exposed to a substance, microbes in the chip produce a biochemical reaction, which is then converted into an electronic signal that can be interpreted by a device as “toxic” or “not toxic.”


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Israeli economy grows faster than expected.  Israel’s GDP grew by 3% on an annualized basis in the first quarter of 2012, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported today. The growth rate was above the 2.5% growth predicted in Bloomberg’s poll of analysts.  Exports for the first quarter of 2012 rose 14%.

Demand for hi-tech engineers up 15%.  “The recession everyone feared would come happily has not arrived to Israel's high-tech industry," said Ethnosia Human Resources Ltd’s CEO Eyal Solomon. "Instead of falling demand, we're seeing the opposite. Foreign investors want to increase their investments in Israeli companies."

Another record month for tourism.  Some 354,000 visitors arrived in Israel in April, 19 percent more than in April 2011 and 12 percent more than in April 2010, during Israel's record year for tourism.  Over one million visitors arrived in Israel between January and April of this year, 4 percent more than the previous record.

Sweden loves Israeli hi-tech.  Erel Margalit is helping Sweden develop its start-up industry.  A crowd of some 400 Swedish entrepreneurs, managers and venture capitalists gathered to hear Israel’s leading venture capitalist speak at the 10th anniversary of entrepreneurial incubator STING, one of the biggest in Sweden.

EMC buys the store.  US technology giant EMC has confirmed the purchase of its sixth Israeli company.  It paid $430million for Israeli flash memory storage systems company XtremIO. 

British Airways Celebrates 80 Years of Flying to Israel.  In pre-State 1932, British Airways (known then as Imperial Airlines) operated seaplanes to the Kinneret (Galilee). Now it flies Boeings twice a day to Tel Aviv.


ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Morrissey returns to Israel.  Morrissey will give a concert at Tel Aviv’s Bitan 1 club on July 21st 2012.  He last performed in 2008.  Morrissey was the lead singer of 1980′s group, The Smiths and has since had a successful 25-year solo career.

U.S. TV stars see Israel.  Israel is hosting several United States television stars as part of an initiative to show the world the real Israel.  They include Omar Epps (House); Mekhi Phifer (formerly on ER); Holly Robinson Peete (21 Jump Street); Anna Lynne McCord (Nip/Tuck) and Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds).


THE JEWISH STATE

Disabled Uruguayan Jews fulfill dream with Israel visit.  Twenty-nine disabled Uruguayan Jews arrived in Israel for the first time in their lives.  The visit was organized by the Israel Experience organization, and made ​​possible by Avital Sharansky, after she visited Uruguay's Jewish community a few months ago.

Beit David celebrates King David.  The new Beit David Museum in Tel Aviv – dedicated to the House of David – is honouring the holiday of Shavuot, which also marks King David’s 3,025th birthday.  The museum has 1st and 2nd Temple exhibits, plus ancient slingshot stones like the one with which David killed Goliath.

Fortifying the Iron Dome.  The Young Israel Movement has dedicated a new Torah scroll to the IDF’s Iron Dome anti-missile unit.  Together with $1billion investment voted by the US House of Representatives, the Iron Dome system could soon improve on its 90% success rate in shooting down rockets from Gaza terrorists.

Return of the Exiles.  Michael Freund, Chairman of Shavei Israel writes about the latest Government decision to bring remaining members of the Bnei Menashe tribe from India to Israel.  The “lost” tribe of Menashe was exiled by the Assyrians 2700 years ago.

Bumper crop of cherries.  The cherry crop is so huge that farmers had to take the rare step of thinning the fruit before it ripened in order to allow each cherry to grow and to avoid overweight tree limbs crashing to the ground.  As it says in this week’s Torah portion – “ The land will give its fruit and you will eat your fill”.


120513

In the 13th May edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·        Remarkable recovery of 7-year-old Romanian girl who received a revolutionary Israeli transplant.
·        The Israeli government and Bezeq telecom have set-up a call centre run by Arab women.
·        The “bionic” Israeli ReWalk suit has helped a paraplegic to walk the London Marathon.
·        An Israeli company has received a top United Nations award – in Cairo.
·        Israel’s Ram and Erlich have won the Serbian Open tennis tournament – their 15th career title.
·        Israeli archaeologists have discovered Jewish artefacts dating back 3000 years.
·        250 members of the “lost” tribe of Bnei Manashe are making Aliya from India to Israel.

·        Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summaries


Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Israeli stem cells save Romanian girl.  Two months after a second bone marrow transplant failed, surgeons at Hadassah hospital gave PLX stem cells from Israel’s Pluristem to a 7-year old Romanian girl.  After 10 days, blood levels improved and nine months later she is to be discharged from hospital and will return with her mother to Romania. This is a major breakthrough.

Diabetes treatment – more good results.  After one year of Phase III trials, Type 1 diabetes patients receiving Diapep 277 from Israel’s Andromeda Biotech, had significantly improved pancreatic performance.  In the expanded trials, 450 patients were involved, from 120 medical centres across the world.

42 countries to attend ILSI BioMed expo.  (thanks to Israel21c) Thousands of top Israeli and international business executives, decision makers, and leading researchers, will participate in Tel Aviv’s annual expo that is known for highlighting the bio-medical industry’s latest innovations and technologies.

The gene that blocks the intestines.  (thanks to Israel21c) A research team from Ben-Gurion University has discovered genetic mutations that lead to intestinal blockages in newborns from two Bedouin tribes in Israel.  To date, the team has discovered the genetic mutations leading to more than 20 diseases in human beings.

Immune response to melanoma.  Israeli oncology treatment developer cCam Medical Ltd has developed CM-10, an immune-modulating antibody, whose anticancer effect has been demonstrated in multiple pre-clinical tests. cCam has just raised $3million to fund further trials.

Come to Israel for treatment.  As medical costs continue to rise in the United States, both those seeking treatment and the companies that insure them are feverishly looking for ways to cut costs. One of those ways is to “export” treatment — to send patients abroad to countries where treatment is cheaper. Among those destinations is Israel, with some 30,000 patients coming here annually to take advantage of treatments.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Save the Earth – in any language.  Israel’s Environmental Protection Agency recently launched a free online game and iphone application called Thinking Green, aimed at promoting eco-conscious consumerism.  It is available in English, Hebrew, Arabic and Russian.

Israeli call centre run by Arab women.  Israel's Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor, together with telecom company Bezeq, have launched a new call centre inside a local mosque. Now, dozens of women from one Bedouin town are earning a competitive salary without breaking societal norms.

Hear O Israel.  This Israeli video from the Together Project, features deaf and hearing-impaired people of different races and religions dancing and signing in unison to Me’ir Banai’s “Shafshaf’s song”.

World Bank excited about Israeli clean-tech.  Senior Investment Officer at the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation, Ruzgar Barisik said, “Israel is a very exciting place for us: market interest in a growing number of Israeli technologies makes this a very promising area we want to be part of.”  http://blog.cleantechies.com/2012/05/07/world-bank-excited-about-israels-cleantech-companies/


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Claire and ReWalk complete the London Marathon.  Paralysed Claire Lomas finally crossed the finish line of the London Marathon after 16 days.  Her Israeli exoskeleton didn’t let her down.  Please tell everyone where it was made, as the British TV channel ITV somehow “forgot” to mention it.
(A few will have seen it, though, on this fast-moving youtube video.

Digital printing – a whole new industry.  Two Israeli companies are revolutionising printing technologies, as highlighted at the drupa print media fair in Dusseldorf.  Landa has developed super-efficient, high quality nanometric ink. And Objet’s 3D polymer sprays can produce products direct from your printer.

“Intel, Broadcom & Cisco are all Israeli companies”  “because all of their innovation comes from Israel.”  George Gilder (technology guru and author of “The Israel Test”) revealed this truth at the ChipEx2012 industry show in Tel Aviv.

Free calls on your smartphone.  Israel’s Viber Media has launched Blackberry and Windows Phone 7 versions to join its iPhone and Android mobile platforms for free HD-quality phone calls, text and photo messages.

Israeli students win robotics competition.  A team from the Savionim middle school in Yahud-Monosson has won first place in the First Lego League International Robotics Competition, held in Orlando Florida.  The Israelis developed a sophisticated robot that gave an optimal solution to food quality problems.

10 Google apps developed in Israel.  Forbes magazine has published the results of a visit by one of its reporters to Google’s offices in Tel Aviv.  They include Person Finder (following a disaster) and emails via SMS for countries without broadband.

UN recognises Israel’s JoyTunes.  JoyTunes, which develops applications for fun music learning, received the United Nations’ “World Summit Award 2011” in a special ceremony held in Cairo, Egypt.  JoyTunes was selected from 460 projects and 105 countries that were submitted by regional experts.

“Israel is the model for the world”.  So said Dr. E. Williams Colglazier, science and technology adviser to the US secretary of state at Israel Chief Scientist’s Annual Conference for Research and Development, held at Airport City.  “Governmental investment in scientific education is the key to facilitating innovation.”


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

No slowdown here.  The Bank of Israel has just issued its survey of Israeli companies for the first 3 months of 2012.  It shows that business sector activity expanded in the first quarter of 2012, reversing the slowdown trend reflected in the survey in the second half of last year.  Industrial output increased and confidence is high.

On the Russian track.  Israel’s Orbit Technologies Ltd has won a NIS 5.6 million order from the Russian Federal Space Agency to supply low-earth orbit remote sensing satellite tracking and communications systems for ground stations to cover the Russian Federation.

Flying to the Finnish.  Israel’s Aeronautics Ltd has just won a $30million order to supply hundreds of mini Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAVs) to the Finnish army.

Tel Aviv – one of the best places for success.  According to a study by Silicon Valley’s Startup Genome Project, Tel Aviv ranks 5th in the world’s top “start-up success ecosystems.” behind Silicon Valley, New York, London, and Toronto, but ahead of Los Angeles, Singapore, Sao Paulo, Bangalore, Seattle, Paris and Chicago.

Wifi tags are worth their weight in gold.  We’re just waiting for the name of the company that has offered to buy Israel’s AeroScout for $240 million.  AeroScout is the developer of WiFi-based RFID tags used for the tracking and monitoring of valuable enterprise assets.


ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Get ready for the Israel Festival.  The 51st Israel Festival (May 23 to June 14) in Jerusalem features 31 different events in dance, theatre, jazz, classical, Israeli and world music. Twelve countries, including Japan, the Czech Republic and China are sending some of their best acts to the event.

Fresh Paint Tel Aviv.  The annual Fresh Paint Tel Aviv Art Fair hosts 30,000 visitors each year and presents works by leading contemporary galleries and independent artists, making it one of Israel’s largest and most influential contemporary art events.

And all that (Israeli) Jazz.  Ooo – another rare, positive article about Israel in the New York Times.

'Seoulful' rhythms in Jerusalem.  In the 50th year of diplomatic relations between Israel and South Korea, Jerusalem audiences will soon be treated to a unique Korean cultural and musical experience in the comedic stage show NANTA.   Kitchen items are turned into percussion instruments to prepare for a wedding banquet.

Supermodel or Super-spy?  Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli will play a sly seductress in a new movie called “Kidon” about the 2010 assassination of a Hamas terrorist in Dubai.  Rafaeli told reporters, “I would love to be in the Mossad and maybe I am. Who knows? I think that being a famous model is the best cover.”

Contrast these two videos.  I know some of you love the Israeli youtube film clips I post.  The first was produced by a non-Israeli company to advertise a film channel.  The second is an Israeli response.  Enjoy!

Israelis win the Serbia Open.  Andy Ram and Yoni Erlich won their 15th career title together and their first in 2012 with a 4-6, 6-2, 10-6 win over Martin Emmrich and Andreas Siljestrom in the final of the Serbia Open tennis tournament in Belgrade on Sunday.


THE JEWISH STATE

Israelis are well-connected.  “Israel in the Digital Age” is the most comprehensive survey ever of how engaged Israelis are with social media. It portrays a nation that takes full advantage of all the Internet has to offer.  Nearly one third of the ultra-Orthodox population is online.  Also, Arabs blog more than Jews.

Three Ethiopian schools to close.  Is this good news, you ask?  Yes – because Israel is steadily integrating its Ethiopian community into regular State education.  Just an example of the ways a news story can be treated.

Pre 1st Temple discoveries.  Archaeologists from The Hebrew University have found 3000-year-old artefacts that shed light on the design of the First Temple in Jerusalem.  The models utilize important architectural designs written in the Torah that describe how the Temple should be built.

A gem of an Israeli.  Renowned jeweller Henri Padani has passed away aged 92. He fled Antwerp with nothing when World War II began. Post WW2, he came to pre-State Tel Aviv working as a fruit picker and a barman.  His pre-war jewellery design skills slowly allowed him to build a flourishing business and a home.

His last haircut.  Celebrity hairstylist Vidal Sassoon, who was committed to fighting anti-Semitism and fought in Israel's War of Independence, has died age 84.  Sassoon passed away on the eve of the Jewish minor festival of Lag B’Omer – the day when traditionally Jewish boys have their first haircut.

Israel, against all odds.  This article reminds ourselves of what a miracle it is to have a Jewish country.

Why Jerusalem must always be united.  “I know not one good example in the world of a city that was split and ever worked.” Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said, during his recent trip to Washington. “There’s no other way than to keep Jerusalem a united city. The costs of dividing the city of Jerusalem along political lines are too great.”

Aliya of ‘lost tribe’ resumes.  250 members of the Bnei Menashe community of Northern India will start new lives in the Jewish State this summer.  The Bnei Menashe trace their roots to the Biblical Jewish tribe of Menashe who were taken into captivity from the Land of Israel by the Assyrians more than 2,700 years ago.


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In the 6th May 2012 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·        Surgeons successfully performed Israel’s first totally artificial heart transplant.
·        A new Israeli-developed medicine to treat Gaucher’s disease has been approved.
·        The United Nations awarded their top prize to an Israeli advertising campaign.
·        Israeli energy converters were selected to power a geothermal plant in the USA.
·        News of three new life-changing Israeli technology products.
·        Watch the winner of a pre-Para-Olympics rowing competition sing the Israeli National Anthem.
·        More 1st Temple archaeological remains have been discovered in Jerusalem.

·        Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary


Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

First Israeli artificial heart transplant.  Doctors at the Rabin Medical Center - Beilinson Campus in Petah Tikva transplanted a totally artificial heart into a 63-year-old man suffering from severe cardiac insufficiency and organ failure.  Israeli surgeons normally use artificial hearts as a bridge to a patient’s existing heart, however in this case the patient’s own heart would have been unable to survive the operation.

MS patients benefit from Israeli drug switch.  Multiple Sclerosis patients who switched to Teva’s Copaxone from interferon-beta treatment showed a significant reduction in spasticity.  In addition, interim results for the first 52 of 110 participants of Teva’s study revealed much reduced muscle stiffness, pain and discomfort.

Israel’s helps asthmatics breathe easier.  (Thanks to Israel21c) On World Asthma Day, here are the top 10 Israeli innovations to help prevent, diagnose, monitor and treat the chronic disease.

Gaucher’s drug approved.  (Thanks to Israel21c and Globes) Elelyso – a new treatment for Gaucher’s disease, from Israel’s Protalix BioTherapeutics, is set to hit pharmacies around the globe, following approval by the American Food and Drug Administration.  The drug has been licensed to Pfizer.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

IDF feeds hungry Syrian soldiers.  Israeli border lookouts report that large groups of armed Syrian soldiers have been seen deserting their Golan bases and prowling for water and food, after their regular supplies were stopped. They don’t ask Israeli soldiers for food, but parcels thrown across the fence vanish in a trice.

India asks Israeli companies to help clean up the River Ganges.  The Indian government has invited leading Israeli water technology companies to take part in efforts to clean India’s most important river. A delegation of Indian research institutes, water technology companies and other relevant agencies will come to Israel to learn about the Israeli water and sewage purification technologies.

Israel can help bring peace to Sri Lanka.  In semi-arid Eastern Sri Lanka, Singhalese, Tamil and Muslim populations struggle over meagre water resources.  The head of Sarvodaya, the largest NGO in Sri Lanka, has come to Israel to learn about Friends of the Earth’s cross-border Good Water Neighbours project and Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Mashav program.

UN prize for Israeli advertisement.  The United Nations has granted Israeli advertising company Baumann Ber Rivnay a gold medal for its campaign, Blood Relations.  The campaign brought bereaved Israelis and Palestinians together for a blood drive.   Blood donated from Israelis went to Palestinian patients and vice versa.

Israel's handicapped miracle.  On the 60th anniversary celebration of the Israeli Foundation for Handicapped Children, please read how Israel gives hope to less fortunate members of society.  Note its work with Down’s syndrome, spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer’s sufferers and the victims of Chernobyl.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Power from the centre of the Earth.  Ormat Technologies – a subsidiary of Israel’s Ormat Industries – has won a $61.2 million deal to provide two air-cooled Ormat Energy Converters for a geothermal power plant project in North America. 
Here is video about Ormat’s green-energy system in Kenya.

Energy for Nigeria from algae.  An Israeli company, Univerve, is to help transform Nigeria into one of the global suppliers of bio-fuel, animal feeds and food supplements, by the massive cultivation of algae in the country.  Also involved is Actiview Solutions of Belgium, which is run by Israelis.

The world’s first Basil tree.   (Thanks to Israel21c) Normally basil has a short shelf life, and the plant rarely lives longer than a year.  However, the Israeli company Hishtil (“seedling” in Hebrew) has grafted two types of basil plants together.  One of the company’s first grafted trees is five years old, and still provides fresh Basil.

Israel can grow bug-resistant cotton.  Israel’s Rosetta Green, which produces special genes that are developed and modified to improve crop production, has signed a deal with international seed manufacturer Bayer CropScience AG to produce seeds to improve cotton yields for farmers.

And Apple wants to grow in Israel.  Apple‘s new development centre in Haifa is looking for hi-tech engineers to expand its operations in Israel.  The recent recruiting follows last month’s Apple’s advertisements for workers for Anobit, the Israeli flash memory start-up that Apple bought out in January.

The Israeli that developed the iPod.  Guy Bar-Nahum’s journey took him from being a Yemenite boy at a Bat Yam yeshiva school, to the IDF’s prestigious Talpiot program; then to Philips, Apple and finally to Samsung.  On the way, he assembled Apple’s team that put “1000 songs in your pocket”.

Another round of science on tap.  The Weizmann Institute ran another session of its popular lectures in Tel Aviv bars.  Topics ranged from alternate realities; the fate of the universe; genetic engineering; and even on how quantum physics works in a glass of beer.

New Nanotechnology Centre.  Thanks to a $3million donation, Ben Gurion University will start building a new atom chip and quantum optics research and development facility.  It will contain advanced nanotechnology equipment, including sophisticated optics and lasers, high level computing capabilities and complex electronics.

Winning the war on super-bugs.  (Thanks to Israel21c) Researchers from Tel Aviv Sourasky (Ichilov) Medical Center and Tel Aviv University have developed a cheap, non-toxic solution, which disrupts the DNA of resistant bacteria and renders them susceptible to antibiotics.

Keep your “i” on the road.  A new Israeli app, iOnRoad, is encouraging hundreds of thousands of drivers to drive more safely and avoid collisions.  It’s advanced algorithms turn the phone into an intelligent road safety system, with warning facilities and links to other iOnRoad users to exchange details of road hazards.

Heads-up. Control your devices just by moving your head.  Israeli app Umoove uses head and eye movement to control the applications and content that can be found on a mobile device.  The uses include gaming, entertainment, helping people with disabilities, homeland security, book reading and so on.

The quake-proof desk.  300 million schoolchildren are exposed to danger every day, in badly built schools, in schools along fault lines and in countries subject to war and terrorism.  In a crisis, children are told to shelter under their desks.  Thanks to Israeli manufacturer A D Miraz, these desks no longer need to be death traps.

Super-absorbent material.  (Thanks to Israel21c) Israel’s Exotech Bio Solutions has developed a unique natural super-absorbent polymer (SAP) with almost unlimited applications.  It has recently partnered with three companies who will build factories to manufacture products that contain the amazing material.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

It’s now “Scale-up Nation”.  The “Start-up Nation” is about to grow up.  So says Jonathan Medved, CEO of Israel’s mobile software platform provider Vringo Inc.  Every one of us is touching Israeli technology in computers, instant messages, cell phones, voice mail, flash memory.

Swiss investor likes Israeli clean-tech.  The Swiss company ABB Technology Ventures has joined the financing round for two Israeli companies.  TaKaDu monitors for leaks in systems run by water companies (including in London).  Pentalum’s technologies make wind energy systems more efficient.

Helping build BC and Israel.  British Columbia Premier Christy Clark announced a delegation to Israel to commercialise medical technology and spur even more innovation in order to “create jobs that put food on dinner tables in both British Columbia and in Israel”.

Triple whammy.  Global medical devices giant Covidien has just announced its third acquisition of an Israeli medical devices company in the last few months.  Polytouch Medical has developed the PatchAssist device for the precise and rapid deployment and placement of mesh during hernia operations.


ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Bono had a great time in Jerusalem.  According to his message in the guest book of Jerusalem’s King David Hotel, Bono likes Israel’s capital city.  And he left a thoughtful poem to share his hopes for future peace.

In a class of her own.  Organizers of a rowing competition for the disabled in Italy forgot to bring the CD with the national anthem, "Hatikvah," to the awards ceremony.  Israel’s Moran Samuel won the competition and then took the microphone and sang the national anthem to great applause.

Running for Israeli lives.  The Star of David was on show during the London Marathon.  Three athletes were running to raise money for Magen David Adom and one even carried the Israel flag.


THE JEWISH STATE

New internship program.  Masa Israel expects over 1,000 college graduates from North America to join a unique program in Israel, providing students with crucial experience — and a closer relationship with Israel.

Miami’s biggest ever federation trip.  A record group of 711 members of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation are in Israel on a 10-day visit.  It is the largest single group from the United States in the last 13 years.  They cross the political spectrum and include 25% who have never visited the Jewish State before.

The rhythm of Israel.  And this new video shows what visitors might see and hear while they are here.

A new pro-Israel Arab party.  The party’s founder, Sarhan Bader said that the tentatively named Israeli-Arab Nationalist Party will serve the majority of Arabs inside Israel who want to live here in peace with their Jewish cousins.  It would even join a coalition government, which no Arab party has ever done.

“The Jews are Israel’s indigenous people.”  So said Ron Evans, chief of the Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba, Canada, who is currently leading a mission of thirty young aboriginal leaders to Israel to study culture and society in the Jewish state.  Evans continued, “Israel's story demonstrates how an ancient people can maintain their heritage while embracing the modern world, and in so doing achieve self-determination.”

Matanyahu seal found near remains of 1st Temple.  Archaeologists digging under Robinson’s arch have discovered a seal inscribed with a name similar to Israel’s current Prime Minister. The semi-precious stone seal was found in a location close to the foundations of King Solomon's Temple.


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In the 29th April edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·        Hadassah doctors saved the life of a pregnant woman from Cyprus.
·        IDF medics saved the life of an Arab baby.
·        Israel’s new Ambassador to New Zealand is a Druze Arab.
·        Israel is the joint developer of the new Intel Ivy Bridge microprocessor.
·        Arik Ze’evi won a gold medal at the European Judo championships.
·        Israel’s Independence Day TV show was spectacular – see the video clip.
·        Read a selection of the many articles about Israel’s achievements on its 64th birthday.

·        Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary.  Click here for “Now we’re sixty-four”

Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Israeli surgeons save pregnant Cypriot woman.  In a 48-hour operation, doctors at Jerusalem’s Hadassah hospital saved the life of a 30-year old woman from Cyprus suffering from an ectopic pregnancy.  Her non-viable foetus was discovered behind a kidney and had already damaged blood vessels, causing major bleeding.

Ukranian wakes from coma in Israeli hospital.  25-year-old yeshiva student, Aharon Alexander Goncharov, had been in a coma after he was beaten up in Kiev on the second night of Passover.  Following surgery, Goncharov defied all odds and regained consciousness two weeks later, in Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Centre (Ichilov Hospital).  "I got my life back only because you all prayed for me," he said to his many well-wishers.

The first international medical devices summit.  Tel Aviv’s MEDinISRAEL June summit will focus on the Asia-Pacific region.  It will feature hospital care equipment, diagnostics, monitoring, rehabilitation solutions and technologies for personalised medicine of the future.

An innovation in caring.  ALEH is Israel’s largest network of residential facilities for children with severe physical and cognitive disabilities.  It provides over 650 children from around Israel with high-level medical and rehabilitative care to help them reach their greatest potentials.  ALEH is celebrating its 30th anniversary.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

IDF Soldiers Save Life of Arab Infant.  A young Arab woman arrived at the Binyamin IDF post with her 12-day-old baby, who was suffering from severe breathing difficulty.  The IDF Home Front Command soldiers treated and stabilized the baby and then called an emergency ambulance to evacuate the infant to a nearby hospital in Ramallah.  Over the past two weeks, paramedics at the post have treated three similar cases.

Arab IDF soldier honoured.  On Israel’s Independence Day, an East Jerusalem Arab received a citation of excellence from President Shimon Peres.  In his community, only his immediate family know that he is a medic in the Israeli army.  Last week two of his brothers also joined the IDF.

Bedouins make Israeli theatrical history.  The performance of Molière’s “The Bourgeois Gentleman” by fifteen Bedouin teenagers was the first time a Bedouin troupe had staged a Western-style play in Israel.  The Hura Community Youth Group created a hilarious portrayal, in the jargon of modern Bedouin Arabic.

How green is my wadi?  Israel’s annual green globe awards event recognized environmental excellence in the governmental, business, and civilian sectors.  And the Arab Alzahraa school northeast of Tel Aviv was among this year’s nine recipients. The school has an ecological garden and solar power station.

10 reasons Arabs should celebrate Israel.  The blogs editor of Israel Hayom has written an excellent article highlighting some of Israel’s contributions to the Arab and Muslim worlds.

Tikvot has rebuilt them.  Tikvot is a non-profit volunteer-based organization that rehabilitates Israel's victims of terror through sport.  Tikvot ("Hopes" in Hebrew) has proved that sport provides our heroes with hope, giving paraplegics and amputees the power to restore self-confidence and dignity.

Israel observes Earth Day.  On the Sunday before Independence Day, residents of 21 Israel cities turned off their lights for one hour to conserve energy.  A concert in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square was powered solely by renewable energy sources.  Israel’s government recently installed energy-efficient computers in all ministries.

Druze ambassador to New Zealand.  Druze Professor for Hebrew Literature Naim Araidi is Israel's new ambassador to New Zealand.  Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said after the appointment, "Araidi represents the beautiful face of Israel, in which a talented person, irrespective of religion or sector – can reach the highest places on merit, and be an inspiration for all Israelis".


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Israeli Desert Yields a Harvest of Energy.  (Thanks to Herb) For once, the New York Times has published a positive article about Israel, so I’ve just got to include it.

Microsoft and the Israel connection.  Microsoft revealed the extent of its adoption of Israeli technology at the tech giant’s Think Next event in Tel Aviv. Visitors got a peek at no fewer than 40 new projects being developed at Microsoft’s labs and development centres in Israel.

“Alice” through the looking glass.  The Innovation Labs (iLabs) team at Microsoft Israel have developed a technology (called “Alice”) that allows for any mirror or reflective surface to become a three-dimensional display.

Going nano for another five years.  Israel’s nano-technology field has over 2000 scientists and students.  Thousands of papers have been published plus 170 “success stories” in the form of start-up companies and approved patents.  The next 5 years will focus on R&D programs that can be applied to industrial applications.

The top 64 innovations.  (Thanks to Israel21c) A clever display of Israel’s technological achievements during its 64 years.  You need to click on the right arrow key when the image appears.

The “TentTech Unconference”.  The first ever “TentTech” Sustainable Technology Camp for ecological innovation took place in Southern Israel’s Negev desert.  80 participants represented the disciplines of science, technology, art and environment to build 15 useful projects for environment-friendly living.
http://bit.ly/tenttechpressphotos (courtesy of Ilan Graicer)

Intel launches new Israeli developed chip.  Intel Corporation has launched its 3G Ivy Bridge processor, which it developed in Israel and the US. The Ivy Bridge is a quad-core processor, designed to offer substantially improved graphics and computer processing speed. The processors is being embedded in all new PCs.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Robots link Israel and India.  The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and National Committee on Robotics and Automation recently organized a mission to Israel with the purpose of strengthening Indo-Israeli collaboration on robotics and automation.

WiFi to 41 million Chinese.  Liaoning Province in northeast China has deployed 2500 base stations from Israel’s Alvarion.  The 41 million residents of the province includes 24 million in rural areas that currently have no telephony or internet connections.  Further sales to China are expected following this latest project.

Israel’s economy gets another ‘A’.  The Fitch credit-rating agency announced Wednesday that it had ratified Israel's credit rating and set it to A with a stable outlook.


ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Water is life.  Water was the theme of the Yom Ha’Atzmaut celebrations at Mount Herzl.  And the subsequent spectacular Israeli TV show transformed popular water-themed songs into a cascading extravaganza of music and dance.

European Judo champion for the 4th time.  Israel's Arik Ze'evi made history by winning his 4th gold at the European Judo championship in the under 100kg category.  At 35, he is also the oldest ever champion.  The Israeli team won another three medals at the European championships, held this year in Russia.  Arik now goes on to compete at the 2012 London Olympics.

Israeli wins air-rifle silver at World Cup.  Israeli sharpshooter Sergey Richter won the silver medal in the 2012 Shooting World Cup held in London.  Richter won 701.1 points and was a mere half a point from winning the gold. The win also represents a personal record for the 23-year-old from Raanana.

Israelis take bronze in para-triathlon.  Adi Deytsch and Oren Blitzblau won bronze medals in the European Championships' competitions, which took place in Eilat.  Deytsch, an above the knee amputee, finished third in the Male Tri-5 event. Blitzblau finished third in the Male Tri-6 event for the blind.


THE JEWISH STATE

The museum of legend.  The Israel Air Force Museum at Hatzerim contains 150 aircraft including famous exhibits. Spitfires made from abandoned British spare parts; a MIG-21 flown by an Iraqi defector; the Boeing 707 used in the Entebbe rescue and the F-16 flown by Ilan Ramon, in the raid on the Iraqi nuclear reactor.

The Kurds of Israel.  Jewish immigrants from Kurdistan established the Moshav of Yardena in the Beit She'an Valley in late 1952.  The history of the community will be told in the new Centre for Kurdistan Cultural Heritage and for the History of Kurdish Agriculture Settlement in Israel.

“Celebrate Israel”.  Los Angeles’ celebration of Israel's 64th Independence Day showcases some of Israel’s leading innovations.  They include Given Imaging’s PillCam, ReWalk’s exoskeleton, Pythagoras Solar and The Arava Institute for renewable energy and energy conservation.

64 reasons to love Israel.  Barbara Sofer writes an annual Yom Ha’Atzmaut article, each one containing fresh and exciting observations and events that celebrate Israel’s existence.  Here is her list for Israel’s 64th birthday.

And here are six more.  This JPost blog describes some of the major categories of achievements that Israel can be proud of.  The author has missed out one, however.  See if you can spot it.  If not, check the comments.

Appreciating the achievements.  Excellent advice from the Jerusalem Post Editor - Stop being negative and emphasise the positive aspects of the Jewish State.

Standing Together to celebrate.  Since 2003, volunteers and donors to Standing Together have provided food to Israel’s soldiers and those civilians who are under threat of attack from Israel’s enemies.  This year Standing Together organised a series of barbecues at army bases to celebrate Independence Day.

See Israel Up Close.  The website www.israelupclose.org contains a library of hundreds of videos that highlight Israel’s contributions to humankind.  Please read this recent introduction to the site and then have a look at some of the films that you haven’t seen already.

Celebrating more than one birth.  We may be celebrating the birth of the Jewish State, but we can also be proud that a record 161,000 babies were born to Israeli citizens in the last 12 months.

“I can remember each of the 64 years.”  Happy Independence Day from Israel’s President Shimon Peres.


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In the 22nd April edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·        An Israeli medication to prevent nausea during cancer treatment has completed final trials.
·        Israelis have discovered the gene that causes a debilitating and sometimes fatal skin disease
·        An Israeli woman has donated her bone marrow to save the life of a Turkish leukaemia patient. 
·        Graduates of Israel’s program for its brightest students include a 15-year old Arab girl.
·        An Israeli agricultural start-up can prevent disease in crops.
·        The International Monetary Fund has successfully stress-tested the Israeli banking system.
·        The new video from Israel21c is a whistle-stop tour through Israel’s top achievements.

·        Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary


Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Nausea drug success.  Israel’s Redhill Biopharma announced success in Phase III trials of RHB-102 – a once-a-day pill for the prevention of nausea in cancer patients.  Redhill now plans to apply to the US Food and Drug Administration for a pre-New Drug Application (NDA) hearing for marketing approval for RHB-102.

Effective treatment for depression.  Brainsway’s Deep TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) device can make a significant improvement to those suffering from severe depression.  In trials on 250 patients, 30.4% of the patients treated with Deep TMS achieved remission, compared with 14.5% of the control group.

Hopes for obesity / diabetes treatment.  Israel’s Prolor Biotech announced positive results in a pre-clinical trial of MOD-6030, its long-acting obesity/Type II diabetes drug.  In the laboratory, the drug reduced blood glucose levels, increased insulin sensitivity, and reduced cholesterol levels compared to a placebo.

EU approves Israeli cranial stents.  Israel’s ITGI Medical has obtained EU CE Mark for its latest stent - the AneuGraftNx.  The new stent is partially covered by living tissue, greatly reducing the risk of blockages.

Israelis discover skin disease gene.  A team of researchers, led by Prof. Eli Sprecher of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, has discovered the genetic basis for the serious and sometimes fatal autoimmune skin disease – pemphigus vulgaris.  The symptoms of the disease are blistering and sores on the skin and mucus membranes.  The team worked together with Egyptian Professor Ibrahim Saleh of the University of Luebeck in Germany.

Israeli professor helps US PTSD research.  Dr. Yair Bar-Haim, of Tel Aviv University is performing his Attention Bias Modification treatment at Creighton and Nebraska Universities in Omaha.  The treatment hopes to help US soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, following service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Immunity research requires the Midas touch.  (Thanks to Israel21c) Tel Aviv University scientists have developed a new method of prompting the immune system to create protective antibodies.  Using nano-particles made of pure gold, the immune system responds when they are coated with different chemical residues.

Scientists search for the Peres gene.  Galilee Genetics Analysis (GGA) Laboratories in the Golan has taken a sample of DNA from the saliva of Israeli President Shimon Peres to try to find out the secret of his longevity and mental clarity.

Let’s collaborate.  A new open-access online medical journal seeks to promote intellectual interactions between scholars in Israel and abroad.  All work on the journal (including editing and peer reviews) is voluntary and unpaid.  It will deal with all aspects of health care and aims to help develop health policy globally.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Tomorrow’s genii.  From an initial 120,000 students, eighteen completed Israel Education Ministry's unique high school project for "super gifted children".  They included Israeli-Arab Arij Hatib, from the town of Majdal Krum.

Israel’s Ethiopian-born champion of higher education. (Thanks to Israel21c)  30-year old Pnina Gaday Agenyahu is the first Ethiopian-born member of Israel's Council for Higher Education. She is also Hillel director at Tel Aviv University.  She arrived in Israel aged three, following her family’s trek across Sudan.

Israeli saves life of Turkish leukaemia patient.  Mehmet Burhan Gül was matched with a bone marrow donor from Israel. “Everybody should learn a lesson from this donation, which was made without any discrimination of religion, language or race,” said Gül (same surname as the Turkish President).

Israel to help fight hunger in Africa.  Israel is to support USAID’s “Feed the Future” initiative in Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Rwanda. MASHAV, Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation will supply the agricultural expertise in agriculture production, research, irrigation and water technologies.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Immunising plants against disease.  (thanks to Herb) An Israeli start-up has a way to make plants genetically resistant to disease. Morflora's Dotan Peleg and Miri Lapidot believe they will change the face of global agriculture. The U.S. government found the technology so promising that it's helping to fund trials.

An olive tree forest in the desert.  Ben Gurion University are developing an olive tree forest at their Wadi Mashash agricultural research farm in the Negev desert.  240 olive trees have already been planted with at least 600 more to follow.  The trees are expected to survive on the normal limited and variable rainfall of the Negev.

Hi-tech dispensing.  The Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera became the first Israeli medical centre to implement an advanced robotic system that automatically dispenses medication to hospital wards.  The system prevents errors in the medication distribution process and saves time for the nursing staff.

Learn Hebrew – there’s an App for you.  Depending on what you want, you can download one of these useful applications for helping you learn the Hebrew language.

Search for the right treatment.  Israel’s First Life Research has launched Treato, an on-line search engine that provides clear, organized medical information on symptoms, medication and other treatments.  It re-interprets the diverse and confusing details contained in billions of Internet postings.

Democracy on-line.  Einat Wilf, chair of the Knesset Subcommittee for Israeli Relations with World Jewish Communities, is using Skype and Webinar video-conferencing services to allow subject experts, invited guests and the public to “virtually” attend her subcommittee meetings via the Internet.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Gas, oil, Uranium and now Gold?  Something amazing is happening under the Land of Israel.  Gulliver Energy has applied to the Mining Supervisor for a gold exploration permit in the Nahal Roded area in the Eilat mountains.

It’s going to be “easy” from Manchester.  EasyJet announced that it will start twice-weekly flights from Manchester to Tel Aviv from November 1st 2012.  The airline also said that it has carried more than 270,000 passengers on flights to and from Israel since inaugurating its Tel Aviv routes in November 2009.

Israel’s banks are sound.  The IMF has performed stress testing on the Israeli banking system and has given it a clean bill of health.  So I can now safely take my cash out from under my mattress.

Energy for South Africa.  14 Israeli energy companies, specializing in renewable energy and energy efficiency, visited South Africa recently. Several pilot projects and distribution agreements resulted.

Tourism is at an all time high.  There has been another rise in numbers of tourists to Israel – 752,000 tourist entries during the first quarter of 2012 – a rise of 2% over the same quarter in 2011.

The first biotech incubator.  Merck Serono, a division of the German giant Merck, is investing at least 10 million euros in a project to grow Israeli biotech companies.  Israeli start-ups can use Merck’s R&D InterLab facilities in Yavneh for research in order to bring new drugs to market.

Israel is “on fire”.  (thanks to Herb) Small start-ups, innovative technology, high risks and fast exits.  This is a highly intelligent analysis (by Matt Marshall) of the hi-tech business world in the Jewish State.  Israel is good, but it can (and will) get even better.

The Innovation Marathon.  From the same author (Matt Marshall), here is his write-up of the 35 Israeli start-ups that presented their products and business plans to prospective investors at the Israel Innovation Marathon event in Tel Aviv.  Several have been featured previously in this newsletter, but most are new to me.

The Agrivest Summit.  In a similar format to the Innovation Marathon, 14-16 Israeli start-ups in agriculture technologies will have six minutes each to present their business ideas to 100-150 investors from around the world.  Israel is recognized as a leading innovator in agriculture technologies.


ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Tel Aviv online.  A new website has been launched to make Tel Aviv more accessible to tourists.

Smile please, I’m Israeli.  Three Israeli students have reached the final ten in Google's Photography Prize competition, beating out more than 20,000 students worldwide who entered the contest. The finalists' work will be displayed at the prestigious Saatchi Gallery in London for a month-long exhibit.

Cruyff joins Maccabi Tel Aviv.  Jordi Cruyff (son of Johan Cruyff) has been appointed sports director of the Maccabi Tel Aviv football team. The former Dutch international and Manchester United midfielder will officially join the Israeli Premier League club at the end of the season.


THE JEWISH STATE

Building a green training base.  Bahadim City is the location of the IDF’s new environmentally friendly training facility.  The base will reclaim the Negev desert, generate hundreds of jobs, utilize solar power and recycle water from the wastewater treatment plant for use in agricultural irrigation.

Celebrating Mimouna.  Here are some articles about the feast that Moroccan Jews traditionally celebrate at the end of the Passover festival.  Mimouna means “luck” in Arabic – possibly in gratitude to Arab neighbours for their help during Passover.  Some regard Mimouna as “the holiday of faith” to strengthen belief that the Messiah may arrive during the next Passover.  In 1966 it became a national holiday.

Israel’s prospects have never been brighter.  In case you missed it, here is a link to the advertisement that FLAME placed in newspapers across the USA.  FLAME stands for Facts & Logic About the Middle East.  We certainly need more publicity like this.

Made in Israel – the video that sums it all up.  (Thanks to Israel21c)  A 3 minute tour through the many innovations that are improving lives across the planet, thanks to Israeli creativity.  Hi-tech, water technology, medical - a myriad of life changing technologies that have all been “Made in Israel”.


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In the 15th April edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·        A Technion professor’s simple blood test can potentially save the lives of diabetics
·        Israel has the lowest mortality figures for patients who have heart attacks.
·        Israel is hosting this year’s Interpol (International Police) conference.
·        Israeli packaging can keep food fresh for weeks without refrigeration
·        A water filtering system from Kibbutz Amiad is being installed in hundreds of ships.
·        150,000 people visited the Haifa flower show in four days.
·        Israelis are the 14th most happy people in the world.

·        Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary


Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

One drop of blood can save your life.  Professor Andrew Levy of the Israel Technion describes the test that can discover which diabetics are also susceptible to heart disease.  He also developed treatment using Vitamin E that has a dramatic effect on survival times for affected individuals.

A 90-year old innovator.  20 years after his retirement, Hebrew University emeritus Professor Nathan Citri developed a novel kit enabling speedy detection of multi-drug and extremely antibiotics-resistant “superbugs”. 
Full details of the kit were reported in my newsletter on 4th March.

Orthodox Jewish women age slower.  Researchers at Hadassah University Hospital have discovered that four genes generate an anti-aging effect on women who conceive naturally after age 45. The findings were the result of a genetic study of ultra-Orthodox Ashkenazi women from Mea She'arim who have at least six children.

Israeli drug can save sight.  Israel’s Can-Fite BioPharma has reported successful pre-clinical trials of CF101 for the treatment of anterior uveitis – the inflammation of the iris. An earlier trial found CF101 effective in treating posterior uveitis – inflammation of the retina.  Uveitis is a common cause of blindness in the USA.

A very smart delivery platform.  Ben Gurion University’s V-Smart drug delivery technology has been licensed to a New York biotechnology company.  Lauren Sciences will develop the technology for treating Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS / Lou Gehrig’s), and brain malignancies.

Lowest mortality from heart attacks in Israel.  2010 figures show that only 2.2% of heart attack victims died soon afterwards.  This compared to 16.2% in the USA.  Lives are saved due to expanded treatment facilities plus the use of catheter angiographies, to determine the need to unblock arteries immediately on admission.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Arab women in workforce double.  In 1970, only 10% of Arab women had jobs in Israel.  Today it is around 20%.  However, whilst the Jewish State has given opportunities to Arab women, cultural difficulties in their families prevent job numbers reaching the levels common in Jewish families.  An interesting Bank of Israel study and highlights the further improvements (and expenditure) that the Israeli government is making.

“Stop bashing the Jews”.  Please read these articles in the Malaysian Insider - by Abdul Haleem Abdul Rahiman and Farish A. Noor.  I cannot comment further, as my last praise for the Malaysian opposition party leader got him into trouble (Search on Google for “Michael Ordman Malaysia”)

The long arm of the Law.  Israel was chosen by top European police officials to host the annual International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) conference in May, marking a historical first for the country. The three-day conference will take place in Tel Aviv and will include 200 representatives from 50 countries.

Ambassadors plant trees in the Negev.  Some 20 foreign diplomats to Israel joined KKL-JNF on Wednesday for a tour of several different Negev research sites.  They were very keen to get hold of some of the drought-resistant seeds being developed by the organisation.

China and Israel – a transformation.  Over the last 12 months, China has changed its official approach to the Jewish State.  The Arab “spring” caught the Chinese government off-guard politically.  Also, the country wants to change industrially from “factory” to “innovator”.  Israel has become important to solving both issues.

Israel’s trade with Philippines bears fruit.  (Thanks to Rodger) Israel is seen as a market for several Filipino processed products as well as bananas, pineapple and mango.  Conversely, Israel is looking to Filipino companies to contribute to its growing international investment in agriculture and other sectors.

Singapore likes Israel’s education system.  A delegation from Singapore were guests of  Kadima Mada – the Israeli branch of World ORT.  They had a demonstration of E-Scape - an innovative learning environment being implemented in three Israeli high schools.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Keep milk fresh for a month – without refrigeration.  Israel’s Oplon has developed packaging can keep food germ-free for weeks without refrigeration or preservatives. An open container of milk will stay fresh for 30 days.  Its coating uses a special set of molecules that creates an electrical charge, zapping bacteria.

“Don’t give money to the Technion – Invest in it.”  That was the message from Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his March 20th visit to Israel’s powerhouse of innovation, creativity and science.  He was deeply impressed and asked to take one of the robot snakes home with him.

The ‘Nobel Prize’ for Computing.  Technion Graduate Prof. Judea Pearl has won the 2011 ACM Turing Award for a “contribution that transformed artificial intelligence”.  He developed the computational basis for processing information under uncertainty – a core problem faced by intelligent systems.

Einstein archives get 21 million hits.  The Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s new, digitized Albert Einstein Archives website is proving massively popular.  It contains a catalogue of more than 80,000 Einstein-related documents, and a visual display of 2,000 documents up to the year 1921, with more to follow.

Nanotech product of the year.  Israel’s CollPlant was awarded the Product of the Year prize at last week’s NanoIsrael 2012 show for its work in developing artificial collagen from tobacco using nanotechnology.  Collagen plays a major role in connective tissue and is used by the body to repair broken bones and joints.

No bugs in our vegetables.  Petah Tikvah-based Meteor’s anti-virus “spider nets” feature a web of tiny micro-fibres that insects cannot penetrate. By keeping the bugs out, the nets are able to prevent the spread of diseases that until recently have caused major financial losses for farmers.  Customers include several Arab countries.

Get Office on your iPad.  Microsoft has chosen Israel’s CloudOn as their supplier of popular applications WORD, Excel and PowerPoint to iPad users.  CloudOn 2.0 can be downloaded at App Stores in the US, Canada and UK.  The Israeli connection is interesting, as Microsoft and Apple don’t normally talk with each other.

A well-rounded idea.  Israel’s RotaryView has been shortlisted to participate in Microsoft’s first-ever incubator program for early-stage start-ups.  RotaryView allows even the smallest businesses to present a 360-degree view of their product, by simply photographing the subject from all angles and uploading.

Israeli school wins robotics competition.  Teams from the World ORT-affiliated Misgav High School in Northern Israel won first and third place at the Fire Fighting Home Robot Contest at Trinity College in Connecticut, USA.  29 teams from China, the USA and other countries took part.

Filtering ships’ ballast.  Amiad Filtration Systems (from my cousin’s Kibbutz) has won a 10 year contract with Calgon Carbon Corporation for cleaning ships' ballast water.  Amiad’s Arkal automatic self-cleaning disc filtration technology also protects the marine environment from invasive species transported by ballast water.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Tourism brings in record revenues.  According to Dun & Bradstreet, 2011 turnover for the top tourist sites was NIS 149 million - about 4.5% more than in 2010.  Massada and Jerusalem’s biblical zoo topped the charts.  The Ramat Gan Safari Park and the Yamit 2000 water park in Holon also had record years.

Another Israeli medical device company is snapped up.  International medical device maker Covidien has bought Jerusalem-based Oridion.  Oridion makes devices designed to measure concentrations of carbon dioxide in patients to help assess how well they are breathing. Last month Covidien bought Israel’s SuperDimension.

Israel’s first billion-dollar Internet company.  Israel’s Conduit Holdings was formally valued at $1.4 billion following JP Morgan’s purchase of a $100 million stake.  Conduit made $200 million profit in 2011 thanks to revenue from its toolbars, used by 250 million users on 200,000 websites.

ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Bono visits Israel.  The U2 lead singer spent Monday evening at the Container restaurant bar in Jaffa port.  U2’s last concert in Israel was in 1997.

150,000 visit Haifa flower show.  The Haifa International Flower Exhibition is the largest ever to be held in Israel.  Nine domes contained thousands of flowers bursting with colour from all over the world, each arrangement boasting a different theme.

Israel beats Portugal in Davis Cup.  Israel beat Portugal 3:0 to advance in the worldwide Davis Cup tennis tournament. The win takes Israel out of Group 1 in the Europe/Africa division and into the World Group playoffs, where it will contend for a spot in the coveted World Group.

We are sailing…  Sailing team Gidi Klinger and Eran Sela won the silver medal in the 470 Class competition at the World Cup in Spain.  They will now challenge for a medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

Yossi is Arsenal’s talisman.  Since Israel’s soccer captain Yossi Benayoun joined UK’s Arsenal team on loan, the London club has climbed to 3rd in the English Premier league and an automatic European qualification spot.  Yossi is one of the most popular members of Arsenal’s squad.


THE JEWISH STATE

Israelis are happy.  In the United Nations World Happiness report, Israel came 14th out of the 150 countries.  The USA was 11th and the United Kingdom was 18th.  Factors include income, health (especially mental), family, friends, job satisfaction, political freedom and the pleasure of living in a trusting community and nation.

But they work hard too.  The latest OECD study shows that Israelis work an average of 2000 hours per year.  That’s 20% longer than the average British worker and 40% longer than a typical German.  Israelis are top of the league for reading books and attending cultural events.

Israel’s Golden Age.  Please read this heart-warming vision of Israel by David Siegel - the Israeli Consul for the South Western United States.

US emigration reversed.  More people made Aliya from the USA in 2011 than left Israel for American shores.  4,070 US-born Jews came to live in Israel during 2011, compared with 3,850 going in the other direction.


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In the 8th April edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·        A device that takes your blood pressure and pulse from a distance.
·        110 boys, who have lost a parent, celebrated their bar mitzvah together at the Western Wall.
·        Latest Israeli innovations include an invisible keyboard and a hands-free rescue device.
·        Israel announced trade expansion plans into China, the UK and Peru.
·        You can now sightsee Jerusalem underground, and explore the Israel Museum via the Internet.
·        A 65-year old Israel is well on the way to a world record for donating blood.

·        Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summaries

Click here for “A Nation Reborn”

Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.

ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Take your blood pressure – from 100 meters away.  Israel’s 2012 Young Nanotechnology Researcher is Professor Ze’ev Zalevsky of Bar-Ilan University.  His invention - the “Opto-Phone” – can read an individual’s medical information (heartbeat, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels) remotely.  A laser beam, an advanced camera and sensitive software, use nano-photonics to detect movement on the surface of the body.

Israeli woman is ‘Europe’s top young researcher'.  Multinational cosmetics firm L’Oreal and UNESCO have named a Weizmann Institute biologist “Europe’s top young researcher.” For her work in researching probiotics to treat disease, Dr. Naama Geva-Zatorsky will receive a two-year $40,000 postdoctoral scholarship.

Teva launches generic schizophrenia drug.  Israel’s Teva Pharmaceuticals is to sell, in the US and UK, Quetiapine Fumarate tablets – the company’s version of AstraZeneca’s Seroquel schizophrenia treatment.

Israel’s stroke treatment drug.  (Thanks to Israel21c) More details about Thrombotech’s THR-18 and how it soon could be making a significant impact on saving the lives of stroke victims.  With personal wishes for a speedy recovery to the father of one our good friends.

FDA recruits Israeli biotech.  The US Food and Drug Administration has recruited Israel’s OptiCul Diagnostics for a special project to detect the presence of bacteria on medical devices.  OptiCul has developed a fast kit for the detection of bacteria without the use of reagents.

Israeli geneticist advises Arabs against inbreeding.  Prof. Ohad Birk, head of Soroka’s genetic institute appeared in Qatar on the Doha Debates TV program that was dedicated to the subject of consanguinity – inbreeding by first cousins that causes genetic disorders in the Arab population.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

110 boys celebrate barmitzvah together in Jerusalem.  The Chabad movement arranged a mass barmitzvah celebration for boys who have lost one or more parents.  After the ceremony at the Western Wall, the boys and their families enjoyed a festive party at the Jerusalem International Convention Centre attended by Israel’s Chief Rabbis and ten government ministers.

Israeli-Arab wins Hebrew song contest.  Haifa born Nissren Kader has won the reality TV song contest “Eyal Golan is Calling You,” a popular television show.  She sang Arabic and Hebrew songs, including a song commemorating fallen IDF soldiers.

Model Seder for Ethiopian Jews.  Prior to Passover, the Jewish Agency and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews sponsored events to help new Ethiopian Jews prepare for their first Seder in the Jewish State.  All participants were encouraged to share their personal stories of Exodus and renewal— to retell the details of their immigration to Israel and their renewed life free of religious persecution.

Israelis connect with Iranians via Facebook.  (thanks to NoCamels) Technology from Tel Aviv-based startup “Rounds has connected 100,000 Israeli with 10,000 Iranians.  It is part of the “Israel Loves Iran” facebook campaign that highlights Israel has nothing against ordinary Iranians – just their mad leaders.

Harvard conference aims to change the conversation.  A group of Harvard students are organizing that university’s first-ever Israel Conference tell the story of Israel’s contributions to the world.  Speakers will include Bank of Israel Governor Prof Stanley Fisher and Start-up Nation co-author Dan Senor.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

The invisible keyboard.  (Thanks to Israel21c) Another revolutionary new Israeli keyboard – this time from SnapKeys.  It’s simple to use, with only two fingers or thumbs and is available on Windows and Android operating systems.

Your phone can have a split personality.  The Jade application from Israel’s Cellrox allows employees to use the same mobile smart-phone for work and personal use.  The app allows the phone’s android operating system to run in separate environments, with a different contact list, different applications and different email accounts.

Israeli technology helps Canadian farmers.  Canadian farmers are turning to Israel’s SAE Afikim, better known as Afimilk, to help them increase the milk production of their cows.  The average US and Canadian cow will produce 10,000 litres per year. In Israel, it’s around 12,000 litres due to better management of the animals.

The recruitment agency app.  QTRecruit can save companies a fortune in recruitment costs and could make recruitment agencies redundant altogether.  Two former IDF solders have developed computer software that searches the Internet, gathering information about relevant candidates for a client’s open positions.

Israel to the rescue.  (Thanks to Israel21c) Israel’s Agilite has produced a hands-free rescue device called the IPC (Injured Personnel Carrier).  The IPC weighs less than 0.5kg and secures an injured person on a rescuer's back. It is a huge improvement on the Fireman’s carry technique and is already popular internationally.

Microsoft is really thinking about Israel.  The Microsoft annual Think Next conference in April at Tel Aviv port will focus on the most creative technology people in Israel.  This "Globes" report profiles eight of the start-ups that will participate in the conference.

A Technion graduate.  This video will give you some appreciation of the high calibre of the graduates from Israel’s Technion.  Professor Beth Murinson says at the end – “As you can see, I’m quite busy”.

Israel’s technological advantage.  Israel’s natural gas is mostly methane and has a wide variety of uses in the chemical and transportation industries.  Also, as a latecomer to the industry, Israel can benefit from the experiences (and mistakes) of other countries.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

China and Israel – “a winning combination”.  Israel's cabinet on Sunday moved to bolster bilateral trade ties with China by voting to support joint industrial research and development projects between the two countries. 

UK & Israeli partnerships.  A joint UK-Israel “tech council” has been set-up to encourage Israeli entrepreneurs to connect with their UK equivalents in order to boost technology exports from both countries to foreign markets.

Israel targets Peru.  The Andean country has announced it will auction concessions for infrastructure projects totalling nearly $10.4 billion, according to Israel's ambassador in Lima, Modi Ephraim.  Israeli entrepreneurs “would be keen to participate in the energy, agriculture, communications, medical equipment sectors. In general, everything related to technology.”  Israel has around $1 billion of projects invested in Peru currently.

Satellite network for Mexico.  Israel’s Gilat Satellite Networks will supply its Sky Edge II VSAT satellite network to Grupo Televisa SAB, Mexico's largest commercial television broadcaster to provide remote access and local content distribution nationwide.

From IDF to entrepreneur.  From army, to start-up.  After five years of service in an elite intelligence unit, Raphael Ouzan went on to found BillGuard - essentially, antivirus for your credit card.  BillGuard’s unique algorithm scans forums, social networks and websites, and analyses transactions for “suspicious” behaviour.

Even easier from the UK.  EasyJet has announced that it will commence a second flight on Mondays and Thursdays between Tel Aviv and Luton starting in November.  Customers can book these flights on-line now.

The hottest cars have arrived.  A Tel Aviv showroom has opened, selling Ferrari and Maserati cars. 

Venture Capital indicators are all green.  Investors are positive about Israel prospects in 2012.

Confidence in Israel’s economy.  This is a very positive article by Yoram Ettinger.  Five year growth of 21% (270% over 20 years); export strength in technology products; world leader in R&D; natural gas discoveries; population increasing with unemployment falling; foreign investment; the list is impressive.


ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

“Breakin’ Free”.  Please watch the Passover “hit” video from the Fountainheads.  It’s clever and the ending is quite emotional (to some of us anyway).

“Acollective” – the indie band that made Aliya.  From London’s Portobello Market, to Tel Aviv.  The video features their performance of “Simon Says” at SXSW.  (Definitely one for the younger newsletter readers.)

The Israeli Opera.  Slightly more traditional musical entertainment – but with fascinatingly varied facets.

Israel’s Voice is chosen.  The singer chosen as the ‘voice of Israel’ turned out to be the new immigrant from Canada, Kathleen Reiter.  “I know that this is an amazing opportunity for me and a great start to what will hopefully be a great life here in Israel,” Reiter said.  The youtube video is of the winning song “Shout to you”.

The world’s first underground tours.  Descending from Jerusalem, these tours offer a unique opportunity to explore the Jewish State from beneath. Travelling in a special vehicle, through specially carved tunnels deep beneath the ground, the tours will whisk visitors around Israel to some of the country’s most famous sites.

Tour the Israel Museum – virtually.  You can now enjoy an on-line visit to the Israel Museum using Google Street.  520 objects have been made available as part of the museum’s partnership with the Google Art Project – an online compilation of high-resolution images of artwork.

Our latest visitor has sixth sense.  Spiderman – alias Tobey Maguire – is coming to Israel both for business and personal reasons.  A family function will coincide with his promotion of the “mobi” smartphone app.

Kiryat Shmona win Israeli league.  Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona won the Israeli soccer championship on Monday for the first time in the small northern city’s history.  The team has caused an upset by breaking the domination of the much larger and more affluent Tel Aviv and Haifa clubs.


THE JEWISH STATE

 “Go South, old man”.  There are job opportunities in Israel for “old hacks” like me.  But I would need to move to Southern Israel.  Some 1,100 jobs were offered to southern Israel residents aged 45 and above, at a special job fair held in Dimona. More than 70 employers took part in the event.

The 2012 Moskowitz prize.  The winners of the 2012 prize for Zionism are are Dr. Yitzchak Glick, Chairman of the Emergency Medical Center in Efrat; Attorney Nitzana Darshan-Leitner, who fights against terrorist "lawfare"; and Tzvika Slonim, a founder of Gush Emunim and of the Ariel University Center.

Environmental Ambassadors.  A new program creating young environmental ambassadors through the Bloomfield Science Museum in Jerusalem is training several hundred third- through sixth-graders to be stewards of Jerusalem’s ecological future.

World record attempt – at giving blood.  Menachem Steinmetz, a 65-year-old man from Rishon Lezion, has given of himself, quite literally, by donating more than 272 units of blood to Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical response service, over the course of 41 years.  The world record is 314 units and Menachem plans to continue donating until he gets to 70 years old.


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In the 1st April edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·        Israeli surgeons removed a 14cm tumour growing next to the heart of an Angolan girl.
·        A 94-year old Israeli was given a successful heart bypass in Rehovot.
·        An Israeli doctor has returned from working in Africa to treat African refugees in Israel.
·        NanoIsrael 2012 displayed Israel’s innovations in the microscopic world of NanoTechnology.
·        The Bank of Israel’s annual report showed that the economy is in good shape.
·        The European “Open skies” agreement promises cheaper flights to and from Israel.
·        An Israeli windsurfer won gold at the World Championships.
·        The Chief Rabbi of South Africa hails the Israel miracle in his terrific Passover video.

·        Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summaries

Click here for “Making a clean start in Israel
Click here for “The full bodied Jewish State

Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

A medical miracle by Save A Child’s Heart.  Israeli doctors at Wolfson Medical Centre were able to save the life of 14-year old Elisa Manuel Antonio from Angola after they took out from her chest a 14 cm tumour that pressed her heart and threatened her life. Only a few similar cases are known in the whole world.

Not to be sneezed at.  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Israeli Pharmaceutical Teva’s QNASL nasal aerosol for the treatment of nasal allergy rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis is the most common allergic disease in the US, affecting 10-30% of adults and adolescents. 

Increased US regulation – not a problem.  The US Food and Drug Administration has made it more difficult for many bio-techs to prove safety and efficacy of their products.  But Israeli start-ups are flexible and can make the necessary adjustments much more efficiently, giving them the edge on the competition.

Heart bypass – aged 94.  Shimon Ganot was born in 1918, fought in the pre-state Palmach and was an IDF infantry officer in four wars.  So his heart attack and subsequent operation to replace diseased arteries was probably no problem to him.  (A bit tricky for the surgeons at Rehovot’s Kaplan Medical Centre, though.)


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

A very special school.  The unique Yad Hamoreh School in Jerusalem has a mixed population of regular pupils and severely to moderately autistic children.  Principal Ana Goren, a special-education expert, often leads tours for curious educators from several Eastern European countries, South America, China and the United States.

Putin putting his feet on Israeli soil.  Russian President elect Vladimir Putin is reportedly rushin’ to visit the Jewish State.  He wishes to unveil a monument in Netanya honouring Jewish Red Army soldiers who fought in World War II. Putin will be formally inaugurated on May 7th.  Israel will be his first foreign destination following the G8 summit on May 20th.

Feeding the hand that bites us.  What other country would in one week deliver 180 trucks of aid, building materials and merchandise to a terrorist-run state that fired 300 rockets at its civilians?

Iranians reveal truth to Israelis.  Iranians speak to an Israeli newspaper and reveal the state of affairs in the Islamic Republic.  Many confess their fondness for Israel and a Western lifestyle.

Treating Africans wherever they are.  After three years of caring for thousands of sick patients in Africa, gynaecologist Dr. Avigail Maayani has returned to Israel to treat African refugees in Tel Aviv.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SNAP! – Grabbing the world’s attention.  SNAP stands for Start-up Nation Awareness Programs.  It is the major project of Kinetis – the organisation formed to increase world-awareness of Israel’s creativity and innovations.

Israel is getting smaller.  The best of the world of nanotech was on display at NanoIsrael 2012. Dozens of companies, along with over 40 start-ups, presented projects and products that use nanotechnology to produce better solutions in electronics, photonics, biotechnology, medicine, materials, agriculture, and more.

All the information you need – in your car.  Israel’s Iway Mobile Ltd sells 70 Comodo car consoles a day.  The system provides navigation, plus access to online radio and TV stations, parking by mobile payment, and much more. Iway Mobile is launching a pilot with China Unicom, which has 150 million subscribers.

Build it on anything.  Israeli website builder Wix has released a version of its free DIY website builder that supports HTML5.  Now Wix’s product will run on any platform from PC to mobile device.  Its user-friendly interface allows users to build a professional on-line presence without the need for any coding or design skills.

The Start-up nation started here.  Yossi Vardi graduated from Israel’s Technion some 40 years ago, and helped to build over sixty hi-tech companies. Yossi remains a strong advocate of the Technion’s vital importance to today’s innovative entrepreneurs – a key ingredient to Israel’s success.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

The economy is in good shape.  Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer issued the central bank’s annual report, saying that the economy performed well in the face of significant challenges in 2011. 
Here is a summary of the 321-page report.

Better than we first thought.  The Bank of Israel has revised its GDP growth forecast for 2012 upwards to 3.1% from its previous forecast of 2.8%. The Bank of Israel also said that it expects growth to climb to 3.5% in 2013.  Recent positive indicators triggered the upgrade, including latest import and export figures.

Israel Beats All Comers in Job Creation.  A combination of fast population growth, robust exports, and sound monetary policy has allowed Israel to create jobs faster than the U.S., the European Union, Poland, and even Brazil. Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer says the country is now near full employment.

Morgan Stanley recommends Israeli Technology companies.  The US banking giant has just compiled a global list of possible acquisition targets for IBM.  One third of them are Israeli companies.

Bio-med investors come to Israel.  A delegation of top life sciences executives is in Israel to seek collaborations or investment in small-sized Israeli medical companies. Israel offers incentives to multinationals to open R&D centres and invest in start-ups.

Another Tel Aviv marathon.  Dozens of investors from the US, Europe and the Far East are in Tel Aviv to review the offerings of Israeli high-tech companies, at this year’s Israel Innovation Marathon in Tel Aviv, sponsored by Bootcamp Ventures. Twenty Israeli start-ups will give eight-minute presentations to investors.

Cheaper flights to Israel.  Israel has joined the European Union aviation zone.  The new “open skies” agreement will result in more flights, more tourists, more destinations, more jobs, more airlines flying to Israel, more competition and (yippee!) cheaper ticket prices.


ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

A 2nd Madonna concert.  The “Queen of Pop” is giving Israeli fans an extra opportunity to see her, with performances at Tel Aviv’s Ramat Gan stadium now on 29th and 31st May.

Israel’s gonna rock.  Legendary rock bands Guns & Roses and Jethro Tull will be performing in Israel later this year.  Guns & Roses are scheduled to perform at Yarkon Park on July 3rd, whilst Jethro Tull will be doing three gigs between Sept 6th to Sept 8th in Jerusalem, Haifa and Raanana.

A real appetite for games.  Israeli computer game company Funtactix was started due to the vision of JVP founder Erel Margalit and developed a game to accompany the fourth “Mission Impossible” movie.  Funtactix has now also designed and developed the official online game for the smash hit movie “The Hunger Games”.

Spiritually moving.  The Jerusalem Marathon invoked several Biblical phrases in the mind of Rabbi Tuly Weisz – one of the runners.  He was overjoyed to see “the streets of the city filled” (Zechariah 8:5) with 15,000 runners from all over the world and recalled more of Zechariah’s prophecies before he completed the race.

Next stop – Tel Aviv.  Runners who still have energy after the Jerusalem Marathon raced over to Israel’s “city that never stops” for the Tel Aviv Gillette Marathon.  More than 35,000 were expected to take part.

Israeli windsurfer wins world sailing gold.  Lee Korzits won the women's RS:X title at the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Cadiz, Spain.  It is the third time Korzits has won the world championship and it secures her an automatic place in the 2012 London Olympics.


THE JEWISH STATE

Huge surge in Aliya of young professionals.  Immigration to Israel has increased in recent years, however one key fact has almost been hidden.  According to data from Nefesh B’Nefesh, over 1,300 singles and young professionals between the ages of 18 and 30 made Aliyah in 2011 alone – a 250% increase over the last five years.  Excellent career opportunities have made moving to the Jewish State a much easier decision.

Learning under fire.  It is truly incredible that, thanks to organisations like AMIT, the academic performance of Israeli students in the South continues to improve despite the terrorist missiles from Gaza. In Sderot, 85% of students matriculate into universities when they finish high school, while the national average is only 62%.

The clock is still ticking.  Half of David Salomons’ collection of nearly 200 unique watches and clocks was stolen in 1983 but almost all have since been returned to the Jerusalem Museum of Islamic art.  This video shows some of the beautiful items recovered.

Feathered visitors to the Western Wall.  The annual migration of the swifts is well underway.  Several hundred of the aerial acrobats nest in the cracks between the stones of the Kotel – providing an exciting spectacle to their international audience.

The top 5 Archaeology sites in Jerusalem.  No prizes for guessing that the awards go to the City of David, the Archaeological Park & Davidson, the Rockefeller museum, the Bible Lands museum and the Tower of David.

Try a nice juicy cactus.  Israel’s Orly Cactus Farms is to offer a new fruit to the Israeli market.  According the company, its taste is unique and it also tastes good pickled.  If it is successful locally, Orly hopes to export the cactus to Russia and Europe.

Krav Maga could save your life.  The Israeli self-defence technique “Krav Maga” (close touch) is being taught extensively to women in the USA.  Darren Levine - one of the highest ranked Krav Maga instructors in the world - said that the classes not only provide individuals with the appropriate moves and skills to defend themselves during an attack, but also teach them a mindset that is essential for survival.

Shabbat-friendly phone.  The Zomet Institute has designed the “Shabbatphone” for those engaged in vital (non-life saving*) services on Shabbat. It works on the principle of changing electric capacitance. Numbers are printed on a smooth sealed surface.  On ordinary phones, pressing buttons completes electric circuits, which Jewish law prohibits on the Sabbath.  (*Jews may of course break Shabbat laws in order to save life.)

And keyboard.  The Zomet Institute has also developed a kosher-for-Shabbat capacitative keyboard, which operates on the principle of “gramma” (indirect action).  The IDF has purchased 500 of the keyboards for religious soldiers who need computers to perform military duties on the Sabbath.

A greater miracle than the Exodus.  “Vhi Sheamda” – this video is a “must-see” before the Passover Seder.  An inspiring message from South Africa’s Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein and the music of Yaakov Shwekey.