240630
In the 30th Jun 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
· A huge Israeli flag is a defiant symbol of Israel resilience.
· Israeli scientists have developed technology for early detection of pancreatic cancer
· Israel is the best country for creative thinking, raising a family, and retiring.
· An Israeli spray makes fruit and vegetables even healthier.
· If you smash special Israeli glass, it can repair itself.
· Israeli elastic material aims to bounce higher.
· More Israeli medals at the European swimming championships.
· A major victory in the Six-Day War took place at the site of a Biblical miracle.
· Click here to see the 23rd Jun newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen, (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours, (TY Aviva) United With Israel, and (TY Ted Belman) IsraPundit. Also (TY Sandra) for translating it into German here, and Hebrew here, and with (TY) Claude into French here. Also (TY Barbara) into Spanish here. Please forward this newsletter to German-speaking, Spanish-speaking, French-speaking and Hebrew-speaking contacts. Also please visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/verygoodnewsIL.
· Please click here, to donate (a small or large amount) to help me publicize VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
· Click here to keyword SEARCH almost any topic in the IsraelActive archives (over 24,700 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, and the subject “Subscribe”) to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
Israel’s largest flag. (TY Yanky) 50 meters above Moshav Netiv HaAsara flies is probably the biggest flag in Israel at 17 meters wide and 12 meters tall. It is visible from Gaza, as a symbol of defiance to the Hamas terrorists who tried to overrun the Moshav on Oct 7. https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/hyuhfkwl0
CAM-supported volunteers honored. Members of the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) received Presidential Volunteer Medals in Jerusalem for helping those impacted by Oct 7. They included Yahaloma Zechut (Ofakim Resilience Center), Racheli Tadesa Malkai (Ethiopians), and Wahid Alhuzeil (Bedouins).
https://www.jns.org/herzog-honors-cam-supported-volunteers-for-post-oct-7-response/
Volunteers learn resilience. Some 100 US college students just completed the Jewish National Fund-USA’s “Alternative Break” week, supporting families in southern Israel impacted by the Oct 7 attacks. They repaired houses, worked on farms, and made food packages for IDF soldiers and admired the spirit of all the Israelis.
https://www.jns.org/wire/college-students-volunteer-in-israel-on-alternative-break/
Cooking for soldiers. (TY Yanky) Yehudit and a group of volunteers make Shabbat food for IDF soldiers. An online order mix-up resulted in a donation to pay for the food. She blogged the story and got more donations. Soldiers love it when she brings the food to the bases. They are hungry for home cooking.
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-jewish-mothers-way-to-the-soldiers-stomachs/
How does a comedian deal with Oct 7? (TY UWI) Israeli standup comedian Modi was flying to Paris on Oct 7 to perform to European audiences. In this interview on Israeli Internet TV channel I24 he relates how Jewish humor can give respite in times of crisis. (see also Seinfeld below)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5wMmT0yygo
IDF rescue tortured Gazan donkey. The IDF found a donkey in Gaza that had been tortured and tied up and released it. Earlier in the war, the IDF rescued dogs, cats and exotic birds (see here previously). They even took care of a neglected lion from a Gazan Zoo.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-idf-rescues-tortured-tied-up-donkey/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Taking research to heart. As cells age, they stop dividing. Our immune system removes them, but they build up as we age. Scientists say that all these “senescence cells” must be removed to prevent aging, but scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have discovered that those formed after heart injury are needed, to protect the heart.
https://www.israel21c.org/cellular-aging-mechanism-may-actually-heal-hearts/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44161-024-00493-1
Candida gets the blue-light treatment. Israel’s Zero Candida has developed a device to treat candidiasis – an infection that affects hundreds of millions of women per year worldwide. It uses high-energy blue light to destroy the fungus quickly and without side effects. The device has been patented in South Africa!
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/israeli-femtech-startup-patents-candida-treatment-in-south-africa/
Cancer immunotherapy clinical trials. Israel’s Biond Biologics (see here previously) has begun multi-center trials of BND-35. It is already trialing BND-22. Both are immunotherapy treatments for solid tumors.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/novel-cancer-immunotherapy-drug-given-to-first-patient-in-trial/
https://www.biondbio.com/clinical-trials/
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06274437?term=BND-35&rank=1
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04717375?term=BND-22&rank=1
Shining light on pancreatic cancer. Researchers at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to illuminate previously undetectable pancreatic tumors. They injected deuterium-enriched glucose into the bloodstream. The tumors eat the glucose and excrete lactate that MRIs can reveal.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/392102
Med-tech and fast response saves mother’s life. After giving birth to her second child in Israel, Nofer’s vital signs plummeted. Her midwife alerted emergency teams who found multiple blood clots and a heart defect. A cardiologist then used advanced ultrasound technology and minimally invasive surgery to save Nofer’s life.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-midwifes-quick-thinking-saves-mothers-life/
The youngest doctor? Doron (31) was only 25 years-old when he received a Ph.D. in mathematics from the Technion in 2018. Today he is a fourth-year Technion medical student and intends to combine his expertise in mathematics with medicine to help people with mental illness. As a child, Doron “operated” on his toy animals.
https://ats.org/our-impact/doron-elad-the-young-technion-scholar-on-a-mission-for-answers/
Kidney exchanges save lives. (TY Nevet) Israeli Ronit and a kidney transplant recipient in Czechia (Czech Republic) underwent a kidney exchange thanks to Israel’s National Transplant Center. Ronit’s friend Yair donated his kidney to the Czech recipient, whose wife donated her kidney to Ronit. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-804396
https://www.gov.il/en/departments/units/transplant_center/govil-landing-page
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Donations help extinguish fires. 30 crews of Israeli firefighters are battling fires in northern Israel caused by Hezbollah rockets using trucks donated by Jewish National Fund-USA. 10 more are using KKL-JNF trucks. Since 2006, JNF-USA has raised nearly $16 million for Israel’s firefighters and provided 200+ fire trucks.
https://www.jns.org/wire/jewish-national-fund-usa-fire-trucks-on-the-frontlines-in-israels-north/
Visa waiver agreement with Kosovo. Citizens of Kosovo and Israel will be able to visit the other nation without a visa following an agreement between the two governments. The visa waiver will go into effect in September. Kosovo is the first Muslim-majority country to establish an embassy in Jerusalem.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391757
Still supporting disaster victims. Despite the war, Israeli humanitarian teams are still aiding victims of disasters overseas. IsraAID volunteers are in Papua New Guinea following the deadly landslide (see here previously) and Israel’s SmartAID has sent a team to Brazil, where floods have affected 2.3 million Brazilians.
https://www.israel21c.org/israaid-sends-team-to-papua-smartaid-sends-help-to-brazil/
5 million lives. Israeli NGO Innovation: Africa, is celebrating a significant milestone. It has just opened the taps in the Nyamphanza Village in Zambia, bringing the number of people whose lives have been transformed with access to clean water, light and electricity since its inception in 2008 to more than 5 million people.
https://www.jns.org/wire/innovation-africa-marks-milestone-of-impacting-5m-lives/
The earliest shipwreck. (TY WIN) The oldest ship ever found in the deep sea has been discovered off Israel’s northern coast. The 3,300-year-old ship’s cargo included hundreds of intact ceramic jars (amphorae), used to transport oil, wine and other agricultural products. The finds will be displayed to the public in Jerusalem.
https://www.jns.org/shipwreck-found-off-israeli-coast-the-earliest-ever-discovered/
Creative thinkers. The OECD’s 2022 study into student creative thinking was published recently. Israeli students ranked 11th of the 63 countries. Those at Hebrew-speaking schools achieved even higher levels. The Palestinian Authority school system ranked 59th.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/oecd-study-shows-israeli-teens-excel-at-creative-thinking/
The highest birthrate in the OECD. A new Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development report shows Israel has the highest birthrate among the top 38 industrialized nations. Israel’s 2.9 is followed by Mexico and France at 1.8. South Korea has only 0.7. OECD birthrates have fallen 50% in the last 50 years.
https://www.jns.org/israel-tops-birth-rate-in-oecd/
The second-best country to retire to. (TY UWI) If you don’t fancy living in Iceland then Israel is the best country to relocate to when you retire. So says UK’s ConfidenceClub in its “Aging Gracefully Index,” of 39 countries, compiled after Oct 7. Its categories included health care, life expectancy, safety, and life satisfaction.
https://www.algemeiner.com/2024/06/17/israel-second-best-place-world-retire-new-study-finds/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Cracking the code – a better egg without the chicken. Brilliant article about Israel’s Eggmented Reality (see here previously). It describes why its vegan egg-alternative is better than its competitors. It then said that US-FDA approval and partnerships with food companies is a “kind of chicken and egg situation”! It cracked me up!
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/cracking-the-code-for-creating-a-better-egg-without-the-chicken/
Probiotics inside. Israel’s Wonder Veggies has found a way to make fruit and vegetables even healthier. They have developed a spray that infuses fresh produce with probiotics. The process protects the probiotics from stomach acids until they are released inside the microbiome of the intestines to generate “good bacteria”.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/probiotic-infused-fruit-and-vegetables-will-give-your-gut-a-boost/
https://www.foodbev.com/news/start-up-of-the-month-wonder-veggies/ https://wonderveggies.co/
Lower sugar fruit sorbets. Israel’s Better Juice (see here previously) has created sorbets with 50% – 70% less sugar than regular sorbet. Their calorific value is reduced by 40% and have a lower glycemic index. Other products such as ice cream, jams, and fruit roll-ups, are also in the pipeline.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/low-sugar-juice-startup-adapts-technology-for-fruit-sorbets/
Unmanned electric cargo plane is unveiled. Israel’s AIR has unveiled its new unmanned AIR ONE Cargo electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. It can carry a payload of up to 250kg at speeds comparable to its manned passenger version (see here previously).
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/aircraft-maker-air-unveils-new-evtofor-cargo-market/
New toolkit to make websites more accessible. Israel’s User1st (see here previously) has launched its U1 toolkit to help companies make their websites and apps accessible for people with disabilities. It saves over 80% of time and resources by automated scanning, fixing and suggestions on repairing complex issues.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/new-toolkit-helps-make-websites-accessible-for-disabled-people/
Make your video speak. Israel’s Artlist (see here previously) provides high quality, royalty-free licensed music, stock video clips and sound effects for digital professionals. It has launched an AI voiceover generator for video makers, making external voiceovers unnecessary, while enhancing content creation and storytelling.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/israeli-royalty-free-media-startup-unveils-ai-voiceover-generator/
Self-repairing adhesive glass. (TY Ron M) Researchers from Tel Aviv University have manufactured a new type of glass made from peptides. It is recyclable, self-healing, optically transparent, and can also act as a glue. If cracked, it will repair itself on contact with moisture. It can be used for spectacle lenses and much more.
https://www.jpost.com/science/article-807777 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5SaghcgK4s
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01750-w https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07408-x
Quantum vortices when photons collide. (TY UWI) This article is included to show the fundamental science being researched by Israelis at the Weizmann Institute. They have discovered a new type of vortex formed when photons collide. It could open important new avenues in the application of quantum computing.
https://tps.co.il/articles/254097/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Angel investor clubs selected. Israel’s Innovation Authority (IIA) has selected eight proposals (from 40 bids) for organizations to manage schemes whereby members can invest in early-stage startups seeking funding. Each club will receive NIS 900,000 per year for a 3-year period. Originally only 3 clubs were planned (see here).
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/iia-unveils-new-angel-clubs-to-support-early-stage-startups/
Tel Aviv is more affordable. Mercer’s annual Cost of Living City Ranking has dropped Tel Aviv from the 8th most expensive city for foreign employees to a mere 16th. Lower rental costs are the main reason, with Dubai (15) and London (8) overtaking it. The 226 cities listed are headed by Hong Kong, Singapore, and Zurich.
Agrifood tech startups are thriving. (TY Nevet) Despite the war, Israel’s agrifood tech sector is thriving with 400 companies and nearly $100 million oof private funding in Quarter 1, 2024. Many companies have relocated from Northern Israel to the center and food security has become a major focus.
Crop spraying in Nebraska. Israel’s Greeneye Technology has opened a dealership in Nebraska – its first in the US. Greeneye’s precision spraying reduces chemical use in farming by an average of 88%. Local partner Boeck Seeds says that weed control is the biggest challenge that Nebraska farmers are facing.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-ag-tech-startup-debuts-in-us-with-nebraska-partner/
Ready to leap higher. Gilad Lando, CEO of Israel’s Smart Resilin (see here previously), explains the unique process to make 500 grams a month of its revolutionary elastic material. He hopes that by partnering with Acies Bio of Slovenia this will increase to a ton of resilin per month by the end of 2026. That could be stretching it!
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/how-insect-dna-could-change-the-face-of-cosmetic-and-car-industries/
https://www.smartresilin.com/post/press-release-smart-resilin-and-acies-bio-announce-joint-venture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DMmYIVXsa8
Rising startups. (TY Yanky) Two Israeli startups won the 2024 Asper Prize - the Hebrew University’s “Rising Startup” Award and NIS 100,000 prize money. GynTools’ GYNI is an AI system to diagnose female infections. Hydro X converts hydrogen into a safe, non-toxic water-based liquid for inexpensive storage and transportation.
https://en.huji.ac.il/news/last-minute-decision-awards-two-start-ups-rising-start-title-2024-hebrew
https://www.gyntools.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2eKZFWoz_o
https://hydrox.earth/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_FcJ4Vl0Iw
Israeli workbench is “Pro’s Pick”. (TY Laura B) The professional woodworker from Family Handyman magazine who reviewed the Folding Work Table from Israel’s Keter was most impressed. So were others.
https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/keter-folding-work-table-review/
https://www.amazon.com/Keter-Folding-Workbench-Sawhorse-Capacity/dp/B001CWX26Y
https://il.keter.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7_3aE07Hd8
ChatGPT creator to set-up in Israel. Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI co-founder and creator of ChatGPT, plans to establish a research and development center in Tel Aviv for his new startup Safe Superintelligence Inc. He believes that Israel has the talent necessary to responsibly control AI and transform the world.
Exits, acquisitions and mergers to 30/6/24: “Frog” eats “Duck” Israel’s JFrog has acquired Israel’s Qwak for $230 million.
Startup investment – to 30/6/24: Fetcherr raised $90 million; Sensi.ai raised $31 million; Illumex raised $13 million.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Fresh Paint 2024. Israel’s largest art event, Fresh Paint will take place in Tel Aviv (July 3-8). It will comprise 40 exhibits set in gyms and outdoor tennis courts, showcasing the works of dozens of participating artists.
Seinfeld deals with hecklers. Audiences at Jerry Seinfeld standup shows probably look forward to the way he handles anti-Israel protestors. He got laughter and applause for quips such as “It’s a comedy show, you moron. Get out of here.” and “tell who’s ever running your organization, ‘We just gave more money to a Jew.’”
https://israfan.com/p/jerry-seinfeld-mocks-anti-semitic-protester
Check out JR’s entertainment sites. Jacob Richman has updated several of his websites guaranteed to keep up your spirits during these difficult times. They include Hebrew songs and commercials, Funny English videos, Jewish cartoons, Clever humor, and the 48th anniversary of the Entebbe rescue. Plus prayers for the hostages.
Tour de France. The Israel-Premier Tech cycling team is preparing for its fifth Tour de France competition beginning this weekend. The team won three stages in previous events. Team owner Sylvan Adams presented Israel’s President Herzog with a team jersey that will proudly display “Israel” to the billions watching the race.
https://www.jns.org/sylvan-adams-presents-official-tour-de-france-jersey-to-herzog-ahead-of-race/
Bring them home. The car that Israel’s top NASCAR racer Alon Day will drive on July 6 will display “Chai” (Hebrew for “Life”) and feature a striking blue-and-white wrap. For promotional events, his car is inlaid with a Star of David and the phrase “Bring them home”, but NASCAR regulations prohibit religious symbols.
https://israfan.com/p/israeli-racer-nascar-bring-them-home
Ruling the waves. (TY Hazel) Israel won gold and silver in the women’s 200-meter individual medley at the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade. Anastasia Gorbenko took first place – her 4th gold at the event. Teammate Lea Polonsky, 22, was 2nd and qualified for the Olympics. Israel was 8th in the medal table.
THE JEWISH STATE
Assyrians destroyed at iconic site. An analysis has been made of a stone carving on the walls of the palace of King Sennacherib of Assyria in Nineveh (now modern Mosul in Iraq). It reveals that in 701 BCE, the King’s army was stationed at what is now Jerusalem’s Ammunition Hill. See 2 Kings 19:35 to read what happened.
https://worldisraelnews.com/archaeologist-confirms-biblical-site-of-185000-assyrian-troops-wiped-out-by-an-angel/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GldvmSgBjrs
Positivity on the streets. (TY Sharon) Jerusalem is busy; offices are full; athletes are preparing for the Olympics; volunteers were honored; so were those with disabilities; and Hebrew Book Week (12-days) is back.
https://rjstreets.com/2024/06/23/5-positive-things-from-jerusalem-you-should-know/
Astronaut’s diary restored. For the past 20 years, the diary of Ilan Ramon (z”l), Israel’s first astronaut, has been undergoing complex restoration at the Israel Museum. It has now been transferred to Israel’s National Library where it has been digitally scanned and will be preserved to honor the memory of its author.
https://www.israel21c.org/doomed-astronauts-diary-gifted-to-national-library/
Science with Torah study. The Jerusalem College of Technology has received a $1 million donation from David and Debra Magerman to expand JCT’s International Program for English Speakers. The JCT combines high-level academic degrees and Torah study, reinforces religious Zionist values and promotes integration.
240623
In the 23rd Jun 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
· An international science prize-winner is a university lecturer and an IDF officer.
· An Israeli IVF tech startup gives hope to childless couples worldwide.
· Hear what a young, black, Muslim Israeli thinks about his country.
· An Israeli chauffeur drives cars remotely.
· Israeli-developed proteins keep food fresh.
· Israelis win gold medals in three European swimming championship events.
· Israel salutes a soldier who won medals in WWII and Israel’s War of Independence.
· Click here to see the 16th Jun newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen, (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours, (TY Aviva) United With Israel, and (TY Ted Belman) IsraPundit. Also (TY Sandra) for translating it into German here, and Hebrew here, and with (TY) Claude into French here. Also (TY Barbara) into Spanish here. Please forward this newsletter to German-speaking, Spanish-speaking, French-speaking and Hebrew-speaking contacts. Also please visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/verygoodnewsIL.
· Please click here, to donate (a small or large amount) to help me publicize VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
· Click here to keyword SEARCH almost any topic in the IsraelActive archives (over 24,700 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, and the subject “Subscribe”) to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
Wounded IDF soldier welcomed at NY rehab center. (TY WIN) Due to an overload of war casualties Yonatan, an injured IDF soldier had his follow-up surgeries in Israel delayed. A compassionate doctor and Five Towns Premier Rehab Center in Woodmere, NY, agreed to admit him.
https://jewishbreakingnews.com/injured-idf-soldier-receives-heros-welcome-at-ny-rehab-center/
https://x.com/LivingLchaim/status/1800218431322783777
96-year-old IDF reservist promoted. (TY Sam) Ezra Yakhin, 96, serves in reserve service as a motivational speaker in the Education Corps “Torchbearer Unit”. Since the beginning of the war, he has been inspiring the soldiers of today with fighting spirit. He has just been promoted to the rank of Command Master Sergeant.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391836
IDF officer and Prize-winning scientist. When Dr Nir Shlezinger isn’t on duty as an IDF reserve armored corps officer, he lectures Engineering Science students at Israel’s Ben Gurion University. He has also just won a Krill Prize from the Wolf Foundation for Excellence in Scientific Research in digital communications and AI.
https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/news-and-articles/krill-prize-2024-for-nir-shlezinger/
Descendants of Nazis in pro-Israel march. (TY Yanky) Hundreds of Nazi descendants have been marching the streets of Ashkelon, and Jerusalem in solidarity with the Jewish State. Many participated in the March of the Nations because of the events of Oct 7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA1dbkE4eJs
https://www.the-express.com/news/us-news/139222/nazi-march-israel-solidarity
https://www.jewishtimes.com/ten-meters-from-eichmann/
Delivering results. Israeli NGO Social Delivery collects surplus goods, from clothes to furniture, from retailers and offices of tech firms and delivers them to Gaza border communities. For the first three months of the war, Social Delivery sent products to hotels housing evacuees. Now it sends the products to the Gaza border again.
US volunteers help Israeli startups. Nonprofit Kachol Balev (Blue at Heart) has enlisted hundreds of volunteers in the US (students and others), with a whole range of hi-tech skills, to work remotely for Israeli startups. They occupy some of the gaps left by tens of thousands of Israelis called up for IDF reserve duty.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-tech-industry-gets-helping-hand-from-remote-volunteers/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Detecting cancer with saliva test. Israel’s Salignostics (see here previously) is working with Israel’s Sheba Medical Center to develop a saliva test for the early detection of oral cavity cancer. It may save some of the 400,000 diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer, of whom only 50% will survive five years after diagnosis.
https://www.israel21c.org/saliva-based-cancer-testing-on-its-way/
$1.2 million to discover a gut feeling. The French-based Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) funds basic research in life sciences. It has awarded a $1.2 million grant to Ben Gurion University Prof Michael Meijler to investigate how certain gut bacteria affect human behavior, such as anxiety and stress.
https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/news-and-articles/meijler-grant-from-hfsp/
20,000 doctors available. Israel’s Air Doctor (see here previously) now has 20,000 doctors registered to its service globally, partnering with insurance companies in 80 countries. It has also added video telemedicine consultations on their platform and reduced insurance claim costs by 54%.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/the-doctor-is-in-app-connects-foreign-travelers-to-local-physicians/
Booming IVF baby boomers. Israel’s AIVF (see here previously) reports that its EMA embryo analysis platform is 38% more accurate than the eye of a trained embryologist when assessing which IVF embryo is most likely to result in a successful pregnancy. AIVF is active in Europe, Australia, Brazil, and South Korea.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/israeli-ai-platform-delivering-baby-boom-for-ivf-pregnancies/
New Haifa University Medical School. Haifa University governors laid the cornerstone of the Herta and Paul Amir School of Medicine. The 1,200-bed hospital is due to open in 2025, featuring state-of-the-art medical services; patient-centered care; hi-tech ICUs; and cardiovascular, thoracic, and surgical oncology departments.
Top training for top nurses at top hospital. The current 3-month SPARC training course for nurses at Israel’s Sheba Medical Center includes participants from Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Nigeria, South Africa and the US. It selects innovative nurses who have ideas for life-saving solutions that they can develop into practice.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/top-israeli-hospital-fosters-innovation-by-practical-creative-nurses/
Technology Pioneer. (TY OurCrowd) The World Economic Forum selected Israel’s BrainQ (see here previously) for the 2024 cohort of WEF Technology Pioneers. BrainQ, will contribute cutting-edge insights and expertise to the Forum’s global initiatives over the next two years, helping to scale their impact.
https://initiatives.weforum.org/technology-pioneers/organization-details/brainq/0010X00004MxJJ2QAN
United Hatzalah Gala raises $20 million. It was Eden Golan day at United Hatzalah’s gala fundraiser event in Manhattan. After delivering the first US performance of her song “Hurricane” and other songs, she received United Hatzalah’s “Hero Award”. The event raised $20 million for ambulances, e-bikes, and other equipment.
https://www.jpost.com/j-spot/article-805174
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Young, gifted, black, Muslim, Israeli. Tamer just graduated from Reichman University. He is a black Muslim from the Negev. He has voted in five Israeli elections. See what he says to Noa Tishby.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8Sfx2sPsEi/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D
More jobs for Muslim women. Some interesting discoveries from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics. The proportion of Muslim women studying for a first degree is more than double that for men. https://www.israel21c.org/cbs-israels-muslim-population-is-trending-downward/
Why Erdon is leaving the UN. (TY Yanky) The news that Gilad Erdan is stepping down from being Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, was troubling, as he has been excellent at exposing the Ugly Nazis. His “family reasons”, however, may include that two of his children will soon begin their service in the IDF.
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/global/un/gilad-erdan-resigns-as-israels-un-ambassador/2024/06/01/
Superstar. Sorry, but I just love these Douglas Murray videos. This is part of the recent Munk debate.
https://www.israelunwired.com/douglas-murray-won-the-case-for-israel-in-just-3-minutes/
Ibex rescued from sinkhole. (TY Yanky) The Nubian ibex is endangered globally but thrives in Israel. When one fell into a 10-meter-deep Dead Sea sinkhole it was rescued in a two-hour operation by the Israel Police’s Ein Gedi Natural Reserve rescue unit. After the rescue, the unharmed ibex was released back into the wild.
https://www.ynetnews.com/environment/article/s1mh5p00hc
https://www.timesofisrael.com/nubian-ibex-rescued-from-10-meter-deep-sinkhole/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
The first ever AI test engineer. Israeli-founded, US-based, BlinqIO provides an essentially infinite pool of human-like testers that can be integrated into the development process, allowing companies to allocate higher value work to their human workforce. The AI can operate in over 50 languages.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/skng9inba https://blinq.io/
Making generative AI greener. (TY OurCrowd) Development AI systems are extremely energy intensive. Deploying AI can waste valuable hardware resources, as well as increase costs and power usage. The AI-centric server-on-a-chip solution from Israel’s NeuReality (see here previously) can reduce energy consumption.
https://www.eetimes.eu/how-to-make-generative-ai-greener/
Take care with AI. Israel’s Aporia (see here previously) stops users of generative AI systems accidentally including material that could be offensive, sensitive, controversial, or breach company policies. Aporia’s Guardrails detects and prevents attempts to manipulate AI systems that companies rely on more and more.
https://www.israel21c.org/prevents-genai-hallucinations-like-eat-rocks/ https://www.aporia.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqVq9gqDYZE
A remote chauffeur. Israel’s Ottopia (see here previously) has certainly accelerated since last featured in this newsletter. Watch the video to see how Ottopia’s Advanced Tele-Driver Assistance System (ATAS) can find parking, drop-off, pick-up, or be a chauffeur. Clients include Deutsche Telekom, Hyundai and Nvidia.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/startup-unveils-new-ai-powered-platform-for-driverless-vehicles/
https://www.ottopia.tech/blog-posts/announcing-ottopia-remote-chauffeur-platform
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSg6w_-Vshs
Re-using worn out EV batteries. Once electric vehicle batteries no longer can be charged to more than 70% capacity, global regulations state they must be replaced. Israel’s Sparkion takes discarded EV batteries and, after charging them using green energy, uses them as a power source at electric vehicle charging stations.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/circle-of-battery-life-old-power-cells-get-new-purpose-charging-evs/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B1LccG-NVY https://sparkion.io/
Keeping solar panels at peak performance. Israel’s Soltell Systems helps rooftop solar providers monitor, manage and improve their panels’ performance. Soltell’s SysMap energy management software uses local open-source weather sensors to identify when the panels need to be cleaned. Soltell has several EU customers.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/software-sensors-keep-solar-panels-at-peak-performance/
To fertilize or not. Croptune from Israel’s Agriot can determine the nitrogen content in a plant from an image and judge how much nitrogen-rich fertilizer it needs. The farmer downloads the Croptune Apple / Android app; enters the crop type & location; takes photos and reads the analysis. Saves costs and the environment.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/green-gauge-app-analyzes-leaf-color-to-understand-crops-needs/
https://www.agriot.group/en/home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zivODzSLqLA
https://www.haifa-group.com/ https://israelactive.com/?s=%22Haifa+Group%22
Israeli Quantum Computing Center. Israel’s Quantum Machines (see here previously) has announced the opening of the Israeli Quantum Computing Center (IQCC). It is said to be the first in the world with multiple co-located quantum computers of different qubit modalities. It also houses a sophisticated cryogenic testbed.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/sjhwhzasr
A quantum alliance. Israel’s Classiq (see here previously) has partnered with Hewlett Packard. Classiq’s synthesis engine uses HP’s Cray supercomputer to synthesize Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) circuits. And no, I have absolutely no idea why that is important to quantum computing, but it is!
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Building Jerusalem. Jerusalem’s construction boom will attract more businesses and residents to Israel’s capital. It includes the city entrance (1-3 million sqm), K complex (100,000sqm), Marom Tower (40,000sqm), plus the regional district, old Shaare Zedek, Givat Shaul, Talpiot, Har Hotzvim, Givat Ram, & East Jerusalem.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391553
Supporting farmers. Social lending enterprise Ogen (see here previously) has partnered with Israeli charity Leket to create the Farmers’ Immediate Relief Track. It provides 3% loans up to NIS 300,000 over 5 years. For farmers wishing to expand their business, the Long-Term Agricultural Relief Track offers up to NIS 1 million.
Revolutionizing the food preservatives market. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s Bountica (see here previously is working with global bakery ingredients and chocolate company Puratos to use Bountica’s “ProServative” proteins in the food industry. These protein anti-microbials are far safer than current food preservatives.
A financial accounting service to suit you. Israel’s Finaloop offers a fast automated accounting and bookkeeping system. It can also provide a complete third-party financial management service.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/ecommerce-accounting-platform-secures-35m-in-funding/
https://www.finaloop.com/services
Most promising enterprise software startups. You probably didn’t know about these 5 Israeli “startups to watch in 2024” previously – even though their funding has been included in this newsletter. So, if you want to know what Trullion, Frontegg, Volumez, Bridgewise, and Port (GetPort) do, now is your chance.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/zjxp744m6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb2gCIAAj7U
Exits, takeovers and mergers – to 23/6/24: Israel’s Gilat Satellite Networks is acquiring Stellar Blue.
Startup investment – to 23/6/24: Insightec raised $150 million; Semperis raised $125 million (new Unicorn); Zencity raised $40 million; Finaloop raised $35 million; Aim Security raised $18 million; Entro Security raised $18 million; PointFive raised $16 million; Fhenix raised $15 million; BlinqIO raised $5 million; FalkorDB raised $3 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Israel’s largest fabric wall sculpture. The interior walls of the new National Library of Israel form the largest fabric wall sculpture in Israel. The 565 square meter display by artist Gali Cnaani mimic the library’s exterior stone walls. The many horizontal and vertical lines hint at piles of books.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/massive-wall-tapestry-mimics-piles-of-books-at-new-national-library/
New visitor center in Dead Sea oasis. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority has opened a new visitors’ complex at its desert oasis facility, Einot Zukim on the northern Dead Sea in the West Bank. The NIS 35 million upgrade includes two movies – about daytime and night life in the reserve and in the sea itself.
Visit Timna Park. If you plan to holiday in Eilat this year, why not go and see nearby Tiimna Park. It combines desert views, geological wonders, and ancient history. Take a day trip from Eilat or go glamping. Enjoy hikes, cycling, rock climbing, and boating in Timna lake or just admire the scenery.
https://www.israel21c.org/top-things-to-do-at-the-timna-park-desert-wonderland/
Golden swimmers. (TY Hazel) Israeli swimmers won gold medals in three events at the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade. Anastasia Gorbenko won three medals – the 400m individual medley and as a member of the Israel teams that won the women’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay team and the mixed 400m relay.
https://swimswam.com/israeli-women-crush-4x200-free-relay-national-record-en-route-to-first-ever-euro-relay-title/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w88jZwY747Y
https://allisrael.com/2-golds-in-2-days-israeli-team-takes-gold-medal-in-mixed-medley-relay-at-european-aquatics-championship https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/rkfnbalia
Euro chess silver in Ireland. (TY Yanky) Israel’s Shelley Potikha was runner-up in the Girls Under 11 section of the 2024 European School Chess Championship in Limerick, Ireland.
https://www.europechess.org/turkey-wins-12-golds-at-the-european-school-chess-championship-2024/
Israeli MMA fighter wins & publicizes hostages. (TY Sam Kramer) Israeli Mixed Martial Arts fighter Shimon Smotritzky won by a knockout in his top-billing fight in Houston, Texas. He took the opportunity to raise awareness for the plight of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas terrorists and held in Gaza.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzNl92tlW8E
https://www.instagram.com/the_assassin_mma/reel/C8PnGGlJ81k/
THE JEWISH STATE
We care. The theme for the 2024 Jerusalem Unity Prize was “Caring for one another”. In the five categories, the winners were: “Home Front” – Yedidim; “Strengthening the South” – Aharai; “Strengthening the North” - Kerem-El Druze Pre-Military Academy; “Reservists” - Heroes for Life; “Diaspora affairs” - Partnership2Gether
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391322 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-805797
A war hero for two nations. (TY Rhoda) Lieutenant Moshe Brodetzky was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star in the US Army during WWII. Then in 1948 he led Israeli soldiers in the defense of Ramat Rachel, winning the Jabotinsky medal. He has just passed away at the age of 99 and was buried on the Mount of Olives.
https://aish.com/a-war-hero-for-two-nations/
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/real-estate/article-806025
The next generation of Israel educators. The iCenter for Israel Education has just finished its 13th cohort with 100 graduate students and faculty of its iFellows master’s program convening in Israel. Students from 17 North American and Israeli universities study Jewish education, rabbinics, nonprofit management and more.
Ancient tefillin were not black. An Israeli-led scientific study of Second Temple period phylacteries found near Qumran has found that they were not colored black, as is mandated by contemporary Jewish law. Neither of the two methods (soot/charcoal, and tannin with iron oxide) were used on these 2000-year-old relics.
https://www.jns.org/tefillin-were-not-dyed-black-2000-years-ago/
The last Jewish revolt against the Romans. For the very first time, evidence has been found in Lod from the Gallus Revolt, the last Jewish resistance against Roman rule in 351-354 CE. Archeologists found 94 silver and bronze coins dating between 221-354 CE, plus many artifacts – some with Hebrew inscriptions.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391599
240616
In the 16th Jun 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
· The IDF rescued 4 hostages held in the homes of Gazan “civilians”.
· An Arab swimmer will be representing Israel at the Olympics.
· Superb pro-Israel speeches by author and journalist Douglas Murray.
· Three more Israeli startups are cleaning up the ocean.
· An Israeli startup turns agricultural waste into edible protein.
· Tel Aviv has risen to become the 4th best global ecosystem.
· An Israeli archer won the European championships.
· An Israeli-born Filipino singing star has just become Jewish.
· Click here to see the 9th Jun newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen, (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours, (TY Aviva) United With Israel and (TY Ted Belman) IsraPundit. Also (TY Sandra) for translating it into German here, and Hebrew here, and with (TY) Claude into French here. Also (TY Barbara) into Spanish here. Please forward this newsletter to German-speaking, Spanish-speaking, French-speaking and Hebrew-speaking contacts. Also please visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/verygoodnewsIL.
· Please click here, to donate (a small or large amount) to help me publicize VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
· Click here to keyword SEARCH almost any topic in the IsraelActive archives (over 24,600 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, and the subject “Subscribe”) to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
“The diamonds are in our hands”. In one of the most daring operations since Oct 7, Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Shlomi Ziv, and Andrei Kozlov, who were kidnapped from the Nova party, were rescued in “Operation Arnon.” This is how the action unfolded, minute by minute. Some other very good links below.
https://israfan.com/p/israeli-forces-rescue-hostages-gaza https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXxl0cptnJ4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQO76ZTce08 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCXQjkHW4o8
Israelis never miss an opportunity. What do you think Almog Meir Jan did during his 8 months as a hostage of Hamas? He learned two languages of course. Arabic from watching Al Jazeera, and Russian from speaking with his fellow captive Andrey Kozlov. He also had been able to keep a journal while in captivity.
https://worldisraelnews.com/rescued-hostage-learned-arabic-and-russian-in-captivity/
Israelí hero – Arnon Zmora. (TY Rabbi Taff) Just a few of the tributes to Arnon Zmora who led the elite Yamam counter-terrorism unit that rescued 4 Israeli hostages in Gaza.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/hero-of-israel-thousands-pay-last-respects-to-officer-killed-in-hostage-rescue-op/ https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-ultimate-sacrifice-remembering-arnon-zmora-%D7%96%D7%9C/
https://www.thejc.com/news/israel/tributes-pour-in-for-sweet-and-charming-father-of-two-idf-officer-36-killed-in-hostage-rescue-f0zuxdwc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MRSUNBksgA
Still recycling. Jack (Tato) Bigio is co-founder and CEO of Israel’s UBQ (see here previously). He describes the purpose of his garbage recycling company, and about the loss of key employees on Oct 7. It hasn’t affected his desire to protect the environment or his determination to avoid being taken-over.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-ubq-turns-household-waste-into-organic-plastic-1001481267
Wedding at last. (TY Sam Kramer) A year and a half ago Nadav took two bullets in the stomach, was seriously injured but managed to neutralize the terrorist who shot him and his father while they were spending Shabbat in Jerusalem. Thankfully, he recovered, rejoined his unit, and on Jun 13 he got married! Mazel Tov!
https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-first-since-jerusalem-terror-shooting-seriously-hurt-idf-officer-puts-uniform-on/ https://x.com/MOSSADil/status/1801282364124852309
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Triggering your brain to heal your body. A detailed article about Israel’s Remepy (see here previously). It has completed three clinical trials involving 200 patients, using its digital molecules to treat cancer, MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) and Parkinson’s. It aims to bring its first product to market within three years.
https://www.israel21c.org/new-app-can-trigger-your-brain-into-enhanced-healing/
Championing mental health. In Nov 2023, Olessia Kantor founded Israel’s Lev Esh (Fire Heart) project to address the mental health crisis that has intensified since Oct 7. Lev Esh serves as a vital lifeline, connecting trauma sufferers with a network of practitioners, including psychologists, psychiatrists, and holistic therapists.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-804942 https://www.sashacenter.com/lev-esh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0v4FaNj5BY (In Hebrew only)
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
She loves Tech. Two female-led startups will be representing Israel at the “She Loves Tech” competition semi-finals in Amsterdam. They are Feminai (wearable medical cancer screening) and JOB360 (see here previously).
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/skmrudqbc https://www.feminai.com/
Arab swims for Israel at Olympics. (TY Hazel) With his 100-backstroke victory at the Israeli Olympic Trials on Thursday, Adam Maraana became the first Arab citizen of Israel to qualify for the Olympics since 1976, and the first ever in the sport of swimming. His 53.60 seconds was almost a second faster than his previous best.
Joint meeting of IDF, USA & Arab military. (TY Hazel) The heads of the IDF, US Central Command, met in Manama Bahrain with senior generals from Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt. Although not publicized, it signified regional security cooperation.
Protecting friendly ports. Israel Aerospace Industries has installed its ELI 3320 Port Guard coastal and offshore critical infrastructure protection system at an Asian port. Port Guard’s sensors track all events on land, air and underwater, feeding information into the command-and-control system, where it is analyzed.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-iai-deploys-port-protection-system-in-asian-country-1001481378
Saudi textbooks remove anti-Israel material. The Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-SE) has reported that Saudi Arabia has removed practically all antisemitism and anti-Israel material from its schoolbooks. It no longer teaches that Israel is racist or denies Jewish history.
https://www.jns.org/saudi-arabia-removes-antisemitism-from-schoolbooks/
Huge rally for Israel in Toronto. Some 50,000 Israel supporters joined the annual Walk with Israel annual march in Toronto, Canada. It was described as the largest gathering of Jews in Canada’s history.
https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-50000-canadian-jews-march-in-solidarity-with-israel/
Manhattan Institute award for Douglas. One of Israel’s best advocates, UK’s Douglas Murray, won the 2024 Alexander Hamilton Award in May. He chose to speak on the subject “Choose Life, Not the Death Cult”. So true – please watch the whole 23 minutes! The 2nd video is of his more recent (10 min) speech in France.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rud4Jq51Lx8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFi3O4Dg5rI
https://manhattan.institute/event/2024-alexander-hamilton-award-dinner
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Aiming for energy independence. The Grand Technion Energy Program (GTEP) at Israel’s Technion Institute is educating scientists dedicated to Israel’s energy security and independence. It has already generated breakthroughs in fuel cells and advanced batteries, green hydrogen, water energy, renewables, and more.
Cyber rising stars. Eleven Israel startups were listed in Notable Capital’s “Rising in Cyber 2024” list, an independent roster of the 30 most promising cyber companies serving the US. They are Astrix Security; Cyera; Drata, Descope; Gomboc; Island; Grip Security; Oligo; Orca Security; Wing Security; and Wiz.
https://www.israel21c.org/11-israeli-startups-honored-on-rising-cyber-companies-list/
AI is music to their ears. After producing some of Israel’s biggest recent music hits, the Antebi brothers founded Session 42 to make technological music. Their AI tool HitCraft could turn anyone into a music producer. They sold their previous startup Redkix to Facebook for $105 million. This could be even better.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/b5f6euorm https://session-42.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@session42music
Cleaning up the ocean. Jun 8 was World Ocean Day. This Israel 21c article highlights 7 Israeli startups helping the ocean clean the air, save fish, remove microplastics and much more. Gigablue (removing CO2), Pure Blue Fish, & My Ocean Twin are new to this newsletter.
https://www.israel21c.org/top-7-startups-using-the-ocean-to-clean-the-planet/
https://www.gigablue.co/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV7_f7rnmx4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPE_FGcygJA (CarbonBlue)
https://purebluefish.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBFH3ZGTOAY
https://www.myoceantwin.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9TFguDqvuE
Innovating the dairy technology sector. This article is appropriate for the festival of Shavuot (Pentacost), on which Jews traditionally eat dairy products. Startups new to this newsletter are PlantIfoods (milk from plants), and MNDL Bio (enhancing protein content of milk and other foods).
https://www.jns.org/the-land-of-milk-and-honey-innovates-the-dairy-technology-sector/
https://www.plantifoods.com/ https://finder.startupnationcentral.org/company_page/plantifoods
https://mndl.bio/ https://finder.startupnationcentral.org/company_page/mndl-bio-1
Turning agricultural waste into protein. Or as Israel’s Day 8 states, “From Discarded to Delicious”. It has developed an industrial process to extract alternative proteins from banana leaves. For every kilogram of banana there is 0.5kg of wasted leaf. The resultant RuBisCo protein powder can be used throughout the food industry.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-day-8-turns-agricultural-waste-into-protein-1001481041
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Inflation lower than expected. Israel’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.2% in May, for an annual rate of 2.8% - much lower than economists' expectations. The cost of fresh vegetables and transport fell substantially.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-may-cpi-much-lower-than-expected-1001481453
Tel Aviv is 4th highest global startup ecosystem. (TY UWI) Despite the war, Tel Aviv moved up to 4th place in the 2024 Global Startup Ecosystem Report, by Startup Genome and the Global Entrepreneurship Network. The report evaluated 4.5 million companies in more than 300 entrepreneurial ecosystems worldwide.
https://tps.co.il/articles/tel-aviv-rises-to-no-4-in-global-startup-ecosystem-rankings-despite-war/
Smoother flying. (TY Hazel) El Al Airlines has signed a codeshare and club sharing agreement with Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic on the Tel Aviv to London Heathrow route. It comes into effect on Jun 19. El Al has code share agreements with Delta, Air France and Scandinavian. Virgin is a member of the Sky Team Alliance.
25 more F-35s. (TY Ted Belman) Israel is to purchase 25 F-35 ‘Adir’ fighter planes from the US for $3 billion. Up to five planes will be delivered each year from 2028, to complete three squadrons of F-35s and a total of 75 planes. https://www.israpundit.org/israel-signs-3-billion-deal-to-purchase-3rd-f-35-squadron/
Driver safety system hits the big time. Israel’s Cipia (see here previously) is to provide its Driver Sense driver monitoring system (DMS) to a leading European maker of components for commercial vehicles. There are now 10 global vehicle manufacturers that are using Cipia technology.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/european-automotive-maker-including-israeli-driver-monitor-system/
Buzzing down under. Good news for Ozzy lovers of honey – Israel’s BeeHero (see here previously) has partnered with local beekeeping and pollination company Monson’s Honey and Pollination, to help beekeepers assess the health of their colonies. Also, around one third of Australian food crops rely on honeybee pollination.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/beehive-monitoring-company-expands-in-australia-with-new-hq/
Exits, takeovers and mergers – to 16/6/24: Israel’s PliOps has merged with Frances Kalray.
Startup investment – to 16/6/24: Seven AI raised $36 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Celebrations, color, and cheesecake. (TY Sharon) The Streets of Jerusalem were full of crowds celebrating Jerusalem Day. They were followed by an exhibition of colorful quilts at the Jerusalem Theater. Then we entered the lead up to the Jewish festival of Shavuot (Pentecost) and its delicious tradition of eating cheesecake.
https://rjstreets.com/2024/06/09/what-you-did-not-see-in-jerusalem-this-week/
Georgian trio supports Israelis. (TY Hazel) The popular Trio Mandili are three women who sing in the traditional polyphonic Georgian style and language. They just performed five concerts in Israel and are raising donations for Israelis impacted by Oct 7 at concerts all around the world. See videos at the link below.
Radiohead guitarist rejects boycott calls. Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood ignored threats by BDS supporters against Israel when he released an album with Israeli Mizrahi singer Dudu Tassa last year titled “Jarak Qaribak,” featuring musicians from across the Middle East. He performed with Tassa in Israel in May.
https://www.algemeiner.com/2024/06/06/radiohead-guitarist-says-wont-stop-collaborating-touring-israeli-musicians-despite-bds-backlash/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIwyn-90eW4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nURb8OaYj5U
Wheelchair tennis champion. (TY Hazel) Guy Sasson (see here previously) went one better than his runner-up medal at the Australian Open in Feb. He has just become the first Israeli to win a Grand Slam event with his victory in the Quad Wheelchair category at Roland Garros. He was also runner-up in the doubles event.
Good shot. (TY Hazel) Israel’s Roy Dror won the Croatian Grand Prix leg of the European Archery Championships. He had a perfect 10.10.10 (3 bullseyes) in the final.
https://www.ianseo.net/TourData/2024/17869/IFRM.php
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1017443503073582
https://x.com/nachal_giyus86/status/1799560210417107295
European half-marathon silver medalists. Israel won the silver medal behind Italy in the team half marathon event at the European Athletics Championships in Rome. Maru Teferi (fourth place), Gashau Ayale (seventh), and Girmaw Amare (ninth) all finished in the top ten. All three have already qualified for the Paris Olympics.
https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/b1ip2bqsc
THE JEWISH STATE
Celebrating Jerusalem Day. Exciting scenes as Israelis unite to sing and dance on the anniversary of the unification of the eternal city.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-israelis-unite-in-song-and-dance-on-jerusalem-day/
A Filipino singer’s journey to Judaism. Howie Danao, 23, came to Israel inside his pregnant mother – a Filipino care worker. He was adopted by an Israeli family; started writing songs at age 8; a semi-finalist on Israel’s “A Star is Born”; drafted into the IDF and converted to Judaism. Now he performs for Oct 7 survivors.
https://www.jns.org/a-filipino-singers-journey-to-judaism-in-israel/
240609
In the 9th Jun 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
· Two more Israeli breakthroughs in the fight against cancer.
· An Israeli exercise system can improve poor eyesight by 25%.
· Thousands of Israel’s supporters took to the streets in London and Manhattan.
· Intel unveiled its new Israeli-developed microprocessor for powering AI systems.
· An Israeli innovation is poised to transform the electric battery industry.
· See latest examples of Israeli technology in France and South Africa.
· On Jerusalem Day 2024 the population of Jerusalem exceeds one million.
· Click here to see the 2nd Jun newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen and (TY Ted Belman) IsraPundit. Also (TY Sandra) for translating it into German here, and Hebrew here, and with (TY) Claude into French here. Also (TY Barbara) into Spanish here. Please forward this newsletter to German-speaking, Spanish-speaking, French-speaking and Hebrew-speaking contacts. Also please visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/verygoodnewsIL.
· Please click here, to donate (a small or large amount) to help me publicize VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
· Click here to keyword SEARCH almost any topic in the IsraelActive archives (over 24,600 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, and the subject “Subscribe”) to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Penetrating the BBB. The nano-platform technology of Israel’s NanoCarry traverses the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) to deliver potentially life-saving therapies to the brain. Its initial target is HER2 breast cancer brain metastases for which there is no treatment, even though the original cancer can now effectively be cured.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/penetrating-brains-natural-barrier-to-deliver-life-saving-drugs/
Predicting what cancer cells will do next. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem analyze cancer patient biopsies and use AI to predict disease progression or chemotherapy resistance. Using the science of nano-informatics, they expose cells to nano particles, record absorption levels, and model cellular behavior.
https://www.israel21c.org/scientists-use-ai-to-predict-what-cancer-cells-will-do-next/
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adj4370
Sickle cell disease treatment trial. Israel’s BiolineRX is to conduct Phase 1 clinical trials on sickle cell disease (SCD) patients at multiple locations in the US. It will use its motixafortide stem cell therapy (see here previously), currently used to treat multiple myeloma. SCD is caused by a mutation of the hemoglobin gene.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/israeli-biopharma-firm-leading-us-trial-of-potential-scd-drug/
The long road. Back in 2015 (see here previously) Israel’s Ben Gurion University researchers discovered the link between protein macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Now they are leading an international team to use it as a potential cure.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/israeli-led-study-discovers-proteins-potential-as-als-treatment/
The right antibiotic in 90 mins. Scientists at Israel’s Technion Institute have developed optical sensor technology that can identify the correct antibiotic for urinary tract and other infections in just 90 minutes. They worked with Technion alumni in a Maryland USA company and at John Hopkins University.
https://ats.org/our-impact/new-device-rapidly-identifies-exact-antibiotic-needed-for-infections/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/advs.202303285
An ambucar needed for Netanya. Israel’s United Hatzalah is appealing for funds to purchase a rapid response vehicle - known as a minilance (mini ambulance) ATV (all-terrain vehicle). It can bring a team of up to five UH volunteers and veteran lifesaving medics to the scene of a local emergency within minutes.
https://israelrescue.org/mymitzvah/minilance-a-rapid-response-vehicle-for-netanya/
Eradicating the last polio virus. Ben-Gurion University has received a $1.3 million grant from the Gates Foundation to develop and validate a novel and safe approach for measuring immune responses to polioviruses.
https://provaeducation.com/news/ben-gurion-university-scientist-to-contribute-to-the-eradication-of-polio/2466922/ https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/news-and-articles/hertz-gates-foundation-grant/
Merck boost for antibody design startup. Israel’s Biolojic Design (see here previously) is partnering Merck, to develop molecules that could be the basis for therapies to treat cancer and other immunological disorders. The venture is potentially worth up to 350 million euros to the Israeli company.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bybenkovr
Treating late life depression. (TY Atid-EDI) The US FDA has extended its approval of the Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation system from Israel’s BrainsWay (see here previously). It can now be used to treat depression up to the patient’s 86th birthday. The previous maximum age limit was 67.
Exercises restore eyesight. Israel’s RevitalVision (see here previously) has been very successful in improving the condition of the visually impaired. On average, the structured on-line brain exercises achieve a measurable improvement of 20 – 25%, equivalent to an extra two lines on a standard eye chart.
https://www.israel21c.org/improving-vision-with-at-home-brain-exercises/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Iauuv13Ujw
Watch out for snakes. Doctors saved an Israeli woman in her 50s after she was bitten by a snake in southern Israel. She was brought to Ashdod hospital by family members who also brought the snake. Doctors were able to identify the snake and administer the correct anti-venom serum. The article contains some important advice.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390948
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Mother of 11 wins Krill Prize. (TY Yanky) The Wolf Foundation has awarded one of its 2024 Krill Prizes to Dr. Chaya Keller from the School of Computer Science at Ariel University for her significant contributions to discrete and computational geometry. Dr Keller is a mother to 11 children. Her husband is a Bar-Ilan professor.
https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/rjl83aov0
https://wolffund.org.il/category/awards-and-scholarships/the-krill-prize-winners/
The Israeli Arab in charge of building Intel’s factories. Israeli Arab Reda Masarwa (see here previously) is Intel’s VP of Fab Construction Engineering. He is one of the key people entrusted with the largest expansion in Intel’s history - building and equipping ten factories, including in Israel, Germany, Poland, and (yes) Malaysia.
All-Israeli action figures. (TY Yanky) A must for all ages. Pre-order IDF action figures, symbolizing the courage and mosaic of Israel’s real-life heroes. Ashkenazi special forces, Mizrahi kibbutz infantrywoman, Arab Druze paratrooper, and Ethiopian reconnaissance ranger, and many more. Plus, a K9 dog and many accessories.
Emirati award to Israeli female professor. The UAE’s Khalifa Award for Education was given to Technion Professor Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus for her research on how children learn to read. Horowitz-Kraus specializes in brain imaging research (EEG and MRI) to help children who have difficulties learning to read.
https://www.israel21c.org/prestigious-emirati-education-award-goes-to-israeli-professor/
https://edu.technion.ac.il/en/member/tzipi-horowitz-kraus/
Thousands march for Israel in NYC. Estimates of between 40,000 and 100,000 marchers gathered for ‘Israel Day on 5th,’ the annual parade on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue in support of Israel.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-tens-of-thousands-march-for-israel-in-new-york-city/
https://www.jns.org/israel-parade-in-ny-drew-100000-broke-records-uja-federation-says/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFLiOCJFl5o&t=898s
And in London. An estimated 40,000 people marched through London under the banner “United we bring them home”. It was the largest pro-Israel gathering in the UK since Oct 7. At the end of the march, yellow balloons were released.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/tens-of-thousands-march-in-london-to-call-for-release-of-hostages/
Japanese donate ambulances. Christian politicians from across Japan are donating two ambulances to Israeli communities along the border with Gaza to replace ambulances destroyed by Hamas on Oct 7. They recently gave £150,000 to Israel’s Magen David Adom to buy the first mobile intensive care unit ambulance.
Israeli WHO amendment approved. Every year since 1968, the World Health Organization’s annual Assembly in Geneva passes a resolution criticizing Israel. This year, Israel proposed an amendment calling for the release of the Gaza hostages and denouncing militarization of Gaza hospitals. Amazingly, it passed.
https://worldisraelnews.com/israeli-amendment-surprisingly-passes-world-health-assembly/
We could learn from this. (TY Yanky) U.S. military legal experts and former commanders have issued a report praising the IDF and its conduct of the war against Hamas. It concluded, “The U.S. military would benefit from studying how the IDF fought effectively in this highly complex, multi-domain environment,”
https://www.jns.org/idf-exemplifies-tactical-operational-excellence-in-gaza/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Intel-Israel’s latest AI chip. Intel has unveiled Lunar Lake – its new range of AI-ready processors. Designed and developed by Israeli architects and engineers; constructed at Intel’s Haifa and Petah Tikva development centers. Lunar Lake is 50% faster than the previous generation, while consuming 80% less energy.
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/intels-lunar-lake-processors-arriving-q3-2024.html#gs.ads99o https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/4y8rnvi6i
Nine awards. Israel’s Appdome (see here previously) received a total of nine (9) Cybersecurity Excellence Awards. They were Mobile security platform, Automation, Social engineering defense, Bot defense, Geo location compliance, XDR (Extended Detection & Response), DevOps tool, and Application security.
https://www.ourcrowd.com/startup-news/appdome-sweeps-cybersecurity-excellence-awards
A billion shekels. (TY Anne & Geoff) Israel’s Bar-Ilan University has received an anonymous $260 million (NIS 1 billion) donation (one of the largest ever to an Israeli university) to invest in deep-tech sciences. Bar-Ilan President Prof Arie Zaban said it potentially could positively influence the future of Israel and humanity.
https://www.jns.org/bar-ilan-receives-anonymous-billion-shekel-donation/
https://www.biu.ac.il/en/article/580830
Safety system for e-bikes and e-scooters. Israel’s Autotalks (see here previously) has launched the V2X (Vehicle to Anything) TEKTON3-BIKE System on Chip safety system, plus the ZooZ3 V2X device or smartphone app for e-bikes and e-scooters. Cyclists will receive real-time alerts to potential road hazards.
https://auto-talks.com/products/tekton3-bike/
Supercharging lead-acid batteries. Israel’s Salvation Battery has incorporated carbon nanotubes into lead-acid batteries, quadrupling their life and making them potentially rechargeable and recyclable. Lead-acid cells currently are used to start gasolene-fueled vehicles, but soon may replace lithium-ion cells in EVs and more.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/nanotubes-transform-lead-acid-batteries-into-super-energy-source/
Cleaning North Carolina’s largest lake. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s BlueGreen Water Technologies (see here previously) has begun a pilot study to treat cyanobacteria in an area of Lake Mattamuskeet, the state’s largest freshwater lake. Large, toxic algal blooms and declining water quality threaten the lake’s extensive wildlife.
Cheese from soybeans. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s NewMoo has joined the ranks of Israel’s no-cow milk food producers (see here for others). NewMoo generates casein proteins (80% of the proteins in milk) from soybean plants, which are turned into liquid form for animal-free cheese production.
https://www.foodtechbiz.com/plant-based/newmoo-creates-casein-in-plants-for-crafting-moo-free-cheese
Life from the sun. Most people know that photosynthesis is the way many plants grow, using sunlight, water & CO2 to generate chemical energy. Technion scientist Ariel Hazan traveled to Antarctica to investigate another way - where the microbial protein rhodopsin enables microorganisms to convert sunlight into energy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgTHXi6Wv9U
Space – the final frontier for computer screens. Israel’s Sightful (see here previously) has unveiled the latest version of its no-screen Augmented Reality laptop computer. The Spacetop G1 is scheduled to be released in Oct. It’s a computer, Jim, but not as we know it. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hkiimkler
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Terminal 1 opens as Ryanair returns. Ben Gurion airport's low-cost Terminal 1 reopened on Jun 3rd for international flights. A few hours later, Ryanair's first flight in Israel since February landed. It will operate routes between Tel Aviv and Berlin, Paphos, Budapest, Bari, Milan, Malta and Athens.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-terminal-1-reopens-as-ryanair-returns-to-israel-1001480460
A cool business – 3km from Gaza. Israel’s ZutaCore (see here previously) has returned to its Sderot factory to continue to produce its unique waterless dielectric liquid-cooling solution for overworked AI microchips. CEO Erez Freibach, describes his entrepreneurial background and that of his “genius” CTO Nahshon Eadelson.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/3dmkm9a53
Working on the Gaza border. The center of Sderot is the unlikely location for NatureGrowth. It originally was planned to be a hub for ag-tech and climate-tech startups. After Oct 7 it became SafeSpace – a quiet co-working area, and now it’s a base for non-profits. The owners hope one day it can become a global ag-tech hub.
Prepared for when disaster strikes. Aman Group (see here previously) is Israel’s largest IT company, with some 4,000 employees. Established 50 years ago, it deliberately maintains 50% of its operations in Israel. But it also has subsidiaries in several other countries, which can operate as disaster recovery sites in times of crisis.
https://www.israel21c.org/it-firms-disaster-recovery-strategy-stands-test-of-war/ https://www.aman.co.il/
5 cyber companies to watch. Calcalist identifies five specialist Israeli cyber security startups that should do well in 2024. Oasis Security (non-human identities, eg passwords), Astrix Security (non-human connections, e.g. APIs), Backslash (development security), Zenity (low code environments) and OneLayer (hospitals).
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hyzcgjbvr
New factory for microalgae protein. Israel’s Brevel (see here previously), has opened its first commercial plant for producing its alternative protein from microalgae. The product is vegan, gluten-free, non-allegenic, non-GMO, over 60% protein, and has a long shelf life. It can be used in dairy or meat alternative products.
https://agfundernews.com/brevel-unveils-commercial-algae-protein-plant-with-focus-on-alt-dairy-our-protein-is-superior-to-soy-and-pea https://brevel.co.il/our-product/
A buffalo farm in Israel. Chanoch Trister owns and manages Israel’s one-and-only buffalo farm in Moshav Bitzaron in southern Israel from buffalos flown to Israel in the 1990s. The farm produces mozzarella and burrata balls, a wide range of hard, aged cheeses, flavored yogurts, labneh and even buffalo milk ice cream.
https://www.israel21c.org/israels-one-and-only-buffalo-farm-sparks-a-revolution-in-taste/
https://bufalo.co.il/ https://www.instagram.com/buffalo_farm_israel/
Eyes for French aircraft engine manufacturer. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Odysight.ai has received a purchase order from France-based Safran Aircraft Engines. Odysight.ai will supply its cutting-edge micro cameras to support Safran’s experimentation, planning and development of jet engines for the aviation industry.
Software for football (soccer) coaches. Israel’s Easy Coach helps soccer coaches manage their clubs. Features include club administration, player development & performance, team analysis, tactics, training strategies etc. Used by the Israeli National team, Villarreal FC, and 250+ other teams in 7 countries including South Africa.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/football-fan-scores-with-club-management-software-at-home-away/
$260 million order for Elbit. Another (undisclosed) international company has recognized Israel’s dominance in the defense technology industry with a two-year, $260 million purchase order for systems from Israel’s Elbit. In 2023, Elbit earned revenues of approximately $6 billion and now has an order backlog of $17.8 billion.
Pineapple delight. Israel has cancelled customs duties on pineapple imports from Costa Rica, leading to plummeting prices. Israelis have taken full advantage, almost doubling their normal consumption. The fruit already had increased its popularity, rising from 1.1 million sold in 2021 to 1.9 million in 2023.
Exits, takeovers and mergers – to 9/6/24: Germany’s SAP is acquiring Israel’s WalkMe for $1.5 billion; US-based Tenable is acquiring Israel’s Eureka Security for “tens of millions of dollars”. Israel’s Valens Semiconductor has acquired Colorado’s Acroname.
Startup investment – to 9/6/24: Gauzy raised $75 million (IPO);
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Hot Jazz. A taste of the New Orleans Jazz festival in Tel Aviv (see here previously).
https://eng.hotjazz.co.il/the-new-orleans-jazz-festival-tel-aviv-may-june-2024/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4LbPKyERQI
Jerusalem streets after Lag B’Omer. Jerusalemites have been taking full advantage of the end of the ban on weddings before Lag B’Omer. Now the streets are full of the sound of celebrations and parties. But these cannot compare to the Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day) celebrations - to be reported next week.
https://rjstreets.com/2024/06/02/take-a-walk-and-see-whats-new-on-the-jerusalem-streets/
Gal Gadot’s movie has over 100 million views. (TY UWI) Israeli actress Gal Gadot’s action thriller “Heart of Stone” was streamed on Netflix over 109 million times in the second half of 2023. It was the second most watched movie, behind “Leave the World Behind”, which had 121 million views.
European curling runners up. (TY Nevet) Bulgaria beat Israel 7-4 in the final of the men’s European Curling Championships 2024 C-Division in Dumfries, Scotland. The silver medal-winning Israeli men’s team comprised skip Alex Pokras, third Dmitri Abanin, second Lawrence Sidney and lead Jeffrey Yaakov Lutz.
https://worldcurling.org/2024/05/medal-games-eccc2024/
THE JEWISH STATE
Jerusalem’s Herodian quarter is open. After two years of renovations costing $5 million, Jerusalem’s 2,000-year-old Herodian Quarter in the Old City is reopening to the public. The 2,600sqm area contains luxurious homes, mosaics, paved streets and numerous ritual baths for the priestly families that served at the 2nd Temple.
https://www.jns.org/unveiling-jerusalems-priestly-neighborhood-from-herodian-era/
The sacred mountains of Samaria. A new study from Tel Aviv University identified the earliest appearance worldwide of special stone tools, used 400,000 years ago to cut fallow deer meat. The study also named Mounts Ebal and Gerizim (see Books of Deuteronomy & Joshua) as sacred places where fallow deer were plentiful.
https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/r1my7m11vc
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11759-024-09493-w
Using AI to analyze the Talmud. Researchers from Tel Aviv and Ariel universities have used a Machine Learning algorithm to find places in the Talmud that contain unusual language variations. They confirmed the theories of Rashi and other Torah scholars that these “special tractates” may have come from different sources.
https://cris.tau.ac.il/en/publications/a-computational-analysis-of-the-special-talmudic-tractates
Jerusalem’s population tops 1 million. As the Jewish world celebrates Yom Yerushalayim – Jerusalem Day, the Jerusalem Research Institute published its annual survey, showing that the population of Israel’s capital - the eternal city - has just exceeded one million inhabitants. It grew by 13,400 residents since last year’s survey.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bkk3ahyn0
https://www.jns.org/jerusalem-adds-13400-new-residents-topping-one-million/
240602
In the 2nd Jun 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
· Israeli doctors saved the Arab girl critically injured in Iran’s attack on Israel.
· An Israeli dedicated his Mount Everest climb to an Oct 7 victim.
· Israeli medical tech is in touch with patients physically and virtually.
· An Israeli device is the first to unblock veins to treat DVT.
· A kibbutz startup devastated on Oct 7 is eradicating diseases at an Israeli hospital.
· Israeli electric mopeds deliver the goods in Europe, the UAE & South Africa.
· Israel topped the medals table at the Jiu-Jitsu European Championships.
· Golden ring discovery makes a full-circle connection between Jews and Jerusalem.
· Click here to see the 26th May newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen, (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours, (TY Aviva) United With Israel, and (TY Ted Belman) IsraPundit. Also (TY Sandra) for translating it into German here, and Hebrew here, and with (TY) Claude into French here. Also (TY Barbara) into Spanish here. Please forward this newsletter to German-speaking, Spanish-speaking, French-speaking and Hebrew-speaking contacts. Also please visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/verygoodnewsIL.
· Please click here, to donate (a small or large amount) to help me publicize VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
· Click here to keyword SEARCH almost any topic in the IsraelActive archives (over 24,500 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
POSITIVE NEWS DURING A WAR
Bedouin girl saved. Israeli doctors have revived Amina al-Hassouni, the seven-year-old Israeli Bedouin Arab Muslim girl who was critically wounded in Iran's massive missile and drone attack on Israel in April. She had been put into an induced coma whilst surgeons fought to save her life. She is conscious and speaking again.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390825
Kidney donor saves IDF commander. On Oct 7, a Hamas terrorist wounded company commander Avichai Moula, and a few days later his kidneys began to fail. Of 3,400 offers to donate a kidney, Eitan Aviner from the Samaria town of Yitzhar was found to be the best match. After the transplant, the families met and embraced.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390758
15 babies. (TY Yanky) 15 babies have been born since Oct 7 to members of Kibbutz Nir Am, which was attacked by Hamas on that fateful day. This photo encapsulates Israelis sense of hope, optimism and belief in a shared future. https://www.instagram.com/humansofjudaism/p/C7AsHwjN6-f/
Rebuilding Kibbutz Be’eri. The process of restoring communities devastated on Oct 7 is beginning. The first of approximately 250 mobile homes have arrived at Kibbutz Be’eri, to provide survivors with temporary accommodation while their homes are being rebuilt.
Cafes for Southern evacuees. Cafe Otef in Tel Aviv’s Sarona complex supports survivors from Gaza envelope communities. Seven of the hardest-hit communities will each have their own rent-free cafe run by their own residents, where they can gather, work, and chat with locals who come in to support them.
Project Heroes. Gilad Segev’s Project Heroes is an immersive multimedia show that weaves together recorded and live music, music videos and documentary scenes - in English or in Hebrew with English subtitles - to honor the unexpected heroes of Oct 7 and its aftermath. All profits go to those impacted by Oct 7 events.
https://www.israel21c.org/setting-the-stories-of-the-october-7-heroes-to-music/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbnf3PrA39w
Israeli battery chargers for the IDF. The IDF has commissioned Israel’s Epsilor (see here previously) to develop multi-charger racks (MCRs) for batteries in the launchers of its Spike SR and LR precision missiles. Epsilor manufactures millions of batteries and chargers for scores of customers around the world.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/rafael-taps-israeli-firm-to-make-battery-chargers-for-launchers/
From the lowest to the highest. Israel’s Ran Kraus has climbed to the summit of Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak. He dedicated the achievement to his friend Matan Mordechai Lior, an Oct 7 victim. Krauss has also successfully climbed Kilimanjaro (Africa), Elbrus (Russia), and Aconcagua (Argentina).
https://israfan.com/p/israeli-entrepreneur-everest-journey
Support for reservist engineering students. Afeka Academic College of Engineering in Tel Aviv (see here previously) has launched the “AsOne” student-support fund. It has allocated NIS 5 million and is raising another NIS 10 million to help the 42% of its students called to active military duty since Oct. 7.
https://www.jns.org/wire/4-million-campaign-launched-to-support-student-engineers/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Restoring the sense of touch. Nerve damage in the hand results in loss of both motor and sensory capability. Surgery can restore movement, but not sensation. Israel’s Tengable has developed tiny sensors that are implanted under the skin. On touching an object, an electrical charge is transmitted to a healthy nerve-ending.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/cure-at-your-fingertips-tiny-implants-restore-lost-sensation-of-touch/
3D-printing body parts. Since Oct 7, Israel’s Synergy3d Med has progressed from 3D-printing prosthetics for animals (see here previously). Its Patient Specific Instruments (PSIs) create customized replacement limbs or implants of bones and joints for wounded Israelis, inside hospitals in a few hours. Also used in UK and Spain.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/game-changing-tech-3d-prints-customized-parts-for-patients/
Caring for patients remotely. An updated article about Israel’s Laguna Health (see here previously) whose AI platform records and analyzes conversations during telehealth consultations for social, emotional, and cultural context. It highlights issues enabling care managers to treat their hundreds of patients as individuals.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/ai-helps-telehealth-providers-dig-deep-into-patients-real-needs/
A virtual hospital. Israel’s Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva has launched a virtual medical center in line with a 25% increase in demand for telehealth services since Oct 7. The Beilinson NEXT service is available for no additional cost to all Israelis. They can be treated whilst in their kitchen or workplace.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/beilinson-launches-virtual-hospital-as-demand-for-telehealth-rises/
Wearable devices can save lives. Dr. Shirit Kazum-Beiser is Head of the Sports Cardiology Clinic at Israel’s Beilinson Hospital. She said that smart technology accessories, such as smartwatches, provide data that cardiologists can use to advance research and development and, with new AI tools, can save many lives.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/yyid2ynsn
Transforming healthcare. The 150 innovative Israeli health-tech companies presenting at the 2024 BioMed Israel conference featured several new to this newsletter, including Epilog (companion app); Innoventric (valve replacement); Pangea Bio (AI oncology); and QRGenetics (AI therapy discovery).
https://www.israel21c.org/13-israeli-med-tech-startups-that-could-transform-healthcare/
https://epilog.world/ https://www.innoventric.com/ https://pangeabiomed.com/ https://qrgenetics.com/
Clearly the best way through. Israel’s Veinway has developed Traversa - a literally revolutionary device that removes blockages in narrow veins caused by disease, clots, scar tissue etc. It can treat many of the 900,000 US patients diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Compassionate use trials have been very successful.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/coming-through-device-clears-veins-blocked-by-clots-scar-tissue/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JClDzJQGu-M https://veinway.com/
One happy donkey. (TY Atid-EDI) Miri, a 7-year-old female 3-legged donkey with an abscess under its hoof was in so much pain, that euthanasia was the only option. But after one injection of liposomal-CBD from Israel’s Innocan (see here previously), Miri regained her mobility and the abscess healed.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/innocan-pharma-reports-breakthrough-pre-200100572.html?guccounter=1
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Woman at sea. Technion graduate Rafaella Waissertreiger is a natural gas engineer for Chevron on the Tamar gas platform in the Mediterranean Sea, some 50 miles from Haifa. As an offshore facility engineer, she is responsible for operations support and project management, working with 10 other Technion alumi.
https://ats.org/our-impact/young-woman-at-sea-advancing-israels-energy-independence/
After-school tennis continues for Arab & Jewish kids. Despite Oct 7, the Freddie Krivine Initiative is still running four afterschool tennis and community clubs for Arab and Jewish youth.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-jews-and-arabs-find-coexistence-in-youth-tennis/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuC-feTQUkk
50% better beehives. To coincide with World Bee Day on May 20, Israel’s BeeHero (see here previously) has reported that its hives have, on average, close to 50% more bee frames (the structures holding honeycombs) per hive when compared to the industry norm. BeeHero is the world’s largest provider of pollination services.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/beehive-management-firm-ai-platform-boosts-hives-by-almost-50/
Science agreement with Guatemala. Israel and Guatemala have reached an agreement to promote scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries, furthering bilateral relations. It includes exchanges of researchers in the fields of fields of agriculture, water and artificial intelligence.
https://www.jns.org/israel-and-guatemala-sign-scientific-technological-accord/
Fixing Rwanda children’s hearts. A team of 22 cardiologists, physicians, nurses and medical staff from Israel’s Save A Child’s Heart travelled to Kigali, Rwanda to treat young cardiac patients. Children will also be flown to Israel for surgery as part of a 5-year agreement. SACH has also trained two Rwandan doctors in Israel.
https://www.jns.org/medical-team-from-israel-travels-to-rwanda-to-treat-young-cardiac-patients/
Israeli medical tech in Ghana. The JDC(Joint), and the Ruderman Family Foundation have launched a new healthcare initiative, ImpactWell, which utilizes Israeli mobile and tele-medicine technologies in developing countries. Its one-year pilot has reduced illness and infant mortality and improved life expectancy in Ghana.
https://www.jns.org/wire/jdc-and-ruderman-family-foundations-new-last-mile-health-care/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHiTCemoFEU
Aid to Papua New Guinea. Israel’s Foreign Ministry is assessing what assistance Israel can provide to alleviate the suffering of the many thousands of victims of the Papua New Guinea landslide. PNG is a good friend to Israel and in Sept moved its embassy to Jerusalen.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Redefining the dairy industry. Israel’s Yotvata (see here previously) has partnered with Israel’s Mileutis (see here previously) to make the milk industry more sustainable. Yotvata’s Dairy Farm management system, plus Mileutis’ Imilac product creates healthier, happier cows that produce better quality milk without antibiotics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PpUMrr9UZg
Turning PVC waste into fuel in Thailand. Israel’s Plastic Back (see here previously) has teamed up with Thai petrochemicals company SCG Chemicals on a project to recycle polyvinyl chloride (PVC) waste into naphtha fuel for industrial use in Thailand.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/israeli-startup-partners-with-thai-chemical-company-to-recycle-pvc/
Getting into hot water. Israel’s Sowillo Energy (see here previously) has developed a system to use energy from the hot water wasted in showering or washing dishes or clothes. Instead of going down the drain, the system redirects the water to a tank where it heats a coil that generates hot water for others in the building.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/shower-power-making-wasted-hot-water-a-smart-source-of-energy/
Paint that kills pathogens. (TY Aubrey) Israel’s Nirlat’s Kibbutz Nir Oz paint factory was destroyed on Oct 7. But together with Israel’s Nanosono (see here previously) it created Aquanir Active Shield - an acrylic paint that eliminates almost all bacteria, viruses, and molds. It is already being used at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-804181 https://en.nirlat.com/
The robot that picks and packs. More on the robotic technology from Israel’s 1MRobotics (see here previously). Select your goods and a robot will retrieve your purchased items in under 10 seconds. The first autonomous grocery store will be operated by a supermarket chain with 20 stores in New York.
https://www.israel21c.org/the-robot-that-picks-and-packs-your-grocery-purchases/
From the patient’s perspective. Israel’s OtheReality has developed a virtual reality app that teaches medical staff to show more empathy with patients. The startup launched via a partnership between Bar-Ilan University and Sheba Medical Center’s ARC Innovation Center, and is being piloted at Sheba and other Israeli hospitals.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/virtual-reality-app-lets-medical-staff-get-a-patients-eye-view/
https://www.othereality.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byAHhHnkqbM
See Israeli innovation in Washington DC. Israel Aerospace Industries has inaugurated its first visitor’s center in the US, in Washington, D.C. IAI says it reflects its strategy to work to deepen business and technological activities with its partners in the U.S. IAI also plans to launch an innovation center in DC at the end of July.
https://www.jns.org/israel-aerospace-industries-inaugurates-visitors-center-in-washington-dc/
Top-rated software again. (TY Atid-EDI) For the second year in a row, Israel’s Zesty (see here previously) has been named a Top Rated Software by FeaturedCustomers, the world's only customer reference platform for B2B business software & services. Zesty optimizes the cloud computing usage of its 500+ customers.
https://www.featuredcustomers.com/vendor/zesty
Putting AI into Excel. Israel’s DataRails (see here previously) has developed FinanceOS, a financial planning and analysis (FP&A) platform that integrates artificial intelligence into the Excel program. It connects Excel securely to the company’s cloud systems and then automates the updating of spreadsheets with cloud data.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/ai-platform-takes-sting-out-of-financial-firms-arduous-excel-tasks/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Tel Aviv startups lead the world. Despite the war, Tel Aviv continues to outperform other global tech hubs like San Francisco and New York. Almost one in every 20 of the city’s privately held startups (4.8%), backed by venture capital, has become a unicorn (valued over $1 billion) - the highest percentage in the world.
https://www.israel21c.org/tel-aviv-startup-hub-leads-the-world-despite-conflict/
3 huge new towers for Tel Aviv. (TY Yanky) In another sign of a vibrant, growing economy, in 2026 Carasso Group will start building 3 towers in Tel Aviv, each of 41-48-floors. The 410 housing units will include 144 affordable homes, as well as some 120,000 sq meters of office, commercial, hotel and public space.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-carasso-to-build-3-towers-on-tel-aviv-head-office-site-1001478848
They all want Arrow 3. (TY UWI & ILTV News) One month after Iran’s missile assault on Israel, and Israel’s Arrow 3 defense system is now in very high demand. Many countries are negotiating with Israel’s Aerospace Industries. Germany (see here) recently bought the system for $3.5 million (see here previously).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zAjXlT16oY
An electric delivery experience. Israel’s Blitz Motors (see here previously) replaces gasoline-fueled delivery motorbikes with cheaper, safer, and more sustainable electric mopeds. It says 400 mopeds save 29.000 trees a year. Companies use Blitz e-mopeds in Israel, the Netherlands, the UK, the UAE, Belgium, and South Africa.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/electric-mopeds-driving-off-gas-guzzling-rivals-on-city-streets/
Robots for the US Marines. Israel’s Roboteam (see here previously) has won another US order – this time to supply 200 Micro Tactical Ground Robots (MTGR) to the US Marine Corps. The MTGR is a lightweight tactical all-terrain robot equipped with 360-degree imaging cameras. The IDF use MTGRs in Gaza.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-israeli-defense-co-roboteam-wins-us-marines-deal-1001480200
Google’s AI lifeline fund. (TY OurCrowd) Google’s AI Lifeline fund (see here previously) is supporting several cash-strapped Israeli startups. They include MagniLearn, NeuroBrave, and IXDen.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/h1gxl6m6p
Can you trust an on-line company with your data? Israel’s Hoggo has created an AI-driven platform that combs through and assesses a company’s publicly available policies on consumer protection. It creates a privacy passport and grade that prospective online buyers and sellers can read to decide if they can trust them.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/privacy-passports-grade-companies-on-their-data-protection-policies/
Exits, takeovers and mergers – to 2/6/24: Israel’s CyberArk is acquiring US-headquartered Venafi for $1.54 billion.
Startup investment – to 2/6/24: Firefly.ai raised $23 million (co-founder murdered on Oct 7); Orca AI raised $23 million; Unlimited Robotics raised $5 million.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
So busy in Jerusalem. (TY Sharon) Recent and forthcoming Jerusalem events include Economy and Society Conference, Education Week, Writers Festival, “In-attention” new tech & design at Hansen House, Design Week, Jerusalem Street Orchestra concert, and the Lag B’Omer bonfire and dancing at the Kotel.
https://rjstreets.com/2024/05/26/whats-new-and-different-on-the-jerusalem-streets/
The Israeli Mind: The Story of Israeli Innovation. I have just been alerted to this book, by Galit Hemi, which was written in 2021. The Calcalistech article below features ICQ, and the four Israeli “nerds” who kick-started Israel’s Hi-tech Revolution. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bjq01vmn0
https://www.amazon.com/Israeli-Mind-Story-Innovation/dp/9655647668
30 years of writers’ café. Tmol Shilshom, the literary (dairy kosher) coffee house in Jerusalem’s Nachalat Shiva neighborhood, is marking 30 years with a series of events in June.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/jerusalem-book-lovers-cafe-marks-30-years-with-etgar-keret-others/
https://www.tmol-shilshom.co.il/en/home/
Dig, Dive & Discover. The University of Haifa’s School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures (SAMC) has launched a new science-oriented international one-year master’s program in archaeological research. It brings underwater and coastal archaeology, geology, geoarchaeology, history, ecology, and lab work under one roof.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/spotlight/the-university-of-haifa-presents-dig-dive-and-discover/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlXJ4L9qijw
A sure bet for success. Israeli actress Daniella Pick, wife of acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino, is to play the lead female role in a new American action thriller titled, “The Perfect Gamble”.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-wife-of-quentin-tarantino-lands-lead-role-in-new-action-thriller/
Hiking the Holyland. (TY Laura) The next group hike organized by Hiking the Holyland is on Jun 9. Ben Zaltzman will guide the group along the 23rd segment of the Israel Trail, through Hadera Forest. 13.5 km of easy, flat walking from Hadera Stream to Turtle Bridge. Transport available from Tel Aviv.
https://hikingintheholyland.com/events/israel-trail-23-hadera-forest-turtle-bridge/
Jiu-Jitsu team European gold & silver. (TY Hazel) At the 2024 Jiu-Jitsu European Championships, Israel topped the medals table. In the Team Competition, the Israeli B team won, and the A team were runners up. Sara Kovaliov, who is deaf, won the para gold and sang Hatikva in sign language. (see Facebook videos)
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=436464559253801&ref=sharing
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=987701312965291
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1145699/ju-jitsu-european-championship-2024
https://www.sportdata.org/ju-jitsu/set-online/popup_main.php?popup_action=results&vernr=450
THE JEWISH STATE
2,300-year-old ring found in Jerusalem. (TY UWI) Archaeologists discovered a 2,300-year-old child’s ring at an excavation in Jerusalem’s City of David archaeological park. The gold and gemstone ring upgrades the previous historical view of the nature and stature of Jerusalem’s inhabitants in the Early Hellenistic Period.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390606 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usE8gjcOcBs
Israel’s largest mezuzah scroll. Rabbi Meir Peretz from Ashdod has written a 56 cm (22-inch) mezuzah - roughly a third of the size of an average person. Rabbi Peretz is a certified Sofer (scribe) of the Mishmeret Stam Institute, but admitted it was a very complex task. The mezuzah cost the customer NIS 1500 (approx. $400)
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390704
Celebrate Jerusalem Day. Jacob Richman has updated his Jerusalem pages to include new links for Yom Yerushalayim on June 4th – the anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967 during the 6-day war.
https://jr.co.il/hotsites/jerusalem.htm
240526
In the 26th May 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
· Israeli technology helps Irish doctors early-diagnose potentially fatal diseases.
· Another female designer of Israeli missile defense systems.
· 200 Israeli hi-tech engineers donate their time to develop life-saving solutions.
· An Israeli startup removes a greenhouse gas far more potent than CO2.
· The first Israeli auto-industry company to set up a factory in India.
· A world record is broken during an Israeli soccer match.
· 2000-year-old Jewish emblems discovered in a Palestinian-Arab village.
· Click here to see the 19th May newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen, (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours, (TY Aviva) United With Israel, and (TY Ted Belman) IsraPundit. Also (TY Sandra) for translating it into German here, and Hebrew here, and with (TY) Claude into French here. Also (TY Barbara) into Spanish here. Please forward this newsletter to German-speaking, Spanish-speaking, French-speaking and Hebrew-speaking contacts. Also please visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/verygoodnewsIL.
· Please click here, to donate (a small or large amount) to help me publicize VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
· Click here to keyword SEARCH almost any topic in the IsraelActive archives (over 24,500 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
POSITIVE NEWS DURING A WAR
IDF heroes speak to the world. The Jewish Agency for Israel organized a group of 90 IDF soldiers that fought on the southern and northern fronts to participate in Israel’s Memorial Day (Yom Hazikaron) and Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzmaut) ceremonies across the globe so they could share details of their experiences.
https://www.jns.org/wire/jewish-agency-shares-stories-of-israeli-soldiers-heroism-worldwide/
We will dance again. American singer and influencer Montana Tucker attended the ‘NOVA’ dance tribute at Kibbutz Re’im in memory of the Oct 7 victims. She said, “Israel will dance again.” And in Tel Aviv’s hostage square, “I’ve sung Hatikvah many times but never in Israel. It is so special and powerful to be singing it here.”
Latest JNF volunteering opportunities. This site lists the dates of upcoming JNF missions to support Israeli evacuees, pick crops, repair kibbutz buildings, and meet soldiers, survivors, and influential figures.
https://www.jnf.org/travel/tours/index/volunteer-in-israel-missions
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Saving hundreds of lives in Ireland. (TY Yanky - For my next “boycott Israel” blog) Dublin’s Mater Hospital has implemented the AI X-ray analysis software from Israel’s Aidoc (see here previously). It has already saved hundreds of lives. No surprise that the Irish National broadcaster RTE didn’t mention that Aidoc is Israeli!
https://www.rte.ie/news/health/2023/1213/1421765-mater-hospital-ai/
https://www.aidoc.com/about/news/mater-hospital-ai-deployment/
Alpha DaRT treats its first liver cancer patient. The Alpha DaRT innovative alpha-radiation cancer therapy from Israel’s Alpha Tau (see here previously) has been used to treat a liver cancer patient in a Canadian clinical trial. The trial will include up to 10 patients with liver metastases (secondary cancer) from colorectal cancer.
https://www.ourcrowd.com/startup-news/alpha-tau-announces-alpha-dart-treatment-of-first-patient-with-liver-metastases-of-colorectal-cancer https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05829291
Electronic cure for infections. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Inspira Technologies and Israel’s Ennocure MedTech jointly developed innovative bio-electronic physical stimulation technology (see here previously). Lab blood test showed the treatment cut bacterial growth by 75% in 4 hours and by 100% within 24 hours.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/inspira-ennocure-vitro-study-results-122400051.html
Causing brain cancer cells to burn out. Prof Barak Rotblat of Israel’s Ben-Gurion University is making brain cancer cells self-destruct by increasing their growth rate while shutting down their glucose energy source. He is working with BGN Technologies to block 4EBP1, a protein that regulates cancer to survive glucose starvation.
https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/news-and-articles/rotblat-glucose-starvation/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48386-y
Helping recovery from strokes. Israel’s BrainQ (see here previously) reported promising results from a 15-center clinical trial that uses an AI-powered electromagnetic field therapy to help reduce disabilities in people after suffering a severe ischemic stroke.
US approval for spinal fusion. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Zygofix (see here previously) has received US-FDA approval for its zLOCK Lumbar Facet Fixation System. Zygofix’s already has European CE certification for its adaptable implant, and says it is now positioned to revolutionize spinal fusion surgery.
Remote diagnostics at 2,500+ US schools. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s TytoCare (see here previously) now provides remote care support at clinics in more than 2,500 schools in 31 US states. Recent arrangements include schools in Guilford County, N.C., Title-1 schools across Virginia, and schools in Edmonson County, Kentucky.
BioMed 2024. (TY Atid-EDI) BioMed Israel (May 21-23) is the largest and leading meeting venue between Israeli healthcare professionals where more than 100 Israeli life science companies, both promising startups and more established companies, present and exhibit their innovative products and technologies.
https://kenes-exhibitions.com/biomed/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Women defending Israel. See here, here, and here for previous female Israeli aerospace and defense systems experts. Now meet Inbal Kreiss - head of innovation at the Systems, Missiles, and Space Division of Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI). She managed the design of the Arrow 2 & 3 missile defense systems.
Treatments for AML (Another item for my “boycott Israel” blog.) Now that Asma al-Assad, wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, do you think she may consider being treated with one of the many Israeli treatments in use or undergoing clinical trials (see here). Unlikely!
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390300
Diagnosing diseases in Brazil. (TY Atid-EDI) Another “boycott Israel” blog candidate. Israel’s EFA Technologies (see here previously) has started operations in Brazil, following approval by Anvisa (Brazil’s health regulatory authority) of EfA’s leading portable blood lab device, RevDx. Will Brazil’s President use it?
https://efa-technologies.com/efa-enters-brazilian-market-and-secures-us6-5m-in-funding-2/
Protecting US military vehicles. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Elbit is to supply its Iron Fist Active Protection Systems to the U.S. Army. They will provide 360-degree protection for the army’s Bradley M2A4E1 Infantry Fighting Vehicles, defending them against anti-tank rockets, guided missiles, etc.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
The path to cyber success. Omer Schneider is the former CEO and co-founder of Israeli cybersecurity company CyberX, which he sold to Microsoft in 2020 for around $170 million. As a boy, he got a computer as a present. He went from Technion graduate to IDF cyber engineer. He is now working on something really big!
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/technion-trailblazers-omer-schneider-on-betting-on-big-ideas/
What is Tech Guard guarding? The up-to-date info of the progress of the projects of Israeli non-profit Tech Guard (see here previously). It now has some 200 volunteers from Israel’s tech community developing solutions to save lives. https://www.israeltechguard.org/
Real-time AI video security. (TY Atid-EDI) It’s not enough to use CCTV cameras to track down criminals, they can also prevent crimes. Israel’s Lumana transforms any security camera into an AI-powered device that can analyze millions of hours of video across locations to identify and warn of potential risks as they occur.
Generating ads with AI. Israel’s AdGPT automates the creation of advertisements for small and medium businesses (SMBs). These ads are optimized for digital platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), Google, Taboola and Outbrain. (Unfortunately, I couldn’t get it to work for VeryGoodNewsIsrael.)
Swedish car charged in 10 minutes. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s StoreDot (see here previously) successfully charged a fully drive-able verification Polestar 5 prototype Electric Vehicle, from 10% to 80% in under 10 minutes. The Polestar’s 77kWh battery pack comprised StoreDot’s 300Wh/kg silicon-dominant battery cells.
2.5 billion cubic meters of water. Underneath Kibbutz Shamir in the Upper Galilee is a massive water source – over half as much as in the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). Thanks to the JNF-USA and others, the Shamir Drilling Project is reaching down a huge 1.5km to draw water for drought-threatened crops and fish farms.
Cultivating bluefin tuna. Israel’s Wanda Fish (see here previously) has unveiled toro sashimi made from the cells of bluefin tuna, one of the world’s most expensive fish per pound. Toro sashimi is normally made from the fatty underbelly of the fish, and Wanda says its lab-grown version has the same omega 3-rich nutritional value.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/startup-unveils-sashimi-made-from-lab-grown-bluefin-tuna/
An artificial island? (TY Atid-EDI) The digging of tunnels for the Metro in the Greater Tel Aviv area will involve the removal of 40 million cubic meters of earth. The Ministry of Transport is examining the possibility of using this material to build an artificial island off the coast of Israel.
Reducing greenhouse gas in greenhouses. Israel’s N2OFF (formerly Nitrousink – see here) has developed bacteria to reduce Nitrous Oxide emissions in agriculture. Its recent study inside greenhouses shows N2O levels reduced by up to 54%. N2O is reportedly 265 times more potent than Carbon dioxide in warming the planet.
https://www.n2off.net/ https://www.n2off.com/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Foreign currency reserves reach a record high. At the end of March, Israel’s reserves of foreign currency stood at $213.768 billion, nearly $7 billion more that at the end of Feb. They have since slipped back a little but shows that Israel did not, even when at war, need to use its reserves to stabilize the value of the Shekel.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-israels-forex-reserves-hit-record-high-1001475917
Average salaries vs hi-tech salaries. (TY Atid-EDI) Average Israeli wages in Mar 24 have risen 3.5% to over NIS 14,000 per month compared to Mar 23. Hi-tech salaries over the same period rose 13.2% to almost NIS 34,000. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/a12zken3k
10 more startups to be ignited. The startups joining Intel’s 9th accelerator group are Clarity-Sec, Converge Bio, FalkorDB, Filo Systems, Hiveware, Kai.ai, Noma, Onfire, RAAAM Memory, and Tonic Security.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/h1i00n2efr https://www.converge-bio.com/ https://hiveware.io/
https://www.falkordb.com/ https://www.startuphub.ai/startups/noma-security/ https://www.onfire.ai/
https://raaam-tech.com/ https://www.tonicsecurity.com/
Electric motor factory in India. Israel’s EVR Motors (see here previously) has become the first Israeli auto company to set up manufacturing in India. The automated facility will supply coils for approximately 20,000 motors per month, with plans to expand to around 100,000 motors to meet global demand for electric vehicles.
Exits, takeovers and mergers – to 26/5/24: Alicorn Galaxy is acquiring Israel’s Glassbox (to de-list from TASE) for $150 million. Israel’s Argmax acquired Israel’s Ginzi to bolster its AI-powered customer support solution. Israel’s TIGI Solar acquired Austria’s SOLID. Israeli-controlled Delek Group (Ithaca) has bought the UK North Sea assets of Italy’s Eni UK for £940 million. Israel’s Nayax has completed the takeover of Brazil’s VMtecnologia (boycott?). French giant Thales has purchased the Israeli satellite company GetSAT.
Startup investment – to 26/5/24: Finout raised $26 million; Nectin Therapeutics received $10 million from the Guangzhou-Israel Biotechnology Fund; Superlegal raised $5 million; RAAAM Memory Technologies raised $4 million.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
When prophecies come true. Yisrael Rosenberg worked in high tech in the US until he made Aliyah. He now is an attendant at the Kotel (Western Wall in Jerusalem). His book “Only Good Tidings - Consoling Prophecies from the Bible” (if you can find it) links Biblical prophecies to modern times. Also look for Joel C Rosenberg.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/389976
Still pro-Israel. (TY Yanky) The Jerusalem International Writers Festival, (May 27-30) will feature acclaimed American novelist, John Irving, the author of The World According to Garp. Irving said in a statement released by the festival, “I first came to Israel in April 1981. I was pro-Israel then; I’m no less pro-Israeli now.”
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-799372
Global Hatikvah. Voices from over 70 countries united in song to inspire hope and promote peace through a new rendition of Hatikvah. Global Hatikvah is a collaborative project with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic, and the Canadian Friends of the Israel Philharmonic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpEp5bii2RU https://globalhatikvah.org/ www.afipo.org
October Rain. Israel’s Eurovision contestant Eden Golan performed October Rain - the original version of the Israeli entry “Hurricane” - for the families of the Gaza hostages. October Rain was disqualified for references to Hamas, so the lyrics and title was changed to be acceptable to the European authority. We all knew though.
Irish success in Israel. (TY Yanky) Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Irish coach Robbie Keane has guided his team to the Israeli Premier League title in his first season at the Israeli soccer club. It was Maccabi Tel Aviv’s first Premier title since 2020. Keane rebutted criticism from anti-Israeli Irish politicians when he originally accepted the job.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-801751
World record penalty shoot-out. (TY Hazel) Israel’s SC Dimona and Shimshon Tel Aviv set a world record for the longest-ever penalty shootout with 56 kicks in a semifinal promotion playoff in the third-tier league. Dimona won the shootout 23-22 in a soccer game that lasted over three hours instead of the usual 90 minutes.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-teams-set-soccer-record-with-56-kick-shootout/
Special triathlon winner. (TY Hazel) In the Special Olympics European Triathlon Open competition held in Slovakia, Israel’s Ron Beck finished first in the CAT C M heat, completing the 750-meter open-water swim, 20-kilometer bike and 5-kilometer run in 1hr 11mins 46secs.
https://www.specialolympics.org/stories/athletes/special-olympics-athletes-compete-in-the-second-challenge-family-triathlon-series https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=977899567257475&set=a.225139202533519
We will dance again. (TY Hazel) Israeli dancers Liana Odikadze and Alexei Korovchenko won first place in the International Open Latin event at the World DanceSport Federation competition in Tbilisi.
https://www.worlddancesport.org/Event/Competition/International-Open-Tbilisi-24019/Adult-Latin-61540/Ranking https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=979404747106957&set=a.225139202533519
THE JEWISH STATE
Crowdfunding help for needy Israelis. Ten Gav is an Israel based charity matching donors with needy Israeli families. All requests come from social workers around Israel seeking assistance for their clients. The need is posted on tengav.org. 100% of any donation goes to the needy person you choose.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKj6zAXOCb0 https://www.tengav.org/
Ancient menorah carvings found in Arab village. IDF soldiers have discovered Talmudic-era menorahs engraved on the doorway of a home in the (now) Arab village of Kafr Si’ir, near Hebron. The village’s 2,000-year-old fort dates to when the town was Jewish during Talmudic times. Note the shape of the menorah.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390409
240519
In the 19th May 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
· New Israeli treatments for Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia.
· Israel is developing non-surgical ultrasonic bioprinting of disease cures.
· At least two European countries show passionate support for Israel.
· Israel is naming a satellite in memory of Oct 7 victims.
· The city of Modi’in is to get a billion-shekel technology park.
· Israel’s Eurovision singer is a true star.
· 104-year-old survivor brings 400 of her descendants to the Western Wall.
· Click here to see the 12th May newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen, (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours, (TY Aviva) United With Israel, and (TY Ted Belman) IsraPundit. Also (TY Sandra) for translating it into German here, and Hebrew here, and with (TY) Claude into French here. Also (TY Barbara) into Spanish here. Please forward this newsletter to German-speaking, Spanish-speaking, French-speaking and Hebrew-speaking contacts. Also please visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/verygoodnewsIL.
· Please click here, to donate (a small or large amount) to help me publicize VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
· Click here to keyword SEARCH almost any topic in the IsraelActive archives (over 24,500 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
POSITIVE NEWS DURING A WAR
Gaza border incubator is back in business. The attacks on Oct 7 took a severe toll on the SouthUp business incubator (see here previously). But now the Nir Am center has fully reopened. Four new startups have joined the portfolio of 27 companies working in the fields of agritech, food tech, medical tech, clean tech, and IoT.
https://www.israel21c.org/startup-incubator-near-gaza-border-is-back-in-business/
75% of employees in the reserves. On Oct 7, 60 of the 80 Israeli-based employees at Israel’s Exodigo (see here previously) were drafted into the IDF reserves. The remaining Israeli office and overseas staff managed to close new deals but persuaded those customers to wait a while for implementation.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/rjb00lx0fr
Raising funds for child survivors. Israel’s Valoo has launched a fund assembled to provide support for the child survivors of Oct 7. Operating with the social fund Tmura (see here previously), it will regularly distribute cash to these children over the next 10 years. The fund has already raised some $20 million in stock donations.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/skgzgn7qr
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Another schizophrenia treatment. Israel’s Teva has reported positive results of the Phase III trial of its Olanzapine LAI schizophrenia treatment that it has been developing with France’s Medincell. The once-a-month injections met all endpoints. It is likely to be an effective remedy without any serious side effects.
Alzheimer’s researcher sees the light. More about the groundbreaking research of Prof. Shai Rahimipour of Israel’s Bar-Ilan University (see here previously). His Alzheimer’s disease target is a soluble amyloid protein that can be destroyed by nanoparticles that generate light when exposed to low-intensity X rays.
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/new-alzheimers-treatment-uses-light-x-rays-to-hit-harmful-protein/
Edison award for cancer diagnosis. Israel’s Ibex Medical Analytics (see here previously) was a bronze winner in the Diagnostic Technologies category at the 2024 Edison Awards. Ibex won the award for its Galen Breast HER2 platform, that identifies the protein responsible for the proliferation of cancer cells.
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/breast-cancer-diagnosis-platform-wins-edison-innovation-award/
Diagnosing Endometriosis. Israel’s EndoCure (see here previously) is developing a diagnostic tool combining AI and ultrasound that would allow physicians to clearly see the tiny lesions responsible for Endometriosis. The disease causes pelvic pain and infertility for women. It can spread to other organs and is sometimes fatal.
https://www.israel21c.org/a-diagnostic-tool-for-forgotten-disease-of-endometriosis/
Navigating the US health system. Israel’s Healthee (see here previously) helps employers and employees select and navigate the most suitable health plan. It also connects the user with round-the-clock telehealth services that are free of charge. https://healthee.com/
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/israeli-ai-helps-us-workers-navigate-maze-of-private-healthcare/
Lasers to reduce pain. Doctors at Israel’s Sheba Medical Center are using low-level lasers to treat soldiers and civilians for chronic pain caused from wounds sustained in the Oct 7 war. They stimulate mitochondria which releases ATP causing muscles to contract. Many patients experience up to 80% immediate improvement.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/laser-zaps-away-chronic-pain-for-wounded-israeli-soldiers/
Gel helps bones repair faster. Israel’s OrthoTreat has developed ModulX - a gel containing both a known medication plus a plant-based compound. The gel is injected directly onto the bone as a bonding agent where it strengthens the bone and improves its psychological structure.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/new-gel-jab-aims-to-help-broken-bones-heal-back-better/
Bio-printing cells into the body. Technion Professor Shulamit Levenberg (see here previously) has made yet another medical breakthrough. She has developed a non-surgical medication delivery and tissue implantation technique using ultrasound waves. Live cells from injected biological ink are “printed” deep inside the body.
https://www.israel21c.org/new-technique-bioprints-live-cells-inside-the-body-using-ultrasonic-waves/
10 new life-changing biomed innovators. The first graduates of the SHAAR Innovation Hub (see here previously) include BeCapio, CaleeTech, Gento Gel-LR (sustained release antibiotics), Luseed Vascular, Panacea-ml, Predicta Med, Sherman Diagnostics, Snipe Medical, Sorlis, and TechnoPulm.
https://www.israel21c.org/10-biomed-startups-complete-innovation-hub-on-way-to-market/
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/h1wa7gab0
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Ethiopian Israeli entrepreneur. The life story of 38-year-old Solomon Geveye reads like a movie script. He arrived in Israel in 1991 at the age of 6; Economics degree at Ariel University; 7.5 years in the IDF; 5 years in USA in finance & security, back to Israel to start international consultancy & Israel advocacy; and much more.
https://www.israel21c.org/meet-the-man-blazing-a-high-tech-trail-for-ethiopian-israelis/
“Hurricane” in Arabic. Lebanese singer Carine Bassili, who grew up in Lebanon and now lives in the United States, decided to perform an Arabic cover of the Israeli Eurovision song “Hurricane” as an act of support for Israeli performer Eden Golan who was bullied and harassed in Malmö.
https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/byh28nfxr
Romania’s Friendship and Solidarity day. The Parliament of Romania has adopted a law to establish May 14 as the National Day of Friendship and Solidarity between Romania and the State of Israel. (The State of Israel was officially established on May 14, 1948.) Knesset Speaker MK Ohana said, “Israel will thank you forever”.
https://main.knesset.gov.il/en/news/pressreleases/pages/press20324q.aspx
Netherlands to move embassy to Jerusalem. The four political parties seeking to form the next Dutch government are planning to move the Dutch embassy in Israel from Ramat Gan to Jerusalem. Geert Wilders, whose party won the most seats in the recent election, is staunchly pro-Israel.
https://www.jns.org/amsterdam-to-examine-appropriate-time-to-move-embassy-to-jlem/
Five universities rise in rankings. UAE-based Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) has increased the ranking of five Israeli universities in its latest list. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is now 66th (was 70) and Weizmann Institute is now 74th (was 87). All nine Israeli universities were in the top 10% worldwide.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/amid-war-five-israeli-universities-ascend-in-international-rankings/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Growing dairy proteins in potatoes. Israel’s Evogene has partnered with the Kitchen Foodtech Hub to form Finally Foods. It is developing plant-based alternatives to meat, based on casein – the protein in dairy products, using potatoes to host cultivation. The proteins will then be used to make vegan milk, cheese, emulsifiers etc.
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/ai-molecular-farming-making-plant-based-dairy-easier-and-cheaper/
Detox Project certification for greens. The Detox Project, renowned for its scientific assessment of toxic chemicals in food and supplements globally, awarded quality certifications to GreenOnyx (see here previously). Its superfood product, Wanna Greens, is the first CleanScan-certified brand globally.
Restoring the wetlands. This article describes the latest progress of the SPNI (Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel) project to turn 2,000 acres of unprofitable fish-farms, south of Haifa, back into swamp. Its environmental and tourism benefits will exceed those of the popular Hula Valley – another restored wetland.
https://www.israel21c.org/rewilding-israels-historic-swamps/
AI institute launched. Israel’s Ben-Gurion University has launched 'The Institute' - an artificial intelligence initiative to promote Israel's leadership in implementing AI capabilities in cyber, medical, finance and education. Initially a mentoring team of Israeli AI experts will train the CEOs of leading companies.
https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/news-and-articles/the-institute-ai-initiative/
Security for GenAI. Generative AI systems such as ChatGPT are used in 80% of Fortune 500 companies. But they have risks including data breaches, malicious injections, and copyright violations. Israel’s Apex Security aims to protect those systems. Investors include Sam Altman, CEO of ChatGPT’s parent company OpenAI.
https://www.israel21c.org/openai-ceo-invests-in-new-israeli-ai-security-startup/
Light up your life. Israel’s Solight channels natural sunlight from 8am to 4pm into indoor spaces using mirrors from a rooftop solar collector. It provides health benefits to those stuck inside and cuts exposure to artificial light. It also cuts the cost of providing artificial lighting in schools, hospitals and industrial buildings.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/let-there-be-light-startup-brings-sunshine-inside-for-indoor-wellness/
https://www.solight-energy.com/
Satellite to honor Oct 7 victims. They destroy, we build. Israel’s Technion and Israel Aerospace Industries are building a communications satellite called NOVA-SAT in memory of the victims of the Nova festival. It also honors Captain (res.) Denis Krokhmalov Veksler who died in Gaza before he could start his Technion studies.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/new-israeli-satellite-honors-fallen-soldier-massacre-victims/
Autonomous bulldozer. (TY Yanky) The IDF has begun to deploy unmanned 50-ton D9 “Panda” bulldozers in Gaza. It is the world’s first significant involvement of such ground robotic tools in combat, reducing the risk to IDF personnel. The Pandas are built by ELTA Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bj5nnk5m0 https://www.iai.co.il/p/panda
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Economy grows. Israel’s economy recovered sharply in the first quarter of 2024. Gross domestic product (GDP) grew an annualized 14.1% in the January to March period. Growth was led by a rebound in consumer spending and investment, particularly in residential building. 21% more new homes were sold than Q1/23
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/israels-economy-rebounds-after-decline-at-start-of-gaza-war-grows-14-1-in-2024-q1/ https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-new-home-sales-in-israel-up-21-in-q1-1001478569
Boosting hi-tech investment. The Israel Innovation Authority is investing $160 million over 20 months in the Yozma Fund 2.0 initiative. It aims to attract another $700 million from institutional investors such as Venture Capital funds, to encourage more Deep Tech startups (see here previously).
https://www.israel21c.org/new-fund-aims-to-boost-israeli-high-tech-investments/
New tech park for Modi’in. The TechMod tech park in Modi’in will provide 10,000 jobs in the city that was originally built as a dormitory town between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The NIS 1.5 billion cost will encompass 100,000 sqm of office and commercial space, saving time for 75% of residents who currently work elsewhere.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-techmod-techpark-aims-to-transform-modiin-1001478096
Victoria’s Secret opens in Israel. Despite the ongoing war, the famous lingerie company Victoria’s Secret has opened two stores in Israel, at shopping malls in Haifa and Petah Tikvah. They follow the launch of the Israeli Victoria’s Secret website which started operations last year.
https://www.israel21c.org/amid-war-victorias-secret-opens-stores-in-israel/
A better vegan salmon. (TY OurCrowd). Israel’s Oshi (formerly Plantish – see here previously) is unveiling the latest version of its plant-based salmon filet, in Chicago. Oshi has secured US-wide distribution for its flagship alternative cooked salmon filet.
Exits, takeovers and mergers – to 19/5/24: Israel’s Nuvo has merged with US-based LAMF Global ventures and is now trading on NASDAQ. Israel’s Travelier has acquired Brazil’s top bus ticket seller DeOnibus. Blackstone Growth Fund is to acquire Israel’s Priority Software at an $800 million valuation.
Startup investment – to 19/5/24: WEKA.io raised $140 million (new Unicorn); Agora raised $34 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
National Park revitalized. Nahal HaShofet (“Judge’s Stream”) in northwest Israel’s Ramat Menashe Park has reopened following extensive reconstruction. KKL-JNF has restored the stream following floods in 2020 and built walking trails, picnic areas, and accessible facilities for visitors of all abilities.
https://www.israel21c.org/revitalized-northern-israel-park-now-accessible-to-all/
Five new hotels. Showing confidence in the future resilience of Israel’s tourism economy, five new Israeli hotels have opened in the last six months. They are David’s Harp Galilee Resort, Rothschild 69 (Tel Aviv), Albi Florentine (Tel Aviv), Almond Hotel (Neve Ilan), and The George (Tel Aviv).
https://www.israel21c.org/new-hotels-that-just-opened-in-israel/
Eurovision success. Israel’s Eurovision Song Contest entry “Hurricane”, sung by Eden Golan, achieved an overall fifth place. In the global public vote, it came second. Eden herself was a great advocate for Israel. You can watch her receive the “Hero Award” at the United Hatzalah NYC Gala on June 4.
https://www.israel21c.org/israels-eden-golan-comes-in-5th-in-tumultuous-eurovision/
https://israelrescue.org/event/nygala2024/
Real life on film in Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv’s annual DocAviv documentary film festival is celebrating its 26th year and running May 23 through June 1 at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque and other movie theaters around the city. The event offers a week of screenings of works from Israel and around the world.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/lifes-pain-and-beauty-on-show-at-tel-avivs-26th-docaviv/
https://www.docaviv.co.il/2024-en/
New Orleans Jazz in Tel Aviv. Experience the vibrancy of the 6th annual Tel Aviv New Orleans Jazz Festival (May 30 - June 1) at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Jazz artists from New Orleans, London, Amsterdam, Paris, & Berlin will perform alongside local talents, in a range of styles from Ragtime to Blues and Dixie.
https://www.nbn.org.il/events/6th-tel-aviv-new-orleans-jazz-festival/
https://eng.hotjazz.co.il/the-new-orleans-jazz-festival-tel-aviv-may-june-2024/
The Beatles in Jerusalem. Jerusalem’s first Beatles Festival takes place on May 30 at the Kfar Shaul hospital in Givat Shaul, near Har Nof. Beatles bands from all over Israel will perform the Fab Four’s famous hits.
https://www.nbn.org.il/events/jerusalems-first-beatles-festival/
https://www.facebook.com/events/s/jerusalems-first-beatles-festi/3814334142118617/
Jerusalem Harmonica Festival. The Third Jerusalem Harmonica Festival is being held May 29 and 30 at Jerusalem’s Harmony Cultural Center. https://www.nbn.org.il/events/jerusalem-harmonica-festival/
More gold sporting medals. (TY Hazel) Israel’s Asaf Yasur (see here previously) won gold at the European Para-Taekwondo championships. Gefen Primo (see here previously) won gold at the judo Grand Slam event in Kazakhstan. https://www.instagram.com/p/C6yNyK1NAJh/
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1145298/europe-para-taekwondo-champonship-recap
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=8044523142248753 https://www.ijf.org/judoka/20206
Last line of German defense. (TY Hazel) Israeli national soccer team goalkeeper Daniel Peretz made his debut for Bayern Munich. It was the eve of Israel's Memorial Day, and Daniel paid tribute to Israel's fallen soldiers and the victims of terrorism. It was emotional to see an Israeli Jew help the German champions to a 2-0 win.
https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/bkmywvyxa
THE JEWISH STATE
For the sake of the Survivors. (TY Yanky) In 2020, Israel’s Dr. Tamara Kolitz founded the non-profit LeMa’anam (“for their sake” in Hebrew), to provide timely healthcare free of charge to Holocaust survivors. Now, 1,500 physicians volunteer in their private clinics, patients’ homes, or LeMa’anam’s two mobile clinics.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-a-cadre-of-1500-mds-began-paying-house-calls-to-israels-holocaust-survivors/ https://www.lemaanam.org.il/en https://barakn8.wixsite.com/website-9
104-year-old survivor and her 400+ descendants. Shoshana Ovitz 104-year-old Holocaust survivor celebrated her birthday last week by gathering over 400 children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other relatives at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
PM wears tefillin of fallen soldier. A rare photograph of Prime Minister Netanyahu wearing tefillin (phylacteries) was posted on Instagram. The PM promised the mother of Moshiko Dvino, who fell in battle in 2014, that he would put on Moshiko’s tefillin. The smell of gunpowder remains on the tefillin case.
https://www.jns.org/netanyahu-photographed-wrapping-tefillin-for-the-first-time/
Celebrating 76 Years. An inspiring video, released to celebrate Yom Ha’Atzmaut - Israel’s Independence Day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUmxucp2mSQ
240512
In the 12th May 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
· Approval for Israeli handheld device that detects preventable blindness.
· Two Israeli innovations that increase effectiveness of life-saving medication.
· Two Israeli solutions that generate edible protein to feed a hungry world.
· European grant to promote Israeli cultivated meat technology.
· Another week of Israeli sporting successes.
· An Israeli breakthrough in carbon-dating confirms Biblical history.
· Click here to see the 5th May newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen, (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours, (TY Aviva) United With Israel, and (TY Ted Belman) IsraPundit. Also (TY Sandra) for translating it into German here, and Hebrew here, and with (TY) Claude into French here. Also (TY Barbara) into Spanish here. Please forward this newsletter to German-speaking, Spanish-speaking, French-speaking and Hebrew-speaking contacts. Also please visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/verygoodnewsIL.
· Please click here, to donate (a small or large amount) to help me publicize VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
· Click here to keyword SEARCH almost any topic in the IsraelActive archives (over 24,400 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
POSITIVE NEWS DURING A WAR
Remarkable Resilience. This video describes how Israel’s Ben Gurion University responded after the devastating events of Oct 7. BGU and its students are helping the Negev recover and rebuild. From finance to students in the reserves and evacuees, to medical gear, clinics, and many vital cutting-edge innovations.
https://americansforbgu.org/video/rr4-recording/
Picking fruit on Gaza border farms. Before Oct 7, farms near the Gaza border supplied 70 percent of Israel’s fresh produce as well as produce for export. Lack of staff threatens closure of the farms, but volunteers from Israel and overseas has ensured their survival. Grapefruit and clementines are two of the crops being harvested.
https://www.israel21c.org/volunteering-on-israeli-farms-devastated-on-october-7/
https://www.israel21c.org/how-you-can-volunteer-in-israel-during-the-war/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
US approval for retinal imaging. The US FDA has approved the fully autonomous AI from Israel’s AEYE Health (see here previously) that diagnoses referable diabetic retinopathy from retinal images obtained by a handheld camera. Portable screening addresses the leading cause of blindness in the global working population.
How cancer manipulates the immune system. Researchers at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University are the first to analyze biopsies to discover how cancer cells prevent being destroyed by the immune system. As each patient is different, the results will help scientists develop personalized strategies for destroying tumors.
https://www.biu.ac.il/en/article/580703 https://www.newswise.com/articles/in-a-first-researchers-generate-a-direct-measurement-of-the-interaction-between-immune-cells-and-cancer-cells-from-a-patient-s-biopsy
The world’s 10th best healthcare. Israel was ranked tenth in the latest edition of the CEOWORLD magazine Health Care Index. 110 countries were surveyed for infrastructure; professionals (doctors, nursing staff, and others); competencies; cost per capita; quality medicine availability, and government readiness.
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/technology-science/artc-israel-ranks-10th-best-health-care-system-in-2024-review https://ceoworld.biz/2024/04/02/countries-with-the-best-health-care-systems-2024/
Improving the use of Operating Rooms. Israel’s Opmed.ai has developed an AI optimization platform for healthcare, starting with Operating Rooms. An empty OR carries a cost of $1,000 for each unused hour. Opmed.ai is already used in the US and Israel and is working with leading Health Systems such as Mayo Clinic.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/r1s5ss8mc https://www.opmed.ai/
Integrated cancer research center. The Technion’s Rappaport Cancer Research Center under construction (see here previously) will house interdisciplinary researchers, computer scientists, doctors, data analysts, biotechnologists, chemical engineers, and more, working to develop treatments via discovery and education.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq_AKCixxzw https://rticc.net.technion.ac.il/
https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-782519
A new hospital for Beersheva. The Israeli has approved the establishment of a second hospital in the Negev city of Beersheva, The Peres Medical Center is expected to open in 2028 with 600 beds. It will reduce the strain on Beershava’s Soroka Medical Center. It will be operated by the Sheba Medical Center.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-cabinet-green-lights-new-hospital-for-beersheva/
A new strategy for treating multiple myeloma. Israel’s UB-Therapeutics is developing a novel therapy for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Its proteasome degradation inhibitor is a cyclic peptide that directly targets the degradation pathway of the proteasome - overcoming cancer’s resistance to existing proteasome inhibitors.
https://ats.org/our-impact/fighting-cancer-drug-resistance/ https://ngt-healthcare2.com/ub-therapeutics/ https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hyx7duwi2
Using plant cells to improve health. (TYAIFL) Israel’s BioHarvest Sciences (see here previously) is building an 80,000 square foot campus in Yavne, Israel to house all R&D functions and manufacturing facilities. BioHarvest uses plants to transform the medical, cosmetic, and nutrition industries.
Combining software and medicine. Israel’s Remepy is developing tailored therapeutic software for mobile applications. It aims to unlock and trigger brain functions that modulate the immune system and enhance traditional medication. The hybrid digital and physical therapy should optimize the effectiveness of treatments.
https://www.remepy.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyZ-vCIKPIQ
Using AI & RNA to deliver therapies. Mana.bio (see here previously) presented to the delegates of Technion UK’s tour of Israel. CEO and co-founder Yogev Debbi explained Mana’s drug delivery development, exactly 7 months after moving to its new premises on Oct 8 when 25% of their staff started IDF reserve duty.
https://technionuk.org/trip-album/#manabio0524 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBbEzqwlIGY
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Druze US delegation highlights diversity. A delegation of Druze Israelis visited Miami, New York City and Washington, D.C. to refute misinformation that portrays Israel as an “apartheid” state and counter antisemitism on college campuses. They drew attention to the coexistence and contributions of Israeli minorities.
No disruption to Jewish-Arab sports program. Even during the war, Israeli non-profit “The Equalizer” (see here previously) continues to bring Jewish and Arab children together to play soccer, basketball, swimming and more. Since Oct 7, it has taken on thousands of kids displaced by war from the north and the south of Israel.
https://www.israel21c.org/the-equalizer-jewish-arab-soccer-program-thriving-despite-war/
What Colombia will be losing. (TY Hazel) Colombia fights rebels and drug cartels using Israeli rifles and Kfir planes which only Israeli engineers can maintain. Israel also provides cyber-security to its banks, water systems to combat drought, hydroponics, new roads, natural pesticides, telecommunications, and electricity.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-cutting-ties-with-israel-could-hamstring-colombias-military-ground-air-force/ https://israelactive.com/?s=colombia
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Israeli school wins international robot contest. (TY Yanky & Nevet) Team Orbit 1690 from the ORT Atid Cramim Binyamina High School, has won the international robotics competition (known as FIRST) in Houston, Texas, beating 600 other teams from around the world.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-799768 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iyUdlndgBE
https://frc-events.firstinspires.org/2024/team/1690 https://www.1690orbit.com/
Be aware, stay safe. Israel’s Cywareness trains employees to guard against cyber-attack. The sophisticated tool simulates realistic attempted security breaches of a company’s computers and emails. It tries to fool employees into providing passwords or loading malicious software. It provides learning experiences without actual risks.
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/making-companys-personnel-human-firewalls-against-cyberattacks/
Protection from Ransomware. Israel’s Morphisec (see here previously) has launched its Anti-Ransomware Assurance Suite. Its components automate the identification of high risks and misconfigurations, protect against infiltration, and use decoy strategies to defend critical assets, reduce recovery time and impact of any attack.
Removing CO2 from US lake. Israel’s BlueGreen Water Technologies (see here previously) removed algae from the Mantua Reservoir in Utah, USA, equating to nearly 13,000 tonnes of atmospheric CO2. It marked the world’s first-ever verified removal of CO2 by eradicating harmful algal blooms in freshwater.
Growing egg protein inside potatoes. Israel’s PoLoPo (see here previously) based on Kibbutz Gan Shlomo, is using molecular farming (creating useful proteins inside plants) to get potatoes to cultivate egg white protein. The aim is to help reduce the food shortage for an increasing world population.
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/making-potatoes-into-factories-for-growing-egg-protein/
Turning jellyfish into food protein. Gal Admati (see here previously) founded Qortein during his time as an evacuee in a Jerusalem hotel. This article describes how Qortein uses Tel Aviv University technology to turn jellyfish (a dangerous invasive species) into a protein source to help combat global food shortages.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/h1iowbbmr https://www.qortein.com/
Innovating for a water-starved planet. Recent article by author Paul Driessen that describes how Israel’s inspiration, innovation, perspiration, and technology can overcome climate challenges.
https://canadafreepress.com/article/innovating-for-a-water-starved-planet
Digital metal casting. Israel’s Magnus Metals has reinvented the 6,000-year-old metal casting processed. Its volume alloy Digital Casting System and process saves months of time, 50% of costs, 70% of raw materials, and 50% of energy. It increases safety, simplicity, accuracy, and flexibility in the manufacture of alloys.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/h1pwwqcec https://www.magnusmetal.com/
A revolution in publishing. Israel’s Spines is described as the world’s first comprehensive artificial intelligence (AI) publishing platform. Its features include proofreading, formatting, cover design, eBooks, print-on-demand, royalty management and distribution over an extensive network of global channels.
https://www.israel21c.org/ai-publishing-platform-set-to-upend-100-year-old-process/ https://spines.com/
Israeli apps for Yom HaShoah. Ahead of Yom Hashoah, Microsoft rolled out an AI platform for Zikaron Basalon events with survivors. Google’s Waze navigation app mapped 1,200 meeting locations across Israel. Meanwhile, Meta in Israel launched the “Sharing Memories” project (Ma’alim Zikaron in Hebrew).
https://www.timesofisrael.com/microsoft-meta-and-googles-waze-pitch-in-tech-for-holocaust-remembrance-projects/ https://www.zikaronbasalon.com/en/home-2/
https://www.latet.org.il/en/world-4/articles/sharingmemories2024
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Superfast investment. NFX is one of the world’s largest Venture Capital seed funds. It is to invest some of its $20 million emergency fund in cash-strapped Israeli startups. To avoid a long, drawn-out decision-making process, NFX promises to respond to requests within nine days and provide the cash within three weeks.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bjltrurlr
Deloitte launches 10 more startups. Ten Israeli startups have been selected for the 7th cohort of Deloitte’s LaunchPad mentoring program. They are Cyabra, Clarity Security, Juno Journey, LayerX, Ludeo, Opmed, Prompt Security, Trustmi, Winn.ai, and Zoog. The 43 previous startups have raised over $1 billion in funds.
Better management of cash operations. Israel’s Panax develops an AI-driven cash flow management platform to help mid-market and large companies gain full visibility and control over their cash operations. AI-driven automation streamlines all treasury processes, consolidating data directly from banks and ERP systems.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bksi8ykma https://www.thepanax.com/
EU grant for cultivated meat startup. Israel’s Profuse Technology (see here previously) was awarded a 2.4 million euro grant from the EU’s competitive Horizon EIC Transition program. Profuse will use the funds to refine its technology that speeds up the cultivation of non-animal meat.
Exits, takeovers and mergers – to 12/5/24: Nvidia is to acquire Israel’s Deci for an estimated $300 million. Global private equity firm Permira is acquiring 60% of Israel’s BioCatch for around $750 million. Swiss-US Alcon is acquiring Israel’s Belkin Vision for up to $330 million; US-headquartered Akamai has acquired Israel’s Noname Security for $450 million. Israel’s Pango has acquired Israel’s Gett for $175 million.
Startup investment – to 12/5/24: Wiz raised $1 billion; Xtend raised $40 million; Honeycomb Insurance raised $36 million; LayerX raised $26 million; Cynomi raised $20 million; Opmed.ai raised $15 million; AISAP raised $13 million; Panax raised $10 million; Fairgen raised $8 million; Apex AI Security raised $7 million; Token Security raised $7 million; Spines raised $6.5 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Photojournalist at 100 has seen it all. At the National Library of Israel on Yom HaShoah, Dan Hadani, just 3 months from his100th birthday, told his story from survivor of the Lodz Ghetto and Auschwitz to his decades of photojournalism. He has submitted some 1.4 million images to the Library for digitization.
Lee Kern to make Aliyah. (TY Yanky) Oscar-nominated writer and comedian Lee Kern announced he will be moving to the Jewish State. He said, “Rationally she doesn't stand a chance. But she's also the world's only Jewish country. And I'm a Jew.” Kern added that he was happy to make Aliyah, "Because I back winners."
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388084 https://www.leekern.org/
Rhythmic gymnasts win in Baku. (TY Hazel) At the 2024 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Cup in Baku, the Israel senior team won the gold medal in the All-around and the Hoops events. The Israeli Juniors team came top of the 23 competing countries, with individual gold medals in all 4 sets of apparatus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt4Oh0pfwAg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHXcU_AhhLo
https://www.europeangymnastics.com/event/2024-european-cup-rhythmic-gymnastics-baku-aze/results
Israeli Druze wins kickboxing gold. (TY Nevet) (From Feb 2024) Israeli Druze Yosef Takatuk (a.k.a Tktok) from Kfar Yarka won first place at the European Cup kickboxing competition (over 91kg) in Zagreb.
https://www.facebook.com/FollowTeamIsrael/posts/pfbid0RGr7tLfH1R2CpismTftakhgjXr29oYbZCPHbeLtbXwnjNyon7FSMZL54tvpRrSmRl https://twitter.com/nachal_giyus86/status/1760727200607949025
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4XBtbFtkZS/ https://twitter.com/nachal_giyus86/status/1760727200607949025
Karate champions. (TY Hazel) At the European Traditional Karate Federation Championship in Macedonia, Israelis won a total of 11 Gold medals, 3 Silver medals and 2 bronze medals.
https://www.karate.mk/images/2024/results/36th_ETKF_EUROPEAN_TRADITIONAL_KARATE_CHAMPIONSHIP.pdf https://twitter.com/nachal_giyus86/status/1783884384455602459
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=963173675396731&set=a.225139202533519
Hostage’s karting brother wins in Slovakia. Go karter Guy Albag, brother of hostage Liri Albag won the CEE championship in Slovakia while fellow Israeli Yam Pinto finished third. Both went up to the podium honoring Liri. https://twitter.com/nachal_giyus86/status/1787541935210791374
https://www.instagram.com/followteamisrael/p/C6nd7ZItive/
Other medals. (TY Hazel) Israel’s junior climbers Or Mark won gold in the IFSC Youth European Cup in Graz, Austria. Elysaf Lanel won silver. Mountain bike rider Naama Noyman won silver in the Spanish Cup. Israel’s men’s curling team on won silver at the European Curling Championships C-Division.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=970693917978040&set=pcb.970694284644670
https://www.ifsc-climbing.org/athlete/14461/or-mark https://mtbdata.com/riders/naama-noyman
https://worldcurling.org/2024/05/medal-games-eccc2024/
THE JEWISH STATE
It may not be a scam. If you are contacted by Israel’s Guardian General and Director of Inheritance Affairs to say you have a windfall, don’t automatically think it is a phishing scam. Researchers working for the Israeli government are now busy tracing descendants of early Zionist investors, and you may be one of them!
https://www.israel21c.org/windfall-inheritances-tracked-down-by-israeli-agency/
Ancient cemetery – possibly Israelite. (TY Nevet) Archeologists have identified an Early Iron Age cemetery at Horvat Tevet in Israel’s Jezreel Valley dating from the monarchy of the biblical King David more than 3,000 years ago. They have not yet identified whether Hebrews or Canaanites were buried at the site.
https://www.israel21c.org/bodies-in-ancient-graveyard-likely-covered-in-beeswax/
Accurate historical dating. Researchers at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University have achieved a breakthrough in advanced radiocarbon dating techniques. It has enabled an “absolute chronology” of Jerusalem in the Iron Age, the time of the Kingdom of Judah and the First Temple. It confirms Biblical accounts of the city’s expansion.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-team-unveils-carbon-dating-techniques-that-may-shore-up-jerusalem-chronology/ https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2321024121
Underwater excavations. (TY Nevet) Archeologists from the University of Haifa, Bar-Ilan University, and the University of California, have published their study of the underwater village of North Habonim, off the coast south of Haifa. It shows continued ancient settlement during centuries of global climate cooling.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-799426
Summer for teens in Israel. The Alexander Muss High School has three unique summer programs. Teen Volunteer weeks (choice of 3 dates); Classic Israel (academic history & culture - 18 Jun – 31 Jul); Explore Israel (non-academic) for 11th & 12th graders (25 Jun – 31 Jul). https://www.amhsi.org/summer-sessions
240505
In the 5th May 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
· Israel shows gratitude to all its supporters during the current war.
· An Israeli startup allows you to grow your own replacement bones.
· The first Arab women to become University rector and IDF airborne mechanic.
· Israeli professors explain their research to save the planet.
· Investment funding in April topped $1 billion.
· Israeli technology stretches from Cyprus to California.
· Gold medalists dedicate their victories to fallen Gaza war heroes.
· Israel’s “miraculous” defense from Iranian drones and missiles.
· Click here to see the 14th Apr newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen, (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours, (TY Aviva) United With Israel, and (TY Ted Belman) IsraPundit. Also (TY Sandra) for translating it into German here, and (TY Barbara) into Spanish here, and with (TY) Claude into French here and (with Sandra) into Hebrew here. Please forward this newsletter to German-speaking, Spanish-speaking, French-speaking and Hebrew-speaking contacts. Also please visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/verygoodnewsIL.
· Please click here, to donate (a small or large amount) to help me publicize VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
· Click here to keyword SEARCH almost any topic in the IsraelActive archives (over 24,400 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
POSITIVE NEWS DURING A WAR
Ari leaves the ICU. (TY Yanky) Ari Spitz, a Givati Brigade soldier, has regained full consciousness one and a half months after being severely injured in Gaza. He is considered one of the most severe casualties of the war.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388392
From battleground to bakery. Yedidya Harush has literally fought his way through combining IDF reserve duty with running a matzah-baking factory. Using personal loans, crowdfunding, and a generous JNF grant, he provides a livelihood to his 50 employees, and hand-baked matzah to IDF soldiers and evacuees.
Helping a community to heal. The Jewish National Fund-USA’s Build Together plan has brought volunteers from around the world to help rebuild communities following Oct 7. One such is Moshav Mivtachim where some two-thirds of the 450 residents have now returned home to the pleasant surprise of a refreshed town.
https://www.jns.org/wire/a-community-heals-together-with-american-volunteers/
Look who helped Israel against Iranian attack. Saudi Arabia acknowledged that it had helped the newly forged regional military coalition - Israel, the United States, Jordan, the United Kingdom, and France - repel an Iranian attack against the Jewish State. They intercepted dozens of drones heading for Israel.
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/middle-east/artc-saudi-arabia-publicly-acknowledges-role-in-defending-israel-against-iranian-attack https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/middle-east/the-gulf/artc-uae-saudi-arabia-privately-shared-intelligence-with-u-s-on-iranian-attack-report https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1jlzltga
Thanking our friends. Some non-Israeli whose post Oct 7 support for Israel has been no less than heroic. This article thanks Douglas Murray, Sen John Fetterman, Rep Mike Johnson, Rep Richie Torres, Rep. Claudia Tenney, Sid Rosenberg, Floyd Mayweather, John Spencer, Richard Kemp, Pete Hegseth, and many others.
https://www.jns.org/hats-off-to-the-heroes-and-heroines-in-israels-existential-battle/
Sylvan Adams talks about rebuilding the South. Philanthropist Sylvan Adams is interviewed on I24 News a few weeks ago about how his $100 million transformational donation to Ben Gurion University (see here previously) to rebuild Israel's south devastated on Oct 7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWKoc_hvEVY
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Robotic cataract surgery demonstrated. Top cataract surgeon David Chang performed the first-of-its-kind robotic cataract procedure on a porcine eye, using the ORYOM platform from Israel’s ForSight Robotics (see here previously) at the annual ASCRS Ophthalmology Conference in Boston.
https://www.firstwordhealthtech.com/story/5846609 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAO0il3Xwog
Using AI in neurological therapy. Tel Aviv’s Sourasky (Ichilov) Medical Center has partnered with Israel’s NeuroBrave to develop brain-computer interface (BCI) solutions for both complex neurological conditions and patient care. One example is to translate a non-communicative patient’s brainwaves into speech.
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/top-tel-aviv-hospital-using-ai-in-neurological-therapy/ https://neurobrave.com/
AI for mental health care. A new platform, called LIV, developed at Israel’s Sheba Hospital in the wake of Oct 7, streamlines intake of patients for mental healthcare. LIV’s GenAI (generative artificial intelligence) “converses” with a prospective patient to generate possible diagnoses and treatment recommendations.
Successful trial to grow your own bones. Israel’s Bonus Bio (see here previously) has completed Phase II clinical trials of its BonoFill for facial reconstructions, with a 90-percent success rate. The company is now entering phase three trials in the US. Read how BonoFill uses fat cells from your body to grow new bones.
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/biotech-firm-grows-bone-from-your-own-tissue-for-seamless-healing/
European project to cure muscular dystrophy. Technion Professor Shenhav Shemer has joined DREAMS ((Drug REpurposing and Artificial intelligence for Muscular disorderS), a European Union-funded project to discover treatments for rare neuromuscular disorders such as muscular dystrophy, suffered by some 400,000.
https://ats.org/our-impact/technion-researchers-awarded-prestigious-grants-for-brain-research/
Healthier fish. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have proved that breeding disease-resistant carp can make fish farming more sustainable and profitable. It can even keep non-resistant fish healthier. The study bred fish with built-in immunity to the common cyrpinid herpes virus that kills 60-80% of infected fish.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/researchers-study-how-to-keep-our-gefilte-fish-healthy/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-55133-2#Sec2
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Spring camp for special needs children. KKL-JNF held a 5-day spring camp in Eilat, in collaboration with Simcha Layeled, for some 850 children and staff. Activities included water sports, beach parties, and a sunrise trip. At the finale, evacuees residing in Eilat joined campers for a performance by singer Benaia Barabi.
https://www.jns.org/wire/keren-shemesh-offers-a-spring-break-for-children-with-special-needs/
Women in the IDF. (TY Hazel) Brig.-Gen. Yael Grossman is commander of the IDF intelligence division LOTEM, and one of the highest-ranked women in the IDF. LOTEM is the army’s largest software house. There are six other Israeli women with the same rank.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-797711
Heading R&D at Rafael. Judith Hocherman-Frommer received three degrees at Israel’s Technion Institute in electrical engineering and control systems. She then joined Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and 27 years later she is the executive vice president for research and development (R&D).
https://ats.org/our-impact/judith-hocherman-frommer-leading-defense-innovation-for-israel/
The first Arab rector of an Israeli university. (TY Nevet) Haifa University has appointed Professor Mouna Maron (see here previously) as its rector, making her the first Israeli Arab to be appointed to that position in an Israeli university. See here for previous newsletter articles about some of the many Israeli Arab professors.
https://tps.co.il/articles/prof-mona-maron-appointed-first-arab-rector-of-an-israeli-university/
The first female Arab IDF airborne mechanic. (TY Hazel) IAF Captain B., a Christian Arab, became the first Arab female airborne mechanic in the IDF after she completed the training course with distinction. She said, “I grew up in a home that was always Zionist and always taught us to love the state that provides for us.”
https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/skx117f00xr
Israeli police save Arab baby. An everyday event. Israeli police patrolling the Arab village of Muqeible in northern Israel were called to save the life of an 8-month-old baby who was choking. With paramedics they removed a piece of chewing gum from the baby’s mouth. The police said, “a great privilege to save a life”.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388520
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Fund for deep-tech incubators. The Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) has launched a new NIS 40 million fund to create three new incubators for Deep Tech (innovation in science or engineering) startups. They will focus on health, climate, bio-convergence, agritech and foodtech and complement other recent venture funds (see here).
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/israel-launches-fund-for-3-new-deep-tech-incubators/
https://nocamels.com/2024/03/new-vc-fund-set-up-in-israel-for-dual-use-technologies/
CyberTech 2024. Cybersecurity leaders from more than 60 countries gathered for CyberTech Global Tel Aviv 2024. Founder Amir Rapaport said, “cyber companies represent the resilience of Israeli high-tech, and even in a tense security and political situation, they serve as a secure anchor for Israeli innovation.”
https://www.jns.org/middle-east-2-0-cybertech-global-tel-aviv-2024/
UK approves Israeli anti-drone system. The Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) solution from Israel’s Sentrycs has been included in the UK National Protective Security Authority Catalogue of Security Equipment (NPSA CSE). Sentrycs detects, tracks and disables unauthorized drones entering protected zones.
https://nocamels.com/category/news-briefs/#post-127972 https://sentrycs.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBuhpTq5QuM
14 Israeli professors win EU research awards. Fourteen Professors from Jerusalem’s Hebrew University, the Technion Institute, Tel Aviv University and the Weizmann Institute will each receive prestigious €2.5 million Advanced Grants from the European Research Council to fund potential significant scientific breakthroughs.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/three-hebrew-university-professors-awarded-top-eu-research-grants/
Israeli mathematician wins Turing Prize. (TY Yanky) Israel’s Avi Wigderson has been awarded the 2023 Turing Award for Outstanding Contributions in Computer Science. The $1 million “Nobel Prize for computing” was given for his work on understanding how randomness can improve and shape computer algorithms.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/sygqtkela
https://www.israel21c.org/turing-prize-awarded-to-israeli-specialising-in-randomness/
Israeli foodtech hits London. 10 Israeli foodtech companies visited London to meet leading British retailers. New to this newsletter is Melt & Jet, which combines freeze-dried fruits and veg with dietary supplements);
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/israel-foodtech-firms-meet-uk-retailers-investors-in-london/
Is it fresh? Israel’s Biotip has developed a sticker that can tell whether meat products in the fridge are still fresh and fit for consumption. It measures the amount of microbes (which include viruses, parasites and bacteria) in a food product. The sticker turns from blue to white when the meat is no longer safe to eat.
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/sensor-shows-whether-meat-is-fresh-regardless-of-best-before-date/
https://biotip.co.il/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXHGxxkq658
Sustainable pesticides. Israel’s Platypus has developed a process that makes pesticides more environmentally friendly, longer lasting, and gets the active ingredients to the crops without toxic sprays. The pesticide is mixed with Platyform gel, whose essential oils and pheromones release the chemicals over an average 10 - 12 weeks.
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/gel-supplement-makes-pesticides-last-longer-and-more-sustainable/
https://platypus-ecodesign.com/
Helping renewable energy projects succeed. Currently 80% of renewable energy projects fail due to land ownership, infrastructure problems, permits etc. Israeli startup REplace (Renewable Energy Place) uses AI and public database checks to enable companies to locate an optimal site to build facilities.
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/mixing-real-estate-renewable-energy-to-help-build-greener-world/
https://www.renewableenergy.place/
Can (Israeli) science save the planet? This webinar featured four Professors from Israel’s Technion Institute who explained their research that could have a major positive impact on our environment. In the Q&As I asked Prof Diesendruck if Israeli startups (e.g., UBQ) had solved the problem of sorting “dirty” plastics for recycling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bKU9j9ftoE
A robot to help at home and work. Mobileye founder Prof Amnon Shashua also founded Israel’s Mentee Robotics. He has just unveiled Menteebot - an AI-powered humanoid robot that is being developed to do washing and cleaning tasks at home and lift heavy objects in industry. See videos (simple & more complex).
https://nocamels.com/category/news-briefs/#post-127934 https://www.menteebot.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvk_X0deuCI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3T9S1Arbdk
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/ryo11vqtxc
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
A good quarterly report. Startup Nation Central’s report for the first 3 months of 2024 highlighted that Private funding in Q1 2024 was $1.8 billion, up 8.5% compared to the final quarter of 2023. Mergers & acquisitions were over $2 billion - up 40% from the previous quarter and the highest quarterly total in the last two years.
https://finder.startupnationcentral.org/reports/snc-q1-2024-report/
Funds flow in for startups. Startup investment for April 2024 was over $1 billion – the highest since Aug 2022. It follows March investment total of some $800 million.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/syvacqkzc
$3 billion of Israel Bonds. Since Oct 7, Israel Bonds has sold a record $3 billion. It includes a significant increase in the investments by financial institutions mainly from US states and municipal governments. It highlights massive direct support during the war for Israel from cities and individuals all over the world.
A new milestone in Israel-India relations. (TY Yanky) Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is establishing a new aerospace defense company in India, named the Aerospace Service India (ASI). It marks a new level of collaboration between the two countries as the Indian government promotes its vision of self-reliance.
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/article-794351
Low-sugar juice is safe. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s BlueTree Technologies (see here previously) has secured self-GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) status for its patented process to selectively remove sugars from juice. It is now seeking approval to begin marketing, with Israeli manufacturer Priniv, 33% less sugar juice.
Pollinating pistachios in California. If you buy Californian pistachios, there is a good chance that they were produced thanks to Israel’s Edete Precision Technologies for Agriculture (see here previously). The agri-tech startup now helps Californian farmers pollinate 3,000 acres of almond trees.
https://farming.co.uk/news/edete-expands-precision-pollination-services-in-california
Security screening Cypriot airports. Israel’s SeeTrue (see here previously) has improved passenger throughput and streamlined the screening process at Cyprus’s Larnaca airport. SeeTrue’s AI security screening platform will now be introduced in Pafos – both airports managed by Hermes Airports.
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/israeli-ai-security-platform-expands-to-second-cyprus-airport/
Exits, takeovers and mergers – to 5/5/24: Nvidia acquired Israel’s Run.ai for $700 million. US Armis has acquired Israel’s Silk Security for $150 million; US BeyondTrust has acquired Israel’s Entitle.io for $100-150 million.
Startup investment – to 5/5/24: Island.io raised $175 million; Magnus Metal raised $74 million; Oasis Security raised another $35 million; Snappy raised $25 million; Nagomi Security raised $23 million; Bridgewise raised $21 million; Greeneye Technology raised $20 million; Dot Compliance raised $17.5 million; Vorlon Security raised $15.7 million; Remepy raised $10 million; Somite.ai raised $5.3 million; Knostic raised $3.3 million.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Yom Hazikaron & Hatzmaut ceremonies. On May 12 and 13 the annual IDF Memorial Day (Yom Ha’Zikaron) and Independence Day (Yom Ha’Atzmaut events will take place all over Israel. Here are two examples. https://www.nbn.org.il/events/yom-hazikaron-memorial-ceremony/
https://www.masaisrael.org/yom-hazikaron-2024/ https://www.nbn.org.il/events/independence-day-concert/
Jiu-Jitsu gold for Nova survivor. (TY Nevet) Israel’s Yarin Shriki, a Nova music festival survivor, won gold at the Paris Jiu Jitsu 2024 Grand Prix in the under-69kg Gi category. He dedicated the win to his best friend, Yohai Ben Zechariah, killed on Oct 7. Yarin also won gold at the European Championships in Nov (see here).
https://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-jiu-jitsu-champion-and-nova-festival-survivor-honors-slain-friend-with-gold-medal/ https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-799076 https://ajptour.com/en/profile/112792
European gold for female judoka. (TY Hazel) Israel’s Raz Hershko won her first European Championships judoka gold medal in Zagreb. Israel also won 3 bronze medals. Raz dedicated her medal in the +78kg category to Yonatan Goutin, “without whom the victory is not whole,” Yonatan was killed in Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct 7. .
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-judoka-raz-hershko-wins-gold-in-european-championships-team-snags-3-bronze/ https://www.timesofisrael.com/lt-yonatan-goutin-20-star-judoka-who-chose-combat-in-idf/
Formula 4 winner. (TY Hazel) Israel’s Ariel Elkin (17 – see here previously) won first place in the second round of the Formula 4 USF Juniors Championship held in Alabama. Ariel studies at the Reali School in Haifa. He has been competing in karting since the age of five.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-799370
THE JEWISH STATE
We saw a miracle. Many Israelis were awe-struck by the amazing 99% interception rate of Iran’s 300+ drone and missile attack on 13 / 14 Apr. It was certainly an opportunity to give thanks. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388636
Seder plate found in Gaza. IDF soldiers have found a seder plate in Khan Younis that they believe was looted from a home in southern Israel on Oct 7. They have been traveling with the plate, while releasing photographs of it to social media in the hope of finding its owner.
https://worldisraelnews.com/idf-soldier-finds-seder-plate-in-khan-younis/
Making matzah in Sderot. Watch the OU matzah factory baking the bread of freedom in the city that was invaded by Hamas terrorists on Oct 7. Am Yisrael Chai! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX4v-C0Kq-k
https://www.ouisrael.org/donate/teenlifeline/
122 orphans have Bar Mitzvah at the Kotel. Thanks to Colel Chabad, 122 Israeli orphans celebrated their Bar Mitzvah together at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Each boy received his own set of tefillin (phylacteries) as well as new clothing and afterwards enjoyed a gala celebration in Jerusalem’s International Convention Center.
Help discover history. The Temple Mount Sifting Project’s latest 1st century BCE finds include clay tokens probably used on Passover. The project runs out of funds in June. Please support them, or sign up to join the sifting. https://www.timesofisrael.com/intriguing-greek-inscribed-token-likely-traded-for-feast-offerings-at-second-temple/ https://tmsifting.org/en/ https://www.half-shekel.org/
Thousands receive priestly blessings. According to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, which administers the holy site, more than 30,000 people came to the Kotel in Jerusalem for the morning priestly blessings on Apr 25 – one of the intermediate days of the festival of Pesach / Passover.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/thousands-of-jews-flock-to-western-wall-for-priestly-blessings/
$150 billion. An Israeli Arab purchased the entire stock of chametz (leavened products) owned by the State of Israel before the start of Passover. The chametz value was $150 billion, but Hussein Jabar only had to pay a NIS 20,000 deposit. He “passed over” the option to keep the chametz after Pesach and his deposit was refunded.
https://www.jns.org/arab-israeli-purchases-states-150b-of-chametz-ahead-of-passover/
240414
In the 14th Apr 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
· A music graduate from Oxford Uni is now an agronomist rebuilding Israeli farms.
· A revolutionary Israeli alternative to antibiotics has begun human trials.
· Jews hand out dates to Muslim worshippers at the end of Ramadan fasting.
· Israelis fly out to help victims of Taiwan’s earthquake.
· An invitation to see some “cool” Israeli climate technology.
· Commercial organizations can help make Aliyah much easier.
· Israeli sporting stars are truly flying the flag.
· Two current Jewish Presidents helped write a Torah scroll for Peace.
· Click here to see the 7th Apr newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen, (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours, and (TY Ted Belman) IsraPundit. Also (TY Sandra) for translating it into German here, and (TY Barbara) into Spanish here, and with (TY) Claude into French here. Please forward this newsletter to German-speaking, Spanish-speaking, French-speaking and Hebrew-speaking contacts. Also please visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/verygoodnewsIL.
· Please click here, to donate (a small or large amount) to help me publicize VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
· Click here to keyword SEARCH almost any topic in the IsraelActive archives (over 24,300 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
POSITIVE NEWS DURING A WAR
Fallen soldier saves five lives. (TY Yanky) The family of fallen IDF soldier Sivan Weil donated his organs. His heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and pancreas saved five seriously ill patients at Israel’s Sheba, Hadassah, and Beilinson Medical Centers. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-794971
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/parents-of-soldier-killed-in-gaza-say-organs-donated/
Protection at sea. For the first time, Israel deployed the C-Dome naval point defense system on a recently commissioned Sa'ar 6-class corvette to intercept an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that had entered its airspace near the southern city of Eilat. Here is an article about the event and the timely implemented new system.
https://www.jns.org/in-first-israels-ship-mounted-iron-dome-downs-target-near-eilat/
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/b10lmpmga
https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-enemy-drone-shot-down-by-ship-mounted-interceptor/ (see video)
Rebuilding the South. Israel’s Ben Gurion University has launched “Way Forward” – a campaign to raise $1 billion for rebuilding the Negev region devastated on Oct 7. It will fund capital projects ($500 million), student aid ($250 million), and research excellence ($250 million). Philanthropists have already donated $380 million.
https://www.jns.org/ben-gurion-university-launches-1-billion-campaign-to-rebuild-south/
How life can change. Danielle graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Music. She started a bureaucratic job with the UK Government. Then she went to The UK Limmud Conference, and now she is executive director of Israel’s Volcani International Partnerships, repairing devastated farms in southern Israel.
A positive BBC interview of 3 Israeli students! Has the perpetually anti-Israel BBC journalist Jeremy Bowen finally seen the light? There was little to complain about his five-minute interview of three students from Israel’s Ben Gurion University who fought against Hamas in Gaza. Apart from some unsympathetic questions.
https://americansforbgu.org/bbc-student-reservist-interview/
Why Israelis are happy despite the war. Historian Gil Troy wrote in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal that the essence of Israeli happiness lies not in the absence of conflict, but in the deep social cohesion, enduring family ties, and a rich tapestry of tradition and history that bind its people, especially evident after Oct 7.
https://israfan.com/2024/04/11/unity-amid-adversity-the-secret-to-israels-remarkable-happiness/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
A nano-polymer to deliver chemo. Researchers at Israel’s Ben Gurion University have developed a nanometer size polymer containing a peptide for delivering chemotherapy. In lab tests, it was over 50% successful in destroying resistant liver metastases (secondary cancer) materialized from colorectal cancer.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1748013224000379
The arms race in the gut. Ben Gurion University scientists have just published the results of their work reported here in 2019. In trying to develop a biologic remedy to reduce the methane produced by cows, they have uncovered a war in the intestines between good and bad bacteria and a probiotic toxin that tries to mediate.
https://www.jpost.com/science/article-795199 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-023-01521-9
Fast-tracking cure for hospital infections. The US FDA has granted Fast-Track Designation to the groundbreaking antimicrobial peptide OMN6 from Israel’s Omnix Medical (see here previously). OMN6 is commencing a Phase II trial in patients with two deadly hospital-acquired pneumonias - HABP and VABP.
Confirming Deep TMS treats depression. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s BrainsWay’s has published another positive study of 247 depression patients receiving its Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation treatment. 60% went into remission and 80% had a positive response. The results confirmed a 2023 study of 1,350 patients.
Improving mental health in the Police force. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s XRHealth (see here previously) is to deploy its VR/AR solution in a specially equipped “quiet room” at every police station throughout Israel. It aims to promote mental health resilience, decrease stress, anxiety, and aggression, and improve performance.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/xrhealth-awarded-contract-israeli-police-120000609.html
Israelis are living longer. The number of Israelis aged 75 and over is growing by about 9,000 individuals per year. Life expectancy in Israel is 85 years for women and 82 years for men and continues to increase. Currently some 346,000 people receive elderly care benefits (e.g. home caregiver) as compared to about 180,000 in 2018.
https://www.jns.org/researchers-call-to-reform-long-term-care-as-israelis-live-longer/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Dates for break-fast. (TY Nevet) Muslims on their way to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem at sunset at the conclusion of the fast on the last Friday of Ramadan, were greeted by a Jewish family handing out dates. Sky News Arabia made this clip public, and the tweet has been viewed over half a million times.
https://twitter.com/skynewsarabia/status/1776313903632597267
Gazan children in Israeli hospitals. Many patients at Israel’s Sheba Medical Center and hospitals in Jerusalem are children from Gaza. They, and their families, have been allowed to remain in Israel during the war. One mother gave birth at Sheba and the baby provided bone marrow to cure its leukemia-suffering sibling.
https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/rkmstigx0
Healthcare cooperation agreement with Greece. (TY Nevet) Israel and Greece have signed a five-year agreement to cooperate on various aspects of healthcare. It covers emergency preparedness, mental health, stem cell therapy and genetics, nursing, health insurance, diseases, organ donations & transplants, and much more.
https://tps.co.il/articles/israel-greece-sign-healthcare-cooperation-agreement/
Aid to Taiwan. Israel’s SmartAID has sent members to join its local team in Taiwan to provide power and communications following the 3rd of April’s 7.4 magnitude earthquake. It is helping restore vital electricity, phone, and internet connections. See here and here for previous Israeli aid for Taiwan.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-aid-group-mobilizes-in-taiwan-after-fatal-earthquake/
An honor for Douglas. It seems that author and journalist Douglas Murray has appeared on every major TV channel in the world since Oct 7. He is such a great speaker on behalf of Israel, so it is fitting that he received a special award from Israeli President Isaac Herzog for his efforts to support Israel during war against Hamas.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388242
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Can science save the planet? In an enlightening pre-Earth Day webinar, Technion scientists will share their insights and research on sustainable development, renewable energy solutions, sustainable material innovations, and eco-friendly alternatives for chemical processes. Apr 17 (9am PT, noon ET, 5pm BST, 7pm Israel).
https://ats.org/events/technion-earth-day-webinar/
Climatetech incubator. (TY Atid-EDI) Israeli VC Climate First invests in exceptional early stage climate tech startups across Europe and Israel. Its latest (Israeli) group pitched recently in the UK. SoCold, Carbon Blue, Chiral Energies, Climate Crop, First Airborne, Nitrofix, RepAir Carbon Capture, Xfloat, and Polymertal.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hynarh11kc https://climatefirst.vc/ https://chiral.energy/
https://climate-crop.com/ https://firstairborne.com/ https://polymertal.com/
Other new Israeli climatetech startups. Israeli VC Climate First’s original group includes Israeli startups not previously reported here. They are Gigaton (algae to remove CO2), Hydro X (safe Hydrogen storage), Momentick (greenhouse gas monitoring), and Nakai Robotics (autonomous cleaning of ship hulls).
https://climatelaunchpad.org/finalists/gigaton/ https://hydrox.earth/ https://www.momentick.com/
https://www.nakairobotics.com/
Revolutionary new digital printing. Israel’s Velox has created a paradigm shift in the digital printing industry related to rigid packaging. Velox’s technology offers high-speed, direct-to-surface decoration of cylindrical containers such as beverage cans. One environmental benefit is that it will allow aluminum cans to be recycled.
https://velox-digital.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djRrAj60f6o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEWUsfYAnkQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3UN1s1eduw
AI to decipher ancient texts. Engineering students at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University are employing Mask Language Modeling to read and translate damaged, centuries-old Hebrew & Aramaic inscriptions. The AI technique enables damaged content to be reconstructed more efficiently. See findings of their Embible model.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-university-uses-ai-to-decipher-ancient-hebrew-aramaic-texts/
https://aclanthology.org/2024.findings-eacl.56/
Intelligent advertising. (TY OurCrowd) Israeli dynamic advertising startup Clinch, has won an Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award from the Business Intelligence Group, for the most innovative applications of Generative AI. Clinch created and markets the award-winning Flight Control campaign activation platform.
https://www.ourcrowd.com/startup-news/clinch-wins-2024-artificial-intelligence-excellence-award
https://clinch.co/ https://clinch.co/2024-artificial-intelligence-excellence-award/
https://clinch.co/clinch-named-best-marketing-automation-platform-2022/
An app for parents of ADHD children. Several apps (e.g. here) diagnose or treat children with ADHD, but nothing helped their parents. Now Israel’s Pery gives those parents an AI ally. The app tracks achievements, connects with doctors and teachers, and provides personalized science-backed strategies and expert advice.
https://www.israel21c.org/pery-offering-the-parents-of-adhd-kids-new-ai-support/ https://www.mypery.com/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Help for war-affected startups. Another social impact fund has been established to assist startups struggling for cash because of the war. A joint venture between the Southern Israel Bridging Fund (SIBF), the Rashi Foundation, and ICA in Israel, will invest $4m in startups developing tech that benefits society.
Texas loves Israelis. Israelis received a warm welcome at the annual SXSW (South by Southwest) festival in Austin Texas hosting a combination of movies, music, and business expo. Israeli startups included RetiSpec (see here previously), and Yofi which distinguishes genuine customers from bots and malicious abusers.
https://www.israel21c.org/texas-festival-sxsw-welcomes-israel-and-its-startups/
A springboard for 2024? Two finance industry leaders are positive about Israel’s hi-tech prospects. Firstly, from Dell Technologies Capital, and secondly from lool Ventures.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/sygtwyelc
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bkny4ncy0
Azerbaijan promotes tourism to Israelis. Last year, Azerbaijan made history by becoming the first Shi’ite Muslim country to open an embassy in Israel. Azerbaijan Airlines operates 9 weekly direct flights from Baku to Tel Aviv. Azerbaijan was one of 12 countries represented at the Tel Aviv Tourism Exhibition (Apr 3-4).
https://www.jns.org/azerbaijan-pushes-for-increased-israeli-tourism/
Airlines resume flights. Montreal-based Air Canada is restarting flights to Tel Aviv. It initially will have four nonstop return flights a week from Toronto, and then in May, replace one with a nonstop return flight from Montreal. Ryanair resumes flights to Israel on Jun 2, the day after Ben Gurion Airport Terminal 1 re-opens.
https://www.jns.org/air-canada-to-restart-flights-to-israel-starting-april-9/
Sun shines on solar energy acquisition. Israel’s SolarEdge has acquired Israel’s Wevo Energy. Wevo manages and optimizes EV charging sites with large quantities of EV chargers such as apartment buildings, workplace car parks and public charging locations across North America, Europe and the Middle East.
https://wevo.energy/media/solaredge-acquires-wevo/
8 multi-million-dollar orders. In the last two weeks, Israel’s Gilat Satellite Networks has won eight orders for its technology worth nearly $50 million. They include from the US Department of Defense, the US Army, and an order for a public WiFi service that will give Internet access to thousands of people in rural Latin America.
https://www.gilat.com/pressreleases/gilat-received-approximately-5-million-for-providing-services-to-a-leading-latam-service-provider/ https://www.gilat.com/news-resources/press-releases/
A personal concierge service for new Olim. The startup Belong is a paid concierge service to help new Israeli immigrants assimilate. It acts as a private social service, supplementing the free services of the Jewish Agency and Nefesh b’Nefesh. Belong also plans to carry out an active campaign promoting Aliyah around the world.
https://www.jpost.com/aliyah/article-795044 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dUTKC3jHbA
Other Aliyah concierge services. These are just a few of several other free, “for profit", or sponsored services to help new Olim. Check their fees with them and / or their commission arrangements.
https://aliyahadvisors.com/ (UK – previously promoted here)
https://aliyup.co.il/ https://easylandingil.com/ https://www.unlimitedvips.com/concierge/?lang=en https://www.olimadvisors.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYinhpQ2dFc
Cyber exits hits record $7 billion. The total value of the exits of only 24 Israeli cyber companies in 2023 reached $7.1 billion – compared to $2.45 billion from 35 companies in 2022. There are 522 active cyber companies in Israel. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bjjzbryl0
Exits, takeovers and mergers – to 14/4/24: Israel’s SolarEdge has acquired Israel’s Wevo Energy. Israel’s Nayax (global payments) has taken over Israel’s Roseman (fuel station & EV management systems). Israel’s Hub Cyber Security has acquired Israel’s Qpoint Technologies (IT solutions).
Startup investment – to 14/4/24: Cyera raised $300 million (new Unicorn); Guesty raised $130 million; Velox-digital raised $38 million; PVML raised $8 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Orfeo ed Euridice. The Tel Aviv Opera stages a mesmerizing rendition of “Orfeo ed Euridice,” on Apr 16 (eve) and Apr 19 (matinee). See events calendar for other performances including for children during Passover.
https://www.nbn.org.il/events/orfeo-ed-euridice/
https://www.israel-opera.co.il/eng/?CategoryID=1283&ArticleID=6691 https://www.israel-opera.co.il/eng/
Music from the Movies. The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra has many upcoming concerts. E.g., on Apr 16 an evening of well-loved tunes from movies such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, A Fistful of Dollars, Shaft, A Clockwork Orange, The Wizard of Oz and a medley from the James Bond films.
https://www.nbn.org.il/events/music-from-the-movies/
https://www.jso.co.il/en/concert/music-from-the-movies/ https://www.jso.co.il/en/
Art on the street. Enjoy an exhibition of street art at the Berlin in Florentin, until Apr 17 (5pm – 10pm). Also book for behind-the-scenes street art & graffiti insider walks in Tel Aviv, led by the artists themselves. And on Apr 15, you can do your own painting at ESRA’s Paint Night event – 7pm at Tel Aviv Art Studio.
https://www.nbn.org.il/events/street-art-partner-the-exhibition/ https://streetartpartner.com/pages/tours
https://streetartpartner.com/ https://www.nbn.org.il/events/paint-night-at-tel-aviv-art-studio/
Jerusalem houses are open again. The Open House Jerusalem festival that was postponed from Oct, is now back on. 152 locations will open their doors to the public, including historical sites, private houses, bridges, & hospitals. Also, a theater, where the architects who participated in building the sites will interact with visitors.
Tel Aviv Wine Festival. For the 6th year in a row, in honor of the Pesach holiday, the Tel Aviv Wine Festival will feature 45 vineyards, a DJ and performances, and more! Thursday, April 18 from 18:00.
https://www.nbn.org.il/events/tel-aviv-wine-festival/ https://myyain.com/
Tel Aviv Papaya Night Run. Tel Aviv Papaya Night Run (Apr 17) supports the communities of Otef Israel, IDF soldiers, and all Security and Rescue Forces. Register to run or just go to watch.
https://www.nbn.org.il/events/tel-aviv-papaya-night-run/ https://www.tlvnightrun.co.il/MenuDefault_en.aspx?Id=8904
Boxing for Blue & White. Israel’s Nili Block (see here previously) just won her seventh martial arts World title (61kg Muay Thai and Kickboxing) in Paris. She entered the ring to the music “Am Yisrael Chai”. She took the gold medal, draped in the Israeli flag as images of the hostages held by Hamas flashed behind her.
https://www.israel21c.org/nili-block-israel-martial-arts-champion-wins-7th-world-title/
https://www.iskaworldhq.com/kickboxing-champions/ https://www.instagram.com/niliblock/reel/C1JDQGcp6Jb/
Publicity on the podium. (TY Hazel) Israeli racing driver, Ariel Elkin, won 3rd place in the USF Formula 4 Championship in USA. When he got to the podium the commentator told him to put down his helmet and lift up his trophy, but he refused & instead he lifted his helmet covered with the photos of the hostages held by Hamas.
Other sporting victories. (TY Hazel) Rhythmic gymnast Daniela Munits won a gold medal with her routine with the ball at the World Cup in Greece. Shelly Bobritsky and Ariel Nassee won a gold medal at the Artistic Swimming World Cup in Beijing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwkNxxvoXso
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=953088646405234&set=a.225139202533519
THE JEWISH STATE
Egyptian tour of the Israel Museum. A captivating sTOURytelling and educational experience for adults in Jerusalem’s Israel Museum. Explore ancient and modern history, stories, artifacts, and concepts, and add another dimension to Pesach. Apr 24, 12:30pm – 2:30pm. See also site for free virtual tours and lectures.
https://www.nbn.org.il/events/egyptian-pesach-tour-of-the-israel-museum-adults/
https://www.museumtours.co.il/virtualtours
Christian support for Israelis. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is distributing over NIS 18 million to support 100,000 needy Israelis over Passover. It will focus on war-impacted families, especially the bereaved, families of hostages, wounded soldiers, and evacuees. IFCJ has already distributed NIS 25 million.
https://www.jns.org/christian-zionists-to-help-100000-israelis-for-passover/
“Garden of Eden” opens. Ubeidiya Jordan Valley national park has three features. First, a prehistoric site. Then adjacent, is Tel Ubeidiya where an inscription of the time of Pharaoh Merneptah (c.1210 BCE) was found mentioning Israel. And finally, Moshav Menahemia, an early Zionist village, was established here in 1901.
https://www.jns.org/israel-opens-prehistoric-garden-of-eden-to-public/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-795359
Ancient ivory jar reveals local trade & skills. (TY Nevet) Israeli archaeologists uncovered a 6,000-year-old “amphoriskos” (small oil jar with two handles). Made from an elephant tusk, it is the first of its kind to be found in the region, highlighting its skillful manufacture, plus its trade route location - Horbat Raqiq near Beer-Sheva.
https://tps.co.il/articles/6000-year-old-ivory-jar-opens-window-into-holy-land-trade-networks/
https://www.jns.org/researchers-restore-6000-year-old-ivory-vessel-from-southern-israel/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqRX6O_JvRw
A 6-legged gazelle. Some very unusual animals have appeared in Israel recently. Red Heffers, and now this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji7cZuA-VcU
Police clown reduces tension at protests. “Hashoteret Az-Oolay” (Policewoman Then-Maybe) has been a regular fixture at Israeli street demonstrations for the last three or so years. In her big shoes, old-fashioned police uniform and red nose, she aims to connect with all the different kinds of communities in Jerusalem.
https://www.israel21c.org/meet-the-clown-handing-out-love-at-israeli-street-protests/
Two Jewish Presidents complete Torah scroll. Israel’s President Herzog and Ukraine’s President Zelensky both wrote a letter in a new Torah scroll for Kyiv’s Great Synagogue, dedicated to peace and unity. Other writers include Israel’s Chief Rabbis, Ukrainian soldiers, relatives of Israeli hostages and bereaved families.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-795481
240407
In the 7th Apr 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
· Thanks to Israeli surgeons, an IDF soldier blinded in Gaza can see again.
· An Israeli stem cell treatment reverses the decline of MS patients.
· Thousands of Muslim and Christian Arabs pray peacefully in Jerusalem.
· Soon you may pick your own vegetables from an Israeli vending machine.
· An Israeli app gives rewards for good driving.
· Daimler trucks are to be protected by Israeli security software.
· Historical treasures discovered during relocation of Israel National Library.
· Click here to see the 31st Mar newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen, (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours, and (TY Aviva) United With Israel. Also (TY Sandra) for translating it into German here, and (TY Barbara) into Spanish here, and Hebrew here, and with (TY) Claude into French here. Please forward this newsletter to German-speaking, Spanish-speaking, French-speaking and Hebrew-speaking contacts. Also please visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/verygoodnewsIL.
· Please click here, to donate (a small or large amount) to help me publicize VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
· Click here to keyword SEARCH almost any topic in the IsraelActive archives (over 24,300 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
POSITIVE NEWS DURING A WAR
After 6 surgeries IDF soldier’s eyesight is restored. (TY WIN) IDF soldier Dor lost his eyesight in the war in Gaza. But thanks to Israeli medical technology and six eye surgeries, he can now see again. “I am born again” he says in Hebrew at the end of the video. Many tears were shed at his final eye test.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-israeli-doctors-restore-eyesight-to-wounded-idf-soldier/amp/
Wounded IDF soldier holds newborn daughter. Omer was seriously injured in the Gaza war, when an explosive device was detonated. He was evacuated to hospital, to be treated and rehabilitated just as his wife gave birth to their firstborn daughter. Their private victory gave Omer strength to recover and return to his unit.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/387797
You don't need to be a spokesperson to speak up for Israel. Eylon Levy has been an excellent spokesperson for Israel since Oct 7. He has now established a Civilian Public Diplomacy initiative called “the New Israeli Discourse”. It includes his State of the Nation podcast. https://www.stateofanationpodcast.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypEyo4XWc-8 (About his initiative)
https://www.jgive.com/new/en/usd/donation-targets/124800/about (to support him)
The Diaspora donates. Israel's Diaspora Ministry reports that world Jewry has donated NIS 5 billion to Israel since Oct 7. Also, some 60,000 volunteers came to Israel. https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-794568
Supporting and investing in Israel. Since Oct 7, Israel Bonds has raised more than $1.5 billion worldwide. This article explains why this is so important, why it’s a win-win activity, and how you can be a part of it.
https://www.jns.org/forever-changed-after-a-trip-to-israel/
70% of Gaza periphery residents return home. Nearly six months after Oct 7, most evacuees from the Gaza periphery have made the decision to return to their homes. The towns located between 4 and 7 km from the Strip (including the city of Sderot) have seen the return of 75% of residents.
https://www.jns.org/70-of-gaza-periphery-residents-return-home/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Stem cell injections benefit MS sufferers. (TY Nevet) A study of 23 progressive multiple sclerosis patients at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem highlighted significant beneficial effects of repeated stem cell injections. They improved neurological function, cognition, and quality of life with no adverse effects.
Possible therapy for bone cancer. (TY Nevet) Researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered in the laboratory that two existing medicines can be used to enhance treatments against bone cancer. It is important as bone cancer is often the result of metastasis (spreading) in breast cancer patients.
https://tps.co.il/articles/cocktail-of-repurposed-drugs-offers-hope-to-breast-cancer-patients/
https://aacrjournals.org/cancerdiscovery/article-abstract/doi/10.1158/2159-8290.CD-23-0762/734997/
3rd clinical trial for gastro leakage sensor. The xBar sensor from Israel’s Exero Medical (see here previously) is about to begin a Phase 3 pivotal clinical trial in the USA and Israel. The device aims to immediately detect post-operative leakage following gastro surgery, which is fatal in 40% of affected cases.
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/life-saving-sensor-monitors-dangerous-fallout-of-stomach-surgery/
Live greener, live longer. What seems to be an obvious statement has been proved in a study by Tel Aviv University researchers. They examined over 3,000 heart bypass patients and found that patients who live in a “greener” environment are at a lower risk of mortality than those who live in a “non-green” environment.
https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-794536
https://www.aftau.org/news_item/heart-patients-live-longer-in-a-greener-environment-tau-study-finds/
Video game app to combat chronic pain. The pain-relieving video games from Israel’s TrainPain (see here previously) are now available to download on iPhone and Android phones. You also need to order (fees required) the haptic pod and cables. Available in the US only.
https://nocamels.com/2024/03/new-video-game-aims-to-train-the-mind-to-stop-sensing-chronic-pain/
Using AI to find cures for diseases. (TY Nevet) An interesting article explaining how Israel’s CytoReason (see here previously) is using AI and big data from the medical companies themselves to help reduce the cost and time required to bring a new remedy to market.
https://nocamels.com/2024/02/using-ai-made-models-to-find-cures-for-disease/
400 French doctors & dentists seeking to make Aliyah. The first European MedEx event took place in Paris, gathering more than 400 doctors and dentists from France and Belgium. At MedEx, potential immigrant medics can convert licenses and engage directly with representatives from Israeli healthcare institutions.
https://www.jns.org/more-than-400-doctors-and-dentists-attend-aliyah-fair-in-paris/
Global Change-maker. (TY Nevet) The prestigious Nature magazine named Israeli Tal Patalon, outgoing head of the KSM research and innovation center of Maccabi Healthcare Services, as one of the world’s change-makers in medical research. Her team’s COVID-19 research changed vaccination policies in the United States.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00754-w
https://www.ksminnovation.com/member/dr-tal-patalon/
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/tech-and-start-ups/article-784798
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Children with trauma can make a wish. The NGO Make-A-Wish Israel (see here previously) has granted more than 5,500 life-changing wishes for sick children in Israel (one-third for Arabs). It is now to help children traumatized by Oct 7 events. Philanthropist Sylvan Adams has just been named its global goodwill ambassador.
https://www.jns.org/sylvan-adams-named-goodwill-ambassador-for-make-a-wish-israel/
Double amputee joins twin sister in IDF. (TY Nevet) Due to a premature birth, Emanuel suffered cerebral damage and the eventual amputation of both legs when she was one year old. But she was determined to join the IDF, like her twin sister Maayan. Now, thanks to Special in Uniform, she serves at a Home Front base.
https://tps.co.il/articles/double-amputee-joins-israel-army-fulfilling-dream-alongside-twin-sister/
Yale faculty members amazed in Israel. 25 Yale University faculty members, including at least 4 professors, visited Ben Gurion Uni, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv Uni, the Technion and Weizmann Institute. They were astounded to see Arab and Jewish students learning together during the war and global hostility.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/yale-academics-astounded-by-trip-to-israel/
Call for co-existence. 20 prominent leaders from across the religious spectrum in Haifa have issued a statement calling for cooperation between their religions and recognizing a deep commitment to the State of Israel and its laws. The 20 include men, women, Jews (Orthodox, Chabad and Reform) Muslims, Christians, and Druze.
https://www.jns.org/wire/israeli-faith-leaders-issue-unprecedented-call-for-coexistence/
Peace in Jerusalem. So far, Friday prayers during Ramadan at Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque have been attended each week without incident by tens of thousands of Muslims. Meanwhile, thousands of Christian Arabs converged on Israel’s capital to celebrate Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
https://www.jns.org/ramadan-prayers-at-temple-mount-so-far-pass-without-major-incident/
Israel-UAE relations - no news is good news. Don’t be fooled by the media blackout: business between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, bolstered initially by the Abraham Accords in 2020, has been thriving despite Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas and intense scrutiny from the rest of the world.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/b1tliil1a
Richie Torres gets it! Israel needs more friends like the South Bronx Congressman Richie Torres. Democrat, progressive, Hispanic, gay, and proud to stand up for Israel. See the Youtube interview with Eylon Levy.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-improbable-friend-for-true-progressives-israel-is-an-exemplar-says-ritchie-torres/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm8L2-EVqFs https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritchie_Torres
Providing water to 64,000 in Kenya. In the past year, IsraAID has drilled or rehabilitated 17 boreholes in the county, restoring access to safe water for more than 64,000 Kenyans.
https://www.jns.org/wire/israaid-hands-over-new-boreholes-to-local-community-in-kenya/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Vegetables from a vending machine. Israel’s replantin’ is developing a specialized vending machine that grows a variety of high-quality, nutritious leafy greens inside it, and in less time than it takes in a field. Each plant starts as a seed inside a coffee-capsule-sized pod, which provides all the nutrients it needs to grow.
https://nocamels.com/2024/03/get-your-greens-from-a-vending-machine-that-grows-the-veg-inside/
Realtime maps save lives. The IDF’s Hunter system, developed during the current war, detects threats in real time and sends signals to soldiers. The software allows soldiers to see drone launches, rocket launches and terrorist activities as they happen - sensing a missile attack before conventional technology picks up on it.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-map-technology-saves-lives-on-the-battlefield/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF-fNSF564c
Drone startups partner to make sky safer. The Goshawk anti-drone UAV from Israel’s Robotican (see here previously) is to carry the advanced Halo system from Israel’s Elsight (see here previously) to boost the Goshawk’s success rate in catching rogue unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and avoiding breakdowns.
https://nocamels.com/2024/03/drone-startups-team-up-to-boost-destroyer-of-enemy-craft/
Shhh! It’s the Oron spy plane. The Israel Aerospace Industries-developed, US-manufactured Oron is Israel’s new and advanced intelligence aircraft. The 1-billion-dollar plane has already logged hundreds of operational flight hours, totaling close to 100 missions. It possesses multiple sensors and operates at over 40,000 feet.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/rjmtfxgkc
Protecting planes from cyber-attack. Latest article on Israel’s Cyviation (see here previously), developing security technology that protects commercial and private aircraft from cyber-attacks. Its 4 layers comprise “SkyRay” for vulnerability scanning; training for pilots; event management and real-time detection devices.
https://nocamels.com/2024/03/air-safety-startup-protects-planes-from-cyber-attacks/
https://cyviation.aero/cyviation-announces-strategic-partnership/
Liquid AI – the thinking car. Israel’s Autobrains (see here previously) has unveiled Liquid AI - a paradigm shift in autonomous driving and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Like the human brain, it adapts dynamically, activating only AI modules specific to the driving context and thus reducing power consumption.
https://www.ourcrowd.com/startup-news/autobrains-liquid-ai-enables-true-automotive-intelligence
Fully autonomous defense vehicles. Israel’s Elbit (see here previously) is to deploy the 3D image processing software from Israel’s Foresight (see here previously) in the fully autonomous defense vehicles of one of Elbit’s leading defense customers. https://ir.foresightauto.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Elbit-first-commercial-deployment-020424-ENHE-accessible.pdf
Rewarding good drivers. Israel’s Letstop has developed an app that incentivizes good driving of any vehicle. If the phone has not been used for texting etc., during the journey, the driver earns credits which can be converted into cash or vouchers for a range of stores and eateries; or in-app purchases at various businesses.
https://nocamels.com/2024/04/new-app-rewards-users-for-staying-off-the-phone-while-driving/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Hi-tech is thriving. Despite 15% of employees in the IDF reserves, plus air travel restrictions, most Israeli startups continue to thrive. Startup Nation Central reports that 220 investments since Oct 7 raised some $3.1billion. March’s $822m exceeded Jan + Feb. Plus, 20 new Israeli venture capital funds raised $1.7bn.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/sylbipl1r
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/sjnc5awka
Fast innovative companies. US magazine Fast Company recognized four Israeli startups in its annual list of the world’s most innovative companies. Vis.ai was ranked 43rd of the top 50, for “harnessing AI to expedite lifesaving diagnoses”. Highlighted in specific sectors were Papaya Global, UVeye, and GreyMatters Health.
https://www.fastcompany.com/91033263/viz-ai-most-innovative-companies-2024
https://nocamels.com/2024/03/meet-the-israeli-firms-on-prestigious-list-of-worlds-top-innovators/
Tel Aviv Sparks. (TY Jacob, David, and Jason) The Tel Aviv Sparks Innovation Summit & Expo (Apr 8 -12) features the latest Israeli startups, organizations, and company exhibitors showcasing their cutting-edge products and solutions. Plus (at the summit) key presentations and discussions that shape the future.
European VC fund to invest in Israel. (TY Yanky) New Europe-based venture capital fund Vinthera is to invest tens of millions of dollars in Israeli funds and startups in growth stages. Past investments by the team in Israel include Grove Ventures, Angular Ventures, Oryzn Capital, and the cloud data storage company Firebolt.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/sy8mf9eha
Innovation winner. Israel’s Kaltura (see here previously) has won an Innovation in Business award at the 2024 MarTech Awards for its video event platform. The award recognizes outstanding creative products, solutions, and services in the fields of marketing, advertising, and sales technology.
https://nocamels.com/category/news-briefs/#post-127709
See it now on Amazon Connect. Israel’s TechSee (see here previously) is now working with Amazon Web Service's (AWS) new and improved Amazon Connect Agent Workspace. TechSee’s computer vision AI empowers AWS digital channels to see the physical world and offer AR-guided automated technical support.
Israeli security for Daimler trucks. Israel’s C2A Security is to supply its EVSec cybersecurity platform to Daimler Trucks. C2A’s CEO said it was "one of the most significant product security deals that was done in the industry". Also, in 2023 C2A sold its platform to BMW Group, Marelli, NTT Data, Siemens, and Valeo.
https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/israeli-firm-c2a-supply-cybersecurity-platform-daimler-trucks-2024-03-28/ https://www.ourcrowd.com/companies/c2a-security
More vegan milk from mushrooms. Israel’s ImaginDairy (see here previously) has partnered with one of America’s biggest biotech companies, Ginkgo Bioworks, to scale up production of ImaginDairy’s no-cow “dairy” proteins. Ginkgo’s AI capabilities will be used to create biological systems that reduce production costs.
https://nocamels.com/2024/03/israeli-us-companies-unite-to-make-more-milk-from-mushrooms/
New fungicide for Europe. Israel’s Adama (see here previously) has launched a new early-stage multi-crop cereal fungicide in Europe. Forapro protects crops such as wheat and barley from common fungal diseases including Powdery Mildew, Septoria, and Yellow Rust. It is highly absorbent, fast-acting, and cost-effective.
https://nocamels.com/category/news-briefs/#post-127690
Startup investment – to 7/4/24: Hailo raised $120 million; Lumana raised $24 million; Nucleai raised $14 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Look what we found when we had a clear-out. When the National Library of Israel (NLI) moved to its new building, it discovered priceless artifacts that had been languishing in boxes in the basement of the old library building for decades. The Seattle-based Samis Foundation has given $1 million to catalog and digitize them.
https://www.jns.org/seattle-grant-brings-sephardi-treasures-to-light-in-jlems-national-library/
https://www.nli.org.il/en/discover/judaism/jewish-history/spain-jews-expulsion#archives
Boutique hotel joins elite club. Jaffa’s Drisco boutique hotel, and its onsite (non-kosher) top Middle East restaurant, George & John, are the first Israeli establishments to be admitted to the Relais & Châteaux association. The Drisco once hosted Mark Twain, fell into disrepair, now refurbished in the American Colony.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-hotel-and-eatery-make-history-by-joining-elite-relais-club/
See the parade. (TY Sharon) The photos of Jerusalem’s Purim Parade by the Real Jerusalem Streets are far more interesting than those published here last week. The costumes of many of the spectators also deserve much praise. https://rjstreets.com/2024/03/31/favorite-purim-photos-in-jerusalem-and-more/
Matisyahu ascends to new heights. Rap singer Matisyahu uplifted the spirits of the crowd at Jerusalem’s Zappa at the Lab. The eclectic musician entertained his secular and religious fans for two hours with his 20 years of hits. From his recent “Ascent” memorial to the Supernova victims, to his 2009 hit “One Day”.
https://www.jns.org/matisyahu-ascends-to-new-heights-in-jerusalem-performance/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jpQvARYDHg
THE JEWISH STATE
Preparing for Pesach (Passover). Jacob Richman has updated his websites of useful material for the upcoming Jewish festival of Passover. Just one seder in Israel, of course. https://jr.co.il/links/#hebrew-songs-passover
https://jr.co.il/hotsites/passover.htm https://jr.co.il/humor/passover.htm https://jewish-trivia.com/ https://jr.co.il/videos/passover-videos.htm https://jewish-clipart.com/
Fate or providence? A scroll, dubbed the “Horoscope” scroll unearthed in the Judean Desert reveals the beliefs of a secretive sect that lived thousands of years ago. In reversed Hebrew writing, Greek, Aramaic, ancient Hebrew, and cipher symbols, it claims that your birth date determines personality and physical appearance.
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-791339
