Israel Good
News Archive – 1st July to 30th Sept 2012
120930
· Korean giant Samsung announced that all the technology in its new camera is Israeli.
· Eight new animal species have been discovered in an underground Israeli cave.
· An Israeli flowerpot has won the prestigious International “Red Dot” Design award.
· The series “Homeland” – by an Israeli writer, based on an Israeli drama - won the top Emmy award.
· Israeli parking tickets issued during the holiday period say “Happy New Year” and waive the fine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3jGk_GRhog
Israel’s water degree. Israel’s Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) College runs a unique B.Sc. degree in Water Industries Engineering. In its latest intake, 50 undergraduates will study physics, chemistry, microbiology, economics, marketing, material engineering, electrical engineering, and IT.
http://www.israelnewtech.com/2012/09/kinneret-college/
It’s not rubbish. Here is the latest video about the Hirlya Recycling Park. What used to be Israel’s largest garbage dump is now an Environmental Education Centre, an energy generator and a modern facility for separating waste into recyclable materials.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l66KTsex3To&feature=em-uploademail-new
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7z4dK0Azj0&feature=player_embedded
http://pandodaily.com/2012/09/24/conduit-launches-new-browser-that-might-someday-be-great/
http://www.conduit.com/Products.aspx
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2012/may/05/homeland-hatufim-gideon-raff
120923
· Israeli miniature cameras will help refuel the International Space Station.
· Israel’s economy is growing more than expected and Internet start-ups have doubled.
· Israel has won through to the World Group of the Davis (tennis) Cup.
http://www.mazorrobotics.com/int/media-int/most-recent/13-media/210-parker-adventist-hospital-purchases-mazor-robotics-renaissance-system.html
Neurofeedback – treating ADD/ADHT kids. BrainGames- Israel monitors a child’s brainwaves whilst they play a computer game or watch a film. If the child’s attention begins to wander, the game or film changes, stops or slows. Focussing the mind continues the action / activity and thus conditions the child’s brain.
http://www.jpost.com/Health/Article.aspx?id=285221
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPJPQnzuFNw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVJ8WjCi8Lg&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJEIndGKoVw&feature=player_embedded
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
http://www.israelhls2012.com/conference.ehtml
120916
· Israeli technology is protecting America’s border with Mexico.
· As a percentage of GDP, Israel is the highest OECD spender on non-military R&D.
· An Israeli won “Best Actress” at the Venice Film Festival.
· Israel’s Noam Gershony survived a horrendous helicopter crash to become a Paralympic gold medallist.
· Archaeologists have discovered a huge water cistern from the 1st Temple period under the Western Wall.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/159894
Tel Aviv to get electric buses. The Dan Bus Company, which serves Tel Aviv and its suburbs, has signed a deal with Chinese company BYD to buy up to 700 full-size totally electric buses over the next five months. Each bus will have a range of 100km and a 3-6 hour recharge time. Some buses will also have solar panels.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/tel-aviv-to-get-electric-bus-fleet/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JwjtMM52co&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hhR_4UG2z_M
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=5754
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5PTlJSy5vY
http://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-spies-rare-predator-in-west-bank/
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=5762
120909
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWOOeYqbD1o
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
http://www.sar-el.org/history,%20goals,%20achievements,%20stats2.html
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4276062,00.html
In the 30th Sept edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
· Israeli surgeons performed 11 life-saving transplants on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
· Europe has approved an innovative Israeli gel for treating severe burns.· Korean giant Samsung announced that all the technology in its new camera is Israeli.
· Eight new animal species have been discovered in an underground Israeli cave.
· An Israeli flowerpot has won the prestigious International “Red Dot” Design award.
· The series “Homeland” – by an Israeli writer, based on an Israeli drama - won the top Emmy award.
· Israeli parking tickets issued during the holiday period say “Happy New Year” and waive the fine.
· Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary
Click here for “Israel makes you Think”
Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
11 lives saved on Yom Kippur. Jews view saving life to be more important than the sanctity of the holiest day of the year. So Israeli doctors worked hard to perform eleven vital transplant operations on Yom Kippur, thanks to the donation of organs from three patients who died three hours before the onset of the festival.
http://unitedwithisrael.org/israel-organ-tranplant/
Fooling viruses to self-destruct. (Thanks to Israel21c) Israel’s Vecoy Nanomedicines is developing a “virus trap” that lures viruses using their“cell-host recognition” mechanism. If the virus locks onto the trap, it is destroyed. If it mutates, then it can no longer attack cells and therefore cannot cause any damage.
http://israel21c.org/health/new-israeli-tactic-makes-deadly-viruses-commit-suicide/
A drink to cure liver disease. NasVax, an Israeli company based in Ness-Ziona, has developed an oral treatment for people suffering from Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) commonly known as “fatty liver disease”which affects up to 15 million US citizens. It is undergoing trials and also conversion into a pill.
http://unitedwithisrael.org/nasvax/
The Technion and stem cells. Here is an update on the latest developments in Israel Technion’s stem cell research. It includes healing the heart, creating pancreatic tissue for diabetics and repairing or growing bones.
http://www.technioniit.com/2012/09/new-life-healing-promise-of-stem-cells.html
My child – the doctor. Israeli kids are twice as motivated to become doctors as are kids elsewhere. A total of 14.3% of 15 year olds in Israel said they wanted to go into the medical field when they grew up, the highest rate among all 34 OECD member countries, and double the 7.4% OECD average for youths planning a career.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Controls/SendFriend.ashx?print=1&type=0&item=160123
Needle-free blood tests. Latest article on Israel Technion’s non-invasive technique for imaging blood cells. Spectrally Encoded Flow Cytometry (SEFC) offers the capability to detect common disorders, such as anaemia and bacterial infection, plus life threatening conditions, including sepsis, thrombosis and sickle cell crisis.
http://www.t3technion.com/2012/09/imagine-needle-free-blood-tests.html
Europe approves Israeli burns treatment. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended approval of third degree burns treatment NexoBrid, developed by Israel’s MediWound Ltd. NexoBrid is a gel made of enzymes that removes burnt tissue, reduces the risk of infection and shortens recovery time.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000786167&fid=1725
How ADD/ADHD people watch videos? Dr Tal Hassner of Israel’s Open University found he had the perfect data to research people with ADD/ADHD - the university’s computer records of 9000 students (including 480 with ADD/ADHD) who viewed lectures on-line. The results could help screen for learning disorders.
http://www.openu.ac.il/newsletter-eng/2012-1/video.html
Israeli electromagnetism for healing. (thanks to Israel21c) MDWave from Holon-based Aerotel is a portable medical device that claims to use low electromagnetic frequencies to heal. Clinical trials are underway for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pains and those with chest pains due to blocked blood vessels.
http://israel21c.org/health/israeli-device-harnesses-electromagnetic-healing-power/
Breath test for cancer proves effective. Dr. Hossam Haick of the Israel Technion has just finished analysing the results of breath tests of patients with a suspected tumour. The study of 74 Colorado patients correctly identified 53 malignant tumours and 19 benign ones. The test even highlighted the most effective treatment options.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/new-technique-could-sniff-out-malignancies/
“Just look at me”. To anyone who asserts that Israel is a racist society, Shlomo Molla has a simple retort: “Just take a look at my life.” The 46-year-old was born in an Ethiopian village with no electricity and he has risen through the ranks of Israeli society, where he now holds the position of deputy speaker of the Knesset. "If you have your motivation, Israel is a country where the sky is the limit."
http://www.jewishexponent.com/article/26611/Ethiopian_Knesset_Member_Stumpshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3jGk_GRhog
From tractor driver to Master's degree. Mishael studied his Open University books on his tractor during rest breaks. After two years at Israel’s OU, raising a family of five and working, Mishael earned his OU degree and went on to complete his Master's at Bar Ilan University. He now teaches history at high school.
http://www.openu.ac.il/newsletter-eng/2012-1/tractor_driver.html
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Israel’s water degree. Israel’s Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) College runs a unique B.Sc. degree in Water Industries Engineering. In its latest intake, 50 undergraduates will study physics, chemistry, microbiology, economics, marketing, material engineering, electrical engineering, and IT.
http://www.israelnewtech.com/2012/09/kinneret-college/
Samsung’s new camera is Israeli. Korean tech giant Samsung has revealed that“all the camera processing technology” in its upcoming Galaxy S3 smart camera and cellphone is Israeli. The camera is unique in the fact that it lacks buttons, with all actions commanded by a touch screen on the back of the device.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/samsung-comes-out-of-the-israel-closet-2/
Three of the best. Technion President Professor Peretz Lavie hosted a panel of the leaders of three top hi-tech Israeli companies - Mooly Eden of Intel-Israel, Eyal Waldman of Mellanox and Zohar Zisapel of RAD Data Communications. They discussed how Israel’s top quality engineers progress to found successful start-ups.
http://www.t3technion.com/2012/09/from-academy-to-industry-leadership.htmlIt’s not rubbish. Here is the latest video about the Hirlya Recycling Park. What used to be Israel’s largest garbage dump is now an Environmental Education Centre, an energy generator and a modern facility for separating waste into recyclable materials.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l66KTsex3To&feature=em-uploademail-new
Eight new species discovered. In a cavernous underworld 100 meters beneath a soft limestone quarry in Ramle, Israeli scientists have found eight new animal species. Isolated for millions of years in a 40-meter-long hall in a 2.7-kilometer-long cave, seven of the species thrived by living off bacteria in their underground lake.
http://www.jpost.com/Sci-Tech/Article.aspx?id=281139
Don’t talk – TU Me. An Israeli smart-phone app called TU Me could take over from WhatsApp as the leading method for exchanging texts, photos, music, videos and map locations over the Internet. It can even do free, high-quality Voice Over IP calls.
http://nocamels.com/2012/09/can-israeli-app-tumedethrone-whatsapp/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7z4dK0Azj0&feature=player_embedded
How about U? Israeli hi-tech company Conduit has just launched a new Internet browser called “U”. At present, the media is sceptical that the browser will win people from the likes of Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome. But in the end, I suppose, that depends on U doesn’t it?
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000786609&fid=1725http://pandodaily.com/2012/09/24/conduit-launches-new-browser-that-might-someday-be-great/
http://www.conduit.com/Products.aspx
Have you got a Moment? Israel’s Moment.me application collects all the photos, videos, and tweets from an event and presents them in multimedia albums called“moments” where people can see “360-degree views” of the entire experience. It supports Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google+ networks.
http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/19/moment-me-for-iphone-creates-shared-albums-with-photos-videos-tweets-from-you-friends/
Use Israeli technology to build your family tree. Israel-based MyHeritage now includes automated smart record matching to link family names to original documents, birth records, marriage certificates, Ellis Island passenger lists, newspapers and even tombstones.
http://gigaom.com/europe/myheritage-automates-record-matching-as-genealogy-wars-heat-up/
Israeli chips for security imaging. Dr. Eran Socher of Tel Aviv University is developing small, cheap computer chips that can be used to search for concealed weapons. The complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) chips emit safe, low-level radiation to produce an image.
http://english.tau.ac.il/news/computer_chips
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Grooming Israel’s hi-tech superstars. (Thanks to Israel21c) Every year, approximately 60 of the top 10,000 Maths and Physics students are “hot-housed” in the IDF’s Talpiot training program. Following University and military service, these elite individuals progress to building and leading Israel’s successful hi-tech companies.
http://israel21c.org/technology/the-idf-incubator-for-israels-future-ceos/
Tel Aviv is Israel’s Silicon Wadi. In Tel Aviv’s tech scene, some 600 early-stage companies have set up shop. Many start-ups spring from the friendships developed among soldiers in combat units. Ex-pilots make excellent hi-tech recruits as they are “good at seeing the whole picture” and “flying by the seat of their pants”.
http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/israels-silicon-wadi-143282
Blooming success. I’ve seen Greenbo plant pots on hundreds of Netanya apartment balconies. I never realised, however, that this totally Israeli concept won the design industry’s equivalent of the Oscar - a Red Dot Award. The vivid coloured pots with their flowering contents perch on railings and brighten up the city skyline.
http://israel21c.org/culture/green-thumbs-up-for-funky-israeli-planters/
More water for agriculture. Israel’s water crisis may be over. Thanks to good water management, desalination and rain, the Israeli Water Authority has approved a large, 25 million cubic meter, increase in the water quota for agriculture in 2013, from 455 million cubic meters to 480 million cubic meters.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000786592&fid=1725
Instagram users get the picture. Standwithus and www.OnceinaLifetime.org.il are taking major Instagram users on an extraordinary journey across Israel. They will be introduced to our small country's tremendous variety of landscapes, cuisine and nightlife, as well as its multicultural society and culture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wHluv8EYzy4
The balloon goes up in October. (Thanks to Israel21c) No need to panic –just advance notice of two hot-air balloon festivals during the Sukkot holiday period. Gilboa’s Hot Air Balloon Family Festival and Timna Park’s International Hot Air Balloon Festival both take to the skies on October 3rd.
http://israel21c.org/news/hot-air-balloon-fests-over-israel/
Guitar Gems in Netanya. The 7th International Classical Guitar Festival in Netanya - will be held during the festival of Sukkot, October 1-4, 2012, at venues throughout the city. It features a quartet from the UK, and duos and trios from USA, Japan, Germany, Equador and Croatia. And it’s totally free.
http://www.netanya.muni.il/Eng/?CategoryID=1598&ArticleID=2101
Israeli-based drama wins Emmy award. The TV show Homeland, based on the Israeli series Hatufim, won the top drama prize at the Primetime Emmy awards. The Guardian article below explains how Gideon Raff’s Israeli drama was taken to the USA. But the BBC World Service called Homeland a“home-grown” US series.
http://www.jpost.com/ArtsAndCulture/Entertainment/Article.aspx?id=286046http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2012/may/05/homeland-hatufim-gideon-raff
Blog summary. It was nice of the JPost blog editor Lidar Grave-Lazi to write a summary of blogs for the week ending Sept 12th. She wanted to end on a positive note, so my contribution “A time and a place for everything” featured as the finale.
http://www.jpost.com/Features/InThespotlight/Article.aspx?id=284771
Louis Miller – a dream is realised. Please watch this video story of Louis Miller’s journey from Alabama college graduate to IDF paratrooper.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z00Xlcx1zTs&feature=em-subs_digest
The Joy of Aliya. For anyone who wants to know what it is like to arrive today in the Jewish State as a new immigrant, this 8-minute film (the eighth in the series) featuring the family of Jamie Geller is totally authentic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JTEZMt5o94c
What a waterfall! If you are flying out of Ben Gurion airport soon, make sure you watch this amazing display.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDZRISwKyg8
The Jewish New Year – only in Israel. Here are 10 unique ways to spot its Rosh Hashana in Israel. They include “Shana Tova” parking tickets that “forgive” you for not putting money in the meter and waive the fine.
http://www.algemeiner.com/2012/09/13/ten-ways-you-know-rosh-hashana-in-israel-is-almost-here/
A funny thing happened on the way to the UN. The Israeli journalist delegation moaned all the way from JFK airport to the United Nations HQ where PM Netanyahu was to speak. Then their secret service SUV ran out of gas. Luckily a Russian Jew driving a school bus gave them a lift.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/out-of-gas-on-the-way-to-the-un/120923
In the 23rd Sept edition of Israel’s good
news, the highlights include:
·
Four brain-related stories, including new treatments
for ADD/ADHT and Alzheimer’s disease.
·
Haifa surgeons cure a Palestinian-Arab suffering from
severe Alzheimer’s symptoms.· Israeli miniature cameras will help refuel the International Space Station.
· Israel’s economy is growing more than expected and Internet start-ups have doubled.
· Israel has won through to the World Group of the Davis (tennis) Cup.
·
Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary
Click here for “A New Year of Creation”
Page Down for more details on these and other good news
stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Israeli robotic spine surgery in the USA. Israel’s Mazor Robotics has just sold its
18th Renaissance robotic spinal surgical guidance system in the US – this time
to the Parker Adventist Hospital in Denver.
Parker is a Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery, so the latest
sale is especially prestigious.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000785405&fid=1725
http://www.mazorrobotics.com/int/media-int/most-recent/13-media/210-parker-adventist-hospital-purchases-mazor-robotics-renaissance-system.html
NeuroTech – the next big “thing”. Leading scientists from academia and
industry gathered at the US-Israel Neurotechnology and Neuroscience Conference
in Washington to showcase the latest research and cutting edge technologies in
the US and Israel for investigating brain function and brain disorders.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/with-neurotechnology-the-lame-dont-just-walk-they-race/
Neurofeedback – treating ADD/ADHT kids. BrainGames- Israel monitors a child’s brainwaves whilst they play a computer game or watch a film. If the child’s attention begins to wander, the game or film changes, stops or slows. Focussing the mind continues the action / activity and thus conditions the child’s brain.
http://www.jpost.com/Health/Article.aspx?id=285221
Human trials for Israeli
Alzheimer’s treatment.
(Thanks to Nocamels.)
Ladostigil, from Israel’s Avraham Pharmaceuticals, relieves behavioural
and psychological symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. In lab animals, the
medication also slows the progression of symptoms and prolongs life. Results of
human trials are due end 2012.
http://nocamels.com/2012/09/israeli-scientists-to-test-new-treatment-for-alzheimers/
Million-dollar brain prize. The organisation Israel Brain Technologies (IBT) is offering a $1
million to anyone who can come up with a breakthrough brain technology, one
that will make life better for everyone. It is aptly named the Global
B.R.A.I.N. (Breakthrough Research And Innovation in Neurotechnology) Prize.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/from-start-up-nation-to-brain-nation-with-a-million-dollar-prize/
Hold onto those tonsils. A team of researchers at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba has
discovered that Montelukast, an anti-inflammatory drug used for the treatment
of asthma, helped open the closed airways caused by enlarged tonsils. It is an alternative to a major surgical
operation for children.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/new-research-shows-drug-treatment-can-replace-tonsillectomy/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Israel treats Palestinian Arab
for Parkinson’s. Doctors at
Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center have cured 51 year-old Palestinian Arab
accountant Tarik Sadek Abu Baker of severe Parkinson’s disease using Deep Brain
Stimulation (DBS) therapy. Having been
barely able to move or talk, he now has no visible symptoms.
http://www.haifadiarist.blogspot.co.il/2012/09/rambam-treats-palestinian-with.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPJPQnzuFNw
Interns wanted.
This Janglo advert offers two individuals the opportunity to work at the
Arab Jewish Community Centre in Jaffa (Yaffo).
The American Corner Yaffo (ACY) program includes tutoring services, and
After School Clubs that bring American sports, culture, games, etc to the local
children.
http://www.janglo.net/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&page=display&catid=77&tid=233163
Helping women to become doctors. The Israel Medical Association’s Scientific
Council and the Health Ministry are piloting a program to enable physicians to
complete their hospital residencies in part-time hospital work. It aims to
enable young women to both have families and specialize, thereby reducing
doctor shortages.
http://www.jpost.com/Health/Article.aspx?id=285598
Blazing new trails for people with disabilities. (Thanks to Israel21c) Please read this new feature article on the
work of non-profit organisation Beit Issie Shapiro (BIS). It contains a description of the BIS
Friendship Park (Park Chaverim), Israel’s first accessible and inclusive
playground.
http://israel21c.org/social-action-2/un-looks-to-israeli-disabilities-group-for-advice/
Learn to defend yourself (part 2). Sgt Rachel Shir presents the second part of
the series of how to use the IDF’s home-developed self-defence martial art Krav
Maga to protect yourself from a violent attack. If you missed the first episode, I’ve also included the link
beneath the latest one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7ArFlExjws&feature=player_embedded http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVJ8WjCi8Lg&feature=relmfu
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Electricity from waste. Israel’s Even Yehuda-based Blue Sphere is to manage two US
projects for producing electricity from biogas – methane originating from
organic waste. Germany's Biogas Nord
will provide the equipment. A further eight
similar US projects are in Blue Sphere’s pipeline.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000781432&fid=1725
Nice prize for NICE Systems. Israeli hi-tech company NICE won the award
for Ingenuity in Language Technology, at the 2012 LT-Innovate Summit in
Brussels. NICE’s semantic inference
platform interprets and links the meaning of phrases used by customers whether
through speech, email or social media.
http://www.nice.com/nice-receives-2012-lt-innovate-award-bolstering-its-position-leading-innovator-speech-and-text-analy
Israeli cameras in orbit. Israel’s Medigus will supply its miniature
video cameras and video processing equipment for NASA's Robotic Refuelling
Mission. In 2013, NASA intends to send
a robot to the International Space Station equipped with a 0.99-millimeter
camera, which Medigus says is the smallest in the world.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000785406&fid=1725
Smart communications for 1WTC. The Israeli company Techmer will deploy its
smart communication systems at One World Trade Center (1 WTC), the lead
building of the new World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, New York
City. The technology will work during power
outages and extreme conditions.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4279502,00.html
Make your TV recognise your hand signals. (Thanks to NoCamels) Israeli company eyeSight has joined up with
Korean company Innodigital to produce a TV set-top box that turns any
television set into a gesture-controlled smart TV. The product, called
nTobeBox, will use a simple 2D camera.
http://nocamels.com/2012/09/new-technology-converts-any-tv-into-gesture-controlled-smart-tv/
Night of the scientists. On 24th September, twelve top Israeli academic
institutions will hold an open evening showcasing Computer Science to mark the
centenary of birth of Alan Turing, the “father of the computer era”. The public
can meet scientists, tour laboratories, experience workshops and hear lectures
and presentations.
http://www.jpost.com/Health/Article.aspx?id=285756
App to add new contacts. (Thanks to NoCamels) An Israeli application, called Ringya,
allows you to photograph and upload lists of contact addresses to your iPhone. It even recognises scrappy handwritten
addresses, business cards etc.
http://nocamels.com/2012/09/ringya-a-snappy-solution-for-organizing-your-contacts/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJEIndGKoVw&feature=player_embedded
On the crest of a wave. (Thanks to Israel21c) Prof. George Weiss, of Tel Aviv University
has created a computer algorithm, which could substantially improve the
functioning of wave energy converters used in producing electrical energy from
ocean waves.
http://israel21c.org/news/israeli-breakthrough-could-double-energy-from-wave-power/
Economy improves. The reason I didn’t publicise last month’s
announcement that Israel’s 2nd quarter GDP growth was a healthy 3.2%
was because I didn’t trust the early figures. That will teach me – the Central Bureau of Statistics has more
up-to-date information and revised up growth for the quarter to 3.4%.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000785537&fid=1725
Huge jump in new start-ups. 199 new
Israeli start-ups were founded in the second quarter of 2012 compared to 114 in
each of the previous two quarters. The
majority of the increase was in the number of Internet companies (102 compared
to 53 and 63 in each of the previous two quarters).
http://www.iati.co.il/high-tech-industry-news/532-iati-report-199-israeli-start-ups-founded-in-second-quarter-of-2012
Israel innovates in commerce. Speaking at the HTIA2012 hi-tech conference
in Jerusalem, eBay CEO John Donahoe said that the Israel R&D centers of the
E-commerce giant and its subsidiary PayPal will continue to help drive the
company’s innovation in commerce and payment in the foreseeable future.
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120911005986/en/eBay-CEO-John-Donahoe-Israel-Plays-Significant
India and Israel make fashionable agreement. Following the Textile and Apparel Show in
Israel, India and Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding to expand
business and cooperation in the sphere of clothing & fashion industries,
innovative technologies and possible solutions for the textile industry.
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=115423
From little seeds…..
Hishtil Nurseries, based at Moshav Nehalim near Petah Tikva, exports its
specially grafted vegetable seedlings all over the world, including South
Africa and Turkey –countries that don’t have great relations with the Jewish
State. Hishtil’s seeds provide greater
yields and are environmentally friendly.
http://www.jpost.com/Sci-Tech/Article.aspx?id=285757
Milking it in Belarus. Israel’s AfiMilk has won a large order from Belarus for its
advanced milking parlours. Upgrading
the Eastern European country’s milking system will save its milk industry, which
has just suffered a huge blow by a ban on the import of Belarusian dairy
products by the Russian government.
http://www.jpost.com/Sci-Tech/Article.aspx?id=285604
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Israeli victory in Davis Cup. Israel beat Japan 3-2 in Japan to advance to
the top World Group of tennis’s Davis Cup.
Israel’s Amir Weintraub, ranked 223 in the world, won the high-pressure
deciding match in four sets, against Japan’s Go Soeda who is ranked 170 places
above him at number 53.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/weintraub-leads-israel-to-nailbiting-davis-cup-win/
On the way back up.
Israeli hero Nadav Ben Yehuda is back to his favourite sport. In May, Nadav abandoned his record-breaking
attempt to climb Mount Everest in order to save a Turkish climber. Now Nadav has scaled the 5,033 meters
(16,512 feet), Georgian peak of Mount Kazbeck, planting an Israeli flag on the
summit.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/heroic-climber-back-on-top-of-the-world/
Israeli honey is the “bees knees”. The average Israeli consumer will buy two
kilos of honey for the holiday season.
Speciality honeys include organic honey, marzipan honey and halva
honey. Flavours are introduced by
placing hives near eucalyptus and citrus, avocado and apple groves. Or try onion and desert flower.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/artisanal-honey-its-the-bees-knees/
In the swim.
10,000 participated in the annual Crossing Kinneret (Sea of Galilee)
Swim – one of the largest amateur sports events in Israel. They included the British Ambassador to
Israel, Matthew Gould who led a team of swimmers from the UK Embassy.
http://www.jpost.com/Features/InThespotlight/Article.aspx?id=285764
THE JEWISH STATE
Israel hosts security conference. The International Homeland Security
Conference will take place in Tel Aviv during November. Its speakers include a former US Chief of
Staff, the Head of Security for FIFA 2014 and the Chief Commander of Milan’s
Police. Plus a host of Israeli experts,
of course.
http://www.embassyofisrael.co.uk/commercial/2012/09/19/a-global-conference-for-a-global-challenge/
http://www.israelhls2012.com/conference.ehtml
“Suddenly we’re Jews”. The organisation Shavei Israel has helped many people discover
their Jewish roots. Here are three
moving stories about how it helped a Portuguese, a Chinese and a Pole to
reconnect with their ancestors.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4282213,00.html
US volunteers in Israeli schools. The number of high calibre college North
American graduates participating in the Israel Teaching Fellows program, has
grown from 68 last year to 170 in the current school year. Teaching in Israel is a meaningful volunteer
opportunity, helps build a strong resume and strengthens bonds.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/jewish-americans-increase-participation-in-israeli-teaching-program/
Israeli prisons are like paradise. Please tell anti-Israel activists at Amnesty
International to watch MSNBC’s program “Lockup”. Jews and Israeli-Arabs are housed together and sometimes share
cells. “I feel like I am in a hotel,”
says one Israeli-Arab “resident”.
Released prisoners achieve high levels of reintegration into
society. Education, skills training and
job placement helps prevent repeat offences.
And read about Hamas inmates!
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-a-prisoners-paradise-says-american-cable-series/
Oo La La – Aliya.
There are 600,000 Jews in France, but one in every 300 is immigrating to
Israel. French immigration first spiked
above 2,000 in 2002 and reached nearly 3,000 in 2005. The French Consulate in
Tel Aviv estimates that as many as 150,000 French Jews live in Israel. Many live in Netanya.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/as-french-community-grows-in-israel-baguettes-join-pita/
120916
In the 16th Sept 2012 Jewish New Year edition
of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
·
Israel’s Pluristem has saved another life with its
unique stem cell treatment
·
Israel and Nepal have issued a new joint postage stamp
featuring Everest and the Dead Sea.· Israeli technology is protecting America’s border with Mexico.
· As a percentage of GDP, Israel is the highest OECD spender on non-military R&D.
· An Israeli won “Best Actress” at the Venice Film Festival.
· Israel’s Noam Gershony survived a horrendous helicopter crash to become a Paralympic gold medallist.
· Archaeologists have discovered a huge water cistern from the 1st Temple period under the Western Wall.
·
The descriptive summary of last week’s newsletter,
published in the Jerusalem Post on-line.
Click here for “Heading for
Another Great Year”
Page Down for more details on these and other good news
stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Another bone marrow patient saved
by Israeli stem cells.
Placental eXpanded (PLX) cell treatment from Israel’s Pluristem has
saved the life of a 45-year-old man who suffered from bone marrow failure after
undergoing chemotherapy and a bone-marrow transplant, due to leukemia. There were no side effects and the man has
now been discharged from Hadassah medical centre in Jerusalem.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000782662&fid=1725
More hope for inflammatory disease sufferers. A Hebrew University researcher has uncovered
a method of using a synthetic, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic family of
drugs to combat a variety of illnesses, while avoiding detrimental side effects. This is a different story to the
anti-allergy discovery published on 28th Aug.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120906074033.htm
FDA fast-tracks Israeli tissues infection treatment. Israeli bio-tech Atox Bio announced that the
US Food and Drug Administration has granted fast track designation to its lead
product AB103, currently in development for the treatment of Necrotizing Soft
Tissue Infections (NSTI). Currently,
there are no approved treatments for NSTI, which has a high mortality rate.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000784167&fid=1725
Woody Allen was right. Fans of “The Sleeper” will recall that Woody Allen’s character
woke up in a future world where it had discovered that “fat is good for you
after all”. Well in 2012, Hebrew University
researchers have discovered that a carefully scheduled high-fat diet resets
metabolism and prevents obesity – in mice!
http://www.jpost.com/Health/Article.aspx?id=284729
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/159894
UK and Israel launch joint regenerative medicine
projects. The British and Israeli
governments will jointly fund five major research projects in regenerative
medicine – the process of replacing or regenerating human cells, tissues or
organs to restore or establish normal function in diseased ones.
http://www.jpost.com/LandedPages/PrintArticle.aspx?id=284608
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Israel at AgriTech India. At the four-day Agritech-Asia business summit in Gandhinagar,
Gujarat, India Israel’s Consul General revealed the nature of the Centres of
Excellence that Israel is setting up in the Indian state. These will focus on mangos, date palms and
bananas.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-09-05/ahmedabad/33614528_1_drip-irrigation-desalination-plant-orna-sagiv
Record number of Israeli teen volunteers. 4300 Israeli high-school graduates have
chosen to start an extra year of community volunteering prior to their
three-year military service. They will
work primarily with schools, youth movements and with at-risk youth.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4275912,00.html
Israel & Nepal issue joint
stamps. Nepal and Israel issued
joint stamps to mark the long-standing friendship between the two
countries. It is the first time that
Nepal has issued a stamp simultaneously with another country. The stamps are
themed 'Mount Everest and the Dead Sea" - the highest and lowest points on
Earth.
http://www.nepalnews.com/home/index.php/news/8/21235-nepal-israel-issue-joint-stamps-to-mark-long-standing-ties.html?tmpl=component&print=1
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Tel Aviv to get electric buses. The Dan Bus Company, which serves Tel Aviv and its suburbs, has signed a deal with Chinese company BYD to buy up to 700 full-size totally electric buses over the next five months. Each bus will have a range of 100km and a 3-6 hour recharge time. Some buses will also have solar panels.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/tel-aviv-to-get-electric-bus-fleet/
A new Israeli designed racing car. Engineering students at Ben Gurion
University have teamed up with industrial designers at Jerusalem’s Bezalel
Academy of Arts and Design to build a futuristic-looking racecar for a collegiate
design competition in Italy this month.
http://www.jpost.com/Health/Article.aspx?id=283862
Israel protects US border. The United States has selected Elta, a
subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries, for a radar system to detect illegal
immigration and drug smuggling at the border with Mexico. Elta’s systems can identify individuals at
300m to 20 km and vehicles from twice that distance.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/158491#.UBkhLbSIDOU
November visit for Microsoft’s CEO. Microsoft’s Chief Executive Steve Ballmer
announced that he will attend major MS-Israel events immediately following the
launch of the Windows 8 operating system.
Ballmer famously stated in 2008 that Microsoft was almost as much an
Israeli company as it was an American company.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/microsoft-ceo-steve-ballmer-set-to-visit-israel-in-november/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JwjtMM52co&feature=player_embedded
Desalinating water in Colombia. Israel’s Nirosoft has been awarded a $100
million contract to desalinate polluted water produced as a by-product of
petroleum extraction in Colombia.
Previously, the wastewater was disposed of in deep wells. Now, the
purified water will be used to grow trees.
http://www.israelnewtech.com/2012/09/nirosoft-awarded-100-million-contract-for-desalination-plant-in-colombia/
The secret is the letter “b”. Interesting article explaining the success
of Israel’s bSolar. The company
mass-produces bi-facial solar panels at low cost. The two-sided panels attract more sunlight than standard panels. Also, important is the b for “Boron” which
is the key ingredient that improves efficiency by twenty per cent.
http://israel21c.org/environment/the-b-in-bsolar-is-the-secret-to-its-success/
Advanced Israeli executive jet gets FAA approval. The G280 advanced executive jet, built
jointly by Israel Aerospace Industries and Gulfstream Aerospace, has been given
a certificate of airworthiness by the US Federal Aviation Administration. The G280 carries ten passengers up to 6667
km at Mach 0.8.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000782717&fid=1725
Israelis race to stay ahead of the pack. James Hurley’s article provides excellent
insight into the challenges and strengths of Israel’s technology
start-ups. Its talented ex-army
entrepreneurs constantly face impossible problems, with limited resources and
manage to “solve them yesterday”.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/yourbusiness/9526109/Israelis-race-to-stay-ahead-of-the-global-start-up-pack.html
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Israel tops OECD in civilian
R&D spending. Israel's
national expenditure for civilian Research & Development totalled NIS 38.2
billion in 2011, 1.2% more than in 2010, and accounted for 4.4% of GDP. Next came Finland, South Korea, Sweden,
Japan, Denmark, and Switzerland.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000784290&fid=1725
The first search engine for Israeli hotels. Just launched – for those who want to
compare offers for accommodation across the country. (Not a recommendation, but just sent to me by www.Janglo.net)
http://hotels.igoogledisrael.com/
Israeli complex physics model to avoid financial crisis. (Thanks to NoCamels.com) A team, including researchers at Tel Aviv
University’s School of Physics and Astronomy, has developed a new method to assess
and predict the risk of interactions between foreign markets. It could help avert a future global
catastrophe.
http://nocamels.com/2012/09/israeli-invents-complex-physics-model-to-predict-global-economy/
“What
differentiates Israel is its creativity”.
Israel is a solid investment, despite the many challenges it faces,
Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz told the “Innovate Invest Israel” conference in
New York. But it was Australian magnate
Rupert Murdoch who summed up the secret of Israel’s economy – “The Human Mind”.
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=5758
Israel is a mango paradise. In the 1980s there wasn’t a single mango tree in Israel. Now Israel produces 40,000 tons of the fruit
each year and is one of the main exporters to Europe, the United States and
even some Persian Gulf states. It has
patented six new varieties – Maya, Shelly, Omer, Tali, Noa and Agam.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4272908,00.html
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Shanananana Tova.
Happy New Year from the Ein Prat Fountainheads. This is their 5772 Rosh Hashana video and
“Dip The Apple” has had over 2 million views since last year. I love what they do with the iPhone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlcxEDy-lr0&feature=channel_video_title
Hadas Yaron is Venice’s “Best
Actress”. Israeli actress
Hadas Yaron won the Coppa Volpi Award for Best Actress at the 69th Venice Film
Festival. The 22-year-old took the title role in Rama Burshtein’s film – Fill
the Void (Lemale et Ha’chalal) – about the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in
Tel Aviv.
http://israel21c.org/news/israeli-wins-best-actress-at-venice-film-festival/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hhR_4UG2z_M
Red Hot in Tel Aviv.
California rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers rocked 50,000 fans at Ganei
Yehoshua.
http://www.jpost.com/ArtsAndCulture/Music/Article.aspx?id=284645
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=5754
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5PTlJSy5vY
Nine Israeli paralympic medallists. Six of the 25 Israeli team members won
medals at the 2012 London Paralympics.
One gold, two silvers and six bronze medals. Noam Gershony won a gold and a bronze in tennis and Inbal Pezaro
won three bronzes in the swimming.
http://www.jpost.com/Sports/Article.aspx?id=284461
The gold medallist who came back
from the dead. When his
helicopter crashed during the Second Lebanon War, doctors did not believe Noam
Gershony would survive. But last week he won tennis gold at the London 2012
Paralympic Games. This “must read” story sums up the fighting spirit of
Israel’s sporting heroes.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/the-gold-medalist-who-came-back-from-the-dead/
THE JEWISH STATE
46% of Israelis earn academic degrees. Israel came second in the OECD ranking of
adults with academic degrees. Only
Canada, with 51% and Russia (not an OECD member) with 54% ranked higher.
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=5766
Caught on camera.
Some unusual, potentially dangerous individuals have been sighted near
Israel’s security fences.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vxfGJE6JDg0
http://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-spies-rare-predator-in-west-bank/
One million supporters of Israel. Christians United For Israel (CUFI) contains
some of the most loyal non-Jewish supporters of the Jewish State. The organisation even understands that many
Jews have issues with it.
http://latitude.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/28/is-support-from-american-evangelicals-a-good-thing-for-israel/?ref=jewsandjudaism&pagewanted=print
Have you seen “Israel Inside”. If you missed the opportunity to watch this
fascinating film about Israel’s achievements, “Israel Inside” will air on
Comcast on Demand starting September 15 for limited release.
http://www.jewishledger.com/2012/08/israel-inside-to-air-on-comcast-on-demand/
The NYPD branch of Kfar Saba. For those fans of “New York’s finest”, the
NY Police Department has opened shop in the Sharon city. The office is to focus on the extradition of
criminals, the transmitting of intelligence information and to assist in the
location of missing persons, both in the United States and in Israel.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/nypd-opens-local-branch-in-kfar-saba/
Massive reservoir found under
Western Wall. The reservoir
is approximately 1/10th the size of an Olympic swimming pool, and is the first
evidence that water was available next to the first Temple.
http://www.jpost.com/LandedPages/PrintArticle.aspx?id=284115
The Walls of Jerusalem are restored. A five-year project to restore the walls of
Jerusalem’s Old City has been completed. The $4.4 million project ("one of
the most complicated, largest and important ever conducted in the
country") cleaned and repaired the 2.5 miles (4 km) of walls and seven
gates constructed by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/restoration-work-on-jerusalems-walls-complete/
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=5762
The “Zielony effect”. We never forget that some great people have been put on this
Earth to help build the Jewish State into today’s miracle. Stanley (Shalom) Zielony – Friend of the
Technion – who has just passed away, was one of those people.
http://youtu.be/uQkDbR_x3XU
120909
In the 9th Sept 2012 edition of Israel’s good
news, the highlights include:
·
Israeli discovery of mutant gene could lead to a cure
for fatty liver disease.
·
A revolutionary new Israeli keyboard includes a display
screen to boost productivity.
·
The 3D technology from Israel’s PrimeSense has the
potential to transform the future.
·
The European Central Bank has invested in Israel’s
Better Place electric car infrastructure.
·
A unique museum in Holon brings visitors face to face
with the reality of aging.
·
1200 brave Swedish Zionists demonstrated in support of
Israel in the centre of Stockholm.
·
Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary
Click here for “A time and a
place for everything”
·
And please read this
write-up about my work
Page Down for more details on these and other good news
stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Israeli researchers discover
defective liver gene.
Doctors at Schneider Children’s medical centre noticed 10 children and
infants from four families in a single Arab village, all with liver
abnormalities. The discovery of the
mutant gene could lead to a treatment for fatty liver disease and screening for
the gene.
http://www.jpost.com/Health/Article.aspx?id=283610
FDA approves Israeli neutropenia treatment. Cancer patients receiving chemotherapy are
at risk of infection due to reduced white blood cell counts. Teva’s Tbo-filgrastim stimulates the bone
marrow to produce white bloods cells.
The US Food and Drug Administration has given the go-ahead for commercial
production.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000780995&fid=1725
10 Israeli treatments for Alzheimer’s. (Thanks to Israel21c) To mark World Alzheimer’s Month, here is a
great summary of all the main brain science, medication and memory enhancement
innovations that Israeli scientists have contributed to fighting this
devastating and fatal condition.
http://israel21c.org/health/top-10-israeli-advances-against-alzheimers-disease/
Key to brain disease is in the bones. Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers
have discovered how the brain controls bone development. With previous research on protein
interleukin-1 it explains why depression, Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy
often accompany osteoporosis and has huge potential for new therapies.
http://www.jpost.com/Health/Article.aspx?id=283732
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Israel trains young Japanese leaders. (Thanks to Israel21c) IsraAID, the Israel
Forum for International Humanitarian Aid, has been training Japanese students
from the Tohoku earthquake region. The
leadership program empowers youth from Tohoku to take responsibility for their
future as individuals and as a community.
Israeli bank donates backpacks to Ethiopian kids. The Tel Aviv branch of Citibank made the
first day of school much easier for Ethiopian-Israeli students, by donating 200
backpacks and school supplies. They
were distributed to the students by the organisation Ethiopian National Project
(ENP).
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/159392
Cleaning up Lake Victoria. Following on from the project initiated in April
2011, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon signed a cooperation agreement
with Kenya and Germany to promote fish farming techniques and desalinate and
purify the waters of Lake Victoria.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4269836,00.html
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
No need to look up. Smart keyboard company KeyView has
unveiled Smartype – a new kind of keyboard with a sophisticated built-in
display. Users no longer need to split
their focus between a keyboard and computer screen, helping minimize typing
errors, reducing neck strain and maximize productivity.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000780602&fid=1725
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWOOeYqbD1o
Turning pollution into bio-fuel. Excellent article explaining how Israel’s
Seambiotic takes the Carbon Dioxide (greenhouse gas) directly from smokestacks
and uses it to feed algae for bio-fuel projects in Ohio and Italy and for the
vitamin industry in China. It’s still
early days, but shows much promise.
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/InnovativeIsrael/Algae-products-23-Aug-2012.htm#.UDndAVa2dvc.facebook
Robot teacher.
Watch this film clip of RoboThespian teaching a class of Israeli
children how to work with weights and levers.
Plus some Shakespeare verse and a song.
Lessons were never like this in my time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkEPQtuF3DI&feature=youtu.be
Happy New Year. Israel’s
Technion has put together this short film of its robots and staff wishing
everyone a very hi-tech and happy 5773.
Transforming the future. Israel’s PrimeSense provides the 3D sensing
technology for Microsoft’s Kinect for XBox 360. PrimeSense has been selected as a World Economic Forum Technology
Pioneer and one of the world’s most innovative technology start-ups that can transform
the future of business and society.
http://www.embassyofisrael.co.uk/commercial/2012/08/28/primesense-recognised-as-technology-pioneer-by-world-economic-forum/
Jerusalem gets environmental studies centre. One week after Tel Aviv announced a new
Environmental school, now Israel’s capital is to get one. Ex deputy mayor of New York, Robert Price
has donated NIS 30 million to build the 2,000-square-meter facility overlooking
Sacher Park on the Hebrew University campus.
Inspiring US innovation. The Massachusetts-Israel Innovation Partnership selected
Needham-based Automated Medical Instruments to participate in its Accelerator
program. AMI develops the CircumBlator
which destroys faulty heart tissue that causes irregular heart-beats.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/needham/news/x976201386/Needham-medical-company-attracts-international-attention?zc_p=0#axzz24hHizvXu
Learn whilst asleep.
Great news, for those students who find it hard to stay awake in
lectures; it is possible to sleep-learn.
Weizmann researchers have proved that the wakened brain can be
conditioned into responding to triggers that were given when the subject was
asleep. Don’t use this, however, as a
method to cram for exams.
http://www.jpost.com/LandedPages/PrintArticle.aspx?id=282693
EIB supports Israeli electric
cars. Israel’s Better Place
has secured a €40 million loan from the European Investment Bank. Better Place will use the money to finance
its operations in Denmark and Israel.
http://www.embassyofisrael.co.uk/commercial/2012/08/28/better-place-secures-e40-million-european-investment-bank-support/
Unemployment drops; workforce rises. Despite Israel being hit by the world
economic downturn and having to layoff thousands of staff, unemployment
actually dipped in July to 6.5% from 7.1% in June. Additionally, the workforce increased from 59% to 59.8% of the
population. So there is still a demand
for Israeli workers.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000781045&fid=1725
Holy land of opportunity. Jews across America are scanning the Internet for job
opportunities that will enable them to make the leap toward life in
Israel. Nefesh B’Nefesh’s LinkedIn
aliyah board and Janglo’s Jobs
classified site are attracting much recent interest.
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/holy-land-of-opportunity-north-american-jews-seeking-jobs-in-israel/2012/08/13/
Jerusalem: Israel’s next Silicon Valley? Israel’s capital combines business with
culture and has the potential to become a hi-tech international hub. CNN interviewed Jerusalem Venture Partner's
Erel Margalit, who sees Jerusalem as a gateway to Israel's business future.
http://edition.cnn.com/video/?/video/international/2012/08/10/marketplace-middle-east-erel-margalit.cnn
Gaza has 600 millionaires. Just in case anyone still thought that the terrorist state was a
humanitarian disaster.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/159536
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Dates and pomegranates for the New Year. Lovely video from the Veffers of Villa
Rimona in Yavne.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Az3hNW7hVg&utm_source=Villa+Rimona+Zimmers+Newsletter&utm_campaign=5bfda32dc6-Last_minute_August_Special8_3_2012&utm_medium=email
Talent in the family. The religious all-women dance
company Nehara has been making exciting news in the Israeli press. Nehara was founded by Daniella Bloch, who
studied dance at Bat Dor (which was co-founded by my cousin Jeanette Ordman
z”l). Details sent to me by newsletter
subscriber (and Daniella’s mother) Ilene.
http://www.jpost.com/Magazine/Opinion/Article.aspx?id=281421
“Dialogue with Time”. The Children’s Museum in Holon redefines the
concept of aging. Guides aged 70 and above help visitors relate to the elderly
and old age. Using role-playing and
games, visitors enter the world of the aged. The concept is similar to
experiential museums “Dialogue in the Dark” and “Invitation to Silence”.
http://www.holon.muni.il/English/Lists/ArticalsAndNews/DispForm.aspx?ID=45
Did aliens land on the Knesset? (Thanks to Sharon of Real Jerusalem
Streets.) The annual Jerusalem Kite festival at the Israel Museum gave much
pleasure to residents of Israel’s capital.
At one point, people thought we had been visited by
extraterrestrials. Mind, if you’ve seen
what goes on sometimes in the Knesset ……
http://rjstreets.com/2012/08/22/aliens-land-on-the-knesset-or-go-fly-a-kite/
Swedish band gets heavy with Israel. The heavy metal band Sabaton is really into
Israel. The band toured Ammunition Hill
in Jerusalem and met with IDF soldiers guarding the site. The Grammy-nominated band is famous for
their 2006 song "Counterstrike," recounting Israel’s victory in the
1967 Six-Day War.
http://www.jpost.com/ArtsAndCulture/Music/Article.aspx?id=282180
From the depths I call to you. Cavers from the cave research unit of the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem have just returned from exploring
Krubera-Voronya in Russia - the deepest cave in the world. They broke records for the deepest that an
Israeli has ever reached, plus the longest an Israeli has spent
underground. (Not sure if Rabbi Shimon
bar Yochai would have disputed the latter!)
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-explorers-take-part-in-world-record-breaking-expedition/
Paralympic medals.
(Thanks to Israel21c) Israeli swimmers Inbal Pezaro and Itzhak
Mamistvalov achieved in the London 2012 Paralympics what no Israeli athlete
could in the main Olympics. They won
bronze medals - Inbal in the 50-meter and 200-meter freestyle. Izhak beat another Israeli in his 200-meter
freestyle final.
THE JEWISH STATE
30 years of Sar-El.
Sar-El (Hebrew for “Service for Israel) is the national project for
volunteers for the Jewish State. In May
it celebrated its 30th anniversary and I thought it appropriate to
share some of the many comments of Sar-El volunteers over the past year. Also the history of the organisation and its
achievements.
http://www.sar-el.org/You%20said.html
http://www.sar-el.org/history,%20goals,%20achievements,%20stats2.html
Israel Advocacy Gets a Boost as Students Train to Fight
Bias. The Committee for Accuracy in
Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) brought nearly 40 students from
across the United States and Canada to participate in its second annual Student
Leadership and Advocacy Training Conference.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/159385
Over 1200 at Stockholm pro-Israel
rally. A central location
ensured the most prominent rally in Sweden for the past ten years. Organised by Annika Hernroth-Rothstein, it
featured on IBA TV and radio Kol Yisrael and in most of the Israeli English and
Hebrew press. However, the Swedish
media seemed to want to keep it quiet.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/159545
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4276062,00.html
Jerusalem’s Montifiore windmill works again. For the first time in 150 years, the blades
of the restored windmill in Yemin Moshe were turning once more. Although an electric motor replaces the wind
as the source of power, the iconic machine will soon be grinding grain once
more for the citizens of Israel’s capital city.
http://rjstreets.com/2012/08/31/jerusalems-montefiore-windmill-returns/
Are people seeing the light? I found this lovely article on Israel
National News. Go’el Jasper is so fed
up of reading bad news that he is now writing about optimistic topics, and
leaving the negative stuff aside. His
first article describes the 10 wonders of the land of Israel. Maybe he was
inspired by this newsletter?
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/12108
1,500-Year-Old Jewish Town Near Be'er Sheva. Archaeologists have discovered remains of a
large 1,500-year-old Jewish town near Be’er Sheva, including two public ritual
pools (mikvehs) and a synagogue or Torah study centre. The town was uncovered while extending the
southern leg of Israel's north-south super highway.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/159539#.UEOJxJY2fmI
Aliya at 96.
Lily Hyde is believed to the oldest Australian ever to immigrate to
Israel. Lily left the Sir Moses
Montefiore Jewish Home in Sydney bound for Tel Aviv, where she will be reunited
with her family. It’s a dream come
true,” she said. “It will be comforting to have so many of my family by my
side.”
http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishFeatures/Article.aspx?id=283218
120902
In the 2nd Sept 2012 edition of Israel’s good
news, the highlights include:
·
Israeli doctors fixed the ruptured heart of a Russian
that his own doctors could not operate on.
·
Take your pick of three positive news stories of
Israeli & PA Arabs celebrating Ramadan.
·
It’s a fact - women are one of the most important
reasons for Israeli’s biotech success.
·
The cooler for the chemical analyser on the Mars Rover
was made on Kibbutz Ein Harod.
·
Israel’s electric car travelled a world record of 1172
miles in 24 hours.
·
A record two million children started the Israeli
school year, including a very special orphan.
·
My Rabbi was treated in hospital using the equipment
that he helped raise the funds to purchase.
·
Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary
Click here for “Israel
turns Problems into Opportunities”
Page Down for more details on these and other good news
stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Russian doctors gave up, but
Israelis saved him. Doctors
at Beersheba’s Soroka hospital saved the life of a 50-year-old Russian with a
ruptured aorta who was flown from Moscow for highly complex surgery. A day later he was disconnected from most of
the devices except for his iPod on which he was watching films.
Just skin and bone.
After seven years’ research, Israeli scientists have discovered a
defective protein responsible for the rare condition known as SOFT that causes
abnormal growth in some people. The
discovery aids pre-natal testing and knowledge of how skin and bone develop and
interact during tissue development.
Tissue transplants may cure diabetes. Researchers at Israel’s Technion and
Ben-Gurion University have engineered insulin-producing tissue, which lowers blood
sugar levels when transplanted into animals.
Warm chemotherapy saves 10-year-old girl. This piece of news from May comes via a
friend who just sent it to me. For the
first time an Israeli child under 10 had a tumour successfully removed using
“warm” chemotherapy infusion. The successful operation was performed at Schneider
Children’s Medical Centre.
The paralysed may speak. Three Israeli professors have published the results of their work
to record neurone patterns during speech attempts and converting these into
computer-generated synthesised speech.
It could help “locked in” syndrome sufferers such as Stephen Hawking.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
PA residents rush to Tel Aviv
beaches. No problem with
freedom of movement for Palestinian Arabs during the Muslim holidays. Their leaders may be furious, but
300,000 “normal” Arabs from Ramallah,
Balata, Shchem (Nablus) and Bethlehem are in Israel, with many enjoying the
sun, sea and sand of Tel Aviv’s beaches.
Sweet holiday. Jewish
residents of Judea and Samaria distributed candy to Arab shoppers and
construction workers wishing them "Happy Holidays" in Arabic. The members of “Land of Peace” chose to
advance good neighbourly relations via Eid al-Fitr, the Mulim holiday marking
the end of Ramadan.
Having a ball.
Nice photo of Israeli Arab children enjoying themselves during the
Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr at a swimming pool amusement park in Acre
(Akko). The headline jokingly suggests
what some foreign anti-Israel press might print.
MDA helps make Gaza girl’s wish come true. The Magen
David Adom "Wish Ambulance" fulfilled the wish of a 6-year old girl
from Gaza. Following three months treatment for leukaemia at Hadassah Hospital
in Jerusalem, MDA took the Palestinian Arab girl to the Mediterranean Sea at
Yaffo, followed by pizza.
Israel’s biotech assets – women. Women outnumber men in biology and related
sciences in higher education in Israel. While most high-tech employees are
male, women comprise 60 percent to 70 percent of the biotechnology
workforce. And Israeli biotech
start-ups have an edge because women work harder than men.
Getting to know Israel socially. Social entrepreneurs from India, El
Salvador, New Zealand, Brazil, and South Africa experienced Israel as part of
the international conference S.E.E. Israel (Social Entrepreneur Exchange). Run by Jerusalem’s Hebrew Uni as part of a StandWithUs public diplomacy
training program.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Israeli Mars instrument is really
cool. (Thanks to
IsraellyCool). Israel’s Ricor Cryogenic
& Vacuum Systems manufactures the K508 Integral Stirling 1/2W Micro
Cooler. This neat little device is
currently optimising the temperature of NASA’s vital CheMin chemical analyser
on the Red Planet.
Iron Dome designer now monitors crops. Daniel Gold was IDF’s director of research
and development for the Iron Dome missile defence system. Now he is
commercialising military technology for farming purposes by integrating ground
sensors and airborne drones to monitor biology of the vegetation and regulate
plant health.
A very “green” school. Tel Aviv’s new Porter School of Environmental Studies is due to
open in 2013. The EcoBuilding is built
to LEED Platinum standards – the first in Israel. It has a roof garden;
solar vacuum tubes to power air conditioners; “passive” wind ventilation;
recycled water plus electric car and disabled parking only.
Solar power for New Orleans. Israel’s Solaredge has installed its
advanced solar panels in a New Orleans neighbourhood that was rebuilt after
being devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
Survivors in the “River Garden Apartments” now live in a new and modern
neighbourhood, enjoying Israeli technology at its best.
Full steam ahead.
The Israel Electric Company has completed a new 375-megawatt steam and
natural gas power station one month ahead of schedule. The Zafit power station, in the country’s
south-central region, has been connected to the national grid and will reduce
the risk of power cuts due the current heat wave.
New record for electric car. Israel’s Better Place car set a new record
of 1172 miles driven on electric power over the course of 24 hours. It beat the 24-hour distance record of
994.14 miles set last month. The
battery was changed every 75.8 miles, each taking just over a minute compared
to a conventional 5-minute fuel refill.
Find a parking space at a touch of a button. Israeli start-up sPARK has finished raising
the finance to launch its mobile parking application in October. At the touch of a button drivers will be
able to use sPARK’s innovative technology to find spaces on the streets and in
car parks.
Israel has the most Internet users. Price Waterhouse Coopers lists Israel as
having over 95% of its population with Internet access – more than any other
country in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
For fast Internet usage, Israel is just 2nd with 86.4%
compared to Switzerland’s 86.5%.
Surf on a donkey.
For those who cannot be parted from the Internet, Israel now provides
wi-fi routers on donkey rides at the Kfar Kedem biblical theme park near
Nazareth. I don’t know about you, but I
really couldn’t “connect” with this story.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
“Doing nicely, by doing good”. That’s how fund manager David Frankenstein
describes his financial success matching up foreign investors with Israeli
start-ups. He fills a vital gap where
Israeli companies can raise $100,000 or several million dollars, but little in
between. Janvest has four investments
and plans six more.
India invests in Israeli UAVs. India’s Piramal Enterprises Ltd has bought
27 per cent of Israel’s Bluebird Aero Systems Ltd. Set up by former officers and engineers of Israel Defense Forces
(IDF), Bluebird builds tactical unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and vehicles
(UAVs).
Kibbutz wins huge Chinese milking contract. Israel’s AfiMilk is to build 13 advanced
milking parlours in China that will serve about 50,000 cows. Mengniu Dairy, the largest dairy company in
the Chinese market, will run the hi-tech parlours.
Network to success.
I’ve just heard about the amazing Jerusalem Business Network Forum. With a 1000 membership, every month business
people in Israel’s capital meet up and make contacts with key individuals in
business, government and overseas.
Mega-networking events (one is happening on 4th Sept) have
initiated business ventures worth $25 million.
A separate specialist group has also been formed for the Bio-Med sector.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Jerusalem beer festival. The two-day Jerusalem Beer Festival celebrated its 8th year at
the historic train station in the heart of Israel capital. It featured over 50,000 litres and 100
brands of beer, production demonstrations, food, bands and DJ’s.
The best Hummus.
An unusual item – a positive article by the BBC about Israel’s hummus
food culture and where to enjoy the best dish.
The world’s best short storyteller. (Thanks to Israel21c) The winner of this
year’s International storytelling competition at the Edinburgh fringe was an
Israeli. The tale of Shachar Levy’s bar
mitzvah beat off finalists from Bulgaria, Canada, Lebanon, South Africa and others. He won a rare 25-year old bottle of scotch
whiskey.
Boldly going to Israel. Actor Patrick Stewart has arrived in Israel to star in an Israel
film “Hunting Elephants”. He replaces
actor John Cleese who had to pull out due to medical reasons. Patrick Stewart starred in the "Star
Trek: The Next Generation" television series and the "X-Men"
movie series.
THE JEWISH STATE
Back to school. A record two million Israeli children began
the new school year last week. They
included little Moshe Holtzberg who miraculously survived the Muslim terror
attack on Mumbai’s Chabad Center four years ago. Moshe’s Indian nanny rescued Moshe before the terrorists
discovered him.
Israel – the world’s 6th healthiest country. (Thanks to Israel21c) Israel comes a healthy 6th in the
Bloomberg list of the World’s Healthiest Countries. The top order is Singapore, Italy, Australia, Switzerland, Japan
and then Israel. Bloomberg analysed average life expectancy, mortality,
pollution and other factors.
Blood relatives. Moshe
Gerlenter arrived with his four sons and grandson Elad at the Magen David Adom
Blood Center at Tel Hashomer. Elad is now 17 years old and was able to donate
for the first time. Grandfather Moshe
has donated 275 pints since 1973 and received a citation in 2006 when he gave
his 200th pint.
Nobel laureate to teach at high schools. Nobel Prize winner for Economics, Yisrael
Aumann, is scheduled to teach Jerusalem high school students in the upcoming
school year. The 82-year old Hebrew University professor will teach game theory
to students from all over the capital in the new pilot program.
Israel upholds the law. Sixty students representing 25 countries took part in the Student
Conference on International Law (SCIL), at the Hebrew University’s Law
Faculty. The theme for this year’s conference
addressed Israel’s legal challenges, turning theory to practice.
The road to Temple Mount. A new video showing the route that hundreds of thousands of
pilgrims took when walking from the Shiloah Pool to Temple Mount at the time of
King Herod, 2000 years ago.
Now it’s personal. The Rabbi of our community has just returned
following surgery. While he was
recovering in Laniado hospital, where he also serves as chaplain and
fundraiser, staff kept coming up to him and saying, “Do you know that your
Netanya supporters bought this equipment?”
120826
In the 26th Aug 2012 edition of Israel’s good
news, the highlights include:
·
Israelis use missile technology to replace a man’s
jawbone.
·
Israelis are running a summer camp for orphans in
Ethiopia.
·
A clever Israeli device turns your iPhone / iPad into a
TV – without a network connection.
·
Four of Israel’s eight universities are in the world
Top 100 academies for scientific excellence.
·
A new business park will bring 40,000 jobs to
Jerusalem.
·
National Geographic chose the Israel National Trail as
one of its 20 “World’s best hikes”.
·
Israeli archaeologists have discovered a huge,
unique-designed, 1300-year-old olive oil press.
·
Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary
Click here for “Making All The
Right Moves”
Page Down for more details on these and other good news
stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Israeli engineers save man’s jaw. Vladislav Zaitsev was suffering from severe
jaw infection causing loss of bone and inability to eat, drink or speak.
Doctors decided to bring in engineers from Israeli company RAFAEL who used
missile technology to construct a brand new titanium jaw. Ironically, before his Aliya in 1997, Vladislav
was a missile engineer in the former Soviet Union.
Proteins that cause allergies. Tel Aviv University Professor Sagi-Eisenberg
and PhD student Nurit Pereg-Azouz have identified a group of 30 proteins
involved in the trigger process for an allergic reaction. They have isolated two specific proteins
that could be targeted by medication without the side effects of steroid
treatments.
Cancer – a terrorist in the body. A team of microbiologists, including
Professor Eshel Ben-Jacob of Tel Aviv University, has discovered that cancer
cells and bacteria behave in the same way as terrorists do in real life. They spy out the body, manipulate genes,
enslave normal cells and become dormant to avoid danger.
We care for Autism.
Hundreds of researchers and educators joined families affected by autism
at ICare4Autism's 2012 International Autism Conference in Jerusalem. The organization is building the world's
first global autism research centre, adjoining the Hebrew University campus on
Jerusalem's Mount Scopus.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
The Ramadan cannon.
Rajay Sanduka has been responsible for the Ramadan cannon in Jerusalem
for 25 years. But on this particular
day, he gave the task of firing the cannon (to mark the end of the fast) to
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, who spoke of how vital it is that all religions
respect each other in Israel’s united capital.
Only 10 roadblocks left. More than a hundred checkpoints in Judea and Samaria have been
removed as “goodwill” measure to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. The media frequently reports that roadblocks
are a crucial reason for the failure of the Palestinian Authority to become
economically solvent, but the PA itself said last week that it is enjoying an
exceptional growth rate of 5.2 percent.
Saving Jewish teens.
Here is the story of the charity ‘Learn & Live’ that rehabilitates
those young people who, due to dysfunctional families, bad company or immoral
influences, fall between the cracks of society.
Israelis run summer camp for
Ethiopian orphans. Please
read this guest blog. Five young Israeli volunteers from Project T.E.N. (Tikkun
Empowerment Network - a project of The Jewish Agency for Israel) have opened a
summer camp for street children in Gondar, Ethiopia. 51 children attend the camp, where they study English every day
and participate in traditional camping activities including sports, arts and
crafts, and drama.
Reviving the “golden era” of Africa. Israel’s deputy Foreign minister Danny
Ayalon will fly from Ethiopia to Uganda and Kenya to inaugurate Israeli projects
in agriculture and health. Many African
leaders have said they want to repair the damage caused by the cutting of
diplomatic ties in the 1970’s and 80’s.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Bringing the impossible to life. Artist M. C. Escher was famous for his
2-dimensional drawings of “impossible” 3-dimensional buildings. Now Prof. Gershon Elber of Israel’s Technion
has used technology plus a 3D Israeli Objet printer to build models that show
how the illusions work in reality.
Eilat hub for renewable energy. Regional Development Minister Silvan Shalom
approved a NIS 10 million renewable energy program for the Eilat-Eilot
region. Laboratories will be set-up for
bio-energy, bio-fuels, hydrogen, solar energy and more. 40% of the budget is allocated for regional
cooperation with Jordan.
TV on your Apple. Israel’s Siano has launched the Carmel - a
miniature digital terrestrial TV accessory for receiving live TV stations on
your iPhone or iPad. In Israel, UK and
much of Europe you can pick up all the available free channels in high quality
and without any network connection. You
don’t even need a TV license.
Israelis can predict the weather. (Thanks to Israel21c) Meteo-Logic has
developed an innovative technology, which turns weather stations into
forecasting points that provide highly accurate weather forecasts. It can determine the temperature, humidity,
wind intensity, wind direction and rainfall expected six hours ahead.
Cutting-edge technology produces the best Israeli wines. Israeli scientists are making huge strides
in winemaking. The Golan Heights Winery
has harnessed technology to eradicate viruses; match vines with the best
subsoil and use satellite models to monitor the microclimate and ensure correct
irrigation and harvesting.
Israel to host Asian Science Camp. Some 250 top scientific minds from 22 Asian
countries, including at least five Nobel Prize winners will gather in Jerusalem
at the end of the month for one of the most prestigious youth science
gatherings ever held in Israel — the Asian Science Camp.
Four Israeli Universities in top
100 science academies.
Israel only has eight universities, but in the prestigious Academic
Ranking of World Universities (known as the Shanghai list), three appeared in
the top 100 and four in the top 100 for scientific studies. Hebrew U (38), Technion (39, TAU (51) and
Weizmann (75).
Better Place for the poor. Green Motors International (GMI) is an Israeli start-up
developing and manufacturing electric scooters. They are being marketed as “the poor man’s Better Place –
Israel’s world-leading electric car infrastructure. The scooters are assembled in Nazareth.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Atlanta to increase trade with Israel. Georgia’s largest chamber of commerce—the
Metro Atlanta Chamber—has entered into a joint agreement with the Federation of
Israeli Chambers of Commerce.
How to turn a problem into an opportunity. You may have heard that due to a mistake El
Al were forced to sell 5000 return tickets from New York to Israel for under
$400 each. Cleverly, El Al then offered
the lucky customers the chance to upgrade their tickets to non-stop for $75
each way, thus ensuring only El Al planes would be used and cutting out
code-sharing partners. It also means
that El Al’s low-season flights will be full.
It’s now legal to come to Israel. New regulations agreed earlier this year
allow foreign firms to practise the law of their home jurisdiction in Israel
rather than merely establish representative offices for business purposes. Linklaters, DLA Piper and Zeichner Ellman
& Krause are among many firms to expand in Israel in response.
http://www.thelawyer.com/foreign-firms-set-sights-on-israel-as-legal-market-frees-up/1013776.article
The ultimate convenience shop. Just next to Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market is a
store that provides a top quality facility that we all need at some stage – a
public toilet. 400 customers per day
each pay three shekels for a choice of décor and music with the equivalent
standard of service, hygiene and atmosphere of a five star hotel.
Israel brings stranded tourists home. The collapse of Italian budget airline
Wind-jet ruined the holiday plans of 300,000 customers. However, the Israeli government organised
planes to fly 200 stranded Israeli tourists home from Rome. Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said, “The
fact that all of Israel is responsible for one other is something which makes
us unique and of which we should be proud”.
Israeli faculties at two Beijing universities. China's University of International Business
Economics is opening an Israeli economics and Judaism department. Meanwhile, at the University for Foreign
Affairs 56 students are either studying or just completed studies in Hebrew
language and culture.
40,000 new jobs for Jerusalem. Israel is to build 12 new skyscrapers in a
business park containing 1 million square meters of office space at the
entrance to Jerusalem. The area will
contain the terminus for the new high-speed train linking Tel Aviv and
Jerusalem.
Bringing entrepreneurship back into the game. Jerusalem Venture Partner's Erel
Margalit explains why Israel is known as a "start-up nation." What can the USA learn from Israel in order
to “re-start” its economy?
And all that gas.
Long article about Israel’s massive new natural gas deposits and the
political changes that they are likely to make.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Two of the best restaurants in the world. 53 of the top chefs in the world have chosen
two Israeli restaurants for Newsweek Magazine's list of the 101 Best Places in
the World to Eat. Tel Aviv’s Abraxas
North and Habasta were two of only three restaurants in the Middle East to be
included.
The Israel trail – one of the
World’s “Epic Trails”.
National Geographic has included the Israel National Trail in its list
of the best 20 of the World’s Best Hikes.
No other trail covers the land of the Bible.
Formula One racing in Jerusalem? Apparently Mayor Nir Barkat of Jerusalem is
working on a plan to bring Formula 1 to Israel’s capital city. A proposed track
would pass through the heart of the modern city of Jerusalem – with the start and
finish line near the walls of the Old City.
Israeli wins Olympic medal. Israel’s David Blatt coached the Russian basketball team to an
81-77 victory over Argentina to clinch the bronze medal at the London
Olympics. Blatt dedicated his
accomplishment to Israeli sports saying, “Above all else, I can say today that
part of this medal is for Israeli sports. I'm mainly a product of Israeli
sports and I give this medal as a gift to everyone in Israel."
THE JEWISH STATE
Yemenite widow makes Aliya with her 9 children. Luiza Nahari has immigrated to Israel with
her four youngest children. She arrives
four years after her teacher husband was murdered by a radical Islamist in
Raydah, Yemen. Luiza’s other five children made Aliya shortly after the death
of their father.
Israel can make you “cool” parents. Ari Teman writes about his parents, who were
ordinary suburbanites in New Jersey.
They were boring and predictable – but then they made Aliya.
Olive oil production 1300 years
ago. The Israel Antiquities
Authority (IAA) has discovered an industrial olive press from the 6th – 8th
century CE. The site was found near Hod
HaSharon, North of Tel Aviv. The olive press system had been carved into huge
building slabs that were sunk into the ground.
30 years work – correcting the Bible. 84-year-old Judaic expert Menachem Cohen
accomplished a 30-year task to correct all known textual errors in Jewish
scripture. Cohen identified 1,500 inaccuracies in vowels and cantillation
notation in the Old Testament’s prophets and writings.
An organic oasis in the desert. In the middle of the Arava desert is Kibbutz
Neot Semadar growing several varieties of native date palms and organic grapes
that it transforms into sulphur-free wines.
It also contains Pundak Neot Semadar - a charming all-organic restaurant
with a dining area enclosed by a veritable jungle.
Carrying his love a bit too far. The Rabbis probably would have objected to a
young religious Jewish man’s 30km Shabbat trek from Jerusalem to Ofra in order
to propose to his girlfriend. Due to
having to carry a bottle of water, a spare shirt plus, of course, the ring –
they would have ruled that true love should wait a bit.
Need an Israel Advocacy Idea? Ask Herzl. Ask Herzl is a website that will serve as a
database for Israel programs and strategies. It will also connect students and
professionals around the country who are working on similar initiatives and
facing similar challenges to collaborate and share material and ideas.
Read more about Israel. I like this neat site by the Jewish Federation of
Sarasota-Manatee, Florida – great supporters of the Jewish State.
120819
In the 19th August 2012 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
Israeli scientists have made another major discovery on
the road to eradicating cancer.
·
Israeli humanitarian aid receives more recognition at
the United Nations.
·
Help for autistic children who need a cuddle but can’t
bare anyone to touch them.
·
Israeli software can build a picture of a criminal from
unmatched DNA found at the crime scene.
·
Curiosity - the Mars rover – had an Israeli check-up
prior to take-off.
·
For my birthday treat, I can’t decide between Cirque du
Soleil and the Dancing Camel brewery.
·
This week marked the 5th anniversary of our
immigration to this amazing country.
·
My latest JPost descriptive summary “How does Israel do
it?”
You will
not have seen this before as the JPost blog site was unavailable for
most of last week
Please vote for it by clicking on
the right most star at the end of the article.
Page Down for more details on these and other good news
stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Using HIV to kill cancer cells. (Thanks to Israel21c) Scientists at the
Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School have discovered a peptide (small
protein) derived from the HIV virus that interferes with a cell’s ability to
repair itself. The peptide weakens
cancer cells, making them more vulnerable to conventional therapies.
How to treat trauma victims. 26 doctors, nurses and hospital
administrators from 20 countries arrived at Haifa’s Rambam Hospital to share its
experience and know-how in treating trauma victims. Lectures, workshops, simulations and tours prepared attendees to
build systems for treating mass-casualty victims.
Muhamad Ali’s daughter visits Hadassah hospital. Rasheda Ali, daughter of the legendary
Muhamad Ali, came to Hadassah Ein Kerem to see Professor Karussis’s stem cell
work to treat brain diseases. Ms. Ali is a member of the advisory board of
Israeli biotech Brainstorm. Her father
suffers from Parkinson's disease.
Three children receive donor organs. Just hours before a man was due to donate a
lobe of his liver to his three-year-old nephew, a deceased donor was found and
whose organs saved two further children.
All three operations were performed at Schneider Children’s Medical
Center in Petah Tikva.
Bioactive coating for brain instruments. Modern medicine is advancing so fast. Brain diseases are being treated using
electrodes placed in the brain itself.
Because the body reacts against invasive materials, Tel Aviv University
scientists have developed a protein coating for the electrodes that fools the body’s
immune system.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Partners in Business, Partners in Peace. The Peres Centre for Peace has launched a
new project that fosters business ties between Israeli and Palestinian business
people in the handicrafts, garment and textiles, and food sectors. A 458,000 Euro grant from the European Union
funds 80% of the project expenditure until 2014.
Volunteer’s world changes forever. Following her Birthright trip, psychology
student Alexa Yakubovich volunteered to work at Israel’s Save A Child’s Heart
(SACH) centre in Holon. As she played
with a healed Palestinian Arab baby she wrote, “people can be brought together
over a healed heart and a smile”.
IDF Squad commander was 8 months pregnant. During her company commander course, Yarden
got married and fell pregnant six months later. She didn’t want to quit and became the first female combat
commander in the Home Front Command.
She even went on a march whilst 7 months pregnant.
Israeli humanitarian aid receives
UN recognition. Jewish Heart
for Africa has received special consultative status to the UN Economic and
Social Council (ECOSOC). The New York
based NGO focuses on bringing Israeli sustainable technologies to African
villages.
Last week India, this week China. Vessels from the Chinese fleet anchored at
the port of Haifa to honour 20 years of cooperation between the IDF and the
Chinese Army. During their stay, the
Chinese will visit the IDF Naval Officers' Academy, Yad Vashem Holocaust
memorial site, and visit different Israeli tourist attractions.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The air that we breathe. (Thanks to NoCamels) Weizmann Institute scientists have
discovered how sulphur regulates oxygen in our atmosphere. Specifically, when the iron-sulphur mineral
known as pyrite (or fool’s gold) dissolves in seawater, microbes use it to
digest organic matter. This releases
oxygen in the pyrite.
When a real hug won’t do. Israeli company BioHug Technologies
demonstrated their BioHug Vest – for calming people with autism or those just
with high stress levels. The vest was
invented by an Israeli whose autistic child could not bear human hugs.
A solar powered desert oasis. (Israel21c & phys.org) Fresh looks at
the ecosystem built by Ben-Gurion University and the Central and Northern Arava
Research and Development Center. It
produces a variety of freshwater and salt-hardy crops that feed on saline
wastewater from the solar-powered desalination process.
Rebuilding Japanese cities. Japanese visitors to CleanTech 2012 in Tel Aviv included Dr
Daisuke Mishima who wanted Israeli companies to help reconstruct area of the
country destroyed by last year’s earthquake and tsunami.
DNA breakthrough in fighting
crime. (Thanks to
NoCamels) Currently, DNA found at a
crime scene has to find a match in the police databases, to play a part in
catching the criminal. But now
researchers at Israel’s Tel-Hai Academic College are developing a chip that can
use unmatched DNA to identify the sex, height, age, hair colour and type, eye
colour and ethnic background of the offender — and even if he/she is right or
left-handed.
YouHoo takes social networking to a new level. (Thanks to NoCamels) This Israeli smartphone application allows
you to connect with a group of your friends within a 1000-meter radius. For music events, parties, conferences or
waiting for buses, trains or planes.
Free for users, but businesses are charged to create events.
Making all the right moves. Two Israeli hi-tech companies are well placed for the imminent
release of Windows 8, which supports gesture recognition. eyeSight and PointGrab have 95% of the
market in gesture technology and will be raising their hands in anticipation of
their products being shipped with the new laptops.
Hi – I’m BeeZee at the moment. (Thanks to NoCamels) In the “always-on” world of mobile phones,
this handy Israeli application will inform your friends, family, customers etc.
why you cannot answer their call. If
your smartphone seems to be almost surgically attached to your body, BeeZee
could really change your life.
It’s all about image. Israeli start-up Cortica has image recognition software that can
analyse a photo or video then match it up with a relevant advertisement. It has huge marketing potential. Neuroscientists Josh Zeevi and Karina
Odinaev first developed the technology when they were studying at Israel’s
Technion.
Mars rover had Israeli check-up. I was sure that Israeli technology would be
involved in the current Mars mission.
Siemens Israel developed Project Lifecycle Management (PLM) and NASA
used it to accurately model how the Mars vehicle “Curiosity” would perform tens
of millions of miles from earth.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
S. Korea deal boosts Israeli telecom firm. Israel’s Leadcom was one of the largest
integrators of mobile technology in developing countries, but 2008 recession
brought near bankruptcy. Now its deal
with South Korea’s RF Window to distribute its cellphone signal enhancement
products should bring financial security.
The sky is “open” for business. Four months after Israel joined the EU
aviation zone, Israel and the EU signed an "open skies" agreement.
Each year each European destination will have seven additional weekly flights
to and from Israel, which should mean reduced prices.
How to make your business soar – call Bird. The Bird Foundation has been one of the
reasons for Israel’s start-up successes.
It helps finance joint Israeli and USA projects and since 2009 has
focussed on clean energy. Bird approves around 4 projects a year, has invested
nearly $300 million and generated $8 billion of sales.
FreshBiz – a game for budding entrepreneurs. (Thanks to Israel21c) Before setting up your
new start-up, try your hand at this new Israeli board game. FreshBiz players move through various
business stages, from starting a new company to trading on the stock market. Unlike typical board games, there can be
more than one winner if individuals help each other.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
The magic of Cirque du Soleil. Canadian-based Cirque du Soleil (“Circus of
the Sun”) has been wowing thousands of Israelis at the Nokia Arena in Tel Aviv.
The circus troop is scheduled to give 21 performances of its Alegría act
throughout Israel between August 8 and August 25.
Is “Statue” under all that make-up? (Thanks to Israel21c) The 3rd
Rehovot International Live Statues Festival featured 120 statues. But these statues were far more dynamic than
those usually seen in town squares.
Jazz at the Dancing Camel. Here’s a perfect way to cool down during Tel Aviv’s long summer
evenings - relaxing to the sound of Jazz, with a glass of “The Golem”.
Maccabi Haifa’s kit is eco-friendly. Nike has launched the new home kit for
Maccabi Haifa FC. The kit combines performance innovation with low
environmental impact. It is made from material that uses up to 13 recycled
plastic water bottles and features laser-cut ventilation holes to keep players
dry and cool.
Israel holds all the cards. An Israeli team including two serving IDF soldiers came second in
the World under 21 Bridge championships in China. A Dutch team beat them by just one point.
THE JEWISH STATE
Red, kosher and Israeli. (Thanks to Israel21c) Red food colouring has always been a
problem. Animal sources do not satisfy
vegetarian, kosher or halal customers and the synthetic version can cause
behaviour problems in children.
Lycopene from Israel’s LycoRed, is safe, approved and made from the
humble tomato.
Emigration lowest for 40 years. The Central Bureau of Statistics has
published that 15,600 Israelis left to live abroad in 2010. The emigration rate is now 0.7 for every
1000 citizens, the lowest it has been since 1973. The CBS suggests that the global economic crisis is the reason. There are 570,000 Israelis living abroad
today.
Rescued after 28 years. A dramatic rescue brought a Jewish woman and her two young
children out of the clutches of a brutal husband with whom she lived for 28
years in the Arab town of Tulkarm, East of Netanya. On reaching safety, Dinah’s children begged her, "Mommy,
promise us you never will go back there again." http://www.virtualjerusalem.com/news.php?Itemid=7447
In love with Israel.
More than 400 Christians and Jews joined together in San Diego at an
event to galvanize Christian support for Israel. Organised by Brett “Bird” Matson and co-sponsored by StandWithUs
San Diego, as Bird put it, “Jews, Christians and those with no faith were
inspired to look up and love Israel.”
Flying the flag of Israel. StandWithUs, in partnership with El Al Airlines and The Jewish
Agency, has started a program to bring the varied faces of Israel to people
across the world. El Al pilots and flight attendants serve as ambassadors for
Israel during their layovers to tell people what it means to be Israeli.
Our 5th Anniversary. We can hardly believe that it’s five years
since Nefesh b’Nefesh brought us home to the Jewish State. So we were exhilarated to see that, exactly
five years later, 350 new immigrants landed at Ben Gurion Airport to begin
their new lives in Israel. More than
4,800 American, Canadian and British Jews have or will be making aliyah this
year, which marks Nefesh B’Nefesh’s 10th anniversary.
It’s never too late.
This is for all those senior readers who think that they are set in
their ways. Jay and Lina Padgug, ages
85 and 82, both widowers, got a second chance at love when they met on JDate.
The two tied the knot two years ago, and recently decided to make an old dream
come true by moving to Israel.
120812
In the 12th Aug 2012 edition of Israel’s good
news, the highlights include:
·
Israeli stem cells have saved the life of another
patient with bone marrow failure.
·
Israeli treatment success for epilepsy that does not
respond to medication.
·
The Israeli government is paying Israeli companies to
employ Israeli Arabs.
·
Israeli broadcast communications technology is a winner
at the London Olympics.
·
An Israeli firm will employ hundreds to make bio fuels
in Mississippi.
·
Two Israeli mothers have invented a unique
biodegradable packaging material.
·
For the first time, a Pakistani media company is
translating an Israeli news feed into Urdu.
·
Last week’s JPost Israel Positive News descriptive
summary
Click here for “A Fresh Look at
the Jewish State”
Page Down for more details on these and other good news
stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Pluristem saves another bone
marrow patient. PLX stem
cell therapy by Israel’s Pluristem Therapeutics saved a 54-year old Israeli
woman with lymphoma cancer and terminal bone marrow failure at Jerusalem’s
Hadassah hospital. The patient failed
to respond to chemotherapy or bone marrow transplants. She has now been
discharged from the hospital. In May,
Pluristem saved a 7-year-old girl with an aplastic bone marrow.
Good results from initial pulmonary fibrosis trials. Pluristem Therapeutics positive results in
pre-clinical test of its PLacental eXpanded (PLX) stem cells for the treatment
of pulmonary fibrosis. It reduced pulmonary fibrosis (scarring of the lung
tissue) and improved lung function in interstitial lung disease (ILD).
Caesarean at 30 weeks saves baby and mother. (Thanks to Israel21c) A routine ultrasound
scan discovered that an unborn baby had a blockage in its breathing
passage. Surgeons at Israel’s Sheba medical
centre performed a rare operation on the baby while it was still attached to
its mother by its umbilical cord.
Record 30 cornea transplants. Normally surgeons at the Rabin Medical
Centre – Beilinson campus perform 10 transplants a month. But in July, they tripled the number of
operations to restore the sight of patients.
This is another positive result of the new ADI organ donor cards that
more and more Israelis have signed up to.
Can prayer prevent Alzheimer’s? A new joint American-Israeli study has found
that praying regularly can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by
50%. Spiritual well-being slows
progression of the disease by reducing stress levels. Memorising prayers helps cognitive function. (And maybe other factors?)
Deep Brain Stimulation stops
epileptic seizures.
Professor Itzak Fried of Sourasky Medical Center implanted electrodes
deep inside the brain of a patient with intractable epilepsy (does not respond
to medication). So far, the treatment
has been a complete success. There are
some 20,000 Israelis with intractable epilepsy.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Israel pays firms to employ
Arabs. The Israeli
government will pay 25% of the hi-tech salaries of Israeli-Arabs for 2.5 years
as part of a NIS 5 billion, multi-year plan to integrate Arabs into the
economy. 600 companies have agreed to
participate in the incentives program by hiring qualified Arab workers.
The road to Peace – watermelon? It has as much chance as anything the PA
leadership is doing. Watermelon and
Israeli cheeses brought together Jews and Arabs in Jerusalem’s Musrara
neighbourhood as part of the first annual “Between Green and Red”
festival. It revives the atmosphere in
1967 when the city was re-united.
Terrorist leader’s family treated in Israeli hospital. The sister of Gaza’s Hamas PM, Ismail
Haniyeh, accompanied her husband for one week’s treatment in Beilinson Hospital
four months ago. The sister’s husband chose Israel rather than Egypt, following
a serious heart condition. (Are we crazy?)
Israeli charity to advise UN. Beit Issie Shapiro, Israel's leading special
needs organization and global innovator of new therapies, has been awarded
Special Consultative Status by the UN's Economic and Social Council
(ECOSOC). Beit Issie Shapiro will
provide Israeli expertise on disability rights and innovations.
Angola and Israel to strengthen cooperation. Israeli President Shimon Peres received
Angolan Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Chicoti and both agreed to
strengthen the science and technology links between the two countries.
Indian Navy on goodwill visit. Four Indian navy warships arrived on a
goodwill visit to Haifa to "strengthen service-to-service linkages",
as the two countries celebrate 20 years of diplomatic ties this year. The
Indian sailors will also be paying their respects at the memorial of Indian
soldiers buried in Haifa. Haifa schools’ history textbooks include how Indian
soldiers fought to liberate the city from the Ottoman Turks in 1918.
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-08-01/news/32981189_1_indian-navy-warships-indian-soldiers-haifa http://www.haifa-israel.info/ANZAC.html
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Israeli technology at the
Olympics. 100 broadcasters
including BBC, NBC, Globosat, Terra, TV Record, Televisa, and Uno TV, are all
using a remote television uplink technology developed by Israel’s LiveU. And Orad TV developed the software to
display national flags on the lanes for swimming and track events.
Israel’s “Start-up Olympics”. The “Tech Trailblazers Awards” is a new
initiative for taking innovative Israeli tech start-ups into Gold Medal
Territory. A £1 million prize fund and
guaranteed publicity will launch any new enterprise off the starting blocks and
on track for a podium finish.
The Olympic games of green construction. An Israeli team will submit an entry for the
prestigious Solar Decathlon China competition scheduled for August 2013. The
competition will include academic teams from 20 countries who will compete for
the title of champion of ecological construction.
Windbreaker intercepts Gaza missile. (Thanks to Phillip Pasmanick) The IDF‘s
innovative Windbreaker defense system intercepted an anti-tank missile fired at
an Israeli tank in the central Gaza Strip, near Kissufim. It is only the second time that the system
has been used to save IDF lives since made operational in 2010.
The John is now the Paulee. It’s a toilet that requires no water or electricity and its end
product can simply be put on the compost.
Israel’s Paulee Cleantech so impressed the Gates Foundation that they
have awarded it an $110,000 grant. The
same company makes the AshPoopie
that deals with dog waste (featured here
last year).
A recycled cycle.
Israeli entrepreneur Izhar Gafni has developed a prototype bicycle that
is waterproof, humidity-resistant, eco-friendly, affordable and … made out of
recycled cardboard. Despite the focus
on low costs, Gafni paid a lot of attention to design and it’s really hard to
tell that it’s made out of cardboard.
Biodegradable packaging is here. (Thanks to
Israel21c, Green Prophet & Margaret) Inspired by their children who kept
throwing away their packed lunch wrappings, two Israeli mothers have invented a
packaging material that can be disposed of without any environmental
impact. (But just look at the CV’s of
these mothers)
Robot education.
No it’s not an article about boring teachers. This is about World ORT’s program to advance science and
technology education by getting Israeli students to build robots. Robots help kids learn to think more
creatively, exposing them to principles of physics, energy, environment, and
infrastructure.
Israeli hi-tech comes to Atlanta. The 16th annual American-Israeli Chamber of
Commerce's professional seminar in Atlanta, Georgia, is to focus on the impact
of Israel's growing technology sector on the USA. Israeli speakers include from companies Elbit, SpaceIL, BigBand
Networks and NeuroTech Solutions.
Geothermal plant goes operational. Israel’s Ormat Technologies has announced
that its McGinness Hills geothermal power plant located in Lander County,
Nevada met the requirements for commercial operation. Ormat has a contract to sell the electricity produced to Las
Vegas based NV Energy for the next 20 years.
An Israeli biofuel plant in
Mississippi. Israel’s Virdia
is to build a factory in the Southern US State to convert Mississippi
vegetation into fermentable sugars – a key stage to making fuel from plants. The factory will create hundreds of vital
local jobs.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Why is Israel’s economy so strong? There are many books and articles that try
to answer that. “Start-up Nation” and
“The Israel Test” are probably the best.
Mitt Romney gave his thoughts during his recent visit. Here is another in an opinion piece from
Jordan Weissmann.
Israel’s gas is worth $240 billion. A Bloomberg News report estimates that
Israel has enough natural gas to last for 150 years. So it must decide what it is going to do with it. (A great situation to be in.)
July air passengers up 4.5%. The Israel Airports Authority reports that
1.4 million passengers passed through Ben Gurion airport in July, up 4.5% from
last year. In July there were 9,576 incoming and outbound flights, a 1.5%
rise. The summer vacation peak saw
60,000 passengers come and go on 390 flights on a single day.
Israel system to monitor Chinese agricultural products. The Anhui province of China has selected the
Israeli company Agricultural Knowledge Online (AKOL) to supply agricultural
survey and monitoring systems. China is
ramping up its agriculture production using Israel’s advanced computerized
technology.
Investors flood in for Israeli clean water company. Israeli wastewater treatment solutions
provider Aqwise has raised $4.5 million to expand its projects, especially in
India. Aqwise is one of Deloitte’s
Israeli Fast 50 Technology companies and also on the “Global Cleantech 100”.
Israeli news in Urdu. Tazpit News Agency is the first Israeli
media company to collaborate with a Pakistani media group. Toronto based Weekly Press Pakistan (WPP)
will carry Tazpit’s stories in Urdu. Tazpit director Amotz Eyal said that the
link-up has “exposed millions to news and balanced information coming from
Israel.”
Israeli firms expand overseas. Israeli industrial companies have taken
advantage of the global slowdown in the first half of 2012 to buy 40 small and
medium-sized companies in Europe and India.
In all of 2011 there were only 20 such acquisitions by Israeli
industrial companies overseas.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
“Living water from Jerusalem”. 2015 will see the opening of an NIS 80
million aquarium at Jerusalem’s Biblical Zoo.
The two main tanks will focus on life in the Red Sea and the
Mediterranean. Visitors walk under 2
million cubic meters of seawater for a 180-degree view of the sharks, sea
turtles, coral reefs and exotic fish.
Israel’s first professional music conference. The Jerusalem Music Conference, the first
international music conference in Israel for music business professionals, will
be taking place from August 27-31.
Hundreds of delegates are expected and it will feature over 40 Israeli
artists and bands.
It’s not all studying at the Technion. Israel Technion’s 2012 International Beach
Volleyball Tournament gave the hard-working students a chance to unwind.
THE JEWISH STATE
From terror victim to policewoman. Ten years after being seriously wounded in a
bombing attack in Karnei Shomron, Shira Chazan completed the first portion of
Israel Police training academy. With a
degree in criminology and following a long and painful rehabilitation process,
Shira is getting on with her life.
Tel Aviv – city of architecture. (Thanks to Israel21c) International travel magazine Conde Nast has
included Tel Aviv as number 3 in its list of cities every architecture lover
must visit. “Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tel Aviv’s ‘White
City’ contains 4,000 International Style buildings” the website reported.
Free Wi-Fi throughout Israel. Just a couple of catches. Firstly, you must be a Bezeq customer (I am)
and secondly, you donate 1-2 Mb of your home wi-fi bandwidth to the service
accessed by others. Your home effectively becomes a hotspot. 10,000 have
already signed up and I’m thinking seriously about joining them.
IDF prevents mega-terror attack from Sinai. The incident is all over the news and worth
recording here.
120805
In the 5th August edition of Israel’s good
news, the highlights include:
·
An Israeli surgeon restored the use of the hand of a
young boy from Latvia.
·
A young Israeli suffering from cerebral palsy has
qualified as an IDF officer.
·
Future computers can get much smaller thanks to an
Israeli transistor made of 60 carbon atoms.
·
An amazing Israeli material soaks up oil spills in
eight minutes.
·
A big scandal in Lebanon as they realise that they like
Israeli cosmetic products.
·
Tel Aviv is to be the first free “Wi-Fi” city and
Israel is to have the first free “Social Wi-Fi”.
·
This newsletter of Israel’s positive news makes news in
San Diego.
·
Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary
Click here for “Other
reasons to cheer the Jewish State”.
Page Down for more details on these and other good news
stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Any cell you need.
Scientists at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem have identified the
processes that turn human embryonic stem cells into any type of body cell. It could eventually lead to their use to
implant healthy new cells into humans suffering from degenerative diseases like
Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and diabetes.
Why good cells go bad. A team led by scientists at the Weizmann Institute have
discovered a link between cancer and changes external to the genetic code. Known as epigenetics, this little explored
area of study could answer questions about how the body works, grows, gets
sick, and cures itself.
A nano-sized drug delivery system. Israel is investing $11 million to develop
nanometer-sized drug delivery systems for the treatment of a wide range of diseases. Eleven labs at several universities will try
and create an "inter-body robot" – nano-sized particles that can
direct medicine and imaging systems to any part of the body.
Israeli surgeon fixes hand of
Latvian boy. 12-year-old
Kyril suffered from brachial plexus palsy, a rare congenital defect making his
right hand useless. Dr. Eidelman, of
Rambam hospital in Haifa, rotated the boy’s wrist 65 degrees, moved his
shoulder bone and applied an innovative locking plate. (See also next article.)
33 operations in 4 days. Rambam’s Dr Eidelman has just returned from performing a marathon
series of orthopaedic operations in Ecuador, mostly on children, as organised
by the voluntary California-based ‘Operation Rainbow’. At Rambam, surgeons
perform a maximum of ten similar operations a week.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Ramadan Kareem.
The IDF and the Civil Administration have facilitated the crossing of
thousands of Palestinian Arabs to pray and hold family visits in Israel. Israeli medics are present at checkpoints
and soldiers have been requested to refrain from smoking, eating and drinking
in public – especially at crossing points.
Despite cerebral palsy he
graduates as IDF officer.
B.’s partial paralysis in all four limbs made him exempt from the
Israeli Defence Forces. But B.
volunteered and was assigned to a highly classified Intelligence unit. Now B. has graduated from the IDF officers
training course, receiving the Brigade Commander Decoration.
A gem of a school.
In the first part of this week’s “Walter’s World” with Walter Bingham on
Israel National Radio, Walter visits the YVEL design centre of Orna and Isaac
Levy. It has awarded scholarships to 21 young Ethiopian immigrants to train in
jewellery manufacture and helps them find jobs in Israel.
A better future for senior citizens. Israel’s senior citizens reform program was
launched in Gush Etzion, to extend to the whole country by 2014. Strategic plans will “improve the quality of
life, so that its members can lead an active and vital life, while making a
significant contribution to the community in which they live”.
Leading the teaching. 70 US educators are visiting Israel as part of a leadership
development program. They are participating in the REALITY Israel program in
partnership with Teach For America. In
Israel, they will meet with their counterparts in Teach First Israel, which has
143 teachers working in 33 schools across Israel.
An inspiration for smaller nations. This is a very interesting article by
Richard Marceau, about a group of Quebec nationalists (not usually pro-Israeli)
visiting the Jewish State. They came to
learn from the country that has had arguably the biggest success in nation building
in the modern world. Their impression? “Inspiring”.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Memory chips too small to see. Tel Aviv University doctorate student Elad
Mentovich has designed a molecular memory transistor, which can be as small as
one nanometer. Using carbon molecules
called C60, Mentovich has successfully built a sophisticated memory transistor
that can both transfer and store energy.
Israelis get the most from their smartphones. Israelis lead the world in the usage of
smartphone applications. The average
Israeli smartphone owner spends 80 minutes a day running applications. Next comes Sweden (76 mins) and Singapore (75
mins). USA users spend only 38 minutes
on their smartphone apps.
Report dangerous drivers. Another Israeli app can help make driving safer. Nirsham’s smartphone software allows a
witness (pedestrian or driver) to take a series of high-speed photos that
record an incident. The user states the vehicle's license plate number, after
which the record is automatically sent to Nirsham's servers.
It’s only natural.
O2a studio has designed Jerusalem’s Natural History Museum to blend into
its surroundings. The subterranean
facility preserves energy in summer and winter, whilst its green roof, glass
backdrop, tree etchings and stone cladding merge with the public park where it
is located.
What a way to clean up. (Thanks to NoCamels) Israeli CleanTech
start-up EcoBasalt has developed SB-1, a sustainable material made of basalt
fibres that can absorb oil spills faster and more efficiently than other
solutions. After 15 minutes, 97% of the
oil is absorbed and the oil and SB-1 can be recycled later.
Turtle gets plastic surgery. (Thanks to Israel21c) Dr. Morris Topaz, Head
of the Plastic Surgery Unit at Hillel Yaffe Hospital in Hadera, saved the life
of a Caspian Turtle at Ramat Gan Safari Park with a huge crack in its
shell. He applied a device normally
used on victims of terror who have lost large areas of skin.
Saving the bluefin tuna. Israel has succeeded in breeding the endangered bluefin tuna in
cages in the Mediterranean Sea. The
species travels through Israel every year for about three weeks for its
breeding season. Over fishing for the
sushi market in Japan, Europe and the USA, has led to steep declines in their
numbers.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Tel Aviv to get free Wi-Fi. Tel Aviv municipality’s finance committee
has voted to allocate NIS 6 million to make free wireless Internet available
all over the city. Tel Aviv will
apparently be the first city to offer free Internet on such a broad scale.
The world’s first Social Wi-Fi. Bezeq has launched a scheme whereby
customers donate part of their Internet service to support free wifi for other
Bezeq customers. So you can surf the
net away from home and others can surf when outside your home.
Cleaning up polluted Chinese wastewater. Israeli CleanTech start-up WateRevive has
won a $40 million contract to purify water from the Leachate Landfill - one of
China’s municipal waste heaps.
Pay as you drive – electrifying. Better Place Israel has announced the
commercial launch of its Renault Fluence all-electric vehicles. It includes a low-usage package for about
$150 per month. Now how do I persuade
my wife that I need one?
EU’s links to the Start-up Nation. In a speech at Haifa University, European
Commission President José Manuel Barroso singled out cooperation in education,
research and innovation as "one of the biggest achievements of our
partnership". Israel is currently
participating in over 800 EU funded projects.
Israeli caviar?
(Thanks to Israel21c) A kibbutz fish farm with a kosher license is
producing Russian caviar for the non-Jewish market. The export of caviar from endangered Caspian and Black Sea
sturgeon was banned in 2006. At $107 for
a 28gram tin, Kibbutz Dan exports over 4 tons of caviar to the USA, France, Germany,
Switzerland, Japan, Singapore and Australia.
Lebanon uses Israeli cosmetic
products. Campaigners to
boycott Israel have exposed the “scandal” on the Arab media site Alakhbar. Israeli products include those from Syneron,
Lumenis, Alma and Invasix. The EoZ site
highlights that these products also remove disfigurations on children, and Lebanon
uses many Israeli medicines and life-saving treatments. So they are “cutting off their nose to spite
their face”. (English idiom)
ENTERTAINMENT, CULTURE & SPORT
Israeli fashion designer wins award in Italy. (Thanks to Israel21c) Fashion designer Mark
Goldenberg is the winner of the first Avery Dennison Brand Innovation Award for
his innovative apparel branding collection at International Talent Support
(ITS) in Trieste, Italy. He also won
the Vogue Talents Award for his accessories.
Hot events for August. Get the low-down on the best of the month’s events in Israel
here.
THE JEWISH STATE
Seven years cycle of Talmudic study completed. 20,000 Jews celebrated together in Teddy
Stadium Jerusalem (Israel’s capital city).
Another 11,000 gathered in Tel Aviv.
The occasion was the completion of the seven-year Daf Yomi cycle where
hundreds of thousands study a page of Talmud every day.
(If you read this JPost article, please note my comment to
the author).
Future Jewish leaders visit Israel. A guest blog from Samantha Friedman
describing the 3-week visit by 120 Diller Teen Fellows from North America who
have come to Israel in order to learn how to lead the next generation and
inspire them to help repair the world.
350 US immigrants to join IDF. This summer, 350 young Americans have
decided to make Aliya with Nefesh b’Nefesh in order to join the ranks of the
Israel Defence Forces immediately. Most
of the expected arrivals are setting their sights on elite or combat units.
Nobel laureate also makes jewellery. Technion Professor Dan Shechtman was awarded
the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery of quasicrystals. But not a lot
of people know that he is also a talented jewellery craftsman. He recently exhibited 15 unique pieces that
he made for his wife Zippy.
Israel’s most powerful computer ever. The Technion’s new supercomputer is the most
powerful computing cluster ever deployed for civilian use in Israel. The “Tamnun” (Hebrew for octopus) is an SGI
Infiniband Cluster, consisting of 1260 processor cores, with 96 GB of RAM
memory per node. Nerds like me just
sigh.
Broadcasting the news. Thanks to Donald Harrison, editor of San
Diego Jewish World, who has published a feature about the editor of the
newsletter you are now reading. Please
click on the following to read it.
120729
In the 29th July edition of Israel’s good
news, the highlights include:
·
Israeli researchers have discovered a protein, key to
the prevention and treatment of cancer.
·
Israeli scientists have refocused scattered light with
major implications for laser surgery.
·
The UN has appointed an Israeli to a senior
counter-terrorism position.
·
An Israeli company has developed an energy storage
system using compressed air.
·
Israel has increased its funding for Research &
Development and for Alternative Energy projects.
·
Israel Electric Company has signed a deal that removes
Israel’s dependence on oil.
·
Israel’s Olympic team tells the world that Israel’s
capital city is Jerusalem.
·
Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary
Click here for “Israel is
fighting for all our lives”
Page Down for more details on these and other good news
stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Protein that stops cells dying. Prof. Assaf Friedler of the Hebrew
University and Prof. Atan Gross of the Weizmann Institute have discovered a
peptide tBID that is key to cell death. They have also been able to mimic
tBID’s behaviour with another peptide MTCH2, which “could lead to new
approaches to treating cancer.”
“Guided missiles” for fighting cancer. (Thanks to Israel21c) Immune Pharmaceuticals
is building an Israel-based Centre of Excellence for Monoclonal Antibody Drug
Development. Israeli bio-techs and
science institutes lead the way in developing medicines that contain toxic molecules
but only target cancerous tissue.
Israeli cardiologists improve rapid heartbeat treatment. For the first time in Israel, Shaare Zedek
Medical Center cardiologists have used a tiny balloon filled with helium to
destroy cardiac tissue that caused three patients’ heartbeats to go haywire and
endanger their lives.
Yad Sarah is on call. Now every Israeli can sign up for Yad Sarah’s immediate
communication service for a nominal, one-time fee. When contacted, volunteers
see the caller’s health details and can provide advice, deal with emergencies
or just engage in a comforting chat.
And there is light. Weizmann scientists have developed a method
to refocus scattered light. It can lead
to medical lasers performing operations on organs deep inside the body, without
cutting intervening skin or tissue.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Israel launches first Arabic TV channel. After a four-month test period, the
programming schedule of Hala TV, Israel's first Arabic television station, has
been officially announced. The new station will broadcast 24 hours a day. Satellite and cable viewers can tune in to
Hala TV on Channel 30
Equality in the IDF.
Amazing that the UK Guardian newspaper allowed one of its reporters to
publish this interview with ex-Brigadier-General Yehudit Grisaro. Not surprisingly, some “Graudian” readers
got a little bit upset – so you may not wish to view the comments.
And in hospitals.
“We are a team here, and there is no difference”, said Palestinian Arab
nurse Manar Igbarya as she worked alongside Israelis (Arabs and Jews) at
Hadassah-Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem.
She was accepted at the hospital because “all they cared about was how I
do my job.”
96% of Palestinian Arabs have mains water. Good article that summarises the true
situation about water provided by Israel to Palestinian Authority controlled
towns.
Israelis help Syrian refugees, in Jordan. Deputy Regional Development Minister Ayoub
Kara revealed that he had “representatives” in Jordan assisting children and
infants who have been injured in the Syrian military’s violent crackdown
throughout the country. The focus was
to get medicine and medical treatment to them.
Iraqi trade route is via Haifa. Amazing!
Haifa mayor Yona Yahav confirmed on Al-Jazeera that the Israeli port has
been secretly facilitating import and export to and from Iraq for a long time. Iraq views the Haifa route as much more direct,
cost-efficient and safer than the alternative maritime route
through the Persian Gulf.
Cheaper rent for elderly immigrants. The Government has decided to build 1,341
subsidized rental apartments in nine cities nationwide. Immigrants who have
been less than ten years in the country will be entitled to rent the apartments.
Israeli appointed to senior UN
security position. The
United Nations has promoted former Israeli government attorney David Scharia to
the post of legal coordinator for the Counter-Terrorism Committee executive
directorate – the only Israeli national serving in a senior security position
within the U.N. Secretariat.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Storing energy in compressed air. Israel’s Arathron has developed underwater
compressed air energy storage (UWCAES) systems to handle the problem of where
to store excess power during low usage periods (e.g. at night). It also deals with energy demands at night
when solar energy production is impossible.
Hydroelectric power – in a pipe. Israel’s Leviathan Energy is able to
generate electricity at its desert test site using a turbine inside an
underground water pipe. The Benkatina
Turbine uses excess pressure to produce between 20 and 60 kilowatts of energy
which can either be used locally or fed back into the national grid.
For perfect chips.
US based Applied Materials Inc has unveiled its Applied UVision® 5 wafer
inspection system for detecting microscopic defects in microchips. Israeli technology is responsible for the
Deep Ultra Violet (DUP) lasers that will speed up the manufacturing of the
world’s microprocessors.
How does Israel do it? The question as to “how does Israel produce so many Nobel
laureates?” is being asked all around the world. Many suggestions are being made.
Regular followers of this newsletter will know the true answer.
Cleaner air – add probiotics. Israeli Cleantech company Better Air has
created a system that improves the quality of the air we breathe by inserting
probiotics into air conditioning systems at home, in the office or in
hospitals. BioZone’s good bacteria work
at the microscopic level to remove contamination, dirt and allergens.
Israeli wins “green game” competition. Shay Yalin has
won an international competition looking for "green" cell-phone
games. "PET Race" entails
having major soft drink companies hold weekly contests focusing on the
recycling of bottles. Shay’s idea was
featured at the Rio+20 environment summit.
OECD & UN report highlights Israel. The Agricultural Outlook 2012-2021 report of
the OECD and United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated
“Israel is now a world leader in the management and technologies related to
irrigation in arid environments”.
3 silver medals in Math Olympiad. Israel’s youth team for the 2012
International Mathematical Olympiad in Argentina won five medals including
three silvers, a bronze and one special citation. It could have been better had the team’s plane not made an
emergency landing and arrived in Buenos Aires just hours before the event.
New research centre for Haifa. A new National Centre for Mediterranean
Research will investigate fossil fuel extraction, desalination and
infrastructure of Haifa’s coast.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Israel encourages alternative
energy projects. The Israeli
government announced new programs totalling over $100 million to support
development of fuel alternatives. The government invests $1 for every $2 by an
investor, either local or international.
Loans do not require repaying if the Company cannot generate revenue.
More cash for R&D. The Israeli government has increased the
Science and Technology Ministry’s budget for its regional research and
development centres by NIS 9 million.
Funding has tripled for the eight centres in the periphery, which are
regarded by UNESCO as models for developing countries.
It’s not just a game. Israel-based online games developer Plarium has 70 million users,
mainly in Russia and Eastern Europe.
Plarium has six new games in the pipeline. It is also entering new
platforms such as Facebook, mobile devices, as well as its own standalone
website.
Lessons from a Start-up Nation. Murat Seker has written his views about
Israel on the World Bank’s blog site.
He concludes, “As nations seek to grow their economies and ramp up their
competitiveness through innovation and entrepreneurship, Israel’s path offers
many valuable lessons.”
Invitation to Israel Business Week. Tel Aviv University’s Entrepreneurship
Center offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit Israel's high-tech and
entrepreneurship ecosystem. It includes visiting cutting edge hi- tech
companies, lectures from leading entrepreneurs and of course Tel Aviv
nightlife.
Tel Aviv to Beersheva in 55 minutes. Israel Railways has opened the second track
on the Tel Aviv-Beersheva line, cutting travel time from 90 minutes to 55
minutes. Minister of Transport Yisrael Katz said that the upgrade of the line
broadens the employment and residential opportunities for residents of the
Negev and the south.
The deal that severs Israel’s
dependence on oil. The
owners of the giant Tamar natural gas site have signed a 15-year supply
contract with Israel’s Electric Company.
Delek Drilling chairman Gideon Tadmor said, "This morning, we
signed the largest agreement ever signed in Israel… severing of the electricity
market from oil, and the supply of clean and cheap power to the Israeli
people."
ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Here come “The Expendables”. Hollywood’s tough guys — Bruce Willis,
Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Jason Statham and Dolf Lundgren —
will be in town for the Israeli premiere of “The Expendables 2” on August 8th. The five action stars are expected to arrive
by private airplanes.
The “hands-on” museum. (Thanks to Real Jerusalem Streets.) One of the favourite places
for school children during the Summer holidays is the Bloomfield Science Museum
in Jerusalem. Here are some recent
photos. Special events are planned for its 20th anniversary.
Israeli kids take gold in Romania. (Thanks to Israel21c) For the 7th
year running, an Israeli team of sixth-graders came top at the MindLab Olympics
– a “thinking games” competition for children from 10 countries. The Israelis ranked No. 1 in both individual
and team play at Abalone, Quoridor, checkers and Octi.
THE JEWISH STATE
Love the land and its people. The Nefesh b’Nefesh “singles project” is
bringing another 60 Jewish American unmarried men and women to Israel this
year. They hope to join the 640
previous unattached immigrants who came with NbN and who have since found
partners and married in Israel – most to native Israelis.
and here is a clip of the latest planeload of olim that have
just arrived with Nefesh b’Nefesh.
The ice-cream capital of the world. The average Israeli eats 10 litres of ice
cream per year – 50% more than the average Italian. How come? Because ice
cream makes you happy!
Jerusalem is our capital. Israel’s Olympic team gives the BBC a
geography lesson. And even the Mayor of Tel Aviv informs the UK Press Council
that Jerusalem was Israel’s capital over 3000 years ago and
it still is!
120722
In the 22nd July edition of Israel’s good
news, the highlights include:
·
Israeli biotechnology instructs a patient’s own body to
make proteins to cure disease.
·
Israel ran a summer camp for sick children from Gaza
and the Palestinian Authority.
·
An Israeli runway debris detection system received
Federal Aviation Administration approval.
·
A June record of a quarter of million tourists visited
Israel last month.
·
An accident changed an unfit executive into a top
Israeli paralympic athlete.
·
Israel is to return the final remnant of the Ethiopian
Jewish community to the Jewish State.
·
Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary
Click here for “Israel puts you
in control”
Page Down for more details on these and other good news
stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
“It’s not a product – it’s an
industry”. Israeli biotech
Medgenics’ CEO said its Biopump technology has the potential to “start a whole
new pharmaceutical industry”.
Medgenics’ technology manipulates patients’ own tissue to produce
proteins to fight diseases, eliminating the need for hundreds of vaccines.
A deal to fight cancer. Israeli biotech BioView’s cancer scanning systems will be
integrated with French company ScreenCell’s technology to isolate rare tumour
cells. The combined solution will
improve diagnosis and speed up medical decisions about the best treatment
options.
Smoking restricted.
Israel has introduced an extensive expansion of laws to prohibit smoking
in public spaces in Israel, including central bus stations, covered bus stops,
train platforms, government offices, hospital entrances and doorways, places of
worship, swimming pools, theatres, restaurants and cafes.
New heart valve centre.
US biotech ValCare is to open a centre in Israel to develop a heart
valve repair device. The mitral annuloplasty device is implanted using a
catheter, thus avoiding open-heart surgery. It prevents mitral valve
regurgitation (blood flowing backwards into the heart) affecting 4 million US
citizens.
PillCam gets approval in Japan. Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and
Welfare has issued reimbursement codes for Israel’s Given Imaging internal
camera, so that it can be used as a first line tool in diagnoses.
Advanced medical clowning. (Thanks to Israel21c) Some of the world’s leading experts
participated in the first Advanced Medical Clowning International Summer
Seminar at the University of Haifa.
Israel is a leader in professionalizing the field of medical clowning
and providing scientific evidence for its effectiveness.
The fifties are the most productive. A study by University of Haifa researchers
has shown that white-collar workers show their “highest level of professional
vitality” between the ages of 50 and 60.
That’s really good news for one 55-year-old newsletter editor.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
28,212 tons of goods enter Gaza. Despite rockets from Gaza terrorists, Israel
brings humanitarian aid into the terrorist mini-state. Over 1000 trucks carried in over 28,000 tons
of merchandise each week. Hundreds of Palestinian Arab medical patients,
musicians and athletes were allowed to enter Israel.
Summer camp for PA kids with
cancer. 24 sick Palestinian
Arab children (including from Gaza) along with their parents spent four days of
fun, financed by Israel’s Civil Administration, in the Jordan Park (run by
JNF).
Masters for Arza Haddad. The daughter of the late Head of the South Lebanese Army, Saad
Haddad, has just graduated from Israel’s Technion with a Masters degree in
Aeronautics. Arza fled from Lebanon in
1984.
Charities benefit from Israeli start-ups. Israeli non-profit organisation Tmura has
contributed $6.3 million to over 100 educational programs since it started ten
years ago. Tmura receives a few share
options from early-stage Israeli start-ups and then exercises these options if
and when the start-ups are taken over.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Clearing runways can save life. FODetect from Israel’s Xsight uses hybrid
radar and electro optical technology to detect junk on runways. The system can prevent incidents such as
when an Air France Concorde hit Foreign Object Debris (FOD) from a previous
flight, caught fire and crashed, killing 113 people.
An exhibition for inventors. Tel Aviv is hosting the first of its kind
Israeli Patents Exhibition in September.
It intends to put 10,000 Israeli and foreign inventors, investors,
patent attorneys, mechanical engineers and computer programmers in the same
room and turn good ideas into actual products.
Yeshiva University scientists at Bar Ilan. 30 male and female undergraduate YU science
majors will spend seven weeks of the summer carrying out their research in Bar
Ilan University's state-of-the-art laboratories in Tel Aviv.
New York to import Israeli tech culture. Good video clip summarising Israel
Technion’s involvement in the building of New York’s Technion Cornell
Innovation Institute.
Star of tomorrow.
The magazine Scientific American has featured 28-year-old Israeli
physicist Eldad Kepten in its “30 under 30” list of future possible Nobel
Laureates. Kepten’s speciality is the
stochastic dynamics of chromatin (DNA) in the cellular nucleus with advanced
microscopy and single particle tracking.
Wonderful!
We can rebuild it.
In 2005, an Israeli F16 plane crashed on landing. The front was completely shattered, its tail
was broken, the wings were curved, and the engine was filled with mud. Seven years later, the plane has been
repaired and the original pilot and navigator took it back into the air.
Military device to save lives. Tel Aviv-based Netline Communications
Technologies has made one of the smallest jammers ever for stopping improvised
explosive devices (IEDs). It was made
after a NATO country for a "handball sized" jammer that elite units
like Special Forces could carry in an urban operation.
For landing on the Moon. Dozens of volunteers are working to turn Israel into the fifth
country in the world, to have landed spacecraft on the moon. The team presented a model of the tiny space
vehicle at a meeting of the Knesset Science and Technology Committee’s
subcommittee on space.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Another record for tourism to
Israel. Nearly a quarter of
a million tourists visited the Jewish State in June. 1.4 million tourists
arrived in Israel during the first half of 2012. Both figures are up 6% on 2011 equivalents.
The world invests in Israel. According to the UN Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD), global foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow to Israel
totalled $11.37 billion in 2011, 106% more than the $5.51 billion in 2010.
EU & Israel sign joint research agreement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with
visiting European Union President José Manuel Barroso in Jerusalem on Monday to
oversee the signing of a new water and energy cooperation deal on technological
development.
Singapore shows off Israeli water technology. A delegation of 13 Israeli water technology
companies are exhibiting at Singapore International Water Week (SIWW)
2012. Specialities include
purification, advanced filtering, transport infrastructure, biological
monitoring, and energy-efficient desalination solutions.
Waze reaches 20 million customers. The navigation app from Israel’s Waze has
been downloaded by millions of Americans, Europeans and Israelis. Muslim Malaysia has 600,000 subscribers. Waze is now targeting Japan, Korea and
China.
US fibre optics firm sees Red. US Fibre optic communications giant Finisar
has bought up Israel’s RED-C Optical Networks Inc. RED-C was founded in 2000 and has over 140 employees, all of whom
are located in Israel.
Phillips has a healthy future in Israel. Phillips CEO met with Israeli President
Shimon Peres following his visit to Phillips’ 600-employee development team in
Haifa. Peres said, "Phillips
occupies a central place in Israel's high-tech industry”.
Recharging Australia’s cars. Better Place Inc. has teamed up with
Australia carmaker GM Holden Ltd. to provide battery recharging services and
equipment for the Volt electric car.
Customers who choose to install a Better Place Charge Spot can charge
their Volt in under four hours.
ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Groovideo puts your family video together. (Thanks to NoCamels) Israeli Startup
Groovideo’s application and web based service allows you and your friends to
produce different clips for the same film simultaneously in easy steps. You
upload all the clips and Groovideo combines all the segments into one final
video.
Your TV knows your taste. Israel’s Jinny is a discovery engine for your TV. It suggests programs that match your taste
and mood. It has now teamed up with
Swisscom for integration into On Demand and live TV.
A blue & white send-off for Israel’s athletes. (Thanks to Israel21c) Israel’s Olympic and
Paralympic teams had a gala send-off at the President’s Residence in
Jerusalem. The 38 Olympians and 25
Paralympians began spontaneously to sing the song “All the world is a very
narrow bridge, and the main thing is not to be afraid.”
Before the accident he was a
couch potato. (Thanks to Israel21c) Until a crippling motorcycle accident in
1999, Israeli high-tech exec Nati Gruberg was a paunchy couch potato. He jokes
that he barely lifted a finger. In August, he’ll be one of three Israeli
handcyclists heading to the London Paralympic Games.
THE JEWISH STATE
Archaeologists strike gold. One of the largest gold treasures ever to be discovered in Israel
was uncovered at near Herzliya. Over
100 gold pieces weighing around 400 grams were found at Appollonia National
Park. They were buried during the 13th
Century Crusader battles between Saladin and King Richard of England.
Welcome to US University Presidents. A US delegation of university presidents and
chancellors has arrived in Israel for a conference exploring opportunities for
academic and research collaboration with Israeli institutions. The delegation
is learning about the state-of-the art research initiatives in the
"Start-Up Nation."
Manchester MDA funds Hadera station. The Manchester based supporters of Magen
David Adom UK have reached their target of raising £600,000 to reconstruct and
refurbish the MDA station in Hadera, Israel. The fund-raising project began in
2009 and culminated in a dinner at which generous guests donated £75,000.
CNN names Israeli “Green Pioneer”. CNN has named Yosef Abramowitz, president
and co-founder of the firm responsible for Israel’s first solar field, as one
of six global “Green Pioneers.” The
program highlighted the significant environmental achievements of “men and
women with big ideas to change the world.”
IDF rebuilds its wounded ex-soldiers. Eight disabled IDF veterans will receive
new, top of the line artificial knees, enabling them, for the first time in
years, to run, jog and ride a bicycle.
The imported Genium bionic knees cost $85,000 each.
Israeli schoolchildren help save endangered plant. (Thanks to NoCamels) As part of a class
science project, students at Ha’kfar Hayarok High School in Central Israel
gathered a few dozen seeds of the rare plant Rumex Rothschildianus, sprouted
them in their lab and produced 100,000 new seeds. The seeds were given to the Israel Nature and National Parks
Service, which is now planning to plant them in its parks.
“And I will bring them”. The Israeli Cabinet decided on Sunday to
speed up the immigration of Ethiopia’s remaining 2,200 Jews. The government’s
aim is to have all remaining members of the country’s Jewish community arrive
in Israel by March 2014.
120715
In the 15th July edition of Israel’s good
news, the highlights include:
·
An Israeli company has produced a smartphone that
constantly diagnoses your health
·
An Israeli has controlled a robot-like machine 2000km
distant using his thoughts.
·
14 Israeli scientists helped find the illusive Higgs
boson sub-atomic particle.
·
Israeli companies are securing systems at The Louvre
and at British Telecom.
·
Entrepreneur Richard Branson is marketing Israeli home
water filters in the UK.
·
Guns and Roses wowed their audience at their gig in Tel
Aviv.
·
A mosaic of Samson was excavated in a 1600-year-old
synagogue in the lower Galilee.
·
Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary
Click here for “Israel the Next
Generation”
Page Down for more details on these and other good news
stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
The first medical smartphone. Israel’s LifeWatch Technologies unveiled the
LifeWatch V- a first of its kind medical smartphone that measures ECG, heart
rate, body temperature, blood sugar levels, body fat percentages, blood oxygen
saturation and an index for measuring stress.
Your phone becomes "a life preserving apparatus".
Diabetes revolution in Israel. A new method for treating Diabetes is being
developed by Israeli biotech Orgenesis whose Chief scientist is Dr Sarah
Ferber, Director of Molecular Endocrinology at Sheba Medical Center in Tel
Hashomer. The therapy is called autologous cell replacement and uses a
patient’s own cells.
Israeli scientists can control insects. (Thanks to NoCamels) A robotics professor
and an aerospace engineering scientist at Israel’s Technion have decoded the
movement of insects. Replaying the electronic signals makes the insects
move. Known as Biomimicry, this can
help produce small controlled vehicles.
Israeli-Arab star.
Nazareth based Alpha Omega has won the American-Israeli Chamber of
Commerce’s Eagle Star Award for its medical device to treat neurological
disorders like Parkinson’s disease. The sophisticated microelectrode technology
allows doctors to stimulate and record the brain’s natural electrical impulses.
Detecting problems in pregnancy. (Thanks to Israel21c) Israel’s OrSense,
announced successful clinical trial results for anaemia screening and
haemorrhage detection using its NBM200 device.
The non-invasive blood monitor measures haemoglobin levels in pregnant
women.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
150 years of the Hospital for Nazareth. Now an Israel Government Hospital, our
friend and childbirth educator Wendy Blumfield sent us this write-up of the
Nazareth Conference held to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its
founding. The audience was Arab Moslem
and Christian, Jewish secular and religious.
“Windows to the world” opens on the work of Herzog
Hospital. A fascinating art
composition by the Canadian Friends of Herzog Hospital in Jerusalem has shone
light on the wonderful work by the hospital for children with respiratory
diseases.
She’s Head of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Ester Levanon is the woman in charge of one
of Israel’s most important financial institutions. Perhaps even more surprising is that CNN has broadcast a feature
on her.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Israeli controls robot 2000km
away – with his mind. Israeli
student Tirosh Shapira has become the first person to meld his mind and
movements with a robot surrogate, or avatar. Situated inside an fMRI scanner in
Israel, he controlled a humanoid robot 2000 kilometers away, in France, using
just his mind.
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/132389-real-life-avatar-the-first-mind-controlled-robot-surrogate
Raising Technion’s cornerstone – 100 years on. Technion’s annual “Technobrain” challenge
was for teams to use their technical skills to simulate the 1912 planting of
the Institute’s cornerstone. But this time, from a great height.
Marine power for Ecuador. SDE Energy Ltd., an Israeli marine- technology developer, is in
talks with Ecuador’s Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy to develop
several clean energy projects. SDE’s
power plants use ocean swells to produce hydraulic pressure, which is then
transformed into electricity.
Energy from copper mines. Methane gas is released during the mining for copper at Timna,
north of Eilat. A project has been
initiated to turn this gas into electricity at source. A huge torch will be connected to a
generator and will turn this greenhouse gas into energy.
The first solar kibbutz. 60km north of Eilat, Kibbutz Yahel, part of the Renewable Energy
Company, has recently become the first solar kibbutz in Israel. Residents of the kibbutz will be
economically secure as a result of the process, since they will benefit from
monthly returns.
Double-sided solar panels. Researchers have been trying to develop double-sided solar cells
that can capture both direct and reflected sunlight for the last forty years.
Israeli startup BSolar showcased their bifacial solar cells at a trade show in
Germany. Their cells could produce up to 20% more energy than conventional
cells.
Israelis help find nuclear
particle. The recently
discovered Higgs boson helps explain the structure of matter in the universe. A
Weizmann team helped develop particle detectors, a Technion professor designed
a key experiment, and several Israeli researchers were involved in building the
accelerator.
Taxibot stars at UK air show. Israel Aerospace Industries unveiled plans
for TaxiBot at the Farnborough Air Show. The semi-robotic vehicle, controlled
by a plane's pilot, tows the plane from the terminal gate to the takeoff point
without the need to operate the plane's engines. It can save 1000 litres of fuel for a Boeing 747.
Israeli teenagers come 2nd in International
inventors competition. Six Yeroham youths
won $5,000 by designing a “stick” that keeps the contents of a picnic basket
cool. Breaking the stick causes chemicals to mix and freeze. It was the first time Israelis took part in
FLL Global Innovation competition in Washington for youth scientists.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Elbit Systems wins $62m contract in Korea. Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE:
ESLT) has won a $62 million contract to upgrade Korean Air Force C-130
transport aircraft with various types of advanced electronic systems.
Tel Aviv’s Mayor’s road show hits Silicon Valley. Ron Huldai, the mayor of Tel Aviv, visited
Google’s headquarters to talk Tel Aviv technology with Silicon Valley’s Israeli
compatriots. Huldai hosted a dialogue
about the Tel Aviv Global City initiative to position the city as a global
center of business and culture.
Richard Branson sells Israeli
water filters. UK entrepreneur Richard Branson is marketing
Israel’s Strauss water filters as “Virgin Pure”. The device sits on your kitchen surface and dispenses filtered
hot or cold water on demand. Branson
hopes it will rival the Hoover vacuum cleaner as the gadget that changed
British homes.
US firms buy Israeli big time. There were at least six big US takeovers of
Israeli companies in the last month.
Facebook bought face.com;
Shutterfly bought Photoccino; Stanley Black & Decker bought
AeroScout; JMI (with UK’s Apax) bought Paradigm (for $1 billion); TPG bought
iMDsoft and Primus bought AOD.
Now Israel really is the heartbeat of Intel. Intel Corporation has acquired Israeli
medical device company IDesia Biometrics.
IDesia uses an electrical signal generated by the heartbeat to create an
“electro biodynamic signature” unique to every individual, establishing a biometric
identity that cannot be forged.
The sweet smell of success. Israeli-Canadian perfumer Ayala Moriel was raised in Clil, a
unique village in the Western Galilee.
Many of her 50 aromas are based on the memory of scents and smells from
her childhood.
The Louvre – protected by Israeli
security. Israeli subsidiary
Synel is installing its access control security system at the famous Paris art
gallery. It will include fingerprint
verification, keypad entry, magnetic cards, barcode cards, proximity cards,
contact-less smart cards and facial recognition.
And so is British Telecom. International communications giant British
Telecom has chosen Israel's Cyber-Ark Software to monitor and secure its
privileged accounts. Gadi Tirosh, a
partner at Cyber-Ark’s funding company JVP, said: "This is further proof
that Israel is a leading force in the cyber protection field."
ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
The Jerusalem Season of Culture. In its third year, the Jerusalem Season of
Culture is being billed as “a summer showcase of the city’s contemporary cultural
treasures.” The happenings, which take
place at various venues throughout the city, include dance, music, poetry,
philosophy, visual arts and new media.
Guns and Roses play “Hatikvah”. Guns and Roses lead guitarist Ron
“Bumblefoot” Thal gave a solo rendition of Israel’s national anthem “Hatikva”
to 10,000 fans in Yarkon Park, Tel Aviv.
Israeli a cappella group is out of this world. Israel's Voca People wows audiences all over
the globe with its unique “extra-terrestrial” blend of a cappella music and
comedy. This new video clip features
some of their music, plus an interview with co-founder and director Lior Kalfo.
Who’s pulling the strings? The 15th International Puppet Theater & Film Festival takes
place from July 19th –28th in Holon. It hosts about 30 performances by resident
and international artists, conferences, exhibitions, a street parade and
workshops for professionals and amateurs based on a wide range of puppeteer
techniques.
THE JEWISH STATE
West Point cadets learn Israeli tactics. A delegation of cadets from the United
States Military Academy at West Point attended a week’s training seminar at the
IDF's Tactical Command College. They
toured the country and learned about the Israeli soldiers' expertise in
counter-terrorism.
1600-year-old mosaic of Samson. An archaeological dig in the lower Galilee
near Kibbutz Hokuk has found a mosaic floor describing the story of biblical
Samson and a Hebrew inscription from an approximately 1,600-year-old synagogue. The synagogue is probably that of ancient
Horkuk, mentioned in the Talmud.
New JNF reservoirs produce oceans of water. At Cleantech 2012 the JNF demonstrated that
it has enriched Israel’s economy by 260 million cubic meters of water. This
water is collected drop by drop from floods in the Negev and Galilee and from
sewage treatment facilities across the country.
“Follow Me”.
A new film about Yoni Netanyahu has been released. The commander of the Entebbe operation was
an incredible individual and a role model for young people in today’s world.
It’s hot – but so what? Kibbutz Tirat Tzvi is the 9th hottest place on the
planet, according to Washington Post’s Foreign Policy magazine. But that has not stopped it from also being
Israel’s largest producer of dates.
Kibbutzniks have cultivated 18,000 palm trees in temperatures reaching
over 50 degrees centigrade.
120708
In the 8th July edition of Israel’s good news,
the highlights include:
·
Israeli treatment has restored speech and mobility to a
Rabbi suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease.
·
Weizmann scientists are designing new proteins to treat
illnesses where current drugs don’t work.
·
Israel is building a museum to highlight the
achievements of Israeli women.
·
The United Nations has praised the design of an Israeli
wastewater treatment plant.
·
The UN has also recognised Israel’s ability to provide
on-line access to government websites.
·
Yet another huge Israeli natural gas discovery.
·
Proof revealed of past Jewish presence under the
foundations of Al Aqsa mosque.
·
Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary
Click here for “Israel is hot and
cool”
Page Down for more details on these and other good news
stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Israeli ALS treatment cures
Rabbi. (Thanks to NoCamels)
ALS (Lou Gehrig’s) sufferer Rabbi Refael Shmulevitz had been given two to four
years to live. He lost the ability to talk clearly and was confined to a
wheelchair. Following Brainstorm‘s ‘NurOwn’ stem cell treatment he can now walk
and talk again.
Treating with computers, not drugs. Psychiatric drugs can have damaging
long-lasting effects on children with Anxiety disorder. Professor Yair Bar-Chaim, of Tel Aviv
University's School of Psychological Sciences recommends a computer program
providing a therapy called Attention Bias Modification (ABM).
Brain stimulation helps quit smoking. (thanks to NoCamels) Israeli medical
scientists from Ben Gurion Uni, Tel Aviv Uni and Israel’s Psychiatric Union
have proved that magnetic currents from a deep brain stimulation (TMS) device
significantly reduce the craving for cigarettes. Forty percent of the test subjects quit smoking.
Bad news is painful.
It’s official – Ben Gurion University researchers have confirmed what
readers of this newsletter will already know.
People suffering with chronic pain experience an increase in pain
intensity when exposed to media reports of terrorist attacks.
The secret of long life, from a mole rat. Dr. Dorothee Huchon of Tel Aviv University
is part of an international team performing genetic analysis on the mole rat.
They discovered that high levels of the neuroprotecting protein NRG-1 in adults
correlated with a longer life span than several other rodent species.
Designing molecules that don’t
exist in nature. Dr. Sarel
Fleishman of the Weizmann Institute has developed a method of combining
proteins to form brand new molecules.
The method could be used to design a variety of new drugs, including
those to combat diseases for which current drugs are ineffective.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Upgrading sewerage in Arab towns. The Israeli government has allocated NIS 355
million to improve the sewerage systems in Arab neighbourhoods across Israel.
Open day for Israeli-Arab entrepreneurs. TopCenter, the Hot Spot for Haifa
entrepreneurs has joined up with Mati Haifa to run a series of lectures for
Israeli-Arabs who want to make it in the hi-tech industry.
Muslim woman: Arabs must enlist in IDF. Anet Haschaya said, "Arabs in the country
must give more of themselves to get more." Haschaya’s son Deddo recently completed two years in the Duchifat
Battalion; daughter Suha serves in the IDF Education Corps, and 19-year-old
Hussam hopes to join the Golani Brigade.
Jew serves in Druze battalion. Deputy Platoon Commander Captain (res.) Raz
Levy, 29, a lawyer from Tel Aviv, is the only Jewish officer to serve in an
entirely Druze battalion. There are many instances in which Arab soldiers serve
and excel in the IDF's mainly Jewish units, but it rarely happens the other way
around.
Empowering women Zionists. The annual gathering of the Zionist General Council held in
Jerusalem was entitled “Empowering Women within the Zionist Enterprise.” The
400 delegates included many women who have made it their life’s work to
contribute to society. (Zionism gave
women the vote before many countries.)
Building the new Museum of
Israeli Women. (thanks to
Israel21c) ‘There’s nothing quite like Israel in the world and nothing quite
like the women of Israel,’ says Yael Nitzan. She is transforming an empty
200-year-old sheikh’s palace in Haifa into the Museum of Israeli Women.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
7000 patents from the Hebrew Uni. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem recently
unveiled "Innovators Way," a permanent photo exhibition showcasing 27
university researchers behind commercial products that have revolutionized the
fields of health, safety, environment, agriculture, computer science and
nutrition.
Israel’s next generation satellite. Israel’s Spacecom is to build the Amos 6
communications satellite for launching in 2015. Israel Aerospace Industries’ CEO said that Amos 6 will
incorporate new technologies that represent a significant leap forward in the
capabilities of IAI and the State of Israel in space.
Israel app “finds who your friends are”. A team from Ben Gurion University has
developed Social Privacy Protector (SPP).
It performs a deep IT analysis of a facebook “friend” to determine if it
is safe to give them access to your personal social data.
Engage tractor beams, Scotty. The fantasies of Star Trek may not be that
far in the future. Israelis have
already invented the Universal
Translator and remote medical diagnostics.
Now Mordechai Segev, from Israel’s Technion proposes negative radiation
pressure to create a tractor beam and move small objects.
And here is Lexifone’s translator being demonstrated
recently on Israel’s Channel 10 TV.
Israel’s water treatment plant is
UN role model. The United
Nations has selected the Dan Region Wastewater Treatment Plant, known as
Shafdan, as a global role model for how local authorities can deal with
environmental problems. Shafdan
utilizes nearby sands as natural filters for part of the purification process.
New school for advanced science. World ORT KadimaMada has launched the
Advanced Center for Science and Technology at the Sha’ar HaNegev Experimental
School. The centre will enable students
to study and conduct experiments at the cutting edge of science and technology.
Israel hosts the top computer engineers. The International Technion Computer
Engineering (TCE) conference attracted speakers from Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco,
IBM, Mellanox, Microsoft and RAD. And from Cambridge, Princeton, UC Berkeley,
UCLA and UPenn universities
The world’s first “augmented reality” mobile app. IBM Haifa’s application will make it
possible for consumers to pan store shelves with their cameras on their mobile
devices and receive personalized product information, recommendations and
coupons while they browse the aisles.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Gas flows from Noa field. Noble Energy has completed development of the Noa natural gas
field, and gas has begun to flow from it.
The Noa field is estimated at 2.3 billion cubic meters of gas and it is
expected to produce 1.2 BCM.
Substantial gas found at Samson
well. Isramco has announced
"substantial signs of petroleum (natural gas) have been found at the
Shimshon 1 exploratory well." The
aptly named Shimson (Samson) well has an estimated prospect of 2.3 trillion
cubic feet of gas.
Russia is open to Israeli business. Some 400 top Russian government, industry,
and education officials accompanied Russian premier Vladimir Putin on his visit
to Israel. Israeli technology features
extensively in Russian civilian aircraft.
Russia’s firms seek Israeli medical technology and its citizens visit
for treatment.
Moving from oil to natural gas. Israel Chemicals Ltd’s Fertilizers unit will
build a 250-megwatt natural gas-powered power plant in Sedom. The new plant
replaces its diesel and heavy fuel oil plant, reducing the company’s energy
costs, protecting the environment and meeting ICL Fertilizers' needs for the
next 20 years.
Canada and Israel can develop oil & gas together. (Thanks to the Daily CLIC) Canada’s Natural
Resources Minister Joe Oliver said Canada can help Israel develop its vast
shale oil resources. “We have the
experience, we have the expertise and they have the need”, he said during his
visit to the Jewish State.
Now Dell wants to expand in Israel. Dell Inc. executives - VP strategy David
Johnson and president software division John Swainson - visited Israel last
week with the goal of expanding the company's presence in Israel.
Israeli start-ups can revive Michigan economy. About 30 delegates from 18 Israeli
companies visited Metro Detroit automotive suppliers and manufacturers during
the “Michigan Israel Automotive Event” from Monday through Friday in an effort
to "foster economic development and partnerships."
Iranian cherries are Israeli. Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported that the
head of the Iranian produce association admitted the succulent berries featured
in the Iranian market place were indeed Israeli. Since the inception of the Islamic Republic in 1979 no Zionist
goods have been granted an import permit.
ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Who’s performing in July? Guns and Roses on 3rd July, Morrissey on 21st
July. Reggae superstars Groundation,
Chris Cornell and the Brian Jonestown Massacre are also scheduled to play
during July.
And September will be Red-hot. Internationally acclaimed rock band Red Hot
Chili Peppers are pumping for their upcoming Tel Aviv gig, telling fans they
can’t wait to make their Israeli debut.
The band is scheduled to play September 10. Other stars with upcoming Israeli gigs include Ian Anderson and
Lenny Kravitz.
For your best Israel vacation ever. This article lists five apps to help you
plan your most memorable Israel vacation. GPSmycity’s City Maps and Walks, Israel Culture
Guide© , Israel Country
Facts, eTips Tel
Aviv and Jerusalem
and Israel
Sites are all available to iPhone users.
THE JEWISH STATE
The Genesis
Prize. Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu announced a new $1 million international prize to be awarded to Jews
who win global recognition due to their achievements in the fields of science
and the arts. “The prize symbolizes
Jews’ great contribution to human development and will be a source of pride for
young Jews around the world, ”
Prince Charles wants to visit “green” Israel. Following on from my comments about the
Queen of England, royal watcher Eric Moonman says that “the Prince of Wales’
interest in the environment and Israel’s green successes have made him
increasingly enthusiastic about a visit”.
Reflections on Tomorrow. Here are two lovely personal articles from Newsletter readers
focusing on the Presidential Conference in Jerusalem. They both ask us to remember that the cornerstone for the success
of tomorrow is our family.
UN award for Israeli government
websites. Yes, you read it
correctly – The United Nations named Israel as one of the top 20 countries for
the provision of government services through the Internet. Israel even beat Germany and Japan. It also came 4th for active
citizen engagement with government through the Internet.
Rockets miss children. Just minutes after kibbutz children boarded their school bus, a
terrorist rocket from Gaza smashed into their bus stop. This, and other miraculous near misses,
occurred on the last day of school in the week when Southern Israel was hit
indiscriminately by over 100 rockets.
Yitzhak Shamir – a true Israeli patriot. Here are two detailed analyses of Israel’s 7th
Prime Minister who passed away last week aged 96. Shamir was “a roaring tiger” in protecting Israel’s
security. His immigration and financial
policies transformed Israel’s economy from near meltdown to one of strength.
Revealed under Al-Aqsa mosque. Documents and photographs from a 1927
excavation on Temple Mount have just been uncovered from archives hidden in the
Rockefeller Museum in East Jerusalem. They show that a Jewish ritual bath
(“mikva”) dating from the Second Temple had been unearthed beneath the Al-Aqsa
mosque.
120701
In the 1st July 2012 edition of Israel’s good
news, the highlights include:
·
Another major Israeli medical advance in the fight to
combat cancer
·
An innovative Israeli on-line application is helping
match US citizens to job vacancies.
·
Israeli scientists have made a major discovery about
the early life of the Universe.
·
An Israeli incubator aims to help fund start-ups for
English-speaking immigrants.
·
Next year’s Euro 2013 Under-21 Soccer Championships
will be held in Israel.
·
An Israeli inn has been voted “The Best Bed &
Breakfast in the Middle East”.
·
Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary:
- Click here for “Israel is
making the World of Tomorrow”
Page Down for more details on these and other good news
stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
A protein to treat multiple
cancers. Israeli biotech
Compugen announced that the protein CGEN-15022, discovered by the company, has
the potential for treating liver, colorectal, lung and ovarian cancers through
monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy.
The protein that regulates Calcium. Professor Eitan Reuveny of the Weizmann
Institute has discovered the protein SARAF that prevents high levels of Calcium
in the body. It has implications for
sufferers of prostate cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and dilated cardiomyopathy –
all accompanied by abnormal calcium levels.
New stem cells for treating AMD. Hadassah University medical scientists have
produced stem cells that are not contaminated with animal components. They are already being used by Cell Cure
Neurosciences to develop a treatment for age-related macular degeneration
(AMD).
USA gives priority to Israeli hepatitis D treatment. Medgenics has announced that its
Israeli-developed INFRADURE Biopump for the treatment of Hepatitis D has
received orphan drug status from the US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA). This means a faster regulatory
process, grants, tax credits and market exclusivity.
USA recommends Israeli breast cancer detection system. Dune Medical Devices Ltd. has received a
favorable recommendation from an US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory
panel for the company's flagship product, the MarginProbe, for real-time breast
cancer detection of excised tissue in the operating room.
Israeli tourniquet cuts mortality. Col. (ret.) Dr. John McManus is in Israel
for the Rambam Medical Conference.
Amongst his praise for Israeli medical staff, he tells of the large
numbers of US servicemen’s lives saved by the US military’s adoption of Israeli
battlefield medical techniques.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Face the facts about Yad Sarah. Yad Sarah is the leading volunteer-staffed
organization in the State of Israel. It
has just launched its new facebook site where you can read about the numbers of
branches, volunteers, annual loans of medical equipment. But more importantly, about the amazing
people involved.
Award for hi-tech female innovator. The Hadassah Foundation presented its
Bernice S. Tannenbaum Award to Ifat Baron, the founder and Executive Director
of Israeli non-profit IT Works. Baron has already been named by Israel's
Ministry of Education as the person "with the most influence in IT
education in Israel today."
Chico treats Japanese children. Daniella Hadassi, a drama therapist who
treats children at Israel’s Schneider Children's hospital brought her puppet
dog Chico to the area of the tsunami disaster in Japan and provided therapy to
children who were injured a year ago.
The hospital also gave a puppet to each child.
Ivory Coast has strong historic ties with Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu and Ivory Coast’s
Muslim President Ouattara noted the close state of bilateral cooperation at
their meeting in Israel. They discussed cooperation in the fields of health,
agriculture, science and technology.
Israel’s economy is a model for Africa. On his visit to Israel, Professor Emmanuel
Tumusiime-Mutebile, the director-general of the Central Bank of Uganda, said,
“I can’t think of a better role model for my country to follow than Israel. As
far as I’m concerned, Israel provides a far better model for us than the US or
Europe.”
Israeli company helps Americans
get jobs. Jobsminer, an
Israeli company has launched in the United States “due to the current economic
climate of the country”. Its free
website allows users to seek out jobs that might not be listed on traditional
job search websites. An algorithm,
Makam, searches social networks, forums, blogs and other non-traditional sites
for positions and aggregates relevant postings to the Jobsminer website.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
One of the world’s most visionary hi-tech leaders. Mooly Eden, President of Intel Israel, was
named one of the world’s 10 most brilliant technological minds on this year’s
Fortune 500 list. Under Eden’s leadership, Intel Israel has been responsible
for the innovation behind processors like the Core 2 Duo and Sandy Bridge.
“Israel is a tech
miracle.” "We love
Israel," Google’s chairman Eric Schmidt didn’t hold back his praise for
the Jewish State when he spoke at Tel Aviv’s ‘Big Tent’ conference. Schmidt also said that the quality of
Israel's engineers is very high, not least due to the country's universities
and the training acquired in the army.
“Green Israel” campaign kicks off. Israel has launched its first-ever
international "green" campaign, to promote its achievements in
environmental technology. 10-second adverts on CNN stress that Israel is a
leader in the development of green technology and that Israeli innovations in
the field are used the world over.
Get ready for CleanTech 2012. On July 3rd and 4th
Tel Aviv hosts the 16th Annual International Summit and Exhibition for Water
Technologies, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Recycling, Green
Transportation and Green Building.
Israel’s most advanced CleanTech products and technologies will be on
display.
Innovate Israel 2012 is in London. Check out the 28 Israeli start-ups coming to
London to showcase at the Innovate Israel 2012. The event aims to connect Israeli web, mobile & digital
entrepreneurs & businesses with their UK & European counterparts.
Israeli model of cosmic history. Astronomers led by scientists at Tel Aviv
University have developed a new method of detecting the first stars formed when
the universe was in its infancy. Using
powerful 3-D computer models, they have shown that the first stars clumped
together into a “cosmic web” formation.
Americans visit Israel’s clean energy sites. Energy experts from the USA and Puerto Rico
have been touring Israel’s CleanTech development sites. They include Ben Gurion University’s
Institute for Desert Research, BrightSource Energy’s Solar Development centre
and Ashkelon’s desalination plant.
It’s not a battery; it’s an energy bank. Nation-E has launched a smart grid and
energy storage system. The lithium-ion
battery system allows homes, hospitals, utilities and other institutions to
produce renewable energy from solar panels and wind turbines and store the
unused surplus for backup or selling to the National Grid.
The Israeli Mango-Nectarine. Introducing a new fruit that many will want
to say a special blessing on this year.
The Israeli company Ben Dor Fruits & Nurseries took 10 years to
perfect the nectarine/mango. The fruit
is heart-shaped and has the smooth peel of a mango. It is currently being exported to the UK and South Africa.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Facebook to buy Israel’s Face.com. The social media giant and Israel’s
eleven-person face recognition company have come “face to face” in $80 - $100
million deal. Face.com provides
facial-recognition technology used by the world's largest social network to
help users identify and tag photos.
Come to Israel and we’ll fund
your Start-up.
AliyaIncubator.com (AI) intends to fund dozens of start-ups, bringing
English-speaking Olim on Aliya to build their dream. Starting at $500k per deal
for the business launch, assisting in the Aliya process, and providing all the
necessary business services.
Dan Senor, co-author of “Start-up Nation”. We’ve heard from co-author Saul Singer
before, but this CNBC interview with fast-talking Dan Senor is illuminating.
Israel is in credit.
In contrast to the mountains of debt stifling the US and European
economies, Israel’s net surplus increased from $54bn at the end of 2011 to
$59.6 at the end of the first quarter of 2012.
Cisco to expand in Israel. Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers examined the Jerusalem offices of
newly acquired digital TV broadcasting encryption developer, NDS Group. He commented, "Although NDS's
headquarters are in Britain, its heart and soul are in Israel."
India comes out of the closet. For years, India has conducted its relations
with Israel almost covertly But Foreign minister S M Krishna’s recent visit to
Israel has proved that at the highest levels, India and Israel can openly
discuss issues of interest and concern with each other like other normal
partners, without inhibitions."
Massachusetts-Israel grants awarded. (thanks to Eli) The Massachusetts-Israel
Innovation Partnership (MIIP) has awarded at least $1.3 million to fund 4 joint
MA-Israel hi-tech and life-science projects.
They cover prognostic kits, RF technology to treat heart arrhythmia, a
3D colon-imaging camera and fuel from algae.
ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Israeli films selected. Three Israelis have reached the finals in the Your Film Festival
competition sponsored by YouTube. 50 finalists were selected from more than
15,000 short films, of no more than 15 minutes each, submitted by creators from
160 countries.
Israel’s top 10 beaches. (thanks to Israel21c) Tiny Israel is blessed by being located on
three seas - the Mediterranean, the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. By the way, the elevator to the Sironit
beach in Netanya is free.
Israel’s Olympic team. Israel’s 27-person team has a good chance of bringing back medals
from the London 2012 Olympics. Maybe, we could even hear “Hatikvah” played.
Israel to host 2013 Euro under-21
soccer championships. UEFA
President Michel Platini wrote to Israel Football Association President Avi
Luzon on Monday to confirm the country will stage the 2013 tournament from June
15-28 2013.
Israel is now a game player – at Lacrosse. The 18-month-old Israeli Lacrosse team beat
Wales 14-13 in their first European Championships. The unranked Israelis were thrashed by Holland in the
quarterfinals but they did well to finish at least eighth in their first
International tournament.
THE JEWISH STATE
Tech Know Play –
an Israeli summer camp. While Hamas
runs summer camps that teach kids to hate Jews, Israeli children are learning
how to build robots and bridges.
“Tech-Know-Play” is the summer camp Shaiel Yitzchak runs in Jerusalem for
kids who are interested in all things scientific and mathematical.
Johnny Cash was a friend of Israel. New information that the American country
music great visited the Jewish State five times from 1966 to the mid 1990s. A
devout Christian, Cash recorded complete albums of inspirational hymns about the
holy land and made films about his journeys to Biblical sites.
Russell Simmons arrives in Israel. Hip-hop pioneer, Russell Simmons, has
arrived in Israel for his first visit, in an effort to promote Muslim and
Jewish reconciliation. Simmons, is one
of USA Today’s most 25 influential people of the past 25 years, and chairman of
The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU).
The best B&B in the Middle
East. What an accolade. TripAdvisor have awarded top slot to the
Artists’ Colony Inn in Safed (Tzfat) in its 2012 “Travellers’ Choice” list of
the top 25 B&B’s and inns in the Middle East. Some of the guests were “blown away by its character, comfort and
charm”.
