180624
In the 24th June 18 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
Thanks to
Israeli designers, a disabled Arab boy can now feed himself.
·
A huge Israeli
flag made entirely of cookies has “crumbled” the world record.
·
IBM Israel
set up a globally-broadcast debate between a computer and two Israelis.
·
An Israeli
fabric reduces the energy needed to produce desalinated water.
·
Ford and
Iveco are to use Israeli innovative wheel technology.
·
Thousands of
fans enjoyed A-ha’s first concert in Israel.
·
225 members
of the “lost tribe” of Bnei Menashe made Aliya.
·
Click here
to see the 17th June newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, Janglo,
and United
With Israel with extra features on Health
and Entertainment.
Also (TY Sandra) in German.
·
Please
click here, to donate
(a small or large amount) to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
·
Click here,
to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives of over
12,500 previous news articles.
·
If someone
wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should either click
here or send a request (with their
name) to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Cells go into
a huddle before fighting infection. Weizmann
scientists have discovered that cells in the immune system cluster together to
decide tactics, before being sent out to battle infections. These “helper
T-cells” resemble American football and basketball teams that frequently go
into a huddle during their games.
Cats (no not
Katz!) can help fight AIDS virus. Scientists at
Israel’s Technion Institute are learning more about the human AIDS virus from
discoveries made researching the feline equivalent (FIV). They have uncovered a
protein that is resistant to treatment. Breaking this resistance will help
fight human AIDS.
More accurate
radiotherapy.
Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center is the first hospital in the Middle
East to install the state-of-the-art Spine SRS software from Germany’s Brainlab.
It allows doctors to give a single dose of higher level radiation to patients
suffering from spine cancer without damaging nearby healthy tissue.
Tailored rehabilitation solutions. Innovators at Pele, a tech-innovation program at the Jerusalem-based
ALYN Hospital, develop personalized solutions for children with special needs.
For 8-year-old Arab boy Yusuf, who cannot bend his joints, it is a structure
that allows him to feed himself.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-8-year-old-who-can-now-eat-by-himself-and-other-rehab-tech-success-stories/
https://www.youtube.com/embed/kt1H0Rv-w8w?rel=0
Rambam trauma
training. 22 participants from 16 nations attended
the 19th “Developing and Organizing a Trauma System” and Mass Casualty
Management Course at Haifa’s Rambam Health Care Campus. To date the center has
trained more than 3,000 health care professionals and officials from 61
nations.
Your medical
questions answered. Israel’s Medint Medical
Intelligence collects and analyzes information from medical websites, social
platforms, blogs, and forums to help patients with cancer and chronic illnesses
make informed medical decisions. E.g. find doctors treating similar conditions,
or relevant clinical trials.
Neurosurgery
saves two children.
It was a busy week at Israel’s Schneider children’s hospital. First 10-year-old
Ilai had emergency minimally invasive surgery to remove a large colloid cyst in
his brain. Then doctors performed a 13-hour operation to remove a huge brain
tumor from 13-year-old Maxim. Both are now home.
Ex-NYC Mayor
and terror victim reunited. In 2002, 13-year-old Dvir Musai was blown up
by a terrorist’s mine. At Jerusalem’s Hadassah hospital he was visited by then
NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Now employed at Hadassah Herzstein Heritage Center, father-of-two,
Dvir received another visit from Mr Giuliani.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Subsidized English tuition for children. Israel’s Education Ministry and the Association of Community
Centers’ Shalem volunteer organization are to provide 4th to 8th-graders with after-school
spoken English lessons. Fees will be just NIS 4 ($1.10) an hour, far less than
current private tuition fees.
77,100 academic degrees. 77,100 Israeli residents received academic titles from institutions
of higher education in Israel during the 2016/17 school year - a 1.4% rise
compared to the previous year. Israeli Arabs gaining first degrees rose to
11.9% of the population from 11% last year.
Arabs & Jews celebrate together at
SodaStream. (TY WIN)
Israel’s Sodastream is using its employment model to show that coexistence
between Jews and Arabs is possible in the region.
Israel’s Ramadan Responders. On June 13th, the penultimate day of Ramadan, five Muslim United
Hatzalah emergency medical volunteers responded to a huge fire in Umm al-Fahm.
Despite fasting, they treated many children who suffered from smoke inhalation
and light injuries. United Hatzalah has 400 Muslim volunteers.
Educating for co-existence. Eran Schwartz, director of Beit Yigal Allon, went on ILTV to
explain the purpose and program of his organization based at Kibbutz Ginnosar,
by the Kinneret (Sea of the Galilee). It educates Israeli youth in how Jews and
its minorities can live together in harmony.
World Day to Combat Desertification. (TY UWI)
Although 60% of Israel is desert, it is the only country in the world where the
desert is receding. Thus, the UN designated Israel an expert in combating
desertification -the process by which drought, deforestation, and inappropriate
agriculture turns fertile land into desert.
More Israel-Asia Center graduates. I wrote previously (30
July) about some of last year’s graduates from the Israel-Asia Center’s
Leaders Fellowship. This recent article features three graduates from the
current program. They are from Indonesia (which doesn’t have diplomatic
relations with Israel), Vietnam and India.
The largest cookie
flag. (TY UWI
& ILTV) Using 117,000 cookies laid out to form a giant Israeli flag, the
Jewish community of Atlanta, Georgia not only shattered a world record, it also
raised considerable funds for worthy charities all over Israel. Afterwards, the
cookies were donated to local Georgia food banks.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
8,000 at cybersecurity conference. (TY UWI)
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu opened the 2018 Cyber Week International
Cybersecurity Conference at Tel Aviv University by telling delegates from 60
countries, “you couldn’t have come to a better place for cybersecurity” than
Israel. His speech included a simulated cyberattack.
International sports science conference. Dr. Devora Hellerstein of the Academic College at Wingate went on ILTV
to report on the fifth bi-annual international congress of exercise and sports
science. The conference, organized in conjunction with the University of
Nicosia, Cyprus, attracted delegates from 25 countries.
Innovate Israel. Innovate Israel 2018 on 3rd
July in London highlights the most exciting Israeli innovations. Over 20
leading Israeli thought leaders will give 10-minute talks covering artificial
intelligence (AI), big data, cybersecurity, digital health, machine learning
and Satellite technology. El Al frequent fliers get 15% discount.
Israel wins the
debate. Did
you hear about the fascinating debate between two humans and an IBM computer,
that many said the computer won? Did you
hear or read any of the
global media organizations mention that it was an IBM Israel project or
that the two humans were two Israeli international debating champions?
Israeli startups win counter-terrorism
competition. Two Israeli companies won a
counter-terrorism technology competition sponsored by the Israeli and U.S.
governments. CardioScale won $100,000 for its survivor vitals monitoring device.
Colugo Systems won $10,000 for its hybrid quadrotor & fixed-wing drone.
The drone company to watch. I reported previously (30th
July) on Israeli drone developer Airobotics. The startup has just been
chosen as one of the Wall Street Journal's 25 Tech Companies to Watch in 2018.
Israeli cybersecurity startup Claroty was also included in the list.
Deep learning chip for automobiles. Israeli startup, Hailo Technologies, has developed a deep learning
chip designed to run AI (Artificial Intelligence) applications. Hailo’s first
target is the driverless car market.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferhicks/2018/06/11/why-this-startup-created-a-deep-learning-chip-for-autonomous-vehicles/#efd645712a25 https://www.hailotech.com/
Award-winning ATM security. I reported previously (Nov
2014) on Israeli cybersecurity startup
Thetaray – a billion dollar company in the making. Thetaray has just won
the 2018 ATMIA Global Award for 'Next Generation ATM Security'. Its systems detect
illicit and suspicious ATM activity using machine learning.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thetaray-wins-atmias-next-generation-atm-security-award-685344251.html https://www.youtube.com/embed/p-frCKRUqTE?rel=0
https://www.thetaray.com/
Protecting a million endpoints. I reported previously (27th
Feb) on Israeli cybersecurity startup Morphisec, which protects against new
threats (e.g. ransomware and trojans) like no other company. In just two years,
Morphisec now protects one million endpoints – the fastest growth of any
subscription B2B security company.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180611005043/en/Morphisec-Hits-Million-Endpoint-Milestone-Years
https://www.youtube.com/embed/pYlSGSw9fW4?rel=0
Protecting pedestrians from automobiles. (TY UWI)
I’ve reported previously (see
here) on the Eye-Net collision prevention technology from Israel’s
Foresight. In a recent trial in Ashdod, Eye-Net was integrated with the smart
traffic light sensors of Israel’s NoTraffic, proving that many potential
accidents can be avoided.
Startup uses its own tech to buy properties. Israeli-founded Skyline AI has developed a machine learning
algorithm that identifies real estate opportunities and calculates an asset's
current market value and potential future value. It has just used the algorithm
to purchase two residential building complexes in Philadelphia.
Keep an eye (or a bracelet) on your
children. I reported previously (May
2017) on Israel’s Barkid that has launched a smart bracelet that enables
parents to supervise their children. Chaim Messika, VP of Barkid, explains the
latest about the product and discloses that it has already saved the lives of
two Israelis.
Automated planting of crops. Israel’s Superplanter has developed technology to revolutionize one
of the most difficult of agricultural activities – the large-scale planting of
vegetables, grains and field crops. https://www.youtube.com/embed/1UNZYdPHeCA?rel=0
Making a video of Wikipedia. Israel’s Kinedio has
developed technology that brings online encyclopedia pages to life. It
transforms Wikipedia’s static information into a cool video platform,
appropriate for today’s audience. https://www.youtube.com/embed/CIi3nifDTKY?rel=0
Improved desalination
technology.
Israel’s Hydrop has developed an innovative fabric that when applied to
reverse osmosis desalination membranes reduces energy consumption, making the
resulting water purification cheaper and more efficient. https://www.youtube.com/embed/0xslngtLL_k?rel=0
https://www.hydropm.com/
Model farm shows latest technology. (TY UWI)
The Neve Ya’ar Research Center in Israel’s Jezreel Valley, is run by Israel’s
Volcani Center-Agricultural Research Organization. The full-scale sustainable
educational farm will be an international showcase for cutting-edge Israeli
technologies in precision agriculture.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Tourism from US up 39% in 2018. (TY WIN)
Israeli tourism has seen increases of nearly 40% so far in 2018, giving the
Israeli economy a $577 million boost in the last five months alone. North
America Israel Tourism Commissioner Uri Steinberg explains the latest trends and
events on i24NEWS.
Environmentally friendly salt
production.
Israel’s Salt of the Earth has implemented an extensive (NIS 1 million
plus) program to protect waterfowl of all species in its salt pools. It
includes a specific island nature reserve. Since the program has started, the
population of little terns (Sterna albifrons) has more than tripled.
Making it easy to get your VAT back. Waze co-founder Uri Levine is now piloting Refundit – an app that
helps tourists process a VAT refund request on leaving a country. It’s simple,
quick, no queues, no closed counters, no need to show the goods and the
handling fee drops to 9% from the current 35 - 40%.
Wizz to fly from London to Eilat. Low-cost airline Wizz Air
has taken over the London-Eilat route that was formerly operated by now defunct
Monarch Airlines. Twice-weekly flights will commence from Oct 28. Wizz already
operates services from Eilat’s Ovda airport to Bucharest, Warsaw, and Riga.
From Tbilisi they did it MyWay. Georgian airline “MyWay Airlines” launches its first direct flight
between Tbilisi and Tel Aviv on 28th June. MyWay is a subsidiary of the
China-based Hooling Group established in 1988, and is one of the youngest
airlines in Georgia. http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/myway-airlines-begins-direct-flights-from-tbilisi-to-tel-aviv/2018/06/21/
It’s all go for
Softwheel.
I’ve reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s Softwheel and its revolutionary new wheel
technology. The latest news is that
Softwheel is partnering car-maker Ford and truck-maker Iveco. Both companies
are embarking on electric vehicle projects and have chosen Softwheel to give
them a smooth ride.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
London in Jerusalem. If you are in Jerusalem in the
coming months, the new Tower of David exhibition “London in Jerusalem: Culture
on the Streets of the City 1918-1948” could be an interesting addition to your
itinerary. It examines the cultural activity of the British, Arabs and Jews during
the British Mandate.
Israeli Opera events. The Akko Opera festival takes place on 2nd and 4th August. It
features a special production of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice. And on Thursday 9
Aug, the Tel Aviv municipality is hosting a performance of Verdi’s Nabucco in
Hayarkon Park. Admission is free.
White Night in Tel Aviv. On Thursday 28 June, Tel
Aviv holds its annual White Night shindig. Dozens of (mostly free) events take
place in cultural and art centers, commercial establishments and clubs
citywide, many of which stay open late. Outdoor performances are held until the
early hours of the morning.
A-ha’s first Israeli
concert. Legendary 80s icons a-ha performed their
first ever concert in the Holy Land on 21st June at the Amphi Park in Ranaana.
Video is of their classic hit “Take On Me”.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/Concert-Review-A-ha-takes-on-Raanana-with-Electric-Summer-tour-560623 https://www.youtube.com/embed/4ZAbjcrYW7o?rel=0
THE JEWISH STATE
Jerusalem’s ancient cistern. (TY Avi) This new
video shows the Gihon spring and Jerusalem’s ancient cistern that provided
water to the city in Biblical times more than 3,000 years ago when King David
ruled. Over 300 years later, King Hezekiah of Judah diverted the spring to
prevent it from sustaining the Assyrian invaders.
225 Bnei Menashe make
Aliya. (TY UWI)
225 members of the Bnei Menashe community from the state of Manipur in
northeast India have just completed their Aliyah through Shavei Israel. 4
separate groups joined 429 members of the Bnei Menashe community who have
already made Aliyah since the beginning of January 2018,
92-year-old survivor makes Aliya. Shoah survivor Jack Nasielski, 92, from Edison New Jersey, fulfilled
his lifelong dream, making Aliya with his daughter Lilly and her husband Bruce.
They join Lilly and Bruce’s four children and Jack’s many grandchildren and
great-grandchildren who already live in Israel.
Rescuer of Yemen’s Jews honored. Capt. Elgen Long is the last surviving member of a commercial
flight crew that saved 1,800 Jewish refugees stranded in Yemen in 1949 by flying
them to Israel. In Shanghai, they removed the seats on their Alaska airlines
DC-4 and flew 150 refugees on each of many trips from Yemen.
180617
In the 17th June 18 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
Israeli
scientists have enhanced cancer treatment for children.
·
Israeli
medics are saving burns victims from the Guatemala volcano.
·
An Israeli
startup recycles kidney dialysis devices into water purifiers.
·
Israel has
signed a new free-trade agreement with Canada.
·
A musical
based on an Israeli film has won 10 Tony awards.
·
150
musicians and dancers greeted 2,000 Birthright participants at Ben Gurion
Airport.
·
Click here
to see the 20th May newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, Janglo,
IsraPundit
(13th May) and United With
Israel with extra features on Health,
and Technology.
Also (TY Sandra) in German.
·
Please
click here, to donate
(a small or large amount) to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
·
Click
here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives
of over 12,500 previous news articles.
·
If someone
wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should either
click here or send a request (with
their name) to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Developing a blood test for cancer. The Californian healthcare
company GRAIL Inc is sponsoring a research program to detect cancer early, led
by Hebrew University Professor Yuval Dor. The program will analyze fragmented
DNA in the bloodstream that derives from tumors, to identify the type of cancer
responsible.
Targeting cancer cells
in children.
Scientists at Israel’s Technion have developed a system for the
selective nanoscale transport of the chemotherapeutic Dasatinib in young
patients. Polymer micelles enhanced with sugar carry the chemical to cancer
cells alone, thus maximizing its efficiency without harming healthy tissues.
$8.4 million for startups to test health
software. Israel has launched an $8.4 million p.a. program
that enables startups to try out their technologies with the medical data of
the four health services. It is part of the National Digital Health plan (see
here) which aims to make Israel a global leader in digital health
technologies.
A new view on surgery. Israel’s Beyeonics Surgical (a subsidiary of Elbit) develops Augmented
Reality (AR) visualization for surgeons. A head-mounted visor transmits
real-time high-resolution imaging of the surgical area, plus patient data,
directly before surgeons’ eyes. Beyeonics has just raised $11.5 million of
funds.
Cells learn to overcome difficult
pregnancies. Researchers at the Hebrew University
of Jerusalem and Hadassah Medical Center have discovered that the human body’s
“natural killer” cells improve their ability to fight diseases affecting the
fetus following the first pregnancy. It could lead to new fertility treatments
Israel’s first female ambucycle driver. Sophie Donio from Eilat is Israel's first female EMS ambucycle
driver. She is a single working mother, a therapist and a diving instructor who
gives up her free time to volunteer with United Hatzalah as an EMT first
responder and rush out to save the lives of people she has never met.
A biotech hub
at Hadassah. Israel’s LR Group is launching
Biohouse - a $14 million network of biotech hubs, initially in Jerusalem’s
Hadassah Medical Center and then at two other Israeli hospitals, plus Boston
and New York. The Hadassah hub can host 40-50 medical device and digital health
startups and is already 40% full.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Intel integrates Israeli-Arab workers. Intel has announced a special program to help integrate Arab
workers into its Israeli workforce. Led by senior principal engineer Fadi Aboud
and team leader Basma Khalaf, Intel will offer its Arab workers special
workshops and conferences to boost their careers.
Prime Minister’s Office hosts Iftar
meal. Deputy Minister Michael Oren hosted the
first-ever fast-breaking Iftar dinner in honor of Ramadan, held under the auspices
of Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office. Due to demand (100 guests accepted the
invitation) the event was relocated from the PMO premises to the Knesset
itself.
Israel Library displays miniature 10th
Century Koran. A tiny 10th-century Koran has gone
on display for the first time as part of a collection of Islamic texts being
shown at Israel’s National Library to mark the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The Koran is 68 by 37 millimeters and without vowels or punctuation.
Leaders visit from Indonesia, Bulgaria
and Austria. (TY WIN
& UWI)
Yahya Staquf, secretary general of Indonesia’s 60 million-member Nahdlatul
Ulama organization met with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, as did
Bulgaria’s PM Boyko Borisov and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
https://www.algemeiner.com/2018/06/13/netanyahu-thanks-bulgarian-pm-boyko-borisov-for-defending-israel-in-eu/ https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-israel-indonesian-muslim-leader-risks-backlash-at-home/
Israel gives Iranians drought relief
advice. (TY UWI)
Israel’s Foreign Ministry has launched a website in Farsi aimed at sharing Israeli
water technologies directly with the Iranian people, who are suffering from an
unprecedented nationwide drought. The site provides tips on how to save water
and improve its use.
World Oceans Day. (TY UWI)
Israel’s work to preserve the ocean environment is summarized in this video to
mark World Oceans Day on 8th June. https://www.youtube.com/embed/9vYg9qCZaV0?rel=0
Israel’s rescue team
in Guatemala. (TY Janglo)
Israeli doctors, nurses and paramedics have been helping at two hospitals in
Guatemala City, near to where the Fuego volcanic eruption has killed many and
displaced thousands. They also brought the innovative NexoBrid gel from
Israel’s MediWound (see here)
to treat burns victims. https://www.israel21c.org/the-ground-is-so-hot-it-burns-through-their-shoes/
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
R&D cooperation with Italy. Israel and Italy have agreed to promote eight academic and six
industrial cooperative projects, covering marine biology and agriculture. Both
governments will fund NIS 15 million per year, over the course of two years.
Israel will fund another NIS 8 million for joint bio-robotics laboratories.
IDF launches $2 billion project to build
tech campus. Israel’s Shikun & Binui and Africa
Israel have won the tender to build the new IDF information and communications
technology center in Beersheba. The center will serve some 5,000 soldiers and
career officers from the IDF’s intelligence units, including its cybersecurity
units.
Israeli wireless charging for Black
& Decker tools. I reported previously (see here) on Israel’s Humavox
and its microscopic device, small enough to re-charge hearing aids
wirelessly. Now toolmaker Stanley Black
& Decker has invested in Humavox, intending to add its technology to Black
& Decker products.
Feeling unsafe? Summon a drone. A team of students from
Israel’s Ben-Gurion University are developing Air-Pal - a personal security app
to enable local authorities to respond quicker to emergencies. App users can call
up a drone that will transmit live video images to public safety organizations.
Water purification by
sterilized medical devices. (TY Israel21c)
Israel’s NUFiltration has helped solve the problem of what to do with some of
the 125 million dialyzers (artificial kidneys used in dialysis) discarded
annually worldwide: They sanitize and repurpose these sophisticated filters as
water-purification devices for developing countries. https://www.nufiltration.com/ https://www.youtube.com/embed/l0LNPJ3vavk?rel=0
Saving crops in India. (TY Israel21c)
Israeli startup Amaizz is developing a variety of products and services to
reduce food losses in grains, cereals, and horticulture by spoilage and
degradation throughout the handling, storage, and processing stages. Amaizz has
planned an on the ground pilot to take place in 2018 in India.
Cheap, clean fuel cells. Israeli startup GenCell makes fuel cell-based solutions to create emission-free
electricity. Its new GenCell A5 is marketed as a replacement for polluting
diesel generators used by telecom companies in remote areas. The cell uses
ammonia to produce hydrogen, which then generates electricity.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-startup-says-it-can-slash-telecom-costs-with-fuel-cell-energy/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Warren Buffet helps raise $80 million in
Israeli Bonds. Global investor and philanthropist Warren
Buffet helped secure $80 million in Israel bond purchases at a gathering in
Omaha. He spoke of Israel as “one of the most remarkable countries in the world”.
Each attendee pledged to buy a minimum of $1 million bonds.
Israeli startups to star at Paris auto
show. Calcalist will lead a delegation of Israeli
auto and mobility tech companies to the first-ever Mondial Tech conference at
October’s Mondial de l'Automobile (Paris Motor Show). Jean-Claude Girot,
Mondial’s general commissary, an ardent Israel supporter, will open the
conference.
Huge impact of UK-Israel partnerships. There have been 175 Business deals initiated by the UK-Israel Tech
Hub since its 2011 launch. Their combined value of £85 million ($113 million) is
estimated to boost the UK economy by potentially £800 million ($1.1 billion) and
helps Israeli companies to access global markets.
Canada-Israel trade is
booming. Since the original 1997 Canada-Israel Free
Trade Agreement (CIFTA) came into force, bilateral trade has tripled to more
than $1.7 billion and fueled job growth in key Canadian sectors. The recently
upgraded CIFTA gives almost limitless possibilities for extending
Canadian-Israeli partnerships.
Germany leases Israeli drones worth
$1.18 billion. The German army is to lease seven of
Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) newest Heron-TP surveillance drones for nine
years. The €1 billion ($1.18 billion) deal includes training, logistics,
infrastructure, project management, operational support and maintenance.
Billion-dollar companies. There are currently 18 Israeli-founded companies worth over $1
billion. They include WeWork ($20 billion), Magic Leap ($5 billion), Tanium ($5
billion), Houzz ($4 billion), Compass ($2.2 billion), Elastic ($2 billion),
Infinidat ($1.6 billion), ironSource ($1.5 billion), Payoneer ($1.5 billion)
and Gett ($1.4 billion) http://nocamels.com/2018/06/unicorns-companies-israel-valuation-1-billion/
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
More about “Solution Nation”. I reported previously (13th
May) on David Wanetick’s book “Solution Nation” describing 62 Israeli
companies developing solutions to problems “that threaten to end life itself or
materially degrade the quality of life.” This Israel21c article features 10
companies from the book.
10 Tony awards for
Israeli-based musical. “The Band’s Visit,” based on
an Israeli film won 2018 Tony Awards for Best musical, book, score, direction
of a musical, lighting design, orchestration and sound design. Members of the
cast won Best actor in a musical, Best actress in a musical and Best featured
actor in a musical.
Miss Iraq visits Israel. Miss Iraq 2017 Sarah Idan is visiting Israel, where she has been
warmly received as a cultural hero. She again met Miss Israel, Adar Gandelsman,
with whom she had shared a selfie that generated controversy in her country. https://worldisraelnews.com/visiting-jerusalem-miss-iraq-is-embraced-by-israelis/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/visiting-jerusalem-miss-iraq-embraced-by-israelis-praised-for-bravery/
Hollywood celebrates Israel’s 70th
birthday. Israeli Consul General Sam Grundwerg held
“Hollywood Salutes Israel,” - a private VIP reception for 700 guests at
Universal Studios in Hollywood to celebrate Israel’s 70th birthday. Stars
included Barbra Streisand, Robert de Niro, Michael Douglas, Bill Maher, and Gal
Gadot.
Jerusalem Lights Festival. (TY Janglo)
The 10th annual Jerusalem Lights Festival (Jun 27 – July 5) combines the
magical atmosphere of the Old City with innovative and challenging art. Wander
through the picturesque alleyways viewing the fascinating light displays and
huge video projections on the buildings and walls.
THE JEWISH STATE
Peace prizes for Israeli Jews and
Muslims. (TY Janglo)
Three pairs of Jewish Israelis and Muslim Arabs were awarded the 14th annual
Institute of International Education (IIE) Victor J. Goldberg Prize for Peace
in the Middle East in Jerusalem, recognizing their work toward advancing peace
and reducing tensions in the region. https://www.israel21c.org/3-initiatives-awarded-prize-for-israeli-arab-peace-efforts/
Archaeologists
discover king’s head. (TY UCI & Jacques) Archaeologists
have unearthed a 3000-year-old 5cm sculpture of a Biblical king from at Abel
Beth Maacah, near Israel’s Lebanese border. But which king? It could be the
Aramean Ben Hadad or Hazael of Damascus, Ahab or Jehu of Israel, or Ithobaal of
Tyre.
Couple
makes Aliya on 71st wedding anniversary. (TY Janglo)
Chicago natives Devorah ‘Doris’ Levitz (91) and Norman Levitz (93) have just made
Aliyah. Devorah and Norman visited Israel at least once a year since their son
made Aliyah 40 years ago. Now, they have officially decided to call Israel
their permanent home.
Welcome to Israel. (TY Janglo
and JPost)
A flashmob took over Ben Gurion arrivals hall on May 24, when 150 singers,
musicians and dancers, all from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance,
surprised 2000 Taglit-Birthright participants from 47 groups taking their very
first steps in Israel.
180520
In the 20th May 18 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
An Israeli
blood test is proved to eliminate 90% of unnecessary antibiotic use.
·
Israel has
appointed its first female Druze judge.
·
An Israeli
camera has produced the first 3D video footage from outer space.
·
Israeli
hi-tech exports increased 26.8% in the first three months of 2018.
·
An
Israeli-founded insurance company gives its unused funds to charity.
·
The US and
Guatemalan embassies have opened in Jerusalem.
·
Click here
to see the 13th May newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, Janglo
and United
With Israel. Also (TY Sandra) in German.
·
Please
click here, to donate
(a small or large amount) to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
·
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here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives
of over 12,000 previous news articles.
·
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request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Reprogramming
cancer cells.
I reported previously (9th
July) that Ben Gurion University Professor Varda Shoshan-Barmatz had
discovered that suppressing the protein VDAC1 inhibits tumor growth. Her team’s
latest research shows that small interfering ribonucleic acids (siRNAs) can reprogram
the cancer cells back to normal-like cells.
Ointment for pre-skin cancer is in Phase 2 trials. http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bgn/pages/news/cancer.aspx
Improved
fertility treatment. Researchers at Israel’s
Ben-Gurion University are developing a new, single-dose fertility treatment
based on a new telomerase-activating compound, which can improve both male and
female fertility. It can also help protect the fertility of cancer patients
undergoing radiation therapy.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/tBLUUJapIoc?re;=0 http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bgn/pages/news/Fertility%20.aspx
US Government
funds Israeli flu vaccine trial. The US National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), is sponsoring a US-wide Phase 2 trial of the M-001
Universal Flu vaccine from Israel’s BiondVax.
A 9,630-person, EU-financed Phase 3 trial is already scheduled.
Reducing overuse of antibiotics. I reported previously (see here) on Israel’s MeMed which
has developed ImmunoXpert – a fast test to determine whether an infection is
bacterial or virus. ImmunoXpert is now EU approved and a recent study shows it
can reduce unnecessary antibiotic use by nearly 90%.
Treatments for
rare diseases.
Five Israeli bio-techs at Israel’s MIXiii-Biomed 2018 are developing new
therapies for “orphan” (rare) genetic diseases. They include ART Bioscience
(Duchenne’s), Eloxx (cystinosis), SpliSense (Cystic Fibrosis), NewStem (Fragile
X Syndrome) and Minovia (mitochondrial diseases).
http://www.integra-holdings.com/portfolio-items/splisense/
http://www.iati.co.il/company/3793/newstem
http://www.iati.co.il/company/3522/minovia-therapeutics
http://kenes-exhibitions.com/biomed/program/#day1
Analyzing the
genes for better treatments. Israel’s Genoox employs machine learning
algorithms to analyze large amounts of genetic data, helping doctors and
clinicians to personalize treatment and researchers to develop new therapies.
Genoox was selected by Israel’s Ministry of Health for its 100,000 Genome
Project.
DIY ultrasound
for pregnant mothers. (TY Hazel) Israeli startup
PulseNmore.is completing development of a revolutionary handheld ultrasound
device that will allow pregnant women to check on the health of their baby
using a smartphone. On its website, PulseNmore says it’s in stealth mode, so
shhh! this new “baby” is asleep.
AI to treat brain
disorders.
Israel’s BrainQ is developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies
to treat neurological disorders. These identify high resolution spectral
patterns in a patient's Electroencephalogram (EEG) that can be used to treat
patients after strokes or spinal injury with tailored electromagnetic therapy.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brainq-technologies-raises-88-million-to-treat-neurodisorders-with-artificial-intelligence-682666821.html http://brainqtech.com/
Stimulating
the brain to relieve migraines. I reported
previously (Oct
2016) on one Israeli bio-tech that had developed a non-invasive neural
stimulation device to reduce the pain from migraines. Here is another – Neurolief’s neuro-modulation
stimulates the brain stem, preventing secretion of agents that can trigger pain.
Wiping out mosquito-borne viruses. (TY ToI)
Israel’s Senecio has invented and implemented innovative technology for the
mass releases of sterile mosquitoes to disrupt the breeding of the
virus-spreading insects. It is a vital part of the battle to end diseases such
as malaria, Zika virus, yellow fever, Chikungunya etc.
A robot that rehabilitates patients. (TY TIP) Scientists at Israel’s Ben-Gurion
University have designed a robotic arm that plays tic-tac-toe. Patients can
play against the robot to exercise upper limbs following surgery or strokes.
Patients were more motivated to compete against the robot than against
computer-controlled lights.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Israel’s first female
Druze judge. (TY Hazel) Israel’s Judges' Selection
Committee has selected attorney Sausan Alkassem as a judge in the Haifa
District Labor Court. Alkassem will be
the first Druze judge in Israel. She was previously senior deputy to the legal
advisor of the National Insurance Institute.
Ramadan Kareem. Watch Israelis send season’s greetings to Muslims celebrating the
holy month of Ramadan in Israel, the Middle East and the world. Their wishes
include “an easy fast”, “blessed celebration”, “a good month” but, even more
importantly, “Peace!”
World’s first boutique Bedouin hotel. Israel is to establish the first-ever boutique Bedouin hotel - a
120-room, four-star hotel in Shibli-Umm al-Ghanam, Northern Israel. The Ministry
of Tourism is granting up to 33% of the building cost and has also approved a
budget for the establishment of a tourism infrastructure in the village.
March of Life The three-day March of Nations conference culminated in the March
of Life’s annual parade of over 3,000 Christians from approximately 40
countries who filled the streets of Jerusalem.
Forbes brings 700 entrepreneurs to
Israel. For
the first time, this year’s Forbes Under 30 events centered on one venue – Tel
Aviv – and all 700 selected under-30 entrepreneurs from 38 countries
came to Israel; many for the first time. They heard from business leaders and
superstars, pitched to VC companies and saw the country.
What did Ma say? (TY Nevet) I reported
previously (6th
May) that Jack Ma, CEO of Alibaba, was making his first visit to Israel. He
called the country “inspirational” and its history mirrored the struggles and
success of Alibaba. Israelis never gave up, despite few resources; its most
valuable asset is the human brain.
Health tech for Northern England. The UK’s Northern Health
Science Alliance (NHSA) and UK Israel Tech Hub are to bring Israeli health and
medical technology innovations to the North of England. NHSA’s Suzanne Ali-Hassan
and UK Ambassador to Israel David Quarrey signed an agreement at Tel Aviv’s MIXiii
Biomed.
World Bee Day. I’ve reported previously (see here) on how Israel is
saving the bee from Colony Collapse Disorder and re-populating bee populations
in other countries. The UN has now declared May 20th as World Bee Day. Here is
a video of how Israel helps maintain and increase its own bee community.
Bringing Israeli tech to Indian farmers. Tel Aviv University and
Indian philanthropic organization TATA Trusts have launched the Indian Centre
for Agri & Allied Tech (I-CAT). The
advanced research and development center will bring Israeli expertise and
innovation to farmers of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
Free trade deal with Panama. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Panamanian
President Juan Carlos Varela and presided over the signing of a free trade
agreement that the prime minister said held “phenomenal potential” for both
countries. It will reduce or eliminate bi-lateral customs duties.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
EcoMotion 2018. Israel’s sixth annual Ecomotion smart transportation conference is
attracting an impressive list of auto industry VIPs. They include Volkswagen’s
heads of Audi, SEAT and Skoda; a senior delegation from Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi
and senior execs from Toyota’s AI Ventures and Research Institute.
Fast and accurate subtitling. Israeli startup VerbIT produces a transcription of video content.
This can be to add subtitles for the hard-of-hearing, enhancing educational
courses, converting podcasts to text etc. VerbIT uses Artificial Intelligence
(AI) and human monitoring to achieve a 4-hour turnaround. See ILTV video.
It’s how you say it. Israel’s Voicesense has
developed a speech analytics program that can predict behavior from speech
patterns. It has applications for sales systems, call centers etc. It also
recognizes changed patterns which can give early warning of a medical
condition. Watch Voicesense’s CEO Yoav
Degani on ILTV.
Protecting crops against insects. (TY NoCamels)
Israel’s Evogene’s partnership with US Marrone Bio Innovations Inc. (MBI), has
identified microbes with genes that can protect soyabeans, corn and cotton
against insects. Selected genes are now being advanced to soybean validation in
greenhouse and field trials.
Vegan, dairy-free, soy-free yoghurt. (TY NoCamels)
Israel’s Yofix Probiotics produces yoghurts for those who cannot tolerate
lactose or soy. They’re made from grains, seeds and fruits with prebiotics and
probiotics. They’re now adding yoghurt
drinks, desserts, frozen yoghurt and ice cream to the range.
Turning seaweed into a superfood. (TY NoCamels)
Israel’s Seakura is one of a few companies that grows seaweed on land (in
purified seawater). Seakura’s “superfood” Sea Lettuce and Red Seaweed contain
more protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber and anti-oxidants than any other fruit
or vegetable. Available in the UK.
Security for Boeing’s 3D printing. (TY Nevet) There are several Israeli companies
(see here) using 3D
printers to print airplane parts and many more globally. Now Israel’s Assembrix
has been contracted by Boeing to protect Boeing’s intellectual property during
the 3D print manufacturing of parts.
Try on clothes on-line. Israeli startup Zeekit’s innovative
technology maps your image and then superimposes onto it garments from on-line
stores to show you wearing them. It even has Artificial Intelligence
“Styler.ai” to recommend items to you. Works with Amazon fashion, Topshop,
H&M, Bloomindales and many more stores.
Escaping fires and stopping poisonous
gas leaks. (TY ToI)
Israel’s Salamandra Zone has developed technology that can contain poisonous
gas leaks. It can also generate high
pressurized air to ventilate lift shafts and allow elevators to be used in the
event of a fire in a high-rise building. https://www.salamandra-zone.com/
The view from Heaven. (TY NoCamels)
I reported previously (3rd
Dec) about the Israeli 3D virtual reality (VR) camera on board the
International Space Station. The first episode of “One Strange Rock” aired in
the US on March 26, 2018. It is the
first ever 3D VR film seen from space. Click the navigation arrows n the top
left.
In-car AR navigation. The Israeli iOnRoad team of
Harman International (a subsidiary of Samsung) has developed augmented reality
(AR) navigation for the next generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class vehicles. It will
be the first time AR technology is used in vehicles, displaying the car’s
actions in real-time to the driver.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
GDP up 4.2%. Israel's economy remains robust with the latest figures from the
Central Bureau of Statistics showing that Gross Domestic Product grew at an
annualized rate of 4.2% in the first quarter of 2018. Most areas of the economy
showed huge growth, with exports of software and communications products up 26.8%.
70 Awesome things about the Israeli
economy. (TY Janglo)
The “Living Financially Smarter in Israel” group has listed 70 ways that
Israel’s economic and financial system works to benefit its citizens. They
include Aliya money, free ulpan, free savings for children, cheap health care
and 66 others. Click for more.
Incubating AI. Israel’s Shin Bet Security Agency and Tel Aviv University (TAU
Ventures) are launching Xcelerator – for startups working in Artificial Intelligence
(AI), primarily natural-language processing (NLP) technologies, robotics, and
data science. Initially, six startups will receive $50,000, workspace and
mentoring.
Joining Google in the Cloud. (TY NoCamels) I reported
previously (May
2016) about one Israeli startup that says it can migrate a company’s data
center onto the Cloud in minutes. Here is another, Velostrata, which had
been an Israeli startup, until it was recently bought by Google and has now
become part of Google Cloud.
Intel’s $5 billion factory expansion. I reported previously (27th
Feb) that Intel planned a $5 billion expansion of its Kiryat Gat
factory. It has now submitted a detailed
plan to the Israeli Government which granted a $380 million incentive. Intel Israel
exported $3.6 billion of tech products in 2017 and its 2018 plans are
impressive.
Insurance with a
heart. Israeli-founded, US-licensed insurance
company Lemonade relies on automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to keep
costs down. It processes new business and claims in minutes and at the end of
the year any surplus funds set aside for claims that is unused gets donated to
charity.
Office space in six countries. I reported previously (Mar
2017) on Israel’s Mindspace – one of the growing number of Israeli
companies leasing shared office space globally. Mindspace has just acquired
Dutch shared space provider KleinKantoor, taking Mindspace’s operations into
its sixth country.
Credit Suisse’s $250 million for medical
investment. Credit Suisse is injecting $250 million
into Israeli life-sciences Venture Capital fund aMoonII. The fund invests in
mid- to late-stage life science companies in the field of digital health and bio-techs
that operate in Israel, the US and Europe.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
New Tel Aviv nature museum. The new Steinhardt Museum of
Natural History in Tel Aviv has five floors of exhibits displaying 3,000 items,
including Israel’s last bear (1916), cheetah (1911) and crocodile. All animals displayed
died of natural causes, often coming from Jerusalem’s Biblical Zoo or the
nearby Ramat Gan Safari.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/long-dead-wild-animals-get-new-life-on-view-at-tel-aviv-nature-museum/
Art is transforming Jaffa. Jaffa now has several new
art galleries to attract tourists. They include Magasin III, Gordon Gallery’s South Tel Aviv site, Beit
Kandinof, Cuckoo’s Nest, Alamacén and Galerie Charlot.
The sands of time. (TY Pamela Levene)
For Israel Independence Day, non-Jewish sand artist Kseniya Simonova produced
this beautiful 7min video installation depicting the 20th century history of
the Jewish people. It has an inspiring message at the end. “Yerushalayim Shel
Zahav" is sung by Ofra Haza
Thou Shalt Innovate. Scott Richman of AJC
Westchester/Fairfield is a great Israel advocate. On the Israel@70 edition of his twice-weekly
radio show he interviewed (among others) Avi Jorisch, author of “Thou Shalt
Innovate” - a book I highly recommend.
Listen from 20 minutes.
Concert for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Daniel Italiaander is an
entrepreneur who made Aliya from Holland 20 years ago. Then his son was diagnosed with Cystic
Fibrosis. Daniel now is on the board of The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of
Israel which has organized a benefit concert in Ra’anana on May 28.
THE JEWISH STATE
The US Embassy opens in Jerusalem, Israel. Here are my favorite highlights
from this historic event.
US
Ambassador David Friedman’s opening speech: https://www.youtube.com/embed/y7czrlktzlQ?rel=0
US
President Trump’s speech and unveiling ceremony: https://www.youtube.com/embed/f_iokRz9bkE?rel=0
Israeli
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech: https://www.youtube.com/embed/pW8oixA-LG4?rel=0
Pastor
John Hagee’s speech: https://www.youtube.com/embed/gaD-MNUuhaI?rel=0
Welcome
Guatemala to our capital. In 1948, Guatemala was the 2nd
country (after the USA) to recognize the State of Israel. On 16th May 2018, Guatemala became the 2nd
country (after the USA) to move its embassy to Jerusalem - capital of the State
of Israel. (Open link to see United with
Israel at the opening ceremony).
https://unitedwithisrael.org/uwi-greets-guatemalan-president-morales-thanks-him-for-opening-jerusalem-embassy/
https://www.youtube.com/embed/wge96jSKkw0?rel=0
Next
week Paraguay. I reported two weeks ago (6th
May) that Paraguay’s President hoped to relocate his country’s embassy to
Jerusalem before the end of his term in mid-August. Well, he’s certainly beaten that target as it
will be moving this coming Tuesday – 22nd May.
Jerusalem
capital of Israel. As it says at the end of the video “Then, Now
and Forever”.
$17
million extra to excavate in Jerusalem. (TY WIN)
Israel Antiquities Authority has allotted an additional $17 million to the
ongoing excavations in the City of David, just south of the Temple Mount in
Jerusalem.
Israel
– the center of Jewish life. (TY Nevet) 140,000 Jewish children are born in
Israel every year. In the Diaspora -
80,000 pa. Israeli Arabs - 41,000
pa. Plus, net Aliya - 20,000 pa. It’s a demographic miracle. It was underlined
when Ezer Mizion found an Israeli bone marrow DNA match for an Italian Jew with
Leukemia.
180513
In the 13th May 18 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
An Israeli
breakthrough promises a future of safe medicines, pesticides and fertilizers.
·
Israeli
pure oxygen treatment saved the leg of a Palestinian Arab boy.
·
A Bedouin
Arab mother is an Israeli ambulance driver.
·
Israeli
research may have saved the Hawaiian coral reef.
·
Israeli
conferences in May are attracting many thousands of international visitors.
·
Frutarom’s
$7.1 billion takeover is Israel’s second-highest ever exit.
·
Israel won
the Eurovision song contest.
·
Israel
celebrates Yom Yerushalayim – Jerusalem Day.
·
Click here
to see the 6th May newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, Janglo
and United
With Israel. Also (TY Sandra) in German.
·
Please
click here, to donate
(a small or large amount) to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
·
Click
here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives
of over 12,000 previous news articles.
·
If someone
wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should send a
request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Eliminating major side-effects. A
breakthrough by Israeli scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and
Weizmann Institute can reduce side-effects in chemicals. Treatments (e.g. thalidomide) contain both
right and left-sided molecules. One type causes the side-effect and magnets can
remove the “bad” sided molecules.
99% success
for freezing tumors. I’ve been reporting on Israeli-based IceCure
for some time (see here). It
has just reported results of clinical trials showing 99% effectiveness in
eliminating cancerous breast tumors through freezing with liquid nitrogen
without surgery. Of the 146 trial patients, the cancer re-occurred in only one.
European
patent for bio-turmeric extract. Israel’s Arjuna
has produced BCM-95 - an All-in-One formulation of natural curcumin &
ar-turmerone, the most potent component of turmeric with its highest level of
oral bioavailability. BCM-95 has just received a European patent to accompany
its patents in the US and globally.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/arjuna-naturals-bcm-95-curcumin-granted-new-patent-300644354.html http://www.arjunanatural.com/bcm95.html
Transforming
sinus diagnosis and treatment. Israel’s 3NT Medical is developing and
trialing its Sinusway platform of specialty single-use endoscopes and
therapeutic devices for advancing care of ear, nose and throat (ENT) disorders.
3NT has just raised funds to complete development and commence marketing Sinusway.
Using gut
bacteria to fight disease. I reported previously (May
2017) on one Israeli biotech using the human microbiome (stomach bacteria)
to fight cancer, IBD, acne etc. Now Israel’s Evogene’s new Biomica subsidiary
is also developing microbiome therapies, for antibiotic resistant bacteria, immuno-oncology
and GI disorders.
http://www.evogene.com/press_release/biomica-evogenes-newly-established-subsidiary-announces-therapeutic-areas-focus/ https://www.youtube.com/embed/xR_-RMe18Zs?rel=0
Eye surgeon
sees no boundaries.
Dr Morris Hartstein made Aliya from the USA in 2009. Since 2014 he has
been performing eye operations on patients from Ethiopia, Gaza and the
Palestinian Authority. He also visits Ethiopia where he treats up to 500
patients each visit - mostly Falash Mura Ethiopians seeking to make Aliya.
On-line
spectacle prescription. I reported previously (Feb
2016) on one Israeli smartphone app to check your glasses
prescription. Now here’s another – Tel
Aviv based GlassesUSA checks the prescription of your existing spectacles. It
allows you to scan simple prescriptions and lenses using an iPhone.
Saving life is all in the air. (TY Margaret) I’ve reported previously (see here) on the hyperbaric
(pure oxygen) treatment conducted at Israel’s Yitzhak Shamir (formerly Assaf
Harofeh) Medical Center. Recent amazing results include repairing the brain of
a blast victim and saving the leg of 7-year-old Muhammad from Jenin.
80 years of
excellence.
Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center celebrates eight decades of operation in
Northern Israel. It treats over two million Israelis (Jews, Moslems, Christians,
Druze etc.), plus Palestinian Arabs and Syrians. An innovation hub with cutting-edge
technology, it delivers medical excellence to Israel and the world.
https://www.rambam.org.il/EnglishSite/AboutRambam/Publications/NewsandEvents/Pages/Israel-Celebrates-and-So-Does-Rambam.aspx https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dqq0iTKhO8g?rel=0
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Lone soldiers
celebrate Passover. Thanks to the
charity Yahad - United for Israel's Soldiers, 250 Israeli lone soldiers were
able to mark the Jewish festival of Passover with a pre-seder feast. For most
of them, it was their first Seder away from their countries of birth and their
families.
Protecting the environment. Israeli NGO Zalul (Hebrew for “clear”) leads the fight to reduce
plastic waste in Israel and encourage recycling. It helped introduce payment
for supermarket plastic bags and other projects to reduce pollution. Zalul CEO Maya Jacobs went on ILTV to explain
more. Good summary on their website.
Female Muslim
ambulance driver. (TY Avi) I reported previously (31st
Dec) about United Hatzalah’s female Muslim paramedic. Magen David Adom is
also training Bedouin men and women to become medics. This I24 News video
features ambulance driver and trainee paramedic 27-year-old, mother-of-four
Warud Abu Abed.
Thanks to Israel for our freedom. (TY Hazel) Like many Israeli Christians, IDF Captain (res.) Shadi
Halul is grateful that “the Jews returned to their homeland and created freedom
for the Jews and the Christians in Israel.” https://www.jns.org/amid-independence-day-celebrations-how-israels-minorities-view-their-status-in-the-jewish-state/
PA to control its own electricity. (TY Hazel) I reported before (16th
July) that Israel transferred an electricity substation over to the
Palestinian Authority. The PA has now taken responsibility for most of the PA’s
entire power supply. The Israel Electric Company and PA together will construct
four new high-voltage power plants.
Trilateral summit. The leaders of Israel,
Cyprus and Greece convened in Nicosia for their fourth summit since launching a
trilateral partnership in 2016. The main issue discussed was the feasibility of
laying a pipeline from Israel to Cyprus and then to Greece and Italy.
Saving Hawaiian coral. Hawaii state legislature passed a ban on sunscreen ingredient
oxybenzone (BP-3) after researchers from Ben-Gurion University and the USA
provided significant evidence that BP-3 has caused coral bleaching. Oxybenzone
caused deformities, endocrine disruption and DNA damage that kills the coral.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Thousands see Israeli
innovations.
Israel hosts four major international exhibitions in May where
innovative Israeli technology is on show. FoodTechIL (May 7); AgriVest (May 8);
AgriTech Israel (May 8-10); MIXiii-Biomed (May 15-17); https://www.israel21c.org/thousands-come-to-tlv-to-see-advances-in-food-ag-biomed/
Israel hosts global
science conference.
23 science ministers are scheduled to attend “The First International
Ministerial-Level Scientific Conference: Thinking Out of the Box,” in
Jerusalem. Even more countries plan to
send lower-level delegations, including chief scientists. https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/23-Science-Ministers-to-attend-innovation-mega-event-in-Jerusalem-555950
Driverless trucks. Israel Aerospace Industries
(IAI) is unveiling new products that could potentially revolutionize mining and
quarrying. IAI's robotics factory has developed technology for utilizing
autonomous vehicles in heavy mechanical equipment used in mining and
development work.
Where to rent or buy in NYC. Israel’s Localize.city (a
subsidiary of real estate data company Madlan) has launched a website that allows
anyone to search any address in New York City, receive a view of what it's like
to live there today and learn about future changes. Localize.city has just raised $8 million of
funds.
Spreading its roots. I reported previously (see here) about Israel’s
Rootility that develops root-focused plant breeding methods that increase crop
yields, and improve plant tolerances to heat, cold, and soil borne diseases.
Rootility has just raised $10 million of funds to help it expand international
sales and the crops it develops.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3737657,00.html http://www.rootility.com/products
IBM accelerates Israeli startups. I’ve reported previously (see here) on IBM’s Alphazone
startup accelerator which has been supporting and advancing Israeli startups
since 2014. Gil May Tal – IBM Israel’s Head of Startup & Development
Ecosystem – went on ILTV to describe Alphazone’s successes and its 2018
program.
Ironic? Another system to detect
plagiarism. Funny – I reported only two weeks ago (see
here) of an Israeli system to detect where students copy material and pass
it off as their own original work. Now
here is another one. Idan Frost went on
ILTV to explain his system, called “Originality”.
Mimic nature to make
better designs. I reported previously (31st
Dec) on the Hebrew University’s use of nature to make a better world. The
organization Biomimicry promotes these types of solutions that meet global
challenges (e.g. Israel’s Seevix’s artificial spidersilk fibers). Biomimicry’s
Tel Aviv conference is on Jun 14.
If you can Screenshot it, you can find
it. I
reported previously (26th
Nov) on the launch of Israeli-founded Screenshop which uses photos of an
object on your phone to find the object for sale on-line. CTO & co-founder Jonathan
Caras said on ILTV that his company has had more partnership requests than it
can handle.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Unemployment down, exports up. Israel’s unemployment rate fell
to 3.6% in March - a new record. Exports of services in Feb 2018 totaled $4.2
billion - 6.9% higher than January. Exports of services by the high-tech sector
totaled $2.2 billion in February - 7.3% more than in January.
Investment in startups up by 50%. 181 Israeli startups raised $1.52 billion in the first quarter of
2018 – 50% more than in the first quarter of 2017. The upward trend continued in April.
Frutarom exits for
$7.1 billion.
Israeli flavors and fine products company Frutarom has been taking over
similar businesses all over the world for several years (see here). However, it has now been swallowed up by the
mighty US Flavors & Fragrances Inc (IFF) for a whopping $7.1 billion – the
second largest Israeli exit ever.
BriefCam acquired by Canon. (TY OurCrowd)
I’ve reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s BriefCam and its innovative video content analytics
platform. BriefCam has just been bought by Japanese giant Canon Inc. to help it
expand its video technology and solutions to global customers and partners.
Wizz launches 6th Romanian route. Hungarian airline Wizz Air is to operate a new route from Sibiu in
Romania to Tel Aviv starting July 14. Wizz Air already operates direct flights
to Israel from Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara, Craiova, and Iasi. 79,000 tourists visited Israel from Romania
in 2017.
Amazon builds up in Israel. Although it hasn’t confirmed
its Israeli operations, Amazon has assembled a temporary modular office for 300
workers in Haifa’s MATAM business park while a 12,000 sqm building is being
built nearby. It has also leased space in Tel Aviv’s Azrieli Sarona Tower and
is hiring Hebrew translators.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
“Solution Nation”. David Wanetick has written and published a new book about Israeli
technological prowess, “Solution Nation: One Nation is Disproportionately
Responding to the World’s Most Intractable Problems”. It analyzes 62 emerging
Israeli companies, all of which are developing solutions to life-threatening
problems.
70 years of Independence Day posters. Here is a selection of some
of the most important and beautiful Yom Ha’atzmaut posters issued over the past
70 years - taken from Israel’s State Archive.
They present a moment in Israel’s history: concerns and achievements
during the past year, as well as hopes and goals for the coming one.
Netta wins Eurovision
Song Contest for Israel. Israel’s Netta Barzilai won
the Eurovision song contest with “Toy” scoring 529 points, nearly 100 points
ahead of second place Cyprus. Israel will therefore host next year’s Eurovision
competition, which will bring thousands of fans to Jerusalem.
Shakira to perform in Israel in July. Shakira, the world-famous Latina singer, will perform in Tel Aviv
in July - her first ever concert in Israel. I reported on Shakira previously (Jun
2011) when she visited a joint Jewish-Arab school in Jerusalem in her role
as UK Goodwill Ambassador.
Ringo Starr extends his Israel tour. Fans of ex-Beatles drummer
Ringo Starr have been so enthusiastic, his 23th June Tel Aviv concert sold out.
So, he’s doing another performance on 24th June. Ringo and his All-Starr Band
are coming to Israel for the first time ever, as part of their “Give More Love”
world tour.
Another Heading. (TY David L) The 16th May
Tel Aviv screening of “Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel” is a sell-out (see here). There will now
be another chance to see this remarkable film on June 4 at the Lev Smadar in
Jerusalem. All proceeds go to the Team Israel Olympics 2020 effort.
Cycling teams from Arab states in
Jerusalem. Teams from the United Arab Emirates
& Bahrain competed in the Israel stages of the Giro d’Italia cycle race.
The eight cyclists from Team Emirates included Fabio Aru who said, ““Sport and
cycling unify people, this is a fact,”.
Also, see this one-minute video of the event.
The first velodrome in the Middle East. Tel Aviv is officially home
to the Middle East’s first indoor velodrome cycling racetrack. The world
governing body for sports cycling, Union Cycliste Internationale, has formally
certified the Sylvan Adams National Velodrome to be Olympic Standard.
THE JEWISH STATE
Bridging
Israel and the US.
Bar-Ilan University has inaugurated a new Impact Center for Research on Judaism
in Israel and North America (RJIN). Headed by Prof. Adam Ferziger, the new
center aims to develop models to improve relations between Jews in Israel and
America. It includes a think tank and an MA program.
The
home of hope. (TY UCI)
The world is still celebrating Israel’s 70th birthday. This video was made by UK ex-Chief Rabbi Lord
Sacks, to mark the event. https://www.youtube.com/embed/NgXurQd8e6s?rel=0
The
miracle that is Israel today. (TY Martha) Writer Joseph Puder puts Israel’s last 70 years into
context. He highlights the revival of the Hebrew language, population and
infrastructure growth, cultural integration, its transformation into a
technological powerhouse and associated economic success.
Signs
of the times. (TY WIN)
Jerusalem Municipality workers (including the Mayor) have been putting up new
street signs in Hebrew, Arabic and English, directing travelers to the new US embassy. Note that the last sentence in the video
commentary is wrong - many other countries are moving their embassies to
Jerusalem.
Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day). A list of events to mark the 51st
anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem.
If you hurry, you might just be able to make it to some of them. Also,
see how Jerusalem has grown in the last 10 years.
Jerusalem – the heart of Jewish life and history. This video shows seven examples
of archaeological evidence that the city of Jerusalem is the eternal capital of
the Jewish people. Official seals, parchment, burnt stone walls, ritual baths,
siege weapons and Temple floor tiles.
United Jerusalem. Last
year (see
here) I included a long video featuring a selection of the residents of
Jerusalem, capital city of Israel. It
showed that despite their different faiths and different levels of religiosity,
they all get along with each other. This
version says it all, in just two-and-a-half-minutes.
Bar
Kochba coin found on Lag B’Omer. The life of Rabbi Shimon Bar
Yochai is celebrated on Lag B’Omer. His mentor Rabbi Akiva supported Bar Kochba
in his 134-136 CE revolt against Roman occupation of Judea. So, it was apt that
this year on Lag B’Omer, archaeologists found a coin minted by Bar Kochba’s
supporters.
180506
In the 6th May 18 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
Israeli
scientists have found a vital link to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
·
Israeli
doctors have saved the lives of many children from Kurdistan.
·
An Israeli
startup produces realistic animal-free meat.
·
Israeli
desalination will rescue Mexicans from drought.
·
BMW has
selected Israeli sensors for its driverless cars.
·
Italy’s
top annual bike race has started - in Jerusalem.
·
Guatemala
is the first embassy to fly its flag in Jerusalem.
·
Click here
to see the 29th Apr newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours (plus compliment),
Janglo
and United
With Israel. Also (TY Sandra) in German.
·
Please
click here, to donate
(a small or large amount) to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
·
Click
here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives
of over 12,000 previous news articles.
·
If someone
wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should send a
request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Early cancer
detection. Scientists at Israel’s Ben-Gurion
University and Soroka Medical Center have developed a new non-invasive method
to detect the breast cancer biomarker early and accurately. They analyzed
breath using electronic nose gas sensors, and urine using gas-chromatography
mass spectrometry.
Zebrafish clue to infant crib deaths. Scientists at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University have found a link
between body temperature and disturbed sleep from neuronal noise that may
explain Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Their research was advanced by
analyzing the effect of rising water temperature on the activity of zebrafish.
Innovative
solutions for wounded veterans. 200 Israeli tech innovators participated in a
3-day “make-a-thon” in Tel Aviv to address a variety of challenges faced by 12
wounded war veterans (7 Israelis, 6 Americans and one French). “Makers for
Heroes” organized by non-profit RESTART, is the first international event of
its kind.
Protein shake
helps children grow. I reported previously (May
2015) on the high-protein growth supplement developed by Professor Moshe
Phillip at Israel’s Schneider Medical Center. Professor Phillip then co-founded
Nutritional Growth Solutions (NG Solutions) and launched its “Healthy Height”
shake in the US and Europe.
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/healthy-height-high-protein-shake-helps-children-grow-681465001.html
https://www.healthy-height.com/ https://www.healthy-height.com/pages/our-story
The “secret”
of Israeli longevity. (TY Nevet)
National Geographic Travel suggests reasons for Israel’s consistent position
near the top of the world’s longevity scale. It cites the combination of a Mediterranean-style
diet, low alcohol consumption, strong family and cultural values, and an
excellent healthcare system.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Teaching Israelis to fish. (TY David L) There is a Jewish motto – give a poor person a fish
and he will eat for a day. Teach him to
fish and he will feed himself. Israel’s Chaim
BePlus provides courses in personal financial management to young adults aged
17-21 to give them the tools to become independent and self-sufficient.
Haredi women cyber graduates. Israel’s Ministry of Welfare and Social Services has announced the
first graduates from its cyber training course for Jewish ultra-Orthodox women.
The Government regards inclusion of the Haredi in Israel’s lucrative tech
industry as vital for Israel’s economic growth and stability.
Israel’s world-class universities. (TY Nevet) US entrepreneur Stephen Grand
highlights the good value of Israeli universities. Factors include lower
faculty salaries and student costs and hence more undergraduates; focus on
academic papers and research; advanced labs; and international partnerships
(industry and academia).
The diversity of the IDF. (TY Nevet) Good article discussing the role
of the IDF in Israeli society. Developing skills, training for civilian life;
developing leaders; integrating immigrants; learning colloquial Hebrew;
encouraging minorities; and promoting fair and equal treatment for every
individual.
https://www.jewishpolicycenter.org/2018/04/11/a-prism-on-the-diversity-of-the-israel-defense-forces/
Connecting Jews and Arabs through
soccer.
Israeli non-profit Kulna Yerushalayim (We are all Jerusalem) is
organizing a summer soccer event for some 200 Jerusalem Jewish and Arab kids.
It will include live music, sports legends and screenings of the World Cup matches
on the ancient walls surrounding the Old City.
Time Magazine’s most influential people. “Wonder Woman” actress Gal
Gadot and WeWork co-founder Adam Neumann are two Israelis named by Time
Magazine in this year’s “100 most influential people”.
The first Israeli President to visit
Ethiopia. President Reuven Rivlin has made the
first visit by an Israeli head of state to Ethiopia. He and his delegation sought
“to deepen our friendship and cooperation with Ethiopia”, particularly in water
technology, health, agriculture, food security, cyberspace and countering
terrorism.
Saving Kurdish
children. (TY UWI
& I24 News) Christian charity Shevet Achim has been bringing sick children
from Kurdistan to Israel for life-saving treatment in Israeli hospitals, such
as Sheba, Tel Hashomer.
Israeli-style farm for at risk Tanzanian
kids. In 2017 Tanzanian community developer and
environmentalist Fabian Bulugu volunteered at Kaima - an organization that uses
organic farming to give Israeli high-school dropouts an income and a fresh
start on life. Now Fabian is building a similar social farm in Tanzania.
New Tanzanian embassy. Tanzania is opening its first embassy in Israel on May 8th. The grand opening of the embassy in Ramat Gan
will be attended by Tanzania's Foreign Minister Augustine Mahiga. Israel’s Defense
Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked visited Tanzania in
March.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
7 Edison Awards. Edison Awards recognize and
honor the most innovative products and business leaders in the world. This year
Israeli companies won 4 gold awards and 3 bronzes. Gold went to SolarEdge,
Insightec, Livia (iPulse Medical) and Secdo. Bronze went to Anagog, NovoCure and
Innoviz. (see all in IsraelActive)
4 Fortress awards. Four Israel-based and Israel-founded cybersecurity companies won
2018 Fortress Cyber Security Awards from Business Intelligence Group. They are
Dojo Labs (see
here), Deep Instinct (see
here), Zimperium (see here)
and Cymulate (see
here).
Tech training for Israeli diplomats. Prior to overseas
assignments, Israeli diplomats will now receive training in technology,
innovation, and entrepreneurship. The program was designed by the Israeli
Innovation Authority, the Israeli Export Institute, the Ministries of Economy
and Science and Technology, and local tech companies.
Using data for social good. The sixth Data Mining for
Business Intelligence conference in May at Ben-Gurion University will be
preceded by a Data Hackathon for social good. Prizes up to NIS 10,000 are
offered for solutions to adverse medication interactions, malicious IoT devices
and improving weather prediction.
How to back-up the Internet? (TY TIP) Israel hosted a unique
international conference, “Web Archiving: Best Practices for Digital Cultural
Heritage” at the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem. It addresses the
problem of preserving 30 years of historical material on the Internet in case
an important site is shut down.
Get back in the air fast. Israel’s Pzartech is working
with the Hanger Labs innovation hub of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to
reduce aircraft downtime during maintenance. Pzartech’s systems helps to
speedily identify and obtain the relevant mechanical parts. Pzartech is now adapting their system for
vehicle maintenance.
Animal-free meat can
look like meat.
Aleph Farms is one of several Israeli startups developing “cultured”
meat (see here) grown in
a clean environment and not in animals. Aleph’s product is closer to farmed
meat in shape, texture and taste due to its Technion-developed 3D technology
that grows it from 4 types of animal cells.
The world’s 16th greenest city. (TY Nevet) Tel Aviv is
the 16th greenest city in the world, according to the latest study by online
travel specialist TravelBird. The aim of its GreenCities index is to analyze both
natural and man-made areas and recommend the best urban destinations for
eco-conscious travelers.
Safer and more efficient cycling. Israeli-founded startup Watteam has developed a device and mobile
app that measures the actual amount of force a cyclist is using, to help
enhance performance and prevent injuries. Watteam has sold 2,000 units since
its Sept launch and has just raised $5 million of funding.
Desalination plant for
Mexico.
Fluence Corporation (a merger of Israel’s Emefcy and US RWL Water) is to
build a 5.8 million gallon/day seawater desalination plant that will supply
100,000 residents of the Mexican state of Baja California. The Mexican
government has declared a drought in the area since 2014.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Tourism smashes records again. (TY Nevet) Israel
welcomed 949,000 tourists in the first 3 months of 2018 – up 29% on the same
quarter of 2017. March’s year-on-year increase was 34%, with the biggest
increases from Poland (136%), Sweden (90%), Spain (68%), Germany (55%) and
France (49%).
3rd China-Israel route for Hainan
Airlines. Hainan
Airlines is to begin a direct route to Tel Aviv from the Chinese city of
Guangzhou. The airline already flies direct from Tel Aviv to both Beijing and
Shanghai. In its first year of operation Hainan flew over 76,000 passengers
between Tel Aviv and Beijing.
Video goes into reverse. In 2012, electronic giant
Cisco Systems bought Israeli video software company NDS for $5 billion. Cisco
is now focusing on core business and has sold the NDS unit back to its original
controlling shareholder Permira Holdings for $1 billion. NDS’ original CEO Abe Peled will become its
new Chairman.
Alibaba founder visits Israel. Chinese business magnate and
investor Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba arrived in Israel with a delegation of 35
people. He is to receive an honorary doctorate at Tel Aviv University and tour
the country. Alibaba has invested in several Israeli companies (see here) and is opening
offices in Tel Aviv.
Israeli sensors for
driverless BMWs.
I reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s Innoviz and its LiDAR (Light detection and ranging)
sensors for autonomous vehicles. Now BMW is to employ Innoviz sensors in its upcoming
autonomous vehicle production platforms. BMW aims to launch self-driving cars
by 2021.
Big demand for grasshopper protein. I reported previously (see here) on Israel’s Hargol
which aims to solve the world’s protein shortage with its farmed grasshoppers. Hargol
already received $5 million worth of orders from customers in the U.S. and
Europe and interest from Ikea, Whole Foods, Diego (Guinness) and Pepsico.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Heading Home. (TY David L) I reported previously (18th
Mar) on the new film "Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel"
showing in the US. Now, the Israel Association of Baseball (IAB) is screening
the film on May 7 in Ra'anana and on May 16 in Tel Aviv. All proceeds go to the
Team Israel Olympics 2020 effort.
Ronaldinho’s Israeli football school. Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho
Gaucho has launched the Ronaldinho Soccer Academy, a football school in
Jerusalem for Israelis aged 6 to 16. “I am very excited to help Israeli
children of all faiths raise their game to the highest levels,” Ronaldinho said
during a news conference.
The first Israeli in NBA playoffs. Just before his 21st birthday, Tel Aviv-born T.J. Leaf became the
first Israeli national to play in the NBA playoffs. The Indiana Pacers put him
on court for the final three minutes of their 121-87 win against the Cleveland
Cavaliers.
Gold and 3 bronzes for Israeli Judokas. At the European Judo Championships in Tel Aviv, Israel’s Sagi Muki
won gold in the 73–81 kg division. Israelis Tal Flicker (under-66 kg) and Peter
Paltchik (under-100kg) won bronze, whilst Gefen Primo won a bronze medal in the
women’s under-52 kg category.
Why an Italian bike
race starts in Israel. (TY Chloe) In WW2, famous Italian cyclist
Gino Bartali used his bicycle frame to smuggle forged documents, saving 800
Jews from death. His bravery made him a hero and inspired the Giro d’Italia
2018 to begin in Israel - the first time the race has opened outside Europe.
Great video.
Special winners. (TY Nevet) I reported
previously (see here)
about Israel’s blind golfer Zohar Sharon. Six-time world champion Zohar has
just won the ISPS Handa 2018 US Blind Golf Open in Green Valley, Arizona.
Meanwhile shooting Paralympian Yulia Chernoy won bronze at the 2018 World
Shooting Para Sport Grand Prix in Szczecin, Poland. https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-blind-golfer-and-disabled-shooter-win-medals/
THE JEWISH STATE
The
next Jerusalem embassy – Paraguay. Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes told attendees at a special event
marking Israel’s 70th anniversary that his country would relocate its embassy from
Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. President Cartes said he hoped to perform the relocation
before the end of his term in mid-August.
Guatemala is the first. Although it isn’t official yet, the Central
American state of Guatemala has become the first country to physically relocate
its embassy to Jerusalem. The Guatemalan
flag was seen flying high in the sky above the Malha Technology Park in the
Israeli capital, its new location. The official opening is May 14.
Israel
is exceptional. (TY Nevet)
Evelyn Gordon’s pre-Independence Day article explains why 90% of Israelis
classify themselves as Zionists. Also, despite “complaining” being almost “the
national sport”, Israelis are among the world’s happiest people. https://www.jns.org/opinion/israel-proves-exceptional-once-again/
Hi-tech
reveals hidden text in Dead Sea Scrolls. The Dead Sea Scrolls digitization project
has used advanced imaging technology developed for NASA to reveal script
invisible to the human eye. New fragments were discovered and identified from
the books of Deuteronomy, Leviticus, Psalms, Jubilees and the Temple Scroll.
Descendants
of Chinese Jews return to their roots. Five
young women from the ancient Chinese-Jewish community of Kaifeng underwent formal
conversion in an emotional ceremony at the Jerusalem Rabbinical Court. The five
made Aliyah in Feb 2016 via the nonprofit Shavei Israel, which supported them
afterwards.
180429
In the 29th Apr 18 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
Israeli
scientists have mapped the role of each human gene and its mutations.
·
An Israeli
program will generate thousands of hi-tech jobs for Israeli Arabs.
·
Twin
Israeli teens have devised a system to help prevent wildfires.
·
An Israeli
startup makes no-sweetener chocolate and ice cream for diabetics.
·
An Israeli
company operates the 5th most convenience stores in the US.
·
Tel Aviv
has opened a 1 km interactive Independence Trail.
·
A
paralyzed man used Israeli technology to complete the London Marathon.
·
Click here
to see the 22nd Apr newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, Janglo
and United
With Israel. Also (TY Sandra) in German.
·
·
Please
click here, to donate
(a small or large amount) to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
·
Click here,
to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives of over
12,000 previous news articles.
·
If someone
wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should send a
request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
New pathway to
treat Parkinson’s. An Israeli-led international study has discovered
that proteins called BMP5/7 are essential for the latest stem cell replacement
therapy for Parkinson’s disease. The proteins help to stimulate the production of
dopaminergic neurons, which Parkinson’s patients lack.
New vaccine
for Alzheimer’s. Professor Eitan Okun at Israel’s
Bar-Ilan University has developed a vaccine that primes the body to attack
amyloid beta protein accumulations in the brain, one of the signature signs of
Alzheimer’s disease. He is also working on early diagnosis using MRI detection
of amyloid protein in the brain.
US approval
for stroke detection. I reported previously (28th
Jan) that Israel’s Viz.ai had received the CE mark (European approval) for
its brain scan analysis system for detecting strokes. Now the US FDA has also approved the system. http://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3736574,00.html
Treating
bipolar depression. Tel Aviv University researchers
have confirmed the effectiveness of bipolar depression sufferers combining mood
stabilizers with anti-depressants. 81.7% of patients using both avoided
re-hospitalization (for manic episodes), compared to only 57.6% of patients who
did not receive the combination.
Alerting
patients to ALL relapse risk. (TY Atid-EDI) Israeli
biotech Curewize successfully completed the clinical trial of its lead product
ProALLBM on acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. ProALLBM reveals
patients' risk of relapse with just one bone marrow sample. They can then be
given early treatment.
An atlas of the human genome. Scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
have generated an atlas of the human genome. It includes the roles that genes
play in health and disease, plus the effect of over 180,000 gene
mutations. http://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/jerusalem/hebrew-u-scientists-use-stem-cells-to-generate-atlas-of-human-genome/2018/04/23/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41556-018-0088-1
Trauma
training for South African medics. I reported
previously (3rd
Sep) on the work of Israeli emergency NGO United Hatzalah’s Psychotrauma
and Crisis Response Unit in Houston Texas.
Now the unit, headed by its director Miriam Ballin, is travelling to
Johannesburg, South Africa to train 60 Jewish EMTs there.
Merck partners
Israeli meds tracker. I reported previously (see here) on Israel’s
MediSafe’s and its medication tracker app. Now the medical giant Merck KGaA is
to work with MediSafe to develop a custom version of its mobile application for
tracking treatment of cardiometabolic conditions.
rhCollagen
factory opens. I’ve reported previously (see here) on Israel’s
Collplant and its proprietary plant-based technology to produce rhCollagen
(recombinant human collagen). CollPlant has just opened a new facility in
Rehovot, for producing rhCollagen to make tissue repair products and 3D
printing of human tissue.
Ovarian
failure patient has healthy son. Sigalit suffered from
“premature ovarian failure” that typically causes loss of normal ovarian
function, resulting in infertility. After many years of suffering she was about
to have a hysterectomy. Then she discovered she was pregnant and, aged 40, gave
birth to a healthy baby boy.
Cornerstone
laid for new Zaka HQ. The cornerstone has been laid
for a new ZAKA volunteer organization’s world headquarters in Jerusalem. ZAKA’s
volunteers assist ambulance crews, aid in the identification of the victims of
terrorism, road accidents and other disasters, and ensure proper burial where
necessary.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Annual Israeli-Druze festival. (TY WIN)
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and many Israeli politicians joined in the
annual Druze festival celebrations. Many Druze traveled from afar to visit the
Tomb of Jethro near the Sea of Galilee. Jethro (father-in-law to Moses) is one
of the main prophets of the Druze religion.
$5.6 million for
Israeli-Arabs hi-tech jobs. (TY UWI)
Israel’s parliamentary committee for Arab affairs has allocated $5.6 million
(NIS 20 million) to a new program that will provide thousands of Israeli-Arabs with
jobs in the local tech sector. The funds will be used to establish tech
workspaces and improve roads in Arab towns.
Israeli Arab lit Independence Day torch. I reported previously (Aug
2014) on Israeli Arab Professor Ahmed Eid who is Head of General Surgery at
Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center. Professor Eid proudly lit one of the
twelve torches at the 69th Anniversary Independence Day ceremony last year.
A new lease of life. Another talk by Sivan Yaari, CEO of Innovation: Africa, this time
at UK’s Manchester Grammar School. The solar electricity and water generating
facilities provided by the Israeli NGO means no more famine in poverty-stricken
African villages – and has even kick-started an entrepreneurial spirit.
Israeli solar power is vital to Liberia. I reported previously (Nov
2016) that Israel’s Energiya Global is to install Liberia’s first ever
solar field. I hadn’t realized that the 10MW plant will supply 25% of the
country’s generation capacity. Following its civil war, Liberia is rebuilding
its power infrastructure from scratch.
250 US delegation for Embassy opening. A huge delegation of 250 American
dignitaries will arrive in Israel to attend the official dedication ceremony
for the US Embassy in Jerusalem on 5th May. They include Treasury Secretary
Steven Mnuchin, Jared Kushner, Jason Greenblatt, and Senators Ted Cruz and
Lindsay Graham.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Israeli gas and oil exploration. Geologist Eitan Aizenberg
discovered Israel’s giant natural offshore gas field, Leviathan. He reveals
that talented Israeli graduates are now exploring for oil and gas in South
America, Malta, Ireland and the Philippines, using Israeli supercomputers to
analyze 3D seismic tests.
Preventing the spread
of forest fires. 17-year-old twins Gilad and Neta
Drori have developed a system to identify wildfires before they spread. Their
system takes aerial photos taken by satellite or cameras attached to observer
balloons, which then analyses and compares them using an algorithm for image
processing.
https://www.jpost.com/Jpost-Tech/Israeli-students-develop-tech-to-identify-wildfires-before-they-spread-552514 https://www.youtube.com/embed/-kDTIzAngGU?rel=0
Israel’s drone conference. Ran Kleiner of
Israel’s Drone Master is co-hosting “The Drone People 2018” – Israel’s annual
conference that provides a complete overview of Israel's growing Drones
community.
Israel’s involvement in Orion space
project. The
launch date for EM-1 - the first of NASA’s Orion deep space exploratory missions
- has been moved to Dec 2019 when it will test the innovative radiation
protection suit from Israel’s StemRad. EM-2, scheduled for 2023, will use over
100 parts 3D printed by Israel’s Stratasys.
Preventing bird strikes at airports. (TY UWI)
I reported previously (Jan 2014)
about Tel Aviv University scientist Yossi Leshem and his innovative methods for
protecting airports from the risk of birds colliding with planes. This recent video by TIP to promote the book
“Thou Shalt Innovate” highlights Yossi’s work.
A simple robot to pick fruit and more. (TY Hazel) Researchers at Israel’s
Ben-Gurion University have developed a low cost, low energy robot resembling a
snake. It has applications from picking fruit to search and rescue to repairing
satellites. https://www.israel21c.org/new-snake-robot-could-pick-fruit-or-fix-satellites/
Israeli agricultural novelties. Comedian Yuval Haklai takes us on a light-hearted tour of some of
the latest Israeli agricultural innovations on show at the Arava 2018
Agricultural Exhibition. They include natural pesticides and pollinators, the
world’s smallest tomato, winter-grown raspberries and medicinal plants.
Visual artificial intelligence. I reported previously (Aug 2012)
about Israeli startup Cortica which had developed an image analysis system with
marketing potential. Cortica has since applied its self-learning visual
intelligence technology to autonomous cars, drones, media, robotics, smart
cities and medical image analysis.
Detecting when students cheat. Israeli startup Copyleaks Technologies has developed a system to
help identify plagiarism (i.e. where students copy material and try to pass it
off as their own without attributing the sources). Copyleaks’ system understands
the ideas behind the texts – i.e. not just an exact word comparison.
Monitoring cargo in transit. Israel’s Contguard provides real-time
data analysis for managing cargo in transit. It provides IoT (Internet of
Things)-enabled shipment monitoring, real-time data and business intelligence
to manufacturers and suppliers who ship goods globally. Contguard has just
received funds from Citi Bank.
We deliver in 15 minutes. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israeli startup GetPackage offers delivery services inside Israel within 15
minutes after the order is made. The
company monitors each delivery and the route taken. It is now setting up
infrastructure on the US East Coast, with a database of 7,000 registered
delivery people.
Tools to develop AI products. Israel-based Allegro.AI
offers a development and management platform for artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
It simplifies the process of developing and managing AI-based services such as
autonomous vehicles and drones, security, and logistics, with a special focus
on computer vision.
Chocolate and ice
cream for diabetics. Israeli startup A1C Foods
develops chocolate and ice cream that do not impact blood sugar levels. Instead
of substituting real sugar with artificial sweeteners, traditional ingredients
like flour and sugar, are mixed with a patent-pending formulation that lowers
their glycemic index.
3D-printed veggie burgers. (TY WIN)
Israeli startup Chef-It is developing a 3D printer that can “print” and grill/bake/fry
a hamburger made of cellulose plus plant-based proteins, fats and flavorings. Chef-It
co-founder Professor Oded Shoseyov of Jerusalem’s Hebrew University has already
made a prototype of the printer.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
At 70 - Israel's economy exceeds
expectations. Ambassador Yoram Ettinger compares
Israel’s situation now to that earlier in its history. The statistics are quite staggering.
Population, GDP, employment, national debt, exports, foreign investment,
inflation, life expectancy, women in work and much more.
Israel - Island of Success. Promotion video for a new
book “Israel - Island of Success” by Noga Kainan and Adam Reuter. It asks and
answers questions such as, “Why is Israel a success?”, “Is this success
sustainable?” and “What is Israel's probable future? “ https://www.youtube.com/embed/MnNEO9DIf1o?rel=0
The largest group of tech investors to
visit Israel.
A delegation of 300 international Kauffman Fellows to their Annual
Summit is the largest contingent of global VCs ever to come to Israel as a
group. The venture capitalists represent the likes of Microsoft, Intel, Google,
BlackRock etc. and are invested in some 500 startups.
New health fund raises $200 million. Israeli life-sciences venture capital firm aMoon Partners has
raised $200 million for a new fund aMoon II that will invest in digital health
life-science companies. The final target for the fund is $500 million. The $200
million fund, aMoon I, was set-up two years ago and is invested in 16 startups.
Amsterdam to Eilat. Air France – KLM subsidiary Transavia Airlines is to fly twice
weekly during the winter months from Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport to Ovda,
north of Eilat. 17,700 Dutch tourists entered Israel in the first quarter of
2018 – a 37% increase on 2017 and 80% up on 2016.
Lab for food-innovation startups. Israel’s Frutarom is setting up FoodNxt, a lab for startups and
ventures specializing in food innovation to address obesity and diabetes, to
find protein alternatives, natural, healthy foods and more. The lab in Migdal
HaEmek will provide financing, advanced equipment, and a support team.
Smart videos for Chinese soccer teams. Israel-based startup Pixellot has sold its video production systems
to Chinese Premier League’s Jiangsu Suning Football Club as the first of its
deal with China Sports Media. Pixellot’s automated multi-camera system gives a
panoramic view of sports events for coaching purposes.
The US’s 5th largest
convenience store business. Israel’s Arko Holdings
has completed a complex deal for the purchase and lease of 267 US fuel stations
and convenience store sites, including E-Z Mart. Arko’s GPM subsidiary now
controls 1,224 sites and fuels another 138 stations in 22 states – the US’s 5th
largest operator.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Front row at Israel’s birthday show. My friend Sharon was in the
Press stand at the 70th Anniversary Yom Ha’Atzmaut show on Mount Herzl
Jerusalem. Here are her photos of the
event and afterwards.
Tel Aviv’s new
Independence trail. (TY Janglo
& Jacques) Tel Aviv’s new day/night interactive 1km Independence Trail uses
a unique mobile app to guide tourists past 10 heritage sites. A map is also
available in Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, German, Arabic, Chinese and
Russian.
Israel loves The Backstreet Boys. (TY Hazel) Following their
successful Israel concert in 2015 (see
here) The Back Street Boys performed again in front of 15,000 enthusiastic
fans in Rishon Lezion Live Park.
19 more Israeli summer concerts. Up-coming Israeli performances include Jamiroquai, Azealia Banks, Milky
Chance, Enrique Iglesias, alt-J, Matisyahu, Jessie Ware, Sofi Tukker, The
Stranglers, Ringo Starr, Avenged Sevenfold, Gilberto Gil, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice
in Chains, Ziggy Marley, Beach Boys and Grandmaster Flash.
And (hot off the press) it’s certainly not
“ironic” that Alanis Morissette is returning to Israel on 30th July.
Israel’s most advanced stadium. (TY Janglo)
Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem is being upgraded. Its roof will be completed to
make it Israel’s largest indoor stadium, with 32,000 seats. Other upgrades
include to its sound system, dressing rooms and heating. It is already powered
by a 686KW solar energy system.
2.1km tunnel – for cyclists. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat inaugurated Jerusalem’s 2.1km “Gihon”
tunnel - Israel’s longest underground cycling tunnel. “We use tunnels for good
purposes, such as sports, in contrast to Hamas,” Barkat told reporters. The
tunnel connects Ein Lavan (Biblical zoo) to Kerem junction, near Hadassah.
The London Marathon in
an Israeli exoskeleton. Simon Kindleysides of Norfolk, England became
the first paralyzed man to finish the London Marathon when he completed the
26.2 miles in 36 hours wearing an Israeli Rewalk exoskeleton robotic suit.
Simon raised £19,000 for charity and won the #SpiritofLondon award.
https://www.jpost.com/International/Paralyzed-man-finishes-London-Marathon-thanks-to-Israeli-robotic-suit-552678 https://www.youtube.com/embed/aB0pfAL6MdU?rel=0
THE JEWISH STATE
How
Israel evacuated Ethiopian Jews from Sudan. Great
story on the BBC website about the Israeli scuba diving center on the Sudanese
coast that was really a secret base from which Israel’s Mossad ran “Operation
Moses” – flying thousands of Ethiopian Jews to Israel from their temporary camp
in the Sudan desert.
The
future of Israel looks good. Professor Efraim Inbar is President
of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies. He analyzes Israel positively
in terms of its security, economy, society, democracy, and international
relations. http://jiss.org.il/en/inbar-future-israel-looks-good/
70
years in 2 minutes. Quite amazing to see what Israel has achieved in such a short time.
Mezuzah
for US Jerusalem embassy. As part of the May 14 ceremony to mark the official opening of the U.S.
Embassy in Jerusalem, a mezuzah will be affixed to the embassy building. The
U.S. embassy will initially be situated in what is now the U.S. Consulate
building, whilst a new building is being constructed.
Jerusalem
embassy for Czech Republic. The Czech Republic is to start moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to
Jerusalem. Czech President Miloš Zeman, ended his speech at a Prague Castle
event to celebrate Israel’s 70th anniversary with “Next Year in Jerusalem”.
$70
million for Taglit-Birthright. On the eve of Israel's 70th Independence Day, Dr. Miriam and Sheldon
Adelson surprised the 650 audience at the 18th annual Taglit-Birthright Israel
gala by donating $70 million to the project. Since its inception in 2000,
Taglit-Birthright has brought over 600,000 Jewish youths to Israel.
Keeping
the Land beautiful. (TY Avi) The Beautiful
Land Initiative (BLI) aims to clean up the litter in Israel through the help of
volunteers and businesses. Israel is holy and needs to be kept clean and
beautiful. Their Pesach video shows them cleaning up the Kinneret shore.
180422
In the 22nd Apr 18 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
Study
proves that Israeli medical reminder app saves lives.
·
One
quarter of all United Nations Ambassadors visited Israel on its 70th birthday.
·
300 drones
lit up Jerusalem’s skies on Israel’s 70th Anniversary.
·
An Israeli
app can quickly identify crop diseases and their treatment.
·
The first
Israeli startup venture fund for University students and graduates.
·
Two
Israeli TV series won top awards at Cannes.
·
Israel has
opened a 70km hi-tech Jewish historical trail in the Galilee.
·
Click here
to see the 15th Apr newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, Janglo
and United
With Israel with extra feature on Inclusiveness.
Also (TY Sandra) in German.
·
Please
click here, to donate
(a small or large amount) to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
·
Click
here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives
of over 12,000 previous news articles.
·
If someone
wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should send a
request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Long-lasting
MS treatment.
Israeli biotech Mapi has developed a formulation of Glatiramer Acetate
that Multiple Sclerosis patients only need take once a month, rather than
daily. Glatiramer Acetate Depot is still in Phase 3 trials but Mapi has already
sold the marketing rights to multinational giant Mylan.
More generic
alternatives. (TY Atid EDI) Israel’s Teva
has launched generic versions of the anti-nausea treatment ALOXI and Lialda
delayed-release mesalamine. It is good
news for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and ulcerative colitis
sufferers respectively.
Glucose
monitor approved for iPhones. (TY Atid-EDI) I
reported previously (Jan 2016) that the Israeli Dario blood sugar monitor had
received FDA approval. Now approval has been extended for the device to be used
on the latest Apple iPhones including iPhone 7, 8 and X. http://mydario.investorroom.com/2018-03-26-DarioHealth-Receives-U-S-FDA-Clearance-for-iPhone-7-8-and-iPhone-X-Smart-Glucose-Meter
Smartphone-based
urine tests at home. Israeli startup Healthy.io has
partnered with the American National Kidney Foundation and Pennsylvania-based
Geisinger Health System to offer its home testing kits to U.S. patients. Healthy.io
transforms a regular smartphone into a device that performs lab-standard urine
analysis.
https://vimeo.com/195720514 BBC doesn’t mention Israel. CNBC does! https://vimeo.com/154610009
Diagnosing
resistant hypertension. (TY Atid-EDI) I
reported previously (Aug
2011) that Hadassah surgeons had devised and used an innovative tool to
treat resistant hypertension due to overactive kidney nerves. Now Israel’s Pythagoras
Medical has received the CE mark for its ConfidenHT System to help identify
such patients.
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/pythagoras-medical-receives-ce-mark-for-the-confidenht-system-677894643.html http://www.rainbowmd.com/our-companies/
Israeli “nagging” app saves lives. (TY Atid EDI) I
reported previously (see here)
about the SimpleMed app from Israel’s Vaica that reminds patients to take their
meds. Now a Canadian trial has shown a 66% improved adherence for teen and
young kidney transplant recipients taking life-saving anti-rejection medicine.
Mental health
prescriptions by video. I reported previously (Nov
2014) about Israel’s Talkspace that provides on-line psychological advice.
Now US therapist physicians will begin prescribing medication using Talkspace’s
video chat facility to comply with state and federal regulations. Talkspace
already has 1 million users.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
12,000 strangers sing together in Jerusalem. To celebrate Israel’s 70th Independence Day, Koolulam invited
12,000 people (who hadn’t met before) to sing together in a special event in
Jerusalem. Together with Israeli singer Shlomi Shabat and the Jerusalem Street
Orchestra they performed Naomi Shemer’s “Al Kol Eleh”.
Co-working space for Orthodox Jews. I’ve reported previously (see here) on the work of
Israeli non-profit KamaTech to help integrate Haredi Jews into the hi-tech
industry. Now KamaTech has launched in
Bnei Brak “Ampersand” - the first ultra-Orthodox co-working space in Israel. It
is supported by Cisco and WeWork.
Arabic version of BoI website. Governor of the Bank of
Israel, Dr. Karnit Flug, hopes that the launch of the Arabic version of the
Bank of Israel website would encourage the Arab community to broaden its economic
knowledge and contribute to increased integration of the Arab community in all
parts of the Israeli economy.
40 UN Ambassadors
visit Israel.
40 United Nations Ambassadors (25% of the countries with ties to Israel)
came to Israel thanks to the American Zionist Movement and Israel’s UN Ambassador
Danny Danon. They met government officials, toured historical, religious and
strategic sites and joined in 70th Anniversary celebrations.
Breaking the deadly cycle in Africa. Israel’s Innovation: Africa
CEO Sivan Yaari links Africa’s poor health to its lack of doctors, medicine,
water and electricity. So, she delivers solar panels to African villages and
now they have electricity to pump water, to power refrigerators that can store
medicines for doctors to treat the sick.
Happy 70th birthday Israel, from the
White House.
(TY UWI)
The White House on released a video sending Happy Independence Day wishes to
Israel as well. The video shows President Trump and his family visiting the
Western Wall during their visit to Israel last year. The President also sent
his best wishes in a tweet.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Lighting up the skies
over Jerusalem.
During the 70th Anniversary Independence Day ceremony in Jerusalem, 300 Intel
quadcopters staged a light and music display in the sky. The drones weigh just
300 grams with LEDs to make 4 billion color combinations. Intel CEO Brian
Krzanich was in the audience.
$50 million boost for Quantum science
center. I reported previously (Jun
2016) on the Israel Technion’s opening of the Center for Quantum Science.
Now the Helen Diller Family Foundation has donated $50 million to recruit
staff, establish new infrastructure and fund research and development.
Food-tech hub near Lebanese border. The Israeli government has approved the allocation of $27 million
to build a food-tech research institute, startup accelerator and a micro
industry hub in its northernmost city Kiryat Shmona. The project, part of
Israel Initiative ii2020, includes budget to promote new startups in the
region.
Honor for lab-grown meat inventor. Yaacov Nahmias of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem was inducted
as a fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering.
Nahmias invented Future Meat, the process for growing meat artificially. He also founded Tissue Dynamics (see
here) and its screening platform.
Free security for automobiles. (TY Atid-EDI)
I reported previously (see
here) on several Israeli companies providing security for cars. Now
Israel’s C2a (Cyber 2 Automotive Security) is supplying its technology free to
global auto manufacturers and suppliers. C2a’s Stamper system protects
connected cars at the microchip level.
The world’s first visual fragrance. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Amkiri
has launched the world’s first ever ‘visual fragrance’ technology. Amkiri has developed and patented
long-lasting “scented ink” which is applied to the skin via specifically
developed applicators. It allows the user to create body art combining scent
and color.
Israeli app plugs Facebook data leak. Israel’s MyPermissions (soon to be “MyPrivacy”) prevents the misuse
of your data. It runs a scan on your smartphone, looking at social media
accounts (e.g. Facebook) and shows which third-party apps have access to your data.
You then can block access for any privacy-infringing apps.
Powering the largest super computers. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s
Mellanox has been chosen to accelerate the new 2-Petaflop NVIDIA DGX-2
artificial intelligence (AI) system. Mellanox adapters with smart acceleration
engines enable the highest performance for AI and Deep Learning
applications.
Detecting unsafe food. (TY Myer) I have reported
previously (see here)
on several Israeli startups that have developed devices to detect contaminated
food. Here is another – Inspecto can be used at any point in the supply chain and
displays its results in real time. Inspecto recently received an EU Horizon
2020 grant.
Saving crops from
disease and pests. (TY Lynn) Israeli startup Saillog
has developed Agrio - a smartphone app that allows farmers to upload photos of
diseased crops. AI and experts identify the pathogen responsible and
appropriate treatment. Misdiagnosis and late diagnosis results in 30% of global
agriculture yield losses.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
World’s second most cybersecurity deals. Tiny Israel ranked second
after the US for the number of deals involving cybersecurity companies between
2013 – 2017. Israel was ahead of the UK,
Canada and China. New York data firm CB Insights also named six Israeli
companies in its list of 29 pioneering “cyber defenders”.
University Venture
Fund. Tel Aviv University is to set up an
early-stage startup venture fund, the first of its kind by an Israeli
university. It has already raised some $20 million to invest in startups
mainly by university graduates or students. The university will also provide its
labs, knowledge and its network of contacts.
Need a ride? Share a bike. If you need to get around a city in Israel
you can catch a bus / minibus, call a taxi or rent a bike. Car2Go operates its Mobike service which
provide bicycles that you can pick up from a bike stand, pay for, scan the QR
code and you’re ready to go. Then drop off the bike at a stand near your
destination.
Elbit opens Berlin office. Israeli defense contractor
Elbit Systems has opened a Berlin office to help expand its activities in the
German market. The office will serve as its technological, industrial, and
commercial base in the country. Elbit employs around 12,500 people worldwide, of
which 10,000 are in Israel.
Nike buys Israeli fashion tech startup. I reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s Invertex which uses 3D imaging and Artificial
Intelligence (AI) to scan your feet, so you always buy the right size
shoes. Now Nike, Inc. has acquired
Invertex to help “create the most compelling Nike consumer experience at every
touch point”. https://www.timesofisrael.com/nike-buys-israel-computer-vision-startup-invertex/
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
What does it mean to be Israeli? This video may answer one of
the most complex questions of our time.
Then again, it might not! https://www.youtube.com/embed/RVwsV7L-WeQ?rel=0
The world’s new dining hotspot. Israel has one of the most
exciting dining scenes in the world, and it is just starting to be discovered
as a food destination like New York or London. Restaurateurs in Tel Aviv say as
many as 30 percent of their guests are now foreign visitors, led by Americans,
British, Russians, French and more.
3-day Yoga festival. The Israel Yoga Festival is underway for the third time from 7-9
June. It features over 80 of the leading
Yoga teachers in Israel and more than 1000 practitioners are expected to attend.
Cannes “Best Series”. The Israeli drama “When Heroes Fly” won the top honor of Best
Series at the Cannes International Series Festival. On accepting the honor on
stage, actor Tomer Kapon recited a Hebrew blessing. The other Israeli entry,
the series “Miguel,” took home the award for “Special Performance.”
Israel hosts 2018 European Judo
Championships.
(TY WIN)
As reported last year, (Apr
2017) Israel is hosting the European Judo Championships for the first time,
beginning on 26th Apr. Israeli medal prospects include Ori Sasson, Sagi Muki
and Tal Flicker. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrgjLnNrf0g
THE JEWISH STATE
Revival
of a Nation. Lovely 10-minute animation highlighting the
last 2000 years of Jewish history and the return to the Land of Israel. https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZJMS9sLHYTY?rel=0
“Am
Yisrael Chai”. Israeli
law currently prevents Jews from praying on Temple Mount. However, the
Jerusalem Magistrate’s court has ruled that it is permitted for visitors to the
Temple Mount compound to call out, “Am Yisrael chai” (“The people of Israel
live”), because it is a patriotic slogan rather than a prayer.
Stoudemire
is converting to Judaism. Former NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire has long claimed to have “Hebrew
roots”, studied Judaism and practiced its cultural customs. Now he is formally converting
to the Jewish religion. Stoudemire partly owns hoops team Hapoel Jerusalem and
has his own brand of Israeli wine.
The Sanhedrin Trail. Thousands of Israeli school pupils and
volunteers have prepared a new public 70km path in the Galilee called the
Sanhedrin Trail. Tourists will learn the archaeology, nature and history from hi-tech
milestones that transmit data directly to smartphones. Many Jewish relics were
also found along the trail.
70
reasons to admire Israel. To celebrate Israel’s 70th
birthday, writer Robert Sarner has prepared a list of notable things Israel has
done over the past 12 months. He admits that it’s only a small sampling of what
the country has accomplished since Independence Day 2017. Apologies if I’ve
missed reporting any of these.
Israel
at 70 - mature and prosperous. Joseph Puder writes that the number 70 has significant meaning in Jewish
tradition. It recalls the 70-year
Babylonian Exile that led to the start of the 2nd Jewish Commonwealth in 530
BCE. Puder highlights similarities between the returnees from the Babylonian
Exile and Israelis today.
“I
am the luckiest Jew". Shmuel Rosner says it for me - in
the NY Times no less. “I am the Jew who gets to see Jewish ingenuity
unapologetically celebrated, Jewish material success flourish, Jewish might
acknowledged and the Jewish language rejuvenated. I am the Jew who after 2,000
years gets to witness Jewish political independence.” https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/17/opinion/jewish-state-israel-70th-anniversary.html
180415
In the 15th Apr 18 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
Israeli
scientists have made cancer-killing proteins inside the body.
·
An Israeli
built a $75 million medical device company “by accident”.
·
The US
Environmental Protection Agency is to help develop Israeli water generators.
·
An Israeli
company converts non-recyclable waste into building material.
·
Israel is
to build two new desalination plants.
·
Three international
airlines are to begin new services to Israel.
·
Heartwarming
online resources highlight Israel’s 70 years of achievements.
·
Israel
stops to commemorate Yom Ha’Shoah.
·
Click here
to see the 8th Apr newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, Janglo
and United
With Israel. Also (TY Sandra) in German.
·
Please
click here, to donate
(a small or large amount) to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
·
Click here,
to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives of over
12,000 previous news articles.
·
If someone
wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should send a
request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Matching
treatments to patients. (TY Hazel) Israel has
launched the Israel Precision Medicine Partnership - an innovative $60 million program to enable
researchers to target the best treatments for a patient’s disease (e.g.
cancer). Precision medicine uses genetic sequencing to predict an individual’s
response to specific treatments.
Artificial cell factory kills cancer from the inside. (TY NoCamels)
Researchers at Israel’s Technion have successfully treated a cancerous tumor
using a “nano-factory” – a synthetic cell that produces anti-cancer proteins when
it comes into contact with the tumor tissue. The proteins can be varied to fit
each patient.
Treatment for Adnoid
Cystic Carcinoma. I wrote previously (10th
Dec) about Israeli personalized cancer biotech Ayala and its partnership
with Bristol-Myers Squibb. One of the results of this tie-up is AL101 - a new
treatment for metastatic Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC), which could also treat
triple-negative breast cancer.
Israeli
medical databases. Israel’s four health companies
maintain databases of 5 million records that (anonymized) will benefit medical
researchers in the discovery of new treatments. The Maccabi health fund (see here) is already
doing this. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3735645,00.html
Anaphylactic
shock alert. Scientists from Bar-Ilan University
partnered with Israel’s Magen David Adom to develop “EPIMADA,” a smartphone app
that issues a local proximity alert in the event of a severe allergic reaction,
known as anaphylactic shock. Anyone with an EpiPen (syringe containing
adrenaline) can save the victim. http://nocamels.com/2018/03/israeli-researchers-emergency-app/
Predicting
kidney disease in diabetics. I reported previously (see here) on the predictive artificial
intelligence (AI) systems of Israeli biotech Medial EarlySign. Its AI
algorithms can now predict which sufferers of diabetes will develop kidney
dysfunction within a one-year time-frame. Early treatment can then improve
their outcome.
Spinal surgery
for Ethiopian children. (TY Hazel) Eleven medics
from Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center spent a week performing surgeries to
fix severe spinal deformities in Ethiopia. In addition, the Israelis also
provided training to medical staff at the Ayder hospital in the Northern
Ethiopian city of Mekelle.
Crash led to new medical device.
Another Israeli medical “miracle”. After a motorcycle accident, doctors found
that Avi Yaron had a brain tumor. They couldn’t remove all the tumor, so Avi founded
Visionsense that developed an imaging device to help in similar ops. Medtronic
has just bought Visionsense for $75 million.
EU supports Israeli
electric socks.
I reported previously (see
here) on Israeli startup ElastiMed and its smart socks that improve
circulation to treat swelling, blood clots, chronic wounds, sports injuries etc.
ElastiMed is now to receive a $1.6 million grant from the European Union’s
Horizon 2020 research and innovation program.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Chefs for Peace. (TY Stuart)
A Muslim, a Jew and a Christian in Jerusalem have been cooking together for 17
years. Odeh Abu Elhawa, Johny Goric and Hemdat Goldberg make food that combines
their unique backgrounds, traditions and culture into a common culinary treat.
Druze general to co-ordinate
territories. IDF Brig.-Gen. Kamil Abu Rokon, a
member of Israel’s Druze community, was promoted to the rank of Major General
and appointed to be the IDF’s new Coordinator of Government Activities in the
Territories (COGAT). http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/member-of-druze-community-appointed-as-new-idf-cogat/2018/03/29/
Treating Syrian children. 200,000 Syrians near the
border look to Israel for help. Children get top priority, and not only the
wounded. "Globes" visits the Golan
and travels with patients to Galilee hospitals.
US EPA wants water
from the air. I’ve reported previously (see here) on Israel’s
Water-Gen that captures humidity to make drinking water. Now the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has signed an
agreement with Water-Gen to improve “access to potable water during shortages
or contamination events.”
http://nocamels.com/2018/03/us-environmental-protection-agency-inks-deal-with-israeli-water-tech-startup-water-gen/
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/administrator-pruitt-announces-cooperative-research-and-development-agreement
Israel hosts International Water Day
event at UN.
(TY Hazel) Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon hosted a
special forum at the UN to mark International Water Day. It featured examples
of Israeli water technology used in more than 100 countries around the world. Also,
a new video for the occasion.
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Israel-hosts-UN-water-solutions-event-with-dignitaries-from-across-globe-546902
https://www.youtube.com/embed/eiT_YNiOu-k?rel=0
Energy and water for Africa. Innovation: Africa’s CEO Sivan Ya’ari described to the AIPAC
conference how her non-profit harnesses solar power to bring electricity and
clean water solutions to one million Africans. Her aim is to extend this to six
million people by 2025, all using Israeli technologies and all in the name of
Israel.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/tgkCzOfGBqw?rel=0 Full transcript: http://bit.ly/2GihiXc
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Turning garbage into reusable
plastic. (TY Hazel) Israeli startup UBQ has
patented an ecologically-friendly process to convert non-recyclable household
trash from landfills into reusable plastic building material. UBQ operates a
pilot production plant and research facility at Kibbutz Tzeelim on the edge of
the Negev Desert.
A beacon for peace in the Middle East. (TY Herman) I’ve reported previously (see here) on the SESAME
synchrotron project that unites scientists from Israel, Jordan, Pakistan,
Bahrain, Turkey, the Palestinian Authority and others. Here is an article about
the project in the Washington Post.
NY student uses Israeli data to win
$250,000 science prize. New York high school
student Benjy Firester used disease and weather data from Israeli farmers to
predict and prevent the spread of the devastating potato blight fungus. His
model won the $250,000 top prize at the prestigious US Regeneron Science Talent
Search.
http://www.israelhayom.com/2018/04/10/israeli-farmers-help-nyc-teen-predict-outbreaks-of-crop-killing-disease/
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/13/us/science-talent-search-2018-winners/index.html
Two new desalination
plants. Israel is to build two new desalination
plants to add to the current five and offset the deficits of an extended
five-year drought. It will also expand agricultural pipelines and rehabilitate
dried-up rivers. It may also pump fresh water into the Kinneret (Sea of
Galilee) a vital natural source of drinking water.
Portable “chauffeur” makes any car
autonomous.
The IVO Robot Driver, being developed by researchers at Ben-Gurion
University, will fold down into a briefcase. It then can be installed onto the
steering wheel and pedals of a standard car, truck, and other industrial
vehicle and make it autonomous within five minutes.
Robots for agriculture. Projects at the Ben Gurion University include artificial bees to
pollinate flowers and robots to spray and to harvest crops. Their aim is to
compensate for the shortage of bees and the lack of workers able to do hard,
monotonous work in hot climates. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/drone-bees-and-agriculture-robots-could-could-solve-shortage-of-pollinators-and-laborers/
The answer to everything, but is it
reliable? I
reported previously (Jan
2017) about Israel’s Rootclaim that uses crowdsourcing to check the
reliability of answers to questions posed on the Internet. Now Israel’s Epistema uses Artificial
Intelligence (AI) to rate answers.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Direct flights from
Brazil. Latin America’s largest airline, Latam, has
announced that it will begin direct flights between Sao Paulo, Brazil and Tel
Aviv by the end of the year. The thrice-weekly, 11-hour flight will bring
Brazil’s 120,000 Jews, and pilgrims from the world’s 2nd-largest Christian
population, closer to Israel.
Low cost flights to
Paris. ASL
Airlines France is to begin return flights in July between Paris and Tel Aviv
for just $275 – about half the cost of an El Al ticket. Paris is the second most popular destination
for Israelis after Istanbul and despite the large number of airlines, there is
still a shortage of seats.
New easyJet routes to
French cities.
UK low cost carrier easyJet plc will soon begin flying from Tel Aviv to
three French cities - Lyon, Bordeaux and Nice. Tickets are already available
online.
https://www.globes.co.il/en/article-easyjet-to-launch-tel-aviv-flights-to-3-french-cities-1001215497
Porsche invests in Israeli sensors. I’ve reported previously (see here) on Israel’s Anagog and
its software that analyzes sensor signals in smartphones. Now car maker Porsche
has bought a minority stake in Anagog in a bid to expand its offering of
digital technologies. Analog’s technology is used in about 100 global smartphone
apps.
Kibbutz startups near Gaza. Non-profit organization
SouthUp has set up a shared workspace for startup employees at Kibbutz Nir Am, barely
a kilometer from Gaza. SouthUp also has an accelerator program for startups in
agri-tech, water tech, kibbutz industrial development, energy, chemistry,
biology, and software.
Postage stamp for 70 years. Israel’s latest 5-shekel
postage stamp depicts many of Israel’s achievements during its 70 years. Spot the
UBS memory stick, smartphone tech, cherry tomatoes, drip irrigation, plus successes
in academia, science, sports, agriculture, music, film and business.
$100 million cybersecurity exit. I reported previously (Jan 2017)
about Israel’s SECDO and its systems that can distinguish a real cybersecurity
breach from a false alarm. US giant Palo Alto Networks has just bought SECDO
for $100 million. https://www.globes.co.il/en/article-palo-alto-networks-buys-israeli-cybersecurity-co-secdo-for-100a-1001231142
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
70 fun facts about Israel for 70 years. (TY Arthur) Things I didn’t know include world records (per capita)
for the most books published, most female entrepreneurs, most university
degrees, most Microsoft employees, most museums, most orchestras, most
computers, most fruit & veg consumed and most immigrants absorbed.
70 years of
achievement. Israel21c has produced a stunning
online exhibition of the major successes in each decade of Israel’s first 70
years. It has also produced a timeline of key events.
Druze tourism in Israel. The Druze are a proud and ancient people and one of Israel's main
minority communities. The Druze communities share with tourists from Israel and
the rest of the world their ancient traditions and way of life. Watch, eat, and
experience the hospitality of the Druze in Israel.
The World Jewish Museum. Canadian philanthropist Gail Asper is spearheading the building of
a $400-million World Jewish Museum (WJM) in Tel Aviv. Its aim is to showcase the
achievement of Jewish individuals throughout the ages and is targeted to open
in time for Israel’s 75th anniversary.
10 Israeli nature reserves. (TY Israel
Unwired) Lovely 2-minute video featuring Einot Tzukim, Hula valley, Ramon crater,
Eilat coral reef, Mount Hermon, Beit Shemesh stalactites cave, Ein Gedi,
Yotvata Hai Bar, Gan Hashlosha and the Banias.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/4SFWuf0eywA?rel=0
Tel Aviv hosts largest-ever Eurovision
pre-show. 30 Eurovision Song Contest participants (three-quarters
of the competitors) performed in Tel Aviv on 10th April prior to the May
semi-finals and finals in Lisbon Portugal.
Currently the Israeli entry “Toy”, sung by Netta Barzilai, is one of the
favorites.
Police rescue dog that sang to TV theme
tune. (TY
Hazel) Forget about hi-tech dog tags. The
owner of a Siberian husky taught his pet to sing when it heard the theme tune
to the Israeli TV sitcom “Shemesh”. It was found in a Bedouin town. When police
played the music, the dog began to sing like Pavarotti. Case solved!
Israel’s first regulation racetrack. Israel opened its first
motor racing track in Eilat in 2011 (see here). Now it is
about to open Motor City, in Hatzerim near Beersheva in the Negev - a
2.1-kilometer track that meets FIA standards for Formula 3. It may later be
expanded to 4.5 kilometers in order to meet Formula 1 standards.
https://www.israel21c.org/israels-first-regulation-racetrack-revs-up-for-business/
https://www.motorcity.co.il/
THE JEWISH STATE
Jewish
life in Samaria, 1500 years ago. Students of the Ben-Zion Netanyahu Elementary School in Samaria’s Barkan
have just found locally two 15-centuries-old decorated oil lamps made of clay
with the potter’s fingerprints still embedded in them. The discoveries add to
the coins and mosaic stones they found in January.
Israel stands still for Yom Ha’Shoah. At 10 a.m. on Thursday 12th April,
citizens of Israels stopped what they were doing to stand for two minutes of
silence for Yom Ha’Shoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). On the roads, the beach, the buses, the
workers digging up my street for water drainage maintenance. Everywhere.
180408
In the 8th Apr 18 edition of Israel’s
good news, the highlights include:
·
An Israeli
device allows a surgeon to operate remotely from the patient.
·
Israel’s
Save a Child’s Heart has won an award from the United Nations.
·
An Israeli-Arab
policeman proposed during Independence-Day rehearsals.
·
Israeli
fashion jewelry protects the wearer from violent attack.
·
An Israeli
electronic company was sold for $3.4 billion.
·
Israeli
archeologists have uncovered the 3300-year-old site of the Biblical tabernacle.
·
Click here
to see the 18th March newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, Janglo
and United
With Israel with additional features on Medical
with 3,900 likes. Also (TY Sandra) in German.
·
Please
click here, to donate
(a small or large amount) to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
·
Click
here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives
of over 12,000 previous news articles.
·
If someone
wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should send a
request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
US approves surgeon’s extended hand. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israel’s Human Xtensions has received FDA clearance for its HandX light-weight,
hand-held device that translates the surgeon’s natural hand motions into
complex movements inside the patient. It opens vast new horizons for Minimally
Invasive Surgery (see video).
http://human-x.com/human-xtensions-receives-fda-clearance/
https://www.youtube.com/embed/F7gzW_U3wYI?rel=0 https://lnkd.in/eiPNDa8
Europe
approves abdominal aortic aneurysm repair system.
(TY Atid-EDI)
Israel’s Endospan has received the CE mark for its HORIZON Stent Graft System
to treat Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA). Endospan is also awaiting European
approval for its NEXUS™ Stent Graft System to treat Aortic Arch Disease.
Blood count
test in 5 minutes. Israeli blood analysis startup
PixCell has been awarded a €2.5 million grant by the European commission to help
commercialize its HemoScreen.
Antibodies for
AstraZeneca. Israeli cancer immunotherapy company
Compugen is to provide its pipeline of cancer-fighting antibodies to MedImmune
– AstraZeneca’s global biologics research and development arm. Compugen will
initially receive $10 million and then up to $200 million for the first
MedImmune product.
Israeli and
Arab doctors save Filipino baby. (TY UWI)
A Filipino baby born at the Red Crescent Hospital in eastern Jerusalem had a
rare and serious heart defect, which required complex and risky open-heart
surgery. He was taken to Jerusalem’s Hadassah hospital where Israeli and Arab
doctors together saved the baby’s life.
Using
handwriting for psychoanalysis. Scientists at Haifa
University have proved that a person’s mood can be determined by examining
one’s handwriting. After watching darker, disturbing movies, the 62 study
participants all wrote letters of the alphabet smaller in both height and width
than after watching positive films.
Glaucoma treatment
expands to China.
(TY Hazel) I reported previously (twice) about Israeli Glaucoma-
treatment developer IOPtima. Now China’s Kanghong is partnering IPOtima’s to market
its glaucoma laser surgery system, IOPtiMate, in Asia, which has some of the
world’s highest rates of blindness from glaucoma.
UN award to Save a Child’s Heart.
The United Nations Population Fund is giving the 2018 Population Award to Israel’s
Save a Child’s Heart organization. SACH doctors have (free of charge) saved over
4,500 children with congenital heart defects from all over the world, including
Arab countries and the Palestinian Authority.
WHO chief praises
Hadassah cancer care. The World Health Organization
(WHO) Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made an impromptu visit
to Israel and praised Hadassah Medical Center’s Ein Kerem oncology facility. “Hadassah
is proof that medical treatment creates a bridge between people, and a center
of hope,” he said. https://haifadiarist.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/un-health-chief-praises-israeli-cancer.html
180-seconds
emergency response time. (TY TIP, Nevet
and UWI)
Thanks to its ambucycles and SOS emergency app, the average time for a
United Hatzalah responder to arrive at the scene of an emergency call in Israel
is now just 3 minutes. In 2017 United Hatzalah EMS volunteers treated 207,000
people in Israel.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Surprise event at
Independence Day rehearsal. (TY Hazel and Stand
With Us) Israeli Christian Arab Border Policeman Ra'id Ashkar was chosen as
a flag-bearer for the 70th Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony on Mount
Herzl. At rehearsals, he arranged a most original way to ask his girlfriend
Luna to marry him.
Playing and praying together. (TY WIN
& I24 News) Israeli soccer team Bnei Sakhnin contains a mix of Jews and
Muslims. A recent photo of two players praying together went viral. See also the trailer for the documentary “After
the Cup – Sons of Sakhnin United” which highlights the team’s coexistence ethos.
Securing borders while protecting
wildlife. The Israeli and Jordanian armies have
been working together to construct natural wildlife corridors before a new
border fence is built. As when the Egyptian border fence was built, specially
designed border crossings will allow wildlife to move back and forth.
Heroes relieve poverty in South Africa. I reported previously (8th
Oct) about Israel’s Heroes for Life (HfL) organization and its work
teaching in a school in Mumbai, India. Their latest project involves teaching
impoverished South African children and improving their living conditions.
Israel stars in US security conference. (TY Hazel) 16 Israeli companies along with a delegation from Israel’s
Defense Ministry attended an International Homeland Defense and Security Summit
in Mississippi. Topics included the technological solutions for border
security, preventing terror attacks and handling natural disasters.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The fastest laptop processor. I reported previously (8th
Oct) that Intel Israel had developed its 8th Gen I-Core “Coffee Lake”
microprocessor – the fastest yet. Intel
has now released further processors in the range, including the Intel Core i9
processor - the highest-performance laptop processor that Intel has ever built.
Soon - even faster processing. (TY Hazel) Israeli researchers at the Hebrew University in
Jerusalem have developed a proof of concept that would enable computers to run
100 times faster using terahertz microchips. The technology integrates speed-of-light
optics communications with flash memory.
Elon
Musk in Israel. Telsa CEO Elon Musk visited Israel and posted
several photos of himself including one at Masada. The caption was “Paid
respects to Masada earlier today. Live free or die.” Earlier he met PM
Netanyahu. He praised Israel as a ‘technological power’ and said the Negev
could provide the country with all its energy needs. https://worldisraelnews.com/the-negev-is-the-energy-future-of-israel-business-magnate-elon-musk-tells-netanyahu/
3D-printed jewelry for
self-defense. Israeli fashion designer Nitzan Kish
has used 3D tech to create uniquely shaped clothing and jewelry with a special
purpose in mind – self-defense. Her collection, Me, Myself & I, features
garments that, upon any physical force, turn into spikes and look like modern
body armor.
Israeli software helps crack the soybean
genome.
Missouri scientists have used software from Israel’s NRGene to map the genomes
of two important soybean varieties. The information can help scientists
increase their oil and protein content using traditional breeding methods.
Making motor racing safer. Two Israeli companies have partnered to provide technology to alert
motor racing drivers to hazards on the circuit. Vehicle-to-everything chipset
maker Autotalks and race car manufacturer Griiip showcased their system at the
new motorsport park in Be'er Sheva, Southern Israel.
Record solar energy production. On a perfectly cloudless
Saturday afternoon on 19th March, solar energy was producing 13.4 percent of
Israel’s total electricity consumption, breaking the country’s solar power
record.
Still on course for the Moon. Google’s Lunar X $20 million
prize competition (see here)
expired on 31st March without a winner. However, Israel is still working to
land its SpaceIL module on the moon this year. Of the 33 original entries,
Israel was the first of 16 to announce a launch date and now only five teams
remain.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Food prices drop; salaries rise. The price of food in Israel has dropped 5% in the past two years,
the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) reports.
Reasons include a 1% cut in VAT, 3.5% cut in corporate taxes and higher caps
for food imports, especially fresh beef. Salaries rose 3% in this period.
First Israeli flight over Saudi. India’s national airline,
Air India, has completed its first flight between New Delhi and Tel Aviv flying
through Saudi Arabian airspace. Recent Saudi government permission for the service
has cut flight time to just five hours instead of the seven hours required to
circumvent the Arab state.
A $3.4 billion exit. I’ve reported previously (see here) about Israel’s
Orbotech, whose systems produce almost every electronic device in the
world. Orbotech has just been taken over
by US giant KLA-Tencor for a massive $3.4 billion. Orbotech will continue to
operate under the Orbotech brand in Yavne, Israel.
Growing market for Israeli microalgae. Kibbutz Ketura-based
(UK-owned) Algatech has acquired New Zealand’s Supreme Health which, like
Algatech, produces the algae anti-oxidant product astaxanthin. Algatech can now
use Supreme’s client base to target Asia and especially the Chinese
market.
Israeli wheel to go into mass production. Regular readers will have
read several previous
articles about the revolutionary new wheel developed by Israel’s SoftWheel. Now
Canadian auto parts maker Linamar is investing “millions of dollars” in a
production line that will manufacture hundreds of thousands of these wheels.
The first private college to issue PhDs. (TY Atid-EDI)
The Israeli Council for Higher Education granted the Interdisciplinary Center
Herzliya permission to apply to confer doctorate degrees, beginning with
law. It is a major step towards the IDC becoming
Israel’s first private university.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Akko hotel wins honors. (TY Nevet) I reported
previously (Sep
2013) about the Efendi hotel in Akko (Acre) reconstructed from an abandoned
Ottoman palace. The hotel was recently honored in five categories by the
US-based TripAdvisor travel site, including being named among the top small
hotels in the Middle East.
70 years in 3 minutes. In advance of Israel’s 70th
Anniversary on 18th April, this short video highlights one major news story in
each of modern Israel’s exciting 70 years.
THE JEWISH STATE
100,000
at the Western Wall. (TY WIN,
ILTV and UWI)
Around 100,000 men and women gathered at the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old
City for Birkat HaKohanim, the priestly blessings, that takes place on Passover
and Tabernacles. One of the kohanim (priests) was David Friedman – the US
Ambassador to Israel.
Freedom
coins discovered from Jewish revolt. Just before Passover, Hebrew University
archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar discovered coins from 1st century AD during
renewed excavations below Jerusalem Temple Mount’s southern wall. They were
inscribed “For the Freedom of Zion” and “For the Redemption of Zion”.
Uncovering the site of the Tabernacle (Mishkan). Shiloh was the capital for the
Jewish Kingdom for 369 years before King David made Jerusalem Israel’s capital
and Solomon built the first Temple. Archaeologists are currently working on
this 3,300-year-old site and making some astounding discoveries.
