141221
In the 21st Dec 2014 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
Israeli scientists have developed an
early test for brain damage from trauma.
·
Israel is the first country in the
world to recognize the Arameans.
·
Israeli high-school students have
proved that life develops slower in outer space.
·
In Israel, prices are falling and
productivity is rising.
·
UNESCO has named Tel Aviv as a
creative city.
·
More evidence of 2000-year-old Jewish
settlement uncovered in the Judean desert.
Page Down for more details on these and
other good news stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Israeli MRI detects brain damage earlier. Researchers at Israel’s Ben
Gurion University’s Brain Imaging Research Center have developed a method that
can detect damage to the brain much earlier than previously thought. Detection, soon after a trauma, means that
the damage might still be reversible.
Generic
blood pressure treatment. Israel’s Teva has launched a generic version of Exforge HCT – a
popular treatment of high blood pressure.
Teva’s generic products save money for patients and health services.
Life
expectancy rises again. In Israel in 2013, men had an average life expectancy of 80.3
years while women had 83.9 – an increase of nearly five months for men and
three months for women in comparison to 2012.
50,000
wear Israeli remedial shoes. Israel’s AposTherapy has developed a
treatment for knee and back pain using unique individually calibrated shoes. AposTherapy currently treats 50,000 patients
and has just raised $15 million to help expand its business in the US market.
New
test for foreign matter in lungs. (Thanks to San Diego Jewish World)
Scientists at Tel Aviv University have developed a new technique for detecting
hazardous particles in the lungs. The
test can be used in emergencies such as fire rescues or as a warning of high
pollution levels.
New
cancer center is a communal success. (Thanks to Stuart) The Emek Medical Center
in Afula, Israel is one of many successful stories showing how ethnic groups in
Israel can successfully work side by side.
Jews, Muslims, Christians and Druze raised funds together for a new
cancer center, via an inspiring radio campaign.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Israeli
women are making hi-tech history. Shecodes, a network of around 4,000 female
programmers in Israel has grown so fast in its first year it hasn’t even had
time to finish its own website yet. Its
goal is that 50 percent of Israeli programmers will be female within a decade. It has just held its inaugural 3-day
hackathon.
Captain
Cohen gets her ship. The Israeli Navy has selected Captain Or Cohen to become the
first woman appointed as an IDF Navy ship’s commander. Cohen will be first
appointed as deputy commander of a navy vessel, and following that will go on
to take the Navy’s advanced commander’s course.
Israeli
hi-tech for good.
“Tech for Good,” is an Israeli organization that promotes technology
development to solve social problems. To actualize its goals, the group last
week inaugurated The Rally, Israel’s first “social tech” accelerator that aims
to solve social issues like obesity, cyber-bullying, teen pregnancy, and much
more.
A
network for dog-owners. Israeli start-up app Dogiz is a social network for dog owners and
it's building a marketplace where you can find a veterinary, dog walker, hair
dresser and more. It is described as a
community app for people who love their dogs.
Israeli
Arabs prefer Israel to the PA. A new poll conducted by the Statnet Research
Institute, headed by Israeli Arab statistician Yousef Makladeh, reports that 77
percent of Israeli Arabs preferred to live under Israeli rule than under the
Palestinian Authority. It confirms the
results of a survey by Haifa University in late 2013.
Israel recognizes Arameans. Israel is the first country in the world to
recognize the Arameans as a separate nationality. There are 130,000 Aramean Christians in Israel – up from 60,000
in 1948. The global estimate of
Arameans is 1.65 million.
Israel
“ticks” all the freedom boxes. British Prime Minister David Cameron fired
back at critics of Israel's "Jewish State Law" in parliament
Wednesday, noting that Israel is one of the only countries in the Middle East
which actually grants equal rights to all its citizens. See the video at 17 min in response to an
anti-Israel MP.
Israel
welcomes four new ambassadors. New ambassadors from Angola, Jamaica, the Philippines
and South Sudan presented their diplomatic credentials to Israeli President
Reuven Rivlin in Jerusalem. Many
Israelis are involved in trade and/or humanitarian work in all four countries.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Hi-tech
clothing. The
WearSheva! Hackathon at Ben-Gurion University was a 28 hour marathon in which 210
developers and designers had to come up with a new, innovative wearable
technology product. The winners were a
student feedback system, a wearable locator device and a real-time translator.
9th graders’ ground-breaking experiment in space. On the International Space
Station, astronauts have conducted an experiment designed by four 14-year-old
girls from an Israeli high school. The
experiment showed that low gravity slows the development of living organisms.
Hats
off to the smart baseball cap. I featured Lifebeam’s smart cycling helmet in
March 2013. Now non-cyclists can wear
the hi-tech head-covering that measures heart-rate, calorie usage, walking
posture and more.
The
Weizmann Institute goes where no one has gone before. A gala celebration of Weizmann
Canada’s 50th anniversary raised $5.7 million for the Weizmann Institute of
Science in Rehovot, Israel. One honored
guest was Canada’s William Shatner, better known as Captain Kirk of the
Starship Enterprise.
One
hand movement to control them all. The onecue system by Israel’s eyeSight lets
users interact with almost any device in their homes just by moving their
hands. The system uses gesture
recognition technology to operate any device with a control system, from the TV
to the cable box to the thermostat.
Whatever
happened to Yo?
In June 2014, the smartphone app “Yo” was the fourth most popular app in
the App Store. But then the novelty
wore off. After all, who really needs
something that just sends a message “Yo” to a friend? But now the Israeli developers of Yo are planning a comeback.
Protecting
our energy.
The Israel-US Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation
(BIRD) is investing $4 million into five joint US-Israeli projects that seek to
commercialize clean energy technologies.
The projects also will help enhance the energy security of Israel and
the United States.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
More
flights this winter. Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority expects an extra 106 weekly
flights to and from Israel this winter.
The main reason is the first stage of the Open Skies agreement between
Israel and Europe.
New
car sales soar.
One indicator shows an improvement of confidence in the Israeli economy
– sales of new cars for 2014 are 14% higher than the same period in 2013. 229,294 were delivered from Jan to Nov 2014.
Israeli prices are falling. Israel’s annual consumer prices declined for
the third straight month in November as commodity prices fell worldwide. Prices dropped 0.1 percent from a year ago,
according to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics. November prices fell by 0.2
percent.
Jerusalem
– the startup capital. Over 800 investors and entrepreneurs converged at OurCrowd’s
Jerusalem offices to participate in its startup conference. OurCrowd manages a network and website that
has raised $80 million for hi-tech Israeli startups, with investors able to
place $10,000 or more in each new enterprise.
A
solar field for Georgia. Israeli solar company Energiya has won a $30 million contract to
build a 17.68 MW solar field in the US state of Georgia. It is the first of a dozen projects the
company plans to launch in southeast USA.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Tel Aviv is now a UNESCO creative city. Tel Aviv was among 28
cities designated by UNESCO as new members of its creative cities network, with
a focus on media arts.
Haifa’s
festival of festivals. (Thanks to Stuart) For the past 21 years, thousands of visitors
have been attending the annual Holiday of Holidays Festival in Haifa. The festival falls on the crossroads of
Hanukka, Id al-Adha and Christmas and has come to stand for coexistence and multiculturalism
with theatrical and musical performances, vendors and art exhibits.
Five
Israeli swimmers in Qatar. Five Israeli swimmers have qualified for
this year’s world short course swimming championships in Doha, Qatar. The organizers promised there would be no
recurrence of the incident at Doha’s last event when the Israeli flag was
erased on the display monitors.
THE JEWISH STATE
When
the Mayflower docked in Haifa. Remarkable recent account of a historic sea
voyage by two lone soldiers to the fledgling Jewish State in 1948. The Mayflower was a former US Presidential
yacht; it previously served in the Spanish-American War and had later been sunk
and raised from the sea bed.
Coffee
for a shekel – to help drivers stay awake. Hundreds of intercity gas stations in Israel
will lower their coffee prices to one shekel ($0.26) between midnight and 6:00
a.m. The one shekel coffee initiative will last until April 2015 to encourage
late-night motorists to remain more aware on the road.
Discoveries at King Herod’s palace. Archeologists have
uncovered an elaborate entrance to King Herod’s 2000-year-old palace at
Herodian in the Judean desert. They
also found hidden tunnels used by Bar Kochba’s army, used in the 132-136 CE
revolt against the occupying Roman forces.
141130
In the 30th Nov edition of Israel’s good
news, the highlights include:
·
An Israeli electrical device
extends the life of brain tumor patients.
·
Israeli experts are helping
Kenya save wildlife from poachers.
·
Israeli bio sensors are
powering Samsung’s new healthy smart watch.
·
An Israel app can save you
thousands on retirement account fees.
·
Two Israeli films have been
shortlisted for Oscars.
·
30 years ago, Israel rescued
7,000 Ethiopian Jews in Operation Moses.
Page Down for more details on these and
other good news stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Electrical field slows brain tumors. Israel’s Novocure has announced that its NovoTTF-100A
portable scalp device extends the life of brain tumor patients. The device
creates an alternating electric field and has had significant success in Phase
3 trials with patients receiving chemotherapy only.
Immunotherapy to fight cancer. Israeli biotech Efranat Ltd.
is developing an immunotherapy treatment approach for cancer, based on a
glycoprotein named GcMAF (Globulin component Macrophage Activating
Factor). Efranat has just raised $4.5
million and is conducting trials at Tel Hashomer’s Sheba Medical Center.
Wiping out parasitic worm infections. Ben Gurion University
Professor Zvi Bentwich has received a Grand Challenges in Global Health grant
from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for his project in Ethiopia to
wipe out parasitic worm infections. Clean water and sanitation facilities and
health education are being provided.
Progress in treatment of Celiac disease.
Back in Feb 2012 I reported good pre-clinical trials of Israeli biotech
BioLineRX’s BL-7010 co-polymer for the treatment of celiac disease, for which
there is currently no cure or formal treatment.
BioLineRX has now announced successful final results from its Phase 1/2
study of BL-7010.
3D printing of medical devices. (Thanks to Atid-EDI) Israeli
3D printer manufacturer Stratasys has joined with US-based Worrell to build
medical devices using 3D printed injection molding. With 3D printing, device prototypes can be
produced in 95% less time and at 70% less cost compared with traditional
aluminum molds.
Paralyzed Marine walks using Israeli
exoskeleton to receive Bronze Star. (Thanks to Israellycool.com) A Marine who was
left paralyzed by a sniper’s bullet in Afghanistan walked to collect his Bronze
Star in a ceremony at Camp Pendleton, using robotic leg braces developed by
Israel’s ReWalk Robotics.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Donating hair for cancer victims. Many Israeli women at the
Malcha Mall in Jerusalem donated their hair to produce wigs for cancer patients
at a fundraiser arranged by “Zichron Menachem”, the Israeli Association for the
Support of Children with Cancer and their Families.
Israeli doctors treat terrorist before
his victim.
I have included this, only to show how humane and moral Israeli surgeons
are, opting to treat a critically wounded Arab terrorist ahead of his
less-injured innocent victim.
Helping to save Kenyan
wildlife.
Israel’s Dr Bill Clark works with the Kenya Wildlife Service to combat
poaching. He uses Israeli dog-handlers,
restores old Israeli planes and trains wardens and pilots to detect and pursue
poachers. He also employed Israel’s Maisha Consulting - specialists in
countering environmental crime.
Israel – a global cleantech leader. Excellent summary of
Israel’s position as the world’s number one in the Global Cleantech Index (as
reported in May). One new item – The 18
fish farms in the Negev desert make Israel the world’s 6th largest exporter of
ornamental fish!
More Muslims see the real Israel. (Thanks to United With
Israel) More than 250,000 Muslim and Arab visitors from countries with no
diplomatic relations with Israel have arrived in Jewish state since 2009. Kuwait announced last month that it would
allow its citizens to visit Israel and the PA as part of a tour package.
Citrus production training for
professionals from India. 19 professionals involved in the ongoing
Israeli-Indian agricultural cooperation program underwent a two-week training
program in Israel to learn best practices, know-how and new agricultural
technologies in the citrus production field.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The power behind
Samsung’s smartwatch. Israel’s LifeBEAM, a maker of bio-sensing
technology is to provide the technology to power Samsung’s answer to the Apple
Watch. LifeBEAM’s sensor algorithms are
embedded in Samsung’s Simband, measuring heart rate, temperature, blood flow,
skin conductivity and more.
100Mb/s bandwidth is the new standard. Internet customers of Israel’s
Bezeq who are currently surfing at 40 megabits per second will see their
service automatically upgraded to 100mb/s at no extra charge. Israelis enjoy some of the world’s fastest
internet services.
Coming soon - Israel Energy week. December’s Israel’s leading
energy investment summit – EnergyVest is part of a week-long series of conferences,
exhibitions and special events: Israel Energy Week. It includes an impressive lineup of Israel’s
most promising new renewable and alternative energy technology companies.
Driving on a cloud. In SAP Israel’s Ra’anana
offices, SAP, Shell and Volkswagen are building the car of the future. It will use Cloud technology to plan routes,
park, pay tolls, and eventually even to drive – all without human
interaction. On route, the “driver” will
receive offers for local shops, restaurants and attractions.
Most innovative cyber technology in
2014.
Israeli maritime data and analytics company Windward won first place at
Tel Aviv’s International Innovation Competition for HLS and Cyber
Technology. Windward’s analytics systems
harness the power of big data sciences to interpret global vessel activity
across the oceans.
A box of worms for $16. Israeli agritech Agrolan
sells earthworms for about $16 a box. They are ideal for converting kitchen
garbage into garden compost. Agrolan
also sells more advanced technology, such as drip irrigation systems, sensors
for plants, and weather monitoring devices.
But sometimes, low tech is best.
A word in your ear about your diet. For those who really want to
lose weight or eat healthily, Israel’s BitBite will provide real-time data to
help you change your eating habits.
BitBite is an app and an earpiece containing a microphone, Bluetooth
chip and other sensors that track what you eat, how much and how quickly you
eat.
Storing renewable energy. Israeli start-up EnStorage
has signed an R&D agreement with international energy management company
Schneider Electric and French energy corporation Areva to develop a renewable
energy storage system. It will allow
energy producers to store from 150 KW up to many megawatts for over six hours.
Bezalel Academy wins in Tokyo. (Thanks to Israel21c and
Atid-EDI) A delegation from the Bezalel Academy of Arts & Design in
Jerusalem won first place among foreign schools at Tokyo Designers Week. Judges called their “How To” Youtube
productions “excellent and brilliant.”
Ginger Keyboard for iOS and Android. (Thanks to Atid-EDI)
Israel’s Ginger Software, has launched iOS 8 and Android versions of Ginger
Keyboard. Billed as the world’s most
advanced keyboard. Ginger Keyboard offers advanced writing tools, including
live as-you-type proofreading to increase typing productivity.
The
Untold News awards.
3 Israelis won $10,000 each at the inaugural Untold News Awards in New
York. Prof Dan Peer developed the "Cancer
Bullet," an injectable form of chemotherapy; Prof Idan Tobis invented a metal
ligament prosthesis that reduces the recovery time dramatically; and Shlomo
Magdassi invented a bendable plastic touch
screen display for smart phones.
The
Breezometer is “gale-force”. Israel’s Breezometer beat 600 companies to
win Israel’s 2014 Startup Open competition, and has been chosen by CNBC for its
list of “20 of the World’s Hottest Startups of 2014.” The app monitors air pollution using
thousands of worldwide sensors and provides personalized alerts.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
No slack in Israeli trade with US. This in-depth article
describes how the “start-up nation” Israel is increasingly exporting its
business and culture of entrepreneurship to America.
India is a strategic trading partner. Israel’s $5 billion per
annum trade with India could double once a new free trade agreement between the
two democracies is signed.
LivePerson grows bigger. Israeli digital engagement
solutions provider LivePerson has bought US company Contact At Once! for $65
million. The acquisition adds more clients
plus CAO’s unique technology.
Saving money on
retirement fees. (Thanks to Israel21c) Waze
co-founder Uri Levine has developed a new app called FeeX. Upload details of your IRA retirement account
and FeeX will report how much you are losing in fees. It will then give you a list of similar funds
that have lower fees. FeeX is available
in the US and Israel.
Wix - One of the hottest startups. The influential
international business magazine Inc. included Israeli web development platform
Wix in its seven hottest Middle Eastern startups. It describes Wix as the model example of
innovation and success in Israel’s Tel Aviv hub. Wix is advertising during this
year’s US Super Bowl.
Israel’s Chinese “water city”. Israel’s Minister of
Economy, Naftali Bennett, headed a delegation of 15 Israeli water companies to
advance the sale of Israeli water technologies in China. Bennett also launched the flagship Israeli
project by nominating the city of Shouguang to be the Israeli “Water City” in
China.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
A beautiful library. (Thanks to NoCamels.com) A
stunning design for the new Israel National Library has been released. The
34,000-square-meter structure will be located in the same complex as Israel’s
parliament, the Israel Museum, the Science Museum and the Hebrew University.
Two Israeli “shorts”
make Oscars shortlist. Two Israeli films have made the “shortlist”
of ten finalists for the 2015 Live Action Short Film Oscar and they were both
directed, at least in part, by women. The two movies are “Aya,” by Oded Binnun
and Mihal Brezis, and “Summer Vacation” by Tal Granit and Sharon Maymon.
Three
judoka golds in six weeks. Israel’s Yarden Gerbi won first place in the
under 63-kilo category at the Qingdao Grand Prix international judo competition
in Qingdao, China. The victory marks
Gerbi’s third gold medal in less than six weeks, having also won international
grand prix tournaments in Tashkent and Astana.
THE JEWISH STATE
After death comes life. A Jerusalem family chose to
hold their baby’s brit milah (circumcision ceremony) as planned, in the
synagogue where 5 Israelis were murdered by terrorists on Tuesday.
"Judaism is all about moving from tragedies to happy days", said the
baby's grandfather.
App educates kids about Dead Sea
Scrolls. The
Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has launched an app that makes the Dead Sea
Scrolls available on iPhone and iPad. The App transforms a kid’s iPhone or iPad
into an archaeological tool and lets them play games to hone their skills,
solve puzzles and piece the past together.
Celebrating Sigd in Jerusalem. (Thanks to Sharon – The Real Jerusalem Streets) For centuries,
Ethiopian Jews celebrated the festival of Sigd – 50 days after Yom Kippur. On a mountaintop, they prayed to return to
Jerusalem. Their prayers have been answered - they have come to the Promised
Land and can see it themselves.
The 30th anniversary
of Operation Moses. From Nov 18 1984
until Jan 5 1985, Israel rescued 7,000 Ethiopian Jews in Operation Moses. It was the first time in mankind’s history,
whereby non-blacks came to Africa to save blacks from oppression by bringing
them out of Africa as free people.
Kinneret rises 3.5cm. The level of Israel’s
largest reservoir, Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) rose by 3.5cm – the largest
rise in a single day since the end of the summer. Recent heavy rains are set to continue – just
as well, as the Kinneret is only 16cm above the lower red line.
141123
In the 23rd Nov 2014 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
With an Israeli artificial pancreas,
Type 1 diabetics can stop taking insulin.
·
Israel has shipped Ebola treatment
clinics to Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.
·
Two Israelis won $100,000 by
developing a no-network messaging system.
·
An Israeli printer has produced the
first full-size 3D-printed electric car.
·
The Singapore government has made its
first investment in Israel.
·
Israel won its third consecutive Euro
2016 soccer qualifying match.
·
The public can now view 1st Temple
remains surrounding the Tower of David.
Page Down for more details on these and
other good news stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
An artificial pancreas
implant.
Type-1 diabetes patients can one day avoid taking insulin injections if
the bio-artificial pancreas, developed by Israel’s Beta-O2 passes its human
trials in Sweden. The BAir delivers
oxygen to replacements for the faulty islet cells that are essential for
producing insulin in the patient’s body.
A smartphone for the disabled. Israel’s Sesame Enable is
developing “the Sesame Phone,” which is specifically tailored to assist people
who have limited or no use of their hands. The system enables control of the
smartphone with a combination of small head movements and voice recognition.
Wristwatch to monitor Parkinson’s. Intel Israel has developed
a Parkinson’s disease monitor that sufferers wear on their wrists. The device records pulse, slowness of
movement, tremors and sleep quality, making up to 300 observations per
second. Doctors previously relied on
patients’ verbal reports and brief hospital checkups.
Diabetes finger monitor gets cash boost. (Thanks to Atid-EDI and
Globes) I reported on the non-invasive diabetes finger monitor from Israeli
biotech CNoga Medical in Sept 2013.
CNoga has just received a $12.5 million investment from Chinese
investment fund GoCapital to help expand development and marketing.
Over 100 DTMS devices in use. Israel’s Brainsway has now
installed 101 Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation devices worldwide – 50% in
the USA and has orders for another 36.
Brainsways depression-treatment service using DTMS is covered by the
insurance policies of 193 million people in the US.
Mental health advice on New York street. The Israeli start-up
Talkspace has erected large transparent bubbles on New York’s Fifth Avenue to
offer free online psychological advice to pedestrians. Passersby can enter a make-believe living
room inside an inflated dome and chat online with a psychologist.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Israel’s first center for cerebral
palsy. Beit
Issie Shapiro, Israel’s leading disabilities organization, is to set up the
country’s first Center of Excellence for Cerebral Palsy and severe motor disabilities. Beit Issie will document its knowledge,
expertise and best practice of CP so it can be shared and implemented by
others.
The first female deputy squadron
commander. For the first time in the history of the
IDF, a woman pilot was selected to fulfill the role of deputy squadron
commander. Major Gal, a transport
pilot, will fill the role of Nachson Pilot Commander at the Nevatim Base in the
Negev.
Israeli police resuscitate Palestinian
Arab boy.
(Thanks to Hazel) Quick-acting Israeli border police on routine patrol
in Hebron found a Palestinian Arab youth who had been electrocuted, was
unconscious and had no pulse. They
saved his life, performing CPR until the emergency services arrived.
Israel helps PA to keep out Ebola virus. (Thanks to Hazel) Israel
has transferred Ebola screening tools to the Palestinian Authority in the hopes
it will help PA officials to diagnose the virus among those entering from
Jordan and also into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah Crossing. The transfer
was made following a PA request.
Portable field
hospitals to Ebola-hit countries. Israel has sent six cargo containers of
specialist equipment to set up portable field hospitals to treat Ebola victims
in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.
Each clinic has 20 beds, medicines etc.
Israeli NGO's are to send Israeli volunteers, medical staff, doctors,
paramedics and nurses.
Water for Africa. Israeli companies Waterways,
Tahal and Anyways Solutions are providing water solutions in Cameroon, Senegal
and Ghana. Waterways has signed an agreement with the Water and Sanitation
Organization of Africa, which links 36 African countries under its umbrella.
Tel Aviv is the World’s smartest city. (Thanks to Size Doesn’t
Matter) Tel Aviv beat 250 cities from across the globe to receive the World
Smart Cities Award, a competition launched as part of the Smart City Expo World
Congress in Barcelona. Winning factors
included free citywide wi-fi and its urban digital project.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Israel’s part in the comet landing. Two Tel Aviv University
professors had key roles in the Rosetta project which completed the first ever
spacecraft landing on a comet. Prof. Akiva Bar-Nun helped design the craft and
its experiments. Prof Morris Podolak
and other Israelis will analyze the Dust Impact Monitor experiment.
Israeli plants can resist climate
change.
(Thanks to Stuart) A study by scientists from Israel, Germany and the US
shows Israel’s plants to be more resilient than other plant species in being
able to withstand the stresses of any threat from global warming. One
researcher said, "Our plants are strong and so are the people of
Israel!"
Israelis win PayPal
challenge.
Israelis Shai Mishali and Pavel Kaminsky won the $100,000 grand prize at
the global hackathon competition held at PayPal’s California HQ. They beat 3,000 international programmers by
developing (in 24 hours) AirHop, for messaging without cellular reception or
using devices without SIM cards.
Public transport app has over 10 million
users.
(Thanks to Size Doesn’t Matter) One million users per month are joining
Israel’s Moovit community for easier travel on public transport. Moovit works in hundreds of cities
worldwide. It combines service company
data with live actual data from Moovit travelers.
A really smart alarm clock. Israeli Zach Bamberger has
developed the SmartAlarm, which checks weather conditions, traffic alerts, and
other data and decides when you need to get out of bed in order to make it to
work on time. E.g. detecting an
incident on your route at 4am, the alarm can wake you 15 minutes earlier than
usual.
New Cornell-Technion research lab. Media giant AOL is funding
the multi-million dollar “Connected Experiences” lab (ConnX) being launched by
NYC-based Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute.
The lab will operate in both Israel and New York, allowing research of
communication and coordination, food and wellness, education and safety, and
information and entertainment. It also
includes a graduate fellowship program.
Israeli company wins European innovation
award.
Israel’s Aqua-Rimat – Leak Buster, won the product innovation award for
Smart Home and End User Engagement at European Utility Week in Amsterdam. 10,000 delegates attended the event,
representing the world’s most successful utilities and solution providers.
You can now live out of a suitcase. (Thanks to NoCamels.com) An
Israeli startup has developed FUGU luggage – a suitcase that expands from
carry-on size to full size using a built-in electric pump. It includes a laptop
case and shelves and can even be used as a table. Pledges on Kickstarter have been phenomenal.
The world’s first 3D
printed car.
The Objet1000 from Israel’s Stratasys is the largest 3D printer in the
world. And it has just been used to
print a full-size prototype of the world’s first 3D printed electric car. Researchers at Germany’s Aachen University
developed the car – called the StreetScooter - in just one year.
The first agro-biomedical center. (Thanks to Atid-EDI)
Israel’s MIGAL Galilee Research Institute has established the first specialized
Agro-Biomedical hub. The center will
serve applied researchers, clinicians, entrepreneurs, startups, growers and
consumer companies. Research focuses on natural products.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Budget deficit halved. Israel’s budget deficit for
Oct 2014 was NIS 2.1 billion compared with NIS 4.5 billion in Oct 2013. Government spending was up 3.1% during Jan
to Oct 2014 compared to the same period last year. Tax revenues were up 7.2% over the same period.
UK trade with Israel increases. (Thanks to Hazel) UK
Ambassador Matthew Gould reported that in addition to a 26% increase in
bilateral trade, eight Israeli companies have gone public on the London Stock
Exchange this year. Israel’s Teva now
produces one in six pills sold in the United Kingdom.
Czech market opens up for Israeli water
technologies.
The 3-day Czech-Israeli Water Management Seminar in Prague connected
government officials and the business sector to Israeli expertise in water
safety and protection, wastewater reclamation and aquaculture technologies –
all relevant to the Czech market.
Israeli gas for Europe? Israel has proposed that EU
countries invest in a multi-billion euro pipeline to carry its natural gas to
the continent. The pipeline will go via Cyprus, Greece and Italy which all
support the idea.
“The best opportunity for Mississippi”. Governor Phil Bryan
declared his recent Mississippi State business development mission to Israel as
the best such trade trip he’s had as governor.
He is now planning an “Israel/Mississippi Business Summit” in April to
bring Israeli companies to the Magnolia State.
Singapore discovers
Israeli hi-tech.
Temasek, a $200 billion investment company owned by the Singaporean
government, is placing $5 million in the Ramot Momentum fund operated by Tel
Aviv University’s Ramot technology transfer company. It is the first official
investment by Singapore in Israel, although telecom giant SingTel recently
opened an R&D center following its purchase of Israel’s Amobee.
El Al direct flights to Boston. El Al airlines is
commencing a direct route from Tel Aviv Ben Gurion to Boston’s Logan airport in
June 2015. El Al will run three flights
a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Microsoft buys Israeli company for $200
million.
Global computer giant Microsoft is acquiring Herzliya-based cyber
security startup Aorato for around $200 million. Aorato’s founders served in the IDF cyber security unit and have
developed a firewall that learns and predicts behavior to counter web attacks.
Automated fraud system gets cash boost. (Thanks to Nevet – www.borderview.org) Israeli startup
Forter has raised $15 million to launch its new R&D center to support its
automated three-layered fraud detection mechanism. For the US venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates it was
its first investment in Israel.
Supermarket to sell everything at 5
Shekels.
Israel’s Cofix coffee shops sell coffee, sandwiches, juices etc all for
NIS 5 ($1.30) an item. Cofix now plans
to open 20 branches of “Super Cofix” in April 2015, selling 600 basic food
products (plus non-food items) for a uniform price of NIS 5 each. It apparently includes meat!
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
3D design wins international fashion
award.
(Thanks to NoCamels.com) Israeli student Noa Raviv was chosen as the
“Best Fashion Designer of the Year” at the international 3D Printshow event in
Paris. The designs only exist virtually
and cannot be produced in the real world.
(In my opinion - probably just as well.)
The Backstreet Boys are coming back. The popular Backstreet Boys
have rebooked their postponed Summer 2014 Ra’anana concerts for 19-21 May
2015. Previously purchased tickets will
still be valid.
Israel is top of Euro
2016 soccer group.
In front of 30,000 fans, Israel defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina 3-0 Sunday
night to take them to the top of UEFA 2016 European Soccer Championship
qualifying group B. Israel had
previously beaten Andorra 4-1 and Cyprus 2-1 last month.
Tamir comes home. US basketball star Tamir
Goodman joined Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2002 to avoid playing on the Sabbath. He also served in the IDF and married an
Israeli girl. Now as Director of
International Business Development for Hapoel Jerusalem, he also runs camps for
Israeli kids. In August, he formally
made Aliya.
THE JEWISH STATE
Famous pianist follows dream and makes
Aliya.
Internationally acclaimed Moscow-born pianist Oxana Yablonskaya has just
become an Israeli citizen at the age of 76. Her son Dimitri, a famed cellist
and conductor, made Aliya a few months ago. The musical family has scheduled
its first concert in Jerusalem for Nov 20th.
Bringing life to the desert. Allison Speiser traveled
from the Merchav Am community in Israel’s Negev desert to tell the Perth
community about fulfilling the wish of Israel’s founders - to “make the desert
bloom”. Allison is shown speaking here
at the JNF event “Bringing Life to the Negev”.
Just around the corner
from Temple Mount / Al Aksa. (Thanks to Sharon – The Real Jerusalem Streets). Life in Jerusalem goes on. On Nov 12, the moat surrounding the Tower of
David was opened to the public after 15 years of careful excavations. It reveals Jewish history back to King
Hezekiah in the 8th Century BCE.
Employment in Israel. Students and young
professionals thinking of moving to Israel from the US received plenty of
advice at the “Impact Israel” conference in New York. The message was – come to Israel for the economic and job
opportunities, but stay for the lifestyle and chance to make your mark.
Rabbi Glick. Rabbi Yehuda Glick was shot 4 times at close
range in the stomach, lungs, neck and arm by a terrorist on Oct 29. Following multiple surgeries, Rabbi Glick is
about to be released from hospital.
141109
In the 9th Nov 2014 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
An Israeli monitor detects early
problems in babies on ventilators.
·
A rhino is recovering from eye
infection thanks to an Israeli-designed mask.
·
Israel’s fuel-saving aircraft tow truck
is going into service.
·
Investment in Israeli companies on
Wall Street in 2014 has already beaten all previous records.
·
Prayers for rain in Israel seem to
have succeeded.
·
Last week’s JPost Israel Good News
descriptive summary. Click here for
(fast-loading version, no adverts).
Page Down for more details on these and
other good news stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Detecting preemie
respiratory distress. (Thanks to Israel21c)
Israeli startup Pneumedicare has developed the Pneumonitor to monitor
premature babies on ventilation machines.
A ventilator can cause pneumothorax, in which the infant’s tiny air sacs
over-inflate and burst. Pneumonitor’s
alarm sounds an hour before any problem arises. http://www.israel21c.org/headlines/helping-preemies-breathe-easier/
Discovery of the infertility gene. Tel Aviv University
scientists have discovered that the genetic deletion of the protein
Interleukin-1 (IL-1) improves fertility.
It could help increase the effectiveness of IVF treatment. The discovery
was made accidentally during research at TAU into IL-1’s role in the hardening
of the arteries.
Israel funds cancer research. (Thanks to Israel21c) The
Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) has made 94 new research grants for the
2014/15 year, totaling a record $3,453,332.
Since 1977, ICRF has made 2,115 grants, totaling over $52 million. Successes include 3 top cancer treatments
and two major genetic discoveries.
Violinist continues to improve. Naomi Elishuv made
headlines in September when she played the violin while Israeli surgeons
implanted two electrodes in her brain to stop her tremors. Doctors say Naomi is recovering impressively
and they hope the type of implant will soon be used in other cases.
Treatment for prostate problems. BPH won’t kill you – it
stands for benign prostatic hyperplasia – but it can make life uncomfortable
for 50% of men over 50 years old and 80% of men over 80. ClearRing from Israel’s ProArc Medical can
address BPH in 10 minutes by a urologist, with no sedation required, and no
complications
Treating burns in children. Israel’s MediWound has
commenced a Phase 3 study to valuate the efficacy and safety of its innovative
NexoBrid treatment for severe burns in children. The study plans to be conducted in around 25 sites in Europe and
Israel. NexoBrid removes dead or
damaged skin without harming viable tissue.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
US-Israeli defense relationship is as
strong as ever.
America’s Dept of Defense clearly knows where to look for promising new
ideas in the area of high tech defense.
It has teamed up with the MIT Enterprise Forum in Israel to announce the
2015 Combating Terrorism Technology Challenge, with a first prize of $100,000.
Israeli mask helps
rhino ward off flies. (Thanks to Size Doesn’t Matter) Israelis treating Tanda, a
two-year old rhino at Ramat Gan safari, for an eye infection have developed a
see-through mask to protect the rhino from flies. Thanks to the “no-fly zone” mask, Tanda no longer rubs her eye on
trees.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Israel
develops the car of the future. (Thanks to Israel21c) All major auto manufacturers, including
Volvo, Toyota, Renault, Fiat and BMW, seek after Israeli car-tech. Israel has about 150 companies developing
some of the most advanced security and vision systems for the vehicles of today
and tomorrow.
Ford buys Israeli navigation system. The Ford Motor Company has
signed a deal with Israel’s Mishor 3D, which develops augmented reality
navigation systems for automobiles.
Ford will fit Mishor’s navigation systems into future Ford vehicles. Mishor’s ShadowBox displays vital
information onto the car’s windshield.
The first smart deodorant applicator. No more smelly
armpits. Israelis Gilad Arwatz and
Carla Bahri have invented the ClickStick – the world’s first reusable,
electronic deodorant applicator. It
dispenses precise amounts of any retail deodorant, with eco-friendly
refills. Their kickstarter campaign is
coming up roses!
Israeli home security is a winner. The WeR@Home home security
system from Israel’s Essence has just won the Broadband Infovision Award for
Best Broadband Home Service Innovation.
Back in July, WeR@Home also won the European Consumer’s Choice Award for
2014. Besides its alarm facilities,
WeR@Home can control more than 1,000 devices and applications including door
locks, switches, dimmers, and thermostats.
One-tap messaging. (Thanks to Atid-EDI) MIRAGE
is a one tap instant messaging app that lets users share photo, video, text and
voice messages that disappear after a few seconds. Tel Aviv’s Mobli Media has
just launched version 2.0 of the platform.
Israeli towing system
approved for Boeing 737 jets. The Boeing 737 narrow-body jet has been
certified in Europe and Israel for airport towing by the TaxiBot system
developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It will save over 1200 liters of fuel per take-off. In-service evaluation begins next month at
Frankfurt airport.
Transforming the desert. In southern Israel, the
next generation of Jewish pioneers is making the desert bloom. A group of
young, Zionist, idealistic adults known as the Young Farmers Incubation Project
are cultivating a previously uninhabited area in the northwest Negev on
Israel’s borders with Egypt and Gaza.
Israeli agro-tech is a winner. Israel’s AutoAgronom was
one of the 25 finalists in the prestigious Massachusetts-based MassChallenge
2014. Chosen from 128 participants and
thousands of companies that applied, AutoAgronom’s intelligent irrigation
system was the only agricultural technology in the contest.
France holds Israeli Innovation
Day. UBIFRANCE
is hosting its 3rd annual Israel-France Innovation Day in Paris on 16th
December. It will focus on finance and e-commerce, e-health and personalized
medicine, and Big Data to help cities get smarter. Israeli companies will link up with potential French partners.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Record year for
Israeli companies on Wall St. 2014 has already set a record in offerings
by Israeli companies in the US capital market (IPOs and secondary offerings by
public companies). So far 26 Israeli
offerings have raised an all-time record of $3.6 billion, breaking the previous
record of $3.3 billion set in 1999.
Israelis bring “magic” to Los Angeles. The 2014 Israel Conference
in Los Angeles covered Israeli activity in everything from cybersecurity to the
Hollywood film and television industry.
One of the purposes of the conference was to “show the power and
strength of how the Israeli economy is touching the world.”
Israeli-UAE sporting tie-up? Leading UK soccer club
Arsenal FC has signed a sponsorship agreement with Markets.com the online
Forex, CFD and binary options company.
It is a little ironic that Markets.com is owned by Israeli billionaire
Teddy Sagi and Arsenal’s home ground is the Emirates Stadium.
Israeli delegation begins 50-day visit
to Japan. A
delegation of 30 senior Israeli representatives has set off for Japan aiming to
deepen economic ties between the two countries. It will present Israeli technology to large Japanese
corporations, in an effort for greater cooperation timed ahead of the 2020
Tokyo Olympics.
A web boost for restaurants. Israel-based
website building tool provider Wix.com is acquiring OpenRest, another Israeli
start-up that specializes in on-line ordering and mobile solutions for
restaurants. The move will help smaller
restaurants attract hungry customers without paying hefty fees to third
parties.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Israeli wins French book prize. (Thanks to Hazel) Israeli
author Zeruya Shalev won the 2014 Prix Femina Étranger, a French literary prize
for foreign novels, for her book "What Remains of Life," which tells
the story of relationships in Israel throughout several generations and was
published by Keter Books in 2011.
Kite surfers in Tel Aviv. Imagine yourself in the
Mediterranean beaches of Tel Aviv, riding on a surfboard while holding on to a
specially designed kite, using the wind for propulsion. That’s kitesurfing, and you’ll see many
Israelis and tourists having fun with this extreme sport nearly every day of
the year.
THE JEWISH STATE
McDonald’s – it’s not what you think. One of my local synagogues
was featured in the Jerusalem Post Metro supplement.
Winter has arrived. We started saying the
winter version of the blessing for a good year on Oct 30th and the heavens
opened. The first rains began whilst we
were praying for rain during the festival of Shemini Atzeret. The level of the Kinneret has started
rising, and a (harmless) waterspout appeared off Tel Aviv beach.
Kindness on the light railway. Jacob Richman has written
this article about a security guard on the Jerusalem Light Railway late night
run, who feels that it’s his duty to ensure security personnel at each station
get a hot drink to warm them during the cold Jerusalem nights.
141102
In the 2nd Nov 2014 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
Israel’s Universal Flu Vaccine is
granted international patents.
·
The United Nations praised Israel for
its work to combat the Ebola virus.
·
Israeli scientists have made
electrical circuits from strands of DNA.
·
An Israeli fungicide dramatically
slows down the deterioration of fresh food.
·
An innovative Israeli on-line system
has entered the second-hand car market.
·
A pair of Israeli bridge players have
become world champions.
·
A new inspiring website of positive
Israel stories.
Page Down for more details on these and
other good news stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Universal Flu vaccine
gets EU and Japanese patents. The European Union and Japan have granted
patents to the universal flu vaccine Multimeric-001 (M-001) developed by
Israel’s BiondVax. The ex-Weizmann
Institute technology already has patents in the United States, Hong Kong,
Australia, China, Russia and Mexico.
US approval for Israeli ECG system. The US FDA has approved the
innovative ECG system HyperQ Analyzer Rest developed by Israeli biotech
BSP. HyperQ can test patients at rest,
diagnosing early-stage heart disease without putting the patient under stress.
It is less risky than alternative invasive and radioactivity tests.
Boost for GVHD treatment. The US FDA has given orphan
status to Glassia from Israel’s Kamada, to treat Graft-versus-host-disease
(GVHD). Preliminary studies indicate
that Glassia may be able to treat and reduce the severity of GVHD, a key
life-threatening complication of stem cell transplantation from another person.
Success with new treatment for
Parkinson’s.
Phase II trials of liquid levodopa/carbidopa (LD/CD) (ND0612L) by
Israeli biotech NeuroDerm have shown improvements in patients with moderate to
severe Parkinson’s disease.
App improves eyesight of Israeli pilots. The Israeli app GlassesOff
has been tested successfully on 32 Israeli Air Force pilots. On average, a 35% improvement in visual
acuity (sharpness and clarity) was achieved after 3 months of exercises for
just 12-15 minutes, three times a week.
GlassesOff improves the brain, not the eyes.
Leading the way on managing ADHD. (Thanks to Nevet – www.broaderview.org) Hadassah Hospital’s
Neurocognitive Center has one of the world’s most innovative models for the
management of ADHD. Hadassah’s
diagnosis and therapy practices allow children to live normal lives with their
families.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
The “All Children’s Park”. Israel has inaugurated
another accessibility park for children.
The ACP (All the Children’s Park) at Hod Hasharon contains playing
devices that allow children with special needs (emotional, social, mental,
physical, sensual disabilities) interact with ordinary children.
Women take to Crowdfunding. Researchers at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem have found that the proportion of women (35%) raising
capital using the crowdfunding site Kickstarter was far higher than women using
more traditional methods. The reason is
that women have better on-line networking skills than men.
Azerbaijan. More on the emerging relationship between
Israel and its majority-Muslim ally.
UN praises Israel’s
work to combat Ebola. Wow! United Nations
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sent a letter to Israel’s envoy to the UN, Ron
Prosor, commending the Jewish state for its efforts to combat the outbreak of
the Ebola virus. Meanwhile, Israel’s Sys Technologies makes the inflatable
isolation tents recently installed in Guinea.
It also developed a stretcher that isolates those suspected of having
contracted the virus.
Nursing sea turtles back to health. (Thanks to Israel21c)
Israel’s Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Mikhmoret has nine
patients. They include Mazel (Luck) who
is blind and Hofesh (Freedom) with his artificial fins. They will stay and hopefully breed, but the
other seven could eventually return to the sea.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Look what you can 3D print. The Israeli website
Inside3DP aims to become the primary authority on the 3D printing industry,
providing expert analysis of the technology in all its varied aspects.
Electrical circuits
using DNA.
An international scientific group led by Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Professor Danny Porath has made electricity flow through long molecules of four
DNA strands. This breakthrough in molecular electronics could lead to a new
generation of simpler and cheaper computer circuits.
Helping California combat drought. Professor Eilon Adar, of
Ben Gurion University's Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research (ZIWR), is in
California sharing technology and experience of working with scarce water
resources. ZWIR specialties include
desalination, hydrology, resource economics and water management.
Solar power from trees. (Thanks to Size Doesn’t
Matter) The Ramat HaNadiv nature park in Northern Israel contains an unusual
tree. The solar powered tree has a brown metal trunk and branches. Its seven
broad leaves are solar panels that provide shade, plus energy for electric and
USB outlets, chilled water fountains and wi-fi.
Silence on board. There has been quite a lot
of “noise” recently about the ‘Quiet Bubble’ technology developed by Israel’s
Silentium. It can create quiet zones around aircraft passengers' heads. The
system, based on Active Noise Cancellation, was demonstrated in California and
Washington recently.
Israel in global test of cosmic
radiation.
Israel is part of a 4-nation project to measure the ionization rate from
cosmic radiation at various altitudes up to 35km. Scientists in Israel, England, Russia and Spain will release
high-altitude balloons carrying cosmic ray detectors in the first international
experiment of its kind.
New center for crop protection. Israel’s Evogene has opened
dedicated Research & Development facilities at its Rehovot facility to
support the company's product programs focusing on fungus, insect and weed control.
Shelf life extended by
1500%. An
invention by Israel’s Pimi Agro could see the end of world hunger. Pimi has developed a fungicide, based on
hydrogen peroxide with additives, that keeps fruit and vegetables fresh for up
to 10 weeks. It will prevent the
current wastage of one-third of all agricultural produce.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
A $ billion company in the making. Israeli start-up ThetaRay
uses complex maths for the early detection of security breaches, enabling the
shutdown of systems before damage can be done.
Its customers and investors include GE, Hapoalim and Citi. It is in
talks with Wells Fargo and Morgan Stanley and has big ambitions.
Building up ties with Philadelphia. Eleven Israeli startup
companies are in Philadelphia, attending Philadelphia's first Israel Technology
Conference, hosted by Drexel University.
Philadelphia is a perfect gateway for Israeli companies, thanks to its
abundance of higher education and healthcare institutions.
The Chinese Go4Israel. Hundreds of European and
Asian investors looked to Israel for business partnerships at the twelfth
annual Go4Europe/Go4Israel conference in Tel Aviv's Hilton Hotel. This year's conference focused specifically
on strengthening ties between Israel and China.
Good news for startups. Investment in Israel
startups during the 3rd quarter of 2014 was 6% higher than the same period in
2013. Over $700 million of funding
capital was invested in Israeli hi-tech from Jul-Sep 2014.
DNA test for your family tree. Israel-based ancestry
research company MyHeritage has joined up with 23andMe, the biotech company
that sells personal DNA kits, to enable people to discover their heritage based
on genetics testing and documented family history.
Reinventing the used
car marketplace.
(Thanks to NoCamels.com) Israel startup Beepi is transforming the buying
and selling of used cars by providing inspection, financing and delivery, all
through its digital platform. It sounds
too good to be true, but it has raised $60 million from investors who like the
idea.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Things to do in Israel in November. Many tourists enjoy
visiting Israel during November. The
temperatures are much more comfortable than during the heat of the summer.
Worth listening to. I’ve just heard about the
fascinating Jerusalem Stories Radio, which produces regular short features of
what's creative and interesting about Israel: it's people, art, history,
culture, religion...life. Please visit
the site and hear the stories.
Tel Aviv is one of the world’s top
culinary cities.
The prestigious American food and lifestyle magazine Saveur rated Tel
Aviv-Jaffa “Outstanding” in its annual rankings of the world’s best food
destinations in the category of cities with a population of under 800,000. Tel Aviv-Jaffa has 4,536 eating
establishments.
Chinese student represents Israel. Lechao Tang is studying for
a master's degree in Bible and the Ancient Near East, at the Hebrew University
of Jerusalem. He is also representing
the university (and Israel) on China’s highest rated game show “Who’s Still
Standing”.
25,000 in Tel Aviv Night Run. More than 25,000
participants ran through Tel Aviv - the "City that Never Sleeps" - in
its sixth annual 10 km urban night race.
Europe’s youth chess champion. Israeli 17-year-old high
school student Avital Boruchovsky is the 2014 European Youth Under 18 Chess
Champion, after winning a four-hour game against his Spanish opponent Jaime
Santos Latasa at the championships in Georgia.
THE JEWISH STATE
$13.2
million aid to Southern Israel residents.
The Jewish Agency for Israel has developed a $13.2 Million aid package
to help the communities of Israel’s south recover from this summer’s
hostilities, thanks to contributions from the Jewish Federations of North
America, Keren Kayesod-UIA, and other donors.
From Hezbollah terrorist to Israeli
rabbi. How
did a Shia Muslim and Hezbollah commander become Rabbi Avraham Sinai of
Tzfat? You have got to believe that
anything is possible, when you read this amazing story.
Bringing Israel’s message to the World. “People2People Diplomacy”
tells the truth, through worldwide speaking engagements and specialized tours
of Israel. What is the truth? As the only democracy in the region, Israel's
highly educated and innovative population is a blessing to the world!
“From The Grapevine”. This excellent website
features original articles highlighting the inspiring, beautiful and innovative
side of the Jewish State. It also
includes some stunning photography to accompany positive Israeli stories that
cover Innovation, Health, Nature, the Arts, Food and Lifestyle.
141026
In the 26th Oct 2014 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
20,000 international doctors connect
using the Israeli medical network G-Med.
·
A female Druze Arab is the first to
become an Israeli police commander.
·
Israelis have delivered humanitarian
aid to 1000 Yazidis and Christians in Iraq.
·
One billion products sold last year
contained microchips from Israel’s CEVA.
·
An Israeli company will coordinate
security at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
·
Google Tel Aviv has been designated
one of the world’s “coolest” designed offices.
·
A new film sets the record straight on
the historical link between Jews and Israel.
Page Down for more details on these and
other good news stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
20,000 doctors use
G-Med.
(Thanks to Israel21c) Israel’s G-Med, the world’s first and only global
social-professional network exclusively for physicians, allows doctors anywhere
to consult with colleagues, and manage multinational research projects. Launched in 2013, G-Med now has 20,000 users
in over 50 countries.
Diagnosing liver disease. A multi-center trial is to
commence of the innovative diagnosis device developed by Israel’s Exalenz
Bioscience to detect liver disease. The
device is already used to examine a patient’s breath in order to detect
bacteria in the stomach that causes ulcers.
A treatment for bone infections. Israeli biotech PolyPid is
raising funds for trials of its BonyPid process and device that can release
medication over a long period of time.
Currently, infections of dental implants and fractures may need treating
by repeated surgery. BonyPid needs
inserting only once.
Israel & Jordan work to cure
parasitic disease.
Israeli biotech Pharmaseed has initiated a new project bringing Israeli,
Jordanian and Swiss researchers together to search for a cure for cutaneous
leishmaniasis. The parasitic disease is
common in the Middle East and can cause death in patients with weak immune
systems.
Doctor saves Shaul twice. Reserves officer Dr. Oren
Weisman saved Shaul Hanoni in July after a Hamas mortar severed Shaul’s arm
during Operation Protective Edge. Weeks
later, Shaul came to Sheba hospital and found that Dr Weisman was on the
surgical team that successfully restored functionality to Shaul’s arm.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
More Israeli female medical directors. (Thanks to Margie) I
erroneously reported that Professor Tamar Peretz was the first female head of
an Israeli hospital. In fact, the
medical director of HaEmeq medical center in Afula (Dr Orna Blondheim) is a
woman, and so apparently is the head of the Carmel medical center in Haifa.
The first female Druze
police commander.
Faten Nassraldin, from the Arab Druze town of Dalit El Carmel, received
her post and pin as a platoon commander in the Israeli Police force. "I decided to become an officer
myself because I wanted to contribute as much as possible to the country and to
the police," Nassraldin stated.
Israeli police organize help for new
immigrants.
Police officers from the Ofakim precinct near Gaza have “adopted” a
family of new immigrants who were struggling to make ends meet. They gathered food, furniture and clothing
and collected donations for them. They
even built them a tabernacle for the Sukkot holiday.
Passenger complaint leads to more buses. Is this the end to
overcrowded buses? Following a
resident’s complaint, Israeli bus drivers must report each occasion when more
than ten passengers are forced to stand.
If this happens three times in one hour, the bus company must add an
extra bus for the hour of high demand.
Over 308,000 Israelis start college. The new Israeli academic
year gets underway with 238,420 students studying for a bachelors (first)
degree, 59,455 students are enrolled in graduate programs, and 10,860 are
working on their doctorates.
Tmura funds charities with over $10
million.
(Thanks to Steve) Israel’s public service venture fund Tmura has given
$10 million to over 100 education and youth-related charities throughout
Israel. 360 Israeli and Israel-related
high-tech companies have donated their shares to Tmura’s unique equity donation
program.
Hadassah program saves Palestinian Arab
children.
Hadassah Medical Center’s physicians not only perform complex cardiac
surgeries on Palestinian Arab children, they also train Palestinian physicians
so that they can treat Palestinian Arab patients closer to home.
Aid for refugees
fleeing Islamic State. The Israeli NGO IsraAid has distributed beds, blankets, basic
supplies and food to over 1,000 Yazidis and Christians fleeing the Islamic
State (IS or ISIS) terror organization in the Kurdish regions of Iraq. The Israeli team has been warmly received by
the Kurdish refugees.
Green technology for Rwanda. An Israeli delegation is
currently in Rwanda, as part of a program helping the poor east African nation
save millions of dollars a year through recycling and green technology. It includes a 4,650 sqm solar array on the
roof of the Rwandan parliament building saving $7,500 on electricity per month.
Pro-Israeli German magazine re-launches. The last issue of the
original Judische Rundschau was published just before Kristallnacht in
1938. Now, Dr. Rafael Korenzecher has
revived the magazine to “reach the German public”. His two senior editors have
promised to “stand behind Israel”. We
wish them much success.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Dairy technology in China. The Nestle Dairy Farming
Institute has just opened in China. It features Israel’s SCR Engineers Ltd, a
pioneer of Cow, Milking and Herd Intelligence, whose cow monitoring technology
will optimize the productivity of every cow.
SCR will also provide training and courses in farm management.
New smartphone-tablet
has Israel inside.
The new $200 Asus PadFone X hybrid smartphone-tablet contains a digital
signals processor made by Israel’s CEVA Inc.
It also has an Intel chip. In
2013 alone, one billion products were sold with CEVA’s chips inside. See another example of CEVA’s hi-tech
innovation in the video.
Secure storage in the cloud. Amazon Web Services has
just designated Israel’s CTERA Networks to be a Storage Competency
partner. CTERA declares that it
revolutionizes storage, data protection and collaboration for enterprises and
Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs).
$9.6 million donation for research. The Helmsley Charitable
Trust is granting more than $9.6 million dollars to four Israeli institutions –
the Technion, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Weizmann Institute and
the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
U.S. honor for Israeli Flash storage
innovator.
Dr. Eli Harari, Israeli founder of the SanDisk flash storage company, is
one of the nine 2014 recipients of the U.S. National Medal of Technology and
Innovation. Dr. Harari developed the
Floating Gate EEPROM, which laid the foundation for flash memory.
Top prizes at international Physics
event.
Eight Israeli high school students from the Ilan Ramon Youth Physics
Center at Ben-Gurion University have earned the top prizes in the First Step to
Nobel Prize in Physics international competition. Some 80 nations participate in the annual competition, which is
held in Warsaw.
Doubling the Math numbers. Ten major Israeli
international high-tech companies are working together on “Project
5times2”. Intel, Sandisk, Marvell
Israel, Microsoft, IBM, Qualcomm, Red Hat, Amdocs, eBay, and Philips aim to
double the number of Israeli high school pupils matriculating in the five units
of Math.
Israel’s global water solutions. At the International Water
Association’s annual conference in Lisbon Israelis presented creative solutions
to global water problems. Israel’s Miya received the IWA’s Project Innovation
Award, Asia Pacific Region, for significantly improving urban water system
efficiency in Manila, Philippines.
Shipping data you can rely on. The Automatic
Identification System that supposedly tracks the position of world shipping is
being manipulated to conceal criminal activities and worse. Secure technology from Israel’s Windward
provides reliable data for both economic and security purposes.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Managing security at
Rio Olympics.
The Olympic Committee and the agencies managing the 2016 Rio de Janeiro
Olympiad have selected Israeli security company ISDS to provide security for
the world's biggest sporting event.
ISDS will be the systems and security integrator at the various Olympic
Games sites.
More British Airways flights to Israel. For Summer 2015, due to
growing demand, British Airways is raising the seat capacity on the London-Tel
Aviv route by about 50%. Six weekly flights will be added, raising the total
number to 20. Also, schedule changes
will help passengers connect to North American destinations.
The first California Israel Summit. The California Israel
Chamber of Commerce will hold the first annual California Israel International
Business Summit at the Microsoft Campus in California on Oct 22nd and
23rd. The summit is a hub for Israeli
and California-based firms to explore new joint business opportunities.
Japan comes to Israel. Japanese Culture Week in
Jerusalem showed that Japan has definitely found the Israeli market. Under the
guidance of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Japanese food
manufacturers are even obtaining kosher certification.
Increasing ties with Saskatchewan. The Canada-Israel
Industrial Research Development Foundation, the Government of Saskatchewan, and
the Israeli Embassy announced a new program to encourage research and
development between Saskatchewan and Israel, and strengthen innovation and
economic ties.
A hi-tech power couple. Forbes has declared the
Israeli-born husband and wife team of Adi Tatarko and Alon Cohen to be the high
tech world’s “newest power couple.” Adi
and Alon founded Houzz.com - a platform for home remodeling and design. Houzz
has 25 million monthly users and the company is valued at $2 billion.
A cool place to work. (Thanks to Janglo) Google
Tel Aviv is one of the eight companies included in Inc. Magazine’s 4th annual
list of the World’s Coolest Offices.
See pages 5 – 8 in the linked article.
Telefonica to support Israeli start-ups. International
telecommunications giant Telefonica is to provide help and funding to companies
in Israel’s VLX Ventures technology incubator. Telefonica will invest up to $1
million in specific digital communications projects, and will also contribute
its experience.
Cutting out the banks. Blender is a new Israeli
on-line platform that connects borrowers to lenders without a bank acting as
middleman. The result is less
bureaucracy, better rates and lower fees, albeit with greater risk.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Great Israeli music. Listen to the 1980s decade
of Israeli music on Kol Cambridge from DJ Antithesis on Tel Aviv’s Radio
TLV1. Hits include “Hora” and “Hai”.
Here come the cranes. (Thanks to Israel21c)
Summer has officially ended, as tens of thousands of cranes fly in to Israel’s
Hula valley on their way to their winter retreat in Africa. They are just part of the 500 million birds
from 200 species that will touch down for some Israeli hospitality during their
migration from Europe.
Body and Soul: The
state of the Jewish Nation. This is a film that I would really like to
see - the latest documentary by Gloria Greenfield and her company, Doc Emet.
The film will have its premiere later this month in numerous American and
Canadian cities, as well as in Jerusalem.
THE JEWISH STATE
Roman inscription discovered in Jerusalem. The second part of a 130 CE
Latin inscription has been unearthed at the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem’s Old
City, many years after the first part was discovered. The tribute to Emperor Hadrian is from the Tenth Legion, just
prior to the final Jewish revolt against Roman rule.
Let’s enjoy Shabbat together. Israelis joined an
estimated 1 million Jews worldwide celebrating the latest Shabbat Project initiative. The Israeli message - it is not only in
wartime that we can be united.
141019
In the 19th Oct 2014 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
An Israeli-discovered link between
diabetes and brain disease may lead to treatments for both.
·
The new head of an Israeli hospital is
from Israel’s minority Druze community.
·
An Israeli startup is developing a 3D
desktop printer that can print electronic circuits.
·
Israel has abolished customs duty on
imports of clean technology products.
·
Three Israeli TV shows were big
sellers at the Cannes international MIPCOM show.
·
Israel hosted the largest vegan
festival in the world.
·
The birth rate in the Jewish State is
the highest in the developed world.
Page Down for more details on these and
other good news stories from Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Link between diabetes
and brain disease.
(Thanks to Israel21c) In another brain disease discovery, Ben Gurion
University researchers have found similar adverse protein interactions in
Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Type 2 diabetes.
Treatments to prevent these interactions could prevent all three
diseases.
The first medical inhaler for cannabis. Israeli biotech Syqe
Medical has developed the world’s first metered-dose device for inhaling
medical cannabis – vital for many patients suffering from MS or pain that does
not respond to conventional treatments.
The device can be produced on a 3D printer and controlled by iPhone.
Eye surgery in Kyrgyzstan. (Thanks to Hazel) Israeli eye doctors performed 55 operations
and examined over 250 patients at the Eye Microsurgery Department of Osh
Interregional Hospital in Kyrgyzstan. (Note - the original website article has
been deleted)
It’s breast cancer awareness month. I missed reporting
previously this report on Israel’s Channel 2 of the Octava cancer test from
Israel’s Eventus. So this month it’s a
good opportunity to include it.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
New head of Israeli
hospital is Druze.
Dr. Salmaan Zarka is the first doctor from the Druze community to be
appointed as head of an Israeli hospital.
Zarka will be heading up Ziv Medical Center in Tzfat (Safed). Ziv is frequently in the Israeli news
because of the injured Syrian civilians that it treats.
The first female head of an Israeli
hospital.
Professor Tamar Peretz began her career as a medical student at Hadassah
Medical Center. She advanced to head of
oncology and is now the hospital’s director general. Her personal story is a
microcosm of Jewish endeavor.
Lee saves six people. 19-year-old Lee Hasin died
last week from a brain tumor. Six
people received his organs, including a 5-year-old boy with liver failure and
an 18-year-old girl.
Syrians who trust Israelis with their
lives. Senior
doctors at Ziv Medical Center in Tsfat (Sefad) and the Medical Center of the
Galilee in Nahariya talk on Tel Aviv Radio TLV1 about the wounded Syrians who
seek out urgent medical treatment from “the enemy” (Israel).
US army veterans find healing in Israel. (Thanks to Israel21c) Based
in New Jersey, the nonprofit Heroes to Heroes brings to Israel “teams” of
American war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD). The vets enjoyed being shown
respect by Israelis, who understood what it meant to serve their country.
A friend in Portugal. A pro-Israel news site in
Portuguese has been promoting VerygoodnewsIsrael. It has also attracted many new readers in Brazil.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
3D electronics
printing.
Israel’s Nano Dimension is developing a desktop-sized 3D printer that
prints electrical circuit boards. It
uses silver nano-particle processes developed by Hebrew University Professor
Shlomo Magdassi to produce insulating and conductive inks for the
circuits. Maybe one day you will be
able to print your own computer or mobile phone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4m5skH0sGw
The plastic center of attention. The International Polymer Processing Society (PPS) is holding its
annual conference in Israel for the first time in its 30-year history. Top experts will discuss 3D printing,
nano-technology, biodegradable polymers, super-hygrophobicity, medical
polymers, smart materials and much more.
The Israel Conference in LA. The Israel Conference Oct
30-31 in Los Angeles features 75 stellar speakers from Israel-facing hi-tech
companies. The diverse cross-section of innovation and design from Israel
provides the attendees with a front-row seat to the technologies and products
of tomorrow.
Converting kitchen waste to cooking gas. Israeli HomeBioGas units
are transforming trash into bio-gas for Bedouin residents of Umm Batin near
Beersheva. Israel’s environment
ministry subsidized the 8,000-shekels cost per unit. Now 50 units are headed to the Dominic Republic as part of a test
project.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
No customs duty for
cleantech products. Israel has joined a group of 41 countries that have agreed to
drop all customs duties on goods that contribute to a cleaner environment. The global deal will also make Israel’s vast
range of clean technology products cheaper abroad and thus help Israeli
exports.
The first haredi incubator. “Yazam BaLev” (“an
entrepreneur at heart”) is the first full-fledged accelerator that will provide
support to haredi (very religious) Jewish hi-tech start-ups. The 4-month Jerusalem College of Technology program
includes mentoring and training in how to present to potential investors.
Am Yisrael Buy. A new app Am Yisrael Buy
helps users find products that were specifically made in Israel to buy. The name is obviously a play on the Hebrew
phrase “Am Yisrael Chai” which translates as “long live the Nation of
Israel.” The app is available for both
Android and iOS smartphones and devices.
Israeli TV shows are
big sellers.
(Thanks to Israel21c) Turkey, Italy, Germany, France, Sweden and Spain
have all signed deals for new original Israeli game shows and reality
formats. At the MIPCOM TV market in
Cannes, international TV producers bought “The People’s Choice”, “Help! I can’t
cook!” and “300 Sec. Ride”
Israeli gas is a game changer. By end 2015, Israel may
have binding agreements to sell billions of dollars of natural gas to Egypt,
Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. Even Turkey is interested. Israeli Energy Minister Silvan Shalom said
Israel’s gas “allows us to enjoy both political and economic fruits”.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Israeli dance troupe wins Cyprus
folklore festival.
Hadera’s 26-member “Colors of Dance” troupe won first prize at the Ninth
Mediterranean Folklore Festival in Larnaca, Cyprus. 12 countries competed in the five-day festival, including Latvia,
Lithuania, Romania, Egypt and Georgia.
The world’s largest
vegan festival.
Israel hosted on Monday what organizers say is the largest vegan
festival in the world. Ramat Gan’s Vegan Fest 2014 featured workshops,
lectures, panels, concerts, some 15,000 visitors and (of course) meat and
dairy-free food. Israel also has the
largest proportion of vegans in the world.
The balloons go up and down. (Thanks to Israel21c) This
year’s International Hot Air Balloon Festival began near Mount Gilboa in the
Galilee and finished at Park Eshkol in the Negev, watched by over 10,000
spectators. 16 balloons traversed the country, including from the US, Austria,
Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
The best bar in the Middle East. (Thanks to Hazel and
Israel21c) Drinks International magazine listed Tel Aviv’s Imperial Craft
Cocktail Bar as the best bar in Africa and the Middle East. Outside of Israel, however, the choice must
have been somewhat limited!
10 dolphins visit Israeli coast. Tourists to the Jewish State during the festival of Tabernacles
included a school of 10 dolphins that entertained the survey team from the
Israel Marine Mammal Research & Assistance Center.
Two wins out of two. Israel made it six points
out of six in soccer’s Euro 2016 qualifying Group B, with Omer Damari netting a
hat trick in a 4-1 victory in Andorra.
Previously, Israel had an encouraging 2-1 win in Cyprus.
THE JEWISH STATE
From Chief to Chief. In 1953 Yigael Yadin - the
first Chief of Staff of the new Jewish State - discovered letters
written by Simon Bar Kochba - the last commander of Judea. The letters, now on display in the Israel
Museum, were addressed to commanders of the Jewish army - perhaps including
Yadin, some 1820 years later.
Leader of Jewish legion returns to Zion. Lt. Col. John Henry
Patterson led the British Army’s Jewish Legion to battle against the Turks in
WW1. He was widely recognized as a
“true righteous among the gentiles”. To commemorate the 147th anniversary of
his birth, Lt. Col. Patterson’s ashes will be re-interred in Israel.
Another rescue via Entebbe. The Ugandan Jewish
community of Abayudaya had no Arba Minim (4 species) with which to celebrate
the festival of Sukkot. So Melanie
Lidman traversed facebook, Tel Aviv, Istanbul, Entebbe airport and Kampala to
bring a set donated by total strangers to the eagerly awaiting Jews.
President Rivlin’s “green” sukka. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin
used the theme “Sukkot in the Environment” when he invited the public to join
him in his Jerusalem sukka. Visitors
enjoyed activities and displays promoting recycling and reuse, green space,
bio-gas from waste and sustainable construction.
Israel has the highest
birth rate in the developed world. At the Jewish New Year 2014, Israel's
population has risen to 8,252,500.
Israel’s birth rate of 3 children per woman is the highest in the
developed world. (The international
average is 1.7) 42% of the world’s 14.2
million Jews now reside in Israel.
Returning lost property. Yarden Ben-Ezra was driving
behind a Brink's security truck in the Israeli city of Kiryat Ata when a sack
containing 400,000 shekels fell out of the truck. Ben-Ezra retrieved the bag and chased the truck until it finally
stopped. The guards, who hadn’t noticed the loss, thanked Ben-Ezra and drove
off.
“They will all come to Jerusalem”. Zechariah’s prophecy is
coming to fruition. Thousands of
Christian supporters of Israel packed Jerusalem’s streets and the new Pais
Arena to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
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