190331
In the 31st Mar
19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
An Israeli
hospital is to mass-produce personalized cancer therapies.
·
Jerusalem
celebrates Ethiopian-Israeli women trailblazers.
·
The first photos
of Israel’s 10km salt cave – the world’s longest.
·
Israel’s
spaceship reaches the orbit of the moon.
·
An Israeli
startup can transmit data using sound waves.
·
60,000
Indian farmers will use Israeli drip irrigation
·
The rains
generate the largest butterfly migration ever seen in Israel.
·
Remains of
a Jewish town from Temple times has been discovered in Eastern Jerusalem.
·
Click here
to see the 24th March newsletter on IsraelSeen,
IsraPundit, Janglo
and United
With Israel with additional article on Medical
with 1,700 likes Also (TY Sandra) in German
and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Also (TY Marlene) Hebrew
translation of articles from 24th March newsletter by Middle school students
at the Reali School in Haifa. Please pass on these links to German and Hebrew-reading contacts. Also (TY Esty) please visit and “like” / “follow”
the www.facebook.com/VerygoodnewsIL
Facebook page.
·
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
14,000 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
Growing cells to kill cancer. Israel’s
Sheba hospital is partnering with Switzerland’s Lonza Group to fast-track
production of the CAR-T cancer immunotherapy invented by Israeli scientists.
Sheba is the first hospital to trial and refine Lonza’s Cocoon manufacturing
platform for growing cells to treat hundreds of oncology patients.
Fast cancer diagnosis. Israel’s Ibex Medical
Analytics develops a diagnostic system that uses computer vision, machine
learning, and electronic medical records to confirm cancer diagnoses of tissue
biopsies. Ibex’s technology helps minimize the risk of misdiagnosis. Ibex has
just received $11 million of funding.
Manufacturing
center for tumor lasers. I reported previously (see here) on Israel’s
HIL Applied Medical and its focused proton beam lasers to treat tumors. HIL is spending $5 million to set-up a research
and development and manufacturing center at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3758448,00.html
http://hilappliedmedical.com/?p=864
Treatment for
iron overload.
Israel’s Teva has launched a generic version of EXJADE (deferasirox) in
the US. It treats patients two years of age and older for chronic iron overload
due to blood transfusions. Currently, one in eight generic prescriptions
dispensed in the U.S. is filled with a Teva generic product.
Marseille base
for Israeli infusion pumps. (TY Calcalistech)
I reported previously (Feb
2013) that Israel’s Q-core Medical was expanding the distribution of its
infusion pumps to the US and Europe. Due
to the increased demand for IV infusion systems in France, Q-Core has opened a
new regional hub in Marseille.
Another
Israeli fetal heart monitor. (TY Calcalistech)
Israel’s HeraMED is partnering with Israeli-owned device manufacturer Quasar to
mass-produce its HeraBEAT ultrasound smartphone-based fetal heartbeat monitor
in Shenzhen, China. HeraBEAT uses amplified ultrasound doppler technology. (also
PulseNmore)
The gift of
life. Heart
transplants for children are rare. And when the cardiac condition of 13-year-old
Dov from Arad deteriorated, it looked bleak. Then on the Jewish festival of
Purim, surgeons at Israel’s Schneider children’s hospital gave him a new heart.
And on the same day, they gave a 5-year-old girl a new kidney.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
The first co-working space for women. Panthera in Tel Aviv is Israel’s first coworking space for women. Panthera
(Hebrew for a female panther) admits female entrepreneurs and companies run by
women. It also offers cultural events, lectures, and courses including on artificial
intelligence and stock exchange investing.
Ethiopian-Israeli
women trailblazers. The annual Yerusalem Forum
convention celebrates women who made important contributions to Israeli
society. This year’s event was devoted to 11 inspiring young women, academics,
mothers and artists from the Ethiopian Women Trailblazers Forum.
Three NGOs join to help minorities into Israeli
tech. Israeli non-profits KamaTech, Tech-Career and
Tsofen are joining forces to integrate ultra-Orthodox Jews, Ethiopian Israelis
and Arab Israelis into the tech industry. They will jointly pilot tech courses
and develop a comprehensive recruitment-training-placement program.
Rescued
sea turtles returned to the sea. Inspectors of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority released to the
Mediterranean two sea turtles after several they had received months of medical
care. The rescue center repaired one turtle’s broken shell and the other was given
a CT scan after treatment for head and shell injuries.
Israelis
save Gazan parrot.
(TY Hazel) Abdullah Sharaf from Gaza requested help for his African grey parrot,
Koki, that had drunk bleach which burned a hole in its throat. Israeli veterinarians
from an Israeli wildlife center coordinated with Israel’s COGAT Gaza liaison body
and successfully treated the bird at the Erez crossing.
Israeli rescuers in Brazil – the inside
story. (TY IsraelUnwired)
This video describes the work of Israeli firefighters who flew out to Brazil three
days after the 25th Jan dam collapse and subsequent deadly mudslide. The traumatic
recovery activities created strong bonds and today Brazil and Israel see each
other as true friends.
World’s longest salt
cave. 80 cave explorers from nine countries have
mapped Israel’s Malcham cave near the Dead Sea and declared it to be the
longest salt cave in the world. At 10km
it dwarfs Iran’s 6.5km 3N cave - the previous longest. Malcham is in Mount Sdom
– where, in the Bible, Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt.
Dutch BDS supporter triggers huge Israeli
wine sales. An anti-Israel supporter’s tweet to boycott
Israeli wines at the Dutch Hema supermarket was turned by pro-Israel supporters
into a social media buying frenzy. Within hours, Efrat Wines were sold out from
Hema’s online store and branch stocks were running out fast.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The Earth and Israeli
flag from 265,000 km. Israel’s Beresheet spacecraft
selfie camera continues to click away, as the satellite performs its final and largest
elliptical orbit around Earth ahead of planned lunar capture on April 4 and
hopefully a moon landing on April 11. Beresheet has also now deployed its
landing gear.
Einstein manuscripts exhibited. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has unveiled 110 Einstein manuscript
pages from a private collection - most on display for the first time. They
include a hand-written appendix to Einstein’s Unified Theory, previously
thought lost, and join the HUJ’s 80,000 item Einstein archive.
Radiation vest is going to the Moon. I reported previously (30th
Apr) that the radiation protection vest from Israel’s StemRad will be
tested on NASA’s first Orion deep space mission. The date for that has now been set for June
2020 and its destination will be the moon.
Most innovative. TY Atid-EDI)
I reported previously (16th
Mar) that there were six Israeli companies on Fast Company’s prestigious annual
list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies (MIC) for 2019. There is now a
seventh – Wisdo is a self-care platform that provides users with wisdom from those
with similar experiences.
Datacenter accelerator emerges. As one Israeli datacenter accelerator (Mellanox) exits for $6.9
billion, one more appears. Israel’s Lightbits has developed software that can
be installed on existing servers to connect flash storage with applications at high
speed. Lightbits just raised $50 million of funds from Dell, Cisco and others.
Real-time transcription. I reported previously (21st
May) that Israel’s Verbit provided a 4-hour turnaround for its
transcription service. , Verbit has now launched
a pay per minute, real-time service that automatically transcribes speech instantly
at a high accuracy rate.
Window-cleaning robots. I reported briefly previously (23rd
Oct) on Israel’s Skyline Robotics. Its automated cleaning system, called
OZMO, uses computer vision and machine learning to clean windows at any height.
It can clean (safely) a 40-storey building in 7 days - less than a third of the
time that 3 human cleaners would take.
Don’t waste, innovate. (TY Liat) I reported previously (1st
July) on Israel’s Wine Water Ltd that uses waste products from the wine industry
to make O.Vine – infused spring water. Israel’s
Practical Innovations came up with the idea. They advise companies how to generate
innovative products from previously discarded materials.
Protecting crops. More information about the imaging and analysis platform of Israel’s
Taranis, which is used by some 19,000 farmers in eight countries help prevent
disease and pest infestation in crops. It protects about 20 million acres of fields
in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Russia, United States and
Ukraine.
Transferring data by
sound. Israel’s Sonarax has developed a new
connectivity protocol that transfers data using soundwaves. Sonarax states that
it operates on any device that has a built-in speaker or microphone and its uses
include mobile payments, authentication, IoT connectivity and indoor navigation
https://www.timesofisrael.com/making-waves-israeli-startup-finds-way-for-devices-to-communicate-through-sound/
https://www.sonarax.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_vjfSmx830
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Israel has
thousands of hi-tech companies. (TY OurCrowd) Israel had 6,673 active high-tech companies and startups as
of the end of 2018, according to a report published by the Start-Up Nation
Central organization. Of those, over one
thousand operated in the area of Artificial Intelligence.
More Israeli
investment opportunities. Two more initiatives have just been launched to attract funds for Israeli
startups. First, Israel Infrastructure Partners (IIP) announced a debut fund
targeting $350 million. Meanwhile, Arizona's Grayhawk Capital has launched a $75
million early growth fund.
El Al to fly to Chicago. El Al will be offering direct flights between Tel Aviv and Chicago
starting in 2020.
Ryanair’s Lauda to fly Tel Aviv to Vienna. Irish low-cost airline Ryanair's Austrian subsidiary Lauda will
launch Tel Aviv - Vienna daily flights in October. El Al, Austrian Airlines and
Wizz Air also fly from Tel Aviv to Vienna.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-ryanair-unit-lauda-to-launch-tel-aviv-vienna-flights-1001279242
Phenomenal growth. I reported previously (see
here) on Israeli cybersecurity startup Morphisec and its growth in protecting
over one million endpoints. Its revenue
has also grown - by 1620% over the past year.
Drip irrigation across
India. (TY Hazel and Calcalistech)
I reported previously (2nd
Dec) that Israel’s Netafim was deploying its drip-irrigation systems to
6,000 farmers in Hungund, India. It has since won a $100 million contract to
install its systems in 100 villages, benefiting 60,000 farmers across India.
The
search for more Israeli gas. (TY Calcalistech)
Several companies, including Exxon Mobil, have acquired Israeli government
tender documents pertaining to oil and gas exploration rights off the coast of
Israel. The ongoing auction closes in June. Seabed estimates are 75 trillion
cubic feet of gas and 6.6 billion barrels of oil.
Tnuva
launches startup accelerator. Israel-based Tnuva Food Industries has launched a startup accelerator
program focusing on retail technologies. Dubbed Capsule, the program will scout
startups and entrepreneurs for strategic collaborations, offering them access
to Tnuva’s facilities, business advisement, and mentorship.
Two
new Fattal hotels in Jerusalem. (TY Janglo)
Israeli international hotel chain Fattal is building a new 168-room NYX
Jerusalem Hotel near the Mahane Yehuda market. It is also expanding the former
Alliance School into a 90-room boutique hotel. Fattal has 200 hotels in 18
countries including the Leonardo chain.
Pointer
exits for $140 million. I reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s Pointer Telelocation whose software tracks vehicles for
fleet management, insurance purposes and stolen vehicle recovery. US based I.D.
Systems is acquiring Pointer in a deal valued at some $140 million.
OrthoSpace
exits for up to $220 million. I reported previously (Jan
2014) on Israel’s OrthoSpace which develops a biodegradable balloon that
can be implanted into injured shoulders, preventing friction and alleviating
pain. NYSE-listed Stryker Corp. is acquiring OrthoSpace for up to $220 million.
McDonald’s
buys Israeli AI startup. I mentioned previously (Jan
2018) Israeli startup Dynamic Yield, which uses Artificial Intelligence to
deliver a personalized service to customers.
Fast food giant McDonald’s has recognized DY’s potential and has bought
the innovative startup for $300 million.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
New
coral beach in Eilat. 50 years ago, Israel started building a pipeline on an Eilat beach to
take Iranian oil to Europe. When the Shah of Iran was deposed, the pipeline was
abandoned. Nature took over and a new coral reef began to form. Now Israel is working
hard to remove the pipeline debris, whilst preserving the coral.
When
the smoke clears. 700 Israeli soldiers badly wounded defending
their country formed a self-help group to promote the healing process. Jerusalem U has produced a film about these
brave soldiers, which is available on amazon or for a small charge or free to Amazon
Prime customers. See the youtube trailer
for more details.
Come and see the butterflies. This year’s butterfly migration from Arabia
to Europe via Israel is probably the largest ever seen in Israel. The unusually
wet winter has promoted the growth of plants that feed billions of new “painted
lady” butterflies, also known as the “plain tiger” or “African Queen”. Viewing
until mid-May.
Israel
beats Austria in Euro soccer qualifier. In their European 2020 Cup soccer qualifying
round, Israel beat Austria 4-2 in Haifa. It was their first victory over Austria
in 20 years and it took them to second place in Group G. Israel’s Eran Zahavi scored a hat-trick (3 goals)
in a game hailed as one of Israel’s best in recent years.
THE JEWISH STATE
Honduras
and Romania to move embassies to Jerusalem. (TY Arthur R) Honduras and Romania are to relocate
their Israeli embassies to Israel’s capital. Both President Juan Orlando
Hernandez of Honduras and Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă announced
their plans during the AIPAC conference in Washington.
US recognizes
Israel’s sovereignty in the Golan. US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Israel’s sovereignty
over the Golan Heights.
Hungary
opens embassy branch in Jerusalem. As promised, Hungary has opened its diplomatic trade mission in
Jerusalem, which is considered a branch of the Hungarian Embassy located in Tel
Aviv. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto was in Jerusalem on Tuesday for the
dedication ceremony of the new facility.
2000-year-old Jewish village in Eastern Jerusalem. Archaeologists are uncovering a
Jewish village from the Hasmonean period in the Sharafat neighborhood of
Jerusalem. It includes a wine and olive presses, a rock-cut dovecote, two large
ritual baths, a water cistern and an extravagant burial cave.
This
is not mythology.
Another video showing the excavations at Shiloh – the site of the Biblical Jewish
tabernacle some 3,500 years ago – and where archaeologists are today literally
bringing the Bible to life.
Historic
Burma road now hosts gas pipeline. In 1948, Israel broke the Arab siege of Jerusalem by building the “Burma”
road to ferry supplies. Israel Natural Gas Lines
has just inaugurated a pipeline along the Burma road to take natural gas from
the coast to supply Jerusalem. The 34-km pipeline cost NIS 290 million to build.
Just a boy, but he saved a stranger’s
life. Shulamit survived breast cancer, twice. Then
she was diagnosed with leukemia and only a bone marrow transplant could save
her. No family matched but a teenager in
the IDF did. He had just registered on Ezer Mizion’s database. 3 years after a successful
stem cell transplant, they met.
The Kinneret
is rising. (TY
Arthur R) I didn’t want to risk providence by reporting this previously, but winter
rains have now raised the level of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) to 78.5 cm above
the lower red line – its highest level in over two years. More rain is forecast – apologies to
tourists, but we do need the water!
Nature
behaves differently in Israel. I have noticed that in Israel, dogs don’t chase cats and cats don’t
chase birds. And in this video a herd of
wild ibex / gazelles uses a zebra crossing to get across a busy Israeli road.
190324
In the 24th Mar
19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
Israeli
scientists can stop cancer spreading by suppressing a misfunctioning protein.
·
Israeli
technology can save millions of undiagnosed TB sufferers.
·
IsraAID has
sent a team to help victims of the Mozambique cyclone.
·
An Israeli
drone has been developed to autonomously pick ripe fruit.
·
Israeli hi-tech
company Elbit earned $3.68 billion last year.
·
Israeli
special Olympiads won 22 medals in Abu Dhabi.
·
Archaeologists
discover more ancient Jewish artifacts in Israel.
·
Click here
to see the 17th March newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, IsraPundit, Janglo
and United
With Israel with additional feature on Inclusive
& Global. Also (TY Sandra) in German.
Also (TY Marlene) Hebrew translation
of articles from 17th March newsletter by Young Ambassadors of the Reali School
in Haifa. Please pass on these links to German and
Hebrew-reading contacts. Also (TY Esty) please
visit and “like” / “follow” the bilingual (English / Hebrew) www.facebook.com/VerygoodnewsIL
Facebook page.
·
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
14,000 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
Controlling the genome
guardian. Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute
have been able to silence the gene controlling the p53 protein known as “the guardian
of the genome”. The p53 protein is mutated or dysfunctional in over two-thirds
of all cancers. Korean biotech BioLeaders is investing $10 million in the new Israeli
therapy.
Age your
immune system for a longer life. Researchers from
Israel’s Technion and US Stanford University have identified age factors within
the human immune system that predict a person’s longevity. Eventually you will know
which lifestyle changes, habits and medications can advance your immune system
and extend life.
Complementary
medicine works. Dr. Yair Maimon is head of the Tal
Integrative Cancer Research Center at Israel’s Sheba Medical Center. Thanks to 30
years’ experience of Chinese botanical medicine, his LCS101 botanical formula
alleviates treatment side effects, boosts the immune system and kills selective
cancer cells.
Medical chip
for blood-tests. Israel’s Tower Semiconductor has developed
a microfluidics Bio/CMOS chip for molecular in vitro diagnostics. The device,
which is intended for blood test analyses, was developed in Tower’s partnership
with Chinese biotech Axbio and is planned to go into production in mid-2019.
AI to diagnose
Pulmonary Embolism. I reported previously (see here) on Israel’s Aidoc and
its Artificially Intelligent image software that can help doctors diagnose
brain bleeds. Aidoc has just released its CE-marked product to identify and
triage pulmonary embolism (PE) responsible for 100,000 deaths annually in the
USA.
Patch for acute
pain. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s
Teva has just launched a generic version of Flector Patch (diclofenac epolamine)
in the United States. The patch treats topical treatment of acute pain due to
minor strains, sprains and contusions. https://www.tevagenerics.com/product/diclofenac-epolamine-topical-patch-1-3
World’s 10th
best hospital. "Newsweek" has ranked
Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer near Tel Aviv as one of the world's top
ten hospitals. “Newsweek” says the hospital is, "a leader in medical
science and biotechnical innovation, both in the Middle East and worldwide.”
Two National
Autism centers. I reported previously (Aug
2015) that the Hebrew University and Hadassah were establishing the first
interdisciplinary university-based autism center in the Middle East. Now Ben
Gurion University has upgraded its autism database (see
here) and opened a National Autism Research Center.
Israeli AI in Indian hospitals. The
India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F) has
given $4.3 million to Israel's Zebra Medical to deploy its Artificially Intelligent
screening system across India. Zebra’s AI medical imaging technology can early-diagnose
some of the 3.6 million new TB patients every year.
United Hatzalah
opens in Colombia. Israeli Emergency Medical Service
United Hatzalah has just opened a new chapter in Colombia – its fifth country
outside of its Israeli base. UH aims to reduce emergency response times in Colombia
down from 45 minutes to just three. UH
operates in the US, Panama, Ukraine and Brazil.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
World Down Syndrome Day. 21st March is World Down
Syndrome Day and coincided with Purim this year. Israel together with Singapore initiated World
Down Syndrome Day in 2006 (see
here). Israel’s Yated Association provides parents with reliable
information about raising children with DS. Please donate if you can.
Help for siblings of children with disabilities. Israel has many charities helping children with disabilities.
However, only one - "Siblings in the Field" – supports siblings of those
children, who might not get as much attention because parents’ focus is
elsewhere. It currently helps kids aged 9
to 10 in the city of Modi’in.
Teaching Hebrew to asylum seekers. (TY Josie) Josie taught Hebrew to migrants to Israel from Eritrea
and Sudan between Sept 2018 and Jan 2019.
Here is an account of her experiences.
Israel is feeding the world. (TY Hazel) Israel has over than 300 food-tech and agro-tech
startups. Many of them presented at the Israel Export Institute’s “Rethinking
Food” conference in Tel Aviv. Subjects discussed included eliminating waste,
packaging, global partnerships, vegan food and international markets.
US to follow Israeli model for army “specials”.
The IDF’s
Special in Uniform program integrates young people with autism and other
disabilities into the Israel Defense Forces and, in turn, into Israeli society.
US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said that the US wants to implement a
similar model in the US army.
Global State Comptrollers meet in
Jerusalem. (TY Sharon)
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin met with a delegation of 21 State Comptrollers,
representing 42 countries in Europe and Asia. They were in Israel attending Israel’s
State Comptroller’s conference on global issues and best practices in state
auditing.
Aid to Mozambique. Israeli humanitarian NGO IsraAID has dispatched an emergency
response team to Mozambique, to help victims of the cyclone that devastated the
country. IsraAID will distribute relief supplies, deliver psychological first
aid and restore access to safe drinking water to affected communities.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Beresheet goes into maximum Earth orbit. On 19th March, the engines of Israel’s Beresheet spacecraft fired
it into a 405.000 km maximum Earth orbit which will take it to within range of
the Moon. Next event hopefully will be lunar
capture on or around 4th Apr for a moon landing on 11th / 12th Apr. (see also on
JPost)
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/israeli-spacecraft-beresheet-completes-another-successful-maneuver/2019/03/19/
http://www.spaceil.com/mission/ http://live.spaceil.com/
Enhanced security at Ben Gurion airport. (TY Janglo)
Security improvements will reduce delays for tourists at Ben Gurion Airport in
time for Eurovision. Delegations can be pre-registered. Facial recognition will
speed up passengers with biometric passports. And machines will (initially) ask
“did you pack your own baggage?”.
Preventing railway crashes. Israel’s RailVision has developed revolutionary technology that
prevents accidents involving trains by ensuring they have an adequate stopping
time. RailVision’s thermal sensor can identify hazards up to two miles away. RailVision
has just raised $10 million.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3757764,00.html
https://www.railvision.io/about-us/
Traffic lights for smartphone users. (TY Janglo)
Tel Aviv is testing new “zombie” traffic lights, designed to alert pedestrians too
absorbed on their smartphone to look up at the signals. Bright LED light strips
set into the sidewalks at one Tel Aviv road junction will turn red or green in
sync with the traffic lights.
Technology to improve driving. I reported previously (see here) on the
vehicle cyber security systems from Israel’s ERM Advanced Telematics. ERM has now
launched eVoice for fleet managers to warn their drivers of safety violations.
eVoice will issue a real-time audio alert if a driver performs a dangerous maneuver.
Enhancing AI applications. Israel’s Iguazio offers data
management services and tools designed to improve the performance, security,
and scalability of machine learning applications. Samsung SDS is funding Iguazio
and will incorporate its technology into Samsung’s cloud services portfolio. See
Iguazio on CNBC and BBC.
Protecting against hardware-based cyber-attacks. You’ve probably seen movies where someone walks into a company, plugs
a device into one of the computers and starts copying sensitive data. Not possible with protection from Israel’s
Sepio Systems. European energy giant EDP
just made a strategic investment in Sepio.
Improving access to Eurovision. Microsoft is to host a two-day
“hackathon” in Tel Aviv in April. 150 participants will attempt to tackle issues
of accessibility arising from the live broadcast of the Eurovision Song contest
and maximize viewer experience. Israeli is hosting the 2019 Eurovision from 14th
to 18th May.
A drone that can pick
fruit. Israel’s Tevel Aerobotics has developed an autonomous
drone equipped with a mechanical claw that can pick fruit or prune trees. It uses
artificial intelligence to detect fruit quality and ripeness. The prototype is for
apples and oranges but is being expanded to other fruits and to function at
night.
Autonomous crop management. (TY Atid-EDI & Nevet) I reported previously (Aug
2016) on Israel’s Prospera and its AI systems to help farmers better
monitor their crops. Prospera is now
partnering with US Valmont Industries (part of Valley Irrigation) to provide
growers with autonomous crop management solutions.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferhicks/2019/03/19/how-to-transform-60000-irrigation-pivots-into-autonomous-growing-machines/#1b5da159721d https://www.valley-prospera.com/#Valley-irrigation
Plant research for a healthier planet. Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute are improving global food
security e.g. by figuring out how plants can better resist drought and provide
higher-quality nutrition. They have also devised a method of killing a
parasitic weed that was destroying corn crops in sub-Saharan Africa.
Preserve those photos. (TY Atid/EDI)
Israel’s Photomyne won the Top 100 award at the Red Herring Top 100 Europe
conference. Photomyne aims to use its photo
scanning app, with Machine Learning / AI technology, to produce the largest
indexed photo collection of the pre-digital era. https://photomyne.com/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Global demand for Israeli startups. (TY Janglo)
Investors have been keen to back Israeli startups in Feb. Here is a summary of
the top financing deals worth a total of $445 million in one month for just 11
Israeli companies. Also, see Ambassador Yoram Ettinger’s article “Growing
global interest in Israel’s high-tech”.
Turkish Airlines to connect Tel Aviv and
Izmir. Turkey’s President Erdogan may not like
Israel, but his national airline wants Israeli customers. Turkish Airlines is
launching a new four-flights-per-week service between Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International
and Izmir’s Adnan Menderes airport, commencing 29th May.
Jerusalem
Expo. The
“Jerusalem Expo and Conference,” hosted by the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of
Commerce – Israel Division, will take place on 15th May. It is aimed at Israeli
residents from North America, Europe, South Africa and other English-speaking
countries who want to manage their businesses from Israel.
Elbit’s $3.68 billion
revenue. Total
2018 earnings for Israeli hi-tech giant Elbit were a massive $3.68 billion - 9%
higher than in 2017. Elbit also revealed that it has $9.4 billion worth of
orders in the pipeline.
OurCrowd has raised $1 billion. Global investment platform and Israel’s leading venture investor,
OurCrowd has raised a total of $1 billion for 170 companies and 18 funds in its
six years of existence. The OurCrowd network consists of 30,000 registered
investors from over 150 countries. See
also highlights from its summit.
https://blog.ourcrowd.com/sixyears/
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3757841,00.html
Warren
Buffet’s company partners Israeli startup. A
subsidiary of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway, Guard Insurance, has partnered
with Israeli startup Planck Resolution to develop a full digital underwriting
offering. Planck develops software that helps insurance companies analyze and risk-assess
businesses.
SAP launches Tel Aviv accelerator. I’ve reported previously (see here) on the close ties
that German software giant SAP has with the Jewish State. SAP has now announced
its first Israeli accelerator in Tel Aviv. SAP.IO Foundry will support up to 10
early stage Israeli business-to-business (B2B) startups.
BMW to
open Israel Tech Center. (TY Atid-EDI)
I reported previously (see here) on
the links that German carmaker BMW has with Israel. Now, BMW is opening a Tel
Aviv tech center to tap into the talent in Israel's startup scene. It will also
set up joint research projects with Israeli universities,
Keeping Italian police from danger. I reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s Roboteam and its tactical robots. Roboteam has just won a
$10 million order to supply 40 TIGR ground robotic systems to Italy’s Carabinieri
(police). They are designed to handle suspicious packages and hazardous materials.
How to get VAT refunded. Itai Green writes how
Israeli startups can save tourists and businesses a fortune. I reported
previously (10th
Feb) that Israel’s Refundit won the UN’s World Tourism Organization
competition. Here is how Refundit could return VAT charges of up to 23 billion
Euros to the pockets of tourists.
How businesses reclaim VAT on expenses. There are also at least two Israeli solutions for companies who get
lost in the nightmare of extracting the VAT they are entitled to on business expenses.
VATBox is one automated solution for VAT recovery. Alternatively use Israel’s
Way2VAT and its Artificial Intelligence.
Kibbutzim
to share electric cars. Meshek Energy, an agricultural cooperative society owned by Israeli kibbutzim,
has acquired dozens of electric cars. They will be stationed in several dozen
kibbutzim and will be used as shared vehicles. Meshek Energy will set up and
operate car charging stations at various kibbutzim.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Happy
Purim. The fancy dress outfits for the Purim festival
in Israel keep getting more sophisticated every year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do79YEYcwJs
Jerusalem marathon’s 40,000 runners. (TY Sharon
& Jacques)
The annual Jerusalem Marathon attracted a record 40,000 participants including
some 4,600 from 80 countries. The route passed the Old City walls, Sultan’s
Pool, Mount Zion, the German Colony, Ammunition Hill, Mount Scopus and the Mount
of Olives.
Gold Judokas in Russia. Israeli judokas won two gold medals and a bronze at the Grand Slam
in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Gili Cohen won the women’s under-52kg category. Meanwhile,
Sagi Muki won the men’s under-81kg category, beating former world champion
Nagase Takanori of Japan. Overall, Israel
finished second to Russia.
Special winners in Abu
Dhabi. Israel’s
25-member team won 22 medals at the 2019 Special Olympics in Abu Dhabi. They
won 4 Gold medals: in the women’s
100-meter individual medley; women’s 25-meter backstroke, men’s 1,500-meter
Open Water Swimming and doubles bowling (Unified) competition
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Sports/Israeli-Special-Olympics-athletes-return-home-from-Dubai-with-22-medal-haul-584220
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fe1XV1QnMI
THE JEWISH STATE
National Cleanup Day. (TY Janglo)
Israel’s National Cleanup Day promotes the importance of protecting Israel’s environment.
This year, the Ministries of Education and Environmental Protection are providing
NIS 13 million to fund activities and trips for around 1,200 schools that will participate
on 2nd April.
Pro-Israel
blogger conference. Israel’s Strategic Affairs Ministry has organized #DigiTell, bringing 100
global pro-Israel bloggers and social network managers to Jerusalem. Senior director
Ido Daniel said “We are opening our doors to the influencers and social media
activists for Israel who are fighting our fight every day.
Highway
through history.
(TY IsraPundit)
I reported previously (see
here) on excavations that have revealed a 3000-year-old Biblical city from
King David’s Kingdom, near the modern Israeli city of Beit Shemesh. This article gives more details of the
discoveries and how the site will be preserved alongside a new highway.
More discoveries. Latest archaeological excavations in Israel
have revealed a wine press and mosaic floor from the Talmudic period. And in
Jerusalem, pottery was found from the time that the Persians ruled Judea – which
was when the Purim story took place. https://www.jewishpress.com/news/archaeology-news/winepress-mosaic-floor-from-talmudic-period-discovered-in-korazim-national-park/2019/03/18/
US Secretary
of State visits Kotel. (TY WIN)
Mike Pompeo was the first U.S. Secretary of State to visit the Western Wall
(Kotel) in Jerusalem. Accompanied by Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman,
Secretary Pompeo placed a note in between the ancient stones.
Supermoon
on Purim. On 20th
March, Israel’s Beresheet spacecraft blasted into its maximum orbit around the
Earth. It coincided with the Spring Equinox, a Supermoon (full Moon close to the
Earth) and of course, Purim!
190317
In the 17th Mar
19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
Israeli breakthrough
in the search for a universal leukemia treatment.
·
Israeli
scientists have discovered a vital medical reason for sleep.
·
IKEA and
McDonald’s launched Israeli initiatives to help those with disabilities.
·
A new
Israeli solution to the global desert crisis.
·
Nvidia has
bought Israel’s Mellanox for $6.9 billion.
·
Time Out readers
chose Tel Aviv as the best city in the Middle East.
·
The Israeli
President’s wife breathes easily thanks to a donated lung.
·
Click here
to see the 10th March newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, IsraPundit,
and Janglo,
Also 10th March
Hebrew translation by students of Reali School in Haifa.
Also (TY Esty) please
visit and “like” / “follow” the www.facebook.com/VerygoodnewsIL
Facebook page.
·
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
14,000 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
No escape from new leukemia
biosensor. Tel Aviv University scientists have
devised a novel biosensor that can isolate and target all leukemic stem
cells - the most malignant of leukemic cells. Previous therapies missed many types
of these stem cells, allowing them to evade destruction and subsequently multiply.
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/on-campus/israeli-scientists-create-biosensor-to-isolate-leukemic-stem-cells/2019/03/12/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41375-019-0386-z
European approval for lung collapse
warning. I’ve reported previously (see here) on Zebra Medical
Vision and its technology that helps radiologists spot acute conditions in
scans and X-rays. Zebra has just received European CE certification for detecting
pneumothorax - a sign of imminent lung collapse.
Square-fiber endoscope is outside the
box. The miniature
endoscope from Israel’s Zsquare is made from layers of square fiber. The unique
technology provides 3D high resolution, hyper-spectral imaging. Then after use, just throw it away so no chance
of cross-infections. Zsquare has just raised $10 million of funds.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3757236,00.html
https://www.z-squaremedical.com/
Israeli doctors bring expertise to
Africa. Several
Israeli doctors have spent decades changing the nature of healthcare in Africa.
Ori and Britta Shwarzman established a mobile clinic in Ghana; Professor Zvi
Bentwich has been eradicating diseases in Ethiopia and Dr Morris Hartstein treats
hundreds at his eye clinics in Ethiopia.
Why you need to sleep. Researchers from Israel’s Bar-Ilan
University have shown that individual neurons in the brain need sleep to give the
chromosomal repair system a chance to clear out daily debris accumulated during
wake time. At night, neuronal traffic is light and damage caused by activity or
environment can be fixed.
Boosting the
gut’s immune response. I reported previously (Feb
2013) on the research of scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute into
the gut’s immune cell training system. They now have discovered that gut
bacteria slow the immune response. Increasing the level of antigens boosts the response,
also enabling oral vaccines.
https://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il/life-sciences/revealing-gut%E2%80%99s-b-cell-training-program-may-point-new-means-developing-oral-vaccines https://www.nature.com/articles/s41590-019-0325-1
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Recycling pallets for environment and
society. (TY UWI
& ILTV) Israeli NGO Molet turns trashed wooden pallets into everyday
furniture. Molet also offers companies “away
days” where employees help make furniture which is then donated to institutions
in need. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FB_Jeo0S4c
Improving
accessibility at McDonald’s. (TY Hazel) McDonald’s
Israel has installed sensors from Israel’s RightHear (see here) near entrances,
restrooms, elevators and stairs in nearly all its 180 Israeli branches. It is the
world’s first restaurant chain to offer full access to customers with
orientation challenges.
New IKEA accessibility
products. (TY Jacques) IKEA Israel has partnered with
Israeli nonprofits Access Israel and Milbat to produce 13 furniture accessibility
add-on products (e.g. mega switch, easy handle, gripper) for people with
disabilities. Their “ThisAbles Initiative” helps Israelis with disabilities
live more independently.
Ride-sharing app to help Arab women. Arab women often have difficulty travelling to work from their outlying
towns. So, Israel’s Technion Institute has partnered with non-profit Kayan to launch
Safarcon (“your travels” in Arabic). The app offers a ride-sharing service
aimed at Israeli Arabs, particularly Arab women.
Jerusalem hosts female film festival. Female filmmakers and activists from Egypt, Pakistan, Sri Lanka,
Canada and the US came to Jerusalem for two days of screenings, meetings and
conversations. The 49% Festival is named for the percentage of women in the
global population.
Black police support Israel. The US National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
(NOBLE) has endorsed the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE).
GILEE organizes exchanges between US and Israeli law enforcement officers. NOBLE
says it has benefited from the exchange for decades.
Liberian President’s soccer link. Liberian President George Manna Weah, came to Israel with a large
delegation of ministers and aides. President Weah is a former soccer star,
considered to be among the best of Africa’s players. Israeli President Reuven
Rivlin said he watched him play for Chelsea in 2000.
Brazilian President to arrive 31st Mar. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is to visit Israel from March 31
to April 4. Mr Bolsonaro has repeatedly promised to relocate the Brazilian
embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. “The decision is taken; it’s only
a matter of when it will be implemented” he said on TV in Feb.
Israeli tours of alternative Paris. Robert Sarner describes interesting street tours of Paris by two Israelis.
They highlight the street art and graffiti, now widely seen as part of a city’s
visual identity and cultural expression.
Israeli tech reunites Korean sisters. In 1972, a Korean toddler and her baby sister were abandoned by
their parents. Taken to separate orphanages, they were adopted by different
families in the US and Belgium. 47 years later, they were reunited, thanks to a
DNA test they both independently took with Israeli company MyHeritage.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Keep watching the skies. On 20th March, Israel’s SpaceIL plans to initiate the next maneuver
of its Beresheet spacecraft, advancing it from its current 270,00 km maximum
orbit into a 400,000 km maximum orbit. It will then attempt to achieve Lunar
Capture on 4 April. Watch this
space!
Pushing back the
desert. Scientists at Ben-Gurion University have devised
simple interventions at desert borders to reverse the process threatening to turn
vast areas of the US, Spain and China into desert. Such activities include introducing
new plant species or periodic clear cutting to reduce the competition for
water.
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/on-campus/vegetation-fingers-could-help-reverse-desertification-israeli-scientists-say/2019/03/11/
https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.048101#fulltext
A shared network in the cloud. Israel’s DriveNets offers CSP customers (Communications Service
Providers) fast, scalable network capacity at low cost. Its Network Cloud software-based
solution offers an alternative to traditional network infrastructures. DriveNets
has just raised $110 million of funds.
Extending food’s shelf life. (TY Janglo
and Israel21c)
Another Israeli packaging is keeping food fresh for longer. Israel;s Active Pak uses a hybrid polymer
nano-compound with natural antimicrobial essential oils to extend the shelf
life of food and other perishables. It also has potential for post-harvesting and
irrigation.
Using the microbiome to increase crop
yield. Israel’s
Evogene has set up a new agricultural biology subsidiary - LaVie Bio. It will
focus on the fields of food quality and agricultural sustainability and
productivity, through the introduction of microbiome-based ag-biological
products.
GrowBots - robots to imitate plants. Tel Aviv University Professor Yasmin Meroz is leading the Israeli
team in a European-funded consortium to develop robots that can negotiate uneven
environments. Instead of legs or wheels, these robots will climb like ivy. Uses
include collapsed buildings, archaeological digs or even on Mars.
Another bullet-proof backpack. I reported previously (25th
Sep) on the school backpack from Israel’s Masada-Armour that transforms
into a bulletproof vest in under two seconds. Here is an alternative – the backpack
from Israel’s ArmorMe comes with bulletproof kevlar panels on one or two sides.
PHIL – innovation hub for pet health. Israel’s OurCrowd is partnering Australian pet store operator PETstock
to set up Israel’s first innovation hub focused on health technologies for
pets. Pet Health Innovation Labs (PHIL) is
for startups using AI to develop treatments, and apps for nutrition and exercise
regimens.
Artificially Intelligent marketing. Israel’s Mintigo develops an online predictive analytics platform
designed to identify the items a specific customer is most likely to buy. It
scours the web for over 20,000 insights and buying signals. Mintigo has just
raised $7 million to add to the $44 million already raised.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3757499,00.html
https://www.mintigo.com/why-mintigo/
Whatever happened to Genie? I reported previously (May 2015)
the 3D meal-printing ovens from Israel’s Genie were a year away from
production. Genie now has two production lines in Israel and a
third in Chicago, able to produce 30 million meal capsules a year. Genie is now
begun marketing in the U.S. and Australia.
Iron dome tech can predict natural disasters. Israel’s mPrest developed the command-and-control software inside
Israel’s Iron Dome missile-defense system. Its Major Event Management
Application (MEMA) forecasts the extent, location and progress of damage from natural
disasters via a similar network of sensors and systems.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
New flights
from France to Israel. EasyJet is launching a new, thrice-weekly direct flight route from Tel
Aviv to Nantes, the sixth largest city in France, starting in April. Meanwhile Ryanair
will be offering three flights a week between Tel Aviv and the southern French
city of Marseille. The route will be taking off in October.
New routes
to Germany and Greece. Ryanair is to start daily direct flights between Tel Aviv and Berlin in
October. It already flies from Israel to Baden-Baden and Memmingen. Ryanair has
also announced the launch of new three weekly flights between Tel Aviv and
Athens and Thessaloniki.
European
investors come to Israel. Israel will host representatives of top German, Swiss and Austrian tech
accelerators and companies on 19th March, for the fifth installment of the
Europe Days conference. Over €300 million ($335 million) in funding
opportunities will be on the table for some 200 Israeli entrepreneurs.
OurCrowd summit
is about doing good. Some
18,000 guests from over 180 countries attended OurCrowd’s annual summit. Its
focus was on startups with a world-changing social impact and solving global
challenges in fields such as healthcare, public safety, environment, mobility,
cybersecurity, food, and agriculture.
From cafes
to offices. (TY Sharon) For years, Jerusalem’s budding
entrepreneurs held meetings in cafes. But now there are many shared workspaces
that they can afford to rent e.g. PICO, Temech and WeWork. Now Urban Place on
the 4th floor of the Central Bus Station provides 91 offices of various sizes
and styles and more.
Six
Israeli startups are most innovative. Fast Company magazine’s list of the world’s
50 most innovative companies for 2019 includes six Israeli companies previously
featured in this newsletter - Vayyar Imaging (see here), Innoviz (here), SpacePharma (here), ECOncrete (here), Sight Diagnostics (here) and Waze (here).
Six Israeli
AI startups are most promising. (TY Nevet) CB Insights’ 2019
list of the 100 Most Innovative Artificial Intelligence Startups includes six Israeli
companies previously featured in this newsletter – Habana Labs (see
here), BioCatch (here),
Nexar (here), Taranis (here), Anodot (here) and LawGeex (here).
Israeli startups shine in cybersecurity
market. The US is still top, but in 2018 Israel overtook
China and the UK for venture capital invested in cybersecurity. https://scvgroup.net/global-cybersecurity-investing-trends/
Mellanox exits for $6.9 billion. American technology giant Nvidia is to acquire
Israeli chipmaker Mellanox in a deal worth $6.9 billion. Mellanox has offices
in Yokne’am, Tel Aviv, Beersheba, Ra’anana and Tel Hai. Mellanox’s solutions
accelerate some of the largest supercomputers in the world (see here).
Attunity
exits for $560 million. (TY Nevet) Israeli data integration
specialist Attunity has been acquired by US based data analytics company Qlik
for just over half a billion dollars. Attunity has over 2000 customers
including half of the Fortune 100 companies. (I hadn’t even reported on
Attunity before)
Spotinst
partners AWS. I
reported previously (25th
Sep) on Israel’s Spotinst which helps businesses manage mission-critical
systems across cloud providers. Spotinst has just announced its partnership
with Amazon Web Services (AWS) which will offer Spotinst’s software through AWS’
Partner Network global startups program.
Travel
tech companies merge. Israeli travel tech companies
Fornova and HotelsBI are to merge. Fornova
will integrate HotelsBI’s hotel performance analytics software into its suite
of products aimed at the hospitality industry.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3757631,00.html
New
entrepreneurs pitch in the South. The Entrepreneur Boot Camp for newcomers to Israel is run by Aliya
organization Nefesh b’Nefesh. The latest six-week course in Southern Israel culminated
in a Pitch Night. 15 contestants each had 90 seconds to present their ideas before
a panel of five judges for prizes up to $3,300.
Chocolates with an Israeli twist. Israel’s Ika Cohen’s makes chocolates with flavors that include olive
oil, Dead Sea salt, basil, and the Middle East herb zaatar. From her little Tel
Aviv shop, she is now targeting the Japanese market. At the annual Salon du
Chocolat fair in Tokyo she sold over $1,000 of chocolates per hour.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Preserving Ethiopian-Israeli culture. In the Israeli city of Kiryat Gat, Beta Israel Village performs two
functions. Firstly, to help the older generation of Ethiopian Israelis find
their way in a new country. Secondly, to connect the younger generation to
their heritage and to make them proud of their roots.
Purim in Israel. This website gives the latest information on events happening in
Israel to celebrate the Jewish festival of Purim. Kids shows, carnivals, games, workshops etc. Purim
officially begins on the evening of Weds 20th March, but the fun begins two
weeks earlier at the beginning of the Hebrew Month of Adar.
Tel Aviv is Time Out’s top Middle East city. Time Out Magazine surveyed 34,000
city-dwellers and ranked Tel Aviv as the best city in the Middle East and the
21st best in the world. City gradings included food, drink, culture, nightlife,
community, neighborhoods, overall happiness, beauty, affordability and
convenience.
Eurovision
comes Home. (TY INN) Kobi Marimi
will sing the ballad “Home” in the Eurovision Song Contest finals in Tel Aviv
on 18th May. 2,000 tickets for the show sold out online in 10 minutes. Volunteers
are being trained to welcome 10,000 expected visitors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsA-1gPV8nY
Amare
Stoudemire becomes an Israeli citizen. On receiving his official Israel identity
card in a ceremony at Israel’s Interior Ministry, former NBA star Amare Stoudemire
said, “It’s a very exciting moment for me … my love for Israel has been with me
for many years and being part of Israel is something very special”.
THE JEWISH STATE
Paramedics hold
the baby. When a Kiryat Malachi mom cut her finger
badly, EMTs from United Hatzalah bandaged it and then told her husband to take
her to the ER at the local hospital. Who’s left holding the baby? The paramedics of course - only in Israel! Also, Friends of United Hatzalah raised $5
million in Los Angeles.
Teenager’s lung saves Israeli President’s wife. Israel’s First Lady, Nechama Rivlin, has had a single lung
transplant at Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah. Mrs. Rivlin has suffered
from pulmonary fibrosis for several years. The lung was donated by the family
of Yair Halbali, 19 (z”l), who recently drowned in Eilat.
Restoring Torah
scrolls for the IDF. I reported previously (Feb
2014) that the International Young Israel Movement repairs Torah scrolls
and donates them to IDF bases. Oz Ve’Hadar also does this valuable work. some scrolls
originated in communities destroyed in the Shoah. And many have modern day
stories to tell.
The joy at
being able to save a life. Thousands of Israeli Jews
on Ezer Mizion’s database cannot believe their good fortune to find they are a
match for someone needing a stem cell transplant. Although they are not allowed to know who the
patient is, they often write their good wishes anonymously to the stem cell
recipient.
Mike Huckabee
walks the Pilgrims’ Road. Ex-Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee gets a personal
guided tour of the City of David in Jerusalem. He describes it as validation that
the Jewish people have their capital here and is their ancestral homeland. It is not just stories – it’s things that are physical,
that you can point to.
Changing
the conversation.
Please watch this great response to a BDS supporter. “We (Israel) built an
amazing and remarkable country. You won’t be able to wake up in the
morning because the chip is built in Intel in Israel. And on the way to work
you will get lost because of Waze…. What’s your invention?”
190310
In the 10th Mar
19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
An Israeli
device is the first wireless, battery-less heart monitoring implant.
·
Israel’s spaceship
goes into higher orbit after taking a selfie.
·
Israel’s Ramon
Airport has opened to International flights.
·
Two
Israeli companies earned over a billion dollars last year.
·
Israeli “special”
band Shalva will play at Eurovision semi-finals.
·
An Israeli
won 3 gold medals at an international gymnastic grand-prix.
·
Israel Railways
staff returned a lost property item worth 234,000 shekels.
·
Click here
to see the 3rd Mar newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, IsraPundit,
Janglo,
and United
With Israel with extra feature on Inclusive
& Global (with 1,100 likes). Also (TY Sandra) in German
and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Also, 24th Feb
and 3rd
Mar Hebrew translations by students of Reali School in Haifa. Please pass on these
links to German
and Hebrew-reading
contacts.
·
Also (TY
Esty) please visit (“like” and “follow”) the www.facebook.com/VerygoodnewsIL
Facebook page.
·
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
14,000 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
Freezing
bladder tumors. Israeli startup Vessi Medical has
developed unique bladder-specific cryotherapy technology for treating surface
cancer on the inside lining of the bladder. Existing therapies are invasive and
have a high recurrence rate. Vessi has conducted clinical trials and hopes to
begin human trials shortly.
A computer in your heart. (TY Atid-EDI) I reported
3 years ago (see
here) when Israel’s Vectorious Medical raised funds to trial its V-LAPTM microcomputer
that monitors for imminent heart failure. The device has just been successfully
implanted in the first human trials in a six-minute procedure, under local
anesthesia. It is said to be the world’s first digital, wireless, battery-less
device that can communicate from deep within the body.
ReWalk’s soft suit completes trials. I reported previously (see here) about ReStore, the
soft suit exoskeleton from Israel’s ReWalk that enables stroke patients to walk.
ReStore recently completed successful trials at five US rehabilitation centers and
ReWalk has now applied for US FDA and European CE approval.
Treatment for refractory seizures. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israel’s Teva has launched a generic version of Sabril (vigabatrin) in the US
for the treatment of refractory Complex Partial Seizures (CPS). It is meant for
adults and children over 10 with this form of epilepsy who have failed to
respond to several alternative treatments.
Unique way to mend a broken heart. A 29-year-old Israeli staggered into Sheba Medical Center with a
left ventricle aneurysm (ruptured heart artery). Cardiologist Professor Victor Guetta
performed a “first in the world” procedure using a Ventricular Septal Defect
(VSD) occlude (normally used to open arteries) to plug the hole.
Lab-grown bone patient competes in triathlon. Danny Yaakobson suffered a serious leg injury in a car accident and
risked losing his leg. He was the first patient to receive a transplant using
bone grown from his own fat cells by Israel’s Bonus Bio. Danny completed the 112-mile
cycle race of Eilat’s 2019 Israman triathlon.
Predicting the spread of melanoma. Scientists at Ben Gurion University, working with others at the
University of Texas, have used microscopic cameras to film live cancer cells. They
then used artificial intelligence to identify cells with metastatic potential that
were likely to spread to other parts of the body.
Finding the cause of genetic diseases. Israeli biotech Emedgene has developed a platform that can pinpoint
the genetic mutation(s) responsible for rare genetic diseases. Emedgene gets cases
from healthcare organizations and uses Artificial Intelligence and information
databases to help geneticists uncover the underlying problem.
Hope for safer skin grafts. It’s early days, but Shahar Ben-Shaul from Israel’s Technion
Institute looks to have improved the success rate for skin grafts. In
laboratory trials, she and her team were able to connect blood vessels faster
and safer using more mature (14-day-old) cells grown in the lab, in combination
with real skin.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Muslim and Jewish medics train together in
Jerusalem. (TY Hazel) Many Arab (Muslim and
Christian) volunteer first responders participated in an emergency drill in the
Jerusalem neighborhood of Zur Bahr. They trained together with Israeli security
forces, firefighters and Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service.
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/israeli-arabs/watch-arab-volunteers-train-to-save-lives-under-star-of-david-in-jerusalem/2019/03/07/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MObOkPnqIrI
Jaffa startup program for Arabs and
Jews. (TY
Hazel) 45 budding entrepreneurs from all over Israel, took part in a pre-accelerator
program in Jaffa, aptly named Starting Up Together. Around 50% were Jews and
50% Arabs (Muslim including Bedouin, Christian and Druze). They formed groups
to work on “smart city” projects.
Israeli school for migrants on Greek
island. (TY Hazel) For nearly 4 years (see here) Israelis have been
helping migrants from Syria, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan on the Greek island of
Lesbos. There is no other foreign support. IsraAID runs a school for the
migrants, some of whom even became teachers themselves.
Israel opens Rwandan embassy. Israel’s new embassy in Rwanda is its 11th in Africa. The new Ambassador,
Ronny Adam presented his credentials to Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame in
Rwanda’s capital Kigali.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Beresheet takes a
selfie and fires up. Israel’s Beresheet spacecraft
to the moon, took a selfie of itself and the Earth some 37,600 km above our planet.
The photo shows the Israeli flag, “Small Country Big Dreams” and “Am Yisrael
Chai” (the Nation of Israel Lives). Beresheet then blasted into a new 270,000km
maximum orbit.
Dutch to use Israeli water-based fuel. I reported previously (4th
Nov) on Israeli-founded Electriq-Global which extracts hydrogen from water
to power electric vehicles. Electriq-Global is partnering Dutch company Eleqtec
to power an eMobility solution for trucks, barges and mobile generators in the
Netherlands in 2020.
Helping you to get fit. Israel’s Matok V’Kal has launched Fit4style Energy Spray - a refreshing
6-calorie, zero-caffeine, quick-shot mint-flavored spray to help boost stamina
during high-endurance workouts and sports activities. Lightweight and user-friendly,
it gives both mind and body the motivation to continue exercising.
New kosher snack is out of this world. Israeli food and beverage manufacturer Strauss is developing a new
snack “the Astro” with technology similar to that used by NASA to make food for
astronauts. The nutritional cube is made from freeze-dried and pressed vegetables,
fruits, and grains. It’s easy to store – not mushroom!
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/using-nasa-technology-israeli-manufacturer-develops-futuristic-snack/2019/02/23/ https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3756760,00.html
Protecting the nations. Israeli security companies CyberArk, Check Point and FST Biometrics
are in hot demand as world leaders and national security and defense teams
attempt to pre-empt cyber threats capable of compromising the safety of entire
nations.
The cybersecurity system that sees all. (TY Atid-EDI) Customers
using the Cybersecurity Asset Management Platform from Israel’s Axonius get a
single point of view of all IT devices, automatically. They can then answer the
question: are my devices secure? Axonius has just raised $13 million of funds.
A database that everyone wants. Israeli-founded Redis Labs develops, and markets database
management software based on the Redis open source database. Customers include
Microsoft, American Express, Home Depot, MasterCard and Vodafone. Redis has just
raised $60 million including from Goldman Sachs and Dell.
Automating repetitive tasks. Israel’s Kryon Systems helps businesses set up 'virtual workforces'
comprised of software robots that can execute repetitive tasks on enterprise
applications. Using Kryon’s unique Robotic Process Automation (RPA, the virtual
workforce, becomes an integral part of an enterprise’s greater workforce.
Manufacturing apps transform operations. Israeli-founded Tulip Interfaces offers manufacturers a no-code
platform for creating digital tools and applications. These provide
user-friendly instructions to workers and vital data on how to improve efficiency.
Tulip is one of over 200 Israeli-founded companies in Massachusetts USA.
Mixed reality. Israeli startup Mixed Place develops mixed reality technology in
which digital content is inserted into the physical world. Applications include
tourism, shopping, entertainment and much more. Mixed Place’s clients include European
retail giants Billa and Ahold-Delhaize.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/mixed-reality-startup-sees-blend-of-virtual-and-real-worlds-becoming-dominant/ https://www.mixed.place/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrCPom7p1ew
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Record
level of tourism continues. In January and February combined, 683,000 visitors came to Israel, up 16%
from the first two months of 2018. Tourism
Minister Yariv Levin said he expected that 2019 will continue the unprecedented
surge in tourism. https://worldisraelnews.com/tourism-to-israel-soars-to-record-levels/
Ramon
airport receives first international flight. Ryanair had the honor of being the first
international airline to land a plane at Israel’s Ramon Airport. The new airport
opened to domestic traffic on 21st Jan. (see
here)
Google acquires
Alooma. (TY JewishPress
& Nevet) Google Cloud has signed
an agreement to acquire Israel-based Alooma. Alooma’s platform lets companies
stream and migrate their organizational data from multiple locations and
sources into one single location in the Cloud.
https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/inside-google-cloud/google-announces-intent-to-acquire-alooma-to-simplify-cloud-migration
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3756732,00.html
JVP
$220 million startup fund. Israeli venture capital fund Jerusalem Venture Partners has established
a new $220 million fund to invest in early through mid-stage Israeli technologies.
It will target healthcare, fintech, AI and cybersecurity, and has attracted
investors from the US, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, the UK and Japan.
Top
airline group seeks Israeli startups. International Airlines Group (IAG) is the
sixth largest in the world. It owns British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, Vueling
and LEVEL. IAG is teaming up with the UK Israel Tech Hub to host a pitch day for
tech startups on 18th March in Tel Aviv.
Attracting
foreign students to Israel. Israel’s Council for Higher
Education has earmarked $120 million through 2022 for university programs that
appeal to overseas students. In addition, a delegation of senior members of the
CHE are to visit Jewish institutions in the US to publicize the initiative.
Twiggle
to challenge Amazon. More business and sales have been conducted online than ever before, but
buyers have been missing the human element. Dr. Amir Konigsberg, CEO &
Founder of Israel’s Twiggle, has created a platform to serve customers more
accurately and allow smaller vendors to compete with Amazon.
Stories
sell products. I reported previously (Mar
2015) on Israel’s Playbuzz which converts static (boring) website content
into interactive “storybook” dialogs to engage with users. Yael Shafrir, Playbuzz
VP of International Partnerships explains more on ILTV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38EYYSZmUGM
NICE little earner. Another big Israeli company NICE reported its
2018 revenue up 8% at a massive $1.445 billion.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3756384,00.html
Towering revenues. One of Israel’s big tech companies, Tower
Semiconductors (TowerJazz) just reported an annual income of $1.3 billion. Tower
manufactures wireless computer chips and camera sensors. Readers may remember I
reported (14th
Jan) that TowerJazz’s image sensors are on NASA’s sun probe.
CyberArk
sails full steam ahead. One of Israel’s biggest cybersecurity companies, CyberArk, has just reported
2018 revenues of $343 million - 31% higher than 2017. Its forecast for 2019 was even higher.
Predicting
a financial crisis. Israeli behavioral economist Dr Dan Geller, head of Analyticom, has
developed a scientific tool, the Money Anxiety Index - an early-warning system
for financial organizations. It includes a forecast model of loan defaults that
gives an 8-month advance notice of a likely recession.
https://www.israel21c.org/when-is-the-next-economic-depression-on-the-cards/
http://www.analyticom.com/
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Upgrading
the Old City. The Company for the Reconstruction and Development
of the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem is spending 200 million
shekels improving the Jewish Quarter with better access, shade, lighting, recreation
areas, seating and sign-posting. https://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/jerusalem/55-million-to-be-invested-in-jewish-quarter-of-old-city-of-jerusalem/2019/02/18/
Jerusalem’s
Winter Noise festival. (TY Sharon) To bring people to the
city streets on winter nights, a street festival שאון חורף – Shaon Horef, or Winter Noise
was started over seven years ago. The free cultural festival features varied
and often “out of the box” entertainment. Music and bands perform in multiple
locations.
Spring
Journey. Erez Speiser
of Israel By Foot has sent me news of Spring Journey 2019. 16 days of unique
hiking journey, starting on 22nd March from Mount Hermon, all the way down to
the Sea of Galilee. Via streams and springs. mountains, hills and meadows - far
away from the noisy city and busy roads.
Shalva Band to perform at Eurovision. Israel’s “special” Shalva Band had
to withdraw from the Eurovision competition (see
here) but will instead perform during the interval at the second
semi-final. The band will also perform
at the official state ceremony on Israel’s Independence Day on Mount Herzl.
Wrestling
championship comes to Israel. Jay Lethal will defend his Ring of Honor (ROH) world wrestling title
against David Starr on 21st Apr in Netanya – the first time in the Jewish State.
Proceeds raised from the show will go to the Make A Wish Foundation in Israel,
helping sick children to fulfill their dreams.
The
Israeli who won 10 Olympic medals. Officially, Israel has only ever won one gold medal – Gal Fridman won it
for the men’s sailboard at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Few know about Ágnes Keleti who now lives in
Herzliya. She won ten Olympic medals including five golds. At the time,
however, she competed for Hungary.
Israeli rhythmic gymnast wins 3 Golds. (TY Hazel) Israeli rhythmic
gymnast Linoy Ashram won three gold medals at the Grand Prix Marbella in Spain,
coming top in the hoop, clubs, and ribbons competitions. She is now a favorite to win a medal in the
2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
THE JEWISH STATE
Israel’s
quality of life improves. New figures from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics show that since
2017, Israelis’ material lives have improved. Quality of life has been enhanced
even in the environment and personal security. Of the 70 parameters it
measures, life improved in 35 of them.
Arguments
for the sake of Heaven. The Bible Study meeting at the Jerusalem residence of Israel’s President
was entitled “The Power of Disagreement and the Culture of Discourse”.
President Rivlin said “I believe in the strength of the Jewish and democratic
State of Israel, and so I have no doubt that argument will flourish.”
More lost property returned by Israel Railways.
Cleaning staff at Ra'anana West train station discovered a bag
containing NIS 234,000 in checks on a train arriving from Be'er Sheva. After returning
the checks to the owner, shift manager Alon Katriel was "happy that I managed
to return such a valuable…it’s a great mitzvah.”
Shabbat
Shalom, your new kidney awaits you. A life-saving kidney for a religious Jewish
resident of Beit Shemesh became available on a Friday night. Israeli police
officers rushed him to hospital in a patrol car for emergency transplant
surgery. On Saturday night the police were informed that the operation was
successful.
A
land without people. A collector of ancient maps from Ramat Gan has an historical map
prepared by a British survey mission at the end of the 19th Century. The map
proves that prior to the first Aliyah the Land was meager and empty. It
verifies the Zionist claim: "A people without a land to a land without
people"
Palestinian
Arab discovers he’s Jewish. A young Palestinian Arab was brought up as a Muslim and taught at an UNRWA
school to despise Jews, but all of that changed when he took a closer look at
his own family tree. Now he’s taken the name Mordechai Yosef and works to expose
the incitement that UNRWA teaches.
Don’t
let Hatzala run out of gas. (TY Jeannette) This campaign video from Hatzala Beit Shemesh shows what
could happen if its funds dry up. Please
help if you can. (video features the son of one of VeryGoodNewsIsrael’s most
loyal readers) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxs66f_e86U
Continuing
Rabbi Eckstein’s mission. On 25th Feb, 243 new immigrants from the Ukraine landed in Israel on a
flight organized by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ).
They were met by Yael Eckstein, President-elect of the IFCJ, succeeding her
father Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein who passed away recently.
190303
In the 3rd Mar
19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
A safe Israeli
blood test checks for genetic mutations in early pregnancy.
·
Israeli
doctors used stem cells to restore a woman’s eyesight.
·
A new training
program for Israeli Druze to become leaders.
·
Hungary
and Slovakia are opening diplomatic offices in Jerusalem.
·
New cars in
Israel can automatically dial an ambulance after an accident.
·
Israel set
a new record for its use of renewable energy.
·
Walmart has
bought its first Israeli startup.
·
An Israeli-directed
film won an Oscar at the Academy Awards.
·
Click here
to see the 24th Feb newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, Janglo,
and United
With Israel with extra feature on Economy
& Business. Also (TY Sandra) in German
and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please
pass on these links to German and Hebrew-reading contacts.
·
Also (TY
Esty) please visit (and “like” and “follow”) the www.facebook.com/VerygoodnewsIL
Facebook page.
·
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
14,000 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
Early pregnancy blood
test for genetic disorders. Researchers at Tel Aviv
University have developed a new blood test to detect genetic disorders in
fetuses as early as 11 weeks into pregnancy. DNA in the mother and father’s
blood is sequenced. Then fetal DNA fragments in the mother’s blood is checked
for any mutations.
Identifying
the early signs of heart failure. Israel’s Technion
has partnered with Israeli startup Cordio Medical to develop a smartphone app to
identify the first signs of heart failure. The app detects changes in a person’s
voice due to lung fluid - an early warning of congestive heart failure. Clinical
trials are in progress.
AI system for diabetes
treatment. I reported previously (see here) on Israel’s DreaMed Diabetes
monitors. DreaMed has just partnered with French company BioCorp to create an
Artificially Intelligent system that integrates BioCorp’s Mallya smart cap for
pen injectors with DreaMed’s Advisor Pro insulin analysis system.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190220005514/en/BIOCORP-DreaMed-Diabetes-Join-Offer-Outstanding-AI
https://dreamed-diabetes.com/advisor/
Artificial Intelligence to benefit
humanity. A brief introduction to Israel’s Weizmann
Institute’s new Artificial Intelligence Center for Scientific Exploration. It highlights Professor Yaron Lipman’s recent
AI breakthrough in developing the On-Sight algorithm to automate heart function
measurement from ultrasound.
Why black women suffer hair loss. A 7-year international study led by Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical
Center’s Professor Eli Sprecher, has revealed that a defect in the protein gene
PAD13 is responsible for hair loss due to Central Centrifugal Cicatricial
Alopecia [CCCA]. The condition affects 5% of African-American women.
Predicting sports injuries. Israeli-founded startup Zone7 (InPlay Ltd) has developed software
that analyzes data from wearables and video, tracks medical condition and
performance and forecasts injuries. It is used by soccer clubs in the UK,
Israel, and Spain. Zone7 has just raised $2.5 million including from top sportsmen.
Hotline saves Israeli lives. ERAN is Israel’s only crisis intervention hotline, with 1,200
vetted and highly-trained volunteers, plus 25 full and part-time staff. They handled nearly 200,000 calls in 2018 and
prevented some 800 likely suicides. ERAN has also trained 25 ex-pat Israelis in
Canada to help cover overnight shifts.
Placenta membrane restored
vision. Surgeons at Haifa’s Rambam hospital have restored
sight to a woman blinded by chemical burns in her eyes. They took amniotic membrane
from the placenta of a mother who had undergone a Caesarian section and sewed it
under the patient’s eyelids. After a short recovery, she could see!
A center for stem cell donations. Israel has just opened the Ezer Mizion Stem Cell Harvesting Center -
the first Israeli medical center specially designed to collect stem cells for
bone marrow transplants. It will enable the public to donate stem cells in a
dedicated environment, without having to spend up to 7 hours in hospital.
Eat healthy in Israel. (TY Jacob Richman) The Israel Ministry of Health has been running a
TV and social media campaign against processed food. It recommends alternatives
such as fresh chicken, legumes, and fresh vegetables. Jacob has created a page
of the videos with English translations.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
All Israelis
can get close to nature. (TY UWI)
Over the past 10 years, progressive legislation has improved access for the
disabled to enjoy Israel’s parks and forests. Accessibility facilities have been
installed in some 70 sites administered by the Israel Nature and Parks
Authority (INPA) and in 300 forests managed by KKL-JNF.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-nature-sites-are-an-accessible-walk-in-the-park/
https://www.aisrael.org/eng
US honors Knesset for its disabled
employees. A special delegation from the US presented
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein with the Champion of the People Award for his
efforts to integrate persons with disabilities and special needs into society. It
specifically cited the Knesset’s workforce of which 5% are classified as disabled.
The first Druze hi-tech
accelerator program. The Israeli Government together
with the Druze Veterans Association have launched the first Druze hi-tech
accelerator program in Daliyat al-Karmel. It aims to extend the leadership
roles of Israeli Druze when they finish their IDF service and return to civilian
life.
Jewish-Arab partnerships in Judea &
Samaria. The Judea Samaria Regional Development
Financing Initiative (RDFI) encourages joint entrepreneurship between Israelis
and Palestinian Arabs living in Judea and Samaria. Initial projects include technology,
industry, tourism, the environment, energy and infrastructure.
Why Gazans prefer Israeli products. There is no boycott of Israeli
goods in Gaza. According to the Gaza Economy Ministry, 65% of all Gaza’s imports
are made in Israel. Products made in Gaza are unpopular due lack of supervision,
poor quality control, forged expiry dates and poor safety standards in Gazan
factories.
A connected people. (TY UWI)
Back in 2012 (see
here) I reported that Israelis were avid users of the Internet. A new (Pew)
study shows 77% of Israelis use social media – the most in the world. And 88% have
smartphones, (second only to South Korea) making Israelis one of the most
connected nations in the world.
Ugandan President explains Israel to
Jewish leaders. Before visiting Israel, the Presidents
of Major American Jewish Organizations visited Africa. The President of Uganda,
Yoweri Museveni, gave them a lecture on why the Jews have an historic right to
be in Israel, even citing biblical references.
Australia marks 70 years of friendship
with Israel. Australian Prime Minister Scott
Morrison marked 70 years of Australia-Israel relations with a moving speech in
Australia’s Parliament. He praised Israel as a beacon of democracy in the Middle
East; its multicultural character, science, research, innovation and free press.
Hungary & Slovakia
to open Jerusalem centers. Slovakian PM Peter Pellegrini
confirmed that Slovakia is to open a new information, cultural and innovation
center in Jerusalem. Hungarian PM Viktor Orban promised to expand the Hungarian
Embassy in Israel, and to open a trade representation in Jerusalem with
diplomatic status.
Israel is Czech Republic’s strategic partner. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Czech Republic PM Andrek
Babis to Jerusalem on his first visit to Israel. They plan to sign agreements
for defense, technology and innovation, especially on water issues. Mr Babis
said “Israel is our strategic partner in the Middle East.”
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Israel’s moon mission is on course. SpaceIL’s Beresheet spacecraft completed a vital maneuver on 28
Feb to increase its maximum orbit distance from Earth. Despite two glitches, it
is still on track to land on the moon on April 11. Website for more info on
Beresheet - https://jr.co.il/t/beresheet.htm
(TY Jacob Richman)
http://nocamels.com/2019/02/israel-beresheet-spacecraft-tech-achievement/
Live data http://live.spaceil.com/
New record for renewable
energy. On 13th Feb a new Israeli record for electricity
generated from renewable sources was set. The 1295 megawatts produced was 16.4%
of Israel’s total production of energy on that day. Annually, Israel generates 7% of its
electricity from renewables, which is planned to grow to 10% in 2020.
UK students get the Technion perspective. Three professors from Israel’s Technion Institute gave lectures to large
numbers of non-Jewish UK biology students at London’s Science Museum. Separately,
Technion UK CEO Alan Aziz is organizing a trip for 60 students from Imperial
College London to Israel in March.
Detecting water leaks from outer space. I reported previously (see here) on Israel’s
Utilis which detect leaks in water pipes using satellite data and technology
developed to detect water on Mars and Venus.
Utilis now works with 120 water companies in 31 countries. (Of course,
the BBC video doesn’t mention it’s Israeli.)
https://www.timesofisrael.com/outer-space-tech-used-by-israeli-startup-to-find-water-leaks-on-earth/
Preventing nuclear meltdown. Due to the enormous temperatures from nuclear fission, safety procedures
for nuclear reactors previously could only be tested using computer simulations.
Ben Gurion University and French scientists are now to build (in France) an experimental
reactor named “ZEPHYR” to conduct actual tests.
Delivering pesticides drop by drop. Israeli drip irrigation specialists Netafim and Ben Gurion
University’s BGN Technologies have signed a 3-year partnership with Bayer AG. The
three will develop drip irrigation as a delivery system for Bayer’s pesticide to
combat plant-parasitic worms and other crop protection products.
The gym that you wear. The Israeli-developed Hyfit Wearable Gym comprises a system of resistance
bands to enable the performance of 250 different exercises. Embedded sensors track
progress, resistance and calories burned. The companion app provides feedback,
motivation and helps plan exercise routines.
https://www.israel21c.org/israels-hyfit-rolls-out-a-smart-portable-workout-system/
https://www.hyfitgear.com/
Your car can phone the
emergency services. (TY UWI)
Thanks to a joint venture between Israeli startup MDGo and Magen David Adom
(MDA), new cars involved in crashes in Israel are able to call for ambulances
autonomously, using sensors to report the exact location as well as likely injuries
to the driver and passengers.
Israel’s IoT revolution. Does your fridge know that you’re hungry? Does your shirt know how
you feel? Does your car talk to you? The IoT (Internet of Things) can connect almost
everything to the Internet. See here AutoTel (car rental), Prisma Photonics (fiber
sensing) and Quickwy / Nexite (clothing tags).
One to watch. There are too many new Israeli
cybersecurity startups for me to report on all of them. However, it is worth
keeping an eye on nsKnox Technologies whose payment protection technology allows
companies to validate payment authenticity. nsKnox’s founder Alon Cohen previously
founded security giant CyberArk.
See Quantum particles move. Tel Aviv University scientists have developed unique spatiotemporal
imaging technology to capture the movement of excitons (tiny Quantum particles).
They now hope to discover ways of manipulating and storing light for use in communications
and photonics-based quantum computers.
Sea squirts can measure pollution. (TY Stuart) Tel Aviv University researchers have found that
ascidians (sea squirts) can help measure plastic pollution. They filter tiny
particles from the ocean and store them in their soft tissue. https://www.aftau.org/news-page-environment--ecology?&storyid4703=2431&ncs4703=3
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
UK signs trade
deal with Israel. I
reported previously (26th
Jan) that a post-Brexit free-trade deal between Britain and Israel had been
agreed in principle. The detailed work has been now completed and the agreement
has been formally signed. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/259252
The world’s
largest local payments network. Israeli startup Rapyd
Financial Networks has developed a service to transfer funds through cash, bank
transfers, digital wallets, local cards and 300+ other payment methods. It supports
65 currencies, providing access to 2.3 billion consumers in over 100 countries.
Philips accelerates
Israeli sleep startup. I reported previously (2nd
Sep) on Israel’s Dayzz and its app to help companies diagnose the sleep
problems of their employees. Dutch multinational Philips has just selected Dayzz
to participate in its inaugural 12-week Healthworks accelerator program for
sleep-related startups.
Orbotech’s $3.4
billion exit approved. I reported previously (8th Apr)
that US giant KLA-Tencor was acquiring Israel’s Orbotech for $3.4 billion. As the companies operate in Korea, Israel,
the US, Taiwan, Japan and China, regulators in all these countries had to
approve the deal. China (the last) has finally
done so.
Demisto exits
for $560 million. I reported previously (Feb
2017) when Israel’s Demisto raised $20 million to help develop its
automated computer security incident management platform. Palo Alto Networks has
now agreed to acquire Demisto for $560 million in cash and stock. It’s Palo
Alto’s 3rd Israeli acquisition.
Forever
21 integrates Israeli app. I reported previously (Aug
2015) on the artificially intelligent app from Israel’s Donde that trawls images
of fashion products to help customers in their search. Donde has now been
integrated into fashion retailer Forever 21’s website. It has also just raised
$6.5 million of funds.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180822005090/en/21-Introduces-AI-Powered-Visual-Search-Navigation-Donde https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3756645,00.html
Bamba
is booming. Osem-Nestle
has just opened a NIS 200 million new factory in Kiryat Gat that will double its
production capacity and increase output of its iconic Bamba peanut snack to 1.5
million bags a day. Walmart has started stocking Bamba and other retail chains
in the US and Europe are expected to follow.
Walmart’s first Israeli acquisition.
Maybe it was all the Bamba bags in their stores that convinced Walmart to
buy product review insight company Aspectiva - its first Israeli startup. Aspectiva’s
artificial intelligence algorithms analyze product reviews and personalize the way
that Walmart’s customers filter their searches.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Fifty
Shades of Fire. Israeli
redheads gathered in Holon to mark the opening of the “Fifty Shades of Fire” photography
exposition, featuring the work of Sharon Halabi. Three hundred Israeli redheads
were photographed for the “ginger festival” exposition, after Halabi contacted local
‘gingers’ on Facebook.
Jerusalem
– walk, run, ride, skate & eat. (TY Sharon) There’s plenty to enjoy in Jerusalem
just now. Red anemones have sprouted in the
capital; Jerusalem is gearing up for its marathon on 15th Mar; Ice (skating)
and Eat is the new concept in Mitchell Park and registration has opened for the
first GFNY Jerusalem cycle race.
Israeli director wins Oscar for best Short. Israeli director Guy Nattiv won the
Oscar for “Live Action Short Film” with his movie "Skin" at the
Academy Awards. The 20-minute movie deals with a hate crime and its ramifications
from the point of view of two children, one white and the other black.
Bob
Marley in Israel.
With themes from the Jewish Bible playing a central role in reggae music for
the past half century, Israel was the perfect place to celebrate the late Bob Marley
on what would have been his 74th birthday. https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-jamaican-reggae-star-spreads-one-love-message-in-israel/
THE JEWISH STATE
Shared
taxis are a vehicle for kindness. Israel’s monit sherut is a shared 10-seater taxi alternative to the bus.
Fares and change are passed between passengers and the driver. Strangers
converse, visitors receive directions, and the elderly give advice to the young.
The sherut provides positive shared experiences.
How
Israel got into space. In 1961 the US-Russian space race was in full swing. Meanwhile, German
scientists were helping Egypt build missiles to attack Israel. So Israeli PM David
Ben Gurion ordered Rafael (Israel’s armaments authority) to demonstrate Israel’s
capabilities by building Israel’s first rocket into space.
Birthright
is still growing.
The Taglit-Birthright program in 2018 brought a record 48,000-plus young Jews
from 67 countries to see Israel for the first time. In total 650,000 Jews have had
the 10-day Birthright experience, and now Birthright is piloting 7-day tours
for young adults aged 27 to 32.
Weird
ways Israel won its Independence. While modern-day Israel is a force to be reckoned with, in its early
days, its military might was pretty much non-existent. See the history of the Davidka,
Soda bottle bombs and the Burma Road.
And Israeli chutzpah! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdt4L6VTbi4
Chabad
shul’s 3-minute lifesavers. When Eli Beer of Israeli Emergency Medical Service United Hatzalah spoke
about his organization at the Village Shul (Chabad) of Hampstead, UK, he emphasized
that a 3-minute response time was vital.
Three minutes later, the community had raised £54,000 for the paramedic
service.
Israel
railways finds wedding cash. When French tourists lost a bundle of 4,200 euros on Israel railways,
staff launched an extensive search operation, locating the money at the station
where the couple had boarded. The couple were delighted - the money being a wedding
present for their grandson, a new Oleh living in Netanya.
190224
In the 24th Feb
19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
Israeli
stem cells saved a patient from having a leg amputated.
·
Israel is
giving grants to encourage women to launch startups.
·
Israel’s
WaterGen has donated 10 water generators to Brazil.
·
Israel’s Beresheet
spacecraft is on its way to the Moon.
·
Israeli clean
fuel cells are going into mass production.
·
A bird sanctuary
right next to Israel’s Parliament.
·
Rain has unearthed
a coin that proves Jews ruled Israel nearly 1900 years ago.
·
Click here
to see the 17th Feb newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, Janglo,
and United
With Israel with extra feature on Economy
& Business (with 1,000 likes) Also (TY Sandra) in German
and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please pass on these links to German and Hebrew-reading
contacts.
·
Also (TY
Esty) please visit (and “like” and “follow”) the www.facebook.com/VerygoodnewsIL
Facebook page.
·
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 nearly
14,000 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
Pluristem’s cells prevented amputation. A patient, with Buerger’s disease was at pre-amputation stage due
to non-healing foot ulcers. Regulatory approval was given for compassionate
treatment using Pluristem’s PLX-PAD cells. A year after treatment, the wound is
fully closed, and the patient has resumed normal activities.
Slowing the
progression of chronic kidney disease. I reported briefly
previously (9th
Dec) that Israel’s KidneyCure was developing cell therapy for treating chronic
kidney disease (CKD). Here are some more details of this innovative technology
that turns damaged cells into healthy cells.
https://www.kidneycure.com/
Laser
treatment of vascular disease. (TY Atid-EDI) I reported
previously (see here) on
Israel’s Eximo and its lasers for treating peripheral artery disease (PAD). The
Center for Cardiovascular Excellence in Orlando, Florida is the first to use Eximo’s
B-Laser Atherectomy System commercially to successfully treat a patient.
https://www.vasculardiseasemanagement.com/content/eximo-medical-ltd-announces-first-commercial-case-its-b-lasertm-atherectomy-system-us-and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6eMGlGknxU
Israelis to get better scan diagnoses. Tel Aviv’s Ichilov (Sourasky) Hospital and Israel’s largest health companies
Clalit and Maccabi will use the algorithms of Israel’s Zebra Medical Vision to analyze
scanned images from X-rays, CT scans and MRIs.
Safer
epidurals in China.
(TY Atid-EDI)
I reported previously (Aug
2013) on Israel’s Omeq Medical and its smart sensor-based epidural injection
system. Omeq has partnered with Shanghai-based
Pharos Medical, which will establish a production line and commercialize Omeq’s
system in China.
Your personal antibiotic
cocktail. (TY Israel21c)
Researchers from Israel’s Technion Institute have devised a system for measuring
the effectiveness of a combination of antibiotics in fighting infection.
Jefferson-Israel
Center. Philadelphia's Thomas Jefferson University
has partnered with the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) to form the
Jefferson-Israel Center. The US university will provide a $1 million fund for
Israeli companies to advance healthcare technology solutions. They can also access
Jefferson's medical facilities.
Monitoring
newborns in Kenya. The Save the Children Fund (like
Oxfam and UNICEF) is no friend to Israel. However, it didn’t stop the NGO from buying monitoring
systems from Israel’s EarlySense to continuously track key vital signs of newborns
in hospitals in Nairobi, Kenya. Another BDS
fail.
Microsoft’s
Israeli virtual healthcare system. Microsoft’s
Israeli R&D team, supported by several US medical partners, have launched
the Microsoft Healthcare Bot. This innovative AI-powered virtual health
assistant service aims to empower healthcare organizations to build and deploy
virtual health assistants.
Eliminating transmission
of genetic diseases. The Pre-Implantation Genetic
Unit of Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center uses the latest technology to ensure
IVF patients have healthy babies. All procedures are in accordance with Jewish
law and religious authorities are consulted when necessary.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Grants for female-founded
startups. Israel’s Innovation Authority (IIA) has launched
a grant program for any startup where at least 33% of its owners and tech
managers are women. It will cover up to 75% of a startup’s R&D costs for
its first year and up to 70% for the second year.
Druze woman is Israeli running champion. Karawan Halabi, has made history as the first person from Israel’s
Arabic-speaking Druze minority community to win a track-and-field national championship.
The Technion biomedical student won the women’s 10.45km annual Israel Open
Field Racing Championship.
More exit money
for charities. 600 Israeli
startups (55 last year) have donated equity stock or stock options to Israeli non-profit
Tmura (see here). When any are taken-over
or go public, Tmura receives the proceeds of the stock sales and donates it to
charity. In 2018, Tmura gave NIS 1.6 million to good causes.
Door to
door. The IDF Door to
Door Project helps Palestinian Arab businesspeople transfer their merchandise
from Judea and Samaria to other areas in Israel directly and quickly and at a
low cost. The project has recently improved its efficiency by using Israeli trucks
to collect goods directly from Palestinian Arab factories.
A virtual embassy in Gulf states. (TY WIN)
Israel’s Foreign Ministry has re-launched its virtual embassy for Arab social
media users in the Gulf states. The aim of the ‘Israel in the Gulf’ twitter account
is to promote dialogue between the people of Israel and the peoples of the Gulf
states.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Israel-re-launches-virtual-embassy-to-boost-dialogue-with-Gulf-countries-580202
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g38pmUrx0cE
Bringing energy to Africa. (TY UWI) I reported previously (16th
Dec) on the Eilat-Eilot energy conference and its focus on Africa. Here are 3 videos from the event by I24 News,
highlighting the Israeli companies that are bringing light to rural Africa. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82WXbaTPBOU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMclFsJiqZk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8Kjq4HRNLo
Drinking water for
Brazil. Israel’s WaterGen is donating ten GEN-350 atmospheric
water generators to Brazil. They will be installed in schools and hospitals that
lack safe drinking water. Brazil’s
Minister of Science Marcos Cesar Pontes visited WaterGen’s HQ during Tel Aviv’s
recent Cybertech conference.
Israel can save the world’s coral reefs. Bar-Ilan University researcher
Maoz Fine has published that Eilat’s coral reef is genetically resistant to rising
sea temperatures. Hardy corals settled in Eilat 18,000 years ago at the end of
the last ice age. Those hardy genes are being cross-bred to save bleached reefs
in Hawaii and Australia.
No boycotting of Israel. Several anti-Zionists been
spotted using Israeli products recently. They include Dutch activists riding Israeli
mobility bikes and eating in an Israeli falafel shop. Also, US Congress member
Rashida Tlaib and other BDS supporters have developed websites using the Israeli-based
Wix website builder platform.
Sierra Leone’s UN friend. Sierra Leone’s former Ambassador to the United Nations, Adikalie
Foday Sumah, visited Israel in 2018 with 40 other UN Ambassadors (see
here). He has since founded the Sierra
Leone-Israel Friendship Society and asked Sierra Leone President Julius Maada
Bio to promote joint projects with Israel.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Downhill thrills. I reported 3 years ago (see here) on Israel’s
RideOn and its Augmented Reality goggles. The latest version – the Mohawk - is
a full-face helmet. It includes GPS, 4K video, SOS button and ten-megapixel camera
and much more. It measures pulse, velocity, distance travelled, altitude, temperature
and wind speed,
Dial 119 for hacker alert. Israel has now got its own
hotline for computer users to call when they think that they have been the
victim of a cyber-attack. The 24/7 free
service is the initiative of the national Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT)
based in Beersheba. Dial 119 (911 backwards) and get immediate help.
Protecting medical systems. (TY Kobi) I reported previously about two Israeli cybersecurity
startups (Votiro
and Medigate)
specializing in the healthcare arena. Israel’s CyberMDX is another – it has
begun an 18-month project to implement its protection on all the systems of Michigan
Medicine, part of the University of Michigan.
An innovation lab to protect the
environment. Israel is to establish an innovation
laboratory specializing in environmental protection and sustainability. The government
will provide millions of shekels to participating startups. Priority will be
given to those with solutions for highly-polluting industries near to
population centers.
https://www.jpost.com/Jpost-Tech/Environment/Israel-to-establish-multi-million-dollar-environmental-protection-lab-580311
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3756015,00.html
Making Jaffa port eco-friendly. I reported previously (see
here) on the marine biodiversity benefits of Israel’s ECOncrete. Atarim, Tel
Aviv’s coastline developer, has placed ECOncrete’s units at Jaffa port to encourage
fauna and flora growth. ECOncrete products are also at Brooklyn Bridge, Rotterdam,
Herzliya and Haifa.
Fast wireless connections for critical
systems. (TY Atid-EDI) Until
recently, mission critical systems avoided wireless and Internet connections because
they were too slow. Then Israel’s Coretigo
came along. Its IO-Link based technology
just attracted $10 million of funds, including from tech giant Qualcomm and
Sierra Ventures.
https://www.coretigo.com/single-post/2019/02/10/CoreTigo-Raises-10M-in-Series-A-Funding-Led-by-Qualcomm-Ventures-and-Sierra-Ventures https://www.coretigo.com/
Israeli stem cells could save astronauts’
lives. In the joint project “Therapeutic Stromal Cells
for Health in Space”, Israel’s Pluristem Therapeutics and NASA’s Ames Research Center
will evaluate the potential of Pluristem’s PLX cell therapies to prevent and treat
medical conditions caused during space missions.
Israeli spacecraft is in
orbit! On Thu 21st Feb at 20:45 EST, I watched the live
launch of the rocket carrying Beresheet - Israel SpaceIL’s (and the world’s
first) privately-funded moon lander. See video launch at 16:30; Stage 1 separation
at T+3mins; booster return at T+9 and Beresheet deployment at T+33 and keep
watching.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Growth,
inflation, jobs, exports – all good news. The Bank of Israel has just released its latest “Overview
of economic developments and monetary policy in Israel”. It predicts continued
growth at around 3%, inflation around 1%, stable, full employment and expanding
exports of services.
Amdocs is big. Israel’s Amdocs has just announced its
quarterly results to the 5th Feb 2019. During the previous 3 months it earned $1.01
billion in revenue - up 3.5% on the same period in 2018.
Agenda for OurCrowd summit. Israeli-founded global investment platform OurCrowd has released
the agenda of its 7th Mar 2019 Jerusalem Global Investor Summit, entitled “Startups:
Making a Global Impact".
New German factory for Israeli smart glass. I reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s Gauzy and its Liquid Crystal Glass (LCG). Light-control
film technology allows users to control whether glass or plastic products are
clear or opaque. Gauzy has one factory in Tel Aviv and will soon open a second in
Stuttgart, Germany.
Fuel cells go into
mass-production. Due to strong global demand, Israel’s
GenCell Energy is to mass-produce its fuel cell generators. GenCell’s target is
to increase production to 5,000 units per year from the current 100. US electronics manufacturer Flex will partner
GenCell, integrating cells into generators at their Israeli factories.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-gencell-to-mass-produce-fuel-cell-generators-as-demand-surges/
Streaming movies around the world. (TY Atid-EDI) I
reported previously (Feb
2016) on Israel’s Vonetize and its movie streaming service. Vonetize has
now over 11 million users in 59 countries.
Its latest deal is with Brazilian TV network Rádio e Televisão Record
S.A. https://www.prnewswire.com/il/news-releases/vonetize-inks-deal-with-recordtv-to-distribute-its-smartvod-service-in-brazil-300785469.html http://site.vonetize.com/
Phenomenal growth at two Israeli startups. (TY Atid-EDI) The feature
connecting two quite different Israeli startups is their growth rate – a huge
350%. I reported on Verbit’s subtitling in May (see
here) and (briefly) Cato Networks more recently (see
here). https://www.catonetworks.com/news/cato-networks-secures-55-million-investment-as-bookings-accelerate-year-over-year/ https://verbit.ai/about-us/
Security for Mexico’s largest bank. (TY Atid-EDI)
I reported previously (2nd
Dec) on Israel’s Guardicore. The cybersecurity startup has just won a
contract to protect the data center of Banco del Bajio (BanBajio), one of
Mexico’s largest commercial banks. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/banco-del-bajio-sa-selects-guardicore-centra-security-platform-to-protect-data-center-300784984.html
Whole food algae
product launched.
I’ve reported previously (see
here) on Israeli-based startup Algatech and the trials of its AstaPure product.
Algatech has just launched AstaPure Arava, suitable to be integrated into multiple
food products. AstaPure’s active ingredient astaxanthin can benefit gastro, visual
and muscle systems.
Israel exports
half a billion flowers. If you received flowers on
Valentine’s day, there’s a good chance that they originated in Israel. Over 500
million stems are exported every year.
65% go to the Netherlands, famous for its tulips. https://www.israel21c.org/a-valentines-day-look-at-israels-flower-industry/
Merck’s latest
Israeli venture. I’ve reported previously (see here) on Germany’s Merck and
its many Israeli links. Merck’s VC arm M Ventures has just launched another startup
incubator PMatX. It will support Israeli
companies specializing in advanced electronic products including semiconductors
and sensor technologies.
Israeli wine
from Samaria to China. The Psagot Winery in Samaria
has begun exporting and marketing Israeli wine to the city of Guangzhou in
southern China, with a population of over 13 million people. Psagot Winery
produces more than 350,000 bottles annually of which 70% is exported.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
CultureBuzz Israel. For Facebook users who are interested in Israeli culture (music, art,
films etc.), here is the link to CultureBuzzIsrael. https://m.facebook.com/CultureBuzzIsrael/
Bridal Fashion Week. Israel’s first-ever Bridal Fashion Week has just taken place at
Ronit Farm. Designers included Dany Mizrachi and Inbal Dror plus up-and-coming
youngsters who gave inspiration to many of those celebrating one of the 40,000
weddings that take place in Israel every year.
Walking
in the Galilee. Chana and Shmuel from Villa Rimona are pleased
to report that this year’s winter rains have turned the Galilee a glorious
green. And the rainfall means that waterfalls
in the Galilee are currently some of Israel’s most attractive natural sites to
visit.
A Parliament of owls. The Jerusalem Bird Observatory (JBO) comprises
1.5-acres of green land between the Knesset (Israeli’s Parliament) and the
Supreme Court building. Entrance is free, with March to May being peak months. Late
night visitors may even spot porcupines and owls - rare sights in the middle of
the city.
The
Orchestra in Israel. (TY WIN
& I24 News) For the third time in a decade, The Orchestra returned to
Israel to perform hits from the zenith days of 'Electric Light Orchestra'
(ELO). They performed two concerts at Tel Aviv's Heichal HaTarbut. (Note, when “Telephone
Line” was a hit, telephones had cords, not just chords!)
Gipsy
Kings to perform in Israel. Gipsy Kings, the celebrated musicians from the south of France famous
for “Bamboleo” are coming to Israel in March. They are performing in Haifa (17th)
and Beer Sheva (20th) plus two concerts in Tel Aviv (18th and 19th).
Twelve
Israelis walk into 2025. Israel's new reality show 2025 premiered on Keshet Channel 12 TV. Twelve
contestants live with six robot residents in a futuristic mini city, built on
the outskirts of Yavne. The most successful contestant will win an apartment
worth NIS 1.4 million.
Five
Jerusalem sports centers to become all-weather. (TY Janglo)
Jerusalem municipality is building balloon roofs for five sports fields to provide
all-year-round facilities. These include the Teddy Stadium, the Hall Pais Arena,
and the Malcha, Liberty Park and Neve Yaakov basketball courts. More are
expected.
THE JEWISH STATE
Bar Kochba “freedom” coin discovered.
Winter rains in Israel’s Lachish region literally “unearthed” a rare 133
or 134 CE Jewish coin from the time of the Bar Kochba revolt. On one side is
Shimon - Bar Kochba’s first name - in ancient Hebrew. On the flip side the
inscription means “the second year to the freedom of Israel”.
The
earliest images of Jerusalem. In 1844, French architectural historian
Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey toured the Middle East and took 1000 daguerreotypes
(a type of photograph) including 12 of the earliest surviving images of
Jerusalem. The photographs are being exhibited in New York and Philadelphia.
The first El Al flight to Entebbe. (TY UWI)
An El Al Israel Airline flight has brought Israeli tourists to Uganda’s Entebbe
airport for the first time since the IDF’s historic rescue of Israeli hostages
on 4th July 1976. Some 250 Israeli nationals flew to the African country for a
three-day visit.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-plane-lands-at-entebbe-for-first-time-since-legendary-1976-hostage-rescue/
https://www.busiweek.com/uganda-welcomes-israeli-tourists-since-raiding-on-entebbe-airport/
What’s
in a name? (TY Jewishpress.com)
Many of the Arab names of places over the Green Line are derived from biblical
Hebrew names. E.g. Bethlehem (Beit Lechem), Hebron, Jenin (Ein Ganim), Jaba
(Geva), Mukhmas (Michmash) and El Jib (Giv’on). Also, Gaza (Azza) Lebanon (Levanon)
and Jordan (Yarden).
190217
In the 17th Feb
19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
Doctors
have begun human trials using two innovative Israeli medical devices.
·
Israel celebrates
International Women & Girls in Science Day.
·
Warsaw Middle
East summit heralds a breakthrough in Israeli-Arab relations.
·
Record
number of Israeli patents filed in the US.
·
Kibbutz hosts
joint Israeli-European smart energy grid project.
·
A new Israeli
air-purifier also warns of smoke and toxic gases.
·
More new direct
airline routes from Tel Aviv to the USA and India.
·
Israeli Paralympic
swimmer breaks world record by nearly 23 seconds.
·
Click here
to see the 10th Feb newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, Janglo,
and United
With Israel with extra feature on Medical
(with 7,700 likes) and Technology.
Also (TY Sandra) in German
and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please pass on these links to German
and Hebrew-reading
contacts. Also, articles from 10th Feb
newsletter translated
into Hebrew by middle school students from the Reali School in Haifa.
·
Also (TY
Esty) please visit (and “like” and “follow”) the www.facebook.com/VerygoodnewsIL
Facebook page.
·
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 nearly
14,000 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
Human trials for X-ray
surgical glasses. I reported previously (Oct
2017) on Xvision (previously VIZOR), the Augmented Reality surgical navigation
system from Israel’s Augmedics. Following testing on cadavers, Xvision is now undergoing
human trials and has been successfully tested in six spinal operations.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180808005218/en/Augmedics-Begins-First-in-Human-Clinical-Trial-xvision-spine-XVS
https://worldisraelnews.com/israeli-made-goggles-give-surgeons-x-ray-vision/
The first wireless VAD. Doctors in Kazakhstan have implanted a wireless ventricular assist
device (VAD) into a human for the first time.
The VAD is made by Jarvik Heart Inc but the technology for charging the
battery was developed by Israel-based Leviticus Cardio. Wireless VADs have less
risk of infection than wired VADs.
Better connections for dialysis patients. 50% of dialysis patients experience failure of their AV fistula –
the tubes that connect their arteries and veins to the dialysis machine. Israel’s
Laminate Medical has developed the VasQ – a vascular support device that protects
the connection. It takes only one extra minute to implant it.
Nano wound protection. Israel’s Nanomedic has developed the SpinCare device - a portable electrospinning
wound care system that remotely generates a nano-fibrous protective layer on the
skin for tissue healing. The wound is never touched, preventing infection and bandages
can be changed without sticking to the wound.
Treatment for pulmonary hypertension. Israel’s Teva has launched ALYQ - a generic form of Adcirca, to
reduce the symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
Israeli cancer death rates drop. Between 1995 and 2016, cancer
deaths for Israeli Jewish men dropped by an average of 1.7% every year and
for Israeli Jewish women by 1.6%. Cancer deaths for Israeli Arabs also dropped
significantly. Although Israel has the 50th highest cancer rate in the world,
it is 92nd for cancer deaths.
Finding donors for complex kidney patients. Israel’s Beilinson Hospital has implemented a new program that
locates matching donors for kidney transplant patients who suffer from high
levels of antibodies due to previous transplants or blood donations. It has already
helped the hospital perform successful transplants for 39 patients.
Link between Celiac disease and Eating
disorders. (TY Kay) Kay’s son-in-law Dr. Itay
Tokatly-Latzer and his Tel Aviv University research team have linked adolescents
and young adults with celiac disease (CD) to higher incidences of disordered eating
behavior. Many CD patients exhibit excessive control over their food.
Health company’s
$150 million fund. The Assuta chain of medical
clinics and private hospitals, controlled by Israel’s Maccabi Health Services,
has founded a venture capital fund for investing in medical devices in the
later stages of development. It has already raised $35 million and plans to reach
$150 million by mid-2019.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Women and girls in science. This video was released to mark International Women and Girls in
Science Day. The Israeli women featured are Weizmann Professor Varda Rotter, Dr
Or-Yam Revach and Orit Shahar.
Training for women in
social technology. (TY Sharon) A group of 27 exceptional young women
are working and studying in the 1st class of Carmel 6000 - a national service tech
training program for volunteers to develop solutions with a social benefit. Non-Israelis can also volunteer (like lone
soldiers) to join this program.
Women’s summit in Jerusalem. US business magazine Forbes is hosting a first of its kind - the Forbes
Under 30 Global Women’s Summit in Israel (Mar 31 – Apr 4). This event for top
young female founders, leaders and mentors follows the 2018 Forbes Under 30 Global
Summit when Forbes brought 800 business leaders to Israel.
Library for Haredi children with
learning difficulties. (TY Sharon) I reported previously (Sep
2016) about Bnei Brak NGO Achiya which helps thousands of Haredi children
with learning difficulties. Achiya has just opened a new library containing some
10,000 books plus facilities for sight-impaired and “special needs” kids.
Israeli-Arab degree students double. (TY Hazel) Israel’s Council for Higher Education (CHE) reports the
doubling of Arab degree candidates in Israel over the last decade. Last year 48,627
Israeli-Arabs studied for degrees, thanks to investment to integrate the Arab
population and improve their socio-economic standing.
Increased medical permits for Palestinian
Arabs. (TY Fred) In 2018, over 20,000 permits were
granted to Palestinian Arabs living in Judea and Samaria to enter Israel and
receive treatment or support a patient who was receiving treatment in the
Jewish state. This was an increase of 3,000 on 2017. Israel also trains PA
doctors.
PM meets Arab leaders
at Poland summit. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu joined
Arab leaders at the US-organized Middle East conference in Warsaw. He sat next
to Yemen’s Foreign Minister and was invited back to visit Oman. The BBC didn’t give
it any importance, predictably.
http://www.thetower.org/7191-at-mideast-conference-in-warsaw-netanyahu-meets-omani-foreign-minister/
Israeli aid for Venezuelan refugees. Friends of Ziv Medical Center raised funds for Venezuelan refugees with
an event at the Sound Nightclub in Hollywood. Meanwhile, Israel’s Ziv Medical Center is sending
doctors to Brazil’s Northern Province, near the border with Venezuela, to treat
many thousands seeking medical attention.
https://marketersmedia.com/friends-of-ziv-sound-nightclub-hold-humanitarian-event-for-venezuelan-refugees/478324
https://www.friendsofziv.org/ziv-for-venezuela/
Bar-Ilan Uni ties with Macedonia Uni. Bar-Ilan University and UKIM University, Macedonia’s largest university,
have signed new cooperation agreements. They cover the facilities of medicine, humanities
and social sciences. https://www.jewishpress.com/news/global/europe/bar-ilan-university-signs-academic-cooperation-agreements-with-macedonia/2019/02/05/
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Israeli innovation at MWC Barcelona. Dozens of Israeli startups will be presenting at the Mobile World Congress
in Barcelona (25 – 28 Feb 2019) They have solutions for telecom service providers,
equipment vendors, smart device manufacturers; automotive, smart home, smart
city and finance enterprises and users.
Exhibition of 50 innovative startups. “The Israeli Expo,” an exhibition showcasing 50 Israeli startups has
opened at the innovation center at Tel Aviv’s Peres Center for Peace & Innovation.
They focus on artificial intelligence, IT, digital health, ag-tech, and cybersecurity.
The exhibition will be updated on a yearly basis.
Tel Aviv is 18th best hi-tech city. Savills real estate agency rated Tel Aviv 18th in their list of the
world’s best high-tech cities. High spots included air passenger growth,
startups per capita, talent pool, population growth and co-working rental cost.
https://www.savills.co.uk/tech-cities/index.html#tel-aviv
Israelis file nearly 5000
patents in the US. Of the 340,000 patents filed in
the US in 2018, almost 5,000 (1.44%) originated with Israel inventors. Numbers
of Israeli patents has been rising steadily over the past 15 years. Back in 2004,
Israeli-linked patents filed accounted for only 0.68% of all patents in the
U.S.
Young Israeli scientists win $100,000
awards. The prestigious Blavatnik Awards recognizes
Israeli scientists 42 or younger conducting “breakthrough research” in life
sciences, chemistry, physics or engineering. This year Weizman’s Michal Rivlin and
Erez Berg and Technion’s Moran Bercovici won $100,000 each.
Sky’s no limit for Anières graduates. In 2016, Anières (Naale) Elite Academy launched “Aeronautics in the
Valley” - an enrichment program to teach high-school students the basics of
aerospace engineering. Today, 15 graduates are in the Technion’s academic
reserve program, before joining the Israeli Air Force as engineers.
https://www.jewishpress.com/addendum/sponsored-posts/high-schoolers-are-reaching-new-heights-at-anieres-elite-academy/2019/02/05/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8B1Oo8BLso
University defense alliance. Israel’s Rafael Advanced
Defense Systems and BGN Technologies, (technology transfer company of Ben-Gurion
University) are to conduct joint research in cybersecurity, smart mobility,
robotics and artificial intelligence. The first projects are on cyber threats to
sensors in autonomous vehicles.
Heavy duty garment printing. (TY Atid-EDI)
I reported previously (see here)
on Israel’s Kornit and its digital garment-printing systems. Kornit has just
launched the Kornit Atlas - a heavy-duty system for super-industrial garment
decoration businesses producing up to 350,000 impressions per year.
Smart sensor analyzes farm feed. Eurofins Agro UK is partnering with Israel’s SCIO and its hand-held,
connected smart sensor, to launch an advanced on-farm feed analysis solution. SCiO
provides farmers with real-time insight into silage requirements. The cloud-based
system then adjusts for forecast rain, snow etc.
Fungus-resistant basil. A mildew epidemic has devastated sweet basil crops all over the
world. Researchers from Bar-Ilan University and specialists at Israel’s Genesis
Seeds have developed a disease-resistant sweet basil with the trademark “Prospera”.
Israel exports $40 million worth of basil to Europe, Russia & US each year.
Kibbutz smart energy
grid pilot. Former Austrian chancellor Christian
Kern is chairman of Austrian-Israeli startup FSIGHT. Kern is currently visiting
Kibbutz Ma'ale Gilboa where FSIGHT is piloting a smart platform for managing distributed
energy grids. Israeli and European energy companies are also participating in
the pilot.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-fsight-developing-smart-energy-grid-on-israeli-kibbutz-1001270322
Preventing ships from colliding. Israel’s Orca AI develops a sensor-based imaging technology to
prevent collisions between maritime vessels. It has been installed on several
Ray Car Carriers vessels as part of a pilot program. Orca has just raised $2.3 million of funding.
Clean up the air in your
house. Israeli startup Aura Smart Air has developed
a combination of air purifier, smoke alarm and toxic gas detector, plus an app
to measure air quality inside and outside and provide tips and advice. Its kickstarter
project’s goal was to raise $15,000 and it has already reached nearly $100,000.
There you go. Israeli public transportation app developer Moovit, together with Microsoft’s
Azure Maps and Dutch navigation developer TomTom have launched a joint trip
planner. It gives all options (car, public, bike sharing, walking, parking) for
a trip and was unveiled at the MOVE 2019 mobility conference in London.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
New record for
foreign currency reserves. Israel’s foreign exchange reserves at the end of Jan 2019 climbed to a new
record of $118.151 billion, up $2.872 billion from the end of Dec 2018,
Israeli startups
on the road to China. At
the Asian Financial Forum 2019 in Hong Kong, Israeli entrepreneur Jon Medved said
that tiny Israel develops technology solutions and China provides for a massive
scale-up of operations. An example is Israeli ag-tech, which increases food production
for everyone.
Bringing
Israeli startups to NYC. B-Seed Investments is hosting a
pitch from eight innovative Israeli startups on 24th Feb in Brooklyn New York
City. They are Swathly (marketing), Class.Me,(Education), Fertigo (medical), Verto (imaging), Enerjoy
(marketing), Innovesta (finance), MyTower (IoT0 and MYTech (media)
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/business-economy/b-seed-investments-your-bridge-to-israeli-startups/2019/02/13/
https://www.swathly.com/
http://www.fertigo-medical.com/
https://vertostudio.com/ https://www.enerjoy.co/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovesta/about/
https://www.mytowerapp.com/
Arkia
to start two Tel Aviv to India direct routes. Israeli airline Arkia Airlines is to begin a direct
weekly flight to India’s Goa state and twice-weekly to the city of Cochin (Kochi)
in Kerala state. Flight times are around seven hours and will commence in
September after the end of the monsoon season.
El
Al to fly direct to Orlando. El Al announced, during the IMTM International Tourism Exhibition in Tel Aviv,
that it is to launch direct flights to Orlando, Florida in the summer of 2019. Tickets for the 13.5-hour Tel Aviv and 12-hour
Orlando return night flights will go on sale shortly for a discounted price.
Share
an electric scooter. Israeli startup Inokim is to launch its Leo electric scooter sharing
service in Tel Aviv in March. It will initially operate 500 scooters, increasing
to 3,000 by May. The service will then be expanded to Haifa and Eilat with
10,000 scooters by the end of 2019.
Intel
appoints 7 new Israeli global VPs. Intel appointed seven Israeli executives to Vice President positions in
its global operations, bringing the number of Israelis in these senior posts to
nearly 20 of its 150 global VPs.
Boutique
hostels for Tel Aviv. I reported previously (19th Aug)
that Israeli-founded Selina was looking at possible sites in Tel Aviv to open boutique
hospitality hostels. It has now announced that it will open the first of its Tel
Aviv facilities this summer. Selina currently
has 10,000 beds at 44 sites in Latin America and Portugal.
Mind
the Tech for chance to win $1 million. The semi-final of Trifecta, a $1 million startup
competition, will be held during Calcalist’s 3rd annual Mind the Tech
Conference, in New York on April 10-12. The final will be in Israel in June
where the $1 million investment will be awarded by Israel-based firm Pitango Venture
Capital.
Symantec
buys Luminate for $200 million. I reported previously (18th
Nov) that US cybersecurity giant Symantec had bought its 3rd Israeli
company. It’s now acquired a 4th –
Luminate, for a reported $200 million - to “further extend… the power of Symantec’s
Integrated Cyber Defense Platform”
The inside story on food trends. Israeli startup Tastewise can transform the strategy and decision-making
of companies in the food business with its real-time industry data and
predictive analytics. Tastewise is currently focused on the vast US market, but
plans to expand, including to Israel where its R&D operations are based.
http://nocamels.com/2019/02/zhoug-hottest-2019-food-trends-israeli-startup/
https://www.tastewise.io/
Giorgio Armani and Chanel coming to Israel. Armani Beauty, the beauty brand of Italian fashion house Giorgio
Armani, is reportedly to open a store in Tel Aviv's Ramat Aviv Mall. The shop
will offer cosmetics, skincare products and fragrances. Chanel is also opening in
Ramat Aviv Mall and in the TLV Gindi Mall.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Celebrity chefs get the Birthright
treatment. Culinary entrepreneur Herb Karlitz has
brought a delegation of senior US chefs, food critics, stars of popular dining
programs in America, and owners of well-known restaurants to explore Israel’s food
experiences.
Listen to Israel’s music. The National Library of Israel, together with the Ministry of
Culture and Sport, and the Digital Finjan project, have released Shiri (“my
song”), a mobile phone app for listening to some 40,000 classic Israeli songs. Available for download from the Android Play
Store or the Apple Store.
https://www.israel21c.org/israel-national-library-launches-free-israeli-music-app/
https://shirimusic.org.il/
Netta’s latest video has 6 million
views. The video of Israeli Eurovision winner Netta
Barzilai’s new song “Bassa Sababa” had received over 1.8 million views just three
days after its release on 31st Jan. As of
13 Feb, this had soared to over 6 million hits.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV1sjm9Lz_Q
Israel’s got magic. (TY Brad) Apologies, but I didn’t have time to include this video
of illusionist Tomer Dudai’s performance when he won Israel’s Got Talent last
year. Well over six million hits across
the Internet.
Paralympic swimmer shatters world record. Israeli Paralympic swimmer Mark
Malyar, 19, has set a new world record for 1,500 meters Paralympic swimming. Malyar, who has cerebral palsy, competed in
the Wingate open competition and improved the previous record set in 2011 by
almost 23 seconds.
THE JEWISH STATE
Israel’s
young ambassadors.
StandWithUs has launched the 13th year of its Israel Fellowship. It has recruited
150 articulate and diverse young Israelis, who have finished IDF service, to build
bridges and educate people of all faiths and ages about Israel. By the end of 2019,
the program will have graduated its 2,000th Israeli Fellow.
Indian
Jewish manuscript displayed in Israel. The National Library of Israel has acquired a
manuscript used originally by the India’s Bene Israel Jewish community. The
180-year-old book contains 94 pages of prayers in Urdu, from circumcision through
to burial, transliterated into Hebrew script and then translated into Hebrew.
Start
the day the Jewish way. In ancient Israel, the section of morning prayers called Pesukei Dezimra
were sung. This video is a musical version of Psalm 150. Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel’s new
e-book features musical morning psalms and he invites you to tour the Judean
mountains to experience a new-old way to start the day.
Police
save stray cat. Israeli
Police detectives in Eilat were on duty when they noticed a stray cat whose
head was trapped in a tin can. They carefully cut the can and released the cat.
The cat didn’t stay around long enough to thank them, though. https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-israeli-police-rescue-stray-cat/
190210
In the 10th Feb
19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
An Israeli
treatment uses a donor’s immune cells to kill cancer.
·
Israeli
lasers reduce the ugliness of burns scars on children’s skin.
·
Israelis
are World University debating champions again.
·
Israel is to
build the European Space Agency’s lunar lander.
·
A new
Israeli device produces water from the air at home.
·
An Israeli
startup won the UN’s World Tourism competition.
·
Jerusalem
has a new nature park.
·
A
2000-year-old Judean coin was discovered on an Israeli school trip.
·
Click here
to see the 3rd Feb newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, IsraPundit,
Janglo,
and United
With Israel with extra feature on Inclusive
& Global (with 1,000 likes). Also (TY Sandra) in German
and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please pass on these links to German
and Hebrew-reading
contacts. Also, articles from 27th Jan
newsletter and 3td Feb
newsletter translated into Hebrew by middle school students from the Reali
School in Haifa.
·
Also (TY
Esty) please visit (and “like” and “follow”) the www.facebook.com/VerygoodnewsIL
Facebook page.
·
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
13,800 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
Immune response to donor
cells can kill cancer. Israeli biotech Immunovative
Therapies purifies and cultures healthy T-cells from an unmatched donor. The cells
(called AlloStim) are injected into the cancer patient and after several
treatments, boosts the recipient’s immune system to kill the tumors. Phase 2/3
trials in progress.
Shutting down cancer resistance. Israeli biotech Kitov has proved its NT219 anti-cancer treatment triggers
irreversible shutdown of tumor survival pathways in multiple cancers. In a separate
announcement, US biotech Coeptis will distribute Consensi - Kitov’s dual osteoarthritis
pain and hypertension treatment in the US.
New molecules have “wonder” potential. Hebrew University of Jerusalem scientists have discovered 27 new
molecules that could treat fatty liver disease, obesity, diabetic
nephrotoxicity, and to heal wounds. They devised an algorithm to search a database
of 1.56 million molecules for those with therapeutic potential.
Digital stethoscope goes global. I reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s TytoCare and its digital stethoscope that diagnoses a patient
and sends the data electronically to a remote physician. TytoCare has now received European and Canadian
approval to match its US approval and plans to expand in Europe and Asia.
Non-verbal communication. When hospital patients cannot communicate with their relatives, it
can be very distressing for both. Which is why Israeli NGO Ezer Mizion the “Handbook
for the Hospitalized Patient.” It is built as a flowchart - the patient then answers
“yes” and “no” questions to communicate successfully.
Softening the scars. Young burns
victims at the I-PEARLS pediatric center at Israel’s Sheba Medical Center receive
treatment from Israeli-developed lasers. They include carbon dioxide (CO2)
ablative lasers to safely and effectively reduce the devastating impact of scars
in burned children.
Bio-med innovations
on display in Jerusalem. (TY Sharon) 13 Israeli bio-techs were featured at Biomed
World in Jerusalem, organized by non-profit JLM-BioCity and its volunteers promoting
Jerusalem’s bio-community. The 2nd video
is of Avi Kleiman, who founded RenalSense after his father’s kidneys failed.
US healthcare
covers Israeli migraine treatment. US prescription
benefits manager CVS Health Corp. has added Teva’s new Ajovy anti-migraine treatment
to its coverage. Express Scripts (the
largest prescription benefits management company in the U.S) has now added
Ajovy to its national preferred formulary of 2019.
Find a doctor if
ill overseas. In reported previously (19
Aug) on Israeli startup Air Doctor that locates a trusted physician if you
fall sick abroad. It books an appointment and organizes re-imbursement via your
holiday insurance company. Air Doctor now functions in some 15 countries and
has vetted nearly 20,000 doctors.
You are not
alone. Israel’s Wisdo is a social app that links those
suffering from one of life’s challenges with those who have successfully
negotiated that challenge. It already links 500,000 users who select one of
over 100 conditions including anxiety, relationships, body positive, motivation
and increasing happiness.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Great effort by special band. Israel’s Shalva band reached the final group competing for the
right to represent Israel in May’s Eurovision Song Contest. The group, consisting
of two blind singers and other “special” band members won their semi-final but
withdrew due to Eurovision demands to rehearse on the Jewish Sabbath.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/258500
https://www.mako.co.il/tv-the-next-star/video?subChannelId=3c0fa55fcdf98610VgnVCM2000002a0c10acRCRD
Druze hi-tech pioneer. (TY Fred) University of Haifa Professor Fuad Fares is a biomedical
scholar and entrepreneur from Hurfeish, a northern Galilee Druze village. He founded
and directs the Department of Molecular Genetics at Haifa’s Carmel Medical
Center and lectures at Israel’s Technion Institute.
IDF saves elderly PA woman. A group of IDF soldiers saved
the life of an elderly Palestinian Arab woman suffering severe breathing
difficulties at the Givat Assaf junction in Samaria. The soldiers immediately initiated
first aid treatment and called for an ambulance to take her to the nearest
hospital.
40 UN Ambassadors tour Israel. Israeli UN ambassador Danny Danon hosted a delegation of 40 UN ambassadors
in Israel. He showed them the City of David and the Jewish history of Jerusalem,
the Hezbollah terror tunnels and (most importantly)
how small Israel was and therefore the challenges it faces.
Israel vice-chairs UN NGO committee. (TY Hazel) On 21st Jan (Martin Luther King Day) the United Nations
elected Israel as Vice-Chair of the 19-nation Committee on NGOs, which oversees
the work of human rights groups. Other committee members include Bahrain,
China, Cuba, Pakistan, Russia, Sudan, Turkey and USA.
Small is beautiful. David Mataen of OurcrowdAfrica says Israel is the perfect “beta”
country to test ideas, being small and secure. Israelis adopt new concepts early,
with the most time spent on the Internet. Israel has the most cellphones and
engineers per capita and a massive 4.5% of GDP is spent on research and development.
Radar defense for Finland. (TY Atid-EDI)
ELTA Systems (part of Israel Aerospace Industries) is to supply ELM-2311 compact
multi-mission radar systems to the Finnish army. The radars will help locate
and track incoming rockets, artillery shells and mortars, and alert the army’s
counter-weapons systems.
Mass-casualty training for Chile. The Israeli Embassy in Santiago, Chile initiated a four-day
workshop on managing mass-casualty events. 100 members of the Chilean ambulance
services, firefighters, army, police, local hospitals and City hall councilors participated
in the simulation led by Magen David Adom.
World champion debaters. Israeli success at debating championships
(see here) continues.
Roy Schulman and Elaye Karstadt from Jerusalem ‘s Hebrew University won the 2019
World University Debating Championship in the English Second-Language category.
The contest was hosted by the University of Cape Town.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Lunar lander for
European Space Agency. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)
has partnered with Germany’s OHB System for a European Space Agency moon mission.
IAI will provide a version of the lunar lander it helped develop for Israeli
non-profit venture SpaceIL, which is preparing for a moon launch shortly.
Israeli hospital uses fuel cell energy. Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera became the first Israeli hospital
to install a fuel cell generator to provide clean electricity. The hydrogen-based
duration fuel-cell power generator from Israel’s Gencell replaces the polluting
diesel generators that used to power the cardiac catheterization unit.
Israeli cyber-tech is dominant. The 450 Israeli cybersecurity firms (60 founded in 2018) export $5
billion of technology and products. A fifth of global investment in cybersecurity
went to Israeli firms. Last week, Cato Networks (link)
raised $55 million, Medigate (link)
$15 million and Salt Security (link)
$10 million.
From the IDF to Cyber defense. The IDF’s National Cyber Defense training center handpicked 30 IDF
soldiers at the end of their 3-year army service and gave the basic tech skills
to provide cybersecurity services to Israeli organizations. This is in addition
to those who served in the IDF’s intelligence and cybersecurity units.
Solving archaeological puzzles. (TY Hazel) Scientists from Israel’s Technion Institute the University
of Haifa have developed an algorithm that can analyze and reconstruct images of
artefacts from photograph fragments. The technology was trialed on Cypriot Byzantine
frescoes and is now being used in London’s British Museum.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6614883/Scientists-way-bring-shattered-ruined-ancient-artefacts-life-AI.html
http://cgm.technion.ac.il/Computer-Graphics-Multimedia/Software/Solving/
An AI experience for Toyota cars. (TY OurCrowd) I reported previously
(7th
Jan) on the funding Toyota was giving to Israel’s Intuition Robotics. Intuition
has now released details of its partnership with Toyota Research Institute (TRI)
to develop its Artificial Intelligent Agent - a proactive, personalized,
adaptive in-car companion.
Opening doors and the seat of power. Israel’s Vayyar is partnering with German automotive supplier Brose
who will incorporate Vayyar’s sensors in its car door security, safety and car seat
positioning systems.
https://www.brose.com/de-en/press/brose-and-vayyar-collaborate-on-sensor-technology-for-new-door-and-interior-functions.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL2YDx8jOII
Piloting hi-tech in state-owned companies. Five Israeli startups have been chosen to pilot their technologies
and products in large Israeli government-owned companies. They are Cylus Cyber (see
here), MER Group, AQUA HD, Datumate (see here) and Loginno. Each will receive large financial grants to
help with the testing.
Picking out the bad apples. I reported previously (Jul
2017) on Israel’s AclarTech and its AclaroMeter app to determine the ripeness
and quality of fruit and veg. The company has changed its name to Clarifruit, launched
a new website and video to explain its goal of helping reduce the current wastage
of 45% of global produce.
Intel’s Israeli autonomous camera. Intel Israel has launched a new tracking camera designed to allow autonomous
devices such as drones and robots to survey and navigate in areas without GPS
service. The T265 camera uses 3D mapping technology and inside-out tracking to
make it independent of external sensors.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/intel-showcases-new-3d-camera-for-robot-drone-navigation-sired-by-haifa-team/ https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3754952,00.html
Water, water
everywhere. (TY Hazel) Israel’s Watergen, the “water
from air” company has partnered with the American Red Cross to develop a new
Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) to provide up to 900 liters of water per day in
disaster zones. It is also launching “the Genny” - a home / office appliance
for up to 30 liters per day.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Start-up-extracting-water-from-air-develops-disaster-response-vehicle-577514
http://nocamels.com/2019/01/watergen-genny-water-air/
A wristwatch for remote rescues. (TY Hazel) Israel’s Mobit Telecom has developed the SAT406 – a locator
beacon worn on the wrist. It is designed for remote areas where cellular networks
and GPS are unavailable or unreliable. It transmits to the Argos satellite
every few hours and in emergency to the Cospas-Sarsat system.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
S&P affirms
Israel’s high credit rating. Global credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s has solidified its August
2018 AA- high rating of Israel’s economy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
stated, “This is a very strong expression of confidence in the economic policy that
we have led in recent years.”
Tourism to
Israel up 11% in January. Following a record number of visitors in 2018, Israel’s popularity as a
tourist destination continues. 285,000 tourists entered Israel in January 2019 -
an 11% increase on January 2018, and a 35% increase on January 2017. https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/January-tourism-to-Israel-jumps-by-11-percent-compared-to-last-year-579725
Tel Aviv is
the multinational city of choice. More and more multinationals are establishing operations in Tel Aviv as it
is an ideal place to pilot test new products before expanding globally. Bird, Wolt
Enterprises, Yandex, Juul Labs and Mobike are just some of the multinationals
to launch in Tel Aviv in 2018.
Bringing innovations
to global markets. Yissum,
the tech transfer company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has opened three
international centers, to help commercialize its innovations. The centers are in
Chicago USA, Asunción Paraguay and Shenzhen China. Yissum says it expects to
open more in the future.
Kibbutzim increase
startup investments. I
reported last year (Jan 2018) that Israeli kibbutzim invested some NIS 76
million in startups in 2017. In 2018 this soared by 45% to NIS 110 (some $30
million). Most kibbutzim have transformed from socialist agricultural
communities into private organizations with hi-tech factories.
Israeli
businesses are booming in Boston. In 2015, some 200 Israeli-founded companies based in Massachusetts brought
in $9.3 billion in revenue. In 2018, ten new Israeli companies opened in the region,
plus the first ever start-up incubator between IBM Israel, Brown University,
and the University of Rhode Island.
Innovation Nation. Nice article describing JNF-USA’s partnership with Israeli NGO ii2020
and Tel Hai College to build the Beit Asher Food Innovation Center. Incorporating
the JNF-USA Institute of Culinary Arts, it is poised to make the Upper Eastern
Galilee a major world food capital.
Tel Aviv direct flights to Shenzhen. (TY Atid-EDI)
China’s Hainan Airlines is launching a new route from Tel Aviv to is main hub
in Shenzhen in China replacing Tel Aviv to Guangzhou which can be accessed in
30 minutes from Shenzhen by bullet train. Israelis can connect from Shenzhen to
Osaka, Auckland; and Brisbane.
Israeli
winner of World Tourism competition. (TY Hazel) I reported previously (23rd
Dec) on the 4 Israeli finalists in the UN’s World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
competition. And the winner was … Israel’s Refundit which beat 2771 companies
from 132 countries with its system to simplify the VAT refund process.
Harman
partners Innoviz. (TY Calcalistech)
I reported 3 weeks ago that Israel’s Innoviz was going global. It has now partnered
with Harman (a subsidiary of Samsung) who will integrate Innoviz’ LiDAR sensors
into its autonomous driving systems. Harman previously bought Israel’s IonRoad,
Red Bend Software and TowerSec.
Microsoft’s
Reactor hub. (TY UWI)
Microsoft is to officially launch its event hub in Tel Aviv, one of a network
of spaces the company refers to as “reactors”. Startups working on artificial
intelligence, machine learning, and data science can network and host events for
up to 170 guests, free-of-charge.
Cisco
adds on Israeli technology. I reported previously (Oct
2014) when Amazon Web Services designated Israel’s CTERA Networks to be a Storage
Competency partner. Now Cisco will offer CTERA’s cloud storage, file sharing,
and data protection services as an add-on to Cisco routers sold to global enterprise
customers.
Samsung buys
Israeli camera startup. I reported previously (Feb
2017) that Samsung and Apple had invested in the dual lens smartphone camera
technology of Israeli startup Corephotonics. It looks like Samsung were so
impressed that they bought the company, in a deal worth $155 million.
An excellent promoter of trade with
Japan. (TY Atid-EDI) I’ve
reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s EyeSight and its driver monitoring systems. EyeSight has just won an Excellence award for
promoting trade relations between Israel and Japan in the field of computer
vision and AI. It has also partnered with Samsung.
More
UK cash for Israeli vehicle charge tech. I reported previously (12th
Aug) that UK energy company Centrica had invested millions of dollars in
Israel’s Driivz and its electric vehicle charging system. Centrica has now
increased this funding and set up Centrica Mobility Ventures, dedicated to
electric vehicle technologies.
Chemical-free
treatment for headlice. I reported previously (Feb
2017) on the Novokid lice treatment from Israel’s TechCare. Now China-Israel
Biological Technology (CIB) is partnering TechCare to jointly develop a range
of products, based on Novomic’s technology, for China, Hong Kong, Macao, and
Taiwan.
Huge
demand for Israeli mandarins. I reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s Orri Jaffa long-life, late season, easy-peeler mandarins.
They are now exported to 45 countries – mostly in Europe. But this season the North
American market is set to soar, with a 70% growth predicted.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Jamie
Oliver comes to Tel Aviv. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has been spotted in Tel Aviv this week tucking
into Israeli cuisine for what is reported to be his latest television show. Oliver
went to Sultana vegan restaurant on Ibn Gabirol Street and sampled a vegan schwarma.
He also tasted vegetarian food at Panda Pita.
New Jerusalem nature park. The Jerusalem municipality has inaugurated a
new urban nature park “Nahal Zimri.”. The stream is home to deer, ibexes,
reptiles, crocuses and special birds.
Things
to do in Israel in February. Upcoming events include the Red Sea Jazz festival, a performance in Tel
Aviv by Mastadon; the Tel Aviv marathon and Darom Adom.
The
Eurovision key. Tel
Aviv mayor Ron Huldai formally accepted the ceremonial key to the Eurovision
Song Contest from Deputy Mayor of Lisbon Duarte Cordeiro. Lisbon hosted the
2018 contest. Huldai said his city would “make sure that the Eurovision this
year will be the best show on earth in the coolest city in the world.”
THE JEWISH STATE
Ancient coin found on school trip. A student on a school trip discovered
a rare 2000-year-old coin from the rule of King Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the
Great (around 44CE). It was discovered at Nachal Shiloh (Shiloh stream) in Samaria.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/258184
Birthright
breaks all-time-record. 2018 saw Taglit-Birthright bring a record 48,000 participants from around
the world on a free 10-day tour to Israel. Since the launch of the initiative
in 1999, some 650,000 young Jews from 67 countries have participated in various Taglit-Birthright tours.
New
arrivals from Ukraine. 250 new Olim have just arrived from the Ukraine on a flight arranged by
the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. The IFCJ was founded by Rabbi
Yechiel Eckstein who passed away last week. https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/As-conflict-with-Russia-goes-on-hundreds-of-Ukrainian-Jews-reach-Israel-579003
Welcome
from Ethiopia. 83
members of the Falash Mura community with relatives in Israel have arrived from
Ethiopia. This editor of VeryGoodNewsIsrael
will talk in Netanya on the 5th of March at a lunch organized by the Forgotten
People Fund. Proceeds will go to purchase computer equipment for Israeli-Ethiopian
students.
190203
In the 3rd Feb
19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
An Israeli
startup has developed a platform to produce new cancer treatments.
·
An Israeli
medic went to Mecca and saved a life.
·
An Israeli-founded
NGO has bought an endangered coral reef in Belize.
·
A 130-person
IDF team has been searching for survivors in Brazil.
·
Israeli
scientists can purify radioactive-contaminated water.
·
Israel’s
Space Week heralded two astronomic discoveries.
·
Intel is
to invest $11 billion expanding its Israeli operations.
·
Israel won
4 gold medals at the first Israeli World Judo Grand Prix
·
Click here
to see the 20th Jan newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, IsraPundit,
Janglo,
and United
With Israel with extra feature on Medical.
Also (TY Sandra) in German
and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please pass on these links to German
and Hebrew-reading
contacts.
·
Also (TY
Esty) please visit (and “like” and “follow”) the www.facebook.com/VerygoodnewsIL
Facebook page.
·
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
13,700 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
Multiple attack on cancer. Israel’s Accelerated Evolution Biotechnologies (AEBi) is developing
an anti-cancer technology that identifies multiple peptides (small proteins) for
targeting specific cancer cells and any mutations. Each treatment will also include
a toxin to suppress the cancer’s ability to deactivate the treatment.
https://www.jpost.com/HEALTH-SCIENCE/A-cure-for-cancer-Israeli-scientists-say-they-think-they-found-one-578939
http://www.aebi-bio.com/
Using antibodies to treat damaged cells. I’ve reported previously (see here) on Israeli
medical innovations to boost the immune system to fight diseases. Israeli
biotech Biond Biologics is developing a platform to enable antibodies to enter
cells, destroy tumors or treat autoimmune diseases. Biond just raised $17
million of funds.
http://www.biondbio.com/platform/
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3753832,00.html
Using yeast to find cures for metabolic
disorders. Tel Aviv University researchers have
uncovered a new pathway that can speed up the search for cures for hundreds of metabolic
disorders that are fatal to infants. They have modified yeast cells to generate
a toxic build-up of metabolites in the lab, for testing possible therapies.
US approval for bio bone-fixing pins. (TY OurCrowd) The US FDA
has granted clearance to Israel’s Ossio for its OSSIOfiber family of
bio-integrative bone pins, which secure broken bones during the healing process
while leaving no permanent hardware behind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhiHflP1nGE
https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/fda-clears-ossio-s-integrative-mineral-bone-pins-for-orthopedic-surgeries
https://ossio.io/
Pfizer partners with Israeli AI biotech. (TY Calcalistech)
I reported previously (16th
Dec) on Israel’s CytoReason which uses an Artificial Intelligent learning model
to discover treatments related to the human immune system. CytoReason has just partnered
with Pfizer - its fifth alliance with a major company.
Partners to prevent
dementia. The innovation arm of Israel’s Sheba Medical
Center has partnered with Japanese telecom manufacturer OKI Electric Industry to
set up a new joint research project that will focus on the prevention of
dementia in high-risk middle-aged individuals.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/sheba-medical-center-japans-oki-electric-join-forces-against-dementia/
How to measure
pain. Israelis Yariv Adan and Ariel Assaf are the
co-founders of Lab 39, developer of the Genie pain tracker. It comprises a
wristband with sensors that track sleep patterns, physical activity and heart
rate. Its partner is a smartphone app which requests the patient to enter a
pain score several times a day.
Israeli medic saves
life in Mecca. Refai Amer, a Muslim Israeli-Arab from
Kfar Qassim is a volunteer medic for Israel’s United Hatzalah. He recently went
to Mecca for the Haj, taking his medkit with him. In the middle of prayers, surrounded
by around 7 million worshippers, he saved the life a man suffering from a hypoglycemia.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Special
musicians. (TY
Jacques) One of the front runners to be Israel’s representative at the 2019
Eurovision Song Contest is the Shalva Band. It is made up of eight special members
- a group which was formed at the Shalva National Children’s Center in Jerusalem,
through their music therapy program. Amazing video.
Buying land to save
endangered species. The NGO TiME (This is My Earth)
founded by Israel’s Uri Shanas, has purchased a marine area off the coasts of
Belize containing corals with several endangered species. It is TiME’s third land
purchase and first ocean site. The area will become a locally managed nature reserve.
Urban communal living. (TY Jacques) For those people who yearn for the Kibbutz social experience
without leaving the big city, Israeli startup Venn has devised urban communal
living. It comprises shared living spaces, shared transportation, community
amenities, services and neighborhood events.
Celebrating Jerusalem’s mosaic of
cultures. Jerusalem’s mayor Moshe Leon held the
traditional annual reception for the heads of the city’s religious denominations
- Jewish, Greek Orthodox, Catholic and Muslim. All spoke of their commitment to
interfaith coexistence, tolerance, freedom of worship and the status quo.
Israeli rescue team
flies to Brazil. Israel was the only country in the
world to send a team to help search for survivors of the collapsed mining dam
in Brumadinho, Brazil. The 130-member IDF search and rescue team recovered many
bodies and tracked down a group of 15 people, believed dead but very much alive
and well.
https://www.jpost.com/International/IDF-delegation-in-Brazil-Situation-unlike-anything-weve-seen-before-579342 https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5455171,00.html
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Wolf Foundation prize laureates. There were seven winners of the prestigious Wolf Prize in the
fields of medicine, architecture, agriculture, chemistry and mathematics. They
included Haifa-born architect Moshe Safdie, and Jerusalem-born Prof. David
Zilberman who is an expert in agricultural and resource economics.
Purifying nuclear-contaminated
water. The Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear
disasters released deadly radioactive isotope Caesium-137 into the water
supply. Researchers at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem have developed a new material
known as the Alloxan Tray, that can bind Caesium-137 in water, thereby
purifying it.
Ensuring the best quality screens. (TY Calcalistech)
Israeli startup InZiv produces inspection equipment that identifies defects in
the pixels of high-resolution screen displays. InZiv has just raised $2.5 million
of funds to develop its tools for the new generation of advanced flat panel
displays. https://inziv.com/
An app to make educational games. Israeli startup Tiny Tap is a social platform where families, teachers
and students can create personalized educational apps. They can also play
thousands of new games shared daily by a global community of educators and
students. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcnng8p2tO4
Driving test for autonomous cars. Israel’s Foretellix develops a vehicle verification system for testing
autonomous vehicles against a common standard. It includes millions of potential
safety scenarios, even as unlikely as what to do if the car encounters a
tsunami. Foretellix has just raised $14 million of funds.
4D imaging radar. (TY Atid-EDI)
I reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s Arbe Robotics and its ultra-high-resolution 4D imaging
radar. Arbe has just launched Phoenix - its automotive 4D product. The images are
100 times more detailed than other top industry radars and it separates stationary
and moving objects in real time.
Decoding the strawberry genome. Israel’s NRGene, in partnership with Toyota’s environmentally-friendly
DNA analysis initiative, has decoded the strawberry genome – one of the most
complex in nature. It will help farmers in Japan breed local strawberry
varieties. Japan is among the world’s highest raw strawberry consumer.
Sustainable farming with seaweed. I reported previously (21st
May) on Israel’s Seakura which is growing 100 tons of seaweed a year on
land in purified seawater pools. Yossi Tal, Seakura’s Chief Technology Officer sees
the 30% protein seaweed as the future of low cost, sustainable, environmentally
friendly farming.
A smarter seed. More information on Israel’s Equinom (reported
here 23rd Oct) which is developing non-GMO seeds that produce high-yielding,
protein-rich crops (including chickpeas, sesame, and soy) with less water
consumption and reduced waste. See how
Equinom solved a 3000-year-old problem with sesame.
Israel Space Week. Israeli Space Week began on 28th Jan 2019 – 50 years after mankind’s
first moon landing. Events held included Netanya (see
here) and Jerusalem (see
here) (and
here) and at the cinema (see here). NASA’s Scott Kelly visited Israel – he holds
the record for most time spent in space for an American.
How black holes feed. A team led by Tel Aviv University researchers have reported that supermassive
black holes grow suddenly by devouring a large amount of gas in their surroundings.
It follows an event in Feb 2017 known as AT 2017bgt when radiation emitted
around the black hole in the Milky Way grew 50 times brighter.
New data about Saturn. Professor Yohai Kaspi and
Dr. Eli Galanti of Israel’s Weizmann Institute led the study into Saturn’s jet
streams on the spacecraft Cassini’s space mission. They also helped calculate
the age of Saturn’s rings – less than 100 million years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgNzJ6hJO0U
Satellite startup award nomination. I reported previously (see here) on Israeli-founded
Sky and Space Global and its nano-satellites. Sky and Space has just been shortlisted
for an award in the category "Best Mobile Innovation for Emerging Markets".
The winner will be announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Israel’s future scientists. Meet Rom Bachar and Hila Riblov - members of the team that, even before
they reached the age of 18, launched nanosatellites into space. Also, Idan Raen
and his pioneering work in astrophysics. Finally, budding neurologist Orit
Shahar. Israel’s future is as bright as its stars.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Israeli bonds are so popular. (TY Ambassador
Ettinger) The Israeli government had its most successful ever issue of Euro
bonds. It sold 2.5 billion of 10-year and 30-year bonds. Demand was six times
the amount issued, reflecting confidence in Israel’s economy.
Israeli government invests NIS 1.7 billion. In 2018, the Israeli government’s Innovation Authority invested in
920 Israeli companies, financing around 1500 projects worth a total of NIS 1.7
billion.
Intel
to invest $11 billion in Israel. Intel is to invest NIS 40 billion (approx $11 billion) in its Israel
enterprises and will open another plant in the southern city of Kiryat Gat. Intel will also recruit 1,000 additional
local staff.
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/intel-announces-historic-nis-40-billion-investment-in-its-israel-operation/2019/01/29/
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3755212,00.html
Converting offices
into hotel rooms. Israeli
tourism is booming so much that the Israeli Ministry of Tourism is giving some $6.8
million of grants and holding a conference on converting offices in Tel Aviv
and Jaffa into hotel spaces. They are expected to create thousands of hotel rooms.
Mellanox
revenue exceeds $1 billion. Israel’s Mellanox earned over $1 billion for the first time in its history.
Mellanox’s high-speed solutions accelerate the fastest supercomputers in the
world. Intel is reportedly about to make a multi-billion dollar bid for the
company.
NASDAQ
launch for biotech. I
reported previously (see here)
on Israel’s BioCanCell which is developing treatments for bladder, ovarian and
pancreatic cancers. It has changed its name to Anchiano and plans to list on NASDAQ.
In December, Anchiano began a pivotal trial of its BC-819 H19 gene therapy for bladder
cancer.
https://www.anchiano.com/anchiano-announces-initiation-of-its-codex-study-of-inodiftagene-vixteplasmid-in-patients-with-nmibc/ https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3753914,00.html
From solar power
to electric vehicles. Israeli
solar energy company SolarEdge has acquired Italy’s industrial machinery
company SMRE. SMRE manufactures integrated powertrain technology and
electronics for electric vehicles. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3753695,00.html
Collecting
data for smart Mercedes. I reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s Otonomo when it partnered with Skoda and received funds
from Tata Motors. Now it has partnered
with Daimler to integrate Otonomo’s data gathering technology into Mercedes-Benz
connected cars and offer owners 3rd-party services.
Buy when you commute. Israeli startup Enroute develops an e-commerce add-on for smart
mobility apps. It encourages passengers to do their online shopping while on the
train, bus, or taxi, by rewarding them with credit for future fares. Enroute
has just partnered with DB Regio, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn railway.
The Game of Life. I reported previously (Feb
2016) on Israeli workload gamification startup GamEffective that incentivizes
performance with rewards. Now, German Insurer Swiss Life Select has changed its
entire sales operation to be handled through GamEffective's workload tracking
and productivity software.
Support
Israeli small businesses. My Israel Products (MIP) is a first-of-a-kind marketplace –a place to find
only Israeli products, produced mostly by small and medium-sized manufacturers
in Israel. MIP was founded to allow Israeli manufacturers to expand their clientele
and reach millions of households around the world.
Eurosport
takes Israeli marketing service. TV sports service Eurosport has signed a multi-year partnership agreement
with Israel’s Outbrain. It will use Outbrain’s content discovery technology for
13 of its global markets, including Australia, the U.K. and Germany. Outbrain’s
clients include CNN and Wall Street Journal.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Exhibition of recovered loot. Jerusalem’s Bible Lands museum has assembled a unique exhibit of
ancient Holy Land relics that have been retrieved from antiquities thieves. The
exhibit is entitled “Finds Gone Astray” and includes the stories behind the
recapture of the precious items.
Tel
Aviv’s Black Food Festival. Feb 6th marks the start of a special food festival in Tel Aviv. It showcases food that is the color black –
from bagels to macarons, ice cream and cocktails. Creators must use natural
ingredients such as black coffee, dark chocolates, blackberries, and balsamic
vinegar.
The women
of the Bible. Israeli
photographer Dikla Laor brings female biblical figures to life through the
camera lens. Her “Biblical Women Series” includes Eve, Sarah, Rivka (Rebecca),
Leah and Rachel, Lot’s wife, the Queen of Sheba, Deborah, and Jezebel, among
over 40 such photographs.
One
of the world’s top wine destinations. Israel is fifth on Vinepair’s list of the
World’s Top 10 Wine Destinations for 2019. They recommended the Golan Heights Winery,
Cremisan Wine Estate and Recanati Winery, among the 50-plus wineries in a land
just 260 miles long by 70 miles wide.
John
Cleese and Tom Jones. Two British icons of comedy and
music are set to perform in Israel this year. Monty Python co-founder John
Cleese plans to visit Tel Aviv on 1st & 2nd Sept on his “Last Time to See
Me Before I Die” tour. Meanwhile, Welsh music legend Sir Tom Jones has said he
will perform in Tel Aviv in July.
Another
baby rhino. Israel’s
Ramat Gan Safari has announced the birth of a baby rhino – the 31st at the
Israeli zoo. The new female rhino was born on Tu Bishvat – the mother, Keren
Peles, had given birth to another calf, three and a half years earlier. Ramat
Gan Safari has been prolific in its efforts to save the endangered species.
Seven medals as Israel hosts World judo event. 373 competitors from 53 countries
came to Tel Aviv for Israel’s first-ever hosting of an International Judo Federation
Grand Prix event. Israeli judokas won 4 gold medals, 2 silver and a bronze to top
the table and help them in their goal of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics.
THE JEWISH STATE
Gaza
border beer. Craft
brewery Alexander Beer has launched a special edition “Otef Aza” (Gaza Border)
wheat beer, made in part from wheat harvested from fields belonging to Israeli
communities bordering Gaza. CEO Ori Sagi promised that all profits from sales
of the beer will go to the Israeli farmers.
Bnei
Akiva celebrates 90 years. Around 1,000 representatives from dozens of communities from all over the
world participated in the International Conference of World Bnei Akiva at
Binyanei Hauma in Jerusalem. The gala event marked the 90th anniversary of the founding
of the religious youth movement.
What
makes Israel a democracy. Video about the history of the
Knesset – Israel’s parliament – and its central role today in the democratic State
of Israel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54C4jxa7ur8
Innovation,
Imagination, Integrity. Please watch Jewish National Fund
President Dr Sol Lizerbram at the 2018 JNF National Conference. Hear JNF’s
plans for the Galilee and Beersheva, especially the JNF Institute of Technology.
And the JNF Boruchin Israel & Zionist Education Center program for teens to
go to Israel.
190127
In the 27th Jan
19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
Israeli
scientists have strengthened white blood cells to destroy tumors.
·
14 severely
disabled Israeli kids had fun racing in go-karts.
·
Israel and
Chad have restored diplomatic relations.
·
Israeli
drones will monitor and analyze Brazilian crops.
·
Israeli technology
powers devices using energy from radio waves.
·
The UK’s
first post-Brexit free trade agreement is with Israel.
·
An Israeli
company is to secure a Spanish port.
·
A major discovery
at the Biblical site of the Ark of the Covenant.
·
Click here
to see the 20th Jan newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, Janglo,
and United
With Israel with extra feature on the Jewish
State. Also (TY Sandra) in German
and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please pass on these links to German
and Hebrew-reading
contacts. Also articles translated into Hebrew by
middle school students from the Reali School in Haifa.
·
Also (TY
Esty) please visit (and “like” and “follow”) the www.facebook.com/VerygoodnewsIL
Facebook page.
·
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
13,500 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
Arming white blood
cells to fight cancer. Scientists
at Tel Aviv University have discovered that the white blood cells called Eosinophils
secrete powerfully destructive proteins that can kill tumors. When activated by
the protein IFN-gamma, they induced an even greater immunotherapy response and
a new anti-cancer pathway.
New biomarker helps detect high risk of cancer. Researchers from Tel Aviv University and others have found that high
levels of the protein ubiquilin-4 cause cells to become prone to genome
instability and more likely to develop into tumors. Once discovered, these
cells can be treated with other forms of cancer therapy.
Successful trials of treatment for severe
burns. I reported previously (see here) on the innovative NexoBrid
treatment for severe burns from Israel’s MediWound. MediWound has just
announced positive top line results of its pivotal U.S. Phase 3 clinical study.
Dead skin was completely removed from 93% of trial patients.
US approval for groundbreaking inhaler. (TY Atid-EDI)
The US FDA has approved the ProAir Digihaler made by Israel’s Teva. It is the
first and only digital inhaler with built-in sensors that connects to a companion
mobile app and provides relevant information to people with asthma and COPD.
The neurons that recognize a face. Researchers at Israel’s Bar Ilan University and in Paris have identified
neurons in the human visual cortex that can selectively respond to faces. The
discovery came while studying an epileptic patient that had micro-electrodes implanted
in the vicinity of the Fusiform Face Area.
Breakthrough cancer treatment available
to Israelis. (TY I24 News) The Israeli-developed CAR-T
cancer treatment is one of NIS 460 million worth of new treatments added to
Israel’s 2019 Health Basket. CAR-T has over 80% success rate, even in terminal
cases. The new treatments will benefit an estimated 70,000 Israelis.
Record number of organ donations. Israeli doctors performed a record 592 organ transplants in 2018 -
13% more than in 2017. 258 were from live donors - mostly kidneys, including
106 from non-relatives for altruistic reasons. Dvora Ben Dror, who founded the Adi
organ donation card system, passed away recently, aged 93.
Better ICU patient monitoring. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s RenalSense is conducting a study using its Clarity
RMS critical care renal monitoring system at the University of Pittsburgh
Medical Center. The first study stage with 200 patients is complete. Now data will
be collected and analyzed from an additional 2000 patients.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/renalsense-conducts-pilot-study-at-university-of-pittsburgh-medical-center-801963344.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDumc_dAzS4
https://www.renalsense.com/
Personal sleep coaching. Israel’s SleepRate uses off-the-shelf sensors such as fitness belts
and smartwatches to track sleep patterns and detect sleep problems, offering
users personalized coaching for improved sleep. It is partnering with Dutch
multinational Philips who will integrate SleepRate into its Better Sleep mobile
app.
Israeli schools bring on the clowns. The therapeutic benefits of
medical clowns in Israeli hospitals (see here) is undisputed. Last
year, Israel’s Education Ministry sanctioned an Educational Clown pilot at
three Israeli high schools. It was so successful that this year the project has
expanded to six high schools and one primary school.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Poverty declines. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israel’s National Insurance Institute (NII) report on poverty in Israel in 2017
states that the number of children living in poverty declined by 23,700 - the first
decrease in many years. The incidence of poverty among haredim (ultra-Orthodox
Jews) and Arabs also fell.
Integrating Haredim into hi-tech. Bizmax is a relatively new business center for ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem
residents. Its shared workspace supports 100 Haredi yeshiva students wanting to
become entrepreneurs in Israel’s hi-tech industry. Bizmax partners with Achim
Global - a similar but larger organization in Bnei Brak.
Karting rally for disabled
kids. 14 paraplegic Israeli children enjoyed participating
in Israel’s first ever para-rally. The kids had the unique thrill of racing in
their own electric go-karts, custom-built for each child by teams of adult
volunteers. Karting Israel in Beit Berl donated their track and other business
donated food for the event.
An Arab-Israeli female Muslim bus
driver. (TY BIG)
Padila Sohila from the Arab town of Tira has driven buses for seven years. Passengers
and fellow drivers are most respectful to her. Her aunt was the first woman in
Tila to own and drive a car. Now, most Muslim women in Tira can drive, work and
choose whom to marry.
Saved from flooding. (TY UWI)
A woman from the Israeli-Arab town of Kfar Kana in the Galilee expressed her
gratitude to the Israeli police who helped during the recent floods that
devastated her community.
Helping Palestinian Arabs get to Mecca. Israel helps thousands of Moslem Palestinian Arab pilgrims travel
to Mecca for the winter Hajj. Allenby Bridge crossing times from Israel into
Jordan are extended. Extra Arab-speaking IDF personnel ensure the pilgrims enjoy
a quick and safe crossing on the way to Islam’s holiest city.
Israeli doctor saved Abbas. The PA leader Mahmoud Abbas, 83, was hospitalized twice in May 2018
with chest pains, an ear infection requiring surgery and pneumonia. He accepted
help from an Israeli specialist who travelled to Ramallah. His condition then improved
considerably.
Diplomatic ties
restored with Chad. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu began a historic visit to Chad where he and Chad’s President Idriss Deby
announced the renewal of diplomatic relations. His return flight was one hour
shorter than the outbound leg, as Sudan allowed his plane to use its airspace.
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/global/africa/making-history-israel-and-chad-resume-diplomatic-relations/2019/01/20/
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/257863
Rescued by the Israeli navy. French sailor Jean-François Colas was lost in the Mediterranean for
weeks. The Israeli navy rescued him and his boat drifting with no steering
system and a broken radio. He had suffered a leg injury and was almost out of
food and water. He laughed with relief, “There might be a god for me up there.”
Joint exercise with RAF. The Israeli Air Force will participate in a joint exercise with the
UK Royal Air Force in Britain for the first time in September during the RAF’s annual
Cobra Warrior exercise. Cooperation between the two air forces is high and new
RAF pilots use an Israeli-developed flight training system.
https://www.thejc.com/news/israel/israel-s-air-force-to-stage-joint-exercise-with-britain-s-raf-for-the-first-time-1.478553
https://kbr.com/about/newsroom/articles/new-royal-air-force-trainer-is-ready-to-fly
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The world’s fifth most innovative
nation. Israel is ranked 5th among the world’s most
innovative economies, according to Bloomberg’s 2019 Innovation Index. The
Startup Nation jumped five places thanks to increased patent activity and its high
level of R&D professionals. Israel beat Singapore, Sweden, the US and Japan.
Swimming pool device to prevent
drowning. Israel’s Coral Drowning Detection Systems
have developed the Coral Manta system. It uses an underwater video camera,
computer vision and artificial intelligence to identify a potential drowning situation.
It then sounds an ear-piercing alarm and sends an alert to relevant smartphones.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Israeli-AI-device-watches-swimming-pools-to-prevent-drowning-accidents-576254
https://coraldrowningdetection.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mDO4OYUp70
Drones for Brazilian
agriculture. (TY Hazel) Brazil’s Santos Lab is to use
drones (UAVs) and advanced analytics from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for
large scale agricultural applications. IAI’s BirdEye 650D UAV includes a hyper-spectral
wide coverage imager, uniquely developed for the precision agriculture market.
Teaching cars to learn. I reported previously (see here) on the
Artificial Intelligent image analysis system from Israel’s Cortica. Japanese
semiconductor company Renesas Electronics is partnering with Cortica and will embed
its computer learning technology into Renesas’ new system-on-chip for the automotive
industry.
https://www.circa.com/story/2018/05/29/science/this-ai-learns-just-like-you-and-its-about-to-revolutionize-cars-and-security https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3753985,00.html
See clearly through the fog. 80% of automobile accidents occur at night, or in adverse weather
conditions such as fog, haze and dust storms. Israel’s TriEye Technologies is
developing a high-resolution shortwave infra-red (SWIR) camera that will help vehicle
drivers see perfectly, even in low-visibility situations.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-israeli-car-camera-enables-visibility-in-fog/
http://www.trieye.tech/
Never forget a face. I reported previously (Jan
2016) when Israel’s OrCam launched MyEye - a device for the visually
impaired that recognizes faces and translates speech to text. Now, the OrCam
MyMe wearable camera identifies people you meet and links to a work-balance app
on your smartphone or smart watch.
DIY 3D scanning. Israel’s EyeCue Vision Technologies has solved the problem of how
to generate 3D content. EyeCue’s app scans real life objects placed on a paper mat
printed directly from the app. It then
takes multiple pictures and uses an Alternate Reality dome to create a 3D model
for use in almost unlimited applications.
Feel the music. Israeli startup Woojer has developed a vest incorporating “haptic”
technology. It gives the wearer physical sensations, converting musical sounds or
Virtual Reality actions into vibrations transmitted via the vest. For a unique
multisensory experience, it probably beats everything you can imagine!
Energy from Radio
waves. Israeli startup Wiliot has developed a Bluetooth-enabled
sensor that harvests energy from radio waves. It provides power to internet-of-things
(IoT) devices, without the need of batteries or mains (wired) electricity. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3754182,00.html
Air-conditioned bus stops. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israel’s Transportation Ministry is to launch a pilot in Eilat of “smart”
air-conditioned bus stops. The enclosed modules will have automatic doors,
interactive controls, touch screens and real-time schedules – all accessible to
passengers with disabilities.
Whatever the weather. Israeli-founded startup ClimaCell develops a highly accurate
weather forecasting system, capable of predicting the weather on a
minute-by-minute basis. It uses data from weather databases as well as from
wireless networks, internet-of-things (IoT) devices, and cellular networks.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Record investment details. The 2018 record $6.4 billion investment in Israeli hi-tech companies
included $1.89 billion for Artificial Intelligence, $1.2 billion into Life
Sciences and $1.08 billion into Cybersecurity. Significantly, the fourth quarter
was the strongest with $1.82 billion investments in Israeli-linked companies.
UK’s first post-Brexit
free trade deal is with Israel. Britain’s International Development Secretary
Liam Fox announced in Davos that a trade deal has been agreed in principle with
Israel’s Economy Minister Eli Cohen. Israel’s UK Ambassador Mark Regev tweeted “excellent
news for the rapidly-growing UK-Israel partnership”.
Israel is an Innovation Champion. Israel has been named as one of 16 global “innovation champions” by
leading American trade organization Consumer Technology Association (CTA). The
CTA rankings evaluate countries based on 14 categories, including freedom,
broadband, entrepreneurship and resiliency.
Ramon International Airport opens. On 21 Jan, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed on the inaugural
flight to open the new Ramon International Airport 10 miles north of Eilat in southern
Israel. Ramon is set to handle 2 million passengers a year in 2020, rising to
4.2 million by 2030.
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/israel-inaugurates-new-international-airport-to-boost-eilat-tourism/2019/01/21/
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/257935
Free trade agreement with Ukraine. Visiting Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko hailed as “historic”
the signing of a free trade agreement with Israel. The 1500-page agreement will
reduce the prices of Ukrainian goods in Israel and vice-versa, plus allowing companies
from Ukraine and Israel wider access to markets.
Millions for Israeli startups. Israeli digital health fund aMoon II has raised $600 million to
invest, mostly into mid-to-late-stage Israeli companies in the health and
medical technologies field. Meanwhile, Israeli venture capital firm Magenta
Venture Partners has launched a new $100 million fund destined for early-stage
startups.
UK 5G accelerator for Israeli startups. At Tel Aviv’s Cybertech Conference (28-30 Jan) a delegation from the
UK’s Midlands Cyber will showcase "Cyber Valley," the leading cyber
hotspot in the UK. Israeli startups will be invited to join its BetaDen
accelerator for developing and trialing applications on the new 5G network.
Business
simulation winner. Meir
Cohen, an MBA candidate at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University, won the Capsim
Challenge (Capstone league) competition to find who can best run a multi-million
dollar simulated company. Bar Ilan is the first college in Israel to
incorporate advanced simulation in its studies.
Three new
Israeli routes for RyanAir. (TY Calcalistech)
Irish low-cost airline RyanAir launches three new routes from Tel Aviv this
summer – to Athens, Bucharest and Sofia. RyanAir Tel Aviv will have 12 routes
to Tel Aviv, plus another 15 to Eilat. CEO Michael O'Leary plans to bring
millions more tourists to Israel.
https://corporate.ryanair.com/news/ryanair-launches-3-new-tel-aviv-routes-to-athens-bucharest-sofia/
Managing US
electric grid. (TY OurCrowd) I reported previously (Jul
2015) that Israel’s mPrest was adapting its Iron Dome technology to detect
problems at US power plants. Now mPrest is implementing that technology and has
partnered with top US energy utility Southern Company to enhance its systems.
Security
for Spanish port. Israel’s
Magal Security Systems has won a $2.5 million contract to deliver technology
and services to the Port of Huelva in Spain. It includes anti-climb smart
fences, plus day/night and thermal cameras using dual thermal and CCD
technologies.
More exposure for bio-degradable plastic.
Israel’s
TIPA environmentally-friendly packaging is on display at London’s Future Fabrics
expo (Jan 24), Berlin’s Fruit Logistica (Feb 6) and Nuremberg’s BIOFACH organic
trade show (Feb 13). https://tipa-corp.com/events/
Yofix wins top Pepsico award. I reported previously (21st
May) on Israel’s Yofix and its vegan, dairy-free, soy-free yoghurts made
from seeds and fruit with no added sugar, preservatives or color. Yofix has
just won the top Euro 100,000 prize in Pepsico’s European Nutrition Greenhouse startup
program.
https://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/news/pepsico-start-up-program-israeli-dairy-alternative-innovator-secures-top-prize.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXLzr-rGMY8 https://www.yofix.co.il/
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Artistic gifts to world leaders. Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin has initiated the project “Israeli
Hope” where students at Jerusalem’s Bezalel Academy of Art and Design create unique
works of art to be gifted to world leaders during presidential visits. President
Rivlin gave their first gift to Pope Francis on visiting the Vatican.
A century of Bauhaus. 100 years since the establishment of Germany’s Bauhaus architecture
design school, 4,000 iconic Bauhaus buildings are still prominent in Tel Aviv –
giving it the name the “White City”. The buildings were designed by Jewish
architects who fled Germany when Hitler came to power in 1933.
Explore Shoham Forest. Shoham Forest in central Israel’s Modi’in Region offers multiple
recreational areas, seasonal flowers currently in full bloom, and many trails
that are accessible to the whole family. There’s also an engaging archeological
site where you can learn about communities that existed in the area in ancient
times.
Good News from the Good Land. The weekly program “Israel on my mind” on Israel News Talk Radio showcases
“good news” stories from Israel, awesome Israeli Technical inventions, and
other stories of interest for Israel supporters. VeryGoodNewsIsrael readers should
enjoy this program. Listen to 17th Jan edition here.
Lechayim to easyJet. On my last trip to the UK I was amused to read that the easyJet Traveller
magazine had chosen an Israeli drink as their “Best cocktail in disguise”. The “Bellboy’s
Bathtub” is a citrussy drink served in a miniature bathtub topped with edible
foam and an (inedible) rubber duck. The Bellboy Bar is in Tel Aviv.
Israeli chess prodigy to compete in
Tunisia. (TY Fred) Following pressure from the World
Chess Federation FIDE, Tunisia’s Chess Federation agreed (in Aug) to allow
7-year-old Israeli Liel Levitan to participate in the World School Individual
Championships in April.2019. Liel won the 2018 European Chess Championships.
THE JEWISH STATE
Home of the Ark of the Covenant. Remains of a massive 8th century BCE podium
has been unearthed on a Judean hilltop. The site has long been associated with Kiriath-Jearim,
where the biblical Ark of the Covenant rested for 20 years until taken by King
David to Jerusalem (Samuel 1, chapter 7 and Chronicles chapter 13).
More
discoveries after the rain. Recent heavy rains have revealed two beautiful clay figurines of horses
in northern Israel. The first, from the time of the Kingdom of Israel (about 800
BCE), was found near Kfar Ruppin in the Beit Shean Valley. The other dates to
the Hellenistic period (around 200 BCE) was found near Tel Akko.
Israeli
lottery winners. A
couple who made Aliya from France ten years ago have “hit the jackpot”, winning
NIS 30 million ($8.1 million) in Israel’s first lottery of 2019. The religious
couple kept their secret from the guests they entertained over Shabbat. After giving
to charity, they intend to buy apartments for their children.
The seeds
that you plant. Over
a million Israelis participated in planting trees during the festival of Tu
Bishvat. No wonder that the Land of Israel was one of the few countries to
start the 21st century with more trees than it had 100 years earlier. Also (TY Sharon) Tu Bishvat as experienced in
Jerusalem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znsAzz26XeY
http://rjstreets.com/2019/01/16/what-everyone-should-know-about-bursting-amygdalus-communis-in-jerusalem/
Knesset
celebrates 70 years. Tu Bishvat is also the anniversary
of the foundation in 1949 of Israel’s parliament – the Knesset. Some 2,000 children and other guests participated
in a variety of events including the creation of flowers from recycled
materials. Tu Bishvat is celebrated today as an ecological awareness day.
190120
·
An Israeli
nano-sized robot has been developed to clean tubes in the brain.
·
An Israeli
charity gives 8,000 school children a healthy breakfast every day.
·
Israelis
are helping tropical storm victims in the Philippines.
·
Israeli
students won a European competition for protein-enriched foods.
·
Israel’s
2018 exports were at an all-time record.
·
Israel received
the largest-ever Japanese business delegation.
·
Israel
celebrates the New Year for Trees – Tu Bishvat.
·
Click here
to see the 13th Jan newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours, Janglo, and United With Israel with extra features on Technology and Medical. Also (TY Sandra) in German and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please pass on these links
to German and Hebrew-reading contacts. Also this week, articles translated into Hebrew by students of the Reali middle school in Haifa.
·
Also (TY
Esty) please visit (and “like” and “follow”) the www.facebook.com/VerygoodnewsIL Facebook page.
·
Please
click here, to donate (a small or large amount) to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
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ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Cleaning out the brain. Israel’s Microbot (see here) demonstrated a prototype of its self-cleaning shunt (SCS) at the International
Society for Hydrocephalus and Cerebrospinal Fluid Disorders (ISHCFD) meeting in
Italy. The SCS prevents obstruction in
the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) catheters of hydrocephalus patients.
White blood cells can “feel” when things are not right. Scientists at Ben Gurion University have discovered that the immune
system’s Lymphocytes (white blood cells) physically “grab” sick cells in the
body. They then excrete a toxic chemical to kill the damaged cells, which include
viruses and tumors.
http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/pages/news/white_cells.aspx https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adma.201805954
Prescription charges fall. (TY Janglo) Israel’s Health Ministry has reduced the prices of prescription treatments
with controlled patents by an average of 6.9%. The discount is due to a change
in the pricing model to reduce costs plus favorable exchange rates. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256967
Medical tourism. Around 30,000 foreign patients
travel to Israel each year, eagerly seeking Israel’s top class, innovative medical
treatments. This has major benefits for Israel’s economy, medical R&D and international
esteem. The government has also stepped in to ensure that it does not delay
treatments for Israeli citizens.
Lung cancer test for China. I’ve
reported several times (see here) on Israeli life sciences company
BioView and its innovative cancer detection technology. BioView has just signed an agreement with Shenzhen
China’s Livzon to distribute BioView’s imaging systems in China, Hong Kong,
Macau, and Taiwan.
Gluten-free food in Tel Aviv. Here is a
helpful guide to being gluten-free in Tel Aviv perfect for any person with celiac
disease or following a gluten-free diet.
Drama at Tel Aviv railway station. One
of the new defibrillators delivered to all Israeli railway stations has just saved
the life of a woman who suffered a heart attack. Station staff at Tel Aviv
Hashalom successfully jumpstarted the woman's heart, after passengers,
including a doctor and a paramedic, had administered CPR.
Medical staff dance to cheer up patients. Jewish and Arab doctors and nurses at Ziv Hospital in Northern
Israel are a further example of co-existence as they dance together to cheer up
patients in the dialysis ward.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Serving 1.3 million breakfasts a year. The charity Nevet (“Sprout”) provides 8,000 students at 130 schools
throughout Israel with a daily nutritious sandwich that helps the kids
concentrate on their schoolwork instead of on their empty stomachs. That adds
up to a whopping 1.3 million breakfasts every year for disadvantaged youth
Stringing along together. Jewish and
Arab students in the Western Galilee were given the opportunity to learn from
and listen to a delegation of visiting American violinists. The violinists held
masterclasses for both Arabs and Jews students in Akko, Matte Asher, Rosh Pina
and the Arab town of Tarshiha.
New Jerusalem supermarket for Jews and Arabs. Rami Levy’s latest venture is a shopping mall in the northern
Jerusalem suburb of Atarot. It will serve both Israeli citizens (Jews, Arabs etc.)
and Palestinian Arabs. The mall contains 50 stores, including some Palestinian Arab-run
businesses.
Why a Christian Arab joined the IDF. Israeli
Christian Arabs don’t have to join the military but Jennifer Jozin volunteered to
serve her country. Jozin says, “Just as the state serves me, provides for me,
and I live in it, I want to give back in return. She is a Non-Commissioned Officer
serving at the Jordanian border.
Three Iraqi delegations visited Israel. According
to Israel’s Hadashot TV news, three delegations, totaling 15 local Iraqi leaders,
made unofficial trips to Israel in recent months. They held meetings with Israeli academics,
visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, and, most significantly, met with
Israeli government officials.
Radiotherapy training for Tanzanian cancer specialists. (TY Hazel) In Tanzania, 29,000 people die from cancer every
year. To help tackle this challenge, Tanzanian cancer care professionals have
completed advanced radiotherapy training at Assuta Ramat Hachayal and Sheba
Medical Centre (Tel Hashomer).
Aid for Philippines tropical
storm victims. (TY UWI) IsraAID Philippines has deployed an emergency response team to the
Sagnay municipality in the Philippines following Tropical Storm Usman. It is assessing
needs and will provide urgent relief items as well as psychological support to
those affected.
Training the next gen of life-savers. Israeli
disaster relief NGO IsraAID is training doctors, dentists, nurses, engineers and
mental-health professionals to respond to disasters. The Humanitarian Professionals
Network launched on Jan. 10, 2019, in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay
area.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Swimming against the tide. A visit to Israel’s
largest desalination and wastewater-treatment plants reveals smart technologies
and policies to keep the water running. Just as well, as five years into a
severe drought, Israel is constantly inventing and implementing practical solutions
to a problem that is not entirely solvable.
Cybertech 2019. The largest annual
cybersecurity event in the world outside the US, Cybertech 2019, is coming back
to Tel Aviv (Jan 28-30). The event at
the Expo Tel Aviv is expected to draw some 15,000 attendees from over 80 countries.
It will feature hundreds of hi-tech startups
and organizations.
Ultra-fast vehicle charging. (TY WIN) I’ve reported previously (see here) on the flywheel battery
technology of Israel’s Chakratec. Ilan Ben-David, CEO of Chakratec, was interviewed
on ILTV about the new system that enables super-fast electric vehicle charging
anywhere, in just 20 minutes.
Recharge your car as you drive. I reported
previously (see here) on Israel’s ElectRoad and its technology to charge cars and buses from
the road itself. Now Israeli’s ElectReon Wireless has successfully tested wirelessly
powering an electric car using its electric road infrastructure.
Smart headlights. I reported previously (Jan 2018) on Israel’s Adasky and its high-resolution infrared sensor for
autonomous vehicles. Italian car parts supplier Magneti Marelli (now owned by Japan’s
Calsonic Kansei) is to integrate the sensor both in the car’s headlights as well
as the front grille of the vehicle.
Helping to map UK roads. The UK’s Ordnance
Survey (OS) mapping agency is using state-of-the-art systems made by Israeli-based
Mobileye to map UK roads in advance of smart cities and driver-less cars. OS vehicles
fitted with Mobileye cameras will record vast amounts of high-precision data on
Britain’s road network.
The Waze of indoor navigation. Instead of
mapping every single building, Israel’s Navin turns the smartphone into a mapping
device. It enables people to find their way in every hospital, shopping mall,
airport and train station. Navin generates data points using shared sensors of
every nearby smartphone with the app.
Algae-based falafel is new superfood. (TY Israel21c) Students at Israel’s Technion Institute have developed Algalafel; falafel
enriched with spirulina - an algae containing about 60% protein. The students
won the EIT (European Knowledge and Innovation Community) Food Project competition
to promote protein-enriched food.
A solution for too much algae. BlueGreen
Water Technologies, founded by Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Dr. Moshe Harel,
has developed Lake Guard treatment for algae bloom - a massive US problem. Approved
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency it safely kills cyanobacteria, revitalizing
the water in just a few days.
A medical file for every tree. Israeli startup
SeeTree is launching a new service that will provide crop growers with “deep
insights” into the health and productivity of every one of their trees. SeeTree
takes high-resolution 3D images using drones, plus ground sensors and samples to
identify diseases and precise irrigation needs.
Urban bee hives to save the honey bee. The World Bee Project has launched a pilot to study
honeybees in Israel, the UK and Ireland. They have fitted a beehive on top of Tel
Aviv’s Dizengoff Shopping Center with solar-powered, Internet-linked sensors to
record temperature, moisture levels and sound.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Record Israeli exports. Israel’s $110 billion global
exports in 2018 broke all-time records. The 8% increase from 2017 included $16
billion to the EU, $11 billion to the USA and $10 billion to Asia. High-tech services increased by 14 percent to a
record $51 billion.
Massive investment in startups. Israeli
tech firms raised a total of $6.47 billion in 623 deals in 2018 - the highest
dollar amount since 2013. In the IVC Research Center report, 100 firms raised $4.1
billion of the total.
An Israeli conference in Berlin. Calcalist
has organized the WeTech Berlin 2019 Conference (Feb 18 – 19) focusing on
innovation, tech and business ties between Germany and Israel. It will include
meetings between Israeli entrepreneurs and top European executives & Venture
Capitalists.
Direct flights to Rwanda. RwandAir - the
national airline of Rwanda – is launching a new direct route from Rwanda’s
capital Kigali, to Tel Aviv. Rwanda’s Ambassador Joseph Rotabana tweeted “Honoured
to have signed the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with the Israeli Min.
of Transportation, Hon. Yisrael Katz”
Entrepreneurship center at BGU. Israel’s
Council of Higher Education has awarded a NIS 6 million grant to Ben-Gurion
University for the establishment of Yazamut 360°, an interdisciplinary center
for entrepreneurship. It will serve as a regional center of excellence for students,
researchers, local entrepreneurs and the IDF.
OurCrowd’s 14 stars at CES Las Vegas. Israeli-founded
global investment platform OurCrowd showcased seven of its Israeli startup portfolio
at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. A further seven of its startups showcased
independently. https://blog.ourcrowd.com/ces2019/
Kickstarting the Hula Valley. A group of
Israeli techies has founded the Hula Valley - Community of Entrepreneurs in the
Eastern Galilee. Playing on the (Silicon) Valley name, they want investors, tech
firms and entrepreneurs to move to northern Israel, which they say is full of
untapped opportunities and talent.
Desperately seeking hi-tech staff. Israeli
tech and recruitment companies use innovative ways to attract hi-tech talent. Intel
has comedy nights for candidates and issues raffle tickets with prizes of drones,
computers and processors. Lightricks distributed thousands of coasters in
popular bars. SQLink even holds singles events.
Huge Japanese delegation. 150 top Japanese businesspeople visited Israel recently – the largest
ever. They signed six deals covering cybersecurity, digital health and automotive
industries. Israeli entrepreneur Ran Poliakine and Honda also announced a partnership
to bring AI and digitalization to the production line.
Smart road startup is really motoring. (TY NoCamels) I reported previously (see here) on the smart road technology of Israeli
startup Velerann. Its platform is now being used by Highways England and by Transurban
in the US and Australia. It is also working with Bosch, Jaguar and Land Rover.
Innoviz goes global. I reported previously (many times) on Israel’s Innoviz and its all-seeing
LiDAR sensors. Innoviz has just launched new offices in the US, China, Japan,
and Germany plus a new Israeli HQ. In June, Innoviz partnered with China’s HiRain
Technologies to sell to Chinese automakers.
SolarEdge buys Italian EV tech firm. Israeli solar systems company SolarEdge Technologies is buying Italian
industrial machinery company SMRE. SMRE manufactures
integrated powertrain technology and electronics for electric vehicles. It is
part of SolarEdge’s plans to expand into electric vehicles.
Israeli at a stretch. Two of the four founders of multi-billion-dollar Elastic are Israel’s Shay
Banon and Uri Boness. They founded their Elasticsearch open source search and
analytics engine in the Netherlands and then moved its HQ to the USA. It now operates in 35 countries and is opening
an Israeli subsidiary.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
3D-printed sustainable garments and shoes. I’ve featured previously (see here) the 3D-printed fashion of Israeli’s
Danit Peleg. Now Israel’s Ganit Goldstein has taken 3D printing even further, to
produce a remarkable combination of sustainable fashion and art to international
acclaim. http://nocamels.com/2018/12/3d-printed-sustainable-garments-shoes-by-israeli-designer-wow-international-audiences/
An incredible hotel. Fodor’s Travel has
included Tel Aviv’s LINK Hotel & Hub in its list of the 100 Most Incredible
Hotels in the World. Guests use an app to check in and out, unlock rooms,
control TV, air-con and lighting and to access the “virtual” concierge. It also
has artwork, games, workspace and a street-side café.
Pink Floyd cover band rocks Tel Aviv. Having
rejected pressure (including death threats) from BDS supporters, the UK’s Pink
Floyd Experience played to a packed house in Tel Aviv. During the performance, they even shared the
stage with Israeli Pink Floyd cover band Echoes.
Shredding the waves in Netanya. The wintry
weather last week was ideal for Netanya, as it hosted the international contest
SEAT Pro Netanya - a totally radical surfing competition for top global surfers.
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/pros-from-around-the-world-gather-in-israel-to-compete-in-world-surf-league-contest/2019/01/16/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYrHAJcSEwY
A research center for windsurfing. (TY
Ellen) The Olympic Committee of Israel and Israel’s Technion have opened a
joint research center initially to study windsurfing - a sport in which Israeli
athletes regularly bring home international medals. The center will then move on
to improving Israeli performances in other sports.
THE JEWISH STATE
Aliya
is on the way up.
Almost 30,000 Jews made Aliyah (immigrated) to Israel this year compared with
28,220 new immigrants in 2017, a 5% increase. 10,500 came from Russia - a 45% increase
from 2017. Over 3,500 Americans made Aliya in 2018, boosting Israel’s
population to nearly 9 million.
Ethnically
apt food for the poor. Israel’s “ingathering of the exiles” has resulted in many different cultures
and cuisines. Israeli charity Colel Chabad has recognized this and ensures that
the food they provide to the poor relates to the recipients’ ethnicity and
culture. https://unitedwithisrael.org/whats-in-the-box-unique-charity-prepares-ethnically-tasteful-food-packages-for-israels-hungry-citizens/
PM
has another granddaughter. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s
daughter, Noa Netanyahu-Roth, has just given birth to a baby girl - her fourth
child. Noa lives in the Mea Shearim district of Jerusalem. Her husband is one
of the many ultra-orthodox Jews working in the hi-tech sector.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHotti-82cA
(2015 video of Netanyahu’s grandson’s brit)
WeWork
founder is a proud Jew. (TY Janglo)
Adam Neumann – Israeli co-founder of multi-billion-dollar company WeWork - delivered
a great speech at a UJA Federation event on what being Jewish means to him.
Tu
Bishvat. (TY
Jacob Richman & Jacques) Useful information about the Jewish New Year for
Trees, including vocabulary, activities, graphics, clip art, greeting cards, photos,
recipes, songs, quiz, games etc. Also an
article on the significance of the festival from Between The Lines
Planting a Jewish future. To mark the Jewish festival of Tu Bishvat,
World Mizrachi made this inspiring video to highlight the love affair between
the Jewish people and the Land of Israel.
With Zo Artzeinu they are planting 11,000 new fruit trees in Israel. The
subsequent sites promote their “Trees of Life” Project.
https://www.jewishpress.com/addendum/sponsored-posts/its-not-just-a-tree-its-life-itself/2019/01/16/
190113
In the 13th Jan
19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
Israeli
scientists have discovered a major link to the aging process.
·
An Israeli
device dramatically improves post-CPR survival rates.
·
An Israeli
NGO helps African farmers grow high-yielding crops.
·
The EU is
funding development of Israeli satellites to monitor the climate.
·
An Israeli
startup is to irrigate 15 African countries including South Africa.
·
Funding
has been approved for 15 joint US-Israeli hi-tech projects.
·
Both CNN and
NYT recommend Israeli destinations to visit in 2019.
·
A new
mineral has been discovered on Mount Carmel.
·
Click here
to see the 6th Jan newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, Janglo,
and United
With Israel with extra feature on Inclusive
& Global. Also (TY Sandra) in German
and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please pass on these links to German
and Hebrew-reading
contacts.
·
Also (TY
Esty) please visit (and “like” and “follow”) the www.facebook.com/VerygoodnewsIL
Facebook page. And the newsletter student translators from Haifa’s Reali middle
school are featured here.
·
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
13,500 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
Removing damaged cells
slows aging. Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann
Institute have discovered that senescent (damaged) cells promote inflammation,
common in age-related diseases. Absence of the LMNA gene (that kills senescent
cells) causes premature aging. Treatment to destroy these cells (e.g. boosting immunity),
slows aging.
US approves focused ultrasound for Parkinson’s. (TY Atid-EDI)
I’ve reported (several
times) on the success of Israel’s Insightec in treating patients suffering
from Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and essential tremor. Insightec has just received
FDA approval for the life-changing Exablate Neuro treatment to be used on US PD
patients.
US approval for 3D heart imaging system. I reported previously (Oct
2017) on Israel’s CathWorks and its FFRangio real-time AI 3D imaging of the
coronary tree to help surgeons perform heart catheterizations. The US FDA has
just given approval for the unique visualization system, which already has European
CE certification.
Keeping your
sugar intake in check. I’ve reported previously (see here) on Israel’s Sweetch and its app
to help pre-diabetics maintain a healthy lifestyle. This article describes how
Sweetch is so personal, it can even detect the weather and suggest indoor activities
on cold wintry days. See the Get.Up app on iOS
or
Android.
Lung function testing
from home. (TY WIN)
Asthma and COPD sufferers will pleased to hear that Israel’s NE Field
diagnostics has a simple pulmonary (lung function) test for use at home. Breathe
normally into the A-Spire device and a smartphone app checks the results,
saving vast numbers of unnecessary hospital visits.
An app to help
communicate. When Ayelet Avraham saw a deaf person having
problems buying a cell phone, she and another student at the Holon Institute of
Technology developed DAS (Deaf Access Solution). DAS uses Google’s Speech
Recognizer to translate speech into text and send it to the phone of the relevant
nearby person.
Minimally
invasive stitching combats obesity. A gastric
bypass or sleeve gastrectomy are two radical procedures to reduce stomach
volume and curb obesity. But now Israel’s Nitinotes is developing Endozip - a 30-minute
gastrointestinal automated suturing system, inserted through the mouth with
minimal anesthesia.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/amid-rampant-obesity-israeli-startup-seeks-to-stitch-up-stomach-bulge/
Raising CPR survival
rates. In a UK survey of 8,000 heart-attack resuscitations,
only 2.8% of patients were still alive 30 days later due to low blood flow to the
arteries and brain. The HemaShock device from Israel’s Oneg Hakarmel (developer
of HemaClear - see here) takes blood from the limbs to maintain essential
organs.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Free dental care
up to age 18. (TY Janglo)
The Israeli Cabinet approved a proposal by Deputy Health Minister Yaakov
Litzman to extend the dental care reform until the age of 18. To date, dental
treatments have been given from age of 8 to age of 16. The decision comes into
force immediately.
Supporting Bedouin women in the Negev. The Israeli Arab-Jewish non-profit organization AJEEC-NISPED works
with the Arab-Bedouins of Hura in the Negev. One of its projects is the Al
Sanabel catering business. 20 Bedouin women prepare 8,000 school lunches, transforming
these women into proud family breadwinners.
A year of medical support for
Palestinian Arabs. I reported previously (May
2017) on Project Rozana which raises funds to help Israeli hospitals treat
sick Palestinian Arab children. Here is Rozana’s latest report on its work using
Israeli excellence in healthcare, to benefit the Palestinian Arab community.
Arab Muslim candidate on Likud party
list. Israel’s right-wing Likud party introduced Dima
Tayeh as its first Muslim Arab-Israeli candidate in the 9th April Knesset elections.
It provides a strong reminder that Israel is a diverse, inclusive, and democratic
society. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sisNHs9m9sQ
Sodastream to open factory in Gaza. At Jerusalem’s Globes Business Conference, Daniel Birnbaum, CEO of
Israel’s Sodastream announced plans to open a manufacturing facility in Gaza. “We
want the people in Gaza to have jobs, real jobs, because where there is
prosperity there can be peace,” Birnbaum said.
Food security for developing
countries. Israeli NGO Fair Planet brings the best
quality seeds to Africa’s poorest farmers. It has helped 50,000 farmers in
Ethiopia increase yields five-fold, doubling their income and given food
security to 250,000 Africans. It is now expanding its project to Tanzania.
Training first responders in India and
Sri Lanka. (TY UWI)
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) and United Hatzalah have teamed up to train
first responders in mass casualty incidents and disaster management at numerous
locations in India and Sri Lanka.
Partners for the future. (TY UWI)
This video was produced to accompany December’s Israel-Greece-Cyprus summit in
Beersheba. It highlights a seminar for innovators, the undersea gas pipeline, a
Tel Aviv forum for 200 business people, joint firefighting exercises and the
signing of an agreement on cybersecurity.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Israel aims to be a Quantum superpower. I reported previously (see
here) on Israeli research into Quantum computing. The Israeli government is
now investing NIS 100 million in a research fund focused on quantum computing,
which potentially can solve problems that current technology cannot.
Discovering co-existence in physics. Israeli and Danish scientists
have managed to engineer magnetic forces between two non-magnetic materials. It
has great technological potential for developing electronic devices that
require magnetic and conductivity to co-exist. An entire new scientific area
called Spintronics has been opened.
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/on-campus/bar-ilan-discovery-paves-the-way-for-novel-electronic-devices/2018/12/19/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-018-0363-x
Europe funds Israeli micro-satellites. The European Research Council has granted 14 million Euros to Israel
to build 10 shoebox-sized satellites for analyzing small clouds and their role
in the climate. The mission is named CloudCT, inspired by medical CT (computed
tomography) used to map the interior of a patient.
Smarter images from space. I reported previously (Feb 2017)
that Ben Gurion University scientists were developing high resolution cameras for
space-based imaging. They have now advanced to Synthetic Marginal Aperture with
Revolving Telescopes (SMART) combining partial images from multiple nanosatellites.
Images from the Sun. I reported previously (25th
Nov) about the image sensor of Israel’s TowerJazz onboard the NASA Parker
Solar Probe spacecraft. NASA has now received the first images of the corona taken
by the probe – the closest any spacecraft has orbited the Sun.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/nasa-captures-first-image-from-suns-atmosphere-with-help-of-israeli-technology/ http://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/Show-Article.php?articleID=115
27 of the best Israeli products at CES. (TY Hazel) 22 Israeli companies
are in the Israeli pavilion at CES Las Vegas.
But there are many more Israeli products on display. The Israel21c article describes 27 of them.
Use Eve to set up your new hardware. I reported previously (Jul
2017) on Israel’s TechSee which uses an Artificially Intelligent smartphone service called
“Eve” and your smartphone camera to help you resolve technology problems. TechSee
has just raised $16 million to expand business and move into sales. Great
video.
https://techcrunch.com/2018/12/11/techsee-nabs-16m-for-its-customer-support-solution-built-on-computer-vision-and-ar/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcPegwBDjM8
Saving lives on the road. I reported previously (18th
Nov) on Israel’s NoTraffic that allows cars with smart sensors to optimize flow
through traffic lights. This video shows that the system has a much more
important benefit – preventing accidents with other automobiles and pedestrians.
Car and driver work as a team. Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) can now handle 99% of the driving but
when it comes to complex situations a human must make the decision. The AV platform from Israel’s Ottopia, uses a
remote human teleoperator to guide the vehicle in these cases, but the car’s safety
features are still in control.
Another Israeli anti-drone system. Israel’s Convexum (Latin for drone) has developed a product that takes
over drones flying in urban areas lands them safely in a pre-determined area.
http://www.israelhayom.com/2018/12/23/israeli-anti-drone-technology-comes-to-forefront-as-gatwick-chaos-ends/
https://convexum.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxabjzXuehg
More on the flying car. I reported previously (25th
Nov) on Israel’s New Future Transportation (NFT) and its prototype electric
car with wings that aims to solve congestion, while being affordable at $50,000.
It will take-off and land vertically, is fully electric with a driving range of
100 miles and flying range of 300 miles.
Irrigating Africa. South Africa’s AECI subsidiary Nulandis has signed an agreement
with Israel’s SupPlant to market SupPlant’s technology in South Africa and 14
other countries in Africa. SupPlant’s sensor-based system autonomously waters
crops, optimizes water consumption and alerts farmers of the state of crops, soil,
air etc.
Healthy shrimps to feed the world. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israel’s ViAqua develops a particle-based method for orally administering antiviral
medication to combat deadly viruses in shrimp – a global market worth some $18 billion.
ViAqua has just received investment from Singapore’s VisVires New Protein Master
Fund.
Plants can hear. (TY Janette) Tel Aviv University scientists have found that the evening
primrose flower (oenothera drummondii) can hear the approach of pollinating
bees and hawk-moths and produces extra and sweeter nectar in response. They also
replicated the sounds synthetically and produced the same response.
The next generation of AR. (TY Atid-EDI)
I reported previously (Oct
2014) on Israel’s Fieldbit and its leading-edge augmented reality (AR) smart
glasses app. Fieldbit 5.0 has just been launched, with its advanced AR allowing
support engineers to guide end users through problem resolution without
expensive field visits.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Less early
exits and fewer failures. Israeli high-tech “exits” declined by 33% in 2018 amid a maturing of the
local tech ecosystem, according to PwC’s Israel 2018 Exits report. Also, less Israeli
start-ups close each year; the IVC Research Center reported a steady decline
from 710 failures in 2014 to 352 failures in 2017.
Tel Aviv
recycles London skyscraper. Due to recession, construction on London’s 288-meter Pinnacle Tower was
halted in 2008. Now the same design is to be used for the 350-meter high Spiral
Tower at the Azrieli Center in Tel Aviv. Scheduled to be completed by 2025, it
will be Israel’s second-tallest building.
Funds
for 15 joint US-Israel projects. The
Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) foundation announced it is
investing $6 million into seven joint clean-energy projects between Israeli and
American companies and another $7.3 million into eight joint innovation
projects.
Uni
launches student-run VC fund. Ben-Gurion University has launched Cactus Capital, a student-run VC (venture
capital) fund. It will serve as an academic-educational tool to encourage innovative
ideas in the high-tech, biotech and social fields. The $1 million fund will
invest in dozens of groups of students each year.
https://aabgu.org/bgu-launches-cactus-capital/#
https://medium.com/cactus-capital/day-one-858634075edb
Smart transportation for Michigan. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israel’s Innovation Authority and Michigan’s PlanetM are to co-finance testing future
autonomous technologies in Michigan. Israeli companies will receive support for
conducting field tests and piloting of the technologies developed by pilot
sites in Michigan.
https://innovationisrael.org.il/en/opencall/israel-michigan-autonomous-technologies-collaboration-program-imatc-1st-call-proposal
https://planetm.michiganbusiness.org/what-is-planet-m/about/
Israeli-inspired
Via returns to its roots. Via’s Israeli founders came up with their start-up idea in an Israeli mini
bus taxi van. They now operate their carpooling service in 11 countries and are
confident they can succeed on Israel’s roads. Passengers request a ride and Via’s
algorithms calculate the best route for each van.
Amazon buys
Israeli disaster recovery start-up. Amazon Web Services (AWS) has acquired Israeli
cloud computing start-up CloudEndure (see
here) for around $200-$250 million. Amazon stated, “this acquisition
expands our ability to deliver innovative and flexible migration, backup, and
disaster recovery solutions."
Verint buys
Israeli emergency response start-up. I reported previously (see here) on Israel’s NowForce
and its life-saving mobile apps for emergency response. NowForce has just been
acquired by US business intelligence and cybersecurity company Verint Systems.
EU grant
for Israeli cloud security. (TY Atid-EDI)
The European Commission has awarded a 2.2 million Euro grant to Israel’s
Minereye “to provide EU companies with innovative and effective solutions to
ensure secure and compliant cloud adoption which is currently lacking in the
market today”.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
One of the most memorable travel
destinations. Conde Nast Traveler included Israel
as one of their nine most memorable travel destinations. Beth Lusko - head of
revenue for Condé Nast Traveler - reminisced about watching her “children
marvel at all the wonders Israel has to offer, old and new, magical and
humbling.”
https://www.algemeiner.com/2018/12/20/conde-nast-traveler-names-israel-one-of-its-most-incredible-travel-experiences/ https://www.cntraveler.com/story/the-reinvention-of-jerusalem
The best places to
visit. It is very rare to see anything nice about
Israel in the New York Times or on CNN. But the NYT has just named Eilat as its
sixth top place to visit in 2019. And CNN selected Jaffa as one of 19 “must-visit”
places in 2019. https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/israel/192894-190110-eilat-named-nyt-s-sixth-top-place-to-visit-in-2019
http://nocamels.com/2019/01/cnn-travel-jaffa-19-places-2019/
Hidden gems of Haifa. (TY Janglo
& Israel21c)
The best-kept secrets in this beautiful northern Mediterranean beach town are intriguing,
full of cultural and are great fun. They include the Israel Railway Museum, the
Vortman Winery, Pnina BaCarmel Spa and Tel Shikmona.
Famous soprano marries in Israeli-designed
dress. Soprano Laura Wright married Harry Rowland wearing
a breath-taking ivory lace dress by Israeli designer Alon Livne. Livne’s
designs are favored by Lady Gaga, Naomi Campbell, Kim Kardashian and Beyonce. Hello!
magazine exclusively covered the event.
A stillness above me. (TY Janglo)
Koolulam and Eshkol Regional Council invited 3,500 people to sing the tune of
love in the Gaza borders and the south of Israel. Performing ״Me'alay
Dmama" ("Stillness above me") by Ahuva Ozeri and Shai Tsabari in
three-part vocal harmony, their music and flashlights lit up the night sky.
Supplying tickets for Manchester City. Israeli-based ticket supplier SportsEvents365 has signed an agreement
with (Arab-owned) English Premier League soccer champions Manchester City to
supply match tickets for the next 2.5 seasons. SportsEvents365 operates in 50
countries.
THE JEWISH STATE
A
great year for the JNF. In 2018 the Jewish National Fund
acquired homes for 5,000 Israelis; provided services for 50,000 Israelis with
disabilities; gave agricultural training to 1,200 3rd world students; provided
medical treatment to 27,000+ Israelis; gave Israel education to 14,000 elementary
students in US schools.
Good
rain. Israel’s December
rainfall was double the average for the month and the wettest in the past 30
years. During the past week, the level of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) rose 15cm
in just 48 hours. The rain was also responsible for exposing two 1700-year-old Roman
statues in the ground at Beit She’an.
Tu Bishvat
(New Year for Trees) is coming. Tu Bishvat this year falls on the 20/21st January, but Israel is
celebrating all month. Ideas include picking fruit, winter walks in National
Parks, planting trees, the Anemone Festival Darom Adom, and visits to wineries.
Chabad
care for IDF in Hebron. The Chabad organization is well known for caring for Jews globally, but it
also works in Israel. Rabbi Cohen and the students of Hebron Chabad visit every
local IDF outpost, checkpoint and base before Shabbat and Jewish holidays to support
the soldiers emotionally, spiritually and materially.
Unique mineral found on Mount Carmel. The International Mineralogical Association
(IMA) has recognized and approved a new mineral found in one of stones of Israeli
gem miner Shefa Yamim. Named Carmeltazite, the mineral was found on Mount Carmel
in a Carmel Sapphire.
From
Sudan to Israel to Judaism. Michael Derek Tanju was saved by IDF soldiers when (age 14) he was shot
by Egyptian soldiers while crossing into Israel in 2008. A refugee from Sudan,
he fell in love with his host families and those who supported his conversion to
Judaism and becoming a citizen of the Startup Nation.
Cancer
victim gets soul time at the Kotel. (TY Chani) When a 10-year-old terminal cancer
sufferer requested to be taken to the Kotel (Western Wall), it was thought impossible.
The car had to take him right up to the wall; his immune system meant no crowds;
organizing police and medics. But NGO Ezer Mizion made it happen.
190106
In the 6th Jan
19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights
include:
·
Two
discoveries about an enzyme could transform the fight against viruses and
cancer.
·
Israeli artificial
intelligence has detected thousands of brain hemorrhages.
·
Israel has
the only sterile educational recovery center for children with cancer.
·
Brazil’s President
awards highest honor to Israel’s Prime Minister.
·
An Israeli
startup has produced healthier pure orange juice.
·
As the
first direct flight arrives from Brazil, Israel welcomes its 4-millionth
tourist.
·
Honduras is
moving its embassy to Jerusalem.
·
Click here
to see the 30th Dec newsletter on IsraelSeen,
Ruthfully
Yours, Janglo,
and United
With Israel with extra feature on Inclusive
& Global and Technology.
·
Also (TY
Sandra) in German
and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please pass on these links to German
and Hebrew-reading
contacts. Also (TY Esty) please visit (and “like” and “follow”) the www.facebook.com/VerygoodnewsIL
Facebook page. And special this week - Hebrew
translation by students of Reali Middle School of selected articles from 23rd Dec
and 16th
Dec newsletters.
·
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
13,500 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
New ways to fight viruses & cancer. Parallel international research involving Haifa and Bar Ilan University
scientists have discovered the key role of enzyme ADAR1 in the immune system and
how it can become a new pathway for eradicating viruses and cancers.
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/on-campus/bar-ilan-harvard-researchers-show-new-mechanism-to-activate-immune-system-against-cancer/2019/01/03/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0768-9
Cause of heart
failure in pregnancy. Israeli researchers at Tel
Aviv University and Sheba Medical Center have found the cause of PPCM (Peripartum
cardiomyopathy) heart failure before and after giving birth. They discovered a functional
defect in the heart cells that should lead to early diagnoses, prevention and
treatments.
No more pain. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israel’s ZygoFix has conducted the first human trial of its innovative zLOCK spinal
facet joint fixation system. One day after the minimally invasive procedure,
the 67-year-old woman’s back and leg pain went from level 9 to level 1 and
after six months it was zero.
Post-mastectomy
surgical dressings. (TY Atid-EDI) Every
year over 13 million mastectomies, lumpectomies, reconstruction and aesthetic
breast operations are performed. Israel’s Ezbra is the first patented disposable
dressing tailor-made for such operations. Comfortable, absorbent, time-saving
and protective against infections.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ezbra-breast-dressing-makes-us-debut-at-premier-aesthetic-surgery-conference-300757919.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Erv8r2C0rkg
https://ezbra.net/
Saving lives
in Massachusetts. (TY Atid-EDI) I
reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s Clew Medical and its AI system to warn of deteriorating ICU
patients. Clew is now partnered with UMass Memorial Medical Center in Massachusetts,
using its advanced analytics engine to enhance UMass’ patient care.
Hadassah accelerates
with IBM. (TY Atid-EDI) Jerusalem’s
Hadassah Medical Center and IBM Israel have established a special accelerator
for startups to develop advanced technological solutions and services in digital
medicine. They will have access to IBM and hospital resources and staff.
World’s
leading DBS company. I reported previously (see here) on Israel’s (Arab-owned)
Alpha Omega and its Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) device for treating disorders
such as Parkinson’s disease. Alpha Omega has 100% market share in Israel and is
active in the US, Europe and now (thanks to a $7 million investment) China.
Gut reaction in
treating IBD. (TY Calcalistech)
I reported previously (see here)
on BiomX. The Israeli biotech has now partnered with Janssen - the therapy
R&D arm of Johnson & Johnson. BiomX's XMarker microbiome-based platform
will be used to classify responders to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) therapies.
Why is LDL cholesterol
bad? Researchers at Israel’s Weizmann Institute
have identified that the problem with LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol
is when excess LDL is deposited on blood vessel walls. It oxidizes into a toxic
substance that triggers immune cells to form crystals, leading to inflammation and
arterial disease.
Brain bleed diagnostic finds 140,000 anomalies. (TY UCI)
I reported previously (see here)
on Israel’s Aidoc and its AI tool for analyzing brain scans to detect a hemorrhage
or risk of a bleed. Now in use at 50 medical institutions, Aidoc has analyzed
300,000 scans and detected 140,000 anomalies.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
US Ambassador packs food for the needy. US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and his wife, Tammy, helped
package food for needy families at a charity in Jerusalem. 40 employees of the
US embassy in Jerusalem volunteered to lend a hand at Colel Chabad’s Pantry Packers
that supports 8,500 Israeli families of all religions.
World’s first daycare for
cancer kids. (TY Jacques)
Israel’s “Daycare of Dreams,” is known as the “world’s first sterile educational
and recovery center” for children with cancer. For its 35 children, it’s the
first time they can play with other kids. And, for the 80% that heal, it prepares
them to re-integrate into society.
40% of Israeli-Arab women employed. The employment rate of Israeli Arab women rose by 3.8% in 2018,
following a 2.5% increase in 2017. Almost 40% of Arab women are employed, two
years ahead of the Israeli government’s target for 2020. The Taub report attributes
the increase to higher education levels.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-israeli-arab-womens-employment-up-sharply-to-nearly-40-1001267120
Extraordinary times in Israel-Arab
relations. Foundation for Ethnic Understanding,
President Rabbi Marc Schneier, describes his work bringing understanding and
normalization between Israel and the Arab Gulf states: "We're living in
extraordinary times," and “you cannot separate out Israel from Judaism”,
he states.
Israeli-sponsored community center in South
Africa. Israel's ambassador to South Africa unveiled
a luxurious community center in Johannesburg. The community center will benefit
400 children in one of the toughest neighborhoods - in the town of Soweto, on
the outskirts of South Africa's biggest city.
What is Israel doing in Indonesia? The IsraAID team is working to restore access to safe water for an
entire community of more than 300 families - over 1,400 people. It also led
hygiene promotion training at elementary schools, and distributed education and
household supply kits to many families who lost their homes.
Israeli PM receives
Brazil’s highest honor. As soon as Jair Bolsonaro
was sworn in as Brazil’s President, he went over to hug Benjamin Netanyahu, making
the first visit to Brazil by an Israeli Prime Minister. He also awarded him the
National Order of the Southern Cross – Brazil’s most prestigious medal for foreign
dignitaries.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/WATCH-Inauguration-of-Brazilian-President-Bolsonaro-Netanyahu-to-speak-576047
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdxf_tD183M
Israeli moonshot to contain the best of
humanity. On Israel’s Feb 2019 moon mission, the landing
vehicle will carry Israel’s Declaration of Independence and national anthem; the
Bible; the memories of a Holocaust survivor; children’s drawings of space and
the moon; art, science, tech and literature; and the Traveler’s Prayer. https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/first-private-israeli-lunar-mission-beresheet-to-launch-in-february/
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Vaccine for koi fish. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israel’s KoVax has developed a “KV3” vaccine, which helps prevent Koi Herpes
Virus, a highly contagious disease that can cause significant mortality in common
carp farms. KoVax has just been acquired by Phibro Animal Health Corporation in
New Jersey but continues its Israeli R&D.
Better juice, less
sugar. (TY WIN)
Israeli startup Better Juice has partnered with the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem to reduce the load of simple sugars in 100% orange juice. They have
converted the fructose, glucose and sucrose into non-digestible sugars and
fibers. All the good vitamins remain intact.
More Israeli automobile security. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israel has so many security solutions for connected vehicles. Saferide
Technologies’s vSentry combines multi-layer cybersecurity with Artificially Intelligent
profiling and anomaly detection technology. SafeRide has joined non-profit GENIVI’s
Alliance of vehicle software vendors.
Protecting privacy on the Internet. Israeli cybersecurity company Kape Technologies has developed the VPN
CyberGhost to protect the privacy of individuals. Kape’s CEO Ido Erlichman spoke
about the technology on ILTV. Kape’s
other software includes a repair tool for faulty PC operating systems.
3D imaging on a chip. (TY Atid-EDI)
I reported previously (see here)
on the amazing sensors of Israel’s Vayyar. Now Vayyar has launched its mmWave
3D Imaging System on a Chip (SoC) kit. Potential uses include obstacle
avoidance, security, automatic door openers and posture detection. Even the BBC
was impressed.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181210005172/en/Vayyar-Launches-Groundbreaking-New-mmWave-3D-Imaging
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rD1eb-YZcA
https://vayyar.com/
A better call-center. Israeli based startup Voicenter offers a software-based phone
system that combines all necessary call center solutions in one easy to use
platform. Voicenter founder Nitzan Gutman explained more on ILTV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYsEeWy48jI
https://www.voicenter.com/
The Internet of soil. I’ve reported previously (see
here) on Israel’s CropX and its smart irrigation system. CropX is set to
deploy a network of automated irrigation systems worldwide, based on
"Internet of the soil." CropX has deployed 2,000 sensors in 40 countries,
including the US, Canada and Australia.
Your own personal sleep zone. Israel’s Napup has produced a combination headrest, eye mask and integrated
speakers for the ultimate in in-flight comfort. The leaders of Napup explained
more on ILTV.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Record funding for Israeli startups. (TY Atid-EDI)
Israeli startups have raised $5.7 billion in the 11 months to end Nov. This
easily exceeds the $5.24 billion raised in the whole of 2017 (the previous record).
Israel’s well-documented economic
optimism. Ambassador Yoram Ettinger has highlighted
some positive economic indicators in his latest report. They include two multi-billion-dollar
acquisitions of Israeli companies; record venture capital investments; and
endorsements from HP, South Korea, China and the Economist.
Why China likes Israeli ed-tech. 15 Israeli entrepreneurs and educators attended the Global
Education Summit in Beijing. Chinese families demand quality education, making
China the largest education market in the world. Lack of quality teachers
drives Chinese investments in self-study or remote-study platforms.
Number of tourists
exceeds 4 million. 4 million tourists from all over
the world visited Israel in 2018, the highest number ever. Great weather, diverse
culinary, the cultural scene and some of the most beautiful places in the world
- make Israel a great travel destination. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNYbNpGdFuQ
LATAM’s first direct
flight to Israel. I reported previously (15th
Apr) that Latin America’s largest airline, LATAM, planned direct flights from
Brazil to Tel Aviv. The inaugural LATAM flight, originating in Santiago, Chile,
then flew direct from Sao Paulo to Tel Aviv. Scheduled services operate Sunday,
Tuesday and Thursday.
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/latam-airlines-completes-first-direct-flight-from-latin-america-to-israel/2018/12/15/
https://www.latam.com/en-us/flights-to-tel-aviv
AI helps employees get the best jobs. Melanie Holly Pasch of Israel’s Gloat was interviewed
on ILTV about how Gloat uses Artificial Intelligence to connect skilled workers
to personalized job opportunities.
A new shopping experience. Israel’s SuperUp is the world's first eComMarketing
platform for enterprises to provide their consumers with the highest standards
of online shopping. The end customer receives personalized recommendations - in
real time.
Ethical Insurer goes Israeli. (TY Atid-EDI) Ecclesiastical
Insurance has selected Israel’s Sapiens as part of its aim to transform its ethical
UK and Irish business. Its property and casualty/general insurance will use Sapiens’
IDIT suite and Sapiens’ Reinsurance replaces its general insurance systems. https://www.sapiens.com/news/ecclesiastical-insurance-group-selects-sapiens-property-and-casualty-insurance-suite-as-its-new-core-platform/
More jobs for Americans. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel-based
Omen Casting is investing over $15 million to increase its production in Richmond,
Indiana, providing 200 new jobs by 2022. Omen makes steering components, drivelines
and oil pumps for the automotive industry. Eight Israeli companies operate in Indiana.
Eldan advert shows the best of Israel. Only in Israel would an advert for a car rental
company (Eldan) be a PR promotion for the whole country. Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Dead Sea, Eilat, the Galilee,
Using AI to predict the market. (TY Atid-EDI) Israeli-founded
BetterTrader.co identifies significant stock market events in real time. It
then uses historical data and artificial intelligence to calculate the
magnitude of these events and predict market reaction. https://bettertrader.co/
Mellanox powers Alibaba. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s
Mellanox has successfully deployed its RDMA over Ethernet (RoCE) 25Gbps
ConnectX network adapters in Alibaba’s production network. Mellanox adaptors are
now accelerating the performance of a wide range of Alibaba’s applications,
including its key online services
J P Morgan wants Israeli skills. JPMorgan Chase, the largest US lender, is increasing
its technology presence in Israel, joining other global financial firms seeking
to benefit from the country’s large pool of fintech experts. It plans to employ
as many as 200 engineers at its Herzliya office in the next two years.
Energizing Gaza border communities. (TY Hazel) Israeli solar-cell printing start-up
Utilight is to construct two manufacturing plants in Gaza border communities to
boost their economy. Utilight’s innovative laser printing technology produces superior,
cheaper and lighter solar cells, with improved energy harvesting.
https://www.jpost.com/Jpost-Tech/Business-and-Innovation/Solar-start-up-seeks-to-energize-Gaza-border-economy-575619
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjA3KMjTO6s
https://www.utilight.com/
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Things to do in Israel in January. There are many great events and other things to do in Israel in Jan
2019. The cultural, sporting, and music events across Israel are a testimony to
the rich cultural life of Israel.
Hiking the Holy Land. Many hiking trails in Israel pass through incredible biblical,
historical and archeological sites. Ancient synagogues, Crusader monasteries, fortresses, Nabatean towns, and
much more. Erez Speiser has built the website www.hike-israel.com to promote nature and
hiking tourism in Israel.
Israel’s bobsled team. Israel’s bobsled and skeleton team has high hopes of competing in
the 2022 Olympics.
Watch any sports
event you want. Israel’s WSC
Sports automatically creates (for media companies) real time, on-demand videos of
TV broadcasts of sports events. Customers
of those media companies can request to watch any event they wish. WSC Sports founder and CEO Daniel Shichman
explained more on ILTV.
THE JEWISH STATE
CU4I
tops 5 million. US
pro-Israel organization Christians United for Israel has now exceeded 5 million
members, with one million joining in the last 10 months. Founder and chairman Paster
John Hagee said, “we’re eager to keep this momentum going to further strengthen
our nation’s deep bond with Israel.”
Israel’s
minorities speak out. Reservists on Duty (RoD) combat anti-Semitism and anti-Israel activity
on US college campuses. Its Minorities Group, comprised of Arabs, Druze,
Muslims, Bedouins, Christians and even some Palestinian Arabs. Arab-Israeli
citizens speaking positively about Israel makes a big impression.
Safeguarding
Israel’s lands. Hashomer
Hachadash brings volunteers from all over the world to help Israeli farmers by protecting
their livestock and fields. See Ayelet Kaufman, Director of Hashomer Hachadash’s
overseas program on ILTV.
Donation
funds new Hadassah department. Hadassah-WIZO received a $6.5 million endowment - the largest endowment fund
gift in the organization’s 100-year history.
Honduras to move embassy to Jerusalem. Honduras will be moving ahead
with plans to open its Israel embassy in Jerusalem, and Israel will upgrade its
Honduran consulate to a full-fledged embassy. Israel will provide Honduras help
on cyber security, water and agriculture technology and import Honduran coffee.
Rebuilding
Jerusalem’s Tiferet synagogue. I reported previously (Nov
2016) on the Tiferet Israel synagogue in Jerusalem. It was one of the largest
synagogues in the old city, until the Jordanian Arab legion cynically destroyed
it in 1948. 90-year-old Simcha Mandelbaum, who prayed there as a boy, launched
its reconstruction.
Reali
good students. (TY
Marlene) Students at the Reali Middle School in Haifa have translated more
VeryGoodNewsIsrael newsletter articles into Hebrew for the benefit of Hebrew-readers.
