181230
In the 30th Dec
18 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
An
innovative Israeli melanoma diagnostic device has already saved seven lives.
·
An
Ethiopian-Israeli has qualified as an Israeli Air Force pilot.
·
Israelis
are (again) helping survivors of a natural disaster in Indonesia.
·
Israelis
have invented bio-degradable, sustainable, non-polluting plastic.
·
Israelis are
solving Ireland’s (and the world’s) cow pollution problem.
·
Intel have
agreed to a $5 billion expansion in Israel.
·
Archeologists
found a ring lost in a Jerusalem ritual bath 2000 years ago.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
New treatment
for Glioblastoma. I reported previously ((11th
Nov) the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s breakthrough in glioblastoma
(aggressive brain cancer) treatment. Now Sheba Medical Center researchers have developed
SIXAC, a new six-amino-acid-based compound, that restricts the progression of
glioblastoma.
Blood test for
lung cancer. I reported previously (see here) on two
Israeli startups (Nucleix and Medial EarlySign) developing blood tests for
diagnosing early stage lung cancer. Here
is another – Savicell, achieving a 91% success rate. Early detection gives the
patient a 50-80% recovery chance. At late
stage it is only 4%.
Device to spot melanoma. (TY WIN)
Israeli startup Scade Medical has patented a prototype scanner, to diagnose
early stage melanoma. BlueSky is based on DOSI (differential optical
spectro-polarimetric imaging) technology invented by Ofir Aharon, whose mother contracted
melanoma. It has already saved seven lives.
US approves
cervical cancer diagnostic device. I reported
previously (25th
Sep) that Israel’s Biop had raised $2.2 million to fund its cervical cancer
diagnosis device. Biop has just received US FDA approval for the device, which maps
the cervix and identifies cancerous and precancerous cells in epithelial
tissues.
Home diagnosis
kit. (TY Arutz Sheva)
Israeli startup Diagnoz.me has a smartphone system that can detect infections
from home and send results to your doctor.
Founder and CTO Tamir Epstein described the system on ILTV. Diagnoz.me just
won the dHealth 2018 Summit and its NIS 3 million prize money.
The Origin/als
aim to end ALS. A team of students at Israel’s Ben-Gurion
University competed in the 2018 International Genetically Engineered
Competition (iGEM) at MIT in Boston. The group presented findings on a new
therapeutic approach for Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), known also as Lou
Gehrig's disease.
Novartis backs
Israeli anti-cancer biotech. I reported previously (see here) on Israeli
biotech Ayala and its personalized cancer treatment. It is already partnering
with Bristol-Myers Squibb. Now multinational Novartis has made a $|10 million
investment in Ayala, focusing on the aggressive blood cancer multiple myeloma.
Lonza opens center
for Israeli cooperation. (TY Calcalistech)
Swiss biotech multinational Lonza has opened an innovation center in Haifa. Its
aim is to partner “with Israeli talent in academia, medical institutions and
early-stage innovative companies”. Lomza sees Israel’s technologies providing new
healthcare solutions.
Amgen partners
Israeli biomed. (TY Calcalistech)
I reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s Entera Bio and its treatment for hypoparathyroidism. Entera
Bio has just signed a research and licensing agreement with US multinational Amgen
to develop a new oral molecule-based treatment that currently is given via IV
or injection.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
The first
Ethiopian-Israeli pilot. Lt. “Yod” has become the
first Israeli citizen of Ethiopian heritage to complete the military’s
prestigious 3-year pilot’s course. Lt. “Yod” (for security reasons, all pilots are
referred to by an initial letter) will serve initially as a jet navigator.
Forbes top 50 tech women includes 5
Israelis. Five Israeli women were named among
Forbes’ lists of “Top 50 Women In Tech” including three to the inaugural global
list and two to the European round-up. They are Adv. Limor Shmerling Magazanik,
Dr. Michal Tsur, Dr. Tal Rabin, Galia Benartzi and (see here) Danit Peleg.
Hi-tech conference for Arab-Israelis. The US Embassy in Israel and Israel’s Ministry for Social Equality held
in Nazareth, the first high-tech conference that introduced Arab entrepreneurs to
US and Israeli investors. In his speech US Ambassador David Friedman praised
Israel as a “place where we are all enriched by our diversity”
More Arab-Israelis in hi-tech. New data from Israel’s Innovation Authority show that Israeli-Arabs
fill about 3% of high-tech R&D positions - up from under 1% in 2015. There
are now 50% more Arab-Israelis studying hi-tech subjects at Israeli universities
and colleges than five years ago.
Israel’s growing Christian population. Israel is the only Middle East country where its Christian population
is growing - by 2.2% in 2017. Today they number around 175,000. In Gaza less
than 1,300 remain of the 30,000 before Hamas took over. Israel issued 700 of them (over 50%) with Christmas
permits to visit Israeli holy sites. Meanwhile,
Israel welcomed an estimated 150,000 Christians from overseas for the festive
season.
Israel’s top search and rescue expert. Yehiel Magnus is head of Israeli-based Magnus International Search
and Rescue. Magnus and his 15-person team have conducted thousands of humanitarian
rescue operations over the last 25 years. They also retrieved kidnapping
victims. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhutTR2stew
World’s 3rd most educated nation. (TY Jacques) According to a 2017 report from the OECD (Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development), Israel ranks number three on the
shortlist for the most educated countries worldwide. About 50.9% of
25-64-year-old Israelis hold a 2 to 4-year higher degree. Video from 3:30
NATO conducts maritime medical exercise
with Israel. NATO’s flagship for its Sea Guardian Operation
has conducted a medical response exercise with Israeli Navy corvette INS Eilat.
The exercise, “MEDEX Crystal Sea” is designed to develop medical support around
the Mediterranean Sea for Operation Sea Guardian.
Israelis help
Indonesia after deadly tsunami. Volunteers from Israeli
NGO IsraAID have flown to Indonesia (a Muslim-majority country having no
diplomatic relations with Israel) to provide safe water and psychological
support in wake of the tsunami disaster. Some IsraAID workers were still there since
the last earthquake!
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Biodegradable sustainable
plastics. Tel Aviv University scientists have
invented a process to make bioplastic polymers from bacteria that feed on seaweed.
No need for oil, fresh water or land and there are no toxic waste products. The
plastic is bio-degradable and can be recycled into organic waste.
Israeli imaging startup wins Chinese innovation
award. Israeli startup Newsight Imaging won second
place (and $72,000) at the 2018 Optics Valley of China International Innovation
and Entrepreneurship Competition. Newsight develops chips containing 3D imaging
sensors for robotics, drones and the automotive industry.
Now everyone wants Israeli anti-drone
technology. Israel’s Skylock is another Israeli tech
company that disables intruder drones by “jamming” them or disrupting their
frequencies. Skylock’s passive,
selective and active solutions are operational in several countries. Since the
|Gatwick airport incident, enquiries have soared.
Irish Republic enlists
Israelis to reduce pollution. The 2 million cows in
Eire (Republic of Ireland) have polluted the land and water reservoirs. So, the
Irish Government-backed Ireland Ag-tech Fund has funded Israel’s CropX to use
its soil measurement system to identify where to place Eire’s cows to do least
damage.
CES Las Vegas. (TY WIN
and SCICC) 22 Israeli companies will be officially
exhibiting at CES 2019 (8-11 Jan) – the big technology expo in Las Vegas. Many
more will be exhibiting in a personal capacity.
The first cell-grown minute
steak. Israel’s Aleph Farms Ltd. has produced the
first cell-grown minute steak. It is said to have the full experience of meat
with the appearance, shape, and texture of beef cuts. Aleph Farms’ slaughter-free
steak requires no pasture, water, feed, antibiotics or other resources to raise
cattle for meat.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Israeli economy improves again. Israel’s Composite State of the economy index increased by another 0.3%
in November. There were significant
increases in imports of inputs, also in industrial production, in retail trade
and in October’s services revenue.
IKEA to open 5th Israeli store. Swedish retail giant IKEA currently has mega stores
at Netanya, Rishon Lezion, Kiriyat Ata (near Haifa) and Beersheva (see here). It now plans to open a fifth - in the small
community of Eshtaol, near Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem. The new branch is
set to open in early 2020.
Virgin Atlantic to start UK-Israel service. (TY WIN)
UK aviation giant Virgin Atlantic plans to launch a route to Tel Aviv next
September. It also won the contract to transport British Eurovision fans on a
special flight to Israel in May 2019. Earlier in Dec, Israeli-born Shai Weiss
was named as Virgin Atlantic’s new CEO.
KPMG chooses Israeli fintech partner. KPMG Fintech has chosen Israel’s Binah.ai as a
technology partner, supplying its out-of-the-box, data science-based use cases
to predict trends, FX rates, profits, risks etc. KPMG Global Fintech comprises
professionals in more than 45 hubs around the world. (KPMG at Israeli
conference.)
Intel to spend $5 billion on Israeli expansion. Intel Corporation will
receive a $185 million grant from the Israeli government in exchange for a
massive expansion of its production operations. Overall, Intel will spend an
estimated $5 billion on the project, including an upgrade for its Kiryat Gat
plant in southern Israel.
Gong.io wins AI and Big Data competition. I reported previously (Jul
2017) on Israel’s Gong.io which uses AI to analyze sales conversations and
help train sales and customer service staff. Gong.io has just won Calcalist’s
and Microsoft’s second annual artificial intelligence and big data startup
competition.
Putting Israelis to work. Israel’s Tigbur is a recruitment agency that specializes
in both the hi-tech and the homecare sectors. It also supplies security guards
and cleaners. See Tigbur’s CEO Orit Benbenisti on ILTV.
Securing digital securities with blockchain. The blockchain platform
of Israel’s Securitize allows investors and issuers to manage their digital
securities from one convenient dashboard. It ensures the digital securities can
be traded compliantly across all marketplaces and exchanges. See Securitize’s
CEO Carlos Domingo on ILTV.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Hebrew Language
Day. 27th Dec was Israel’s
Hebrew Language Day - a celebration of the revival of Hebrew as the only language
to return as the spoken first language of an entire nation. This year’s theme
was “Hebrew - an innovative language” stressing that modern Hebrew is qualified
for research and scientific study.
Maimonides Exhibition. Jerusalem’s Israel Museum has opened an exhibit
showcasing original manuscripts and writings of Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides /
the Rambam) - one of Judaism’s most revered rabbis. Until 27th Apr, visitors to
“Maimonides: A Legacy in Script” can see many of his original writings and signature.
Bon Jovi will return
to Israel. The famed Bon Jovi
band has scheduled a Tel Aviv performance on July 25 at Hayarkon Park. Israel is
their final stop on their “This House is Not for Sale Tour” and will be their
second appearance in Israel. Their October 2015 performance attracted some
50,000 fans.
Tel Aviv Jazz
festival. (TY UWI)
The Tel Aviv Jazz Festival (TLV JazzFest) is one of the most important jazz
events in Israel. For 28 years, the Festival has garnered a prestigious
reputation in Israel and abroad, as a magnet for stellar jazz performers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=SiZ79EoSJUo
Israeli Wins
Prestigious Jazz Award. (TY
Jacques) Israel’s Tom Oren was granted with a prestigious prize for young jazz
artists in Washington DC. The 24-year-old received the first prize award during
the International Piano Competition from the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz,
which included $25,000 and a record deal.
Brazilian soccer
superstars to play in Israel. Brazil’s
Soccer legends Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos and others are
scheduled to play a “peace match” on 26 March in either Haifa or Jerusalem. The
friendly will be against Israeli legends including Eyal Berkovich, Haim Revivo
and Walid Badir.
THE JEWISH STATE
IDF
receives 70 new Torah scrolls. I reported previously (Feb 2014) about
the hundreds of Torah scrolls that have been presented to IDF bases. Now, Mizrachi
Canada has donated 70 Torah scrolls to the Israeli Defense Ministry for
distribution to IDF bases all over Israel.
Zionist
innovation initiative. Nefesh B’Nefesh (NbN), which promotes and assists immigration to Israel
has launched the 2019 Initiative for Zionist Innovation. It includes funding projects
of Olim (new immigrants) that make positive changes in their communities and immediate
surroundings.
2000-year-old ring lost in the bath. A 2000-year-old ring with a
solitaire gem stone was uncovered recently in archaeological excavations in the
City of David National Park in Jerusalem. It was found in a mikvah (ritual
bath) on the Pilgrimage Road that dates to the time of the second Temple
period.
Where
Judah the Prince may have bathed. Excavations at the Zippori National Park have unearthed a public bath
which may have been used by famed Jewish leader and scholar Rabbi Judah Hanasi (Judah
the Prince). Tractate Megillah states the rabbi, who redacted the Mishna early
in the 3rd century CE, bathed on a fast day.
From
Nazi to Jew. 18
months ago, Yonatan was called Lutz, had been indoctrinated by extremists and was
a member of a karate group with a neo-Nazi coach. Then he had a life-changing dream.
After studying Kabbalah, he converted to Judaism. He now puts on Tefillin every
day and plans to make Aliya in two months’ time.
330
Ukrainian Jews arrive at end of 2018. Thanks
to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ), 330 Olim (new
immigrants) have landed in Israel from the Ukraine. The IFCJ has brought about
4,800 Olim to Israel this year alone (750,000 in 20 years). The immigrants
include Jews from 29 different nations.
181223
In the 23rd Dec
18 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
Israeli
scientists can detect the moment the first blood cell becomes cancerous.
·
Israel helps
Christians in Israel and Gaza celebrate their holiday.
·
An Israeli
anti-drone system resolved the chaos at London’s Gatwick airport.
·
Israeli
security protects critical power suppliers in the US, Europe and Asia.
·
Four
Israeli startups make the final ten of UN tourism competition.
·
If
disaster strikes Japan, an Israeli system will maintain communications.
·
Quentin
Tarantino’s bride wore Israeli dresses at her wedding.
·
Archaeologists
have discovered the remains of Sodom.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Stem cell treatment
for MS. Israel’s
BrainStorm has received FDA approval to use its Nurown stem cells in a Phase 2
trial for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MS affects approximately 1
million individuals in the U.S. and 2.5 million individuals worldwide. Nurown is already in a Phase 3 trial for ALS (see here).
Revealing the secrets of multiple myeloma. Scientists from Israel’s Weizmann Institute together with other Israeli
blood cancer experts, have captured the specific gene program active in each
individual cell. They can now identify pre-cancer cells, for early diagnosis
and treatment of the deadly multiple myeloma disease.
Targeting bone
marrow to destroy tumors. Israeli researchers at
Tel Aviv University have discovered that breast cancer tumors boost their
growth by recruiting stromal cells that originate in bone marrow. Targeting
these cells with new therapies could be an effective way of treating the deadly
disease.
New pathway
may alleviate anxiety. Anxiety disorders can affect billions of
people. Scientists at Israel’s Weiizmann Institute have discovered a new neural
mechanism underlying anxiety. It involves protein importin alpha-5, gene MeCP2 and
signal molecule S1P. Targeting this biochemical pathway may lead to new
therapies.
Groundbreaking
CT-Scanning. The Radiology department at Israel’s Hadassah
Medical Center in Jerusalem has been conducting joint research with Philips
Medical Systems. It has resulted in a laboratory to study dual energy CT
techniques using an experimental IQon Spectral CT scanner that is the first of
its kind in the world.
The watch that
watches you. I reported previously (Jun 2017)
on Israel’s Cardiacsense and its watch that watches over your heart. Its sensors
monitor heart activity and blood pressure. For those at risk of stroke or cardiac
arrest it can detect arrythmia, arterial fibrillation and alert doctors. Watch COO
Liat Shemesh on ILTV.
Engineering
meets medicine for maximum impact. Engineers,
researchers and physicians at Israel’s Technion literally work “hand in glove”.
They developed artificial skin so burns victims can feel again. A robotic
system to perform brain and spine surgery. Ingestible chemotherapy nano-delivery
tubes and more.
New Israeli faculty
for Medicinal Chemistry. Thanks to a major donation, Israel’s Weizmann
Institute is establishing the Dr. Barry Sherman Institute for Medicinal
Chemistry. Scientists will research compounds that can become therapies for
autoimmune diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and infectious
diseases.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Reaching the remote. (TY JobKatif)
Two Israeli charities are changing the lives of two hard-to-reach groups. SAHI (Sayeret
Hessed Yihudit - Special Grace Unit) encourages at-risk teens to volunteer to distribute
food to the poor. Yad Tamar (Tamar Fund International) helps cancer patients get
economic and social entitlements.
On your bike. (TY JobKatif)
700 Israeli high schools in 12 cities participate in Rochvim Rachok (riding
far) programs. Currently, 160 at-risk teens have changed their ways and joined
Rochvim Rachok’s monthly bike trips. They
also learn bicycle maintenance at Netanya’s Wingate Institute.
Russian-Israeli
meets Yeshiva student who saved his life. When Russian-born Alex contracted leukemia, he
contacted Ezer Mizion who found a 10-out-of-10 match on their bone-marrow
database. Shlomo (like many Haredi students at Jerusalem’s Meir Yeshiva) had registered
his DNA. 9 years later, they met - brothers in arms.
The most diverse sports center. NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo inaugurated Jerusalem’s 9,290 sqm
Sylvan Adams sports complex (the largest in the Middle East). It will be the
venue for the 30 teams of Jewish, Muslim and Christian 11-to 13-year-olds playing
in the Junior NBA Jerusalem International YMCA League.
Festive support for Israeli
Christians. (TY Hazel) As every year, the Jerusalem
municipality distributed free Christmas trees to Jerusalem’s Christian residents.
Israel’s KKL-JNF distributed trees to residents in Northern Israel. Israel also
authorized hundreds of Gaza’s Christians to visit Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth.
Co-existence project to clean up Judea. Hundreds of journalists and social media personalities attended the
recent 3-day Jewish Media Summit in Jerusalem. On day 2, 40 of them chose one
of four options – a trek to Judea to hear about the project where Jews and Palestinian
Arabs pick up trash together to “clean the hate”.
The Israeli ambulance driver. (TY Ted
Belman) Brigitte Gabriel was born Hanan Qahwaji, to Lebanese Maronite Christian
parents. She relates her first encounter with an Israeli - who drove her and
her wounded mother to Israel for treatment. I try to avoid politics, so don’t
watch beyond 4 minutes if you do too.
10 years of Innovation: Africa. An unmissable video. Over the last 10 years, the Israeli NGO Innovation:
Africa has used Israeli technology to pump water and provide electricity to schools
and medical centers in African villages. The NGO has saved thousands of lives and
benefited over a million Africans in 10 countries.
The 22nd person was alive. IsraAID co-CEO Yotam Polizer describes some of the amazing work of
the Israeli NGO. In one example he personally helped rescue the last survivor
of the Nepal earthquake. She had been buried for six days and was found only after
pulling out 21 bodies. She is now back with her children.
Arab and Muslim skies are opening to
Israel. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has
announced that Oman’s leader Qaboos bin Said al Said has given El Al permission
to fly over Oman’s airspace. He said Israel can also now overfly Egypt, Sudan
and Chad and cut flight times to South America by at least 2 hours.
Israeli anti-drone system
helps re-open Gatwick. All flights at London’s Gatwick
airport were suspended for 3 days at its busiest time due to unauthorized drones.
The UK army eventually deployed the Drone Dome defense system that they bought
from Israel’s Rafael Systems in August. (Not good news for the BBC though)
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
An Israel-Africa
Agriculture Innovation Center. A team of leading scientists from Nigeria,
Ghana, Kenya and Ethiopia, as well as senior representatives of the Syngenta Foundation
visited Israel to agree the goals for a new Israel-Africa Agriculture Innovation
Center.
Out of sight! I reported previously (July
2017) on Israel’s Airobotics when Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority authorized
it to fly the first fully-automated commercial drones in Israel. Now, it is the
first to receive the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certificate of waiver
to initiate Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations.
Surveying with multiple drones. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israel’s vHive uses Artificial Intelligence to control fleets of sensor-loaded autonomous
drones. vHive provides industries such as civil engineering, construction,
telecoms, rail and infrastructure to quickly inspect large sites and projects. http://www.vhive.ai/solution-overview/
Mind the data. Calcalist’s annual Mind the Data conference at the Tel Aviv
Convention Center, brought together entrepreneurs and executives from Israeli companies
and multinationals. They discussed how
big data and artificial intelligence can be used to tackle the challenges faced
by industry and society.
Israeli software for Time Magazine’s “Person
of the Year”. Time Magazine has partnered with
Israeli content creation startup Apester to conduct Time’s annual “Person of
the Year” survey. It is the third consecutive year that Time has employed
Apester for the survey.
Soybeans resistant to roundworms. Nematode (roundworm) infestation costs US farmers $1.3 billion a
year. Israeli biotech Evogene has partnered with Brazilian plant breeder TMG,
to develop non-GMO nematode resistant soybeans. Evogene will utilize genome
editing technologies on TMG’s commercial soybean lines.
Securing critical industry. (TY OurCrowd) Israeli-led
cybersecurity specialist CyberX focuses on defending critical national
infrastructure including top US, European and Asia-Pacific energy companies. It
just joined the GE Digital Alliance - to help grow industry’s digital ecosystem
while securing its use of the Internet of Things.
Israel’s largest wind tunnel. The Environmental Wind Tunnel Laboratory at Israel’s Institute for
Biological Research spans three floors in Ness Ziona. The tunnel is used for environmental
research, (e.g. pollution dispersion) safety and urban planning and as a
platform for developing new research fields in Israel and abroad.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Boot camp for entrepreneurs in the South. Nefesh B’Nefesh has launched its inaugural Entrepreneur Boot Camp” to
foster growth across Israel's South. The 6-week program for Olim (immigrant)
innovators is in partnership with KKL Israel, JNF - USA, the Jewish Agency and
the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration.
Jerusalem is rebuilding. I’ve reported previously (see here) (and
here) on some of the huge business construction projects being planned for Jerusalem.
This new article contains some more details on both the 300,000 square meters City
Entrance project and Mobileye’s new 135,000 square meters campus.
Israel joins international financial task
force. Israel has joined the prestigious Financial
Action Task Force (FATF) an inter-governmental body committed to fighting the
increased global terror financing and money-laundering problem. Israel can now help
FATF in its work putting pressure on international sponsors of terror.
El Al launches direct route to Las
Vegas. El Al Israel Airlines has announced its
sixth direct route to the United States – Las Vegas. The new (initially once-a-week)
service will start in June. El Al already flies direct to New York, Boston,
Miami, and Los Angeles. A new direct route to San Francisco begins in May.
Four Israeli finalists
in UN tourism competition. (TY Calcalistech
and Israel21c)
2771 startups from 132 countries entered the UN’s World Tourism Organization
(UNWTO) competition. The 10 finalists include 4 Israeli startups. They are Pruvo
Net, SeeVoov (GoBeenThere), Howazit (see here)
and Refundit (see
here)..
Skoda unveils new car in Israel. (TY Calcalistech)
Czech automaker Škoda unveiled its new Škoda Scala compact family car to 300
reporters from 22 countries in Petah Tikva. It is the first time a global
automaker has globally debuted a car in Israel. The car features a constant
internet connection and a new infotainment system.
Securing the car. (TY Calcalistech)
I reported previously (see here)
on Israel’s Karanba and its innovative vehicle security. Multinational car
parts manufacturer Ficosa is to integrate Karamba’s cyber protection
technologies into its telematic control units – mandatory for accident emergency
calls in Europe.
Educational games startup exits. I reported previously (Mar
2015) on Israeli computer games startup Codemonkey, that helps children learn
how to write computer code by playing and solving puzzles. Codemonkey has just been acquired by China's
giant TAL Education Group for an estimated $20 million.
Medical start-ups compete for $1 million investment. I reported previously (Apr
2017) on Israeli medical incubator Sanara, jointly setup by Israel’s Teva
and Philips Healthcare. Sanara has launched a competition where two winning
Israeli medical start-ups will each receive a $1 million seed investment, plus office
space.
Another take-over for Israeli company. (TY Calcalistech)
I reported previously (July
2017) that Israeli cybersecurity specialists Checkmarx had bought a UK
software company. It has now bought Custodela, an Ontario-based software
security company. Israel continues to improve its global position in cybersecurity.
Empowering the commercial property market. (TY Arutz Sheva)
I reported previously (Jan
2016) on Israeli start-up Credifi which collects data about commercial property,
for fund managers, brokers. lenders etc. to make decisions. Senior MD Jason Rausman
explains more about the system and company culture on ILTV.
Disaster response service for Japan. I’ve reported previously (many times) on Israel’s Gilat Satellite
Networks. Gilat has just won a multi-million-dollar contract from Japanese
government agency LASCOM, for its SkyEdge II-c platform, to maintain government
communications to its people in any disaster event.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Beautifying urban centers. I reported previously (see here) on the Israel
Innovation Fund (TIIF) and its social and cultural projects. TIIF has launched
its first crowdfunding campaign, The Hebrew Wallpaper Project to transform Israel’s
urban centers through the stunning street designs of Solomon Souza, and other
street artists.
Israeli dresses for Quentin Tarantino’s bride. Director Quentin Tarantino
married 35-year-old singer and model Daniella Pick in Los Angeles recently. Daniella
chose two gowns (for the ceremony and reception) made by Tel Aviv-based
designer Dana Harel, accented with headpieces by Tel Aviv-based designer Keren
Wolf.
Pink Floyd in Israel. (TY Hazel) No, not BDS-supporter Roger Walters - this is
the UK cover band Pink Floyd Experience.
They earlier cancelled their scheduled Israel tour (due to death threats
from BDS supporters) but thanks to Israeli promoter Ziv Rubinstein, they’ve re-instated
Beersheba, Tel Aviv and Haifa (Jan 4-6) concerts.
THE JEWISH STATE
Jobs
during and after IDF service. Israeli charity Ta’suChayil (Tasohil) provides an employment-based
program for impoverished IDF soldiers. It finds paid jobs that they can do during
IDF vacations. After being discharged, ongoing counseling and mentoring helps
them to remap their future and enjoy professional growth.
Archeologists discover remains of Sodom. Archaeologists excavating Tall
el-Hammam (now in Jordan) say it was the Biblical city of Sodom, destroyed some
3,700 years ago. Its 100-foot-thick, 50-feet-high walls were shattered by an
immensely strong directional shock wave from a mid-air explosion followed by
intense fires.
Wick
from a 1500-year-old candle. New research by the Israel Antiquities Authority has identified a unique
linen (from flax) wick, of the type used for Sabbath lamps in Mishnaic times, 1,500
years ago. It was originally found in excavations conducted in the 1930s by the
American Colt expedition to the Negev site of Shivta.
From
Hanukkah to Diversity and more. (TY Sharon) As memories of Hanukkah
flicker away, here are 24 photos of in Jerusalem to dispel the darkness of
winter. Then Jerusalem streets see Christmas decorations, a band for special
needs, Art of Jazz, Crossroads/Janglo night run, ArtBnB, Hullegub (Ethiopian
arts) and more.
Saved
from the storm. Recent
heavy rains may be good news to Israel’s farmers and water company but to one female
turtle it was nearly fatal. Washed up and nearly dead on Ashkelon beach, she
was rescued by Eddy Israel, an alert citizen who called the Nature and Parks
Authority. Israelis leave no stone (or turtle) unturned.
Jewish
Hell. A first for my newsletter – a joke about the
Jewish State. And it’s so true!
181216
In the 16th Dec
18 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
Israeli
scientists have discovered a new pathway for treating age-related hearing loss.
·
It’s
official – Israeli tech is driving Israel’s latest diplomatic successes.
·
Israeli technology
has lowered the numbers of accidents involving London buses.
·
The US Coastguard
is to use Israeli technology to see beyond the horizon.
·
Jordan has
bought more Israeli natural gas and has asked for more Israeli water.
·
Argentine
superstar soccer player Lionel Messi has joined an Israeli fan club.
·
Archaeologists
in Israel have discovered remains from the Biblical Tabernacle.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
FDA
designation for solid tumor treatment. (TY Atid-EDI) I
reported previously (28 Jan) that the AGI-134 solid tumor treatment from Israel’s
BiolineRX showed promise. The U.S. FDA has just granted Biological Product
Designation for the novel immunotherapy compound. Early trials show complete
regression of tumors.
Restoring the
digestive system. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s
E-Motion Medical has just received the CE Mark (i.e. European approval) for its
E-Motion System, providing stimulation therapy that restores the natural motor
function of the digestive system for patients with acute gastrointestinal
dysmotility (GID).
New pathway for treating loss of hearing. Tel Aviv University scientists have produced the world’s first map
of "methylation" (natural gene manipulation) that impacts development
and ultimately loss of function of the entire inner ear. They have revealed many
new genes that may help restore hearing to deaf children and adults.
Going bats to
understand spatial awareness. Researchers at Israel’s
Weizmann Institute have found that humans are more like bats than rats in how our
brains help us navigate the environment. Rat neurons only emit predictable. rhythmic
oscillations, whereas bats and primates additionally use far more complex
mechanisms.
New program
for treating eating disorders. Haifa’s Rambam Medical
Center has set up a new daily program to treat young people up to age 30 in
Northern Israel with eating disorders. Each patient receives an intensive, personized
plan plus access to doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, dieticians and
social workers.
Sleeping
sickness parasite genome decoded. Dr. Noam Kaplan
of Israel’s Technion Institute is a member of an International team of
scientists that has decoded the genome of the fatal parasite Trypanosoma brucei
– the cause of human “sleeping sickness”. It should help in the development of techniques
to block the fatal disease.
Gut microbiome-analysis
startup’s $5 million lab. I wrote previously (19th
Aug) that Israeli startup DayTwo will provide members of health care
provider Clalit with personalized nutrition plans based on DNA analysis of gut
microbiome. DayTwo is now setting up a $5 million lab in Rehovot, working with
the Weizmann Institute.
Of mice and
men. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israeli biotech CytoReason and Israel’s Technion Institute are analyzing the
immune system at the cell level. As a result, they have just published a
groundbreaking new mouse to human model. It will help scientists develop
treatments faster that work both in clinical and human trials. Great video.
New treatment
for heart failure. Israeli-founded Irish-Israeli
startup Whiteswell has developed a minimally invasive solution for acute decompensated
heart failure (ADHF). It involves a catheter to drain excess fluid. Whiteswell
has just raised $30 million of funds to support development and trials.
Patient monitoring
guidance system. I reported previously (Dec
2011) that the universities of Haifa and Ben Gurion were building MobiGuide
to monitor patients outside clinically controlled environments. MobiGuide is now
the first AI system for the automated management of atrial fibrillation and
gestational diabetes patients.
See the new migraine
relief device. I reported previously (21st
May) that Israel’s Neurolief was developing a non-invasive brain
neuro-modulation interface system that could relieve migraine headaches. This Israel21c
article shows the device, describes the technology and plans. The device is also
in trials to treat depression.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Israel advocates for people with
disabilities. Israel’s parliament marked International
Day for Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) on 3rd Dec. Israel’s 8 million
citizens include 1.6 million people with disabilities who are an integral part
of Israeli society, and this short video publicizes it.
President hosts 60 diverse mayors. (TY Sharon) Following Israel’s recent
mayor elections, President Reuven Rivlin emphasized shared interests when
hosting 60 new mayors at Beit Hanasi in Jerusalem. The mayors represented every section of
Israeli society, secular, ultra-orthodox, religious and Arab, Bedouin and
Druze.
Israeli-Arab doctor is youth angiology representative
for Asia. Dr. Rashad Abusaleh, of Rambam Medical
Center has been appointed by the International Union of Angiology (IUA) to be its
International Youth Young Committee Vice Chairman. Dr. Abusaleh will represent Israel
and Asia for the next three years.
Schoolhouse for migrants. (TY Josie) I reported previously (9th
Dec) on the Israeli NGO teaching computer skills to some of the 38,000 African
migrants in Israel. This article describes the Schoolhouse at Minshar School of
Art in south Tel Aviv where Israeli volunteers educate migrants, refugees and
asylum-seekers.
Please can we have
some more water? (TY Nevet) A Jordanian delegation has
traveled to Israel to request an increase in water allocation to the kingdom,
which is plagued by severe shortages. Israel already sends 50 million cubic
meters to Jordan as part of peace agreements.
Look who’s taking Israeli on-line Bible
archaeology course. (TY WIN)
An online course at Bar-Ilan University, titled Biblical Archaeology: The
Archaeology of Ancient Israel and Judah, has drawn more than 1,000 students
from around the world, including from Pakistan, UAE and Oman, who have no ties
to Israel.
Joint research with Brazil. Israel’s Innovation Authority (IIA) has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Research and Innovation.
Each authority will allocate $5 million over five years to support R&D
projects leading to solutions to technological challenges relevant for both
nations.
Israel’s diplomatic
breakthroughs. In 2010, Israel’s ambassador to the
United Nations, Gabriela Shalev, said “Israel is the most isolated, lonely
country in the world”. But in the last
eight years, the Jewish state has had extraordinary diplomatic breakthroughs in
India, China, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa and the Gulf.
Israeli technology is
paving the way for diplomacy. I reported previously
(6th
May) that Israeli diplomats were to receive training in technology,
innovation, and entrepreneurship prior to going overseas. They are now being trained
how to “talk tech”, show off Israel’s innovation and use it to promote the nation.
About time too!
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Eilat-Eilot energy conference. The 2018 Eilat-Eilot International Renewable Energy Conference is
Israel’s leading energy event. From Dec 2 – 4, thousands of participants from
all over the world came to Eilat. The event launched Eilat Eilot’s East Africa
Off Grid Technologies Hub, bringing Israeli innovation to Africa.
Renewable energy program. (TY Calcalistech)
Israel’s Innovation Authority (IIA) is launching a $7 million annual pilot program
to fund and support companies requiring R&D in renewable and efficient energy
fields. Up to NIS 2.5 million is available for projects in solar, geothermal,
fuel alternatives, smart grid, storage etc.
TAU-China research center unveiled. I reported previously (29th
Sep) on the joint Tel Aviv University project with China’s Tsinghua
University to set-up a new research center in Shenzhen. The two universities began
their plans in 2016 and have just presented them at the China Israel Innovation
Forum in Shenzhen.
Hebrew U launches fintech center. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has opened a new fintech center,
funded by a $1.3 million donation from Israeli entrepreneur David Gershon. Its goal
is to grow Israeli fintech startups and increase overseas sales. It also aims
to help raise a new generation of Israeli fintech entrepreneurs.
Vegan meat startup wins European Food
competition. Israeli startup Jet Eat, which
developed a technology for 3D printing of vegan meat substitutes, was selected
as one of the winners of the 2018 Food Accelerator Network Program competition.
The contest is hosted by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology.
Vegan products from chickpea protein. I reported previously (19
Aug) on Israel’s InnovoPro, developer of a 70 percent protein concentrate
from chickpeas. It has now produced prototype products like puddings, meat
alternatives, high-protein snacks and vegan mayonnaise. It has also just raised
$4.25 million of funds.
Airports for drones. Israeli startup Highlander Aviation has developed software that
manages and coordinates the activity of autonomous drone fleets. It has just
raised $1.5 million to help it expand globally. Highlander intends to build
specialized airports for commercial drones, where the flyers can land and recharge.
Self-healing software accelerates in
Japan. (TY Roger) I reported previously (Dec
2017) on Israel’s Aurora Labs whose systems fix problems in connected cars.
Aurora has just been chosen to participate in the Batch 2 Acceleration Program
of Plug and Play Japan. Aurora’s software platform is valuable to vehicle
manufacturers
Israeli technology
makes London buses safer. (TY Atid-EDI) London
bus operator, Abellio, launched a trial in Oct on 66 of its buses of Israeli collision-avoidance
technology from Mobileye (now part of Intel). Findings to date show it has reduced avoidable
collisions by 29% and reduced injuries from such collisions by 60%.
New concept steering wheel is 3D printed. (TY Atid-EDI)
Global automobile products company Techniplas has used a DragonFly Pro 3D
printer from Israel’s Nano Dimension to design a new steering wheel that incorporates
its proprietary cognitive lighting technology with 3D printed electronics in a
single step.
Smart pool cleaner. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israel’s Maytronics, was co-winner of the 2018 Pool Innovations Trophy Smart
Pool award for its Dolphin iO robotic pool cleaner powered by self-learning AI technology
featuring 3D digital mapping of the pool.
Piscine Global, in Lyon, is Europe’s leading swimming pool and wellness
event.
Put them anywhere you want. (TY Atid-EDI)
I’ve reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s Wi-Charge and its innovative WiFi (10-meter range) charging
system. Wi-Charge now turns specific Amazon and Google smart speakers into wireless
speakers. Wi-Charge is also expanding with new partners for its OEM program.
Dying wool online in any color. The technology of Israel’s Twine Solutions continuously dyes a
single raw off-the-shelf white thread to any requested length and in any one of
millions of colors and shades and gradients. It eliminates the inefficient conventional
bulk dyeing of thread in use today.
Twine has just raised $22 million.
Systems for U.S. Coast
Guard planes. (TY Atid-EDI) The U.S.
Coast Guard is to use the MilliSAT L/W system from Israel’s GetSat. Its beyond
line of sight (BLOS) technology will support the Coast Guard’s intelligence, surveillance,
reconnaissance, humanitarian aid, search and rescue and disaster relief
missions.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Reckitt Benckiser partners with Israel, (TY Calcalistech)
Israel’s Innovation Authority (IIA), has signed a Tech Collaboration Agreement
with Healthcare multinational Reckitt Benckiser (RB). The IIA will help RB
locate Israeli healthcare startups focusing on AI and blockchain and match investments
that RB makes in them.
Jordan buys more
Israeli gas. (TY Atid-EDI) Tamar
Petroleum (owned by Israel’s Delek and US’s Nobel Energy) is to supply up to 1
BCM more Israeli gas worth $200 million to the Jordan Bromine Company and Arab
Potash Company. Jordan began receiving Israeli gas in 2017 (see
here) after a $500 million deal (see
here)
Battery charging startup gets Chinese
boost. I’ve reported previously (see here) on Israel’s StoreDot and
its innovative fast-charging batteries. Now, China’s EVE Energy Co. Ltd. has
signed an agreement with StoreDot. to manufacture the Israeli company’s
products for electric vehicles and mobile devices in China.
The OurCrowd Global Investor Summit. On March 7, 2019, in Jerusalem, Israel, over 15,000 people from
over 120 countries are expected to attend the fifth annual OurCrowd Global Investor
Summit. Its theme is “Startups: Making a Global Impact,” – their breakthrough technologies
and their social impact in the world.
Morgan Freeman is so cool. Octogenarian Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman will soon be seen all over
Israeli billboards and television screens as the new face of Tadiran air
conditioners. Freeman signed an agreement with Tadiran to lead the company’s
advertising campaigns.
Protecting millions of cars. I reported previously (1
July) about Israel’s ERM Advanced Telematics and its systems that prevents
cyber-attacks on connected cars. ERM now protects and monitors 5 million cars
globally. It is now expanding in Latin America, focusing on the fleet
management and stolen vehicle recovery markets.
Ex-Intel employees invest in Israeli
tech. Five former Intel senior executives have
co-founded investment group NextLeap Ventures. It has already invested $1.5 million
in five Israeli tech startups – GuardKnox, Zuta-Core, Magentiq Eye, Montfort (see
here) and TechsoMed. 80 ex-Intel employees came to its recent Pitch Night.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Urban art in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Development Authority’s Cultural Infrastructures and
Public Domain of Eden has initiated the painting of 11 exquisite wall paintings
in the Talpiot district of Jerusalem. They are the works of an international roll
call of professionals, including from China, Spain, Mexico, Brazil and Israel.
Dance festival attracts VIPs from 45 nations. The 24th annual International Exposure dance festival (Dec 5 – 9) took
place at the Suzanne Dellal Center in Tel Aviv. The 178 VIP guests from 45
countries included the directors of the dance festivals of Montpellier, Lyon,
Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, Singapore and many more.
Print fair in Tel Aviv. The Print Fair photo exhibit at Tel Aviv’s Print House photo studio
that finished early Dec was so popular that it re-opened the following weekend.
The event’s aim was to bring good photography to young people. 150
photographers were selected via a Facebook open call and photos can still be
bought on-line
New Israeli stamps. (TY Jacob) Israel Post has issued new stamps featuring Israeli achievements
in robotics; trees of Israel and simultaneous joint issues with the USA and
with Poland.
Circling Mount Meron. The 100% circular nature trail in the Mount Meron Nature Reserve leads
from Nahal Moran to Nahal Neria past gorgeous groves and enchanting landscapes.
Check the weather first, because it requires walking inside the riverbed, which
remains dry most of the year except immediately after rain.
Messi joins Beitar
Jerusalem fan club. Argentine football (soccer) legend
Lionel Messi has become a member of the fan club of the Israeli football team
Beitar Jerusalem. Beitar’s owner and Sirin labs CEO Moshe Hogeg, presented
Messi with a membership card and Sirin smartphone in Barcelona, where Messi plays
professionally.
THE JEWISH STATE
Relic from the tabernacle discovered. Archaeologists excavating at Shiloh have unearthed a 20 cm-long
clay pomegranate dating back well over 3000 years to the time of the Mishkan (Tabernacle)
in the First Iron Age. It is the same shape as the pomegranate-shaped bells on
the priests’ cloaks and probably decorated the Mishkan.
Archaeological
evidence for Chanukah. I reported previously (Sep
2013) about the Siebenberg House Museum built on top of the remains of a 2000-year-old
house in Jerusalem. Recently archaeologists discovered large stones from a Hasmonean
era building, and the time of the Maccabees of Chanukah fame.
Ancient
vanilla found in Israel. The first evidence of the use of vanilla has been discovered in residue
from a 3,600-year-old (Bronze-age) tomb at Megiddo in Israel. Traders probably brought
the spice from orchids grown in Africa. Scientists previously thought that
vanilla originated in South America, several thousand years later.
New Dead
Sea scrolls? Archaeologists
are busy excavating two recently discovered caves overlooking the Dead Sea which
contain 2000-year-old jars, wrappings, and possible scroll fragments. Although
the cave had been plundered, the robbers hadn’t dug very deep and the archaeologists
were hopeful of a new discovery.
Mystery
donor give Chanukah presents to hospitalized kids. An anonymous Australian donor has sent a
transport of toys to hundreds of children at Rambam’s Ruth Rappaport Children's
Hospital in Haifa. It took a special truck to transport all 1,150 toys. Leftover
toys will be given to children all year round.
Award for Rescuers Without Borders. Israel’s Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked presented Israel’s Rescuers
Without Borders (RWB) organization with an Award of Excellence at the Arutz Sheva
conference in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles. RWB’s 1,000 volunteers provide
emergency medical assistance in Judea and Samaria.
JNF to fund Israel education in UK Jewish
schools. JNF UK is giving £1.2 million to 18 UK Jewish
schools to boost Israel education programs. Its aim is to strengthen the Jewish
identity and connection to Israel for over 12,000 pupils. Primary schools receive
grants of up to £10,000 a year and secondary schools up to £50,000.
The
first International Jewish People’s Parade. Some 6,000 Jews from Israel and around the
world participated in the first-ever International Jewish People’s Parade in
Jerusalem. The marchers carried Macy’s Day Parade-like floats. Characters included
Chinese dragons, a Muppet, a Smurf, Ben Gurion and Herzl.
Australia
recognizes Israel’s capital. Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced, "Australia
now recognizes West Jerusalem, being the seat of the Knesset [Israel's
parliament] and many of the institutions of government, is the capital of
Israel." Australia is to establish a trade and defense office in West
Jerusalem.
Reali
school’s “Chanukah Miracles”. (TY Marlene) Haifa’s Reali school
magazine featured the project of its Middle School students who are translating
articles from my VeryGoodNewsIsrael newsletter into Hebrew. Click here
for the link to the magazine. It’s the
last article on the page. Here is what is says:-
נס חנוכה – הניוזלטר
"חדשות טובות ישראל" מתורגם לעברית בשיתוף עם תלמידי תיכון הדר
"חדשות טובות
ישראל" – ניוזלטר שבועי באנגלית המופץ לקוראים רבים ברחבי העולם.
בניוזלטר תמצאו חדשות
וחידושים מישראל בכל תחומי החיים ומעשים טובים שקורים במדינה הקטנה והנפלאה שלנו.
קבוצת תלמידים,
בשיתוף עם סניף תיכון הדר בהנחייתה של מרלין, עוסקת בתרגום של מאמרים נבחרים, זאת
במטרה להנגיש את התכנים גם לציבור בישראל.
תלמידים שנענו למטלה
התנדבותית ואצילית זו, זכו בתזכורת מכובדת וסיקור של החגיגות ה- 105 של בית הספר.
תהליך התרגום מרחיב
למתנדבים את ידיעותיהם באנגלית, מרחיב אופקים ומעודד עשיה חיובית.
בכך הם הופכים
לשגרירים צעירים של חדשות טובות ישראל, ושגרירים יצירתיים של בית ספר הריאלי וסניף
תיכון הדר.
למעבר לעמוד
"חדשות טובות ישראל" לחצו כאן.
181209
In the 9th Dec
18 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
A new
Israeli treatment for advanced chronic kidney disease
·
Jewish
paramedics in Judea save the life of a Palestinian Arab boy.
·
Israeli system
blocked several unauthorized drones at the G20 Summit.
·
A new Israeli
environmentally-friendly space-rocket fuel is being developed.
·
Skoda has
just partnered with its sixth Israeli tech company.
·
The number
of tourists visiting Jerusalem last year rose by 38%.
·
Israeli
technology has uncovered a 2,600-year-old Jewish town in Judea.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Cell-therapy for advanced kidney disease. Israeli biotech KidneyCure is developing personalized cell-therapy
technology for treating advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). An estimated 30
million adults in the US have CKD (most are undiagnosed) with 600,000 on
dialysis.
Non-Hodgins
lymphoma treatment approved. Israel’s Teva has
received US FDA approval for its Truxima treatment for several conditions of the
deadly non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. Truxima is a bio-similar
(tested low-cost alternative) to Rituxan (Rituximab) manufactured by Roche.
Good results
in H. pylori treatment. Israeli biotech Redhill announced
positive top-line results from its confirmatory Phase 3 study using its TALICIA
treatment for H. pylori Infection. Of 455 trial participants, the antibiotic-resistant
infection was eradicated completely in 85% of cases compared to 58% using an alternative.
Giving an
amputee a reason to live. 72-year old Israeli Yehuda
lost both legs after an infection and was considering ending his life. But when
volunteers from NGO United Hatzalah’s ‘Ten Kavod’ project heard of his plight,
they took him swimming in the sea and even on a yacht trip. It has totally changed
his life.
Boosting
Israel’s life-science powerhouse. Israeli NGO 8400
Network is building a network of 400 top Israeli health-tech brains over 8
years (hence 8400). These leaders are using the best practices of global life-sciences
ecosystems to initiate projects that promote growth in the health-related industry
in Israel.
EU award for cancer
breath-test inventor. Israel Technion Professor
Hossam Haick (see here) received
the European Commission Innovation Prize in Lisbon for inventing the SniffPhone,
a smartphone device to detect cancer in the breath. He was “the most innovative
scientist realizing an idea in the field of electronic systems”.
Nursing training
for Ethiopian-Israelis. Israeli NGO JobKatif has established
Achotenu - a program at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem’s Hadassah hospital,
for Ethiopian-Israelis to earn a degree in nursing and long-term employment. The
current program has 58 students including those in this inspiring video.
Israeli leads
the cardiovascular world. (TY Hazel) Israel is
number one in the world for medical patents per capita. These patents have led
to numerous revolutionary cardiovascular procedures and devices. E.g. aortic
valve replacement, mitral valve repair, tiny pacemakers, heart monitoring chips
and especially stents.
Charity’s 3,000th
transplant. Israeli charity Ezer Mizion is
celebrating the 3,000-milestone for the number of life-saving stem-cell transplants
performed as a direct result of its bone-marrow registry. Prior to Ezer Mizion,
chances of a Jewish patient finding a genetic match was 8%. Now, 76% of requests
receive a positive response.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Hi-tech training for Negev Arabs and
Jews. Founded
in 2009, Israeli NGO A New Dawn in the Negev improves quality of life for
Israel’s Bedouin community. Its Tech2Peace program in Yeruham trained 30 young
men and women (15 Israeli Arabs and 15 Jews) in software development, graphic
design and 3D printing.
Israeli-Druze woman is Public
Broadcaster’s TV News anchor. (TY Hazel) Israeli-Druze
Gadeer Mreeh is the first non-Jewish woman to anchor the Hebrew news at the
Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation. A mother of two, she has a BA from
Bar-Ilan University and a master’s in international relations from Haifa University.
Israeli Arab “is privileged” to serve in
the IDF. (TY Hazel) “T” - a 19-year-old Israeli
Arab from the Jerusalem area joined the IDF Border Police and completed basic
training. The teenager says it's "a privilege to serve my country,” Following
T.'s decision to enlist, three of his close friends decided to follow his
footsteps.
Palestinian Arab boy’s
life saved. (TY Avi)
Efrat is a Judean town situated between Bethlehem and Hebron. Arab residents from
neighboring Wadi Nis brought to Efrat a boy from their village who was seriously
hurt in a fall from his second-floor balcony. Efrat’s Jewish paramedics provided
advanced treatment, saving his life.
Co-existence projects in the Jordan
Valley. Israel’s Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy
Ministry has partnered the Jordan Valley Regional Council to promote agricultural
cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian Arab communities. Head of the
Jordan Valley Regional Council, David Elhayani tells more.
Latino Christian Zionists in LA. (TY IsraPundit)
Latino evangelicals from Southern California gathered at the Igelsia Evangelica
Latina church in Los Angeles for a special event honoring the State of Israel. The
event was also attended by local Jewish community leaders and a representative
of the Israeli consulate in Los Angeles.
UN adopts Israel’s national rescue team. Israel’s Home Front Command National Rescue Unit has joined the prestigious
“INSARAG" - a United Nations body that centralizes rescue units from
around the world to coordinate, optimize and utilize rescue operations in disaster-stricken
areas and save lives.
Drones neutralized at G20
Summit. Last week (see
here) I wrote that Israel provided security for the G20 Summit in Buenos
Aires. In fact, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) subsidiary ELTA, deployed its
Drone Guard detection system and successfully blocked several suspicious drones
from flying towards the global leaders.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Making Tel Aviv bloom – with sheep! Ecologist Liav Shalem has deployed Asaf Gal to graze his herd of
sheep in Tel Aviv’s Yarkon River Park as a pilot project to rehabilitate 52
patches of undeveloped nature in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. Grazing restores
the natural ecological balance, promoting the growth of flowers.
Training migrants in computer skills. We frequently hear bad news about Tel Aviv’s asylum seekers from
Sudan and Eritrea. In contrast, this initiative of Israeli NGO African Refugee
Development Center and the Developer Institute is to teach some of them coding skills
and integrate them into the Israeli hi-tech sector.
Card games to teach innovation. Israeli start-up Innovations Nations Games (TING) has developed a
learning ‘Toolkit’ in the form of card games to help develop innovative and
creative thinking skills. Players brainstorm ideas for new innovative ventures or
solutions for existing challenges.
Israeli agricultural conference in
Vietnam. (TY
Nevet) The Israeli embassy in Vietnam
held a conference on hi-tech agriculture to help Vietnamese farmers. Vice
Chairman of Ha Noi People’s Committee Nguyen Doan Toan praised Israel and
anticipated Israeli companies would help the city develop its hi-tech agriculture
sector.
Whatever happened to Iron Beam? I reported previously (26th
Jan) on the laser beam system to stop short-rage mortars. The project was stopped
to give priority to Iron Dome. But now Israel Aerospace Industries is “at a
very advanced stage,” in its development and “successful experiments have
already been carried out".
Gel propulsion. Israeli startup NewRocket is developing gel propulsion – a cheaper,
more environmentally friendly rocket-engine technology offering the same level
of performance and control as toxic “legacy fuel” and a better solution for
smaller satellites. The technology was invented by Prof. Benny Natan of Israel’s
Technion.
Facing threats full in the face. I’ve reported on many Israeli startups (see here) that have
developed innovative face-recognition technology. Israel’s AnyVision uses artificial
intelligence (AI) to perform real-time forensic analysis of video images for pro-active
threat intervention. Investors include Qualcomm and Bosch.
Developing cybersecurity with Japan. Israel’s (female) ambassador to Japan Yaffa Ben-Ari and Japan’s Minister
of the Interior and Communications Masatoshi Ishida signed an accord in Tokyo to
cooperate in research and development, information exchange, and training
programs in the field of cybersecurity.
Two global game-changers. New York-based data company CB Insights named two Israeli startups in
its 2019 Game Changers report of 36 international fast-growing firms that are
changing the world. I reported (see
here) on connected car startup Autotalks and AdVerif.ai uses AI to keep users
safe from spam and malicious content.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Israel is a hot spot
for tourism. (TY WIN
& I24 News) Having broken the all-time record for tourist numbers to Israel,
the Israel Hotel Investment Summit some of the top world hoteliers have come to
Israel and are ready to invest. In
particular, the number of tourists visiting Jerusalem rose by 38% in the past
year.
Salary growth declines, except in
Israel. The Global Wage Report 2018/19 finds that
the world’s average wage growth slowed in 2017 compared with 2016 and is
considered the lowest rate since 2008. But in Israel, the average real wage has
increased every year since 2013 when the rise was 1.4%. In 2017 wages
rose 3%.
Direct flights to Vietnam. Vietnam Airlines has announced that it will start direct flights,
twice-a-week, from Hanoi to Tel Aviv from Sep 2019. Vietnam Airlines CEO Thanh
Tri Duong was reportedly in Israel in November for meetings on the new operation.
He also signed a code-sharing agreement with El Al.
Israeli security and water for UN African
Peacekeepers. The United Nations has signed an $8
million agreement Israel’s MER for defense sensors in Africa where 61
peacekeepers were killed last year. In addition, Israeli water treatment technology
company Odis has won a UN tender worth $42 million.
Radar protection for South Korea. (TY WIN)
ELTA Systems Ltd., a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), has won a
deal reported to be worth $292 million to supply two long-range warning systems
to South Korea. The mobile, ground-based Green Pine radar systems detect and
track long-range missiles.
Skoda accelerates in
Israel. Czech car-maker Skoda has revealed that it is
working with two Israel-based startups - Chakratec and UVeye and already testing
their technologies. Skoda started seeking Israeli innovation in 2017 and has already
partnered with Israel’s Anagog, XM Cyber, Guardian, and Otonomo.
Keeping Chinese eyes on the road. New regulations come into force in Shenzhen, China in 2019 that require
all heavy trucks to have driver monitoring systems. So, China’s Exsun has
partnered with Israel-based motion recognition startup EyeSight Technologies to
integrate its systems with Exsun’s truck fleet management tools.
German firm acquired for $100 million. Israeli companies don’t exit as much as they did a few years ago.,
Israeli gaming giant Playtika has just bought out its German rival Wooga (makers
of puzzles) for $100 million. Playtika’s annual revenue following the
acquisition will surpass $1 billion. No
small shakes!
Moving from Cloud to Cloud to IBM. Israeli startup NooBaa’s technology makes it easy for companies to
move data from one Cloud location to another or manage it in multiple locations
as if in a single coherent data set. Anyway, NooBaa’s software is so good that
Red Hat Inc (owned by IBM) just had to buy the company.
Free cybersecurity for the hotel
industry. Israeli cybersecurity startup ITsMine is
to provide its AI-based Data Loss Prevention solution free of charge to the
worldwide hotel industry through the end of 2019. It follows Marriott hotel’s recent
data breach that exposed the financial data of approximately 500 million
guests.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
ArtBnB in Jerusalem. No, not a spelling mistake. Project ArtBnB brings 21 artists from
17 countries to “live and create” in one of three Jerusalem cultural centers. They
will be guested by 21 local artists from Dec 9 – 20, culminating in an
exhibition to showcase their works in the fields of cinema, theater and
photography.
Moses led Romanian Jews to the Promised
Land. “Bucharest Diary: Romania’s Journey from
Darkness to Light” is a new book by 89-year-old American Alfred Moses. In it, he
recounts his 13-years work from 1976, bringing thousands of Jews to Israel from
Communist Romania.
Israeli wine wins International double-gold. Israel’s Tom Winery won "Best Winery" in the boutique
winery category, plus the top "Double Gold" award for their
"Cabernet Franc 2016" in the "Terra Vino" international
wine competition in Ashdod. 30 international judges tasted and graded 500 wines
from all over the world.
Shark observation center opens. Every winter, about 20 to 30 dusky and sandbar sharks come to enjoy
basking in the pure warm waters surrounding Israel’s Orot Rabin power plant in Hadera.
From Dec to Apr, visitors can watch them and learn about sharks at the new information
and shark observation station.
New Tel Aviv bike trails. I reported previously (24th
July) on Tel Aviv’s many bike pathways and how easy it is to rent a bike. Now,
Tel Aviv’s Mayor Ron Huldai has just inaugurated the first section of a new 110-kilometer
network of bicycle trails that “will turn Tel Aviv into the Amsterdam of the
Middle East”.
THE JEWISH STATE
Jerusalem’s
Yemenite synagogue. In 1885, Jews from Yemen built a synagogue in the village of Shiloah (Silwan),
right outside Jerusalem's Old City. The British evacuated the Jews during the
1936-9 Arab riots and the Jordanian army destroyed the synagogue in 1948. It is
now being rebuilt and discoveries are being made.
Kosovo
would move its embassy to Jerusalem – if it had one! Kosovo’s president, Hashim Thaci,
said that were his country to have an embassy in Israel, he would put it in
Jerusalem. Israel and Kosovo (a majority Muslim country) have warm relations
but currently do not have formal diplomatic ties.
Technology reveals ancient Judean village. Over 2600 years old, the vanished
village of Beit Lehi-Beit Loya is re-emerging, southwest of Jerusalem. LiDAR (Light
Detection and Ranging) technology and a 360-degree UVU drone-mounted 4K camera have
revealed 20% of the village and some amazing remains. Visit it on-line.
Local
evidence of Babylonian exile. Just north of Netanya, Israel, a cuneiform tablet has been discovered documenting
the sale of slaves, in the Biblical Land of Israel. The Kingdom of Israel
(Samaria) fell to the Assyrians around 722 BCE and the ten northern Tribes of
Israel were exiled as slaves to Babylon.
Ancient
mask connects Israel to birth of civilization. Israeli archaeologists discovered a Neolithic
9,000-year-old stone mask - one of only 15 in the world - at Pnei Hever in Judea.
Experts link stone masks to the transition from hunting and gathering into a domestic
farming economy with ritual-religious activities.
Helping
French Jews settle in. Israel’s Ministry of Education has launched “Feel at Home” – a program specific
to the needs of young Olim from France. It aims to increase and ease their
integration into Israeli society with after-school activities for children, projects
promoting leadership and study enrichment centers.
World’s
largest Hanukah menorah is now in Jerusalem. The world’s biggest Hanukah menorah (Hanukiyah)
has been erected on top of the Hadar Mall in Jerusalem. At 11 meters tall and 56
meters wide, it can be seen from any outside location in the capital. The
previous record (candle) holder was in New York City.
Or
Gadol – a great light. (TY Leonie) Recorded last year,
but appropriate for Chanukah - the Jewish festival of lights. Israel’s Koolulam
gathered hundreds of people in Jerusalem for a few hours just to sing together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak79axDkIEw
181202
In the 2nd Dec
18 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
Israeli scientists
have developed a new method for designing safe medicines.
·
Israel has
appointed its first male Ethiopian-born judge.
·
The
President of Chad visited Israel and is to restore diplomatic relations.
·
Israeli
drip irrigation has given 6,000 Indian farmers a second harvest.
·
Deal
signed to lay undersea pipeline for supplying Israeli gas to Europe.
·
An Israeli
gymnast won two World gold medals.
·
Haifa’s
Reali school celebrates its 105th anniversary and helps VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Boost for prostate
treatment. I reported previously (Feb
2012) on Israel’s Medi-Tate and its non-invasive treatment for benign
prostate enlargement. Now Japan’s Olympus
Corporation has invested $20 million in Medi-Tate and will market Medi-Tate’s iTind
implant in several countries.
Israeli innovation
saves lives. Hospitals all over the world use Israeli
medical technology. But Israeli Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the next big item.
This article highlights Israel’s MedAware (preventing prescription errors), MobiGuide’s
Patient Guidance system, Zebra Medical, and AI systems at Israeli hospitals
Sheba and Sourasky.
Toolbox for chemists. Researchers at Israel’s Technion have
developed a “toolbox” technique to give organic chemists a cheap and quick
method to design complex molecules and make safe medicines. They place smaller molecules
in a ring, make them rigid, use a catalyst to break their bonds and re-assemble
them like toy bricks.
Recognition
for pain monitor. I reported previously (Feb
2017) that the PMD200 pain measurement device from Israel’s Medasense had
received European CE Approval. Now, the international Society of Critical Care
Medicine has included the innovative technology in its Intensive Care Unit Clinical
Practice Guidelines.
Treatment to
combat mustard gas. The US Biomedical Advanced Research
and Development Authority (BARDA) has invested $43 million in Israel’s MediWound
to develop its NexoBrid product for the treatment of mustard gas injuries. In
2015 BARDA invested $112 million to help MediWound develop NexoBrid for burns.
Guidance
system for visually-impaired goes global. I reported
previously (Sep
2017) on Israel’s RightHear and its app that enables the visually impaired
to navigate shopping malls, hospitals, universities etc. RightHear has since been
installed in Israeli supermarket chain Shufersal, launched in the US and is heading
for the UK.
Bio-ethics
conference. We’ve just returned from Jerusalem. The
hotel where we stayed was also hosting the UNESCO 13th World Conference on
Bioethics, Medical Ethics and Health Law and many of the international delegates
were pleased to hear about VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
Medical
clowning is no joke. The results of a quantitative
study at two Israeli medical clinics have proved that medical clowns relieve
the anxiety of children towards invasive medical examinations. Lowering anxiety
levels shortens procedure time and reduces pain (e.g. of a colonoscopy).
Three sets of
triplets on one day. Israel’s Sheba Medical Center has
just delivered three sets of triplets on the same day - a unique occasion. The
three mothers had carried for 30 -32 weeks. Co-incidentally, World Premature Day
is recognized on 17th Nov around the world. Last year, 77 women in Israel gave
birth to triplets.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Diplomats’ fun run raises money for
special needs. Israel’s foreign ministry hosted its
third diplomatic race for foreign diplomats up and down the hills of Jerusalem.
The event raised funds for Shalva, an Israeli organization that helps children with
special needs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TRAc-idCMs
Israeli band with disabilities plays at
top UK school. An Israeli band of eight musicians
with disabilities has played at UK’s prestigious Eton College, where Prince
William studied. The Shalva Band includes
musicians with Down syndrome, autism, and various physical handicaps and raised
money for children with disabilities.
President hosts special Olympians. (TY Sharon and UWI) Israel’s President
Reuven Rivlin welcomed Israeli athletes of the Special Olympics to his Beit
HaNasi official Jerusalem residence as part of the launch of the team that will
participate in the 2019 Special Olympic games in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Israel’s first
Ethiopian-born male judge. For the first time, Israel
has appointed a male Ethiopian-immigrant to be a judge. Bialin Elazar will
serve on the bench of the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court. Elazar, who previously
served a state prosecutor, will join two female Ethiopian judges (see
here) who were appointed two years ago.
Joint campus in China. The University of Haifa is launching a joint campus with the
largest university in Shanghai - the East China Normal University. Courses will
focus on environmental sciences, biomedicine and neuroscience. Haifa professors will use campus research facilities and get grants from
the Chinese university.
11 UK Universities visit Israel. 11 British universities visited Israel in preparation for Brexit. senior
personnel came from the Universities of Exeter, Cambridge, Edinburgh,
Manchester, Warwick, Lancaster, Durham, Queen Mary, Queen’s Belfast, King’s
London and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Historic visit by
President of Chad. President Idriss Deby has made
the first-ever visit by a President of the Republic of Chad to the State of
Israel, and brought his Foreign Minister, Economy Minister and other senior
officials and visited Yad Vashem. He promised to re-establish diplomatic
relations. Chad is 55% Muslim.
UN passes Israeli-led resolution for a
better world. (TY UWI)
The United Nations has adopted an Israel-led resolution on sustainable
development through entrepreneurship. It calls all States to support young innovators,
people with disabilities in the workplace, small and medium-sized businesses
and to stop gender discrimination.
Water from air in California. Israel’s WaterGen has supplied its GEN-350 atmospheric water
generator to help police and firefighters battling the California wildfires. The
mobile system provides 156 gallons of water per day and is equipped with a
generator and charging stations.
Helping first responders in California. The drone footage from Israel’s Edgybees helped firefighters with
California’s wildfires in March (see
here). And they have been helping California
combat the recent disaster.
Israeli NGO launches in Eswatini. Israel’s Innovation: Africa has added eSwatini (previously
Swaziland) to its list of African countries that it is working in. Innovation:
Africa implements projects to install solar power and water systems into remote
villages, bringing energy and clean water to millions of Africans.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Technion joins EuroTech University
Alliance. (TY UWI)
Israel’s Technion Institute will join the EuroTech Universities Alliance of
five leading European Universities on 1st January. It will pool education,
research and innovation with the universities of Denmark, Lausanne, Luxembourg,
Eindhoven, Munich and across the EU.
Cybersecurity for G20 summit. Israel provided cyber defense and cybersecurity to the end of
November G20 Summit meeting in Buenos Aires. The Argentine Defense Ministry has
signed a $5 million contract with Israel’s Defense Ministry for two computer
security response teams.
US firm buys Israeli satellites. US-based XpressSAR has bought a constellation of up to four TecSAR
synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites from Israel Aerospace Industries. Launching
in 2022, XpressSAR will use them to monitor harbors, airfields, active
volcanoes, spreading floods, oil spills and ship traffic.
Using voice analytics to recruit staff. (TY Atid-EDI)
I reported previously (21st
May) on Israel’s VoiceSense and its speech analytics program that can
predict behavior from speech patterns. VoiceSense has just launched its
solution for Human Resources which analyzes interview videos to produce a
shortlist of suitable candidates.
Saving lives on Nevada roads. I reported previously (July
2017) when the Artificial Intelligent road crash prediction system from
Israel’s Waycare started a one-year pilot project in Las Vegas. Nevada Highway
Patrol says the system reduced crashes by 17 percent and it wants to extend the
system across the Las Vegas Valley.
Transforming Indian
agriculture. Around 6,000 farmers in 50 previously drought-stricken
villages in Hungund, India, adopted drip-irrigation from Israel’s Netafim and
are enjoying a second annual harvest. The 24,000-hectare Ramthal (Marol) project
has doubled their annual crop yield and reduced water consumption.
Science without borders. To honor Israel’s 70th anniversary, the Israel Academy of Sciences
and Humanities and the French Academy of Sciences have convened joint
scientific conferences - in Paris in June of this year, and just recently, in Jerusalem.
Nobel Prize laureates attended and delivered papers at both conferences.
Technology, art and archaeology. In Jerusalem we met Professor Amos Notea who is chairing the third
Art&Archaeology International Conference in Jerusalem from Dec 9-12. The
conference will focus on breakthrough methods and technologies for measuring
and analysis of our cultural and historical heritage.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
European gas pipeline
deal signed. I reported previously (see here) on the
progress of the planned pipeline to take up to 20 billion cubic meters per year
of Israeli natural gas to mainland Europe. Israel has now signed an agreement
with Cyprus, Greece and Italy to lay the 1,242-mile pipeline – the longest gas
pipeline in history.
UK minister seeks more trade with Israel. Britain’s minister for international trade, Liam Fox, met Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a bid to replicate or improve on the trade
relations currently enjoyed between the two countries as part of the EU-Israel
Association Agreement.
Guarding servers in 8 countries. I reported previously (Sep
2016) on Israeli cybersecurity startup Guardicore when it raised $50
million to help R&D and commercial expansion. Guardicore now has customers
in the USA, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Ukraine and Switzerland and has
won several major international awards.
Co-working in Jerusalem. WeWork, co-founded by Israel’s
Adam Neumann, has opened a new co-working center in King George Street,
Jerusalem. WeWork now has nine shared office spaces in Israel, including Tel
Aviv, Haifa, Beersheva and now Jerusalem.
Twitter discovers Israel. Social media company Twitter has announced that it is planning to
significantly grow its presence in Israel. Its first business-to-business event
took place in Tel Aviv attended by hundreds of local entrepreneurs and
executives.
Another Israeli purchase for Medtronic. I reported previously (Jan
2016) on Israel’s Nutrino that uses artificial intelligence to make a personal
food plan, based on their dietary needs, their medical profiles, health goals,
preferences and lifestyles. Medical giant Medtronic has just acquired Nutrino
for around $100 million.
Huge contracts with Boeing. I reported previously (see
here) on US Aerospace giant Boeing’s involvement in Israel. In a new agreement
with State-owned Israel Aerospace Industries, Boeing plans to partner with IAI in
contracts worth billions of shekels, relating to sales of its new tanker
aircraft and other defense products.
Going the extra mile. Israeli-founded insure-tech startup Hippo has been doing a bit more
than normal insurance companies to help Californian wildfire victims. First,
using maps and artificial intelligence, Hippo warned customers in the route of
fires to evacuate. They then arranged accommodation and helped with claims.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Urban art in Tel Aviv. (TY Jacques) Tel Aviv City Council, real estate agencies and
artists are taking the dilapidated buildings across Tel Aviv to flip them, if
only briefly, into cultural centers. In one of them, Alfredo Libre Gutierez, also
known.as Libre, painted a mural to transform a soon-to-be-torn-down old
clothing factory.
NIS 49,560 awards for 21 artists. Israel’s Culture and Sport Ministry has announced the 21 winners of
the Arik Einstein Prize for Veteran Artists. Each of the winners in seven
categories – music, dance, singing, theater, film, literature and visual arts –
will be awarded a prize just under NIS 50,000 to avoid them paying higher tax.
Jerusalem Hills wine festival. The 20th annual Jerusalem
Hills Regional Wine Festival opened on 29th Nov. 33 wineries celebrate their
unique vintages and the region. The Jerusalem Hills are perfect for grapes, and
an extensive boutique winery industry has blossomed. There are weekend tastings
and music events until 22 Dec.
Dancing for World Kindness Day. In honor of World Kindness day, hundreds gathered in Jerusalem's
First Station for a flash mob.
Israeli artistic gymnast
wins another World Cup gold. Israeli gymnast Artem
Dolgopyat won the gold medal in the floor exercise at the Artistic Gymnastics
World Cup (FIG) competition in Cottbus, Germany. He had previously won gold in
the same exercise at September’s Paris World Challenge Cup.
THE JEWISH STATE
Excavating
Biblical Judean town. (TY Jacques) During an excavation in Khirbet Qeiyafa near Beit Shemesh, Hebrew
University Professor Yosef Garfinkel uncovered the Biblical city Sha’arayim.
Using carbon dating, he proved that the fortified city (in books of Joshua and
Samuel) was part of King David’s Kingdom of Judah.
Czech
President opens first stage of Embassy move. During his recent official visit to Israel,
Czech President Milos Zeman inaugurated Czech House - a cultural center - as
the first step in his 3-stage plan to move the Czech Republic embassy to
Jerusalem.
Roman
Abramovich’s beautiful new home. Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich is building a 1,500-square-meter
mansion in Tel Aviv. The $27 million purchase picturesque Neve Tzedek
neighborhood, will be developed from its original boutique hotel into a courtyard
complex in the historical elegant Tel Aviv style.
Fancy
a donut – or 360,000? To celebrate the Jewish festival
of Hannukah, Israel’s Defense Ministry has purchased 360,000 donuts to give to
IDF troops, including those at Air Force and Navy bases. It has also bought 16,000
packages of Chanukah candles, 30,700 tin menorahs and 200 large menorahs.
Israel
Rail workers find volunteer's lost $2000. Sarah
had been teaching English to Israeli children as part of a US volunteer program.
During her train journey to catch her flight back to the US, Sarah lost her
wallet containing $2000. Israel Rail
workers found the wallet and a friend of Sarah’s collected it later.
Almost
all Israeli Jews light Chanukah lights. (TY Janglo)
This really surprised me. According to data from the #IsraeliJudaism project of
the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI), 73% of Israeli Jews claim they light
the Hanukiah (menorah) for the full eight days of Hanukkah. Another 25% say
they light on some nights.
Haifa’s Reali School celebrates 105 years.
This leading prestigious educational institution boasts graduates of the
highest caliber who have shaped the State of Israel. Students from the Hadar
branch chose the project of translating VeryGoodNewsIsrael in fulfillment of the
school’s vision which is about encouraging caring and involvement in Israeli
society. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i--LYAZlrMI
בית הספר הריאלי העברי בחיפה חוגג 105 שנה. לבית הספר
שורה רחבה של בוגרים שתרמו ומשפיעים על עיצוב דמותה של מדינת ישראל. תלמדי הראלי
בסניף תיכון הדר, בחרו להשתתף בפרויקט תרגום של "חדשות טובות ישראל"
כהגשמת חזון בית הספר – "להיות מוסד חינוכי איכותי, מוביל ומתווה דרך, המכוון
את תלמידיו להיות בני אדם מעורבים ומשפיעים בחברה הישראלית".
181125
In the 25th Nov
18 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
Two new Israeli
portable blood tests are now available.
·
An Arab
Christian is Israel’s new ambassador to Muslim Azerbaijan.
·
Israeli
NGO IsraAID is providing help to evacuees from California wildfires.
·
NASA’s Sun
probe is using Israeli technology to capture images and data.
·
Innovative
Israeli startup benefits supermarkets, customers and the planet.
·
A new all-time
record for the number of tourists to Israel.
·
An Israeli
comedy show won an Emmy award.
·
3,000-year-old
Hebrew-inscribed half-shekel weight discovered in Jerusalem.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Brain bleed
detection approved. (TY Atid-EDI) I
reported previously (see here)
on Israel’s MedyMatch and its Artificial Intelligent Accipio Ix intracranial
hemorrhage detection software. MedyMatch
(renamed MaxQ AI) has now received both FDA and CE approval to sell its systems
in both the US and in Europe.
US approval for portable blood test. (TY Atid-EDI)
I reported previously (8th
Apr) on Israel’s PixCell which received a multi-million grant by the EU to
help advance its HemoScreen portable blood test. The US FDA has just approved HemoScreen to sell
in the USA. Meanwhile, Israel’s SightDx has launched its OLO blood tester.
Treatment for
advanced Parkinson’s disease. I reported previously
(see here) on Israel’s Intec
Pharma which is developing treatments based on its innovative Accordion
technology. Intec’s COO Nadav Navon
provided an update of Intec’s pipeline on ILTV.
Phase 3 trials have now commenced on Intec’s Parkinson’s treatment.
Quadriplegic bridegroom
stands at his wedding. (TY TIP)
I reported previously (Dec
2015) about a paraplegic bridegroom who walked down the isle in an Israeli
ReWalk exoskeleton. Now a quadriplegic Israeli, Adir, was able to stand next to
his bride, Liat, thanks to ReWalk’s latest “UPnRIDE” mobility solution.
The right
treatment is in the DNA. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s
2bPrecise takes sources of patient genetic data to help physicians determine
the best treatment for individuals. 2bPrecise is partnering with US-based
Innovation Institute and Avera Health’s GeneFolio to deliver a pharmacogenomics
knowledge base to the point of care.
Pediatric orthopedic
training for 50 African doctors. Professor Mark
Eidelman of Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center led a unique 4-day training course in
Addis Ababa. 50 doctors from Ethiopia and neighboring countries learned how to fix
pediatric orthopedic deformities.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
From Ethiopian immigrant to Israeli
Parliament. (TY
UWI)
Penina Tamanu-Shata is the first Ethiopian-born woman to become a member of the
Israeli Parliament (Knesset). Penina came to Israel in 1984 at the age of 3 during
Operation Moses. She tells of her Aliyah and her work helping other immigrants
to integrate.
Audio books for kids with reading difficulties. (TY Moshe K) The Israel Audiobook Project provides children with
reading difficulties free access to texts in audio, rather than written, form. Now
they too can enjoy the pleasure of well-known children’s stories and their characters.
Training program for special needs. Tel Aviv University and AKIM have launched a training program for
those with learning difficulties to become professional dental sterilization
technicians. Skills include decontamination, assembling, packaging, and
distribution of re-usable surgical instruments and equipment.
The guy who saves wild animals. Avihu Sherwood runs the “For the Wildlife” Animal Rescue at the Dear
Park Country Zoo, founded by Tzvi Adiv, on Israel’s Moshav Elishama, in Central
Israel. Avihu tries to save any injured animal and reintroduce it into the wild
– some 3,000 – 4,000 animals per year.
Winning the argument. An Israeli youth debate team
has topped the EurOpen 2018 International Schools Debate Competition in
Stuttgart, Germany, beating 30 other teams. The four members of Israel 1 made
history by becoming the first team from Israel to win the tournament. http://www.europen-debate.net/
Israel’s international Parliament. Israel is hosting the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) for a conference
on promoting innovation. Established in 1889, the IPU represents the national
parliaments of 178 countries and is the permanent forum for political multilateral
negotiations. It is the first time Israel has hosted the IPU.
The largest international rescue drill. On 4th Nov, the Israel Air Force’s elite Airborne Combat, Search
and Rescue Unit 669 hosted elite units from the US, Italy, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Canada and Netherlands in Israel’s largest-ever rescue exercise. 669
unit has previously rescued over 10,000 people across the world.
Averting India’s water crisis. (TY Arlene) India’s Sandipan Dasgupta is a PhD student in Biochemistry
at Israel’s Weizmann Institute. He summarizes Israeli water technology and confirms
that Israel is thus rightly poised to be India’s strategic partner to help alleviate
its water crisis that impacts some 600 million people.
Help for Californian wildfire
evacuees. Israeli NGO IsraAID has sent an emergency
response team to California in the wake of its deadly and devastating wildfires.
IsraAID will distribute relief items to families in temporary accommodation and
initiate activities to promote community resilience and recovery.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Best Invention of 2018. I reported previously (24th
Dec) on the revolutionary new Nanobébé baby bottle. Nanobébé has now been recognized
by TIME magazine and appears on the cover of its latest issue as one of the best
inventions of the year. TIME rated originality, creativity, influence, ambition
and effectiveness.
Foresight wins CES innovation award. (TY Atid-EDI)
I reported previously (21st
Jan) on the QuadSight vehicle camera-based vision systems from Israel’s
Foresight. QuadSight has now been named a 2019 CES Innovation Award honoree in
the Vehicle Intelligence and Self-Driving Technology category.
Even better innovation. (TY Atid-EDI)
I reported previously (3rd
Dec) that Israel’s Innoviz won a CES Innovation Award for its
groundbreaking InnovizPro High Definition Solid State LiDAR (Light Imaging,
Detection, And Ranging). This year, Innoviz went even better, winning the CES Best
of Innovation award.
Photographing the Sun. A breakthrough image sensor developed by Israel’s TowerJazz is onboard
the NASA Parker Solar Probe spacecraft. The CMOS (complementary
metal–oxide–semiconductor) sensor is capturing high-resolution images of the sun’s
atmosphere, including coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar wind.
Broadband connectivity across China. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israel’s Gilat Satellite Networks already deploys its multi-application platform,
SkyEdge II-c in China. During 2019, China
Satcom will use Gilat’s ground network to deploy its CS-18 and extend its CS-16
broadband services across the whole of China.
Israeli simulators for Poland. Israel’s Elbit Systems has delivered M-346 Full Mission Simulators
(FMS) and Flight Training Devices (FTD) to the Polish Air Force. Already in use
in Israel’s Air Force, they enable cadets to safely achieve skills from basic
familiarity to top level combat flight competence in complex arenas.
Pearls to follow diamonds. I reported previously (see
here) on Israeli-founded Sky and Space Global and the success of its first
three nanosatellites, the “3 Diamonds,” launched into space in June 2017. SAS
has completed the critical design review of its Pearls satellite and intends to
launch 200 of them in 2019 and 2020.
Another Israeli flying car? Israeli startup NFT is developing a fully electric vertical takeoff
and landing vehicle – i.e. a flying car. Apparently, the vehicle will be the
size of a big SUV, offered in both electric and hybrid versions and will be
priced competitively against regular cars.
Watch this space!
Pupils’ startup idea to keep beach-goers
safe. A team of 16- and 17-year-olds at Yeshivat
Amit Nachshon school near Beit Shemesh has set up a startup to develop a wrist
band that aims to help keep beach-goers safe from drowning. Life guards will be
alerted if someone is swimming out too far or if showing signs of distress.
Reducing food waste
and shopping bills. (TY Jacques & Hazel) US supermarkets
throw away 25 million tons of food each year. Israeli startup Wasteless cuts food
waste and shopping costs. Its system enables supermarkets to lower prices of
products nearing their expiration date. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5FKSmWIcjQ
The bio-toilet. I’ve reported previously (see here) on Israel’s HomeBiogas,
manufacturer of small-scale biogas systems. To mark World Toilet Day, HomeBiogas
has launched its Bio-Toilet in Jalpatagua, Guatemala, and in off-grid communities
in Israel. The digestor turns both human and paper waste into cooking gas.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Million-dollar fund for North Israel startups. (TY UWI)
The University of Haifa’s Carmel innovation fund has raised $1 million to attract
entrepreneurs to Haifa and northern Israel. It includes $100,000 to support its
underwater-vision startup SEAERRA, developing applications for oil and gas,
security and fish-breeding.
Annual tourism record
broken. The number of incoming tourists to Israel
has just surpassed last year’s record of 3.6 million, and the Tourism Ministry
is projecting the total will exceed four million by end Dec. Significant
increases include 90% from Poland, 40% from the Czech Republic, Romania and
Hungary, and 35% from Italy.
Up to £250,000 for joint UK-Israel
projects. The UK and Israeli governments have set
up a fund of over £2 million to encourage joint UK-Israel business ventures.
They have invited entrepreneurs developing new technology to team up and bid
for grants up to £250,000 to help pay for cooperative business efforts.
UK delegation seeks Israeli innovation. Senior UK executives from Mastercard and Citi have come to Israel
as part of a delegation organized by the chamber of commerce for UK Israel
Business (UKIB). They will meet Israeli technology giants, startups, investors
etc. Many UK businesses are seeking Israeli partners post-Brexit.
Welcome Mississippi. I reported previously (Nov
2014) when Mississippi Governor Phil Bryan led a business development
mission to Israel. Governor Bryan is back again on his 4th visit, with a large delegation
of state economic development leaders and private business executives.
Israeli energy and agro-tech for Angola. (TY Hazel) Israel is to invest $60 million in various sectors in
Angola, including the construction of a 50 megawatts solar power plant. Israel
has already invested $300 million in the agricultural sector in Angola since
2014. https://allafrica.com/stories/201811150152.html
Getting good value from ad campaigns. Israeli startup Trendemon analyzes a company’s ad campaigns and can
help prevent it wasting money. Trendemon CEO Avishai Sharon explained more on
ILTV.
Award-winning business tools. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israeli startup Camilyo equips small businesses with the tools to compete with
the big on-line companies. One of Deloitte’s 50 fastest growing Israeli companies,
Camilyo just won 3 prestigious Excellence awards at the SIINDA Local Search
Summit held in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Israel’s top retail disruptor. (TY Atid-EDI) I reported
recently (4th
Nov) on Israel’s Ladingo and its platform to significantly reduce shipping
and handling costs. Ladingo has just won top prize at the Retail Disrupt
Startup Competition. 1200 delegates from 25 countries attended Israel’s leading
conference on retail technology.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Matisyahu goes underground. Jewish American reggae singer Matisyahu, currently on a world tour
with his latest album, “Undercurrent,” returns to Israel with a concert on
December 2 at Jerusalem’s Zedekiah’s Cave. He is also hosting intimate evenings
at bars and spaces throughout his Israeli tour.
Netta performs at BA’s Israel celebration. Eurovision fans in London were treated to a star performance by
this year’s Israeli winner, Netta, at British Airways head office. The event celebrated
70 years of Israel’s independence and over 80 years of British Airways flying
to Tel Aviv.
Israeli series wins International Emmy. The Israeli show Nevsu won the Best Comedy series at the 46th
annual International Emmy Awards in New York. Nevsu depicts a marriage between
an Ethiopian Israeli man and an Ashkenazi Jewish Israeli woman.
The Israel National Mediterranean Sea
Trail. (TY Erez) The Israel National Mediterranean
Sea Trail is an exciting project to add to Israel’s impressive line-up of
nature trails. In 2019, hikers will be able to enjoy the first 34km of a 240km
(150 miles) coastal trail from Rosh Hanikra in the North to Kibbutz Zikim in
the South.
THE JEWISH STATE
1st Temple census stone. Archeologists sifting soil originating from
Western Wall foundations, have found a half-shekel stone weight engraved “beka”
in ancient Hebrew. Beka is mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 38, Verse 26: “One
beka per head; [that is,] half a shekel”. The beka stone was used in a census 3000
years ago.
The Jewish
bond to Jerusalem.
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen made a passionate speech from the House floor
about the significance of the archeological discoveries of ancient Jerusalem at
the City of David site. She reaffirmed
the Jewish people’s undeniable connection to the holy city as a matter of historical
fact.
Thanksgiving
dinner for 1000 lone soldiers. Each year Israel’s Lone Soldier Center hosts a Thanksgiving Dinner for
nearly 1,000 Lone Soldiers from all over the world. This celebration is all
about appreciating all the good in our lives and thanking the lone soldiers
defending Israel.
Turning
a “crisis” into a beautiful Shabbat. If you have been upset by malicious reports about
the problems on a delayed pre-Shabbat El Al flight LY-002 from New York to Tel
Aviv, please read these uplifting accounts (especially the second one) of what really
happened.
Yitzhak
Navon. (TY Sharon) Now that Jerusalem’s Yitzhak Navon railway
station is open, this article nicely describes the man who served as Israel’s
fifth President from 1978 to 1983, passing away in 2015. His family had lived
in Jerusalem for over 300 years and he was fluent in Arabic, Hebrew, Ladino,
French and English.
Jerusalem
Conference of European Rabbis. (TY Sharon) President Reuven Rivlin hosted
the heads of the Conference of European Rabbis - the main Orthodox rabbinical
alliance in Europe, comprising over 700 communities. The Chief Rabbi of Moscow
presented the Israeli President with a new Talmud, in Russian.
Israel
never gives up. The
IDF publicizes its moral obligation to locate all missing personnel, prisoners
and fallen whose burial places are unknown. Using new technology, the remains were
found of Israel Air Force pilot Lt. Yakir Mordechai Naveh (Leifer) who died
when his plane crashed into the Kinneret, 56 years ago.
Hanukkah
in Israel. Hanukkah
in Israel (Dec 2 – 10) is an important and iconic festival, widely celebrated
and marked by many symbolic events, customs and, of course, foods. There are many
national events, tours, and traditional foods such as sufganiyot (donuts) and
latkes can be seen everywhere. (And TY Jacob for the songs.)
Hatikva
– Israel’s National Anthem. (TY Jacob) Here is a great site for everything you want to know about
Israel’s National Anthem – Hatikva. It
includes Hebrew lyrics with English transliteration and translation, plus links
to its historical background and 15 unique videos.
181118
In the 18th Nov
18 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
Revolutionary
new Israeli process to stop transplants being rejected.
·
The first
Arab woman to captain an Israeli professional basketball team.
·
An Israeli
Government Minister has been invited to Bahrain.
·
Israel is
building innovation centers in Haifa, Tel Aviv and India.
·
Israeli hyperspectral
scanning predicts fruit yields long before harvest.
·
A fun program
introduces entrepreneurial skills to Israeli children.
·
Israel’s WaterGen
is providing water and hundreds of jobs in the USA.
·
Thousands of
historical pre-State photos are now available on Wikipedia
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Implants made from patient’s own cells. Researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed the first fully
personalized tissue implant, made from of a patient’s own fat cells. It means
that eventually there will be no risk of an immune response to any organ
implant, whether heart tissue, brain tissue or spinal cord.
ALS treatment
gets FDA boost. The US FDA has just given Orphan status
to the ALS treatment being developed by Israel’s Kadimastem (see
here). The designation qualifies the company for various development incentives
and less rigorous bureaucracy. Kadimastem expects results of its Israeli
clinical trials in mid-2019.
Bio-artificial
pancreas to fight diabetes. Israel’s Kadimastem is
also partnering with France’s Defymed to develop a stem cell-based bio-artificial
pancreas for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. They received NIS 5.4 million from
the European Commission and the intergovernmental research organization EUREKA.
Targeting
liver and metabolic disorders. Israeli biotech 89Bio
has just raised $60 million to advance its pipeline of biologic and small
molecule treatments for liver and metabolic disorders. 89Bio’s BIO89-100 is in a
phase 1 clinical trial for treating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a type
of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Halting the
growth of Mesothelioma. (TY Grace) Scientists in the labs of Israel’s
Technion and in the US have stopped the growth of mesothelioma - a cancer of
the mesothelium membrane protecting the internal organs of the chest and
abdomen. They found heparanase inhibitors PG545 and defibrotide slowed tumor
growth. https://www.israel21c.org/cure-may-be-on-the-horizon-for-mesothelioma/
Repairing hearts
again in Tanzania. Since 1999 (see here) surgeons
from Israel’s Save a Child’s Heart have saved the lives of over 750 children from
Tanzania. SACH doctors recently flew again
to Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to conduct
life-saving heart surgeries.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
In their shoes. (TY Zissie) The Israeli charity In Their Shoes (ITS) trains
caregivers to better serve patients with compassion. ITS’ Virtual Dementia Tour
allows participants to feel the effects of dementia - hence “In Their Shoes”.
ITS also conducts the Music and Memory Program for residents in nursing homes.
Recycling fair funds special needs
program. Israeli mum Ayelet Sanens launched the Ashdod
Environmental Preservation and Recycling Fair. Toys, cosmetics, costume
jewelry, clothing, household items etc. were sold to raise funds for Israeli charity
Ezer Mizion’s special summer program for special needs children in Ashdod.
New Israeli town to support special
needs kids. I reported previously (19th
Aug) about the new community named “Daniel” being built in the Negev that will
provide home care for children (mainly Bedouin) with severe medical and
therapeutic needs. Here is a much more detailed article on the new town and its
aims.
Israeli-Arab captain of
women’s basketball team. (TY Hazel) Shahd Abboud,
who plays for the Hapoel Petah Tikvah women’s basketball team in Israel, opened
the 2018/19 season as their new captain, making history as the first female Arab
captain of a professional Israeli basketball team.
Friendship born on the soccer field. Nice story about Motke (“Berko”) Berkowitz and Mohammed Einan who have
been friends for over sixty years, having played on Hapoel Nahariya’s soccer team
in the 1950s and 1960s. Each week, Berko drives from Shavei Zion to the coastal
village of Mazra’a to have coffee with Einan.
Bahrain invites Startup
Nation Minister. Israel’s Economy Minister Eli
Cohen has received an invitation from Bahrain to participate in its “Startup
Nations Ministerial” - an international high-tech conference. Cohen will join global
leaders aiming to boost bilateral technology initiatives and partner on policy
initiatives.
Trade with Arab states. (TY Hazel) Despite lack of diplomatic relations, trade between
Israel and Morocco was worth $37 million in 2017 ($149 million since 2014).
Israeli drip irrigation specialist Netafim even setup a $2.9m subsidiary in
Morocco last year, having operated there unofficially since 1994. Opportunities
abound!
Five new ambassadors. (TY Sharon) Israeli President Reuven
Rivlin received diplomatic credentials from the new Ambassadors to the State of
Israel of Croatia, Jordan, Czech Republic, Egypt and Mongolia.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Thousands to attend security conference. 5,000 people, 175 companies and representatives from over 80 countries
will attend the International Homeland Security & Cyber Conference in Tel
Aviv starting 19th Nov. 170 Israeli companies will also showcase an extensive
array of innovative security technologies.
New Technion Innovation
Center. Israel’s Council
for Higher Education (CHE) has awarded NIS 10 million to Israel’s Technion
Institute to establish “t-hub” - The Technion Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Center. It will help connect the Technion’s activities to the new branches of
Technion in New York and China.
TAU nanotech
partnership with NWU. I
reported recently (29th
Oct) that Tel Aviv University (TAU) and 3 Illinois universities are building
an innovation center in Chicago. Now TAU and Northwestern Uni are to establish a
nanotech program and TAU center, funded by a multi-million donation from Roman
Abramovich.
Helping India to innovate. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel
is to set up an India-Israeli Innovation Centre (IIIC) in Bengaluru (Bangalore),
the first startup incubation facility in India. The 10,000 square feet facility
will be operated by startup hub MESH (Modiin Entrepreneurs’ Startup Hub). Two
more IIICs will open soon.
Water research with Louisiana. (TY Atid-EDI)
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards attended the signing of a research
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at Ben Gurion University with the Water Institute
of the Gulf in Baton Rouge. The two institutions will conduct joint research
and exchange research staff and students.
Turning human waste into fuel. Ben-Gurion University scientists have shown for the first time that
human poop can be converted by hydrothermal carbonization into a safe, reusable
fuel (biomass) and a nutrient rich fertilizer. It addresses two major worldwide
issues of sanitation and fuel for energy.
Protecting the aviation industry. A group of leading Israeli cybersecurity firms, plus Israel’s Economy
and Industry Ministry, have set up a new cyber consortium for the aviation
industry. It will offer comprehensive, end-to-end cybersecurity solutions for
the commercial aviation industry: airports, airlines and aircraft.
Artificially Intelligent microchips. Israel’s Habana Labs uses artificial intelligence to improve performance
of microprocessor chips and lower their costs and power consumption. The
processors are aimed at the specific needs of training deep neural networks.
Habana has just received $75 million of funding, including from Intel.
Keeping IT clean. Israel’s OzCode has launched the IT industry’s first Debugging-as-a-Service
(DaaS) and raised $3.5 million in seed funding. OzCode focuses app developers on
innovation rather than the tedious task of cleaning badly written computer code
and fixing bugs.
Streamlining office communications. Israeli startup Chatway has
developed simple tools that will seamlessly convert haphazard on-line chats (emails,
social messaging etc.) into business opportunities. CEO Shahar Mintz explained
more on ILTV News about how Chatway’s productivity tools are used by non-tech
companies.
Bringing children’s books to life. Israel’s Inception has launched “Bookful” - a new app that will let
readers add augmented reality features to specific books published by Penguin Random
House LLC. Initially, 6 books, including “The Tale of Peter Rabbit”, will come
to life, enabling children to interact with the characters.
The new way to contact emergency
services. I
reported previously (see here)
on Israeli startup Reporty, now renamed Carbyne, and its emergency services video
distress platform used by Magen David Adom. Carbyne and its C-Now app is used
in 30 cities in the US, Mexico, Europe, Israel and Singapore. It could save
your life.
European comic book features Israeli
research. This is good news. The European Research Council (ERC) funds research
into invisibility by Professor Ulf Leonhardt of Israel’s Weizmann Institute. The
ERC has made the research more accessible to the public by featuring “And the
Invisible” in its popular ERCcOMICS series.
Predicting the fruit
harvest. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s
FruitSpec has developed hyperspectral machine vision technology that scans the
trees in an orchard to count the fruit and estimate yields six months before the
harvest. Latest trials show 90% accuracy – more than double that of alternative
current estimation methods.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Asia wants Israeli finance technology. (TY OurCrowd)
Israeli companies are benefiting from the increasing demand in Asia for
financial technology. Israeli exhibitors at the Hong Kong FinTech Week conference
included AU10TIX (see here), and ThetaRay
(see here).
Kindergarten entrepreneurs. Israel’s Ministry of Education has approved an enrichment program
called Entrepreneurship for Kids (EFK). Developed by Israeli serial
entrepreneur Galit Zamler, EFK is a fun way to introduce children of all ages to
entrepreneurial skills, while finding and fostering their personal strengths.
Symantec buys another Israeli cyber company. US cybersecurity giant Symantec Corp has made its third Israeli cybersecurity
acquisition in a year, adding Javelin Networks to its recent purchases of Israel’s
Skycure ($275 million) and Fireglass ($250 million). Javelin now plans to double
the size of its R&D center in Tel Aviv.
Get your vacation off to a sweet start. Israeli startup Sweet Inn uses “TravelTech” to offer its clientele
an innovative and hassle-free vacation experience. It offers guests airport
transfer, grocery and breakfast delivery, a personal chef, romantic surprises,
housekeeping, wifi hotspots and more.
Water and jobs for
America. (TY
Aubrey) Israel’s WaterGen has opened a factory in Columbia, South Carolina that
will employ 400 people building its “water from the air” machines. WaterGen
plans to open 3 more factories in the next 2 years. WaterGen’s Yehuda Kaploun revealed
even more on Fox Business News.
A better image. UK image products giant Vitec
Group has acquired its Israeli chipmaker supplier Amimon in a $55 million cash deal.
Vitec’s CEO said, “Amimon is the technology of choice for wireless equipment
used in the cine market” and Vitec will integrate the company into its creative
solutions division.
Huge acquisition by Israeli security
company. In contrast to recent big takeovers of Israeli
companies, Israeli cybersecurity company ForeScout has just bought US-Netherlands
security company SecurityMatters for $113 million. SecurityMatters provides extended enterprise operational
technology (OT) network protection.
Deep learning tech for Hyundai. (TY Atid-EDI)
Hyundai Motors has made a strategic investment in Israeli computer vision deep
learning startup allegro.ai that will allow more rapid deployment of Artificial
Intelligent technology in many business areas and improve the quality of
Hyundai’s products.
Repair the past, connect the future. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israel’s Krausz Industries have been connecting and repairing water pipes for
about 90 years with millions of installations globally. Krausz has just been
acquired by Atlanta’s Mueller Water Products for $140 million.
WeWork is worth $42 billion. I’ve reported previously (see
here) on co-working office space company WeWork, co-founded by Israel’s
Adam Neumann. WeWork has just received a $3 billion investment from SoftBank which
takes the value of WeWork to a massive $42 billion (up from $20 billion in
June).
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Lost in Translation (but now found again). Rabbi Jeffrey Saks edits English
translations and lectures on the works of Israel’s Nobel laureate author S.Y.Agnon
– the only Hebrew author ever to receive a Nobel Prize. Thanks to Rabbi Saks,
his writing is now being re-introduced to a new audience in the English-speaking
world.
South American dance in Tel Aviv. On 30th Nov, the Compas Dance Company presents AgauDulce at the
Suzzanne Dallel Center in Tel Aviv. Argentinian tango dancers will perform a group
of rhythms that was imported from South America, became connected to the
Spanish musical tradition and created a new language.
Tel Aviv Illustration Week. More than 50 exhibitions by hundreds of Israeli illustrators,
designers and artists will be open to the public, mostly free of charge, during
the fifth edition of Illustration Week in Tel Aviv, Nov 15-24. The exhibitions take
place in Old Jaffa, Rothschild Boulevard, the Eretz Israel Museum and more.
Tel Aviv’s Night Run
and more. Tel Aviv’s annual 10km Night Run went ahead
as planned. Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai
invited Israeli residents from communities near the Gaza border to participate
in the run, free of charge. Tel Aviv community centers hosted 200 Southern Israel
families, who also had free museum visits.
THE JEWISH STATE
Massive
project to support Israel. I reported previously (May
2015) about the Friends of Zion Museum which opened its doors in Jerusalem. The FoZ now has 50 million supporters and is
launching a $100 million project to help educate pro-Israel supporters around
the world about the Jewish state, its challenges and achievements.
A hundred
friends. One hundred
Christian Zionists visited Israel, led by Pastor John Hagee of Christians
United For Israel (CUFI). Whilst here, they
visited the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem where its founder Dr. Mike Evans
presented Hagee with an award for his steadfast support of Israel and the
Jewish people.
Six
effective ways to stand with Israel. Canadian-Arab
Fred Maroun has advice for supporting the Jewish State. Be informed. Put ethics
ahead of partisanship. Speak up for Israel among your peers. Speak up wisely on
social media. Support Israel’s economy (with links). Be a role model in
respecting Israel’s democracy.
Czech
FM visits Western Wall. Israel's Ambassador in Prague Daniel Meron, accompanied Czech Foreign
Minister Tomáš Petříček to the Western Wall in Jerusalem - the first time a European
foreign minister is joined at the wall by an Israeli diplomat.
Wiki publishes 28,000 Israeli archive photos. 28,000 public-domain pre-1947 photos
extracted from public and private archives in Israel are now available on
Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia Israel developed automatic tools to scan through
the previously unsearchable online Israeli archives.
181111
In the 11th Nov
18 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
An Israeli
biotech’s treatment is poised to rid the world of AIDS.
·
Israeli scientists
discovered a molecule that destroys brain cancer cells.
·
An Israeli
minister in Oman proposed new trade route with Arab states.
·
Israeli
research now prevents coral reef damage in South Pacific.
·
An Israeli
design breakthrough makes drip irrigation affordable to most farmers.
·
An Israeli
games projection system rehabilitates sick children.
·
October broke
the all-time-record for tourists to Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
AIDS / cancer treatment success & goes into production. (TY Hazel) Following successful human trials, Israel’s Zion Medical
is to build a biotechnology plant to manufacture its “Gammora” AIDS / cancer treatment.
Gammora (see here) eliminates HIV
virus-infected cells - not the virus – preventing development of resistance.
New molecule kills brain cancer cells. Hebrew University of Jerusalem scientists have developed a molecule
to treat glioblastoma, a very aggressive type of brain cancer. The molecule
blocks the ability of the MKNK2 gene to produce Mnk2b – a cancer-causing protein
but increases the levels of Mnk2a – an inhibitor protein.
Destroys tumors
in weeks. I reported previously (9th
Sep) on Israel’s Alpha Tau’s radiation emitters starting trials in the
USA. Trials have also been launched at two
centers in Rome, Italy. But I should have mentioned that 70% of patients in earlier
Israeli and Italian studies saw their tumors disappear in just a few weeks.
Seeing early Alzheimer’s,
before symptoms appear. I’ve reported previously (see here) that Israeli
researchers at Sheba hospital have linked Alzheimer’s disease with loss of
retina function. They have now found that in those with a family history of
Alzheimer’s, the inner layer of the retina is thinner than usual.
Shape-shifting
pills for better targeted treatments. 3D-printing is
relevant even in the medical industry. Hebrew University of Jerusalem scientists
have engineered capsules from a hydrogel that can change shape upon various
conditions. E.g. to release medication
only in the intestines, or to expand to fill the stomach.
Major partnership
to prevent diabetes. (TY OurCrowd)
I reported previously (Apr
2016) on Israel’s Sweetch and its system for detecting pre-diabetics. Sweetch
is partnering with US-based WellSpan Health, providing its 15,000 employees with
“the tool we have been looking for to augment our wellness assessment program”.
Breathtaking
technology. I reported previously (see here) on Israeli innovations
that can detect illness by analyzing someone’s voice. Israeli startup HealthyMize
(see
here) has just won $75 million in the Henry Ford Health System’s “Increasing
Patient and Caregiver Engagement to Reduce Readmission” Challenge.
More about finding
cancer treatment trials. I reported recently (21st
Oct) on Israel’s TrailJectory which helps match cancer patients with
clinical trials appropriate to their condition. I believe the subject to be so
important that I’m publishing another recent article about this innovative
startup. It could save someone’s life.
Why Israelis
live longer. If the previous medical articles haven’t
given you the answer, this article might. Then click the link (here) to see the youtube
or (here)
Facebook video “Nas Daily meets United Hatzalah”.
Just a day in
the lives of Hadassah medics. When 7-year-old Elisha
Alush collapsed in the Judean desert, paramedics rushed him to Jerusalem’s
Hadassah hospital. They realized he had been stung, but by what? They guessed a scorpion and the antidote
worked. Had it been a Black Widow spider, it may have been too late.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Cyclists raise $3.5 million for sick
children. Israel’s annual bike ride “Wheels of Love,”
broke records raising more than $3.5 million for ALYN - Israel’s leading
pediatric rehabilitation hospital in Jerusalem. 600 cyclists (nearly a third
from the US) cycled for 3 days in the Dead Sea region, followed by 2 days in
the Judean hills.
A factory of co-existence. The 150 Israeli and Palestinian Arab employees of the Israeli
Snapir aluminum factory at Mevo Horon in Samaria work side by side. As Subhi
from Beit Sira said, “Our relations are great – we are like brothers here – one
family”.
IDF medics risk their lives for wounded Syrians. (TY UWI)
Israeli Defense Force medic 21-year-old Staff Sargent Bar, speaks about how he
saw the “best and the worst of humanity” in Syria while he provided care to the
innocent victims of Syria’s civil war. https://www.youtube.com/embedX7Sjlyr0OjQ?rel=0
Trade route discussions
in Oman. Following on from PM Netanyahu’s historic
visit, Israel’s transport and intelligence minister, Yisrael Katz, visited the
Arab Gulf state of Oman to discuss “Tracks for regional peace” - his revolutionary
proposal for a new system of shipping by sea and rail to and from the Middle
East. And even the BBC can no longer
ignore Israel’s warming ties with Arab countries.
European leaders improve relations. (TY UWI)
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu discussed security, trade and technology with the
leaders of Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Greece at the Craiova State Forum in
Bulgaria. It was the first time the four European leaders had invited a foreign
leader to their joint summit.
Closer cooperation with Ghana. On his return from Bulgaria, Israeli PM Netanyahu met Ghana’s Foreign
Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and discussed economic cooperation and other
opportunities for strengthening cooperation between the two countries. Ghana’s
President hopes to visit Israel in 2019.
Training rice farmers in Nigeria. (TY Hazel) Professor Ben Ayade, Governor of Nigeria’s Cross River
state, has signed an agreement with the government of Israel to train from 1000
up to 12,000 rice farmers in modern farming techniques. His goal is for Cross
River to become the number one rice producing state in Nigeria.
Saving the coral in
Palau. I reported previously (13th
May) that to save their coral reefs, Hawaii had banned sunscreen ingredient
BP-3 thanks to Ben-Gurion University research. The Pacific island of Palau has now
done likewise – although reports by the BBC (here) and New
York Times (here)
do not credit the Israeli scientists.
Millions see Vegan Tel Aviv video. (TY Louise) For those with Facebook access, it is worth following
Nas Daily. He’s got over 10.8 million viewers for his one-minute video “Tel
Aviv – World’s Vegan City”. Nas is an Israeli Arab and records his nationality as
“Israeli”.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Israel to host forum of digital nations. (TY Ruth)
The annual international Digital 9 forum, comprising the world's nine leading
digital countries, will convene in Israel for the first time. The conference will
be held in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv simultaneously on November 19-21.
Sustainable Nation. (TY Hazel) Israeli-developed
water technology is being used in more than 100 countries. New York’s Micah
Smith has directed “Sustainable Nation,” a new Israeli documentary that follows
three Israelis bringing sustainable water solutions to an increasingly thirsty
planet using solutions developed in Israel.
Water technology for Vietnam. Israel has displayed new water technology in Hanoi, Vietnam, to improve
its agricultural sector. Hanoi’s “Exposition of Futuristic Agro and Water
Israeli Technologies and Cultural Performance” featured Israel’s Watergen, plus
a 100-meter vertical rice field from Israel’s Vertical Field.
Drip irrigation just
got even more efficient. Israeli Simcha Blass had
the idea for drip irrigation over 80 years ago but it is still too expensive
for 85% of farmers. Israel’s NDrip has developed a low-cost system that uses gravity,
not energy. It also removes the need for filters. NDrip has just raised over $50
million of new funds.
Saving palm trees. Israel’s PlantArcBio has developed a pesticide that it says is 100%
effective in fighting the deadly red palm weevil that attacks trees around the
world. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), considers the red palm
weevil one of the world’s most invasive pest species, infesting palm and coconut
trees.
Never get lost again. Israel’s TrekAce Technologies has developed a tactile wrist-strap
that serves as a navigator, directing wearers using vibrations and sound
notifications. Get a buzz on your left? turn left; on the right? just follow
the vibration. A strong buzz? Stop where you’re at.
Ford cars will make decisions. Ford Motors is investing $12.5 million in its Israeli subsidiary
SAIPS so that it can build a decision-making system for Ford’s future autonomous
vehicles. System development will be led by Professor Shie Mannor of Israel’s Technion
Institute, who joined SAIPS in August.
More effective solar energy production. Much solar energy is lost due to defective, degraded, misaligned or
dusty panels. Israel’s RayCatch - one of World Economic Forum’s 61 Technology
Pioneers (see
here) uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to diagnose and optimize solar
farms. RayCatch has just raised $4.5 million of funds.
Tiny solar panels to power home devices. (TY Hazel). 3 years after receiving a US-Israel BIRD clean energy grant
(see
here), Israel’s 3GSolar Photovoltaics is launching tiny solar panels that
allows electronic devices to generate their own power. The panels work indoors,
in low light and can sustain devices for up to 15 years.
Downloadable 3D printable clothing. I’ve reported previously (Sep
2015) on Israel’s Danit Peleg when she printed clothing on her home
computer for her final project at Israel’s Shenkar College. Danit is the first
person in the world to create an entire fashion line using an at-home 3D
printer. Here are some more of her designs.
Successful 3D printed circuit tests. In a major breakthrough for additive manufacturing for printed
electronics, tests conducted by Harris Corporation showed that 3D printed radio
frequency (RF) circuits made by Israel’s Nano Dimension performed equal to that
of circuits developed using conventional manufacturing techniques.
Convert any space for games. Israeli startup EyeClick’s BEAM platform converts a normal floor into
an interactive playtime site, using a projection screen and dual motion sensors.
Hospitals use it to help children regain muscle strength through games. EyeClick
has just won a $50 million deal with China’s Guoshu.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Moving on from
R&D to production. The Israel Innovation Authority
and the Ministry of Economy’s investment center have partnered to provide grants
mainly to Israeli life sciences companies looking to make the transition
between research and development to manufacturing. BiondVax (see
here) is already benefiting.
All-time monthly tourism record. October
2018 was the best month ever for Israeli tourism, with close to half a million
people entering the country. It was a 14% increase on Oct 2017 and the total
number of visitors for the ten months of 2018 is 15% higher than for the same
period last year.
New Jerusalem
Entrepreneurship Center. Israel has allocated NIS
20 million to a consortium of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Bezalel
Academy of Design and Azrieli College of Engineering, to establish an entrepreneurship
and innovation center in central Jerusalem.
Exports to China are booming. (TY IsraPundit)
Israeli-Chinese trade reached nearly $10 billion in 2017, more than double the
figure of a decade ago. This trend appears to be accelerating, with Israeli
exports to China increasing dramatically by 62% to $3.5 billion in the first
eight months of 2018.
Israel values its security personnel. Israel knows how important it
is to have good cyber security experts. This article highlights how highly this
can be recognized.
“Pitch in the Dark”. 21 startups battled to win the favor of judges in complete darkness
at an event hosted by Citigroup in Jaffa. The idea was meant to increase
objectivity, however Avenews-GT, (an agricultural produce trading platform that
uses blockchain technology) would probably have still won even with the lights
on!
Direct flights from Manchester (UK) to Tel
Aviv. El Al are to launch a 3-times-a-week direct
service from Manchester UK to Tel Aviv, commencing 25th May 2019. “We’re going to make Israel even closer,”
said Michael Strassburger of El Al, at the 2018 World Travel Market in London.
Indian airline evaluates TaxiBot. I’ve reported previously (see here) on Israel’s IAI’s TaxiBot
aircraft towing system. Three Indian airlines (SpiceJet, Jet Airways and Indigo
Airlines) are currently evaluating the system. A SpiceJet flight used TaxiBot for
the first time to take off from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.
Financial security for top Latin American
banks. (TY OurCrowd)
I reported previously (see here)
on Israel’s BioCatch, whose cybersecurity software prevents potential financial
criminals from committing on-line fraud. BioCatch has just signed up seven tier-one
banks in Brazil, Chile, Columbia and Mexico.
Engie moves into the fast lane. I’ve reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s Engie and its car maintenance decision software. Engie
has just launched its Fleet app, to help car fleet operators, including rental
and leasing companies, maintain their vehicles. Engie now has over 150,000
users in Latin America, the UK and Israel.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Eat your way round Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. In Open Restaurants Jerusalem (Nov 14-17) restaurants open up to chefs,
who offer a combination of workshops, meals and talks. Meanwhile, visiting
chefs take over the kitchens of the most popular restaurants for Tel Aviv’s 4th
annual AMEX Roundtables Tour (Nov 11-23).
Weizmann Institute – a must visit. The Levinson Visitors Center at the Weizmann Institute of Science takes
you on exciting journey through interactive exhibits to personal testimonials from
scientists whose research has led to some of the most groundbreaking of medical
and technological applications.
The best place to sing. 4,000 college students from 60 countries gathered in Tel Aviv for the
latest mass singalong by the social music project, Koolulam. They sang Kit Chan’s
“There’s No Place I’d Rather Be”.
THE JEWISH STATE
Investing in Israel is Biblical. According to David Parsons, vice-president of ICEJ (International
Christian Embassy in Jerusalem), “Investing in Israel is biblical”. ICEJ therefore
engaged equity crowdfunding platform OurCrowd to present to 6,000 evangelical
Christians at its annual Feast of Tabernacles conference.
Record
funds raised for IDF. I wrote three weeks ago (see
here) that the Friends of the IDF (FIDF) raised over $32 million at their gala
in New York. Well, their Beverly Hills
event eclipsed that by raising $60 million - a record amount for the charity at
a single event. The IDF’s paramedic “heroes” were specifically honored.
Celebrating
Sigd. Israel’s President
Reuven Rivlin sang “Jeena, Jeena, Ierusalem, longing, longing for Jerusalem” at
celebrations marking the Sigd holiday of the Ethiopian-Israeli community. He
praised “those ancient, wonderful prayers that you kept hold of and held dear
to you and learned by heart and taught your children and passed down the
generations.” http://rjstreets.com/2018/11/07/sigd-celebrated-in-jerusalem-2/
Israeli
Jews are the quintessentially indigenous people. (TY IsraPundit)
Dr Nan Greer, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Redlands, outlines
the five essential characteristics of an indigenous people and summarizes that
Israeli Jews tick all the boxes. https://www.youtube.com/embed/U5raihYpexQ?rel=0
Come
Home. (TY Janglo)
Beautiful song and video by Akiva Pamensky.
181104
In the 4th Nov
18 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
Israeli
technology allows doctors to review 3D images from ultrasound scans.
·
Israel has
six new women mayors plus a female Ambassador to Egypt.
·
Israel’s
(female) culture minister visited the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.
·
Driverless
taxis are planned to start operation in Israel next year.
·
The EU is
to use Israeli drones to watch over European coastlines.
·
The Israeli
National Anthem was played twice in the United Arab Emirates.
·
Brazil is
to move its embassy to Jerusalem.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Revolutionary technology to review ultrasound scans. Israeli startup iNNOGING enables physicians to manipulate ultrasound
video captured previously by a technician and perform a virtual dynamic exam without
the patient being present. The original scan’s video clips are converted into a
3D model of the examined area.
Breakthrough
treatment for urinary tract cancer. (TY Atid-EDI) I
reported previously (May
2017) that Israel’s UroGen had been granted FDA’s Orphan status for its treatment
of malignant Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma. It has now received Breakthrough
Therapy Designation status to help speed up development.
Device to cure
both overeating and sleep apnea. Zen Eating, with R&D in Israel, has
developed the Sipper – a device that trains the tongue to digest food slower,
to match the brain’s “I’m full” mechanism. A Sipper user eats up to 30% less food
per meal. The training also can cure snoring – a major cause of sleep apnea.
3D-printed
lung transplants. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israel’s CollPlant has licensed US’s United Therapeutics to use CollPlant’s 3D
bio-printing technology to manufacture lung transplants. The
multi-million-dollar agreement can be expanded to print up to three additional
organs. CollPlant will initially supply the necessary bio-ink
Trials to
regrow knee cartilage. (TY Atid-EDI) I
reported previously (Nov
2016) that Israel’s Regentis was to begin Phase III trials on its GelrinC,
treatment for cartilage damage in the knee. The study has now been extended to
11 US sites involving 120 patients. The GelrinC implant encourages stem cells
to re-grow cartilage.
Intensive care
system in use. (TY Atid-EDI) I
reported previously (see
here) about Israel’s Clew Medical and its system to warn of deteriorating
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. It has since been trialed at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov
Hospital and several US hospitals and is to be used at Tel Hashomer’s Sheba
Medical Center.
The hospital
of the future.
Israel’s Sheba Medical Center hosted a summit “The Future Hospital:
Setting Strategies for 2030 and Beyond”. Healthcare leaders and innovators from
the USA, Canada, UK, EU and Israel discussed challenges facing hospitals and saw
Israeli cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of medicine.
Israeli
support for Pittsburgh. Volunteers from Israel’s
ZAKA Search & Rescue, Dream Doctors and the Psycho-trauma and Crisis
Response Unit of Israel’s United Hatzalah have arrived in Pittsburgh to provide
aid to the community and the victims of the deadly mass shooting at the Tree of
Life synagogue.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Pioneering disabilities program. Jerusalem’s Ono Academic College launched its two-year Disability
Studies program in 2017. 40 students (Muslim and Christian Arabs, modern
Orthodox and secular Jews) completed the first year’s theoretical component and
13 are now developing community-based group projects.
More women mayors. In the municipal elections, Dr. Einat Kalisch Rotem became the
first female mayor of Haifa - one of Israel’s largest cities. Other new women
mayors include Yeroham’s Tal Ohana, Gezer’s Rotem Yadlin, Emek Hefer’s Galit Shaul,
Drom Hasharon’s Oshrat Ronen and Beit Shemesh’s Dr. Aliza Bloch.
Boosting Arab and Haredi hi-tech
employment. “Excellenteam” is the new program for “Enhancement
of Arab and Haredi Human Capital for the Jerusalem High-Tech Workforce”. It
aims to tackle the shortage of skilled hi-tech workers, while increasing the
participation of Israel’s Arab and ultra-Orthodox community.
A Zionist, Muslim Arab IDF soldier. 21-year-old Corporal Yahya
Mahamid calls himself a “Zionist Muslim Arab.”
He grew up in the Arab town of Um-Al Fahm. He loves Israel and wanted to
“give back to his country.” He volunteered to join the IDF in a combat unit.
His army colleagues treat him with respect and admiration.
Israel’s Armenian community. 2,000 of Israel’s 11,000 Armenian Christian citizens live in Haifa.
They continue to maintain their culture, language, customs and social religious
heritage. The community in the Holy Land
began prior to 400 CE and many more arrived after the 1915 massacres in
Armenia.
First official state
visit to Abu Dhabi mosque. Israel’s culture and
sports minister, Miri Regev, paid a state visit to Abu Dhabi’s Grand Mosque -
the third largest in the Moslem world. “This mosque has a message of
brotherhood and peace,” Regev wrote in the visitor’s book, in Hebrew. “I wish a
good life and peace for all.”
Why we invited Israeli leader. Oman’s foreign minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah was interviewed
on Al-Jazeera about the visit of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, and his Israeli
delegation, to the Gulf State.
Chad next? A
delegation of Israeli officials has traveled to Chad - a Muslim-majority country
in central Africa. Chad cut diplomatic ties with Jerusalem in 1972 after a decade
of good relations and cooperation, however the two countries have recently been
quietly discussing the renewal of diplomatic relations.
First female Israeli
Ambassador to Egypt. (TY Jewish
Press) Amira Oron, former Israeli head of Embassy in Turkey, was named as
Israel’s first female Ambassador to Egypt. Fluent in Arabic, Amira was head of
Arab media at Israel’s foreign ministry. Women were also named as ambassadors
for Spain, Latvia and Chile.
Celebrating 25 years of diplomatic
relations with Vietnam. (TY Ruth)
The Israeli Embassy in Vietnam put on a large celebration in Hanoi to mark 25
years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Thousands of
Vietnamese enjoyed a display of Israeli technology and a mass Israeli
folk-dancing session.
Closer ties with Canada. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Canadian Foreign
Minister Chrystia Freeland in Jerusalem and discussed ways to deepen bilateral
cooperation. An updated trade agreement aimed to double the scope of trade is
shortly to be ratified by both Parliaments.
Mossad helps foil Iranian attack in
Denmark. Israeli intelligence services (Mossad) aided
Denmark in foiling a recent assassination attempt by Iranian agents. Mossad
provided Danish security services with information which led to the arrest, in
Sweden, of a member of the suspected Iranian terror cell operating in
Scandinavia.
270 wheelchairs for Guatemala. Israel’s MASHAV Agency for International Development is donating
270 Wheelchairs of Hope to children with special needs in Guatemala. Israel’s
Ambassador to Guatemala Mattanya Cohen presented the first of the wheelchairs
at a ceremony attended by Guatemala’s President Jimmy Morales.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Waste apples are a superfood. (TY Atid-EDI)
Scientists at Tel-Hai College and at the MIGAL Research Institute of the
Galilee have developed a freeze-drying process that turns low-grade fallen
apples into highly nutritional apple powder. It could save up to NIS 25 million
from the 15,000 tons of apples wasted each year.
Splitting hydrogen peroxide to make
clean fuel. I reported previously (here)
(and
here) articles on Israeli scientists splitting water into hydrogen and
oxygen using solar energy. Now they have discovered a carbon-neutral process to
split hydrogen peroxide, also using solar power, to produce cheap, clean
hydrogen fuel.
Water-based battery for electric vehicles. Israeli -founded Electriq-Global (formerly Terragenic) has
developed a system to extract hydrogen from water to power electric vehicles.
The system, presented at Tel Aviv’s EcoMotion 2018, uses BH4 (tetrahydrobiopterin)
and a catalyzer to produce cheap hydrogen.
Israeli chemist shares $1 million alternative
fuel prize. At Tel Aviv’s EcoMotion 2018, Chemistry
Professor Doron Aurbach of Bar Ilan University won a share of the $1 million Prime
Minister’s Prize for Innovation in Alternative Fuels. Professor Aurbach’s
innovative magnesium-based battery has great potential.
Driverless taxis in
Israel.
Volkswagen, Mobileye and Israel’s Champion Motors have announced that
they will deploy the first autonomous ride-hailing service in Israel in 2019. The
Israeli government formally accepted the group’s proposal at the EcoMotion 2018
Smart Mobility Summit in Tel Aviv.
World’s largest metal & ceramic 3D
printing center. I reported previously (see here) on the innovative metal
3D printing technology of Israel’s XJet.
Now XJet has invested $10 million to launch the world’s largest metal
and ceramic additive manufacturing center, using its NanoParticle Jetting technology.
World’s best education technology. Israel’s Sense Education won “World’s best ed-tech startup” and
“Best technology solution” at South Summit’s 2018 enlightED competition in
Madrid. Sense has developed an artificial intelligence solution for finding
patterns and providing personalized feedback in student coursework.
UK to get an ed-tech “Jolt”. Israeli educational technology startup Jolt is set to open its
first micro campus (“Jolt Room”) by London’s Liverpool Street Station in early
2019. Jolt, which has already launched in the United States, offers co-learning
classes via the Jolt app on subjects such as technology and business.
Container-sharing is the future of
international e-commerce. (TY Jacques) Israel’s
Ladingo has developed a platform to significantly reduce shipping and handling
costs. Ladingo allows sellers of large home appliances, such as sofas and
washing machines, to share shipping containers going to the same overseas
destination.
When everything connects. (TY Atid-EDI)
I’ve just read about Israel’s Baccara, which produces top quality air valves,
air cylinders, and solenoid valves for use in industry, agriculture and
irrigation. These are sold all over the USA, Europe, Australia, South Africa
and the Far East. It has been in operation for over 50 years.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Economy’s expansion remains solid. The Bank of Israel's Composite State of the Economy Index for Sept
2018 increased by 0.3 percent. September job vacancies increased as did imports
of manufacturing inputs. August. There was also a sharp rise in industrial
production and in services revenue in August.
200 Israeli blockchain startups. (TY Atid-EDI)
The Israeli Blockchain Association (IBA)’s 3rd Israeli Blockchain Startup Map, shows
over 200 startups operating in the blockchain industry. A large increase was seen in the Security
sector, with 23 startups. The IBA predicts the overall number to double in
2019.
Israeli drones to
protect the EU. Israel’s Elbit has been awarded a
59 million Euros contract for Unmanned Aircraft System patrol services provided
by European Maritime Safety Agency to EU countries. Elbit’s Hermes 900 drones
and systems will monitor Europe’s coastlines for suspicious activities and
potential hazards.
Enabling African farmers to insure their
crops. Israeli startup OKO has developed a system
for subsistence farmers to obtain crop insurance to protect them from drought,
storms etc. 3rd-party insurers (mobile operators, micro-finance institutions,
NGOs etc.) use OKO’s broker platform to price policies and verify claims.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Fashion exhibition continues. I reported previously (12th
Aug) on the Israeli fashion exhibition at Jerusalem’s Israel Museum. I recently enjoyed visiting this display of
historical clothing of the Jewish State. The exhibition continues until 6th
April 2019.
The vegan capital of the world. I have reported previously (see here) several articles about
vegan food in Israel, including that Israel has the most vegans per-capita in the
world. Many foods (e.g. humous) are
vegan by design but, as this video shows, there are many unique Israeli vegan dishes
that even carnivores will enjoy.
History made in UAE. Israeli judokas Sagi Muki and Peter Paltchik won gold medals at the
IJF Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi. It marked the first time in the United Arab
Emirates that Israeli athletes have worn the Israeli flag on their uniforms and
that the Israeli national anthem Hatikvah has been played at UAE victory
ceremonies.
THE JEWISH STATE
Israel’s
President harvests his olives. (TY Sharon) Israeli President Reuven
Rivlin and his wife, Nechama harvested from 60 olive trees in the Jerusalem
gardens of the Presidential Residence Beit Hanasi. The President invited olive
growers and owners of olive presses from all over Israel to join him, together
with their families.
British
“Builders of Zion”. Israeli women originally from the UK won two of Nefesh b’Nefesh’s Bonei
Zion (Builders of Zion) - Israel’s top prize for outstanding contributions of
immigrants. Linda Streit founded the Daniel Amichai Center for Rowing and Natural
Studies. Major Keren Hajioff manages the IDF’s social media.
Brazil to move its embassy to Jerusalem. Following his victory in Brazil’s
Presidential elections, Jair Bolsonaro announced that Brazil would move its
embassy to Jerusalem. Mr Bolsonaro visited Israel two years ago and said
earlier this year that a visit to the Jewish state would be his first
diplomatic mission.
The
boy we brought to Israel. Lovely article by Michael
Dickson, Executive Director of Stand With Us. He writes about his son who was 9
months old when the family made Aliya from the UK over 12 years ago. He is proud that his son is now celebrating
his Bar Mitzvah in the Jewish State.
“The
times they are a-changing.” A baby boy was born at 1:58am on Sunday 28th October at BeerSheva’s
Soroka Medical Center. Four minutes later, his twin baby sister was
delivered. But daylight-saving time began
at 2am and the girl’s birth was registered as 1:02am. “The first one now, will
later be last.” (Bob Dylan).
181028
·
Israeli research
predicts a substantial rise in life-expectancy.
·
IDF elite
unit assisted Jordan in its flood rescue operation.
·
The first
visit to Oman by an Israeli leader in 22 years.
·
Israeli
company successfully tested device to remove plastic from oceans.
·
Israeli
businessman awarded the Order of the British Empire.
·
Israel’s
Alon Day is NASCAR Europe champion again.
·
A Golan
synagogue has been rebuilt, 1200 years after an earthquake destroyed it.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Regenerating muscles. I reported
previously (Feb 2015) on the recovery from muscle injury of hip-replacement patients
treated with PLX-PAD stem cells from Israel’s Pluristem. Follow-up data has now
confirmed the results and expanded Phase III trials are being supported by the
European Horizon 2020 program.
A map of good and bad proteins. Researchers
at Ben-Gurion University have identified certain proteins in the human body
that are key to progressing or preventing diseases such as cancer. They have
mapped protein to protein interactions and are confident they can develop new
treatments for those diseases.
Living to 200 and beyond. (TY WIN & I24 News) Israeli biotech Cellect is developing stem cell
technology that may extend individual human life far beyond what currently can
be conceived. And a new international
study forecasts Israeli life-expectancy to rise to 84.4 by 2040, giving Israel
a world ranking of 7 (currently 13).
New heart center doubles treatment capacity. A $10 million cutting-edge heart center has been dedicated at
Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem in Jerusalem. The center more than doubles the
department’s capacity to treat heart patients with 32 extra cardiac beds, 11 post-catherization
beds and 11 intensive care private rooms.
Successful 2nd heart op for Syrian baby.
I wrote previously (31st Dec) about a seriously ill baby boy, born to Syrian refugees in Cyprus
being flown to Israel for emergency heart surgery. He is now making a good and
steady recovery in Israel’s Sheba Hospital after a second heart operation.
Stay healthy, the Israeli way. This video
highlights seven ways that Israelis exercise to stay fit and healthy.
Think positively to beat cancer. I
reported previously (24th July) that Israel Technion researchers have proved that positive emotions
have the ability to shrink tumors. Here is another couple of articles about
their research.
Smartphone urine tests. (TY Hazel) I
reported previously (22 April) on Israeli start-up Healthy.io that allows patients to test their
urine at home, using a smartphone camera. Patients with kidney disease (for
example) can closely monitor their condition. Siemens Healthineers is now
partnering Healthy.io to provide testing kits.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Support for families of a cancer patient. Israel Cancer Support Network (ICSN) offers cancer patients and
their families the support they need to meet the challenges of suffering
through painful cancer treatments. ICSN and its 2,000 volunteers have helped
over 11,000 families from giving lifts to helping to access top doctors.
Bedouin woman joins Israeli police rescue unit. I’ve included articles previously (see here) about Bedouin Muslim women integrating into Israeli society. Now Rana
Jaboua, a resident of the Bedouin Negev village of al-Fara’a has become the
first female Bedouin in Israel to join the Israel Police Rescue team.
Israeli Arab woman goes to Stanford.
Israeli Arab Mira Shalah gained her BSc at the University of Haifa and her PhD
in Computer Science at Israel’s Technion Institute. She is now doing post-doctorate research into
Computational Geometry at Stanford University, California. http://web.stanford.edu/~mshalah/home
IDF helps Jordanian flood rescue. The Israel Defense Forces sent its elite 699 search-and-rescue unit
to Jordan to assist the rescue operation after a tour bus was hit by flash
flood near the Dead Sea. They deployed rescue equipment, established a ground
command team and illuminated the area from the air.
Chinese VP visits Israel. China’s Vice-President Wang Qishan made an
important visit to Israel. After
meetings with Israel’s President and Prime Minister, he addressed the fourth meeting
of the Israel-China Joint Committee on Innovation Cooperation. He also signed
eight joint science and technology agreements.
Thank you for helping save Thai boys. (TY
Hazel) Thailand's Ambassador to Israel Penprapa Vongkovit, thanked Israel’s Maxtech
for its communication technology used in the rescue of the Thai boys earlier
this year. She also thanked Israel for "its special navy team and
specialized diving helmets to assist the operation."
Guatemala’s new Ambassador. The Friends
of Zion Museum hosted newly-confirmed Guatemalan Ambassador to Israel Mario
Bucaro following his official presentation to President Reuven Rivlin.
Guatemala has been a strong supporter of Israel in the United Nations in recent
years and moved its embassy to Jerusalem.
Israeli PM visits Oman. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, made
a “not so secret” visit to the Gulf nation of Oman – the first by an Israeli
leader in 22 years. He discussed the peace process with Sultan Qaboos bin Said.
See the extra-ordinary video of the event on the official Oman TV channel.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Rent an Israeli space lab. For a tiny
fraction of the development budget for a new treatment, you can now rent one of
the orbiting “minilabs” of Israel’s SpacePharma for up to six months. Clients
run experiments in zero gravity by remote control from Earth. SpacePharma has
two tiny milk-carton size minilabs already in operation.
Using AI to find a job. Israeli-founded
startup Stellares helps tech companies find talented workers using Artificial
Intelligence (AI). The Tel Aviv R&D center has developed a questionnaire
plus an algorithm that crawls the web and matches a candidate’s digital
footprint with the job specification and company’s ethos.
1-hour delivery with AI and robots.
Israel’s CommonSense Robotics has launched a service that enables even small retailers
to offer one-hour, on-demand grocery deliveries to consumers. Robots at CSR
warehouses in urban areas use Artificial Intelligence to retrieve produce for
humans to pack. Robots then dispatch orders.
Tel Aviv & Chicago pair up to innovate. Tel Aviv University is partnering with the University of Chicago,
University of Illinois and Northwestern University to establish the Discovery
Partners Institute (DPI) in central Chicago. The DPI will focus on research and
innovation into cyber security, AI, big data and food security.
Punjab seeks Israeli help to recycle water. (TY Hazel) Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh held
extensive talks in Jerusalem with Israel’s Minister of Energy and Water
Resources, Yuval Steinitz, on the issue of water management to boost water
conservation in Punjab. Four Memorandum of Understanding were signed.
SodaStream’s “holy turtle” cleans sea of plastic
waste. Israel’s SodaStream (now part of PepsiCo)
has launched “Holy Turtle” – a 300m contraption that recovers plastic waste
from open waters. During the 4-day pilot, the device captured tons of waste
floating in the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Roatán, Honduras.
Israeli tech used in Florida rescue missions. I reported previously (10 Mar) on Israel’s Edgybees whose First Response app saved lives after
Hurricane Irma and the California wildfires. Edgybees’ Augmented Reality
(AR) system was used recently during Hurricane Michael, by response teams in
Florida and Missouri.
Alexa – vacuum seal my strawberries.
Israel’s Silo Kitchen is developing an Alexa-controlled food vacuum container
system that extends food-life up to 5-times. Silo aimed to raise $80,000 on
Kickstarter but after just 10 days it had pledges worth over half a million
dollars. Very informative video.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
New Jersey Governor’s first Israel mission. New Jersey Governor Philip Dunton Murphy visited Israel on his
first commercial mission to strengthen economic and technological ties between
his state and the State of Israel. A new agreement was signed that aims to
triple the current $1 billion annual trade between the two states.
OBE for Israeli businessman. Israel’s Haim Shani, who chairs the UK
Israel Tech Hub, is to be appointed an Honorary Officer of the Order of the
British Empire (OBE). British Ambassador to Israel, David Quarrey said, “Haim
has helped transform the tech partnership between the two countries.”
Top multinationals invest in Israeli fund. Israel’s Team8 (formed from ex-IDF security unit 8200) has setup a
second $85 million fund for technologies and startups focused on big data and
artificial intelligence. It has attracted 14 multinationals including Walmart,
Softbank, Airbus, Microsoft, Moody’s, Cisco and Barclays.
Best Israeli workplaces. Google is still the best company to work for
in Israel, with Facebook second as per last year. But Microsoft jumped ten
places to 3rd, displacing Intel which dropped to 7th. The Dun & Bradstreet
list analyzes wages, benefits, career development, support provided, employment
stability, and wellness.
Tech salaries keep rising. High demand
for Israeli tech talent continues to push up local wages. The average pay for
software professionals in Israel in the third quarter of 2018 increased by 6%
year-to-year. Algorithm developers are the highest paid, but data scientists
had the biggest pay rise (15%).
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Open houses and busy streets. (TY Sharon) Jerusalem’s annual Batim
MaBefnim, (Houses from Within) are free open houses, with over 100 options in
all parts of the city. This article highlights the Art Museum in Heichal Shlomo,
Beit Kadima, the Miffal, Hansen House and especially Villa Mamilla.
Come aboard for Eurovision. Tens of
thousands are set to visit Tel Aviv in May for the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest.
To address the increased demand for accommodation, the Tel Aviv Municipality
has hired a cruise ship with 500 cabins, which will dock near Tel Aviv and
provide low-cost beds for many of the visitors.
Israel’s 95-year-old skydiver. Walter
Bingham, broadcaster on Arutz Sheva (Israel National Radio) waited until the
grand age of 95 before he took to the air for his first skydiving experience.
From 13,000 feet, he witnessed some amazing views of the Holy Land.
Youth Olympics Israeli medal winners. At
the Youth Olympic games in Buenos Aires, swimmer Anastasya Gorbenko won gold in
the women’s 200m individual medley while Denis Loktev won bronze in the men’s 200m
freestyle. Yonatan Fridman and Noa Kazdo Yakar won the acrobatic gymnastics
mixed pair silver medal.
Israel’s Alon Day wins NASCAR Euro again. Israel’s Alon Day had an impressive start to finish win at Belgium’s
Circuit Zolder on the last day of the season to win the Euro NASCAR
championship for the second consecutive year. Day’s seventh victory this year
matches the record for the most wins in a season.
THE JEWISH STATE
Look what they’ve done to the synagogue. (TY Erez) The ancient synagogue at Ein
Keshatot in the Golan is now open to the public, nearly 1200 years after it was
destroyed by an earthquake. 15 years of reconstruction involved 3D laser
scanning technology and the numbering and positioning of each displaced brick.
US-Israeli stamps for Hanukah. (TY Sharon) US Ambassador David
Friedman and Israel Cultural Minister Ayoub Kara, unveiled new Hanukah stamps at
the American Center in Jerusalem. A parallel ceremony held in the Touro
Synagogue in Rhode Island was live-streamed to the Jerusalem location.
181021
In the 21st Oct
18 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
An Israeli
startup provides cancer patients with details of treatment trials.
·
Israelis
are helping survivors of Indonesian earthquake and Florida hurricane.
·
Israeli
scientists have developed a new process to tackle industrial pollution.
·
Two more
Israeli companies have been sold for billions of dollars.
·
The new
conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra is an Israeli.
·
Hebron’s
Jewish origins are now on display to the public.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Palestinian
Arab baby given Jewish heart. Surgeons at Israel’s
Sheba Medical Center tried to save the life a very sick 6-month old Palestinian
Arab baby with a transplant of the heart donated by an Israeli Jewish child.
The baby unfortunately didn’t survive.
Israeli heart surgery for Iraqi-Kurdish
newborn. (TY Nevet)
An Iraqi baby born with a congenital heart defect is being flown to Israel for
life-saving surgery after an emergency appeal to Israel’s Interior Ministry. Baby
Ahlam, from Iraqi Kurdistan, suffers from the reversal of the main arteries
carrying blood from the heart.
US approval
for brain scan software. I reported previously (Nov
2016) on Israel’s Aidoc whose AI image software helps radiologists in fast detection
of acute brain bleeds in CT scans. Aidoc’s system has now received US FDA approval
and is currently in use at Israel’s Sheba Medical Center.
US approves
Teva’s cancer treatment. (TY Arlene) The US FDA’s
oncology committee has approved CT-P10 – Teva’s monoclonal antibody biosimilar
to Rituxan (rituximab) for the treatment of various forms of cancer. The development
of biosimilars has the potential to increase accessibility to therapies for
patients.
“Moses” blasts
bladder stones. Conventional treatment of bladder
stones uses a laser that causes the stone to be repelled, extending the time
taken to destroy it. Israeli biotech Lumenis’ laser technology (named “Moses”)
keeps the stone in place, saving time, anesthesia and money. Nice simple video demonstrates this.
A replacement
for the “forgotten valve”. Israeli startup Trisol
Medical is developing a minimally invasive device that can replace a faulty tricuspid
heart valve. The tricuspid valve is known as the “forgotten valve” as other
bio-techs have focused efforts developing replacements for the aortic and
mitral valves.
Hope in sight
for vision impaired. (TY WIN)
Israeli startup ICI Vision has developed Orama - digital glasses to help the
visually impaired to see more clearly. Orama uses artificial intelligence (AI),
eye-tracking software, a built-in 3D camera and more, to map and project images
onto an individual’s remaining healthy retina cells.
Contact lenses
for the nose.
Israel’s Beck Medical has developed NozNoz – a silicon nasal insert that
curbs the appetite by blocking the senses of smell and taste. The effect is to
prevent stimulating the body’s olfactory bulb that controls hunger and food
preferences. NozNoz is comparable to contact lenses for the nose.
Israel ranks
6th for healthcare efficiency. (TY Nevet) Israel has moved up from 7th to
6th in the world ranking for its achievement of having an average
life-expectancy of 82.5 whilst spending only 7.9% of its GDP on Health. In comparison, the USA has an average
life-expectancy of 79 but spends 16.8% of GDP on Health.
Where to find cancer treatment trials. Israeli-US startup TrialJectory helps match (initially) melanoma
patients with clinical trials appropriate to their condition. The patient provides details of themselves
and their cancer to TrialJectory. An algorithm and AI (Artificial Intelligence)
then select trials likely to be effective.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
See Jerusalem’s diversity on the light
railway. The Jerusalem Light Rail is where you can
meet people of all backgrounds. It’s a microcosm of the diverse and inclusive society
of Jerusalem. The train line runs through Israeli and Arab neighborhoods and
serves all of Jerusalem’s residents.
Pro-Israeli Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Yazidi survivor Nadia Murad,
co-winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize, was welcomed previously at Israel’s Knesset
and the University of Tel Aviv. Nadia enlisted the help for her fellow Syrian
Yazidis, of Israeli NGO IsraAID, saying they were "more effective than
many governments".
Pediatric clinic for refugees in
Nigeria. Israel’s embassy in Nigeria has opened a
pediatric clinic in Durumi near Abuja, the capital Nigeria. Israeli and local
medics are treating children in need of primary care who have been displaced by
decades of violence within Nigeria.
Ivory Coast orphanage renovated. Israelis have just finished renovating the girls’ orphanage at
Grand Bassam, in Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Africa. The project was concluded
with a special ceremony attended by Israeli Knesset members and Israel-Côte
d’Ivoire embassy staff.
Jerusalem hosts tourism security summit. The first-ever International Tourism Security Summit has been held
in Jerusalem. Experts and academics from around the world met to discuss security
at the world’s leading tourist destinations. Israel is seen as a model of how to
handle security threats at tourism and travel sites.
First US Navy ship in Ashdod in decades. USS Ross docked at the Ashdod
port – the first US Navy ship to do so in 20 years. Commander Kyle Raines of
the U.S. Sixth Fleet said that the port visit “reinforces the strong and
enduring partnership between our two nations”. US Navy ships to Israel usually
dock at the port of Haifa.
200 Israelis join European disaster
drill. (TY TIP)
A 200-strong Israeli team, including over 90 medics, took part in the Seism 2018
(Earthquake 2018) exercise in Bucharest, Romania, in cooperation with the
European Union. They simulated the scenario of a 7.5 magnitude earthquake with
thousands of casualties.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
New process to tackle
pollution. Israeli university scientists have
developed Phased Transaction Extraction (PTE) to help get rid of organic and
metal pollutants. Solvents extract organic compounds while special bonding
agents separate toxic metals. All materials and polluting chemicals can be
recycled afterwards.
Hi-tech IDF.
60,000 lucky Israeli citizens snapped up all available tickets for a special
exhibit called “Our IDF” produced by the Israeli army. They saw the IDF’s Virtual
Reality (VR) capabilities and had a glimpse of a other cutting-edge technologies
that are either currently being used or are in the works.
New AI research center. Intel Corporation and
Israel’s Technion Institute have inaugurated a new research center in Haifa, dedicated
to AI (artificial intelligence) technologies. Intel’s top leaders attended the
event. The research will include natural language processing, deep learning,
and hardware optimization for algorithms.
3 Israeli startups in TIME’s “Genius”
list. TIME Magazine included 3 Israeli companies in
its 2018 list of 50 “genius companies”. They are Lishtot (see here), WeWork (see here) and Aidoc (see
here). TIME’s editors and correspondents selected companies based on their originality,
influence, success, and ambition.
Video to prove whose fault it is. I reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s Nexar which has developed a car dashboard camera. Now another Israeli startup Comroads has
developed a smartphone app that connects to the dash cam and allows a community
of users to exchange video footage in the event of an incident or accident.
The complete picture. Israel’s Vayavision Sensing has developed a system designed to
provide precise 3D imaging of a vehicle’s environment. The system comprises a
variety of autonomous sensor systems, cameras, radars, and LiDAR. Vayavision
has just raised $8 million of funding.
Eradicating mosquitos in Brazil. Two Israeli companies are partnering to eliminate deadly mosquitos
in Brazil. I’ve already featured Senecio (see
here) and its system to release sterile male mosquitos from planes. Now
Israel’s Forrest Innovations has developed a new process to silence the
mosquito’s fertility gene.
Climate innovation prize winner. Israel’s Paulee CleanTec affiliate company Epic CleanTec has won
the grand prize in the Climate Innovation Showcase at the 2018 Global Climate
Action Summit in San Francisco. Epic converts solid waste from high-rise
buildings into dry, odorless, sterile, organic fertilizer for landscaping.
Israel’s moonshot – latest news. Israel’s SpaceIL lunar
module is now targeted to land on the moon in 2019. Thanks to a $2 million
boost from the Israeli government.
SpaceIL will also benefit from tools provided by NASA in exchange for
magnetic field data. NASA will also try
to capture images of the actual landing.
3D on your smartphone. I reported briefly
previously (see here) on
Israel’s Mantis Vision and its 3D technology. Here are more details, including
a video to highlight its exciting potential.
Robots to clean skyscraper windows. Israel’s Skyline Robotics has developed software that enables
existing machinery like cranes and elevators to be upgraded into
window-cleaning robots. The company also has a social responsibility program
that re-trains human window cleaners who have made redundant by the robots.
50% more protein. I reported previously (Jun
2016) on Israel’s Equinom which is developing superior vegetables for a
hungry world. Equinom’s non-GMO legumes have 50% more protein than varieties
currently on the market. Equinom has just received a $4 million investment from
vegetable protein pioneer Roquette.
World Space Week. 50 countries participated in the 19th annual United Nations World
Space Week initiative, with multiple activities in each country. Israel’s free
events, hosted by Israel Space Agency, included lectures, workshops, escape rooms,
virtual reality, and films about space and the impact it has on our lives.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Optimistic state of Israel’s economy. In his latest summary, Ambassador Yoram Ettinger highlights good
financial ratings, median age of 30, 3.3% 2018 growth estimate, recent billion
dollar exits and multinational investments. He also recommends this video
publicizing Avi Jorisch’s great book “Thou Shalt Innovate”.
$1.64 billion exit for
Mazor Robotics.
Israeli robotic surgery company Mazor Robotics has been acquired by
medical equipment giant Medtronic for $1.64 billion. Hadassah surgeons in Jerusalem
used Mazor’s Renaissance Guidance System last year to perform the world’s first
dual robotic surgery (see
here) (and
here).
$2.1 billion exit for
Imperva.
Israeli-founded cybersecurity company Imperva is being acquired by US investment
firm Thoma Bravo in a deal valued at approximately $2.1 billion. Imperva has 6,200
customers and 500 partners in more than 100 countries plus development centers
in Tel Aviv and Rehovot.
$250 million cybersecurity exit. Singapore's governmental holding company Temasek has acquired
Israeli cybersecurity startup Sygnia for an estimated $250 million. Originating
from Israel’s Team8 foundry (see
here) Sygnia offers cyber security consulting and incident response services
to businesses and organizations.
Walmart’s $250 million Israeli venture. (TY Arlene) The world’s largest retailer, Walmart, has announced a
strategic entertainment deal with Israeli interactive video technology
developer Eko (formerly Interlude see here). Reported to
be worth $250 million, the joint venture will help Walmart compete with Amazon.
$100 million finance deals not rare. (TY Arlene) Until a few
years ago, Israeli startups looked to be bought up for a few million dollars.
These days, Israeli entrepreneurs are looking to grow their businesses rather than
exit. Six Israeli companies have held financing rounds of $100 million or more
in the past 12 months.
An Israeli medical incubator in Atlanta. Haifa’s Rambam Hospital is partnering with Georgia Institute of
Technology to establish a new MedTech incubator for Israeli-based companies in
Atlanta, Georgia. The joint biomedical and digital health innovation center
will speed up bringing medical products to the US market.
Funding nanotech research. Yissum, the technology transfer company of The Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, has launched a $9 million fund dedicated to the university’s
nanotech research. The fund will focus on innovations in the fields of smart
materials, 3D printing, quantum science, and renewable energy.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Becoming Israeli. A new book brings the Aliya experience home. “Becoming Israeli: The
Hysterical, Inspiring and Challenging Sides of Making Aliyah.” edited by Akiva
Gersh, describes the experiences of 51 new immigrant bloggers who describe life
(warts and all) in modern-day Israel.
Chief conductor of BBC
Philharmonic is Israeli. The British Broadcasting
Corporation has appointed Israel’s Omer Meir Wellber as the new chief conductor
to the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, from Sept 2019 for an initial four years.
Wellber is also a Good Will Ambassador for Israeli charity Save a Child’s Heart.
Netflix buys another Israeli TV series. Israeli television drama
“When Heroes Fly” has been sold to Netflix, joining several other
Hebrew-language series already featured on the popular streaming platform. The
show’s 10 episodes will be available to millions of viewers starting in early
2019, along with English subtitles.
Operation Wedding – new dates. The exciting documentary “Operation Wedding” (see here) about Jews
trying to escape the Soviet Union, has new Israel screening dates. Oct 28 in Tel Aviv; Nov 10 in Beit Shemesh.
Jethro Tull’s 50th Anniversary Tour. Legendary folk/rock band
Jethro Tull, led by Ian Anderson, is scheduled to perform in Israel on 27
October. The concert begins after Shabbat at the Culture Palace Tel Aviv and is
part of the band’s world tour to mark its 50th anniversary.
Israel is top of the league. The Israeli soccer team beat Scotland and Albania in its last two
matches to go top of its Nation League soccer group. Israel now has six points
– three ahead of both Scotland and Albania.
THE JEWISH STATE
Christians
celebrate Tabernacles in Jerusalem. The International Christian Embassy in
Jerusalem (ICEJ) hosted thousands of Christian supporters of Israel celebrating
the Feast of Tabernacles. They then marched through the streets of Jerusalem,
dressed in their national garb, displaying flags from around the world.
50,000
at Kotel for Priestly blessing. (TY UWI)
An estimated 50,000 people took part in the traditional priestly blessing ceremony at the
Western Wall on the first day of Chol
Hamoed (intermediate days) Sukkot (Tabernacles). U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman also attended the service.
$32
million raised for IDF. 1,200 leading business people and philanthropists attended the Friends
of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) National Gala Dinner in New York. Together
they raised more than $32 million to support well-being and educational
programs for IDF soldiers.
40
years of peace with Egypt. It’s 40 years since Israel’s PM Menachem Begin and Egypt’s President
Anwar Sadat signed the Camp David Accords. It ended 30 years of war between
Egypt and the Jewish State.
Ancient
Jerusalem inscription discovered. The earliest stone inscription bearing the full Hebrew spelling of
Jerusalem has been excavated in an ancient artisan village just 2.5km outside
of modern Jerusalem. “Hananiah son of Dodalos of Jerusalem” (Yerushalayim) was
inscribed on a column made in 100 BCE.
Biblical Jewish Hebron site opened. Tel Hebron, in the city of the
Patriarchs, is now open to the public. Archaeological finds at the birthplace
of Jewish history include 1st Temple-era pottery vessels, jewelry and coins, as
well as olive presses, kilns and giant vats used to produce oil and wine in
accordance with Jewish law.
