When
I made Aliya from the UK 10 years ago, Israel was far different from where it
is today. It suffered from lack
of water, few energy
resources, a weak
economy, high unemployment,
low currency
reserves, low tech and international isolation.
Now
Israel has built desalination
plants, recycles
90% of its wastewater and discovered huge natural gas
deposits. It has become the Startup Nation, with
the world’s
3rd most stable economy. It is at the forefront of medicine
and cybersecurity.
Together with its humanitarian
activities and global development
programs, Israel has now raised
its profile on the World stage and is especially appreciated in the USA,
Africa, India
and China.
Just
a few weeks into my eleventh year and this progress continues to amaze me. Israeli ground-breaking medical research has just
discovered a molecule that can restore
damaged hearts and micro RNA that reduces
susceptibility to epileptic seizures. Potentially life-saving
treatments include an anti-rabies
vaccination, transplants
using lab-grown bone, and the curing
and prevention
of melanoma.
Dozens
of innovative Israeli medical devices have been launched or announced recently,
e.g. spectacles that read
text to the visually impaired; a system that gives mute, “locked-in”
patients the
power of speech; a minimally invasive implant to treat
congestive heart failure; a one-second per year treatment for glaucoma;
hyper-MRI scanners to
detect cancer; bandages
that stop massive bleeding in 40 seconds; and a soft suit exoskeleton to allow stroke
patients to walk again.
Recent
Israeli global humanitarian activities include disaster
relief for USA, the Caribbean and Mexico; expanding
the free
treatment for wounded
Syrians; aid for South
Sudan and Sierra
Leone; firefighting in Montenegro;
free surgery for children in Ghana
and Fiji;
plus renewable electricity and clean water for Ugandan
schoolchildren.
Latest
technological breakthroughs include advanced systems for driverless
cars and buses,
wave energy systems for China, India, Chile, Gibraltar and now Mexico. Israeli companies make water purification
systems that utilize ultraviolet
light and hybrid biofilters.
Israelis developed hyperspectral
imaging for amazingly detailed photos and video, including on a new
Israeli satellite
that monitors
the environment. Israeli start-ups plant solar
trees; use 3D printing for facial
surgery and prosthetics;
construct high-tech fish
farms and produce smart pesticides to combat fruit
fly and rootworm
infestation.
Israelis even beat their swords into ploughshares with unmanned drones delivering purchases to customers and military training systems being adapted for tennis, basketball and soccer.
Israelis even beat their swords into ploughshares with unmanned drones delivering purchases to customers and military training systems being adapted for tennis, basketball and soccer.
Israel’s
economy goes from strength
to strength with international trade
and exports
on the rise. Israel’s 300 cybersecurity
companies exported $6.5
billion last year. Tourists visit Israel in record
numbers and unemployment
is at a record low. Massive foreign investment
in Israeli start-ups means that they no longer have to make early exits, but grow
to become Unicorns
(over $1 billion in value).
Far from being isolated, Israel is the “go-to” place for international organizations, politicians, companies and celebrities. The World Health Organization has just appointed the first Israeli for 21 years to its Executive Committee. Israel’s Prime Minister has been feted in Latin America. Visiting Prime Ministers include from Georgia and the Ukraine plus the first-ever visit from a Quebec Premier. Recent delegations to Israel include business leaders from Iowa, Chicago and Australia; Massachusetts police, French doctors, Indonesian Muslim leaders and Jordanian Sheikhs.
Barely a week goes by without the announcement of another airline’s new service to Tel Aviv or Eilat. In the same week Air Canada and Air Transat began separate services from Montreal, Canada. China’s Hainan Airways has launched its direct flights to Shanghai. El Al and Aerolíneas Argentinas are soon to begin scheduled flights from Buenos Aires and Ryanair will be flying in from Rome.
Israel’s OurCrowd has just launched OurNetwork to link at least 25 multinationals to Israeli start-ups. Visa just became the 73rd international R&D center to open in Tel Aviv - nearly double the number five years ago. Skoda is opening an Israeli technology office. Intel are to open another microprocessor factory. Many multinationals are promoting new Israeli startups by setting up incubators – the latest are Merck and Renault-Nissan.
Israeli technology is in much demand globally. 10,000 delegates attended Tel Aviv’s 5th annual DLD (Digital Life Design) Conference – Israel’s largest tech conference. Israel’s Technion and Cornell Tech opened their joint New York campus. It’s a sign of the times that Israeli-made detection kits for explosives have been sold recently to the UK, the US and France. And a dozen Israeli companies presented their solutions at a UK cybersecurity conference to counter the latest global cyber-attacks. Even UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres visited Israel and saw Israeli technology at first hand.
Israel’s popularity is not always so serious. London’s “foodies”, for example, have been flocking to Israeli restaurant The Barbary – number one on TimeOut’s list. And for the first time in its 101-year history, Italian cycle race Giro d'Italia will begin outside of Europe when it has its first 3 stages in Israel next year. Meanwhile, celebrities visiting Israel this summer included Conan O’Brien, Britney Spears, Guns N’ Roses, Radiohead and the Pixies, with Cliff Richard lined up for October.
Far from being isolated, Israel is the “go-to” place for international organizations, politicians, companies and celebrities. The World Health Organization has just appointed the first Israeli for 21 years to its Executive Committee. Israel’s Prime Minister has been feted in Latin America. Visiting Prime Ministers include from Georgia and the Ukraine plus the first-ever visit from a Quebec Premier. Recent delegations to Israel include business leaders from Iowa, Chicago and Australia; Massachusetts police, French doctors, Indonesian Muslim leaders and Jordanian Sheikhs.
Barely a week goes by without the announcement of another airline’s new service to Tel Aviv or Eilat. In the same week Air Canada and Air Transat began separate services from Montreal, Canada. China’s Hainan Airways has launched its direct flights to Shanghai. El Al and Aerolíneas Argentinas are soon to begin scheduled flights from Buenos Aires and Ryanair will be flying in from Rome.
Israel’s OurCrowd has just launched OurNetwork to link at least 25 multinationals to Israeli start-ups. Visa just became the 73rd international R&D center to open in Tel Aviv - nearly double the number five years ago. Skoda is opening an Israeli technology office. Intel are to open another microprocessor factory. Many multinationals are promoting new Israeli startups by setting up incubators – the latest are Merck and Renault-Nissan.
Israeli technology is in much demand globally. 10,000 delegates attended Tel Aviv’s 5th annual DLD (Digital Life Design) Conference – Israel’s largest tech conference. Israel’s Technion and Cornell Tech opened their joint New York campus. It’s a sign of the times that Israeli-made detection kits for explosives have been sold recently to the UK, the US and France. And a dozen Israeli companies presented their solutions at a UK cybersecurity conference to counter the latest global cyber-attacks. Even UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres visited Israel and saw Israeli technology at first hand.
Israel’s popularity is not always so serious. London’s “foodies”, for example, have been flocking to Israeli restaurant The Barbary – number one on TimeOut’s list. And for the first time in its 101-year history, Italian cycle race Giro d'Italia will begin outside of Europe when it has its first 3 stages in Israel next year. Meanwhile, celebrities visiting Israel this summer included Conan O’Brien, Britney Spears, Guns N’ Roses, Radiohead and the Pixies, with Cliff Richard lined up for October.
Finally,
my Aliya came just at the time when Israel was beginning to benefit from the
million Russian immigrants who kick-started the Start-up Nation. Since then I’ve seen the arrival of more Ethiopian
Jews, Ukrainian Jews, Bnei Menashe from India,
thousands from Europe - especially
from France,
and a steady stream from the USA
thanks to Nefesh
b’Nefesh. The latest wave is
from Venezuela. We look forward to welcoming many more Jews
in the next ten years who decide to make Israel their home and join all those
who are making the world a better place.
A
Very Happy New Year from VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
Michael
Ordman writes a free weekly newsletter containing positive news stories about
Israel.www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com
and a searchable archive www.IsraelActive.com
For
a free subscription, email a request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
