An Excellent Year and an Incredible Decade


It’s been ten years since I started collating Good News articles about Israeli innovations, discoveries and achievements. At that time, Israel was still suffering from severe drought, lack of natural resources, major economic problems, global isolation and national despondency.  

Just look at Israel ten years later – what an amazing transformation. Per capita it leads the world in medical breakthroughs and devices, water technology and recycling, agriculture technology, computer processors, satellites, autonomous vehicles, security and defense systems. It enjoys phenomenal economic growth, energy resources, currency strength, reserves and foreign investment. It has matured from just being the Startup Nation to become a powerhouse of hi-tech innovation. Meanwhile, whenever a global disaster occurs, Israel is always the first to send skilled teams and supplies to alleviate suffering.

2019 has been the pinnacle of Israeli achievement.  This article focuses on two areas – Israel’s Medical achievements and its efforts to help its minorities and the disadvantaged across the globe.

Almost every week Israeli researchers announce another medical discovery that promises to eliminate cancer forever. Approved Israeli treatments are already curing children with leukemia in the UK and melanoma patients globally. Trials of new treatments are extending the lives of Stage 4 pancreatic cancer patients. Israeli focused radiation is curing skin cancer tumors and new Israeli treatments have saved many from liver cancer and myeloma. Some 30,000 foreign patients travel to Israel each year for private medical treatments.

Other Israeli drugs and therapies, approved or being trialed, are successfully countering diseases such as Parkinson’s Alzheimer’s, MS, ALS, malaria, diabetes, Age-related Macular Degeneration and many more – especially Orphan diseases that no other country is willing to target. One major global problem that Israel is solving is the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics. It is also at the forefront of stem cell treatments and research into aging – therefore contributing to increased longevity globally. Israel’s importance can be seen by the fact that its treatments are dispensed in one eighth of all US prescriptions and one sixth in the UK.

Israeli biotech companies invented and manufactured innovative medical devices that revolutionize the operating theatre. They provide surgeons with Virtual Reality to practice complex brain surgery and X-ray surgical glasses to make accurate incisions. Their Artificially Intelligent image analysis detects diseases early. Their exoskeletons allow paraplegics to walk and even complete marathons. They grow bone in the lab and use 3D-printers to print prosthetic limbs, bone implants and human tissue for the first 3D-printed heart!

During the last decade, Israeli society has changed out of all recognition. Ethiopian Jewish immigrants have made the successful leap from subsistence farming in Ethiopia to attaining top Israeli positions and are an integral part of Israeli society. They are now judges, IDF generals, Members of Knesset, Professors and pilots.  One has won Israel’s X-factor and another Miss Israel.

Turning to Israeli Arabs, which comprise 21% of the population, Israel has a Muslim Chief of Police, an Arab chairman of Israel’s Bank Leumi and an Arab Supreme Court judge. All over the country there are female Muslim bus drivers and university professors. In 2017, 46% of Israeli pharmacists were Arab-Israelis as were 23% of Israeli doctors. That same year, 16% of the students in Israeli higher education were Arabs and Israel appointed its first female Arab-Israel diplomat as first secretary to the Israeli embassy in Turkey. There are training schemes and incubators for Arab-Israelis to participate in Israel’s hi-tech success. For the entire decade, Israel has been firmly established at the top of the Middle East Freedom list.

Relations with many Arab countries have improved beyond recognition from a decade ago.  Tourism from Arab countries have reached record levels. In 2019, three Iraqi delegations visited Israel. Israel’s Culture Minister (a woman) visited the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi and Israeli delegates attended an economic workshop and a security conference in Bahrain. Who would have believed a decade ago that military jets from Israel and the UAE would fly together in an exercise in Greece or that the Israeli National Anthem (Hatikvah) would be played to celebrate Israeli sporting victories in Abu Dhabi (twice), Qatar and (last year) in Morocco. In 2019, Israelis competed in the Robotics Olympiad in Dubai and will be showcasing its innovation there at the World Expo next year.  Meanwhile, Israel continues to rescue wounded Syrians and treat them in Israeli hospitals.

2019 was a bad year for global disasters, but it didn’t deter Israelis from being the first to arrive on the scene. Their early intervention and humanitarian aid were often critical in saving lives. They responded to the Philippines tropical storm, Brazil’s dam burst, fires in Ethiopia, Brazil and Paradise, Puerto Rica’s hurricane, measles in Samoa, earthquake in Albania and terrorist-hit Chad. Throughout the decade, Israeli aid has been sent to Mozambique, Venezuela, the Bahamas, Zambia, Papua New Guinea, Guatemala, Indonesia, Pittsburgh, Florida, Nepal and Haiti. Volunteers from Israeli NGO IsraAID have been at the forefront of many of those missions.

Aside from disasters, Israelis are constantly busy bringing sick foreigners to Israel to save their lives. The Israeli NGO Save a Child’s Heart and surgeons at Israel’s top hospitals repair thousands of heart defects for children across the world – including many from countries that have no diplomatic relations with Israel. 

Israel has alleviated drought and famine in many developing countries through organizations such as Innovation: Africa and technology such as drip irrigation, desalination and the water-from-air generators of Israel’s WaterGen.

Israeli is also concerned with saving animals from extinction and providing sanctuary for wildlife. It has conserved some of the world’s most endangered species, such as the white rhino, green sea turtle, griffon vulture, the global bee population and iguanas in the Galapagos islands.  Israeli farmers feed millions of birds on their migration route through Israel’s Hula valley and in Eilat. Israeli organizations have bought land in the Brazilian rainforests and elsewhere to protect the environment. It is also helping to protect coral reefs from the global bleaching effect.

The next decade looks promising thanks to Israeli medical technology. Israeli scientists will continue to be instrumental in defeating many forms of cancer and curing brain diseases. Israeli 3D technology will print replacement organs and Israeli robotic devices will be used to transplant them.  Israeli treatments will target an individual’s genetic profile and microbiome. And Israeli molecular research will ensure debilitating side-effects are a thing of the past.  Happy 2020.

The author writes about positive news from Israel at www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com and maintains a searchable archive www.IsraelActive.com

History of Israel's Good News - Oct to Dec 2019


191229
In the 29th Dec 19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         Israelis have developed “miracle” molecules that could prevent Lupus, IBD, cancer and aging.
·         Israel is one of the best countries in the world for women entrepreneurs.
·         Israeli engineers are helping Albanian earthquake survivors return to their homes.
·         Awards for Israeli vegan meat in London and Israeli wheat in Tokyo.
·         An Israeli transportation app now has over half a billion users.
·         An Israeli TV show is the NYT’s “International TV series of the decade”.
·         Read about some of the Israelis who have performed “miracles” this past decade.

·         Click here to see the 22nd December newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours, Janglo and United With Israel with extra feature on Inclusive & Global with 1,100 shares.  Also (TY Sandra) in German and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please pass on the following 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 15,500 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

Breakthrough in the fight to cure Lupus. Researchers at Israel’s Ben Gurion University and the US NIH have identified a trigger for the autoimmune disease Lupus. They have also developed what the media is calling a “miracle” molecule, that blocks the trigger in Lupus and other diseases, e.g. Alzheimer’s and IBD.

Reversing the aging of the brain. Researchers from Israel’s Ben-Gurion University and the University of California have discovered that a small molecule called IPW is able to heal a damaged Blood Brain Barrier (BBB). It can also alleviate the inflammation that leads to Alzheimer’s and other age-related diseases.

Stopping cancer in its tracks. Israel’s Metabomed is developing treatments using small molecules that target and inhibit metabolic enzymes vital for cancer cells’ survival.  It currently has four pipeline programs. Metabomed has just raised a further $12.5 million of funds to help it prepare for clinical trials.

Developing AI for spinal surgery. Israeli intelligent scan analysis startup Zebra Medical (see here) is partnering with Johnson & Johnson subsidiary DePuy Synthes to jointly develop artificial intelligence technologies for spine and other orthopedic surgeries.

Israel’s first live multi-organ donor. Rabbi Elad Gadot recently donated one of his kidneys to a total stranger for whom he was a rare match. Years ago, Rabbi Gadot donated a liver lobe to his son Eliyahu (now in the IDF) who needed a liver transplant.  Coincidentally, the kidney recipient’s name was also Eliyahu.

Prescription checking software can save the US a fortune. As reported previously (see here), Israel’s MedAware prevents prescription errors and saves lives.  Now a 5-year Harvard study shows it would have cut $800 million a year from US Health costs. 70% of the errors detected would not have been found otherwise.

Melting the fat. As reported (here) previously, the synthetic injectable molecule from Israeli startup Raziel Therapeutics melts fat cells. RZL-12 converts white adipose tissue (WAT) into brown adipose tissue (BAT) after a single injection into subcutaneous fat. Raziel has just raised another $22 million of funds.

Predicting the response to cancer treatment. Israel’s Oncohost is developing cutting-edge technology to characterize, analyze and predict patient response to cancer therapy. This enables personalized treatment strategies with improved outcomes & reduced side effects.  http://oncohost.com/

Pain monitoring for dementia patients. (TY Rachel) The NOL pain monitoring technology from Israel’s Medasense (see here) helps clinicians treat non-communicating patients. The Israel Innovation Authority has just given Medasense a grant to test NOL at the Dorot Rehabilitation and Geriatric Medical Center in Netanya.

Walmart.com launches Israeli digital diabetes program. Walmart consumers can now purchase online the MyDario complete digital solution from Israel’s DarioHealth. It is designed for diabetics to manage their diabetes, hypertension, nutrition and exercise.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

One of the best places for female entrepreneurs. In a recent Mastercard report, Israel was ranked the 4th best country for women entrepreneurs. Israel was narrowly behind the USA, New Zealand and Canada.

Southern coexistence. (TY UWI) Israel’s Southern district is often under fire from Gaza terrorists, but is also flourishing, developing and refusing to abandon its natural coexistence and hope for peace. Thousands of Gazans work there daily.  Read this article to see how Bedouin-Arab-Israeli citizens also live and study there.

Eleven US Secretaries of State visit Israel. A bipartisan delegation of 11 Secretaries of State from across the U.S. has been visiting Israel with the American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) Project Inter­change. The program features cybersecurity policies and practices they relate to business, elections and data management.

New ambassadors to Israel. Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin received diplomatic credentials from the new ambassadors to the State of Israel from Austria, Cambodia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Angola.

Prince Charles to visit Israel. Charles Prince of Wales will attend the World Holocaust Forum on 23 Jan 2020. He will participate in the Yad Vashem ceremony commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. It will be the first time that he has undertaken a program of engagements in Israel.

60 years of International development. (TY Stuart) MASHAV – Israel’s International Development Agency – has helped train 300,000 participants from 140 countries since 1958. It has set up 50 training centers around the globe and has 35 ongoing partnerships with international organizations.

Jewish and Israel Studies Institute in China. Shandong University and Tel Aviv University have inaugurated a Joint Institute for Jewish and Israeli Studies in Jinan, the capital of China’s Shandong province. The institute will facilitate student exchange, joint scientific research, conferences, and cultural and artistic activities.

Israeli orchestra performs in Morocco. (TY UWI) The Israeli Andalusian Orchestra of Ashdod delivered a stunning performance at the Andalussyat Festival of traditional Moroccan music in Casablanca. The orchestra was also warmly welcomed in the Moroccan city and praised for its performance.

Albania’s PM thanks Israel. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama hailed the work of Israeli engineers who are helping reconstruct and inspect buildings in the aftermath of the recent devastating earthquake. “They are from Israel and they are No. 1,” Rama said to a resident who was told it was safe to enter his apartment building.

How Israel foiled ISIS terror attack in Australia. The IDF’s Military Intelligence Unit 8200 helped thwart an attempt by ISIS to blow up an Etihad Airways plane flying from Sydney to Abu Dhabi. Their information helped the Australian authorities arrest the terrorists who have just been given long jail sentences.


SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Breakthrough of the year. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem won Science Magazine’s People’s Choice for 2019 Breakthrough of the Year. HUJ researchers captivated the science world with their reconstruction from bone DNA of a Denisovan, a mysterious human-like species that disappeared 100,000 years ago.

Seven new joint US-Israel cleantech projects. The Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial R&D (BIRD) Foundation will invest $6.4 million in seven clean energy R&D projects. The Israeli companies involved are Chakratec (energy storage), Exency (energy from waste), Elbit Systems, EcoPlant, Eta-Bar, Netafim and Ramot.

Sixth desalination plant approved. Israel’s National Infrastructure Committee green-lighted construction of a desalination plant in the Western Galilee - Israel’s sixth. It will provide 200 million cubic meters of water annually and save the cost of building infrastructure to move water from the South over the Carmel Ridge.

UK-Israel university partners for AI and cybersecurity. Israel’s Ben-Gurion University and the UK’s University of Bristol have signed an agreement to collaborate on cyber security and Artificial Intelligence research. It formalizes their many ongoing ad-hoc research projects and exchange opportunities.

Removing dust from solar panels. Ben Gurion University researchers have greatly reduced the amount of dust on solar panels, significantly increasing their efficiency. Inspired by the lotus leaf, which remains dust free due to its nanotextured surface, they etched nanowires onto the panels and applied a hydrophobic coating.

Elbit launches nanosatellite. Israel’s Elbit Systems’ NANOVA nanosatellite was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Southern India. NANOVA was developed as part of the BIRD foundation initiative and is planned to be a part of a nanosatellite constellation for commercial purposes.

Augmented Reality for on-line courses. Israel’s Actiview.io develops augmented reality (AR) software for human resources - mostly games and assignments to assess potential employees. Now Actiview’s AR software has been integrated into the training courses and classrooms of French graduate business school INSEAD.

Vegan meat wins award in London. (TY Hazel) Three Israeli food-tech initiatives were among 15 startups to pitch groundbreaking, sustainable solutions for the food and agriculture industry at FoodBytes by Rabobank in London. Redefine Meat won the People’s Choice Award, one of the three top prizes.

Israeli wheat exhibit wins award in Tokyo. (TY WIN) An Israeli installation titled “Goren” won the “Big Emotions” award - as part of the Jerusalem Design Week delegation at Design Art Tokyo 2019. A cloud of wheat rises into the shape of a chandelier, symbolizing extinct varieties of wheat that Israel is restoring.

Musical subtitle system reaches London. As reported previously (Aug 2018) the GalaPro app from Israel’s GalaPrompter delivers multilingual real-time subtitles (and more) of Broadway shows to your smartphone in the theatre. This accessibility service is now available at the School of Rock musical in Drury Lane, London.

Electric road for Germany. As reported (here) previously, Israel’s ElectReon develops a real-time wireless electrification system for roads, to reduce dependence on fuel and charging stations. It has now partnered with German energy company EnBW which will implement the technology initially on two roads in Germany.

9000-year-old sea wall to prevent rising sea level. An international team of underwater archaeologists has uncovered the oldest known manmade seawall off the coast of Haifa. They have concluded that it was built at Tel Hreiz to keep out rising water from melting glaciers. Eventually, Tel Hreiz was submerged and abandoned.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Israeli property prices stabilize. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, Israeli property prices rose between January and August 2019 by an average of only 2% and new properties fell by 4.8%. Prices also fell in 2018, following an 80% rise over the previous decade. 2019 construction starts (52,000) was on target.

New Russian airline lands in Tel Aviv. Russian airline Azimuth only began operations in 2017. Already it has begun a direct service to Tel Aviv from the West Russian city of Rostov. It also intends to inaugurate two new routes between Ben Gurion Airport and southwestern Russian cities Krasnodar and Mineralnye Vody in 2020.

Five more startups for Caesarea incubator. Israeli investment fund Nielsen Innovate launched its incubator in 2012 and by 2015 has 10 startups in Caesarea (see here). It now has 33 Israeli companies in its portfolio and is investing $5 million to bring another five into the incubator.

Swiss investment on the way. Tel-Aviv based Crescendo Venture Partners is setting up a new VC fund of $80 to $100 million to invest in early-stage hi-tech Israeli startups that can transform traditional areas (education, agriculture, construction, healthcare etc.). Swiss-based Crescendo Group manages over $3 billion globally.

US cybersecurity firm to open in Israel. As reported (here) previously, Israel’s Indegy protects the systems of vital infrastructure companies. Nasdaq-listed cybersecurity giant Tenable Holdings has just acquired Indegy for $78 million in cash and will set up a development center in Israel following the deal.

Half a billion users. Israeli-founded urban mobility company Moovit (see here) now has over half a billion users of its popular public transportation application in 3,000 cities, 94 countries and 45 languages. It helps transits and commutes thanks to partnerships with major multinationals including Uber, Microsoft, and Waze.

Turning stale bread into beer. Elchanan Bread Bakery in Kibbutz Mishmarot turns leftover baked goods into bread pudding and granola. It also donates stale bread to nearby kibbutzim for animal feed. In its latest process it mixes excess sourdough bread with malt and hot water to make a red ale with an alcohol content of 5%.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Tel Aviv is one of the best cities to visit.  Forbes magazine lists Tel Aviv among its 20 best cities in the world to visit in 2020. It highlights White City Center museum, opened for the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus architecture movement. Tel Aviv is home to more than 4,000 Bauhaus-style buildings – the most in the world.


IDF amputee is World marathon champion. Eitan Hermon, 45, lost his leg while a reservist in the Second Lebanon War. He was determined to not only walk again, but also to run marathons. After over 35 marathons, Hermon set a world record at the Vienna Marathon and was top in his category at the New York marathon.

Israel to host E-Sports World Championships. (TY TPS) The International Electronic-Sports Federation (IESF) has announced that Israel will, for the first time, host the E-Sports World Championships in Nov 2020 in Eilat. It is the world’s largest and most prestigious gaming event, with over 500 players from 60 countries.


THE JEWISH STATE

Ethiopian-Israeli MK lights candle in London’s Trafalgar Square. Member of Knesset Pnina Tamano-Shata lit a candle at a Chanukah ceremony in London’s Trafalgar Square. She said, “Hanukkah symbolizes …. the ability to change our world for the better together.”

French immigrants bake the best donuts. (TY Janglo) The recent wave of new Israeli citizens from France has made a huge difference to the quality of Israel’s Chanukah donuts (sufganiyot).

Haredi IDF unit celebrates 20 years. Hundreds of ultra-religious IDF soldiers have just participated in the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Haredi combat units. They include "Netzach Yehuda" (Kfir brigade) "Tomer" platoon (Givati ​) "Chetz" platoon (Paratroopers) plus "Defenders of the Negev" platoon (Air Force).

Connecting young Diaspora Jews to Israel. As reported previously (see here) Israeli non-profit Ayalim builds student villages to increase the Jewish presence in the Negev and Galilee, plus help those living in the social periphery. It is now using “social impact investing”, to enlarge some of its 22 villages and build new ones.


Taxi driver finds and returns $60,000. An Israeli taxi driver was surprised to find a bag containing $60,000 in the back seat of his cab. He located the owner - an elderly woman he took to Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital, who needed the money for medical treatments. “I am a man of faith,” the taxi driver said. “The money isn’t mine”.

Israelis are forever young. Yosef Eshed, a 102-year-old Israeli who fought alongside Orde Wingate, can now register for kindergarten. Eshed was one of 20 Israelis over a century old to receive a kindergarten enrollment letter recently. Apparently, a computer glitch dropped the first digit of their age.

Never give up hope. Some real-life “miraculous” stories of cancer patients whose lives were saved by stem cell transplants, thanks to the bone marrow database, managed by Israel’s Ezer Mizion.


191222
In the 22nd Dec 19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         Trials of an Israeli treatment for pancreatic cancer have already extended lives.
·         School students brought their teacher back to life with CPR.
·         The UN heard about Israeli equality from its Muslim Arab police chief.
·         Israel’s top hospital has sent a team to help combat measles in Samoa.
·         A new Israeli student-built satellite has been launched into space.
·         Relations continue to improve between Israel and many Arab countries.
·         Intel has bought its second multi-billion-dollar Israeli company.
·         Chanukah in Israel is the Festival of Lights and much more.

·         Click here to see the 8th December newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours, Janglo and United With Israel plus extra feature on Technology (with 1,100 shares).  Also (TY Sandra) in German and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. And I’m pleased to include selected Hebrew translations performed by the students of the Reali Hebrew School in Haifa from 1st Dec and 8th Dec newsletters. 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 15,500 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

Extending lives of pancreatic cancer patients. In the latest Phase 2a trial of the pancreatic cancer treatment from Israel’s BioLineRx (see here) three-quarters of the patients at disease stage 4 were able to get their disease under control. The trial combined BL-8040, KEYTRUDA (Pembrolizumab) and chemotherapy.

Molecular checkups to avoid chemotherapy. A 10-year study of 1,365 Israelis indicates that chemotherapy can be avoided for most women who have early diagnosis and biopsy of the most common types of breast cancer. In 97.4% of those passing a Oncotype DX molecular checkup post-surgery, the cancer never returned.

Early diagnosis of thyroid cancer. Another molecular diagnostic test has been developed by doctors at Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem. It can early-diagnose thyroid cancer accurately from biopsies of small nodules that often develop on the thyroid. Previous alternatives were inaccurate or expensive.

Phase 3 progress for Universal Flu vaccine. Israel’s BiondVax has 12,400 participants from 83 hospitals in the Phase 3 double-blind placebo-controlled trials of its Universal Flu vaccine. If successful, the new vaccine could reach pharmacies in 2023. BiondVax’s new Jerusalem facility can produce 20-40 million doses per year.

European award for stem cell investigator. Assistant Professor Yaron Fuchs of Israel’s Technion Institute is one of 27 global scientists to receive a “Young Investigators” award from the European Molecular Biology Organization. Yaron harnesses stem cell apoptosis (cell death due to injury) for driving tissue regeneration.

New technology to help children breathe. (TY Hazel) Researchers from Israel and the US have developed technology to allow children suffering from bronchiolitis, asthma, cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), to breathe freely. Air pressure and acoustic pulses remove mucus from airways.

Exchanging kidneys to save loved ones. There have been some amazing stories (see here) of Israelis donating a kidney to a total stranger while a relative of that stranger donates a kidney to the Israeli’s relative. Thanks to an agreement with the Czech Republic, this recently led to a six-kidney transplant exchange.

Laser brain surgery saves Bethlehem Arab boy. 11-year-old Gamal Allaham of Bethlehem suffered from a benign tumor in the hypothalamus that caused him severe seizures. Surgeons at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov hospital used advanced laser brain surgery and an optic fiber to cure him and Gamal is now back at school.

School students save teacher with CPR.  A pregnant teacher was “clinically dead” when she suffered cardiac arrest at her school in Beit Shemesh. Two students performed CPR and a medic arrived seconds later. Her brother had a similar event 4 years ago. See link to article about Hadassah hospital’s Cardio-Genetic clinic.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Israeli Muslim Arab police chief speaks at UN.  Newsletter readers can follow (see here) the career of Maj-Gen Jamal Hakoush.  The Israeli Muslim Arab police commander recently highlighted the equality of Israel’s Arab citizens, at the World Conference against Discrimination and Racism at the United Nations in Geneva.

Producing dates together. An enlightening video of the Jordan Valley company producing the best Majhoul dates in the world.  It features Palestinian Arabs working alongside Israeli Jews, cooperation with Jordanian farmers, innovative tech and water recycling. Note - please turn on English subtitles / captions.

Free holiday trees again. (TY Janglo) The Jerusalem Municipality announced the usual annual distribution of  complimentary Christmas trees to Jerusalem residents celebrating Christmas. Its website states that trees are being distributed on Thursday morning, 19th Dec at the Jaffa Gate Plaza.

Protecting endangered species. (TY Stuart) This newsletter has preciously featured articles (see here) about Israeli efforts to conserve the rare griffin vulture. This year a record 24 vulture eggs were hatched and incubated as part of a special project called “Spreading Wings.”

Mossad helps Denmark prevent terror attacks. Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency has been cited as being behind successful efforts with Denmark to bust a cell of 20 terrorists planning a series of attacks.

Promoting medical clowns in India. (TY Hazel) This article highlights the visit by Israel’s Nir Raz to promote the introduction of medical clown therapy to children’s wards at hospitals in India. Raz emphasized that in Israel, almost every hospital has a medical clown. The therapy strengthens children’s ability to fight diseases.

Battling measles in Samoa. (TY Hazel) A team of nurses, pediatricians and physiotherapists from Israel’s Sheba hospital, led by Dr. Itai Pessach - all with expertise in pediatrics and intensive care - have arrived in Samoa to help fight a measles outbreak that has killed 65 (mostly children) and infected over 4,400.


SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

EU opens Tel Aviv tech innovation hub. Hundreds attended the inauguration of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) new Tel Aviv office. It will serve as the European Union organization’s bridge between the two tech ecosystems and is only its 3rd hub, after Silicon Valley and Beijing.

Student-built satellite launched.  (TY UWI) Israeli micro-satellite Duchifat-3 was successfully launched from India’s Space Research Organization’s Sriharikota launch site. It was developed for ecological research imaging by high-school students at the Space Lab of the Herzliya Science Center and the Sha’ar HaNegev school.

NIS 22 million for alternate fuel projects. Israel’s Energy and Water Resources Ministry and the PM's Office’s program for fuel alternatives and smart mobility, are investing NIS 22 million in new projects. They include City Transformer’s folding vehicle, a hydrogen gas station and a portable vehicle battery.

Israeli super-chips power new Cisco router. Cisco Systems has unveiled its new Cisco 8000 Series of carrier-class routers, built using Cisco Silicon One chips, developed at its Israel research and development center. Cisco forecast that the new routers will reduce internet bottlenecks and power future broadband online services.

New AI chips emulate the brain. As reported previously, (see here) (and here) Israel is the global leader for developing super-fast and Artificially Intelligent microprocessors. Now, researchers at Israel’s Technion Institute and Israeli chipmaker Towerjazz have integrated memory plus computing ability, to emulate the brain.

An engine with only one moving part. (TY WIN) Israel’s Aquarius Engines has signed a deal with Honda Motor Corporation affiliate Musashi Seimitsu to co-develop its revolutionary linear engine (see here). The 10kg engine has just 20 components and one moving part It is efficient and inexpensive with low maintenance.

Save the bees and crops. (TY Hazel) Israel has developed many solutions to stop the decline in the global bee population, (see here) but are too late for some countries. So, Israel’s Edete Precision Technologies’ unique pollen-harvesting and mechanical pollination system could be just what the Californian almond industry needs.

Saving water to save the planet. This article on Israeli water-tech startups includes the WFI group comprising four separate startups not featured previously in this newsletter. Toxsorb removes toxic chemicals; Triplet purifies using bacteria and oxygen; Rotec performs desalination and AST project manages solutions.

Israeli ethical food-tech.  (TY David F) This CNN article reports that there are 350 food and agriculture technology companies in the Startup Nation. It features Aleph Farms, eggXYt and DouxMatok (all previously reported in this newsletter) and highlights that Israeli concerns for animal welfare derive from Jewish values.

A revolution in the whiskey industry. It had to happen.  The Israeli startup Verstill has developed a unique molecular distillation process that hyper-ages whiskey in a fraction of the usual time for maturing.  Verstill won the Fresh Start Foodtech Incubator Challenge in September.

A Swiss intern in hi-tech Israel. (TY Jacques) A personal account about one of the thousands of international students who have come to Israel to experience Israel’s hi-tech ecosystem. Benjamin applied through MASA’s Destination Israel program and joined Israeli startup City Transformer, producer of foldable electric cars.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

East Med Gas Forum is a game-changer. (TY Hazel) July saw the first meeting, in Cairo, of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, comprising Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, the Palestinian Authority and – yes – Israel. These two articles suggest that the EMGF is already transforming the geopolitics of the region.

Israeli VC speaks at Abu Dhabi conference. Israeli Venture Capitalist Jon Medved spoke at the SALT (SkyBridge ALTernatives) conference in Abu Dhabi. He is probably one of the first Israeli VCs to speak openly in an investor conference in the Gulf. See also the positive message from the Foreign Minister of the UAE.

Israel is financially stable. The latest Bank of Israel's Financial Stability Report has just been published. Its summary: “The analysis of the environment in which the domestic financial system operates, and the periodic assessments of its resilience during the first half of the year, show that the system remained stable.”

On the right track. The long-awaited 57-kilometer electric train route connecting Jerusalem’s Yitzhak Navon station and Tel Aviv’s HaHaganah station has opened to the public. Travel time is around 33 minutes, including a stop at Ben Gurion airport.  https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/First-direct-trains-between-Jerusalem-and-Tel-Aviv-commence-operations-611698 http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/273335

Non-stop to Australia.  Israeli airline El Al is to trial commercial flights from Tel Aviv to Melbourne Australia from April 2020. It will initially offer three flights each way, aimed to gauge interest in the potential of launching such a route permanently. Flight times are around 17 hours.

Jerusalem - the world’s fastest growing tourist destination. (TY Janglo) UK business intelligence company Euromonitor International shows Jerusalem as the world's fastest growing destination. Its 3.93 million overseas tourists in 2018 was up 12% from 2017 and the projected 4.8 million visitors in 2019 is another huge increase.

More Israeli internships. This newsletter has included several articles recently (see here) about opportunities for young people from overseas to have an internship with an Israeli organization. You can download information on many more from the 1st linked site below.  The 2nd link is just one example from the download.

Expanding crop analytics to Central America. Israel’s CropX (reported here previously) is partnering with FarmAgro of Costa Rica to bring CropX’s agri-tech solutions and tools to farmers in Latin America and the Caribbean. CropX’s FarmAgro helps analyze the impact of climatic variations and improve agriculture yields.

Israeli-founded used-car company raises $0.25 billion. US-based Vroom was founded by Israeli-born Elie Wurtman and Allon Bloch, Vroom develops an online direct-to-consumer platform that offers low-mileage reconditioned vehicles, with possible finance and insurance.  Vroom has raised a total of $694 million in funds.

Israeli fund raises $115 million for medical startups. Israeli venture capital firm Peregrine Ventures Management Ltd. has raised a $115 million fourth fund. Peregrine has 45 med-tech, biotech, and life sciences companies in its portfolio and over $200 million under management.

Intel buys Habana Labs for $2 billion. Intel has acquired Tel Aviv-based artificial intelligence chip developer Habana Labs Ltd. for $2 billion. It is Intel’s second-largest acquisition of an Israeli company. Habana Labs develops processors optimized for artificial intelligence applications.

An intelligent acquisition. Israel-based software testing company Qualitest has bought Israel-based data analysis and machine learning company AlgoTrace. The companies have been working together for over a year. Qualitest says the purchase will enable it to rapidly increase the number of AI-based testing products it offers.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Re-using chickpea water in Tel Aviv. (TY Nevet) Aquafaba - the viscous liquid produced from boiling chickpeas, is often used as a vegan egg replacer. At award-winning Tel Aviv vegan restaurant Meshek Barzilay they use it to make sauces. mayonnaise, vinaigrette, lemon meringues, cakes, and as a thickener for stews.

Walk the new Old City ramparts. (TY Sharon) After years of work on the Walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, the Northern Ramparts Walk (Wall Promenade) is now open. The new section covers over half of the Old City to the west, north, and east. It gives a bird's-eye view of the Christian and Muslim Quarters and Mount of Olives.

London in Tel Aviv. In 2017 London hosted a Tel Aviv festival.  Now Tel Aviv has reciprocated. The 4-day LND in TLV fest (Nov 27-30) featured music from a Queen tribute band, literature based on Shakespeare, classical music, dance, British beer and of course fish & chips. Supporters included UK-based Virgin Atlantic.

Tel Aviv stew fest. (TY Janglo) The Hamin Festival will be held over the course of three weekends in January at Tel Aviv’s North Market. On Thursdays and Fridays, visitors can buy a wide variety of Sephardi (Oriental and Spanish & Portuguese) “hamin” and “tbit” stews and Ashkenazi (Eastern European) “cholent” stews.

No disposables on Eilat beaches. (TY Janglo) The city of Eilat is the first resort in Israel to ban disposable cups and bags from its beaches to protect the Red Sea from the “threat of plastic”. Beachgoers are forbidden from bringing disposable items onto the beach, whether made of plastic, aluminum, cardboard or paper.

Israel hosts its first chess world grand prix. The Jerusalem Grand Prix, part of the World Championship for chess, is taking place in Jerusalem (Dec 10 – 23). It is the first time that Israel has hosted the competition. The sixteen competitors include Israel’s Boris Gelfand.  https://en.chessbase.com/post/grand-prix-in-jerusalem

Israel wins Admiral’s Cup sailing regatta. (TY Hazel) Israel lifted the cup in the 10th edition of Admiral Cup Sailing Regatta at the Indian Naval Academy in Kannur, India. Israel’s Itai Schroit won the individual men’s event with his countryman Ido Mazor finishing third.


THE JEWISH STATE

Israel’s allies.  (TY Sharon) A group of 25 global ministers and parliamentarians came to support Israel as part of the annual Israel Allies Foundation Chairman's Conference. They visited the Barkan Industrial Park where 8,000 Arabs and Jews work together, the Psagot Winery, Shiloh, Hebron and of course Jerusalem.

The Romans made fish sauce in Judea. The Israel Antiquities Authority has uncovered 2000-year-old vats in the southern Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon, used by the Romans to produce a fish sauce. Historical sources refer to the production of special fish sauce, but few vats have been discovered in the Eastern Mediterranean.

First International Talmud competition. Strengthening Jewish identity one page at a time was the theme of the first-ever International Talmud Israeli Competition on December 15 at the Jerusalem Theater. Of the 1000 parent-child teams, 15 made the final including 3 from the US. An Israeli team won with 150 out of 150 points.

Hard cheese.  An anti-Israel professor posted on Facebook a call to boycott Trader Joe's for selling Israeli Feta cheese. Thanks to an Israeli who publicized the post, pro-Israeli customers flocked to several of Trader Joe's branches and bought up all the cheese and proceeded to purchase more Israeli products.

Western Wall Hanukiah is installed. The traditional bronze menorah (Hanukiah) has been set up in the Western Wall (Kotel) Plaza in preparation for the upcoming Chanukah festival. The 2-meter, 1-ton candelabra will be lit at a public ceremony on each day of the festival from the evening of Sun 22 Dec until Mon 30 Dec.

Happy Chanukah.  Two new parody songs to celebrate Chanukah - the Festival of Lights.  Six13’s “Star Wars” and the Maccabeats “Pan Fry”.   And the third video of the JD (Jewish Donut) is full of fun!


191208
In the 8th Dec 19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         Israeli researchers have discovered a new way to destroy pancreatic tumors.
·         A Tel Aviv conference featured the latest life-saving Israeli medical technology.
·         Israeli technology has been positively recognized at the United Nations.
·         An Israeli system can land planes safely after total engine failure.
·         Derelict parts of South Tel Aviv are to be redeveloped.
·         A new English-speaking theater has opened in Ra’anana.
·         Israelis save animals and animals save Israelis

·         Click here to see the 1st December 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 the following 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 15,000 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

Another breakthrough in pancreatic cancer research. Israeli scientists and doctors have induced the self-destruction of pancreatic cancer cells in mice. A small molecule, PJ34, normally used to treat stroke victims, reduced cancer cells by up to 90 percent a month. There were no adverse effects. Normal cells were unaffected.

US approvals for AI image analyses. Israel’s Zebra Medical has received several approvals from the US FDA. They include detecting heart disease, (see here) pneumothorax (lung trauma – see here), intercranial hemorrhages (brain bleeds – see here). It has just received another for detecting fluid on the lungs.

Green light for finger prick blood test. As predicted previously, (13th May) the OLO finger prick blood test device from Israel’s Sight Diagnostics flowed through the US FDA approval process.  It enables use of the CBC (Complete Blood Test) device in laboratories run by hospitals, diagnostic providers, and outpatient clinics.

Israeli doctor runs Canadian AIDS clinic. (TY Robert) To coincide with World AIDS day, Robert Sarner wrote this article about Israeli-born Dr Neora Pick. As medical director of Canada’s only multidisciplinary clinic for women and children with HIV, she treats some of the 63,000 (and increasing) Canadians with HIV.

Increasing US-Israeli medical cooperation. (TY Janglo) 21 bipartisan US lawmakers have requested that the US establishes an FDA office in Israel to facilitate collaboration in life-saving research. They wrote that Israel’s world class medical research programs have positively impacted the global health system.

Teva partners Israeli universities for new cancer treatments. (TY Nocamels) Israel’s Teva and Tel Aviv University have signed an R&D agreement in the fields of cancer and brain studies. Teva has also partnered with Israel’s Weizmann Institute to identify the next generation of innovative antibodies for cancer treatment.

Showcasing Israeli digital health tech. Over a thousand participants gathered in Tel Aviv for the second annual Digital.Health.Now conference. It focused on showcasing advanced Israeli innovations in telemedicine, digital healthcare, and general wellness aided by technology.

How blind people use Smartphones. One Israeli startup at the Digital.Health.Now conference was RightHear. (see here). This video shows how the blind use its technology to access the functions on a Smartphone. Also, (TY Jacques) RightHear is supporting the first official blind-friendly street in Israel, and possibly the world.

Calm down. Another Israeli product showcased at Israel’s Digital.Health.Now conference was Calmigo. Its advanced technology provides immediate, drug-free relief for moments of distress, anxiousness, and stress by regulating your breathing patterns and stimulating your senses.

Reducing injuries. Zone7, founded by IDF veterans, uses AI to foresee and prevent injuries to sports people. It advertises an 80% reduction in injury days and provides coaches, trainers and sports scientists with intervention strategies. Zone7 is partnering its platform with global medical company Garmin Health.

A day in the life. Last week 50 members of our synagogue were privileged to be given a tour of Emergency Service United Hatzalah’s headquarters in Jerusalem.  United Hatzalah’s volunteer EMTs arrive at the scene of an incident within three minutes, often saving lives in Israel.  Click the link to read a recent typical example.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Accessibility plans for Tomb of the Patriarchs. As reported previously (see here) the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron is to be made accessible for disabled visitors.  Here are more detailed plans and artist impressions of the new elevator and bridge connecting the elevator to the main entrance.  

Haredi teens train as emergency responders. There are many ultra-orthodox men and women serving as emergency responders in Israel.  Here is one article about 15 yeshiva students who have completed the MDA course in Yavniel, lower Galilee, to become Emergency Medical Responders in the Yarden Region.

UN adopts Israeli resolution. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution proposed by Israel on "Agricultural Technologies for Development" to eradicate poverty and hunger worldwide. It targets agriculture, water management and youth job creation. 147 countries voted in favor; the Arab League abstained.

Making the UN more accessible. On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Israel mission to the UN donated to United Nations Other Groups Director-General Tatiana Valovaya, three pediatric wheelchairs made by the Israeli NGO ‘Wheelchairs of Hope’ (see here).

Bolivia renews ties with Israel. Following recent elections in Bolivia, the foreign minister of the country’s transitional government, Karen Longaric, announced that Bolivia will renew ties with Israel, after a break of more than a decade. https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Bolivia-renews-ties-with-Israel-609316

Transforming India’s water supplies. (TY Hazel) Excellent write-up of Israel’s role in helping India’s goal of providing water to all citizens. It includes some 32 Israeli-led water projects in 13 states; water management training in 28 Centers of Excellence; and seven coastal desalination plants use Israeli desalination technology.

Ethiopians meet medics who saved their lives. Over 100 Ethiopian young adults met 30 surgeons, nurses and technicians from Israeli NGO Save A Child’s Heart in Addis Ababa.  Decades earlier, SACH doctors performed heart surgery on them as young children to save their lives. The medics saved another 31 children on this visit.

Israel’s rescue mission to Albania.  This video has been released to highlight the work of the Israeli Defense Forces team that responded to Albania’s plea for help following its devastating earthquake (reported last week). It also highlights Israel’s previous responses to requests for help after global natural disasters.


SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

See Israel’s best inventions.  Last week’s newsletter (link here).included news of the nine Israeli innovations included in Time Magazine’s 100 Best Inventions of 2019  Here is a short video compilation featuring all nine.

Olympiad medalists meet the President. (TY Sharon) Many Israelis won medals at the 2019 International Olympiads in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematical and Informatics. They were congratulated by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Education Minister Rabbi Rafi Peretz at a ceremony held at the President’s Jerusalem home.

Safe landing. (TY Hazel) Engine shutdown is one of the major causes of flight accidents. Students at Israel’s Technion Institute have built a safe landing guidance system for aircraft with disabled engines. The system (algorithm, interfaces with pilot display, sensors etc.) was successfully tested on an actual flight in Israel.

Transforming pathology. Israeli startup Augmentiqs has developed software and hardware to turn existing microscopes into smart connected instruments. The innovative system enhancements use Augmented Reality (AR), digital overlays and computer connectivity to generate a whole new hi-tech pathology environment.

One step at a time.  Israeli startup Selfit has developed a robot and augmented reality-based system to facilitate rehabilitation for many physical and neurological conditions. It also aids physical therapy and slow down the deterioration in cognitive functions for a variety of chronic conditions, including aging.

IBM partners Israeli imaging analysis startup. As reported previously, (see here) Israel’s DiA is marketing its AI ultrasound imaging analysis systems with US giants GE Medical and Terason. Now, IBM Watson’s new Imaging AI Marketplace will offer DiA’s software to help clinicians analyze cardiac images automatically.

Training bacteria to eat CO2. Researchers at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have genetically engineered bacteria to live on carbon dioxide rather than sugar. Over a 10-year period, the researchers induced evolutionary changes in E. coli bacteria so it can survive on CO2. It could eventually be used to reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere.

Jerusalem is a smart transportation city. Jerusalem was one of 28 finalists out of 450 entries for the smartest transportation city in the Smart City Expo competition in Barcelona, Spain. It was also runner-up for the Mobility Award for integrating the light rail train system with Axilion’s AI-based traffic light system.

Protecting NYC emergency security networks. (TY UWI) The New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) will be using security software from Israel’s Indeni to protect their computer networks. Indeni customers include Mastercard, Bloomberg, Boston Scientific and soon NASA.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Upbeat assessment from Moody’s.  (TY Janglo) International credit rating agency Moody's has reaffirmed Israel’s A1 sovereign debt rating with a positive outlook. Its report went even further, stating, "Israel's economic growth has outpaced most other advanced industrial countries over the past decade.”

Currency reserves at new record. The Bank of Israel increased its reserves of foreign currency by a massive $1 billion last month.  Their value at the end of November was over $122 billion – a new record.

Urban renewal of South Tel Aviv. (TY Jacques) The Tel Aviv-Jaffa Local Planning and Building Commission recently approved an urban development plan for the derelict area of South Tel Aviv. It will add many apartments and offices, plus large amounts of public and open space.

Hundreds attend GoForIsrael conference. Over 700 participants from across the world, including 100 from China, attended the 2019 GoforIsrael conference in Tel Aviv. The business summit brought together global investors, business leaders, and entrepreneurs for investment and collaboration opportunities in Israel.

Olympus Corp to open Israeli innovation office. Japanese life science company Olympus Corp is to open an innovation office in Tel Aviv. Olympus is looking for Israeli technologies and startups in the digital health and med-tech fields, particularly in prostate stent technologies. Over 70 Japanese companies have offices in Israel.

Lumenis exits for $1.2 billion. Israel’s medical-device pioneer Lumenis (reported here previously) is being acquired by Baring Private Equity Asia for approximately $1.2 billion.  Subject to the customary regulatory approval process, it will be one of the 15 biggest acquisitions in Israeli history.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

New Israeli stamps show Torah scroll in space. (TY Janglo) A new limited set of Israeli stamps shows the first Torah that was flown in space. They also feature Jeffrey Hoffman, the astronaut who first brought the Torah into space in 1985. He was the first Jewish-American man to enter space.

Eight restaurants in 50 Best Discovery list. The World’s 50 Best Restaurants has ranked eight Israeli establishments in its 50 Best Discovery database. They comprise four restaurants and three bars in Tel Aviv and one Jerusalem restaurant. http://nocamels.com/2019/11/israel-restaurants-50-best-discovery-bars/

Tel Aviv in BBC top 10 food destinations. The BBC’s Good Food magazine ranked Tel Aviv 7th in its top 10 destinations for foodies in 2020. It specially mentioned Tel Aviv’s “slick vegan coffee shops” and street food such as hummus, falafel and shakshuka.

Curtain rises on Center Stage. (TY Grant & Daniella) Grant and Daniella Crankshaw’s new, professional theater in Ra'anana - Center Stage - is now open and rolling out quality English theater productions. Against the odds, English theater now has a permanent Israeli home. (Click links below for details of performances)

Maccabi Tel Aviv win again. (TY Nevet) Israeli hoops champions Maccabi Tel-Aviv beat Baskonia (83-113) in Spain, to earn its sixth straight win. It moved Maccabi Tel Aviv up to fourth place in the Euroleague table.

Two Iranian judokas to compete in Israel. Two Iranian judokas have deserted Iran after being bullied into boycotting Israeli athletes. 2018 World Champion Saeid Mollaei and Mohammad Rashnonezhad have signed to compete in January’s Tel Aviv Grand Prix as members of the Mongolian and IJF refugee teams respectively.


THE JEWISH STATE

The ultimate Zionist festival. Thousands of Ethiopian-Israeli Jews traveled from across the country to the Haas Promenade facing the Old City of Jerusalem to celebrate the Sigd holiday. With its roots in the biblical Book of Nehemiah, Sigd rededicates the community’s links to Torah, Jerusalem and Jewish unity.

Israeli EMTs save a family with falafel. (TY Janglo) After United Hatzalah volunteer paramedic Tal was badly injured in an accident, EMT colleagues including CEO Eli Beer worked shifts at Tal’s falafel shop. Their dedication kept Tal’s business going and supported his family while he recuperated.

Four recent archaeological discoveries. This video highlights the excavation in Israel of a 7th century BCE (First Temple) Biblical seal found in Jerusalem; a 5,000-year-old Canaanite city at Ein Azur, Harish; a 6th century CE Byzantine church in Bet Shemesh and a 1,400-year-old hammer and nails at Usha in Kiryat Atta.

Mosaics uncovered in ancient Golan synagogue. Rare colorful mosaic fragments dating back to the third century CE have been uncovered in an ancient synagogue at Majdulia in the Golan Heights. They shed light on the transformation of synagogues, after the Temple was destroyed, from places of study to prayer centers.

It’s never too late to make Aliya.  Michael Okunieff fought the Nazis and rescued 75 Jewish children from Poland during WW2. At the age of 96 he has just fulfilled his dream of making Aliya from Chicago, with a little help from the Ministry of Aliya and Integration and the Nefesh B'Nefesh organization.

Egyptian discovers the truth about Israel.  Please read this article about Egyptian-born Hussein Aboubakr who searched for information about Israel and discovered much of what he had been told previously was a lie. He is now a pro-Israel advocate, living in the United States.  If only there were a lot more people like him.

A sanctuary for donkeys. A previous newsletter article (7th Apr) highlighted Israel’s animal sanctuary at Moshav Olesh, which was caring for a 3-legged donkey. Here is website for an Israeli sanctuary that looks after unwanted and abused donkeys. Its mobile clinic also treats hundreds of working donkeys in the PA territories.

Israeli thanks rescue dog that saved his life. When Daniel was fired from his job, in a lapse of sanity he tried to take his own life. After going missing for two days he was found unconscious by Eishela from the Israel Dog Unit.  Daniel made a miraculous recovery and was finally able to thank Eishela and her handler.

IDF rescues unusual Syrian refugee. In a joint operation, the IDF and Israel's Nature and Parks Authority, extracted a badger, one of Israel’s rarest predators, from the metal border fence between Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights. It had been trying to escape from Syria and was released near a water source on the Israeli side.


191201
In the 1st Dec 19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         Two new Israeli medical innovations directly target tumors and Alzheimer’s disease.
·         Israelis are saving Albanian earthquake victims and Chad terrorist survivors.
·         Nine of the best 100 inventions of 2019 are Israeli.
·         Israel’s SpaceIL plans to send spacecraft to the Moon and to Mars.
·         Israel’s unemployment is at a record low.
·         A second Israeli gold medal and National Anthem in Abu Dhabi.
·         80 French holocaust survivors celebrated late Bar/Bat Mitzvot in Jerusalem.

·         Click here to see the 24th November newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours, Janglo and United With Israel with extra feature on Medical.  Also (TY Sandra) in German and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please pass on the following 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 15,000 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

Targeting chemo at tumors only. Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed a method that delivers chemotherapy drugs directly to malignant cells and bypasses healthy ones. Cancer cells emit the protein TRPV2 into which the scientists inserted a low dose of doxorubicin to destroy the tumor.

Nano-chips help treat Alzheimer’s. Neural growth factor proteins can limit damage from Alzheimer’s disease but are normally blocked by the Blood Brain Barrier. Scientists at Israel’s Technion Institute and Bar-Ilan University have developed nanoscale silicon chips that deliver these proteins directly to the target brain tissue.

Human radiation therapy trial successful. Good results of the first multi-center human trials of the Alpha Dart radiation therapy (see here) developed by Israel’s Alpha Tau. Over 78% of the skin cancer tumors were completely cured. Most of the patients had previously received other treatments that failed to kill the tumors.

VR system saves 2-year-old. As reported here previously, the Virtual Reality technology from Israel’s Surgical Theater is saving thousands of lives. Here is one example of two-year-old Ari whose deep brain tumor was removed, thanks to surgeons having practiced the delicate operation using the groundbreaking VR system.

Using AI to discover treatments. Israeli startup Pepticom uses AI (Artificial Intelligence) to discover new peptide-based candidates that could become the basis of the next big medical treatment. Pepticom was launched as a company by Yissum – the technology transfer arm of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Assisted feeding. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Fidmi has received FDA approval for its low profile gastronomy system / enteral feeding device (see here). Its easily replaceable inner tube which can be changed by patients without the need to visit a doctor or nurse. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fidmi-medical-receives-fda-regulatory-clearance-for-low-profile-enteral-feeding-device-300939572.html

Keeping the blood flowing. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Perflow Medical has received the CE Mark (European approval) for its Cascade Agile device that helps surgeons repair ruptured intercranial aneurysms. Its unique net design enables continuous blood flow during cerebral aneurysm operations.

Detecting strokes across the US. (TY Atid-EDI) Since US giant Medtronic began marketing the AI brain scan analysis system from Israel’s Viz.ai (see here), it has been installed in 300 US hospitals. Viz.ai has just raised $50 million to help fund its fast growth.

Diagnosing narrowing of the arteries. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s MedHub is developing AutocathFFR - an automated system that detects stenoses (narrowing) in the coronary arteries surrounding the heart. It has just commenced a pivotal multi-center clinical trial to test the system’s effectiveness.

Fighting MRSA resistance. (TY Atid-EDI) As reported (here) previously, Israel’s Biomica is developing microbiome therapies for antibiotic resistant bacteria. It is now partnering with the Weizmann Institute to develop a selective treatment against MRSA - antibiotic resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus infection.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Female entrepreneurs meet investors. A business networking event was held last week in Jerusalem at the Urban Place for female entrepreneurs, in honor of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). It was an opportunity for Israeli female business owners from across Israel to network with both investors and other business owners.

Preserving Jewish-Ethiopian culture. (TY WIN) The Atachlit Beta Israel village in Kiryat Gat serves as a heritage center for the preservation of Ethiopian Jewish culture and heritage. The village and farm also give older Ethiopian Jews a new sense of purpose by continuing traditional farming, building and cooking methods.

Relations with Kazakhstan improve further. The Central Asian, Muslim-majority country of Kazakhstan has a history of strong connections with Israel. Under the new President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, these ties are expanding, especially in commerce, agro-tech, clean water, cyber security, education and public diplomacy.

Aid to Chad. Volunteers from NGO Israeli Flying Aid (IFA) brought supplies to refugee camps, hospitals and orphanages in the landlocked African country of Chad, suffering under constant terror attacks. It included 14 dialysis machines and three anesthesia machines donated by Jerusalem’s Hadassah hospital.

Searching for Albanian earthquake victims. (TY Hazel) An Israel Rescue and Service team from Mevo'ot HaHermon Regional Council is searching for survivors in the city of Durres, following a 6.4 on the Richter Scale earthquake that shook Albania. It was the strongest earthquake to hit Albania in decades.



SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Nine of the best 100 inventions for 2019. Nine Israeli startups are in TIME magazine’s 100 Best Inventions for 2019. They are Or Cam, Theranica, WaterGen, Tyto Care, Temi, ECOncrete, Eviation Aircraft, Intuition Robotics and Lemonade. All have been reported previously in this newsletter – check www.IsraelActive.com

WiFi innovation winner. Israel’s Celeno won the Best Wi-Fi Innovation award at the 2019 Wi-Fi Now International Expo and Conference in London. Celeno’s Wi-Fi Doppler imaging technology is expected to spark a new ecosystem of sophisticated service for the home and enterprise.

Testing disaster recovery plans. Israel-based EnsureDR develops technology for identifying and fixing disaster recovery plans. It uses an automatic process that operates and tests secondary data sites on a weekly basis. EnsureDR has just raised $2.5 million. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKjhvBJBf1I

Intelligence by vision. Israel’s Viisights Solutions develops a video intelligence service that analyzes and manages video content for specific advertising campaigns., It also analyzes real-time footage from security cameras. Viisights has just raised $10 million of funds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Cazz4PFo4Y

Helping athletes to think. (TY UWI and I24) Israeli Air Force veterans have founded the startup Applied Cognitive Engineering (ACE) and developed the Intelligym – training software that boosts the cognitive abilities of soccer and hockey players. https://soccer.intelligym.com/home-uk/  https://www.intelligym.com/

How does UBQ do it? Israeli startup UBQ’s revolutionary recycling facility has been reported (here) previously. This new article goes into much detail about the process which produces plastic containers and building material from almost any kind of garbage.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/climate-solutions/israeli-startup-ubq-turning-trash-into-plastic-products/

More shrimps to feed a hungry world. (TY Atid-EDI) This newsletter reported previously (see here) on three Israeli startups that were farming disease-free shrimps. Here is a fourth – Israel’s AquaMaof. Its RAS (Recirculating Aquaculture Systems) use cutting-edge technology to breed shrimps and other fish on land.

Give us a summary. Researchers at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev said they have developed MUSE (Multilingual Sentence Extractor) software that automatically summarizes texts in many languages. It can help readers go through articles, magazines, databases and academic research faster and more efficiently.

Read my lips. Israeli startup Hi Auto is developing speech recognition software for vehicle drivers. It uses a microphone and camera so it can track the driver’s lips to eliminate commands from other voices in the car.

Making hospital fabrics bacteria free. (TY Hazel) More on the method (see here) that Israeli startup Sonovia has developed to bacteria-proof hospital fabrics. They use ultrasound to form tiny vapor-filled cavities. Antibacterial chemicals can then be propelled onto the molecular structure of the fabric.

Experience Virtual Reality in Tel Aviv. Israeli startup LVL3 Dizengoff offers a sensory experience to those who want to see the future of Alternative / Virtual Reality. Situated in Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff Center, LVL3 uses the Anvio VR platform to demonstrate some of the most sophisticated team-based gaming technologies.

SpaceIL reveals new challenges. SpaceIL – the Israeli NGO that sent the world’s first private spacecraft to the moon – has announced plans to send spacecrafts to the Moon and to Mars. The Moon mission is scheduled to take place in 2022 and is expected to cost even less than the £100 million Beresheet mission.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Top of the world. (TY Atid-EDI) In the World Economic Forum’s 2019-2020 Global Competitiveness Report, Israel was ranked first for entrepreneurship, (risk, embrace of disruptive ideas, growing innovative companies), R&D expenditure, macroeconomic stability and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Overall Israel was 20th of 141.

Unemployment at 3.4% - lowest in 40 years. Israel’s unemployment rate fell from 3.6% in September to a record low of 3.4% in October.  https://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/october-israels-unemployment-rate-reaches-historic-low/2019/11/25/

Good all-round improvement. Israel’s Composite State of the Economy index for October increased by 0.3% - a slight acceleration in the last two months. All components improved, especially consumer goods exports, services exports, industrial production, imports, retail trade revenue, services revenue and job vacancies.

Importing hi-tech skills. NGO Masa Israel’s “FastTrack Pro” program serves as a pipeline for coding and other key technical skills by matching North American Jews to jobs at Israeli start-ups. Meanwhile, (TY Jacques) The Council for Higher Education’s “Study in Israel” also attracts international hi-tech talent.

Matching immigrants to employers. Israel’s UWORK is an online recruitment agency targeted at new Olim - immigrants to Israel. The website is said to be the first recruitment platform specifically dedicated to immigrants and foreign language speakers, offering a variety of jobs in companies across Israel.

Christian Zionists invest in Israel. 650 Christian pro-Israel executives from 50 countries will attend the 2nd annual conference on “Israeli Innovation for Humanity” in December. It is run by the nonprofit ARISE, which matches Christian Israel-loving businesspeople from abroad with entrepreneurs in Israel.

AstraZeneca launches digital health program. AstraZeneca previously (Sep 2013) teamed up with Jerusalem’s Hadassah hospital to develop new treatments. It has now started a NIS 10 million program for investing in Israel’s digital health sector. It will provide Israeli startups with funds, mentorship and training.

Teaming up to protect hospital systems. As reported previously, (Dec 2017) Israel’s Medigate protects medical devices from cyber-attack. It has now partnered with Japan’s Sompo Risk Management and Israeli private hospital chain Assuta Medical Centers to develop cybersecurity services for hospitals.

Vayyar raises $109 million. As reported previously (see here) the technology from Israel’s Vayyar can see through walls and other materials. Its 4D radar can also detect a patient falling and alerts an emergency contact. Vayyar has just raised $109 million and is opening new offices in Jerusalem and Haifa.

Sodastream plans $92 million expansion. PepsiCo is planning a $92 million expansion of its Sodastream plant in Rahat, southern Israel. It will hire an additional 1,000 employees; approximately one third of its current 1,500 strong workforce is comprised of Bedouin Arabs from the surrounding area.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Smile please.  (TY UWI) The Arava International Photography Festival, part of the PlanetArava festival, recently took place in southern Israel. It offered 150 International photographers the chance to photograph the Holy Land’s unique wildlife and vibrant vistas.  https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/HJe33YMhB

Zero One to infinity. (TY Sharon) Your newsletter editor was invited to attend the Zero One Digital Arts Festival in Jerusalem publicized in last week’s edition. Regular contributor Sharon constructed a comprehensive article on the event, combining visual art, music, sound, technology and much more at the Tower of David.

Jamie Oliver features Israel on TV show. As reported previously (here), UK celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was spotted in Tel Aviv earlier this year. Now we know he was filming segments of Israeli vegan cooking and of Israeli spices for his UK Channel 4 TV show, “Jamie’s Meat-Free Meals,” which aired earlier in November.

Another gold medal in Abu Dhabi. Israel’s national anthem, Hatikvah, was again played in Abu Dhabi on Sunday after Israel’s 21-year-old Nimrod Ryder won the gold medal in the Under 77kg adult category at the Jiu-Jitsu World Championships.


THE JEWISH STATE

Bar/Bat Mitzvah for 80 Holocaust survivors. (TY UWI) A group of 80 French Holocaust survivors recently came to Israel for their Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrations, about 80 years late. The trip was organized by Israel Experience - the Jewish Agency’s educational arm, and France’s United Jewish Social Fund in Israel (FSJU).

Excavating the Bible. (TY UWI) Israeli archaeologists believe they have uncovered, in the North Israel village of Ahwat, the fortress of Sisera, defeated by Barak and Deborah in the Book of Judges. Finds include scarabs, seals and figurines from the 13th and 12th centuries BCE.  Also, a chariot lynchpin and iron smelting works.

Speak out for Israel. The Genesis Prize Foundation is offering $1 million in grants to groups fighting anti-Semitism and working to tell the true story of Israel.  2019 Genesis Prize Laureate Robert Kraft launched “Speak Out for Israel”, to encourage non-profits to combat attempts to de-legitimize the Jewish State.


191124
In the 24th Nov 19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         Doctors can now repair knees using Israeli-developed artificial cartilage.
·         Israel received a humanitarian award for its aid to Puerto Rica.
·         An Israel-developed herbicide controls weeds by making them infertile.
·         Israel’s good economic performance surprises all the analysts.
·         Israeli fraud-detection software is popular with UK banks.
·         Fifty baby gazelles have been born in Jerusalem’s urban nature park.
·         The winner of Israel’s International Bible quiz is getting married to the runner-up.

·         Click here to see the 17th November newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours, Janglo and United With Israel with extra feature on Medical.  Also (TY Sandra) in German. Please pass on the following 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 15,000 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

Israeli-developed artificial knee cartilage. Israeli doctors performed the first commercial replacement surgery of the meniscus (knee cartilage) on two Israeli patients. Via a small incision, they each received the NUsurface artificial meniscus implant developed at the Netanya, Israel R&D center of US company Active Implants.

Positive results for Brainstorm’s ALS trial. As reported (here) previously, the stem cell treatment for ALS from Israel’s Brainstorm is doing well in trials.  The latest Phase 2 trial of Brainstorm’s autologous bone-marrow derived MSC-NTF cells (Nurown) in 48 patients at 3 US sites was effective and well tolerated.

The first Hadassah accelerator graduates. Hadassah Accelerator, run jointly by Hadassah Medical Center IBM and the Jerusalem Development Authority, has graduated its first six med-tech startups. They are MyMilk, TuneFork, Deep Health, Neuroya, Ukappi and MDI Health Technologies.

New med-tech TV series. A US TV production team has been filming for a documentary series on Israel’s medical device industry. It will showcase the people and technologies that are saving lives around the world. The show, called “TrueFuture,” will feature Israel in eight to ten episodes in Series 3.

More Euro funding for virus / bacteria test. (TY UWI) The European Innovation Council has just added 2.5 million Euros to international funds that Israel’s MeMed previously received (see here) to roll out its test that distinguishes between a virus and a bacteria. Very timely for World Antibiotic Awareness Week (Nov 18-24).

Let’s get loud. (TY Janglo) On October 15th, 2019, Koolulam collaborated with Israeli NGO 'One in Nine' to mark International Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  2,000 people got together in Tel Aviv to sing Jennifer Lopez’s hit “Let’s Get Loud” and celebrate life alongside breast cancer survivors, families and friends.    



ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Ten years of empowering women. (TY Sharon) I’m always pleased to publicize (see here) the annual Jerusalem Temech Conference for its work promoting and supporting Jewish businesswomen and entrepreneurs. This year’s conference entitled “Unlock the Wealth” attracted a record one thousand participants.

Wheels of Love. Sharon’s recent blog on the Real Jerusalem Streets featured the Wheels of Love charity bike ride. It raised $2.5 million for ALYN which treats patients ranging from babies with illnesses needing constant special attention, to older persons challenged and needing special therapies due to accidents or illnesses.

Growing success for Arab-Jewish learning program. The Abraham Initiatives' Shared Learning program has more than doubled its size, from 15 middle and high schools and 500 students last year to 40 schools and 1000 students today. It is Israel’s first nationwide broad and systematic language study program.

Ethiopian Airlines plane is named Tel Aviv. The name of one of the new Dreamliner planes ordered by Ethiopian Airlines is “Tel Aviv”. An eagle-eyed plane spotter noticed the name on the aircraft as it left the Boeing plant in Charleston, South Carolina. It was meant to be revealed in a ceremony at Ben Gurion airport.

Rhode Island governors. Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo recently led a delegation of governors on an economic and policy mission to Israel. It met entrepreneurs, policy experts and elected officials, to strengthen relationships with the State of Israel and build new partnerships with its business community.

Latinos give humanitarian award to Israel. SOMOS Inc is a charity working to help many of the 4 million Hispanics in New York State. But they took time in their annual conference to present Israel with the Humanitarian Leadership Award for its aid to Puerto Rica after hurricane Maria devasted the Caribbean island.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Engineering studies is the top choice. 18.4% of Israeli undergraduate students enrolled in engineering courses this academic year, making it the top choice for the second consecutive year. Engineering includes electrical and electronic, software, information systems, civil and mechanical and chemicals and materials engineering.

Israel’s largest gas power station. Israel is to build its largest private natural gas power plant, costing up to NIS 3 million. It will be constructed near the Sharon region city of Kfar Saba and will supply up to 1,300 megawatts, around 10% of the current capability of the Israel Electric Corporation.

Solar power from a parking lot. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel has nearly completed building the largest solar array on a parking lot in Israel and connecting it to the electric grid. Located in the Emek Hefer industrial park, it has a capacity of 130 kilowatts. Charging stations for electric cars have also been installed in the parking lot.

Water technology conference. WATEC Israel 2019 (Nov 18-21) is Israel’s premier water technology and environment control conference. Its focus this year was “Water Stewardship and Innovation – driving global leadership in the responsible planning management, and protection of water”. https://watec-israel.com/

Monitoring and securing hydrants. One of the innovative Israeli companies exhibiting at WATEC Israel 2019 was Hydrantech. It has developed a smart device for fire hydrants that alerts authorities to leaks, water theft or malicious attempts to penetrate a water supply. It also supplies useful data on water usage.

More on the Dubai Robotics Olympiad-winning Israelis. Last week’s newsletter broke the news of the Israeli team winning silver at the FIRST Global Challenge in Dubai. The team comprised students from Megiddo Regional High School in northern Israel. On returning, they showed their robot to the Prime Minister.

Amos-17 reaches operational orbit. The launch of Israeli communications satellite Amos-17 was reported here previously (20th Aug). It has successfully completed systems testing and reached its designated orbit point in space. Its owners Spacecom plan to begin commercial operations to Africa in the coming days.

Communicating on all frequencies. As reported previously, (7th July) the first cubesat satellite from Israel’s NSLComm was launched into orbit by a Soyuz rocket. CEO Raz Itzhaki says that NSLSat-1 is communicating at all frequencies: UHV, VHF, S-band and Ka-band. Improvements to the next two cubesats are in production.

Robots to inspect industrial machinery. Israel-based Kitov Systems develops artificial intelligence-based solutions to train robots for visual inspection of manufactured products. It has just signed an agreement with Japan’s Denso Corporation to install Kitov’s technology in over 100 of Denso’s auto mobility systems.

Smart traffic light timing. Israeli startup Axilion develops smart traffic light timing software capable of distinguishing between different kinds of vehicles and prioritizing public transportation. The technology is currently being used in Jerusalem to prioritize the city’s light rail. Axilion has just raised $6 million of funds.

Eco-friendly weed-killer wins $250,000. Israel’s WeedOUT has developed a unique formulation of weed pollen that makes weeds infertile. It eradicates weeds that have developed resistance to chemical hernicides. WeedOUT won Agrivest 2018 and now Radicle Challenge Israel with its $250,000 investment award.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Third quarter growth exceeds forecasts. Israel’s GDP grew at 4.1% in the third quarter of 2019, far in excess of the market's 2.6-2.8% expectations, according to an initial estimate published by the Central Bureau of Statistics. The unexpected result indicates that economic growth is stronger than most analysts believed.

Another solution to hi-tech worker shortage. Most newsletter readers will know that Israel has vacancies for many thousands of hi-tech workers. It has computer training programs for Haredim, Israeli Arabs and even African migrants and Palestinian Arabs. Now it is seeking retirees who want to get back into the workforce.

Promoting tech innovation in Haifa. The Israel Innovation Authority (IIA), has selected the ILAB group including JVP and Mellanox to promote tech innovation in Haifa. ILAB will receive $25 million which it will match. ILAB will support 150 startups focusing on digital health, energy, environment and smart mobility.

Michigan State wants to buy Israeli tech. US State of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, visiting Israel, signed an agreement with Israeli Nonprofit Start Up-Nation Central to pinpoint Israeli technology that can boost the quality of life for Michigan’s citizens. Governor Whitmer also attended Israel’s WATEC conference.

BA upgrades Tel Aviv-London route. British Airways has crowned Tel Aviv as one of the most popular vacation destinations for 2020. It has also inaugurated a new aircraft, the Airbus a350-1000, on the Tel Aviv-London route. The Tel-Aviv London route is one of the first to use the new plane on a daily basis.

Business is an Adventure. Virgin Atlantic and Calcalist organized the recent “Business Is an Adventure” conference in Tel Aviv. Eco-friendly ECOncrete (see here) won the “Pitch to Rich” event to Richard Branson and a trip to London plus the opportunity to join Virgin’s startup accelerator.

More orders for electric planes. (TY Hazel) Israel-based electric-plane startup Eviation Aircraft (reported here recently) has signed up two more US customers for its pioneering commuter aircraft, taking the orders for “Alice” to more than 150 planes. Eviation’s CEO spoke at Israel’s “Business is an Adventure” conference.

Helping banks prevent fraud. As reported previously, (see here) Israel’s BioCatch is used to prevent fraud by top UK bank Nat West and seven tier-one banks in Brazil, Chile, Columbia and Mexico. This WSJ article reveals that the Royal Bank of Scotland also uses BioCatch’s behavior analysis to stop fraud.

A million new potential crowdfunding customers. Israeli venture capital crowdfunding platform OurCrowd is partnering with US investment bank Stifel Financial Corp.  OurCrowd will offer crowdfunding opportunities to Stifel’s one million clients. Stifel will provide investment services to OurCrowd portfolio companies.

ECI Telecom exits for around $455 million. US-based Ribbon Communications is to acquire Israel-based telecommunications equipment supplier ECI Telecom for $324 million in cash plus shares worth another $130 million. ECI was founded in 1961.  https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3773770,00.html

Frog becomes a Prince. Israel’s Netanya-based software startup JFrog has been reported (here) several times, but not when it raised $165 million last year. That transaction valued the company at $1 billion to award it the financial term “Unicorn”.

One of Israel’s biggest cheerleaders. Excellent bio and interview of Jon Medved – Founder and CEO of Israeli crowdfunding platform OurCrowd. He reveals that Israel is almost neck and neck with China in terms of an absolute number of AI (Artificial Intelligent) startups.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Digitizing 120,000 books. The “People of the Book” are aptly named. The National Library of Israel is working with Google to digitize 120,000 books from its extensive collection of Jewish texts and upload them to the internet for public use. 20,000 rare and fragile books will be scanned in-house, the rest in Germany.

New Israeli stamps. (TY Jacob Richman) New Israeli stamps issued in November feature Israeli-invented board games Rummikub and Taki, Ethiopian-Israeli Jews’ Sigd festival and Weizmann Institute’s 70th anniversary https://jr.co.il/stamps/index-2019.html

Fifty baby fawns. (TY Janglo) Jerusalem Valley Gazelle Park celebrated the birth of its 50th fawn. It was only just over two years ago (see here) when the herd tripled in size to twenty.

Things to do in Israel in December. December 2019 in Israel offers a great selection of events and festivals for all tastes, ranging from major cultural festivals to folk music festivals, and from comedy tours, to concerts.

“Hello” what happened to Lionel?  I was wondering if reports of Lionel Richie coming to Israel were “Truly” accurate (see here), until I received notification from my local AACI organization that they were selling tickets for his 2nd March concert.  Now, I’ll be crying “All Night Long”, because I’ll be in the UK that evening!

Soccer stars arrive. Terrorist rockets and threats didn’t deter the Polish soccer team from playing their Euro 2020 qualification match in Israel last week. The were rewarded with a victory.  And then the Argentinian national team (including Lionel Messi) played an international friendly match against Uruguay in Tel Aviv.

Israeli wins ju-jitsu gold in Abu Dhabi. Israeli 17-year-old Israeli Alon Leviev won gold in the junior under 55kg category at the Ju-jitsu World Championship in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates. The Israeli national anthem Hatikvah was played and the Israeli flag was displayed.

Israelis win 14 medals at Euro Thai boxing championships. Israelis took home an astounding 14 medals, (4 of them gold) from the International Federation of Muaythai (Thai boxing) Amateur (IFMA)-EMF European Championships, in Minsk, Belarus. It included medals for the three Gordon brothers from Shiloh.


THE JEWISH STATE

US and Israeli firefighters work side-by-side. The U.S. Emergency Volunteer Project (EVP) trains U.S. firefighters and medical personnel, and then deploys them to Israel in times of need. The firefighters came to Israel in anticipation of high winds and dry conditions. When rockets from Gaza landed, they set to work.

IDF soldier meets Canadian he saved. In 2016 in the middle of his IDF service, Eitan went to donate his stem cells. Israeli NGO Ezer Mizion found he was a match for Jack in Toronto who was dying from bone marrow cancer. His donated cells saved Jack’s life. 3 years later Eitan flew to Toronto to meet Jack.

Better access to Cave of Patriarchs. (TY Janglo) The Cave of the Patriarchs (Machpelah), burial place to Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rebecca and Jacob & Leah is to be made accessible to those who cannot climb the steps to the religious site revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims. Also, there was a free shuttle during Sukkot.

The Dead Sea is coming to life. (TY Ron) An amazing effect of the contraction of the Dead Sea is that freshwater sink holes have appeared. These have sprouted lush vegetation, attracted birds and even fish. “Water flows east into the Dead Sea. Fishermen will spread their nets to catch fish.”

A winning couple. (TY Janglo) Azriel Shilat won the International Bible Quiz for Youth on Independence Day 2018 after a tie-breaking round with Oriah Cohen. The 17-year-old finalists remained friends afterwards and last month Azriel “popped” the ultimate question to Oriah.  They are now engaged to be married.

A heart attack is no longer a lottery. (TY Janglo) Mifal HaPais (the Israeli National Lottery) has invested NIS 5 million to install defibrillators at 600 lottery booths across Israel. They will be wirelessly connected to the Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency service in a bid to cut the incidences of death due to cardiac arrest.


191117
In the 17th Nov 19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         A new Israeli treatment successfully protected six severely ill sepsis patients.
·         An Israeli emergency paramedic delivered 3 babies in 48 hours.
·         Israeli heart surgeons saved 80 children from Gaza, Iraq & Syria.
·         An Israel-designed solar generator is going to the International Space Station.
·         Israeli scientists have a solution for wastewater formaldehyde contamination.
·         You can now book direct flights from Chicago to Tel Aviv.
·         Israel’s beautiful Hula Valley now has a hi-tech visitor center.
·         Rockets don’t stop Israeli weddings.

·         Click here to see the 10th November newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours (with a wonderful intro), Janglo and United With Israel.  Also (TY Sandra) in German and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please pass on the following 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 15,000 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

Good results in sepsis treatment trial. As reported previously (see here) Israel’s Enlivex Therapeutics has developed Allocetra which rebalances the immune system. Allocetra was given to six patients suffering from severe sepsis at Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem. All survived.

Amazing medical innovations.  Great video by Naftali Hananya about Israeli medical innovations previously reported in this newsletter. It highlights nano eye drops to restore vision (see here); Savicell’s lung cancer test (see here); the multiple myeloma treatment XPOVIO (see here); and Relivion’s migraine headset (see here);

Teva launches anti-cancer treatment. Israel’s Teva is launching Truxima, a biosimilar for Rituxan - Roche’s oncology treatment. It is initially targeted at non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma patients but also could treat rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions.

Early diagnosis of autism. Professor Ilan Dinstein of Israel’s Ben Gurion University has developed a method of detecting children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from the early age of 18 months. He tracks eye-movements of children watching films. ASD children have significantly more idiosyncratic gaze patterns.

Another discovery about memory. Researchers from Ben-Gurion University working with Spanish scientists have discovered that single-cell organisms such as amoebas are capable of developing memory capabilities. The breakthrough could help treat patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Seven joint UK-Israel medical projects. The British-Israel research organization BIRAX is granting funds of £2.8 million to seven, new, three-year bilateral scientific research projects in the field of ageing. These focus on vascular, brain and eye diseases, plus diabetes and involve precision medicine and Artificial Intelligence.  

Sheba’s Innovation Center. (TY Stuart) Israel’s Sheba Medical Center has launched its ARC Innovation Center, with world-class medics plus top technology experts developing new approaches for treatment and rehabilitation. It is the first hospital in the world to provide a virtual reality rehab facility.

The robot will see you now.  Israeli startup Diagnostic Robotics has developed an Artificial Intelligent Emergency Room triage robot that assesses the urgency of each patient to determine their priority in seeing a human doctor. The robot also provides the doctor with a preliminary diagnosis and recommendations.

Volunteer paramedic delivers 3 babies in 48 hours. Israel’s Issachar Weiss is a volunteer paramedic for Magen David Adom in the Tel Aviv area. He delivered one baby at 4:30am Sunday in Givatayim, another at 5am Monday in Bnei Brak and a third at 5pm Monday in Hatikvah Tel Aviv. It may be a new record.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Playschool for 3,000 on Gaza periphery. Just before Islamic Jihad began firing rockets against Israel, the Eshkol Regional Council bordering Gaza broke ground on a new safe playschool and learning center. Thanks to JNF USA and philanthropist Pastor Jentezen Franklin, it will serve more than 3,000 children from the region.

A Druze Arab Sheikh speaks out. (TY Avi) Druze Sheikh Salim Abu Salah tells of his hopes for the future.

Israeli Arabs are flourishing.  (TY Hazel) Incredible article in Haaretz. Since 2007 Israeli-Arabs in high-tech increased 18-fold. Arab civil servants doubled to 11.3%. 15% of Israeli doctors are Arab. Israeli-Arab schools are receiving unprecedented levels of funding. And a third of new students at Israel’s Technion are Arab.

Israel helps diabetics everywhere. This video for World Diabetes Day on 14th Nov, features 4 Israeli innovations for diabetics. It includes the online site Sehatuna (Arabic for “our health”) where Israel’s Sheba Medical Center provides diabetes advice to patients across the Middle East including Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt.

Fixing children’s hearts despite no diplomatic relations. (TY Hazel) Doctors at the Edmond J. Safra International Congenital Heart Center at Sheba hospital have repaired the hearts of some 80 children from Gaza, Syria and Iraq during the past year. They were brought to Israel by Christian organization Shevet Achim.

Israelis win robotics medal and friends in Dubai. Israeli students won a silver medal at the First Global Challenge Robotics Olympiad in Dubai. Of the 191 countries competing, Israel finished the preliminary stages with the highest points ranking. It also won a special prize for its extraordinary assistance to other groups.

Israel & USA conduct cyber defense exercise. The IDF and US Cyber Command recently held their fourth Cyberdome exercise, preparing for attacks from hackers threatening the national security of both countries. The event constitutes part of the strategic partnership in cyber-security defense between Israel and the US.

Water from the air to Uzbekistan. (TY Hazel) Israel’s Watergen has signed a deal to provide thousands of its Gen-M atmospheric water generators to towns and cities facing water shortages in Uzbekistan. Each generator can make as much as 800 liters of water per day from moisture in the air.

South African President praises Israel. South Africa’s new President, Cyril Ramaphosa, recently expressed hope that his nation can emulate Israel’s approach to economics and technology. He saw Israel as a shining beacon of progress, incentivizing its citizens to innovate and create through special “challenge funds.”


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Israeli solar power for space station. (TY INN) NASA is set to send a prototype of an Israeli-developed miniaturized solar-power generator to the International Space Station. Designed by scientists at Ben Gurion University, it has been hailed as a “major step forward for commercial space missions”

Government tech investment. Israel’s Innovation Authority (III) is to pay up to NIS 2 million per year over 3 years to multinationals and Israeli startups to develop and implement specialized Artificial Intelligence (AI) training programs. It will also pay up to NIS 15 million to local institutional investors to recruit tech specialists.

Matching technology with art. TechnoArt is an Israeli Venture Capital fund and incubator. It set up a $5 million micro-fund and startup accelerator in 2015 that has launched Israeli startups Playit (event production) and Markers (connects advertisers with artists). It now aims to raise a further $75 million.

Fifty years of Technion Computer Science. Thousands of alumni celebrated the 50th anniversary of Israel Technion’s Computer Science faculty. Its scientists have invented the Zip compression algorithm, 3D camera technology, AI and computer learning innovations, cyber security protection and much more.

Thousands attend Tel Aviv next-generation drone event. (TY I24 News & UWI) Israel recently hosted the annual International Conference on Unmanned Vehicles. It attracted international leaders in the field to see Israel’s cutting-edge drone technology.  And Israel’s Skylock has just sold an anti-drone system to Thailand.

Vegan honey. Students at Israel’s Technion Institute have developed synthetic honey that has never been near a bee. They manipulated the bacterium Bacillus subtilis in the lab to produce the same enzymes that occur in the bee’s stomach. Their innovation won gold at MIT’s international iGEM competition for synthetic biology.

Hydrogen is the fuel of the future. As reported previously (1st Oct) Israeli startup H2PRO extracts Hydrogen from water to generate a cheap, non-polluting fuel.  A spin-off from Israel’s Technion, one of H2PRO’s main investors is Hyundai Motors. Here is H2PRO’s latest video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP66wj1zdpY

Jerusalem R&D center for auto brake company. Rassini, a leading manufacturer of braking systems for GM, Ford, Toyota etc. is opening a research center at the Jerusalem College of Technology (JCT). Its aim is to help formulate future strategy. Rassini’s CEO said, “Israel is known as an epicenter for research and development”.

Constant checks for cybersecurity weaknesses. Israeli startup Pcysys develops cybersecurity software that enables enterprises to continuously test their network to detect security vulnerabilities. Automatic and self-learning, Pcysys has just raised $10 million of funds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjK5HQV_IV0

Removing formaldehyde pollution. Cancer-causing formaldehyde is released in many industrial processes. Scientists from Israel’s Technion have developed a new process to purify formaldehyde contamination in wastewater. It combines an innovative absorbent clay with resistant bacteria discovered in the Negev desert.

Another award for deep learning chip. (TY OurCrowd) As reported previously (see here) Israel’s Hailo manufactures microprocessors designed to run AI applications. Having won a Red Herring award in June, it has now been recognized as a CES 2020 Innovation Awards Honoree.

Three promising “upstart” startups.  There are 3 Israeli cybersecurity companies in “Upstart 100”, an annual list of 100 promising startups to watch by US business TV channel CNBC. Cheq uses AI to detect Ad fraud; Cylus protects railways (see here); and Silverfort develops agentless multifactor authentication.

Walking the dog – on a bike. (TY Ronnie) Israeli startup Malabi was founded by dog owners who happen to be Engineers. Their quality dog exercise equipment includes the innovative EasyRide – a dog biking leash that is safer for cyclists and more enjoyable for their dogs.  Note the scenes from dog-friendly Tel Aviv.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

It’s getting easier. Israel leapt 14 places to number 35 in the annual World Bank survey of the ease of doing business in 200 countries. Israel even beat Switzerland in the process.

State of Arizona opens Israeli trade office. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has announced the opening of a trade and investment office in Tel Aviv. Trade between Arizona and Israel totaled more than $460 million in 2018 – double that in 2010. Governor Ducey led the first ever Arizona trade mission to Israel in 2015.

Direct flights to/from Chicago. El Al has announced the launch of nonstop flights between Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion and Chicago’s O’Hare Airports from 22nd March 2020. The service will operate three times a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) flying passengers on a 282-seat Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

Amazon launches in Hebrew. On-line giant sales company Amazon has launched a new Hebrew-language interface. It comes with a limited time offer of free shipping to Israel for some 50 million “eligible items”.

Keeping more drivers alert. As reported previously (see here), Israel’s Eyesight Technologies is helping SEAT, LG Electronics, Samsung and Exsun keep drivers’ eyes on the road. Eyesight has just won a $15 million order to integrate its DriverSense software into two new car models of a “well known” US car manufacturer.

Crossix exits for $430 million. Israel’s Crossix Solutions provides data analytical marketing tools for the top 25 pharmaceutical companies. Its Safemine product helps healthcare companies plan, target and measure their marketing campaigns. Crossix has just been acquired by New York-based Veera Systems for $430 million.

Riskified becomes a Unicorn. Israeli fraud detection startup Riskified was reported here briefly previously (Feb 2016). It has just raised $165 million, valuing the company at over $1 billion. Riskified’s 2018 revenue surpassed $100 million and it is preparing to open offices in Shanghai to add to those in Tel Aviv and NYC.

Supporting farmers in 20 countries. (TY Hazel) Since Israel’s Agritask was last reported here (Jan 2017) it was improving farming efficiency in seven countries. That has now almost tripled to 20 and Agritask has just raised $8.5 million of funds to continue its expansion.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

More from the Jerusalem Biennale. (TY Sharon) As reported previously (16th Oct) the Jerusalem Biennale (“For Heaven’s Sake”) continues until 28 Nov. Here are some of the 17 murals painted by International street artists. Unlike other exhibitions, the art will be permanently displayed, leaving a lasting impression on the city.

Jerusalem – one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Flight Network included Jerusalem in its report of the World’s 50 most beautiful cities. The guide was compiled by more than 1000 international travel writers, travel bloggers and travel agencies. https://www.flightnetwork.com/blog/worlds-most-beautiful-cities-jerusalem/

UK newspaper recommends Tel Aviv. (TY Hazel) The UK Telegraph wrote a feature article recommending Tel Aviv “Why this Mediterranean city should be your next destination for winter sun”. It highlighted its marvelous coastline, a growing crop of culinary hotspots and a dynamic and buzzing nightlife scene.

Why not the whole country? (TY Hazel) Condé Nast Traveler ranked Israel 15th in “Top 20 Countries in the World: Readers’ Choice Awards 2019,” Four Jerusalem hotels appear in the “Top 15 Hotels in the Middle East”. Some 600,000 readers submitted comments for the 2019 awards.

Hi-tech visitor center opens in Hula Valley. Former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper opened the Stephen J. Harper KKL-JNF Hula Valley Visitor and Education Center in Northern Galilee. It features the latest virtual reality, multimedia and interactive exhibits on bird migration and the restored Hula Valley marshlands.

Zero One. (TY Sharon) “Zero.One” (27-28 Nov) is a Digital Art Festival in Jerusalem which explores the connection between human artistry and technology. It centers on the connection between light and shadow, between past and future, between actual and virtual. The Tower of David will be covered in lights from 7pm.

Iron Maiden to perform in Israel. Heavy metal giants Iron Maiden have confirmed their first concert in Israel in 25 years will be at Tel Aviv’s Bloomfield Stadium on May 30th, with Israeli heavy metal band Orphaned Land opening the show. Iron Maiden has sold over 100 million albums and played over 2,000 concerts.

Jerusalem to host Euro U18 Athletics Championships. The European Athletic Association has chosen Jerusalem as the venue of the 2022 Under 18 European Championships for light athletics. Jerusalem’s Deputy Mayor said it was an expression of confidence and support from European countries in the status of Jerusalem.

Record breaking marathon runner loves Jerusalem. UK’s Nick Butter has just completed a marathon in every country in the world. Due to concerns, he left Israel almost until last. However, Israel’s Daniel Pearlman (originally from the UK) helped organize Nick’s Jerusalem run and Nick was delighted with the experience.


THE JEWISH STATE

30 orphans celebrate Bat and Bar Mitzvot with Israeli President. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin hosted 30 children celebrating their Bat / Bar Mitzvah. All 30 had lost a parent who had been serving in the IDF. The President noted that they had grown up much quicker and that their event was celebrated by the whole country.

Nurse saved by stem cell donor. It’s personal stories that illustrate the amazing impact of Israeli bone marrow database organization Ezer Mizion. In this case, a medic finds herself on the receiving end of medical attention.

Don’t stop the weddings. Israel couples in Southern Israel continued with their weddings, despite rocket fire from Gaza terrorists. One even took place in a bomb shelter. And when Eurovision 2018 winner Netta Barzelai saw on TV that Efrat and Eliran were downsizing their Beersheba wedding, she rushed over to entertain them.


191110
In the 10th Nov 19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         Israeli scientists have identified the gene that causes deadly heart rhythm problems.
·         A blind Israeli woman is serving in the Israeli Air Force.
·         5000 Tanzanians have clean water thanks to an Israeli boy’s Bar Mitzva present.
·         An Israeli radiation protection vest has begun NASA space trials.
·         Skoda, Jaguar Land-Rover and Porsche announced new Israeli partnerships.
·         Israel has a new world champion kickboxer.
·         15,000 Israelis have helped excavate an ancient Jewish village in the Galilee.

·         Click here to see the 27th October newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours, Janglo and United With Israel with extra feature on Culture  Also (TY Sandra) in German and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please pass on the following 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 15,000 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

US approval for H. pylori treatment. The US FDA has given approval for Israel’s Redhill Biopharma to market its RHB-105 (Talicia) treatment for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). It follows successful Phase 3 trials, as reported (here) previously. H. pylori affects some 2 million US patients.

Turning mosquitos against themselves. As reported previously (see here) there are several Israeli innovations developed to help reduce numbers of disease infecting mosquitos. Now Ben Gurion University scientists have discovered and activated bacteria in the male mosquito that is poisonous only to mosquito larvae.

Genetic cause of atrial fibrillation. Scientists at Ben Gurion University have found that common (mostly night-time) atrial fibrillation (heart rhythm problems) is caused by a mutation in a gene (KCND2). They are now developing an anti-arrhythmia medication, based on their findings. It could save 200,000 lives each year.

Detecting and treating prostate cancer. For Men’s Health Awareness Month, here are 7 Israeli startups focused on detection and treatment of prostate cancer. Two have not been reported here previously. They are Keren Medical’s anastomosis device for bladder operations; and UC-Care’s ultrasound tumor tracking tools.

Relieving pain for pancreatic cancer patients. (TY WIN & I24 News) Doctors at Israel’s Sheba Medical Center have managed to substantially reduce the pain suffered by cancer patients. Radiation is targeted at a nerve behind the pancreas. After 3 weeks, the patient is strong enough to embark on further cancer treatment.

The first medical school in Samaria is open. Seventy students were accepted into the first class of the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson School of Medicine at Ariel University. It is the sixth medical school in Israel and the first in Samaria. US Ambassador David Friedman gave the traditional Hebrew ‘Shecheyanu’ blessing.  

Sheba hospital – the Cyprus connection. Several newsletter articles (see here) highlight the humanitarian work done at Israel’s Sheba medical center in Tel Hashomer on behalf of citizens of Cyprus. Another example here is when a Cypriot police officer was shot in the spine and airlifted to Sheba for successful treatment.

NATO recognizes Israel as key medical assistance partner. NATO has recognized the Israeli Navy as a key medical-assistance partner in the Mediterranean following a drill held last month practicing emergency evacuations of personnel. “Crystal Sea 2020” involved the United Kingdom, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Blindness not a barrier for IDF officer. Ori was born blind, but that didn’t stop her from fulfilling her dream of serving in the Israel Defense Forces. She overcame all odds and drafted into the Israeli Air Force. After 18 months’ service, Lt. Ori was awarded a medal of excellence.

Female Chief Intelligence Officer. Major General “N” is the first female officer in IDF history to lead an intelligence division at a command level. IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi appointed her as Chief Intelligence Officer for the IDF regional command.

IDF soldiers save Arab woman injured in car accident. (TY TPS) An Arab woman was hit by a car driven by a Palestinian Arab in the Jordan Valley. IDF soldiers rushed to the scene, gave her initial treatment and evacuated her by helicopter to the Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem for further medical treatment.

Miss Congeniality is an inspiration. Israel’s Noy Ben Artzi was chosen by her fellow 53 competitors to receive the title Miss Congeniality at the Miss Asia Pacific pageant held in the Philippines. She inspired five-year-old Filipino Angela Briana Alforque to dress as Miss Israel at her Manila school’s United Nations Day.

Ukraine to open Jerusalem innovation center. The Ukrainian government has announced that it will open an innovation and investment center in Jerusalem. “The office will be equivalent of a diplomatic office and be a part of the Ukrainian embassy in Israel,” said Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz.

Israeli chief of UN business intelligence. Natalia Nadal is the first Israeli to be elected to serve as the Chief of the United Nations’ enabling and outreach service. She will oversee the UN business intelligence operation, in charge of improving relations between the UN and the various companies it engages for products and services.

Water from the air for Colombia.  Christian Pastor Andrés Suárez is general manager of the Alliance Project with the State of Israel in Colombia. He has arranged for the installation of a WaterGen GEN-M atmospheric water generator in El Talento, Colombia to demonstrate its benefit to towns with no access to clean water.

How a 13-year-old Israeli brought water to 5000 people. Israeli NGO Innovation: Africa has released this latest video of Lev Ari – a 13-year-old Israeli boy with “attitude”. Lev relinquished his bar mitzva presents and instead raised $50,000 to bring solar power-generated clean water to the Tanzanian village of Sasajila.

Extending rescue operations worldwide. Israeli international mass disaster response agency ZAKA Search and Rescue is establishing bases in strategic cities in North and South America and the Caribbean. The UN-recognized organization’s missions include Haiti (2010), Nepal (2015), Guatemala and Pittsburgh (2018).

Israeli EMS model for Jersey City. (TY WIN) Israeli Emergency Medical Service United Hatzalah is working with Jersey City USA municipality to implement a 90-second volunteer emergency response service.

Israeli volunteers are still helping victims in Paradise. (TY UWI) As reported (see here) previously, Israeli NGO IsraAID helped victims of the fires that destroyed the Californian town of Paradise in Nov 2018. One year later, IsraAID volunteers are still there, providing trauma relief and other support to Israel’s American friends.

F35s join international exercise. The air forces from the United States, Greece and Italy have been training alongside Israeli pilots out of the Uvda airbase north of Eilat. It is the first international ‘Fifth Generation’ exercise held in Israel involving the latest F-35 advanced stealth aircraft.

Astronaut sees Israel from space and honors Israeli father. Jewish NASA astronaut Jessica Meir tweeted photos of Israel from the International Space Station. She then wrote about her Israeli surgeon father who was an inspiration to many in her immediate and extended family. See photos (TY Jacob Richman)


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

New fund to pay for fast internet. Israel’s Communications Ministry is setting up a fund to finance the deployment of fiber optic cables countrywide. Money will be given out via a tender process to telecom firms to install fiber optic cable to improve internet speeds in the Startup Nation.

Technology to help Skoda make engines. As reported previously (Jan 2016) Israeli startup Seebo’s tools and technology helps companies develop smart products. Now, Czech carmaker Skoda is to use Seebo’s AI-based software to optimize manufacturing processes on its engine production lines.

Super wine. (TY ILTV News) Scientists at Tel-Hai College in northern Israel have developed “super-wine,” an alcoholic beverage infused with nutritious organic supplements. Among super-wine’s ingredients is a substance called “resveratrol,” which is found in plants and is being hailed as a new “superfood.”

A multi-purpose robotic arm. On automated production lines, manufacturers use a different robotic arm for each stage of the process. Not anymore – scientists at Ben Gurion University have developed and patented a sophisticated algorithm that enables the design of one robotic arm that can grasp multiple objects.

Identifying which products can be 3D-printed. Israeli startup Castor develops 3D printing software that automatically scans a company’s parts catalog to identify parts that could be manufactured using a 3D printer. It results in fast-produced, lightweight parts that are ideal for the automotive and aviation industries.

Radiation vest blasts off. The innovative radiation protective vest made by Israel’s StemRad has been reported here several times. (see here) It has just been taken to the International Space Station (ISS) where it will start six months of tests.

Israeli tech reduces motorcycle insurance premiums. As reported previously (July 2018) the collision aversion technology from Israel’s Ride Vision protects motorcyclists. Now, Italian insurance company Sara Assicurazioni will offer Ride Vision’s visual alert system to motorcyclists it insures to reduce their premiums.

Making Chinese self-driving cars. Israeli-founded Mobileye (now part of Intel) is partnering with China’s electric car maker NIO to develop automated and autonomous vehicles. NIO will engineer and manufacture a “first of its kind” self-driving system designed by Mobileye and based on Mobileye’s EyeQ chip.  


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

More gas and oil. Estimates of the recent natural gas discovery by Energean in the Karish North field, reported (here) previously, have been upgraded by another 25 billion cubic meters (0.9 trillion cubic feet). The new estimate also includes 34 million barrels of light crude oil.

34 years of economic co-operation. More than 80 officials gathered at the US Department of State for the 34th US-Israel Joint Economic Development Group. They discussed risk management for foreign investments; women’s economic empowerment; quantum information science, artificial-intelligence research and more.

Education council grant inspires university entrepreneurs. The NIS 6 million from Israel’s Council of Higher Education to establish the Yazamut 360° center for entrepreneurship at Ben-Gurion University (see here) has led to 60 proposed new student startups. Nine of these have now signed formal business agreements.

Israel’s special sauce. Jon Medved, CEO of Israel’s OurCrowd, discusses the success of his crowdsourcing company and explains why he believes Israeli food tech companies to be a big investment opportunity. He also recommends Israeli startups that aim to transform traditional industries. 

Can I help you? Israeli startup Mmuze (pronounced “muse”) brings the advantages of a knowledgeable in-store representative to online retailers. Its artificial intelligence and NLU (Natural Language Understanding) generate a virtual shopping assistant, using text, voice, or chat (or a combination) on smartphone or desktop.

Helping “Americanize” Israeli products. (TY Nurit) Newsletter subscriber Nurit Greenger’s latest article describes the work of Fusion LA - the first Los-Angeles based education accelerator for Israeli startups. Its goal is to commercialize their products with investment, office space, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Tech for Jaguar-Land Rover. Jaguar Land-Rover is partnering with Israeli startup Fleetonomy to launch JLR’s new premium electric chauffeur service Havn. Fleetonomy’s AI fleet management mobility technology is behind the new up-market smartphone app ride request for a Jaguar I-PACE taxi.  https://www.ridehavn.com/

Porsche feels its way into Israel auto technology. As reported previously (see here) Israel’s Tactile Mobility develops software that allows cars to “feel” the road.  German car maker Porsche has made several Israeli investments (see here) and has now made another, leading a $9 million funding round into Tactile.

Isracard chairman is also a drone entrepreneur. As reported previously (24th Mar) Israel’s Tevel Aerobotics has developed an autonomous drone that can pick fruit. Tevel’s chairman Eyel Desheh is also chairman of Isracard, the credit card spinoff of Bank Hapoalim. This article explains both why and how he does both jobs.

ObeserveIT exits for $225 million. Israeli-founded cybersecurity company ObserveIT identifies insider cybersecurity threats. Nearly half of its 150 employees work at its Tel Aviv R&D center. It has just been taken over by US cybersecurity company Proofpoint Inc for $224 million – Proofpoint’s third Israeli acquisition.

InMode becomes a Unicorn. By now readers will know that a Unicorn in financial terms is a company worth over $1 billion. When Israel’s InMode Aesthetic Solutions was last reported here (10th Jun) it was close to launching on NASDAQ. It launched in August and its value has since soared to more than $1 billion.

Helping Europe sell to the Chinese. The online payment processing technology from Israel’s Credorax is licensed in all 32 European Union countries. Credorax has now partnered Chinese mobile payment services WeChat Pay, Alipay, and UnionPay, allowing European retailers to accept payments from Chinese customers.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Richard Branson haggles in the Jaffa flea market. Virgin Group Chairman Sir Richard Branson continued to enjoy his recent stopover in Israel. Having formally launched Virgin Atlantic’s new London to Tel Aviv direct service, he embarked on a business “venture” at Jaffa flea market to conduct some Middle Eastern negotiations.

Schug is global culinary trend of 2019. (TY UWI) The spicy Israeli condiment schug (or zhoug) has been named by Forbes magazine as the top global culinary trend of the year. The Yemeni hot sauce has experienced a 129% increase in social mentions in the US from 2017 to 2018.

Tel Aviv night race attracts 25,000 runners. (TY UWI) 25,000 Israelis flocked to Tel Aviv to take part in the annual 10 km (six mile) Tel Aviv Night Race – a road race that culminated in a dance party and pizza feast!

Gold and three silvers for Israeli kickboxers. Yulia Sachkov finished first in the Under 52kg class for K-1 style kickboxing at the world championships in Bosnia. Israelis Shir Cohen, Daniella Pashayev and Or Moshe won silver in their classes at the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations competition in Sarajevo.


THE JEWISH STATE

Zubin Mehta gave Israel his heart. Indian-born Zubin Mehta gave his final concert as musical director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. The blog article gives amazing examples of the maestro’s love for Israel.

Maccabees defend Israel on campus. The Maccabee Task Force launched in 2016 to counter anti-Israel attacks at six universities in North America. Today it is active at 80 US universities and is targeting at least 20 more US campuses plus 11 universities in six European countries.

Rebirth through Aliya. Aliya Day on 5th Nov triggers a personal reflection by Anna Krycer on the blessings of living in Israel. She highlights the independence of young children; 2400 active centenarians hosted by President Reuven Rivlin; the passion and diversity of its citizens, the amazing food and “only in Israel” events.

Thousands excavate ancient Jewish Galilee village. Over the past year, 15,000 Israelis have worked with the Israel Antiquities Authority to uncover the 1800-year-old Jewish Galilee village of Usha. Among the finds are ritual baths (mikvaot), oil and wine presses, plus evidence of the local manufacture of glass and iron tools.

“Footprints” of Joshua’s conquest of Canaan. (TY i24) Archaeologists have uncovered six “sandal-shaped” sites where the ancient Jewish tabernacle rested during the Joshua-led conquest of Canaan by the Children of Israel. Each contains a priestly “footprint” domain, a tabernacle/altar area and an amphitheater for the Israelites.


191027
In the 27th Oct 19 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         Israeli-invented leukemia treatment is being modified to treat other cancers.
·         Female students far outnumber male students at Israeli universities.
·         Israel is the place for wildlife on land, in the sea and in the air.
·         From Northern to Southern Israel, innovation is producing superb wines.
·         Tourism to Israel increased by a massive 44% in September.
·         Israel puts the fizz into home-bottled Pepsi products.
·         A record number of Israeli athletes have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.
·         Following a “shake-up”, Maccabi Tel Aviv won their first Euroleague basketball match.

·         Click here to see the 13th October newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours, Janglo, IsraPundit and United With Israel with extra feature on Tech (with 3,600 shares).  Also (TY Sandra) in German and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please pass on the following 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 15,000 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

Leukemia treatment extends to solid tumors. (TY UWI) Tel Aviv University scientists have engineered the successful Israel-invented CAR-T cell therapy (see here) to also treat other cancers. They discovered a subset of immune system T cells (known as CD4+ T cells) will attract antibodies on solid tumors and destroy them.

Breakthrough in search for a vaccine against Ebola. (TY UWI) Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute working with researchers in Germany have identified two antibodies that are effective in stopping one species of the Ebola virus. Research is ongoing to developing a multi-species vaccine.

Another blood test for lung cancer. A team of Israeli (Weizmann Institute) and British scientists have devised a blood test that analyzes activity of three enzymes (OGG1, MPG and APE1) connected to DNA damage. They say it can “significantly improve current lung cancer risk prediction, assisting prevention and early detection.”

Good trial results for presbyopia treatment. (TY WIN) As reported previously (Sep 2018) Israel’s Orasis has developed CSF-1 (eye drops) to treat presbyopia – age-related far-sightedness. Results of Phase 2b trials of CSF-1 showed “significant improvement”, together with “exceptional safety and tolerability”.

The signature of cancer cells. Researchers at Israel’s Technion Institute have used artificial intelligence and big data to decode the unique signatures of certain cancer cells. The resulting technology – dubbed a “computerized pathologist” –could significantly boost development of personalized cancer treatments.

Israeli cancer survival rates rise significantly. Five-year survival rates for Israelis (Jews & Arabs) diagnosed with all types of invasive cancers have increased significantly over the last decade. For example, of Jewish women diagnosed in 1996 only 63% survived five years or more. From 2011 this rose to 71%.

New Israeli record for blood donations. (TY UWI) Israelis donated 1,567units of blood in one day at the Magen David Adom station at the Samaria Regional Division. They broke the previous Israeli record of 740 units in a 2014 Tel Aviv session. Donors included residents and soldiers from the IDF’s Samaria Division.

Closing openings in Panama. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Gordian Surgical is to provide thousands of its TroClose1200 access-closure systems to public hospitals in Panama. Gordian’s distributor PanaFarma won the tender to supply the post-operation surgical closure system (see here) to Panama's social security hospitals.

What the microbiome has taught us. Dr Elan Elinav and Prof Elan Segal of Israel’s Weizmann Institute have made many medical discoveries from microbiome (gut bacteria) research. They include artificial sweeteners’ link to obesity / diabetes and gut microbes’ impact on ALS. There are 40 scientists in their research lab.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Women are the majority at uni.   Of the 19,750 students studying at Ben Gurion University, 53% of them are women (up from 39% in 2013). Overall, nearly 60% of students at Israeli universities are women. Amongst Israeli-Arabs nearly 69% of students are women. https://in.bgu.ac.il/en/pages/news/majority_women.aspx

Peace in the Sukkah. Members of the Palestinian Arab delegation to the Bahrain Conference visited the sukkah of Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan to discuss an alternative path to the Oslo Accords.

Clean water for the Bahamas. Israel delivered portable drinking water stations to the Bahamas to aid victims of Hurricane Dorian. It was a combined effort by Israel’s MASHAV agency, the Israeli Embassy, the Prime Minister’s Office, the NGO IsraAID and Israel’s Water Authority.

Israel joins the European Social Survey. The European Social Survey (ESS) voted to make Israel the first non-European country to join the organization. The ESS is an academic cross-national scientific body that measures the attitudes, beliefs, and behavior patterns of diverse populations in more than 30 nations.

Israel attends Bahrain security conference. Dana Benvenisti-Gabay, the head of Israel’s Foreign Ministry’s regional security and counter-terrorism department, represented Israel at the Working Group on Maritime and Aviation Security conference in Manama, Bahrain.

From Startup Nation to Impact Nation. (TY Stuart) Aharon Aharon, CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority (IAA) spoke at the 2019 OurCrowd investor summit on how the Israeli government supports technological innovation addressing societal challenges, with the aim to turn the Startup Nation into the “Impact Nation”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puj4zOUO3Sg  Also see the https://socialimpactil.com/ website. 

The remarkable return of the ibex. The ibex are ancient wild goats that were domesticated thousands of years ago and dominated the Negev (e.g. Psalm 104:18). They were decimated by Bedouin hunters after WW1 - their resurgence due to the State of Israel banning hunting and managing nature reserves and ecosystems.

10 dolphins visit Netanya beach. A pod of some ten bottlenose dolphins was observed in the in the clear blue water of the Mediterranean, near Poleg Beach, south of the city of Netanya. Israel’s beaches have been designated as an important habitat for the internationally vulnerable species.

Flight school for injured birds. (TY Hazel) The Israeli Wildlife Hospital, operated by the Nature and Parks Authority and the Ramat Gan Safari Park, is building a new enclosure that will become a flight school for injured birds before they return to the wild. The hospital opened in 2005 and now treats 6,000 patients a year.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Arava solar power on target. (TY IsraPundit) The Arava region of Southern Israel (including Eilat) is on target by 2020 to be 100% powered by solar energy during daylight hours. And at $0.06 per kilowatt, the cost of solar energy is less than the cost of natural gas. The challenge now is to extend this to the whole of Israel.

A cyber PhD in Tulsa. The private research University of Tulsa in Oklahoma and Israeli cybersecurity foundry Team8 have partnered to a joint 4-year PhD program focusing on cyber research and development. The course will accept 10 students a year, funded by the University and Tulsa’s George Kaiser Family Foundation.

Brazil-Israel projects. Four projects involving companies from both Israel and Brazil will receive a total investment of $7.5 million from the countries’ innovation agencies. The projects involve crop substrates, thermal energy, power sensors and vehicle analytics.

An electric jetski. Tired of hauling a heavy regular fuel & oil jetski to the beach, Israeli Amir Shahar designed and produced an all-electric jetski. His Skivolt prototype runs on a lithium battery, reaches speeds of 70km/hour and fits into the boot of a standard car.  

New vegan baby formula. Israeli startup Else Nutrition develops an almond and buckwheat-based baby formula designed to serve as another alternative (see here) to the familiar cow milk and soy-based formulas.

Reducing food waste. To commemorate World Food Day on Oct 16, Calcalistech issued a summary of 10 Israeli companies working to tackle food waste. Most were reported here previously except Safe Foods (which uses hydrogen peroxide to extend the shelf-life of food) and Sufresca’s edible coatings that extend shelf life.

An ecologically friendly vineyard. The Galil Mountain Winery on Israel’s border with Lebanon requires no irrigation as the roots of the vine are very deep. Wastewater is treated and recycled. It uses solar energy for power, sustainable packaging and microbiology to generate healthy soil. It even has a green “living” roof.

The future of wine is very dry. In the last 15 years, 20 new wineries have been established in the Negev desert of Southern Israel. Techniques used to grow grapes in this dry climate include netting for shade, trellises so the vines are not exposed to the full sun, sensors for soil humidity, thermal cameras and (of course) drip irrigation.

Printing animal-free meat in outer space. Israel’s Aleph Farms recently produced cultivated slaughter-free beefsteak aboard the International Space Station.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-_Zy-arDb0

Israel’s “failed” Moonshot is a winner. Despite SpaceIL’s Beresheet lunar module crashing on the moon, the Israeli company was awarded a $1 million Google Lunar XPRIZE for its efforts. Beresheet is to be the model for the Firefly lunar lander, chosen by NASA. And the crash site is now on National Geographic’s Moon map.

Are you sitting comfortably? Israeli startup Seatback develops a device that helps users correct their posture and avoid other sitting-related side effects. Its 70 sensors are embedded in a chair and detects if the sitter slouches or sits asymmetrically. A gentle vibration alerts them to stand up or to change their sitting posture.

Predicting machine failures. There are several Israeli startups that can detect faults in machinery or predict when critical industrial equipment is likely to breakdown (e.g. Augury and 3DSignals). Another was Presenso, whose algorithms anticipate industrial machine failures. However, it has just been acquired by Sweden’s SKF.

An empathic robot responds to your call. Israeli startup Voca.ai develops automatic voice assistants for call centers using natural language and artificial intelligence. Robots handle most mundane calls, freeing up humans for the more complex scenarios (see video).  Voca.ai has just raised funds from American Express Ventures.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Israel at World Bank / IMF Conference. Israel’s Minister of Finance, Moshe Kahlon, and Bank of Israel Governor Prof. Amir Yaron, led the Israeli delegation to the annual World Bank and International Monetary Fund conference. There was much interest in Israeli cyber technology to protect international financial systems.

Bank of Israel governor wins US economics award. The governor of the Bank of Israel Amir Yaron has won the $100,000 biennial Stephen A. Ross Prize from the US Foundation for the Advancement of Research in Financial Economics. Mr Yaron co-authored an influential research paper on long-term asset pricing.

September tourism skyrockets. (TY WIN) Some 405,000 tourists visited Israel in September 2019, 44% more than in September 2018. Between January and September 2019, nearly 3.3 million tourist entries were recorded, compared to 2.9 million in the same period last year, an increase of 13%.

Virgin’s chairman arrives.  (TY WIN) Richard Branson kissed the ground on arriving at Ben Gurion Airport to formally launch Virgin Atlantic’s direct flights from London to Tel Aviv. In its first month, 14,000 people have flown Virgin to Israel. Branson praised Israel and said that more Virgin companies will launch in Israel.

ESPN uses Israeli tech to broadcast US sports. US cable sports channel ESPN is partnering Israeli automated video startup Pixellot to broadcast the America East Conference on ESPN’s digital platforms. With Pixellot’s multi-camera system, ESPN will show soccer, field hockey, lacrosse and volleyball games to new audiences.

Philippines buys Israeli-built jet. The Philippines new $38.7 million Gulfstream G280 Presidential plane was developed and manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries.  The Philippine government considers the plane “a necessary component of its modernization program” and not solely for use by President Duterte.           

Israeli insurer finds the best doctors. Israel’s Phoenix Insurance has partnered with Israel’s Air Doctor (see here) which locates recommended doctors for travelers to Europe and the Americas. The joint service has already helped Phoenix increase traveler's health insurance revenues and reduce medical visit claim costs. 

Next Insurance becomes a Unicorn. Israeli founded Next Insurance employs 85 people in Israel and over 100 in the U.S. It has just raised $250 million to push its valuation over the $1 billion mark and give it the financial status of a “Unicorn”. The funds will be used to grow its global team and the Israeli R&D center.

Sapiens acquires Spanish consultants. (TY Atid-EDI) Israeli insurance software company Sapiens (see here) employs over 2,500 people globally and is still growing. It has just taken over Madrid-based insurance consultants Calculo. The acquisition will help Sapiens enter the Spanish market.

Turning empty urban spaces into robotic delivery centers. Israeli-founded startup Fabric, incorporated as CommonSense Robotics, turns underutilized urban retail spaces into 1-hour delivery centers where robots store, sort, and process inventory. Fabric has just raised $110 million to expand its team in both Israel and the U.S.

Eco-friendly Pepsi and 7 Up. The first fruits of PepsiCo’s $3.2 billion purchase of Israel’s Sodastream are about to bubble through. Sodastream is to manufacture concentrates for 10 of PepsiCo’s most popular soft drink brands. The savings are mainly environmental - a reduction in the use of disposable plastic bottles.

Toyota likes new Israeli wheels.  As reported previously (14th July) Israel’s REE enables a vehicle’s drive components to be fully integrated into a wheel, known as a FlatFormer, improving stability, space and energy efficiency.  Toyota Group’s truck subsidiary Hino Motors is now using REE’s technology for its electric trucks.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Violins of Hope. Israeli master violinmaker Amnon Weinstein has restored more than 70 string instruments whose Jewish owners survived the Holocaust. Now eight from his collection “Violins of Hope” will be played by the Orchestre Métropolitain at a concert on 2nd Nov at the Maison Symphonique de Montréal in Canada.

Dance under fire. Liat Dror, artistic director at the award-winning Sderot Adama Dance Company, is staging a performance on the Gazan border to express Israel’s humanity in the face of living under constant attack.

The diverse Yemenite quarter of Tel Aviv. (TY UWI) Tel Aviv’s Kerem Hateimanim (Yemenite Vineyard) was founded by Jewish refugees fleeing Yemen over 100 years ago. It is now one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world according to Forbes travel magazine, yet it is still home to 50 synagogues.

New TV series features Israeli tech. A new TV show on Amazon Prime called The Tech Talk Show features innovative and emerging entrepreneurs from around the world.  Series One focuses on 50 Israeli startups.

Record Israeli Olympic team. Israel is sending its largest ever team to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. 85 athletes far exceed the 47 athletes at the 2016 Olympics. They qualified for baseball, rhythmic and artistic gymnastics, show jumping, cycling, sailing, and surfing. Judokas, swimmers and runners should join them.

Israel to compete in Tour de France.  Israeli cyclists will be competing in the 2020 Tour de France for the first time ever. It follows the Israeli cycling team’s inaugural entry in the high-profile Giro d’Italia that began in Jerusalem last year. Israel joined the Pro Continental ranks in 2017.


THE JEWISH STATE

They will all come to Jerusalem.  (TY Jacob Richman) The displays for Sukkot / Tabernacles next to the walls of Jerusalem included the Taj Mahal, the Eifel Tower, the Tower of Pisa, a Time Machine and much more. And (TY UWI) 5,000 Christians (including Egyptians) showed support for Israel by marching through Jerusalem.

Shake the lulav before the big game. Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball players waved the four species (palm branch, citron, myrtle and willow) during the Sukkot festival in a practice session before their Euroleague game against Red Star Belgrade. Maccabi then won 84-69 – their first victory in three matches.

Israeli President opens his sukkah. (TY Sharon) The theme of this year’s Open Sukkah at the Israeli President’s House was ‘Finding Treasures in the President’s Sukkah.’ In cooperation with the Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage, members of the public were able to enjoy a range of family-friendly activities.

Minister’s son finds 2000-year-old Jewish coin. Benjamin Elkin, 6-year-old son of the Jerusalem Affairs Minister, found a 2,000-yr-old coin in soil from the City of David's excavations. The coin inscribed "For the Liberty of Zion" was minted in Jerusalem by the Jews during the 66 - 70 CE Great Revolt against the Romans.

Great advert for Aliya. Please watch the Israeli Prime Minister’s unscripted speech, to the latest young visitors on the Taglit-Birthright program. It certainly boosted their enthusiasm for the Jewish State.


191013

·         First patient trials show new Israeli ALS treatment slows disease significantly.
·         Surgeons have used Israeli virtual reality system to treat thousands of patients.
·         Three typical Israeli examples of “extraordinary” life-saving events.
·         Israeli food tech innovations include meatless meat and egg-free eggs.
·         Israeli startups raised a billion dollars of funds last month.
·         The first arrival of a Virgin Atlantic plane in Tel Aviv.
·         Israeli conservation center is releasing 200 rare baby green turtles into the sea.
·         How to enjoy the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) in Israel.

·         Click here to see the 29th September newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours, Janglo, IsraPundit and United With Israel with extra features on Inclusive & Global (with 2,700 shares) and Medical (with 4,700 shares).  Also (TY Sandra) in German and (TY Zachy) in Hebrew. Please pass on the following links to German and Hebrew-reading contacts.  Also (TY Esty) please visit and “like” / “follow” the www.facebook.com/VerygoodnewsIL Facebook page.

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ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Positive results in human trial of ALS treatment. As reported (here) previously, the stem cell ALS therapy developed by Israel’s Kadimastem showed promise in the lab. Now, early results from human trials at Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem show that it has significantly slowed down disease progression without major side effects.

Helping doctors focus on treatment. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Maverick Medical AI has developed software for reading patient notes to analyze chronic conditions and risk factors. US Health Systems (USHS), in partnership with Arizona Complete Health, is to deploy Maverick’s software within its organization.

Predicting high-risk cardiac patients. (TY Atid-EDI) As reported (here) previously, the algorithms of Israel’s Medial EarlySign detect disease early. Its latest algorithm identifies cardiac patients with a high risk of complications after hospital discharge following a Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) procedure.

Blocking bone cancer in children. Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have had promising results in the lab with experimental treatments for Ewing sarcoma – a bone cancer common in teenagers with a specific defective gene. Mifepristone - a glucocorticoid receptor blocker - stopped the cancer spreading to other organs.

Another early warning of Alzheimer’s. As reported (here) previously, there are at least two signs of the early advance of Alzheimer’s disease. Now doctors at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center have developed Clara – an AI chatbot that questions the patient and compares the answers to a baseline. It is 95% accurate.

New blood center takes shape. Excellent article on the progress of the new blood center being constructed in Ramle.  It also describes why it is being built. Existing facilities are unprotected. And although they provide for Jews and all minorities, they were built for an Israeli population of 5 million – not the current 9 million citizens.

Revolution in the operating theater. (TY OurCrowd) As reported (here) previously, the Virtual Reality (VR) systems from Israel’s Surgical Theater are changing the nature of surgery. Now installed at 15 US hospitals, they have been used in thousands of life-saving operations.  https://www.foxla.com/video/607973

Defending Israel’s health. The Rosh Hashana edition of the newsletter from the American Friends of Soroka Medical Center describes how medical staff at the hospital have saved many lives. It also describes opening the new Autism center, building new departments, Friends events in NYC, 2020 mission to Israel and much more.

Renewing the cycle of life. Israel’s Bio-Technology General (BTG) develops therapies for reproductive health, endocrinology (growth hormones), orthopedic (knee lubricant), ophthalmology and arthritic pain relief. BTG has just inaugurated a new production line to enable expansion at its Be’er Tuvia site.

NYC symposium - Breaking the Barriers of Brain Science. Three of Israel’s top brain scientists from Ben Gurion University of the Negev will be presenting at a symposium in New York City on Sun 27th Oct. Their subjects - Processing Face Recognition, Combating Autism and Treating Head Trauma. Tickets just $18.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Medic saves a life while 9-months pregnant. Oshrat Mualem is vice president of marketing at Radio Kol Baramaha and a volunteer paramedic with Israel’s United Hatzalah. She is also 9 months pregnant, expecting her sixth child. But she never hesitated when she had to save a young man electrocuted in a swimming pool.

Paramedic chief saves life of Arab woman. (TY Janglo) Eli Beer, President of United Hatzalah, was at Ben Gurion Airport on route to a fundraising event in London. Suddenly an 80-year-old Arab woman collapsed. Eli began CPR and called in other paramedics. The woman was taken to hospital and Eli comforted her children.

Helping youth at risk. As reported previously (May 2017) Shanti House in Jaffa provides temporary housing and long-term support for young people living on the streets. This new ILTV video reports that Shanti House provides some 116,000 hot meals every year and has helped 54,000 at risk youths since it started in 1984.

Acre Kibbutz promotes co-existence. (TY Diana) Newsletter subscriber Diana Bletter writes about the Educators’ Kibbutz in the Northern Israel city of Acre. Its aim is to change Acre’s image from a “mixed city” to a “shared city”. Acre / Akko has 50,000 inhabitants, mostly Jews, plus Moslems, Christians and Druze.

Ancient city uncovered. The Israel Antiquities Authority have unearthed a vast city, around 5000 years old, the largest ever discovered in Israel. in the Ein Iron area of northern Hasharon. Some 6,000 inhabitants would have lived in the 650 dunam city, which was built on top of an earlier settlement of around 7,000 years old.

Most promising startups. New York research firm CB Insights chose four Israeli companies in its list of Most Promising Global firms in Digital Health. Aidoc, Zebra, HealthIQ and MDClone were selected from a pool of 5,000 companies based on patents, investors, market, partnerships, competitors, team strength and tech novelty.

Doctors fly to Cyprus to save woman in labor. Doctors from Israel’s Sheba hospital saved a woman from Nicosia who suffered a major heart problem during childbirth. Within 7 hours, four heart specialists brought specialist equipment to Cyprus, stabilized the patient and flew her back to Israel where she is now recovering.

Armenia to open embassy ASAP. (TY Atid-EDI) Reflecting close bilateral diplomatic ties, Armenia has announced that it will open an embassy in Israel “as quickly as possible” – probably by early 2020. It would be the 90th foreign embassy in Israel. Some 11,000 Armenian Christians are full Israeli citizens (see here).


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Israel’s tech miracle. (TY OurCrowd) On the Armstrong Williams show, Jon Medved of OurCrowd mentions several Israeli innovations and gives reasons for Israel’s technical and economic success. They include turning curses into blessings, education, skills learned in the army, diverse immigrants and chutzpah.

How Israel can save our planet. AgriVest 2019 on 24th Sep in Tel Aviv hosted more than 750 participants, speakers, panelists, presenting companies, and sponsors. Israeli startups demonstrated how to grow more crops and more food with less land, less water, and less energy.

Global firms get a taste of Israeli food tech. Delegates from multinationals such as PepsiCo, Danone and Mondelez (Cadbury Oreo, Toblerone etc.) attended Israel’s annual FoodTechIL in Tel Aviv. 50 Israeli startups exhibited latest technologies in the food sector (including protein alternatives) to some 1500 participants.

Vegan substitute for eggs. One of the Israeli startups exhibiting at Tel Aviv’s FoodTechIL was Zero Egg, with its plant-based alternative for eggs. It tastes, looks and functions like a real egg. It can be used to make omelets, “scrambled egg”, cakes, pasta and sauces without using eggs.

Saving male chicks from slaughter. Previous newsletters (see here) reported on Israel’s EggDetect and TeraEgg which developed technology to prevent the hatching of 8 billion unwanted male chicks. Now there’s another – eggXYt which uses ultrasound to detect a potential chick male immediately after the egg is laid.

Replacing sugar with protein. High sugar intake is a huge health issue. At FoodTechIL Israeli scientist Ilan Samish of startup Amai Proteins (see here) demonstrated his hyper-sweet synthesized thaumatin protein. He has now adapted the protein for sweetening food and drinks in the high temperatures required by the food industry.

Detecting allergens. Israeli startup Allerguard is developing a handheld device that scans and analyzes vapors from prepared food to determine the presence of allergens (e.g. peanuts). Electrochemical sensors detect non-safe molecular levels of allergens using three technologies. Allerguard has just raised $1.5 million of funds.

More meatless meat. Israeli startup MeaTech is developing technology for bioprinting meat using stem cells. It expects to achieve a viable prototype within a year. Meanwhile, MeaTech has merged with Israel’s Ophectra Real Estate & Investments. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3771407,00.html

Growing diamonds from methane. Israeli Benny Landa is the founder of Landa Digital Printing (see here).  His latest venture is Lusix, which makes quality diamonds of up to 3 carats from methane gas. His machines bond carbon atoms to a diamond seed at 5000 degrees C. The product is chemically identical to a mined gem.

Wind farm for Serbia. (TY Hazel) Israel’s Enlight Renewable Energy has inaugurated its new 104.5 MW wind farm in Kovačica, Serbia. It is Serbia’s largest wind farm and will supply electricity to 68,000 households.
As reported here previously (see here) Enlight has built wind farms in Ireland and in Israel’s Golan.

Intel likes fast Israeli connectivity. (TY Atid-EDI) The transceivers and active optical cables from Israel’s DustPhotonics enable super fast connections between servers in data centers. DustPhotonics has just received $25 million in a funding round led by Intel Capital.  https://dustphotonics.com/

EU funds for ransomware protection startup. Israeli cybersecurity startup Odix (registered as Operations & Data Integrity) has been awarded a 2 million euro grant from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. Odix’s technology disarms different malware, including ransomware.

Getting accurate feedback. (TY Atid-EDI) Israeli startup Dooblo provides mobile survey software for the market research industry. Its SurveyToGo product reduces the cost of paper-based surveys but vastly increases quality. Dooblo is used in over 100 countries and has just received an investment from California’s Anacapa.

Einstein in Shanghai.  "Albert Einstein: Life in Four Dimensions," by The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is currently showing at the World Expo Museum in Shanghai China. It includes handwritten documents, original pictures, personal objects and scientific theorems. The exhibition will move to Beijing at the end of October.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Over $1 billion raised in one month. (TY WIN & JNS) Israeli startups raised at least $1 billion of funds in Sep 2019 and are on track to beat last year’s record-breaking figure of $6.4 billion. The actual figure is even higher as some companies do not reveal investment data. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afs2noENzTA

US support for Israeli startups. (TY Nurit, Jacob & Jason) 18 Israeli bio-techs presented at an event in Beverly Hills, California.  They have all benefited from the Merage Institute Leadership Programs for Israeli Life Science executives and the Elite Entrepreneur Organization - a global network of entrepreneurs.

Innovation week brings Israelis to Silicon Valley. Israeli NGO ICON organized its sixth annual Innovation Week in Silicon Valley, California. It was attended by some 450 delegates from around the globe. Non-profit ICON bridges the Israeli and San Francisco tech startup communities.

Successful Israeli companies merge. Israeli content distributors Taboola (see here) and Outbrain (see here) make billions of dollars by attracting Internet users to the websites of large on-line companies. Now they realize that they can be even more successful by working together – so they are merging. From startups to grown-ups.

Moving into more cities. As reported previously (Jun 2016) Israel’s Moovit has integrated its public transit app into Uber’s ride-sharing app. The partnership has now been extended into 15 additional cities globally, including Paris and San Francisco. Moovit operates in 3,000 cities and has over 500 million users.

Virgin begins London - Tel Aviv flights. (TY Janglo) Virgin Atlantic’s maiden flight from London Heathrow landed at Tel Aviv on 25th Sep. It will provide competition on the popular London to Tel Aviv route with El Al and British Airways as well as with low cost airlines easyJet and Wizz which fly from London Luton.

Scientific dynamo. Fascinating bio of Israeli cancer expert and entrepreneur Dr Aya Jakobovits. Founded Adicet Bio in 2014 and is still a Director. Co-founded Kite in 2010, selling it for $12 billion (see here). Exec VP of Agensys ($0.5 billion exit in 2007). Principle scientist at Abgenix (exited for $2.2 billion in 2005).

Eximo exits for $46 million. As reported (here) previously, Israel’s Eximo has developed a laser-catheter for treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Eximo has just been acquired by US medical device company AngioDynamics for a minimum of $40 million. Development will continue in Israel.

Tesco to implement Israeli cashless checkout. After successful trials (as reported here), UK supermarket giant Tesco has decided to integrate the cashless checkout system from Israel’s Trigo. Tesco has invested funds in the Israeli startup, and will integrate Trigo’s technology into its app.

Unlocking trillions of debt. (TY Atid-EDI) As reported previously (Mar 2015) Israel’s FundBox lends money to small businesses who are struggling with their cash flow. The idea has caught on so much that FundBox has raised $326 million to enable its goal of releasing much of the $3.1 trillion locked up in accounts receivables.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Jerusalem biennale. At the Jerusalem Biennale for Contemporary Jewish Art (10th Oct – 28th Nov) 200 artists from 15 countries will display their works in 12 city center venues.  https://jerusalembiennale.org/

Jewish wedding contract designer wins global award. Israel’s Naomi Shiek of Woodland Papercuts designs beautiful, intricate paper ketubahs (Jewish wedding contracts). She was one of several winners of the very first international design awards by Etsy, the e-commerce site for handmade or vintage items and goods.

Hilarious solutions for everyday problems. Israel’s Shaul Cohen made around 50 unique “Israeli humor” objects as part of his degree course at Jerusalem’s Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design. They include unusual snow globes, a talking seashell and a candies slingshot for bar and bat mitzvah ceremonies.

Celine Dion heads for Israel. French-Canadian superstar Celine Dion will be making her Israel debut in Tel Aviv next summer. She is scheduled to perform on 4th August at Park Hayarkon as part of her Courage World Tour (named after her new album). She posted “See you soon Tel Aviv, Love, Celine” on her twitter page.

Windsurfer wins silver at world championships. Israel’s Katy Spychakov came second in the women’s RS:X Windsurfing World Championships on Lake Garda in Italy. It is the first Israeli medal at the global competition since 2014. https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-windsurfer-takes-silver-medal-at-world-championship/


THE JEWISH STATE

Reception for Ambassadors. (TY Sharon) Just before Rosh Hashana, Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin held a reception for the Ambassadors of all countries that have diplomatic relations with the Jewish State. Between the Ambassadors of Jordan and Egypt sat the President’s (Druze) Military Secretary Brig General Alaa Abu-Rukan.

Saving the green turtle. (TY Hazel) The World Wildlife Fund has designated green turtles as an endangered species. Israel began a breeding program in 2002 and the Israeli Sea Turtle Rescue Center at Mikhmoret beach has just released 60 of 200 hatchlings into the sea. In the coming years, this should increase to 1,000 per year

Torah and Technology. (TY Janglo) The Jerusalem College of Technology (JCT) has launched the first-of-its-kind Torah and Technology Research Center. With a unique combination of rabbinic scholars and engineering professors, it will provide the expertise needed to respond to today’s complex ethical and Halachic issues.

Re-building Jerusalem. (TY Janglo) The Jerusalem Municipality has approved part of the Kidmat Gonen Pinui Binui urban renewal plan in the Katamon neighborhood. It includes five high-rise apartment buildings, 998 affordable housing units, commercial areas, new public areas and upgraded public space.

The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). In Israel all you can hear is the sound of hammer against wood and metal as thousands of tabernacles (booths) are being assembled (e.g. the Kotel) for celebrating the Festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles). Here are some of the events and activities taking place in Israel during the seven-day festival.