241208
In the 8th Dec 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
l Israel’s defense systems have intercepted the most aerial attacks in global history.
l An Israeli spinal implant cures back pain by restoring disc function.
l Wheelchair users now have full access to Jerusalen’s Tower of David.
l An Israeli scientist eradicates pests using their natural enemies.
l Australian & New Zealand farmers use Israeli tech to irrigate crops.
l Israeli Star Wars toy designer wins top innovator award.
l Eight more Israeli sports World champions.
l The Hasmoneans return to defend Israel on the Jewish festival of Chanukah.
· Click here to see the 1st Dec 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 25,700 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
Billionaire survivor gives message of hope. (TY WIN) 94-year-old Holocaust survivor Sir Frank Lowy gave a powerful and emotional Thanksgiving Day speech to ex-hostages and their friends. The Israeli-Australian multibillionaire drew from his life experiences to give them strength and resilience. (see here previously). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlYNiYrirLk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Lowy
The most interceptions in 50 years. According to the CEO of Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, "David’s Sling and Iron Dome systems have intercepted more targets than all the other air defense systems worldwide combined over the past 50 years". He also reassured everyone, there is no shortage of interceptors.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hujfzh9fx
From MSG to Sheba hospital. (TY WIN) Ishay Ribo performed to thousands at Madison Square Gardens (see here previously). But he is just as at home playing to the wounded and their families in hospitals, or traveling to numerous military bases, and even funerals to use his talent for good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2avqYHVlp0
Therapeutic farm for treating trauma. Before Oct 7 2023, Sivan Shefer founded “Dialog with Animals”, just 4 miles from Gaza, training dogs and their handlers to treat people with disabilities. She now runs “Dialog for Life” – one of 15 initiatives of the Restart NGO, designed to help wounded IDF soldiers restart their lives.
https://www.israel21c.org/israelis-from-shattered-communities-turn-to-innovation/
https://restartglobal.org/en/home/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXYFcjs20m8 (self-explanatory video)
Respite in San Diego. (TY Nevet / ADL) The San Diego Jewish Academy (SDJA) has just welcomed 95 students from the Israeli region of Sha’ar Hanegev, which suffered severely from the Oct 7 2023 Hamas onslaught. The Israelis receive respite and the San Diego students build connections to Israel.
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/11/18/san-diego-jewish-academy-welcomes-95-students-from-war-torn-shaar-hanegev-in-israel/ https://www.jewishinsandiego.org/shaarhanegev
Christians support olive harvest. NGOs Genesis 1-2-3 Foundation and NewPersia.org have brought a group of American Christians to Israel as part of the “Root and Branch” initiative, which brings Christians and Jews together to rebuild livelihoods in Israel. They are currently involved in harvesting olives from century-old trees.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-christians-unite-to-support-israeli-olive-harvest-during-wartime/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZedArbJ2T1g
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Transforming antibodies in Washington DC. Israel’s Biolojic Design (see here previously) is joining the Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS (JLABS) to develop therapeutic antibodies at its Washington, D.C. site. JLABS is one of the largest global networks of incubators pioneering groundbreaking healthcare solutions.
https://www.ourcrowd.com/startup-news/biolojic-design-joins-johnson-johnson-innovation-jlabs
Repairing damaged genes. Scientists at Israel’s Technion Institute have studied how RNA creates genes that make proteins. One process utilizes an enzyme called ADAR, which sometimes creates a genetic mutation that leads to cancer or brain disease. The discovery could result in a gene repair process and disease eradication.
https://www.jpost.com/science/article-830164
Preventing medical overload. Israel’s Droxi (see here previously) has developed a software platform to help doctors manage administrative burdens. The idea for Droxi came after a medical error that harmed co-founder CEO Gadi Shenhar’s grandmother. Both co-founders are graduates of the elite IDF 8200 unit and the Technion.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/rj11c0mnq1e https://www.droxi.ai/
Implant restores spine disc’s function. Video animation on how the spine implant from Israel’s Discure Technologies (see here previously) restores the natural pumping function of a damaged disc to cure back pain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rnSpa6E6K8
Using GenAI to discover new therapies. Israel’s Converge Bio (see here previously) builds large language models (LLMs) that accelerate the research process and remove much of the guesswork for biotech companies. It’s like ChatGPT for therapy development. It saves the trial and error, cost and time to develop new therapies.
https://www.israel21c.org/converge-bio-brings-genai-to-drug-discovery/
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/ryep1psfjl
Can AI chatbots answer medical questions? (TY TPS) For easy general queries, chatbots can usually answer most medical queries. But for doctors wishing to diagnose and treat life-threatening conditions, they are not effective. Scientists at Israel’s Ben Gurion University have devised a questionnaire for comparing AI software.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010482524011740?via%3Dihub
Grant for research into cancer outcomes. Two doctors from Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical organization have been awarded a grant from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Dr. Shani Paluch-Shimon and Dr. Michal Braun will study the varying cancer treatment outcomes with the diverse populations in Israel.
https://www.hadassah.org/story/prestigious-breast-cancer-research-grant-awarded-to-hadassah-doctor
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Predicting the unpredictable. The amazing story of Dr Kira Radinsky, CEO of Diagnostic Robotics (see here previously) was reported here in 2022. You can hear Israel’s “Woman of the Year” give more details here. She reveals that her mother was pregnant with her in Kiev when the Chernobyl reactor exploded only 80km away!
https://pod.link/1765745756/episode/0931208c3e96955f852997ee2c5bbb07
The Tower of David is accessible. Sharon (Real Jerusalem Streets) Altshul, highlights the now accessible Tower of David in Jerusalem and its museum director Eilat Lieber who previews the Global Conference on Accessibility in Historic Sites and Cities (5th - 7th Dec) in Jerusalem’s Old City and online. (see also here)
https://www.jns.org/jerusalems-tower-of-david-museum-champions-accessibility/
https://www.tod.org.il/en/event/global-online-conference/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqlZIvzlmfE
The first haredi IAF tech crew. (TY Hazel) 26 haredi Israeli soldiers have graduated as first-level technicians on F-16 fighter jets. They will serve at the operational center for combat aircraft in the Air Force and will ensure that aircraft and weapon systems are ready for operational activity.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/400213
Children of foreign workers request to enlist. Dozens of children of foreign workers, who grew up in Israel, are petitioning Israeli ministers and pursuing legal avenues, to be allowed to serve in Israel’s Defense Forces. Many have already volunteered as agricultural laborers and now want to give back to the country via the IDF.
https://www.jns.org/children-of-foreign-workers-fight-to-serve-in-the-idf/
Breaking stereotypes in Jerusalem. The apolitical NGO Sharaka (see here previously) is leading a delegation of Muslim leaders, journalists, academics, and others, originally from South Asia, on a trip to the Jewish State. Although most now live in North America, they were generally unaware of Israel’s multi-ethnic population.
https://www.jns.org/breaking-bread-and-stereotypes-in-jerusalem/
Mom’s the word. A delegation of 100 Jewish mothers from eight U.S. cities took part in the Momentum Journey of Growth – a yearlong program, connecting them with their Jewish identity and heritage. It culminated with an 8-day visit to Israel organized by the Momentum organization (see here previously).
Wanna bees in Tel Aviv. When 23,000 bees chose to make a home on a Tel Aviv balcony, the owners called Magen Dvorim Adom (see here previously) who relocated the entire hive to one of the dozens of bee nesting boxes that the municipality has set up to preserve its pollinators. A kind of “Bee N Bee” (tee hee!)
https://www.israel21c.org/bees-in-tel-aviv-get-a-rehome/
Conserving the environment. (TY Hazel) Israel has 5 new or extended nature and heritage preservation areas. Evrach Marine Reserve (Ashdod to Ashkelon) is extended from 300 meters to 7km. Ramon Crater reserve now includes the whole crater. Sharon Park and Forest Pond in Hadera. Plus Caesarea’s offshore Park (see here).
Rather him than me. See this brave Iranian unfurl an Israeli flag in front of the Azadi Tower in Tehran. Ironically, the tower is still standing, although originally commissioned by the Shah of Iran, who was deposed by the regime of the current Islamic Republic.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azadi_Tower
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Next big things in Tech. The 2024 list of Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech (see last year) contained five Israeli companies. Epic Cleantec (for OneWater), Houzz (for Houzz Pro), Pangea Biomed (Enlight DeepPT), Verbit (Captivate), and WSC Sports (AI sports clips).
https://www.israel21c.org/firms-with-israeli-ties-on-fast-company-next-big-things-list/
He saved the Sabra and Eucalyptus. Israel’s Prof Zvi Mendel and KKL-JNF saved the sabra (prickly pear) cactus from being globally destroyed by cochineal scale insects. He found and distributed the natural predator to the scale insects - Mexico’s ladybeetle. Previously he saved infected eucalyptus trees using a parasitic wasp.
https://www.israel21c.org/the-man-who-helped-save-israeli-sabra-plants-from-extinction/
Reinventing the bus stop. 30 students from Israel’s Technion Institute have designed and built a pilot for a new protected bus shelter. It shields passengers from shrapnel and blasts, includes phone charging, WiFi, bike parking, water fountain, a community info display, and a system to alert bus drivers to waiting passengers.
https://ats.org/our-impact/smart-shelter-technion-students-reinvent-the-bus-stop/
A gamechanger to quality construction. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s Siteaware (see here previously) revolutionizes quality management of construction. It is now used by over 40 construction industry leaders, including 17 of the top 100 general contractors in the US and 10 of the top real estate developers. See the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KutG1CHnLk4
Pushing AI to its limit. Amnon Shashua (of Mobileye, OrCam, AI21 Labs & One Zero Bank) has co-founded AAI, to solve humanity’s most pressing challenges. It involves Artificial Expert Intelligence (AEI) to replicate human cognitive abilities combining complex reasoning for adaptable and precise real-time problem-solving.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/sywu003axyg https://doubleai.com/
Jaffa wave energy plant inaugurated. (TY Hazel) Israel’s Eco Wave Power (EWP) inaugurates Israel’s first wave energy power plant on 5 Dec at Jaffa Port (see here previously). For the first time, electricity from sea waves will power Israel’s national grid. Similar EWP projects are planned in Los Angeles and Portugal.
https://www.jns.org/jaffa-port-gets-israels-first-wave-energy-plant/
Intelligent renewable energy. Israel’s EnSights has developed an AI-powered, cloud-based, clean energy optimization and management platform. It aims to maximize the cost and performance of a firm’s clean energy assets (solar, wind etc.). Ensights’ hundreds of users have 6,000+ renewable assets totaling over 1.6 Gigawatts.
https://ensights.ai/ https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hk3xk007jx
https://solarview-io.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/ensights.mp4
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Outsized returns. US investment firm Ibex Investors recognizes “the opportunity to make outsized returns in Israel” with the close of its 5th Israel-focused fund with $40 million. Ibex Chief Investment Officer Justin Borus said, “We believe Israel will be among the best places in the world to invest over the next 10 years."
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/sjdrfh67kg
Second bounce for Omri Caspi’s fund. When Israel’s Omri Casspi retired from the NBA circuit, he founded Swish Ventures. Swish has raised $60 million for its second fund, aiming to invest in around 10 Israeli startups. Swish already manages around $125 million in assets. Portfolio companies include PointFive, Eon and Upwind.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/zionism-2-0-former-nba-player-omri-casspi-raises-60m-to-invest-in-israeli-startups/ https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hytdbmixyx
Helping to irrigate Australasia. Israel’s CropX (see here previously) has launched its Actual ET sensor in Australia and New Zealand. This first-of-its-kind sensor monitors real-time plant water use in a field through evapo-transpiration (ET). It integrates with CropX’s farm management system for efficient irrigation.
Look who’s using Israeli-created avatars. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s D-ID (see here previously) has launched Personal Avatars that can generate digital agents indistinguishable from real people. D-ID’s clients include PepsiCo, AXA, Lenovo, J.P. Morgan, Softbank, Warner Bros and many more. See also D-ID’s ethics pledge.
https://www.d-id.com/news/press-release-marketing-suite/ https://www.d-id.com/ethics/
From IDF Chief to deep tech VC. Aviv Kohavi left his job as IDF Chief of Staff in Jan 2023. He has now reportedly joined Israeli-Canadian investment company Awz Ventures, which specializes in deep tech.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/glcbdaoyg
Exits, mergers & acquisitions – to 8/12/24: Israel’s Capitolis has acquired UK’s Capitalab for $46 million.
Startup investment – to 8/12/24: Upwind raised $100 million; D-Fend raised $31 million; Droxi raised $21 million; EnSights raised $10 million; Converge Bio raised $5.5 million; Firedome raised $4.5 million.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Druze artist’s video goes viral. (TY Nevet / ADL) Sam Halaby, a young Israeli Druze artist from Daliyat al-Karmel, has stunned the art world with The House of Colors, a multidimensional art project transforming his childhood home into a living masterpiece. The video of his vibrantly colored house has had 90 million views.
https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/s1aea6xmkl https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAvsBanoN8X/
Chinese pottery mystery. (TY Israfan) A 16th century (Ming Dynasty) bowl has been unearthed in an archeological dig on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. It contains the earliest Chinese inscription found in Israel. It translates as “Forever we will guard the eternal spring” and probably was brought from China by the Ottomans.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/400141
https://video.i24news.tv/video/brightcove/6365471850112/6365471850112_hls
Toy Innovator of the year. Israel’s Yair Shilo was voted Toy Innovator of the Year 2024 at the 17th annual Toy & Game Innovation Excellence Awards, in, Illinois USA. Power Saber, from Goliath Games and Nextoy, is the world’s first automatic retractable and extendable Star Wars light saber. It earlier won a Kidult award.
https://www.israel21c.org/power-saber-inventor-wins-toy-innovator-of-the-year/
https://www.peopleofplay.com/blog/people-of-play-announce-winners-of-the-2024-toy-game-international-excellence-awards-tagies https://toyworldmag.co.uk/the-kidult-awards-category-winners-declared/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pYrFleywmc
Tehran series 3. The 3rd season of the award-winning Israeli spy thriller “Tehran” premiers on Dec 9 on Apple TV+ and Israel’s Kan public broadcaster. British actor Hugh Laurie (ex-House) joins the cast, as the series continues to explore the complex personal journey of Tamar Rabinyan, an Iranian-Jewish Mossad agent.
https://www.israel21c.org/houses-hugh-laurie-to-join-cast-of-tehran-for-season-3/
Neflix buys “Six Zeros”. Netflix has purchased the award-winning Israeli comedy series “Six Zeros,” the first season of which aired in 2023 on Israel’s public broadcasting network, Kan 11. The TV show explores what happens when people win millions in a lottery and how it changes their life.
https://www.jns.org/netflix-picks-up-award-winning-israeli-show-six-zeros/
Kevin Spacey visits Israel. (TY Hazel) US actor Kevin Spacey recently made a surprise trip to Israel. He visited the Gaza border communities, spoke to lone soldiers, and held a two-hour acting masterclass in Tel Aviv. He also met Knesset speaker Amir Ohana and visited wounded Israeli soldiers at Sheba Medical Center.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-831883
Golden young windsurfers. (TY Nevet) At the 2024 World Youth Windsurfing Championship in Spain, Israel’s Alba Klein won the Under 17 women category as did Itamar Levi in the Under 17 men’s. Also in the men’s category, David Aleshko won bronze. Both Alba and Itamar were designated world champions.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-teen-sailors-win-gold-and-bronze-at-world-tourney/
World champion fencer. (TY Nevet) Israel’s Yuval Freilich (see here previously) won the Gold medal in the individual senior men's epee event at the 2024 Grade A World Cup in Vancouver, Canada.
https://www.instagram.com/followteamisrael/p/DCwNfMGtIaE/?img_index=1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCyu7HUc_P8
Other jiu-jitsu world champions. In World jiu-jitsu championship where Israel’s Daniel Boaron won the U14, U48kg event (see here previously) there were Israeli wins in the women’s events. Maya Behar (U63kg), May Daniel (U57 kg), Michal Baly (U52kg). In the Under 16 division, both Zohar Sela and Lia Shalev won gold.
THE JEWISH STATE
Bonei Zion prize-winners. (TY Sharon) The 10th annual Sylvan Adams Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion Prize ceremony honored 12 inspiring Anglo Olim who have made exceptional contributions to Israeli society. Winners included Eylon Levy (see here previously) and and Fleur Hassan-Nahoum (see here previously).
https://baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=1&ARTICLE_ID=176321
Hasmonean brigade starts on Chanukah. The new IDF combat unit for haredi Israelis, (“the Hasmoneans”), will formally be inaugurated on 25 Dec – the first day of the Jewish festival of Chanukah. The festival celebrates the victory of the Jewish Hasmonean army (the Maccabees) over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 BCE.
https://www.jns.org/idf-picks-chanukah-for-haredi-recruitment-to-hasmonean-brigade/
Where Herod’s great-grandson entertained. The latest excavations at Banias national park in the Golan Heights has revealed a cave used by the late 1st century CE by Agrippa II, the great-grandson of King Herod, as an ancient event hall in the Roman style. It reinforces the accounts of his contemporary - the historian Josephus.
241201
In the 1st Dec 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
l Triple amputee IDF soldier walks out of hospital.
l Latest Israeli medical innovations incorporate touch, smell and sound.
l An Israeli startup recycles warn-out electric car batteries.
l A new Israeli solution that can repair damaged coral reefs.
l Two new non-stop Israeli airline services from Tel Aviv to the UK.
l Good news for consumers of no-cow milk and no-fish salmon.
l An Israeli duo won gold at the European wheelchair dance championships.
l An Israeli girl on a hike unearthed a 3,500-year-old Egyptian amulet.
· Click here to see the 24th Nov 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 25,600 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
Ari walks out of hospital. Ari Spitz was Israel’s most severely wounded soldier (see here previously). Despite losing both legs and an arm, he was able to walk out of Sheba Medical Center (Tel HaShomer Hospital’s) rehabilitation department with three prosthetic limbs. Even non-Hebrew speakers can see how brave he is.
Celebrating first responders. The American Friends for Magen David Adom hosted a fundraising event in Philadelphia to support MDA’s brave EMTs. MC’d by social-media influencer and broadcaster Emily Austin, there were speeches from former UN Israeli ambassador Gilad Erdan and Lior Raz, star of TV’s Fauda.
https://www.jns.org/celebrating-israeli-first-responders-those-in-real-life-fauda-who-face-chaos/
3,500 religious women enlist. 3,500 religious women chose to serve in the IDF in 2024, including 350 in combat roles. The new female-only combat unit became operational on Nov 26. (TY Israel Realtime) 100 professional religious women enlisted this week, as nurses, attorneys, programmers, psychologists, doctors, etc.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-829936
https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/61-religious-women-join-the-army/
Going with the flow. Mekorot, Israel’s national water carrier, was awarded the “Business Continuity Standard Compliance Certification” by the Israel Standards Institute. Mekorot has maintained water supplies during the war, despite working in combat zones, and with many employees in the IDF, injured, or evacuated from home.
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/energy-and-infrastructure/article-824757
Filipino hero’s Dad is now Israeli. 22 years have passed since Enrico Basilio returned to the Philippines. His son, Cedric, who was born in Israel, became not only an outstanding IDF soldier, but also a symbol of heroism when he died in Gaza. Enrico returned to Israel and was granted permanent resident status, because of his son.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-830566
https://video.i24news.tv/en/9e44d596-82e6-4c4c-8a1c-96f84ae49bd5/content/6365257309112
Respite in Jerusalem. (TY Yanky) 140 wounded IDF soldiers and 400 family members were hosted at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem. Their respite was funded by Los Angeles Jewish businessman David Hager and organized by David with the support of the Netzach Yehuda association.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/11/17/wounded-idf-soldiers-find-respite-at-jerusalem-retreat/
Miracle saves children. No red alert sirens sounded locally but kindergarten head teacher Sarah Yasour heard them in a Haifa suburb 5km distant. She decided to take her 20 children and staff to the shelter as a precaution. Moments later a Hezbollah drone slammed into the kindergarten. Sarah said it was a Neis (miracle of miracles).
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Touchy-feely robotic surgery. Israel’s Momentis Surgical (see here previously) now has US FDA approval for its 2nd-generation Anovo® robotic surgical platform. The new version has haptic feedback, allowing the surgeon to “feel” what he is doing. Also, new video and annotation features help communication and training.
Nasal therapy delivery. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Polyrizon is developing innovative medical device hydrogels delivered in the form of nasal sprays. These can trap incoming pathogens to protect individuals, but also deliver medicines efficiently into the bloodstream to treat disease. Polyrizon has raised $4.2 million on NASDAQ.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/10/30/2971841/0/en/Polyrizon-Announces-Closing-of-4-2-Million-Initial-Public-Offering.html https://polyrizon-biotech.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gkBTr7Gu2g
More self-monitoring pre-natal Israelis. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Pulsimore has renewed and expanded its strategic partnership with Israel’s Clalit Health Services (see here previously). Over the next five years, Pulsenmore will supply 25,000 units of its advanced home ultrasound devices to Clalit pre-natal mothers.
How a gene triggers autism. Tel Aviv University scientists previously discovered a link between mutations in the Shank3 gene and autism (see here). They recently identified the brain mechanisms involved and inserted DNA that regenerated normal Shank3 protein and restored brain function. It could lead to new treatments.
https://cftau.ca/is-treatment-for-genetic-autism-on-the-horizon/
https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciadv.adl4573
UK medical partnership. The Dangoor Health-Tech Academy is a partnership between the UK-Israel Tech Hub and the Dangoor Foundation. It will select 8 Israeli startups for each 8-week cohort beginning in January. The first cohort will focus on AI or automation to revolutionize the NHS and UK healthcare system.
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/tech-and-start-ups/article-827647
1,000 new EMTs. United Hatzalah, Israel’s leading volunteer emergency response organization, reported that it had recruited 1,000 new volunteers this year, bringing its total to 8,000. President and founder, Eli Beer, said “it is inspiring to see how so many people from all walks of life come together to selflessly save lives.”
https://israfan.com/p/united-hatzalah-expands-volunteers
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Supporting Druze-led startups. The “Sheba Impact” initiative together with ARC Innovation, and Ofakim LaAtid have launched dozens of startups in Israel’s periphery. In a recent competition for Druze-led startups, ABRID (educational tech) won NIS 300,000. Other finalists were Swift, AgriEye, Preln and MultiKol.
Ethiopian Israelis celebrate Sigd. Israel’s Ethiopian community celebrated the holiday of Sigd with a prayer gathering at Jerusalem’s Western Wall. Sigd is an official Israeli holiday, celebrated 50 days after Yom Kippur. Moshe Solomon, born in Ethiopia, explains the festival. He is now Deputy Speaker of Israel’s Parliament.
https://worldisraelnews.com/ethiopian-israelis-celebrate-sigd-with-prayers-for-unity-and-healing/
Israel’s top universities. When reporting the success of Israeli universities in the Shanghai Ranking previously (see here) I failed to mention that on a per capita basis Israel came overall fourth in the world, behind only Switzerland, Singapore and Denmark. It outperformed France, Germany, the UK, and Sweden.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hychzcgq1g
US fundraising support for the IDF. A sold-out audience of 900+ supporters gathered in Greenwich CT for the “2024 FIDF Westchester and Connecticut Evening of Solidarity Dinner” to help raise funds for the IDF. Many combat IDF soldiers shared personal stories and how FIDF had helped them on the frontlines.
3 gold medals but ... Four Israeli high school students won three gold medals and a bronze at the 2024 International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) in Egypt, placing them second of the 94 nations. For security reasons they competed remotely, and next year will be forced to participate only under the IOI flag.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/in-1st-israel-banned-from-youth-computer-olympiad-jerusalem-students-wont-compete-as-neutrals/ https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/h1odpdzca
Strong ties with Argentina. Argentinian Defense Minister Luis Petri visited Israel to advance cooperation on modernizing Argentina’s defense systems and strengthening bilateral security ties. The visit emphasized the two countries’ shared commitment to freedom, democracy, and combating dictatorships.
https://israfan.com/p/argentina-israel-defense-cooperation
What a speech. Argentina’s outspoken, pro-Israel president, Javier Milei, announced a steadfast alliance with Israel, pledging unwavering support in the fight for democracy and the battle against terrorism.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Intel latest microprocessor. (TY Yanky) Intel has just launched its Israeli-developed Arrow Lake –codename for Intel’s 15th generation Core Ultra Series 2 microprocessors. They are successors to Lunar Lake (see here previously), Meteor Lake, and Raptor Lake (13th & 14th generations). Desktop AI computers are now planned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH3IEWEY5mM (Deep tech review of Arrow Lake)
https://www.jpost.com/brandblend/with-the-most-powerful-ai-engine-on-the-market-intels-new-processor-820492 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_Lake_(microprocessor)
Bypass the CPU for greater speed. Scientists at Israel’s Technion Institute have developed a software package that enables computers to perform processing operations directly in memory, bypassing the CPU.
https://ats.org/ats-news/software-package-can-bypass-cpu-for-more-efficient-computing/
https://techxplore.com/news/2024-11-software-package-bypass-cpu-efficient.html
Recycling lithium batteries. Israel’s Batte-Re receives used Li-ion batteries from electric vehicles (cars, buses, scooters etc.) and processes them to generate a valuable (nickel, manganese, cobalt, and lithium) powder, plus copper and aluminum. All the metals are sold, and the powder makes more batteries for electric cars.
An autonomous partnership. US rideshare firm Lyft is teaming up with Jerusalem-based self-driving tech Mobileye, and Israeli smart dashcam startup Nexar (see here previously) to pilot Toyota Sienna robotaxis in Atlanta in 2025. Nexar’s video telematics aims to detect dangers on the road in real time.
Delivering pizza by drone in a war. After Oct 7, Israel’s National Drone Initiative had to change direction and start registering active drones on a live network. The 11 drone companies involved have run more than 24,000 test flights in experiments of increasing difficulty to learn how a drone delivery network could be feasible.
Friend or foe. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Sentrycs & Israel’s Third Eye are jointly developing a next-generation drone identification solution. It combines Sentrycs’ cutting-edge passive drone detection technology with Third Eye’s advanced Electro-Optic imaging systems. It can also detect if a drone has a payload..
https://sentrycs.com/news/sentrycs-and-third-eye-systems-partner/
Head in the clouds. At Israel's 2024 Infrastructure, Energy, and Transportation Conference, Israel’s Gadfin (see here previously) exhibited its hydrogen-powered long-range UAVs / drones which transports medical supplies up to 150kg to hospitals. In Croatia, Gadfin’s delivery network connects the country’s 50 islands.
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/energy-and-infrastructure/article-825822
Saving the coral reefs. This article describes the latest Ben Gurion University method to repair damaged coral reefs (see here previously). A “coral reef ecosystem transplant” (aCRET) involves transferring tiles containing invertebrates and microorganisms from a healthy reef to a damaged reef, then re-attaching the old corals to it.
https://worldisraelnews.com/israeli-research-offers-hope-for-restoring-dying-coral-reefs/
Israel as a global desalination model. (TY Nevet) As Israel’s largest desalination plant Soreq II nears completion, this article highlights that 100% of Israel’s drinking water is desalinated. 55% of all Israeli water is desalinated. Israel even uses desalinated water to top up the Kinneret and exports water to Jordan and Egypt.
https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/is-desalination-everywhere-realistic
https://ide-tech.com/en/project/sorek-b-desalination-plant/
Documenting Zoom meetings. (TY Atid-EDI) The AI features of Meeting Insights from Israel’s AutoCodes (see here previously) were previously only available to Microsoft Teams users. Now the solution will support Zoom meetings. If selected, Meeting Insights will automatically take notes, produce summaries and much more.
https://www.audiocodes.com/news/press-releases/news/audiocodes-meeting-insights-now-supports-zoom-meetings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROlqkkePDEo
Technion 101. The Technion opened its 101st academic year on Nov 10 with approximately 3,100 new students: 2,100 in undergraduate programs and 1,000 in graduate programs. In total, some 15,000 students are enrolled at the Technion, of which about 1,000 are currently serving as reservists in the IDF.
https://www.technion.ac.il/en/2024/11/opening-of-the-2024-25-academic-year/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
New industrial complex for war-torn Kibbutz. Kibbutz Kfar Aza, devastated by Hamas on Oct 7, has signed a deal with Reches Real Estate and the Zadok Group to build a $67 million 42,000 sqm multipurpose industrial complex. It will provide returning Kibbutz residents with jobs and also attract businesses to the area.
Manchester fans are flying. (TY Yanky) Israel’s Arkia Airlines has a new twice-weekly service between Tel Aviv and Manchester, scheduled deliberately for fans of Manchester United and Manchester City to watch their teams. https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/hjd5ni11uc https://www.arkia.co.il/destinations/manchester
Six flights a week to Luton. (TY Yanky) Israel’s Israir has begun a six flights a week service between Tel Aviv and London Luton. Israir’s sales VP said, “allowing Israeli business travellers and vacationers to fly this highly sought-after route at a fair price.” It may also help this newsletter editor see his family more often!
https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/h15400ppfjx
Hi-tech flights to NYC. Israeli high-tech’s airline, TechAir, intends to begin operation in Jan 2025 of a new service between Tel Aviv Ben Gurion and New York JFK airports, commencing in March 2025. TechAir will use one plane, leased from a 3rd party, including its pilot, crew, maintenance, food, etc.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/tech-forum-names-seasonal-airline-reveals-fares-for-ny-route-to-launch-in-january/ https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/skwa2zm7yg
IAI goes from strength to strength. (TY WIN) Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has reported its best ever results. Net income for the first nine months of 2024 was up 74% at $431 million on sales of $4.39 billion.
https://tps.co.il/articles/israel-aerospace-industries-reports-most-profitable-year-in-its-history/
Cow-free milk for Israel. Israel’s Imagindairy (see here previously) like Israel’s Remilk before it (see here) has received Health Ministry approval to sell its cow-free milk in Israel. Its animal-free whey protein can now safely be used to produce dairy-free cream cheese, ice cream, yogurt, etc.
Vegan salmon in luxury hotel. (TY OurCrowd) Four Seasons, one of the world’s best-known luxury hotel chains, will offer vegan salmon from Israel’s Oshi (formerly Plantish – see here) at its San Francisco hotel. Oshi’s salmon is already available in up-market restaurants in NYC, New Hope, Boca Raton and Los Angeles.
https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/four-seasons-hotel-oshi-vegan-whole-cut-salmon/
Exits, mergers & acquisitions – to 1/12/24: Israel’s Quris-AI acquired the assets of US Nortis (Numa Biosciences) to integrate its kidney-on-a-chip technology.
Startup investment – to 1/12/24: Eon.io raised $70 million; Pyramid Analytics (already a Unicorn) raised $50 million from BlackRock; Appcharge raised $26 million (plus $5 million seed); Decart raised $25 million; Capitolis raised $20 million; Polyrizon raised $4.2 million (IPO);
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Two-star chef again. (TY Yanky) Israeli chef (and former IDF officer) Gilad Peled has just received a second Michelin star for his Colonnade restaurant at Switzerland’s Mandarin Oriental hotel. Gilad previously ran Gordon Ramsay's Le Pressoir d'Argent restaurant in Bordeaux, where he also won two Michelin stars.
https://guide.michelin.com/en/luzern-region/luzern/restaurant/colonnade
https://www.israelhayom.co.il/article/451293
Handshake didn’t help. (TY Yanky) When Ireland played Israel in the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket qualifiers in Riga in February (see here) the Irish players refused to shake hands with the Israelis who won 87-57. When the teams met again in Riga in November, the Irish players did shake hands. Israel still trounced them: 90-61.
https://sportsrabbi.com/en/israel-scores-decisive-90-61-win-over-ireland-in-eurobasket-qualifying/
European wheelchair dance champion. (TY Hazel) Israeli wheelchair dancer Tomer Margalit and her partner Orel Chalaf won the Combi Freestyle Class 1 event at the Para Dance Sport European Championship in Prague. They danced to Israel's Eurovision song 'Hurricane' and dedicated their routine for the return of the hostages.
https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/h1vyl8ex1g https://www.pragueparadance.cz/en/results/
https://www.facebook.com/reel/857203699647692 (from an earlier event)
THE JEWISH STATE
Dead Sea scrolls are not dead. Dead Sea Scrolls manuscripts are on view in the United States in a travelling exhibit of artifacts from the Israel Antiquities Authority. They include a 1st century sheet of the Great Psalms Scroll, from Qumran Cave 11, written in Hebrew script still in use today. Also recent finds and new technology.
Bringing teens to visit Israel. In 2020 the Marcus Foundation donated $20 million for the RootOne initiative that subsidizes trips to Israel organized by BBYO, NCSY, NFTY, USY and Ramah (see here previously). This month the foundation donated a further $60 million, making a total of $140 million in grants since 2020.
https://www.jns.org/wire/the-marcus-foundation-makes-legacy-60-million-investment-in-rootone/
Jonathan Sacks’ archive. The National Library of Israel now houses the late U.K. Chief Rabbi's personal archives. It was Jonathan Sacks who said visiting foreign dignitaries should be taken to the National Library before the Holocaust museum. “Let us show the world not only how Jews died but how Jews live,” he wrote.
https://www.jns.org/jonathan-sacks-archive-dedicated-in-jerusalem/
80 years after Hannah Senesh. The National Library of Israel has unveiled a set of photographs of Jewish paratrooper Hannah Senesh (Szenes) to mark 80 years after her execution by the Nazis. In 1944, Senesh was deployed into Nazi-occupied Europe to rescue Hungarian Jews from death camps. She became a Zionist icon.
She picked up a 3,500 year-old amulet. 12-year-old Dafna was hiking with her family near the ancient site of Tel Qana in Hod Hasharon. She picked up an unusual find a beetle-like stone that has since been identified as a 3,500-years-old Egyptian scarab amulet. Dafna was awarded a certificate of excellence for good citizenship.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-hiker-12-finds-3500-year-old-egyptian-amulet/
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399899
241124
In the 24th Nov 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
l Ex-Gaza hostage Emily Hand had a surprise visit on her 10th birthday.
l An Israeli nasal spray protects against all Covid-19 variants.
l Two superb results for Israel’s multi-ethnic soccer team.
l Israel’s Innovation: Africa has saved its 1000th village from drought.
l Israeli innovations are literally “out of this world”.
l Major Israeli technology purchases by the US, UK, Europe and the Far East.
l Israel’s oldest citizen celebrates her 110th birthday.
· Click here to see the 17th Nov 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.
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POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
Rebuilding Kibbutz Kfar Aza. The Israeli government’s Tekuma Directorate has allocated NIS 180 million to restore Kibbutz Kfar Aza, which was devasted by Hamas terrorists on Oct 7 2023.
https://israfan.com/p/rebuilding-kfar-aza
Growing olive trees in challenging times. Videos from “Buy a Piece of Israel” gives readers an insight as to how farming life continues despite the threat of rocket fire and drones from Hezbollah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g-V4zBXNjc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paEvrpEUkzU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn1Fv-ESpEo https://www.buyapieceofisrael.com/real-estate-in-israel/
Replanting after rocket fire. Netiv Hasharaya is an agricultural village about 9 miles from the Lebanese border. When a Hezbollah rocket hit a house, it set fire to a row of newly-planted avocado trees. Residents rushed to put out the fire and then replanted the orchard. They are adamant that they are not evacuating.
Birthday present for Emily. Noa Argamani, 27, and Hila Rotem Shoshani, 13, who were kidnaped and held hostage by Hamas terrorists on Oct 7 2023, surprised Emily Hand at her home in honor of her 10th birthday. Noa was rescued from Gaza by IDF soldiers, and Hila was released in the same hostage deal as Emily.
Israel’s birth rate soars during the war. (TY WIN) Israel’s birth rate, the highest among OECD countries at around 3 children per woman (see here previously), has not only defied the global trend of declining births but has also surged during the ongoing conflict, with hospitals reporting up to 40% more deliveries than usual.
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/global-fertility-decline-israel-defies-the-trend/
https://www.israel21c.org/jerusalem-hospitals-report-record-number-of-births/
Empowered women. (TY Hazel) Two groundbreaking events in the IDF to empower women. The first was the announcement of Israel’s first religious women-only combat unit, within the Combat Intelligence Corps. And on Nov 18, the Ayit Battalion launched the first IDF operational mission involving female combat soldiers.
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-830063
Rebbe’s son enlists. (TY Yanky) Mendel Rata, son of the Rebbe of the Ashdod’s "Shomrei Emunim" hasidic court, is enlisting in the new haredi Hashmonaim Brigade, which held its initiation ceremony at the Kotel. Rata posted: “Instead of dragging out different excuses, my conscience tells me I must get up and take action."
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/398635
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Covid-19 vaccine breakthrough. Tel Aviv University scientists have developed a low-cost vaccine for all Covid-19 variants that is administered as a nasal spray and can be stored at room temperature. The absence of needles means less stress for patients – a previous TAU study showed high stress made vaccines less effective.
https://www.aftau.org/news_item/nasal-covid-19-vaccine-developed-by-tau/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.202404159 (Advanced Science article)
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/21983844/2024/11/40 (Advanced Science Back cover picture)
https://english.tau.ac.il/stress_vaccines
Prostate cancer radiation halved. (TY WIN) Doctors at Israel’s Beilinson Hospital have demonstrated the effectiveness of treating prostate cancer with two doses of high-dose external beam radiation instead of the current five doses. Benefits include less physical and emotional toll, less side effects, and shorter wait times.
Can you change your DNA? Dr. Idit Maya, Head of the Genomic School at Beilinson Hospital explains how the body need to use different proteins to perform different functions. These proteins can be generated by making changes at the cellular level. In the future, new skills can be taught with the help of biological tools.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/r1gjujof1e
US clinics offer Israeli PTSD device. (TY ATS) the Prism electrodes-laden cap from Israel’s GrayMatters Health (see here previously) has been added to the PTSD treatments offered by two major US clinics - Home Base and Fermata. Prism helps patients control PTSD symptoms by displaying brain activity.
https://nocamels.com/2024/08/us-clinics-add-israeli-ptsd-treatment-to-roster/
Invisible eye surgery. Israel’s Beyeonics Vision (see here previously) has upgraded its “One” Augmented Reality digital visualization headset, with cutting-edge “invisible” infrared night-vision technology. It means that ophthalmic surgeons can now operate on patients’ eyes without causing discomfort to the patient.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/beyeonics-one-revolutionizes-ophthalmic-surgery-with-invisible-light-technology-302272801.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLY5yM0tiwI (eye surgery video)
Smart software for medical imaging. (TY ATS) Israel’s DeepDense has developed Plug-AI – smart tools to enhance the digital images produced by other medical companies. DeepDense has teamed up with US firm Spectrum Dynamics Medical to improve the quality of cardiac and spinal images and reduce scan times.
https://nocamels.com/2024/08/israeli-and-us-medical-imaging-firms-collaborate-on-ai-integration/
https://deepdense.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imxTTebQExI
Revolutionizing women’s health. Israel’s OCON Therapeutics (see here previously) develops, manufactures and markets women’s health products based on its patented, non-invasive, intrauterine therapy delivery technology. 85% of OCON’s workforce are women. Pipeline treatments include fibroids & abnormal bleeding.
https://www.israel21c.org/new-drug-delivery-stent-could-revolutionize-womens-health/
Medical clowns help children with pneumonia. (TY Yanky & ATS) At last, a positive Israel story from the New Scientist. It is known that medical clown reduce stress and anxiety in hospitalized children. Now Israel’s Carmel Medical Center found that medical clowns shorten the time children with pneumonia spend in hospital.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Cycling for pediatrics. The first annual “Wheels of Love” charity bike ride since the start of the Gaza war attracted 330 riders who raised around $3 million for the ALYN pediatric rehabilitation center (see here). The event dedicated to a fallen soldier) was held in stages over 4 days and 62 miles from the Dead Sea to Jerusalem.
Less food waste. (TY Hazel) Israel’s Knesset has approved legislation obliging the public sector to donate unused food that can be distributed to vulnerable populations. NGOs such as Leket will collect surplus food from places such as Government ministries, the IDF, prisons, municipalities, religious councils, and hospitals.
Druze on board of Jewish Agency. The Jewish Agency for Israel has elected a member of Israel’s Druze minority to its board of governors. Col. (res.) Mofid Marai, 65, is a former Knesset member and ex-commander of the IDF’s predominantly Druze Herev (“Sword”) Battalion.
https://www.jns.org/jewish-agency-elects-first-druze-to-board-of-governors/
Israel’s inclusive soccer team. (TY Hazel) This article emphasises the multi-cultural composition of Israel’s national soccer team. (See also the sports news below.)
Fetterman fights for Israel. Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) gave a rousing response to an interviewer from the New York Times who criticized Israel’s use of pagers to combat Hezbollah terrorists. And he continued to defend Israel as the interviewer threw more provocative questions his way.
The world’s best hotel breakfast. Luxury and lifestyle travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler ranked breakfast at the five-star David Kempinski Tel Aviv hotel among the world’s best in 2024. Breakfast items included distinctly Middle Eastern dishes, such as baba ghanoush and fresh honeycomb, while overlooking the beach.
https://www.israel21c.org/tel-aviv-hotels-breakfast-rated-among-worlds-best/
https://www.cntraveler.com/story/best-hotel-breakfasts-in-the-world
Raising endangered sea turtles. (TY Yanky) Three “critically endangered” hawksbill sea turtles, born and raised for 25 years in Eilat’s underwater observatory, have been released into the wild. Israeli conservationists will monitor if and how Nova, Israel and Yael - turtles living for decades in captivity - will survive in the wild.
https://www.jpost.com/environment-and-climate-change/article-827078
1000 villages. Israeli NGO Innovation: Africa (see here previously) has implemented award-winning remote monitoring systems to identify how much water the NGO’s solar-powered pumps have supplied to the 1,000 rural African villages where its technology has been installed. The answer - 77 million gallons in one month.
https://innoafrica.org/projects/ https://innoafrica.org/faq/ https://innoafrica.org/about-us/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Defense Prizes. (TY Yanky) The 2024 Israel Defense Prize (announced in May) was awarded to the David’s Sling air defense system, the Namer armored personnel carrier, and the IDF’s technology-enhanced target bank project. Because of the secrecy of many projects, some winners in the photos had their back to the camera.
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/defense/artc-2024-israel-defense-prize-winners-announced-by-israeli-minister-gallant https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hj2njei11jx
Cleaning with drones. Israel’s Bladeranger (see here previously) has completed a pilot to clean the glass roofs of railway stations in Germany. It hopes to clean the roofs of all 5,400 German railway stations. Bladeranger will also work with Israel’s Propellor Drones to clean the solar fields of Israel’s Electra.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-bladeranger-drones-clean-german-station-roofs-1001484807
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-drone-fleet-aces-mission-to-clean-german-rooftops/
https://vimeo.com/1009781875 https://propeller-drones.com/
Disinfecting space. More on Israel’s Inhayle (see here previously) that won Israel’s Expand space accelerator program and is gearing up to deploy its multi-spectrum disinfection system on NASA’s deep-space exploration missions. The system emits ozone-free hydroxyl radicals to neutralize volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Israeli cameras at edge of space. NASA is to integrate cameras from Israel’s Odysight.ai (see here previously) into its hypersonic aerospace vehicles. Odysight’s systems will monitor any damage to the aerospace vehicles parts during flight trials. E.g. the Mach 5 X-43A hypersonic research aircraft.
Mapping Israel’s mushrooms. 1,000+ species of fungi grow in Israel - many with medicinal properties - but there isn’t a comprehensive mapping of their DNA. For his PhD, Israeli mycology enthusiast Elad Gillon launched a science initiative, enlisting foragers to collect wild mushrooms. The project then “mushroomed”!
Cybersecurity award winner. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Savvy.Security (see here previously) has been named a 2024 SINET16 Innovator Award Winner. Savvy Security was identified as one of the most innovative and compelling technologies for addressing cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities.
https://www.savvy.security/news/savvy-security-named-2024-sinet16-innovator-award-winner/
https://www.security-innovation.org/sinet16-award/
From cancer to vegan meat. It’s hard to keep up with Technion Professor Marcelle Machluf. Back in 2022 she was developing the NanoGhost anti-cancer therapy (see here previously). Now she has launched Meatafora - a startup that cultivates vegan meat from plant-based cells.
https://ats.org/our-impact/water-scarcity-the-technions-grand-solution-for-israel-and-the-world/
https://meatafora.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE04wTvajho
Diamonds – natural or synthetic. (TY WIN) Dr. Yossi Rabinovitch of Israel’s Ariel University has developed patented technology to help identify the origin of a diamond and help stabilize the gemstone industry. Using advanced spectroscopy and imaging, his method quickly analyzes fluorescence patterns under UV or laser light.
Recycling synthetic fibers. The technology of Israel’s TextRe transforms mixed synthetic polymers (e.g. nylon and polyester) found in textile waste into ecofriendly recycled raw material that manufacturers can use to make high-value and cost-effective sustainable products. TextRe is representing Israel at COP29 Azerbaijan.
https://www.israel21c.org/turning-textile-waste-into-ecofriendly-plastic/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Growth “surprise”. Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reported a 0.9% rise in GDP in the 3rd Quarter of 2024 compared with the previous quarter, giving a 3.8% annualized growth figure. In addition, unemployment fell to a new low of 2.5% in October, down from 2.7% in September. 135,000 vacancies is the same as in Sept.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-israels-q3-growth-figures-unexpectedly-robust-1001494173
Miami conference confident in Israeli resilience. The Calcalist and Bank Leumi conference in Miami featured a panel of financial experts which expressed its confidence in Israel’s hi-tech resilience. If it survived the war and the pandemic, it can handle anything," see videos of Rinat Zilberstein and Tom Nides.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/tklyyrprq
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hkcv11spmjl
More Israeli airlines to fly to USA. Both Arkia and Israir have now decided to commence services from Tel Aviv to the USA. Subject to regulatory approval they will operate a total of 10 weekly direct flights, using aircraft leased from Europe and staffed by foreign crews. It would significantly lower fares for passengers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdpoOAjPcqQ
Domestic solar energy. Israel’s Enlight Renewable Energy (see here previously) has begun the full commercial operation of its renewable energy and storage cluster in Israel’s newly deregulated electricity industry. Enlight’s 12 facilities generate 254MW, supplying households, small businesses and industrial clients.
Renewable energy storage for the UK. Israel’s Nofar Energy (see here previously) has secured funding of up to £152 million to help supply one of UK’s biggest energy storage facilities - the 624 MWh Cellarhead project being built near Stoke-on-Trent. Nofar recently completed the 60MWh Buxton project in the UK.
European country’s $335 million order. Israel’s Elbit has received an order from an unnamed European country for $335 million worth of defense systems. The order includes Elbit’s Hermes™ 900 Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The systems will be delivered over a three and a half year period.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399360
Communications devices for US Air Force. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Silynxcom (see here previously) has received a new order from the United States Air Force for its innovative tactical communication products. The equipment is based on a new system configuration, customized for the USAF.
https://www.silynxcom.com/silynxcom-receives-order-from-the-u-s-air-force-for-innovative-headsets/
All-round vision for NY bus drivers. (TY Atid-EDI) The Smart Vision® CMS Advanced Driver Assistance System from Israel’s Gauzy (see here previously) has fully replaced traditional side mirrors on the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) of New York’s public buses. The camera system reduces blind spots.
Stimulating brains in the Far East. (TY Atid-EDI) Mental Health centers in Taiwan and South Korea have bought 15 Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation systems from Israel’s BrainsWay (see here previously).
Learn to be a Venture Capitalist. To prepare the next generation of investors and entrepreneurs, Israel’s Reichman University has introduced a comprehensive Venture Capital Investments course for its students. It is led by Amit Pilowsky, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Key1 Capital, and previously at Goldman Sachs.
Exits, mergers & acquisitions – to 24/11/24: Israel’s Wiz has acquired Israel’s Dazz for $450 million. Israel’s Cyera has acquired Israel’s Trail Security for $162 million. (TY Yanky) Trail has only been in existence for a year and doesn’t even have a website. Israel’s Innovid has merged with Mediaocean and delisted at a value of $525 million.
Startup investment – to 24/11/24: Cyera raised $300 million; TailorMed raised $40 million; Prompt Security raised $18 million; Spines Publishing raised $16 million; CommBox raised $15 million; Twine security raised $12 million
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Sia honors survivors. (TY UWI) The ADL’s annual “In Concert Against Hate,” in Washington, DC included performances by Israeli singer Eden Golan of her original song “October Rain,” and by Australia’s Sia, of Titanium”. Sia dedicated her performance to the Nova festival survivors of the Oct 7 Hamas-led terrorist attack.
Cycling team is 11th best in the world. Professional cycling team Israel-Premier Tech has concluded its 10th and most successful season, ranked 11th worldwide. Co-owned by billionaire philanthropist Sylvan Adams, IPT competed in 88 races, securing 29 stage victories and 88 podiums and globally promoted the best face of Israel.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-cycling-team-ranked-11th-globally-ends-banner-10th-season/
Soccer success. (TY Nevet) Israel’s soccer team finished its UEFA Nations League campaign with a respectable 0-0 draw against France and a stunning 1-0 win against Belgium (world number 6). The goal was scored in the 86th minute by Yarden Shua (Israeli Jew) assisted by Dia Saba (Israeli Muslim).
https://www.jns.org/israel-fresh-off-a-draw-with-france-stuns-belgium-1-0/
THE JEWISH STATE
The mystery of Eitan Na’eh. In the global Simchat Torah project, 525 synagogues each selected the name of a fallen IDF soldier to be inscribed on a new Torah cover. Montreal’s Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem (TBDJ) was randomly given Eitan Na’eh. They couldn’t find anything about Eitan, until by chance his best friend walked in.
https://thecjn.ca/news/elkana-cohen-eitan-nae/
Surprise for bride. (TY Yanky) A group of Golani soldiers on a training run stumbled upon a bride and groom on a photo shoot on their wedding day. To the amazement of the couple, the soldiers interrupted their run to fulfil the mitzvah of Keytzad Merakdim - dancing and singing before the groom and bride at a wedding.
https://www.instagram.com/jewishbreakingnews/reel/Cv5-B7LN3V6/
Israel’s oldest citizen is 110. The exceptional longevity of Israel’s citizens is often reported here, but this newsletter editor was especially pleased to read that the recent 110th birthday celebrations for Tzila Cohen took place less than a mile down the road at Netanya’s Laniado hospital. Luckily, no candles to blow out!
https://www.jns.org/israels-oldest-citizen-turns-110/
241117
In the 17th Nov 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
l Volunteers at a Gaza border refreshment tent have served half a million IDF soldiers.
l Israeli innovations combat cancer, heart disease, PTSD, brain diseases, and aging.
l A Druze-Israeli spoke Arabic to save Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam.
l The war certainly doesn’t scare off visitors to Israel from the animal kingdom.
l Israeli startups can save the planet from plastic pollution.
l Israel’s economic indicators are increasingly healthy.
l Israeli technology protects more American soldiers.
l Two new Israeli Chief Rabbis have been inaugurated.
· Click here to see the 10th Nov newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen and (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours. 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 25,500 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, and the subject “Subscribe”) to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
Advancing further on top.
POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
What to do with captured weapons? The IDF is examining the possibility of establishing anti-tank units using the huge number of weapons and missiles seized from the Hezbollah terrorist organization, including tens of thousands of Russian Kornet and Iranian Almas anti-tank missiles.
https://www.jns.org/idf-may-form-anti-tank-units-using-captured-hezbollah-materiel/
IDF’s veteran unit. The IDF’s Har Zion 0710 Unit represents a unique phenomenon in modern military history: hundreds of Israelis aged over 45 years old, many decades past their military service, have voluntarily returned to uniform to defend their nation. The unit was spontaneously established overnight after Oct 7 2023.
https://www.jns.org/how-israels-veteran-civilians-returned-to-the-front-with-the-har-zion-unit/
Doing good on the Gaza border. For the past year, volunteers from all over the world have been running a 24x7 refreshment station for IDF soldiers entering and leaving the Gaza strip. The Shuva brothers’ refreshment stand has served half a million IDF soldiers. It also stocks all the supplies that soldiers need.
https://video.i24news.tv/en/9e44d596-82e6-4c4c-8a1c-96f84ae49bd5/content/6364563050112
Jewish Federations help Israeli nonprofits. (TY Nevet / ADL) Amitim is a pro bono mentoring program, which links former Jewish federation CEOs to the needs of the leadership of nonprofits in Israel and kibbutzim affected by Oct 7. It recognizes that US Jewish retired executives have skills and experience to benefit Israelis.
28 Lions of Zion. 28 altruistic individuals and partnering organizations were honored in Gush Etzion at the Ari Fuld Project’s annual “Lion of Zion” awards ceremony, for their tireless support of Israeli soldiers during Israel’s current multifront military campaign. The awards are in memory of Ari Fuld z”l (see here previously).
https://www.jns.org/ari-fuld-project-awards-lion-of-zion-prizes/
Another amazing escape. One of many near misses, as a Hezbollah rocket landed between cars on an Israeli highway. https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-rocket-miraculously-lands-in-between-drivers-on-highway/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Alpha radiation to treat lung cancer. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s Alpha Tau Medical (see here previously) has treated its first patient with recurrent lung cancer using its innovative Alpha DaRT® alpha-radiation cancer therapy. The WHO reports 2.5 million new lung cancer cases annually and the most cancer-related deaths.
https://www.ourcrowd.com/startup-news/alpha-tau-treats-first-patient-with-recurrent-lung-cancer
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05632913
US approval for heart repair device. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Pi-Cardia (see here previously) has received US-FDA approval for its ShortCut heart valve decalcification device. ShortCut is used to remove calcium from heart valves, making them more flexible, prior to heart valve replacement (e.g. TAVR or TMVR) procedures.
Alternative to heart valve replacement. Israel’s Innoventric has developed Trillium - a device to fix a leak in the tricuspid valve, one of four valves that regulate blood flow through the heart. But instead of replacing the valve, the prosthetic device is inserted into a large vein in a 10-minute procedure under conscious sedation.
https://www.israel21c.org/prosthetic-valve-to-revolutionize-common-heart-condition/ https://innoventric.com/ https://innoventric.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Innoventric-Trillium_01.05.24-1.mp4
HBOT treatment for PTSD. (TY Nevet & UWI) Researchers from Tel Aviv University and Shamir Medical Center in Beer Yaakov found that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can significantly alleviate PTSD symptoms, particularly for patients unresponsive to traditional therapies or medications.
New target for Parkinson’s treatment. Tel Aviv University researchers have discovered a mutation of the TMEM16F protein secretes α-synuclein to enhance the spread of Parkinson’s pathology through nerve cells in the brain. Blocking or modulating TMEM16F activity may reduce α-synuclein and cure Parkinson’s disease.
https://tps.co.il/articles/researchers-identify-key-protein-in-parkinsons-disease-spread/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/acel.14387
Brain stabilizer discovered. The brain’s NMDA receptor (NMDAR) is known to be vital for learning and memory. Now Tel Aviv University researchers have discovered that it also maintains stable brain function during environment and physiological changes. The discovery may lead to new treatments for brain diseases.
https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(24)00735-9
An antibody against aging. (TY UWI) Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have uncovered how aging cells evade the immune system. The protein PD-L1 stops the immune system from recognizing and destroying aging (senescent / “zombie”) cells. Antibodies to PD-L1 reduced inflammation and numbers of senescent cells.
https://tps.co.il/articles/zombie-cells-exposed-new-research-could-transform-age-related-therapies/
An Israeli genetic database. Psifas is the Israeli Genome project. With a budget of NIS 250 million, it aims to create a genetic database of 100,000 Israel’s citizens. The information collected from patients of the Clalit health company, already provides information that will make it possible to treat life-threatening diseases.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/8l45gkhby
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Israelis with disabilities display art in Houston. (TY Nevet / ADL) The Shalva Art Exhibit highlights the experiences, hardships, and resilience of Israeli individuals with disabilities. The exhibit is currently in Houston at Congregation Beth Yeshurun, having previously been in Korea, Hong Kong, Sweden, England, and Israel.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-828510
Druze saves Israeli fans in Amsterdam. (TY Hazel) Quick-thinking by a Druze-Israeli fan of Maccabi Tel Aviv saved fellow Israeli fans from being beaten by Arabs in Amsterdam. Malham Asaad shouted in Arabic to distract the attackers. He then urged the Israelis to hide all identifying symbols.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/druze-maccabi-tel-aviv-fan-says-he-yelled-in-arabic-to-distract-amsterdam-assailants/ https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/rjzq5v0b1l
Samaria governor saves PA Arab’s life. Binyamin Regional Council Governor Yisrael Ganz came upon the scene of a car accident involving a Palestinian Arab vehicle and an Israeli vehicle. Just before the Arab vehicle caught fire, Ganz pulled the Palestinian Arab passenger out of the vehicle and saved his life.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/398914
Screening baggage at Las Vegas airport. (TY OurCrowd) The AI-based baggage security screening system from Israel’s SeeTrue (see here previously) has been undergoing trials at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid airport. These were managed by the Department of Homeland Security together with the Transport Security Administration.
Exposing disinformation. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s Cyabra (see here previously) has exposed a fake video campaign in Japan that advocates the independence of Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost region that hosts several US military bases. Cyabra’s tools revealed that protest videos were compilations of unrelated events.
https://www.eurasiantimes.com/get-out-japan-us-militarys-most-critical/
25,000 cranes fly to Israel. At the beginning of the annual bird migration season, 25,000 cranes arrived at the Agmon reserve in the Hula Valley in the Upper Galilee. Serving as a critical migration stopover, the park hosts more than 390 bird species twice a year. Amazing video at 2nd link.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-cranes-fly-to-northern-israels-hula-lake/ https://unitedwithisrael.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/WhatsApp-Video-2024-11-07-at-07.30.31_d06ee35b.mp4?_=1
Rare monk seal returns to Israel. Despite the war, Maya - a rare Mediterranean monk seal - has returned to Israel’s shore at Rosh Hanikra near the Lebanon border. It is Maya’s 6th visit since 2010. In 2023 another monk seal, affectionately named Yulia, made two long visits to Tel Aviv’s beach in 2023 (see here previously).
https://www.jns.org/amid-war-rare-seal-returns-to-northern-israel/
Where spinning technology began. 12,000-year-old spindle whorls have been unearthed at Nahal Ein Gev in the Upper Jordan Valley. They provides the earliest known evidence of fast-spinning technology in the Levant, predating previously known textile tools by 4,000 years.
https://www.jns.org/12000-year-old-spinning-machine-uncovered-in-northern-israel/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
The universe is really big. (TY Sandra T) A team of international researchers including from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has created an updated map of the local universe by analyzing the motions of 56,000 galaxies. It suggests that our cosmic neighborhood may be 10 times larger than previously thought.
https://manoa.hawaii.edu/news/article.php?aId=13484 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-024-02370-0
Plastic alternative that dissolves. Israel’s Solutum has developed plastic that biodegrades completely in water. It recently won awards, raised $11.5 million in finance, partnered Germany’s Pester, and won major orders.
https://www.israel21c.org/the-plastic-alternative-that-dissolves-safely-in-water/ https://www.solutum.co/news
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhww2CcJKKc
Compostable packaging from rice waste. Israel’s TIPA (see here previously) has introduced a groundbreaking fully compostable and recyclable tray crafted from waste product of rice. The trays be disposed of in compost bins in homes, and also in the recycling bin too, alongside paper.
https://www.waste360.com/sustainability/tipa-launches-packaging-made-from-rice-waste
https://www.israel21c.org/6-israeli-technologies-helping-us-reduce-plastic-use/
Avoiding heavy water. In most products 85% of the ingredients is water, which wastes fuel transporting it from place to place. Israel’s Capsule Minimal has developed 3D-printed smart capsules containing the active ingredients. Insert the capsule into the reusable metal bottle, add tap water, and the product is ready to use.
https://www.capsuleminimal.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP1UMu5CyzI
Israeli AI partnership to maximize crop yields. Israel’s Fermata (see here previously) is partnering Israel’s yieldsApp to give farmers “personalized, real-time insights that ensure crops get the right nutrients and treatments…”. Feremata’s cameras and AI detect problems and yieldsApp offers solutions to increase yields.
https://www.israel21c.org/double-dose-of-ai-to-help-farmers-maximize-yield/ https://www.yieldsapp.com/
Integrated cybersecurity. Two Israeli cyber megastars, CyberArk and Wiz have announced a strategic partnership to improve multi-cloud security for enterprises. It will help companies meet audit and compliance requirements while reducing the risk of unauthorized access.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/rkxojfmmjl
It is rocket science. Technion Prof Alon Gany was awarded the 2025 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Wyld Propulsion Award for outstanding achievements in rocket propulsion systems. It recognizes his research on metalized propellants, energetic materials, hybrid rockets, ramjets, and scramjets.
https://ats.org/ats-news/professor-alon-gany-receives-wyld-propulsion-award/
Defense system innovator visits London. Israel Technion graduate Dr Irit Idan was the Executive Vice President for Research and Development at RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems and is now CEO of Idan Technology Insights. UK readers can hear her speak on Dec 9 in London.
https://technionuk.org/event/the-future-of-israels-defence-systems-dec24/
Iron Beam will be a game-changer. Israel’s Brigadier General Ran Kochav, former commander of the Israeli Air Missile Defense Forces, believes that the introduction (next year) of the Iron Beam laser interception system will herald a profound change in the IDF. An excellent summary of its capabilities and limitations.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/sjxavqazjg
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Foreign currency reserves reach new heights. Israel’s foreign exchange reserves at the end of September 2024 stood at a record $220,377 million - an increase of nearly $3 billion from their level at the end of the previous month. The increase was due to a revaluation that shows confidence in Israel’s currency and economy.
Average wage rises more than inflation. In Aug 2024, Israel’s average monthly wage was NIS 13,138, up 5.3% from Aug 2023. Over the same period, inflation rose by 3%, making the average Israeli worker better off. Meanwhile, unemployment is at a 50 year low of 2.7%.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-average-monthly-wage-in-israel-rose-53-in-august-1001491108
Tech startups raise nearly $1 billion in Oct. (TY UWI) Israeli privately-held hi-tech companies and start-ups raised nearly $1 billion in October. The total raised in the first 10 months of 2024 was over $8 billion, surpassing the $6.9 billion raised in all of 2023.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-high-tech-sector-raises-nearly-1-billion-in-october/
Israel’s AI sector outpaces global rivals. (TY UWI) Startup Nation Central reports that Israeli AI startups have grown 173% since 2014, far more than the 12% increase of non-AI startups. Also, Since 2018, Israel’s AI investment share has typically been 3-4 times higher than Europe and the U.S.
https://tps.co.il/articles/israels-ai-sector-outpaces-global-rivals-defying-adversity/
Israir ends El Al’s USA monopoly. Israeli low-cost airline Israir plans to launch direct flights between Israel and New York this winter. Subject to US regulatory approval, it will operate four flights a week to Newark and will end El Al’s temporary monopoly on direct flights between the two countries.
https://www.jns.org/israir-to-operate-direct-flights-to-ny-ending-el-al-wartime-monopoly/
Successful drone safety trial. Israel’s ParaZero Technologies has received a $187,000 order for its UAV safety systems from a US-based Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company in the aerial vehicle industry. The order is the end of a long-term project with the client and now large-scale manufacturing and deployment can begin.
Defense system for US tanks. (TY Hazel) The US has awarded Israel’s Elbit Systems a $127-million follow-on contract to supply Iron Fist Active Protection Systems (APS) for its Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs). General Dynamics will upgrade the US Army’s Bradley M2A4E1 IFVs over a period of 34 months.
https://thedefensepost.com/2024/11/06/elbit-iron-fist-bradleys/
A biodegradable partnership. Israeli biodegradable packaging startup W-Cycle (see here previously) has partnered with Brazil’s Melhoramentos. W-Cycle will help find new sustainable applications for the high-yield pulp fiber that Melhoramentos manufactures. The contract is estimated to be worth $370K.
https://spnews.com/wcycle-melhoramentos/
Saving costs for self-insured employers. The cost reduction solution from Israel’s Bluespine helps self-insured employers to lower annual healthcare spending while mitigating financial and legal risks around plan administration. Bluespine’s AI helps identify, recover, and prevent overbilled medical claims.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/rytyz11fgjx https://www.bluespine.io/
Exits, mergers & acquisitions – to 17/11/24: Israeli-founded Plarium was acquired by Sweden’s Modern Times Group for up to $820 million from Australia’s Aristocrat which bought Plarium in 2017 for around $500 million. Finland’s Nokia has acquired Israel’s RapidAPI for an undisclosed sum. Israel’s Silverfort has acquired Israel’s Rezonate for several tens of millions of dollars. US-based BitSight has acquired Israel’s Cybersixgill for around $115 million. US-based Cloudera has acquired Israel’s Octopai.
Startup investment – to 17/11/24: Upwind Security raised $100 million; ScaleOps raised $58 million; PointFive raised $20 million; Bluespine has raised $7.2 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Digitizing Beta Israel manuscripts. Israel’s National Library is to launch a project to digitize dozens of sacred texts of Beta Israel - the Ethiopian Jewish community. High-resolution digital scans of the documents (written in Ge’ez, the ancient language used in Ethiopia) will be generated and made accessible on the NLI website.
US Ambassador displays Israeli resilience art. (TY Nevet / ADL) Outgoing US Ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, has filled his Jerusalem home and office with the works of artists who have been affected by the Oct 7 Hamas terrorist invasion. “This artwork shows that dreams come true if people work hard at it,'” said Lew.
Jiu-jitsu gold. Israel’s Daniel Boaron, 13, won the 2024 Ju-Jitsu World Championship (under-14, under-48 kg) in Crete after his final opponent from the UAE was disqualified for an offensive gesture at the end of the match.
THE JEWISH STATE
The last Afghan Jew comes home. Zablon Simantov, 65, one of the last Jews to leave Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, arrived in Israel from Turkey where he had been living for the last 3 years. His rescue in 2021, was led by Moti Kahana, a well-known activist specializing in evacuations from conflict zones.
https://www.jpost.com/aliyah/article-828681 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zablon_Simintov
4,000-year-old children’s pots. A team led Tel Aviv University archaeologists analyzed fingerprints on 450 pottery vessels made in Tel Hama in Syria around 2,000 to 2,400 BCE. They found that two-thirds of the vessels were made by children, some only 7 or 8 years old. The children also made figurines for themselves.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17585716.2024.2380137#abstract
Kabbalat Shabbat concerts in Jerusalem. Jerusalem’s Zappa Club features a series of special Friday afternoon concerts. Next event is on Nov 29. https://www.zappa-club.co.il/
https://www.nbn.org.il/events/kabbalat-shabbat-concerts-at-zappa-jerusalem/
$3.2 million to improve Rachel’s Tomb. Israel has allocated NIS 12 million for improving the Rachel’s Tomb complex near Bethlehem. It will make the site more accessible, particularly for people with disabilities, and includes a new bus station plus better security. The site has hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
https://www.jns.org/3-2m-allocated-to-up-accessibility-to-rachels-tomb-complex/
All chiefs together. (TY Sharon) Israel’s Chief Rabbis for the next 10 years, Dovid Yosef (Sephardi) and Kalman Ber (Ashkenazi) were officially installed at President Herzog’s residence in Jerusalem. Chief Rabbi Yosef concluded his remarks, “Let’s make the rabbanut great again.” (It was the day before the US elections).
https://rjstreets.com/2024/11/10/3-new-presidential-events-trigger-memories-in-jerusalem/
Aliyah and lone soldier support center. Nefesh b’Nefesh has opened an Aliyah center in Tel Aviv, aimed to facilitate the absorption of new immigrants. It will also support the 3,500 “lone soldiers” - those in Israel without close family - from more than 70 countries who are serving in the IDF.
https://www.jns.org/nefesh-bnefesh-opens-tel-aviv-aliyah-center/
150th birthday of Chaim Weizmann. (TY Sandra) The first President of Israel, Chaim Weizmann was born on Nov 27 1874. His discovery of synthetic acetone helped the Allies win WW1. His friendship with British Prime Minister Arthur Balfour influenced the publication of the Balfour Declaration (see here previously).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaim_Weizmann
241110
In the 10th Nov 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
l At least five news articles featuring Israelis bravely responding to adversity.
l A major Israeli medical discovery, trials and a new treatment for cancer.
l Israel organizes vaccinations for over a million Gazan children.
l 9% of Time Magazine’s “Best inventions of 2024” are Israeli.
l Israeli innovations are globally preventing accidents and catching criminals.
l Thousands of Bedouin Arabs watch Israel’s first state-approved camel race.
l Two vital new resources for teaching children about Israeli history.
· Click here to see the 3rd Nov 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 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 25,500 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, and the subject “Subscribe”) to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
Standing tall again. (TY Hazel) Nati Ganon was seriously injured by Hamas terrorists at the Nova party on Oct 7 2023. After enduring nearly 400 grueling days of treatments and rehabilitation, Nati stands tall again and able to continue to raise his three children. See him dance with Israeli-Arab Zionist Yoseph Haddad (2nd link).
https://www.timesofisrael.com/nova-survivor-who-lost-wife-on-oct-7-goes-home-after-almost-400-days-in-hospital/ https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-7/
Proud sisters. (TY Hazel) Despite losing their elder siblings at the hands of Hamas terrorists, Yael Eshel, sister of Sgt Roni Eshel, and Yuval Marciano, sister of Cpl Noa Marciano, have just begun their IDF service on the same day. Their sisters were serving together on Oct 7 at the IDF’s Nahal Oz base near the Gaza border.
From Sderot to the Technion, with nothing. Hila was planning to study at Israel’s Technion Institute on Oct 10, 2023. When Hamas attacked Sderot on Oct. 7, Hila had to evacuate her home, arriving at the Technion without any belongings. The Technion, however, made sure she had everything she needed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WfhC77d6Hc
Farming under fire. Moshav Liman, just 1.3 miles from Lebanon, had a population of 850 before Oct 7. Now, some 125 hardened Israelis continue to cultivate their small family farms. They include Kfir and Clarise who lived through bombardments in 1978, and the Lebanon wars of 1982 and 2006. They stayed then, as well.
Turning shelters into schoolrooms. (TY WIN) Kibbutz Yehiam near the Lebanese border, has converted its bomb shelters and protected rooms into classrooms. Now, over 110 students can locally learn instead of being driven on school buses to schools some half-an-hour away. When safe, children join from outside the kibbutz.
“Heros of Life”. Israeli emergency NGO United Hatzalah honored Oct 7 volunteers and victims at a “Heroes of Life” Memorial Ceremony in Jerusalem. The ceremony also paid tribute to United Hatzalah’s volunteers who played a pivotal role on Oct 7, and in the ensuing months, transporting wounded to hospitals while under fire.
Homeward bound. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel's Tekuma Administration – the government's arm for rehabilitating the Gaza periphery – reveals that 87% (50,000 out of 64,000) of Gaza border residents have returned to their homes. 244 projects, totaling $1.7 billion, have been initiated, to rehabilitate the region.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/10/01/87-of-gaza-border-residents-have-returned-home-report-shows/
The first Haredi IDF combat brigade. The Tavetz training base in the Jordan Valley will serve as the training ground for the first cohort of ultra-Orthodox soldiers who will form part of a standard infantry brigade called “Hashmonayim”. It is also the first entirely new regular infantry brigade since the 1980s.
https://www.jns.org/idf-launches-first-ultra-orthodox-combat-brigade/
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-827522
Spurs fans sing for hostage. 70 fans of UK soccer team Tottenham Hotspur (“Spurs”) sang before their team’s match against Aston Villa, to publicize the plight of one of their own fans, Emily Damari. Emily was abducted by Hamas from Kibbutz Kfar Aza on Oct 7 2023. She holds both British and Israeli citizenship.
https://www.jns.org/tottenham-hotspur-fans-sing-for-hamas-hostage/
US Jews support Israeli businesses. Since Oct 7 2023, American Jews have increased their purchases of Israeli Judaica by 134%. The study, conducted by business management students at the Jerusalem College of Technology, demonstrates American Jews' solidarity with war-impacted Israeli businesses.
https://www.jns.org/study-u-s-jews-bought-134-more-israeli-judaica-since-oct-7/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Another antibody to combat cancer. Following last week’s Israeli cancer breakthrough (see here), now Weizmann Institute researchers have found an antibody (against CD84) that prevents tumors building molecular bridges from suppressing the immune system. Lab tests were successful at treating triple-negative breast cancer.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-antibody-treatment-targets-most-aggressive-breast-cancer/#:
https://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il/life-sciences/burning-cancer%E2%80%99s-bridges
https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(24)01271-3#fig1
Treatment for Esophageal cancer. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s BeiGene has received Israeli Ministry of Health approval for its TEVIMBRA® to treat Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC) after chemotherapy. It has also gone on sale in the USA. https://ir.beigene.com/news/beigene-receives-israeli-ministry-of-health-approval-for-tevimbra-for-the-treatment-of-oesophageal-squamous/dc2e4d21-42f4-4545-af69-ba4e09a40194/
https://ir.beigene.com/news/beigene-announces-availability-of-tevimbra-in-u-s/1d4b131f-7226-4196-bbac-dc310930b1ad/ https://www.beigene.com/
Treatment for knee osteoarthritis. Denmark’s Medicines Agency has approved Allocetra cell therapy from Israel’s Enlivex (see here previously) for Phase II clinical trials on patients with osteoarthritis in the knee. 40% of men and 47% of women develop knee osteoarthritis in their lifetimes. Allocetra also treats Covid and cancer.
$17 million for autism research. (TY Yanky) Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Prof Haitham Amal (see here previously) is the only non-USA member of a new consortium focused on pioneering autism research. It has just been awarded a research grant of $17 million by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.
Front-line soldier saves 3-year-old. (TY UWI) A three-year-old boy hospitalized in Jerusalem with a severe blood cancer got a new lease on life thanks to the selflessness of Matan Amir, a 21-year-old IDF soldier fighting in Gaza who was identified as a suitable bone marrow donor for the toddler.
Low blood sugar and green Med diet. An international study led by Israel’s Ben-Gurion University scientists showed controlling blood sugar levels is a significant key mechanism linking diet to slower brain aging. The 300-participant study was one of the longest and largest brain MRI trials in the world.
https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/sygjvxrzje
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916524007457
Nobel prize winners’ Israel connection. The Nobel Prize in medicine was awarded to Americans Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNA. Both men were awarded Israel’s Wolf Prize in 2014. Ruvkun, who is Jewish, won the Dan David Prize, headquartered at Tel Aviv University, in 2011.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Scientist, dancer, teacher and mother. Dr. Anastasia Braginsky, PhD graduate of Israel’s Technion Institute, teaches computer systems at the Technion, is a professional dancer, a ballroom dance instructor, and a mother of two. She also works full-time in Israeli hi-tech, now at Red Hat, having been previously at IBM and Yahoo!
https://ats.org/our-impact/dr-anastasia-braginsky-renaissance-woman/
Global entrepreneurial university. Tel Aviv University (TAU) has maintained its global position as the seventh highest institution for producing entrepreneurs – graduates who founded companies and raised capital. TAU is also the highest ranked non-USA institution. (See here for previous years’ rankings)
https://english.tau.ac.il/news/pitchbook-2024
1.1 million Gazan children vaccinated. The latest polio vaccination campaign in Gaza has been completed, with some 1.1 million vaccines administered and a vaccination rate among children of over 90 percent. 211,170 children were vaccinated in northern Gaza; 379,361 in central Gaza; and 517,070 in southern Gaza.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/over-1-million-gazans-vaccinated-in-fresh-polio-campaign-idf-says/
Hundreds of sick Gazans evacuated. In one day, 231 patients and caregivers left Gaza via the Kerem Shalom Crossing and Ramon Airport to receive medical treatment in the United Arab Emirates and Romania. It was just one of several humanitarian initiatives led by Israel in collaboration with the UAE, Romania and the EU.
4 female navigators in Israeli attack against Iran. Four women combat navigators flew in F-16 fighter jets as part of the successful Oct 26 Israeli response to Iran’s missile attacks.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/398099
They get it. Straightforward message from beautiful, intelligent, Sarah Idan - ex-Miss Iraq. Mosab Hassan Yousef, son of the founder of Hamas also understands. But is the rest of the world listening?
https://www.jns.org/former-miss-iraq-israel-is-the-only-one-standing-against-the-terrorists/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
A much bigger campus. Ben Gurion University’s new North Campus in Beer-Sheva will include a 1,000-student village, plus Glazer Foundation Future Technologies, Helmsely Computer Science, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Drahi Innovation and Entrepreneurship buildings. Plus a culture center.
https://in.bgu.ac.il/en/friends/Pages/BGU%E2%80%99s_Development.aspx
Israel: The making of a Global Cyber Power. (TY Laura). Two reports (one in detail) of Israel, a country with the population the size of New York City, that is one of the world’s top cyber powers. (Just as well as Israel’s enemies have attacked almost all of the country’s major computer systems – many times.)
https://besacenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/MSPS209web.pdf
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/rkjsgjh11jg
Bees need a balanced diet too. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have found that a balanced diet is essential for honeybees’ optimal health and task performance. A diet with a high omega-6:3 ratio (5:1) significantly affects bees’ ability to nurse larvae, both in delay and frequency.
https://www.ynetnews.com/environment/article/h17tcd1c0
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003347224001428?via%3Dihub
Let’s build drones. Too many Israel Defense Forces drones are fragile, and rely on China-based production. However, drones are essential for protecting Israel soldiers in Gaza and Lebanon. STEM-up Israel, together with other nonprofit groups, use high-school students to procure, build, and maintain drones for the IDF.
https://www.jns.org/hero-drones-part-of-the-platoon/
1 million speech-enabled devices. Israel’s Kardome (see here previously) has now implemented its AI-based voice-recognition software into more than a million devices. Kardome’s Spatial Hearing software enables devices to truly understand the context of speech, whether in a busy car or a bustling street.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/99xfmd1li https://www.kardome.com/
https://vimeo.com/701285868 https://vimeo.com/820558294
Best inventions 2024. Time Magazine’s 100 Best inventions of 2024 include 9 Israeli products. Nuvo, Aporia’s Guardrails, OrCam’s Hear, UVeye, BeeHero, InnerPlant’s CropVoice, Emulait, BelongAI’s Dave, and D-ID’s avitars. Only Emulait has not appeared before in this newsletter. (See here for previous years’ Israeli mentions.)
https://www.israel21c.org/8-israeli-products-on-times-best-inventions-of-2024-list/ https://emulait.com/
https://www.israel21c.org/how-a-bullied-boy-became-a-successful-med-tech-entrepreneur/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Startup investment up 32%. Israeli tech firms have raised about $7.22 billion from investors, an increase of 32% compared with the same period last year.
Israel-Vietnam free trade agreement implemented. The free-trade agreement between Israel and Vietnam signed in 2023 (see here) took effect has just gone into operation. Israel’s Economy and Industry Ministry anticipates a major boost in bilateral trade, which reached $1.3 billion in 2023.
https://worldisraelnews.com/israel-vietnam-free-trade-agreement-to-take-effect-on-friday/
Gas royalties up 12.5%. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Revenue from natural gas royalties in the first half of 2024 was NIS 1.133 billion, up 12.5% from the first half of 2023. Further state revenue comes from taxes on profits of the oil companies. About half the revenue was due to gas produced from the Leviathan reservoir.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-israels-gas-royalties-up-125-in-h1-2024-1001489220
Hungarian prize. Jon Medved, founder and CEO of Israel’s OurCrowd, received the John Harsányi Prize, the Hungarian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association’s award to an individual or an organization recognized for exceptional contribution to the development of entrepreneurial processes worldwide,
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jonathanmedved_a-great-honor-to-be-awarded-the-2024-hars%C3%A1nyi-activity-7245082693934141440-vq20/ https://startuponline.hu/jonathan-medved-a-magyar-szakembergarda-realis-alapja-lehetne-a-magyar-es-az-izraeli-okoszisztema-szorosabb-egyuttmukodesenek/ (in Hungarian)
Safer bus passengers. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s SaverOne (see here previously) has launched four pilot projects with customers of Volvo Buses Mexico. It follows the OEM agreement signed with Volvo Group to install the innovative software that prevents drivers from using distracting applications that could cause accidents.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/saverone-launches-four-pilot-projects-120000414.html
A safer world. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Corsight (see here previously) is helping catch criminals and terrorists globally. Essex police (UK) used its Live Facial Recognition technology to catch 5 criminals in August. Corsight has been implemented in Santa Rosa, a safe city in the Philippines.
https://www.sourcesecurity.com/news/corsight-ai-facial-recognition-aids-essex-co-7121-ga-co-1590149149-ga.1725254930.html https://www.securityinfowatch.com/access-identity/biometrics/facial-recognition-solutions/press-release/55142971/corsight-city-of-santa-rosa-implements-corsight-ais-facial-intelligence-technology
Preventing stock manipulation. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s KOIOS analyzes conversations about publicly traded companies on social media sites and blogs, and alerts the companies to possible price manipulation. The AI-based platform provides real-time, alerts, allowing companies to foil attacks and stay ahead of the curve.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/09/25/2953026/0/en/KOIOS-Raises-5-Million-in-Seed-Funding.html https://koiostech.ai/
Israeli whisky evaporates and refills. Henry Jeffries reviewed several world whiskies for The UK Guardian. But the (frequently anti-Israel) paper omitted his glowing approval of Israel’s unique M&H distillery. However, after protest, the reference to M&H was reinstated (online edition) with an acknowledgement of the correction.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/guardian-removes-israeli-whisky-reference/
https://amp.theguardian.com/food/2024/nov/01/henry-jeffreys-more-to-whisky-than-scotch-and-bourbon
Correction! (TY Barton) In the last newsletter, I stated that Israel had 47,000+ tech workers. There are in fact almost 400,000 workers employed in the Israeli high-tech industry. The article quoted 47,000 in the 50 companies that were ranked by Dun & Bradstreet Israel as the best places in Israel to work. My apologies.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-a-year-of-war-nvidia-overtakes-microsoft-as-best-firm-to-work-for-in-israel-db/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/1472727/israel-annual-number-of-high-tech-workers/
Exits, mergers & acquisitions – to 10/11/24: Israeli software developer Incredibuild acquired German’s open source tools startup Garden for $65 million; US cybersecurity Crowdstrike is acquiring Israeli cyber startup Adaptive Shield for an estimated $300 million.
Startup investment – to 10/11/24: Kardome raised $10 million; KOIOS raised $5 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
The people of the book. 169 books and publications have been printed about the war since Oct 7. The most topics are research studies (42 books); testimonies and stories of heroism (29); the effects of attacks, the hostages, the IDF & politics (30); religious (18), poetry (14); art (11); prose (9); and for children’s (3).
https://www.jns.org/national-library-of-israel-special-survey-books-published-since-oct-7/
Back in time in Jerusalem. (TY Sharon) As Israel turned its clocks back, Jerusalem’s events included an academic symposium at the Bible Lands Museum; the closing of the Kuma art exhibition, the Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem Academic Symposium, and the first award ceremony for Civilian Heroes of Oct 7 2023.
https://rjstreets.com/2024/11/03/october-in-jerusalem-ends-with-high-and-lows/
United for Life. A short video showing highlights of United With Israel’s “United for Life” Jerusalem concert during the festival of Sukkot. It featured Israeli stars Ishay Ribo, Gad Elbaz, and Shmuel, and 3,000 attendees, raising vital funds for protective gear for first responders. Book now for the Dec 19 Miami gala.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjaLlg6ZfSY https://israelrescue.org/ytdonate/
https://israelrescue.org/event/miami24/
Eden volunteers for IDF. (TY Yanky) Israel’s Eurovision singer Eden Golan was called up for IDF service (see here previously) but was rejected on medical grounds. Despite this, she has requested to serve in the military on a voluntary basis and is expected to continue her enlistment process soon.
https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/hj9hvet0c
Judoka silver. (TY Nevet) Israeli female judoka Yuli Alma Mishiner (age 19) won the silver medal at the Zagreb Grand Prix (13 Sep 2024). https://www.ijf.org/judoka/64647
https://www.ijf.org/judoka/64647/results?results_rank_group=all
Israel’s first legal camel race. Thousands of spectators watched Israel’s first-ever state-sanctioned camel race. The event, held near Ashalim some 22 miles south of Beersheva, was organized by the Bedouin community, in conjunction with the ministries of the Diaspora, Agriculture the Development of the Negev and the Galilee.
https://www.jns.org/thousands-gather-in-negev-for-israels-first-legal-camel-race/
Solidarity at NYC marathon. 150+ runners in the New York City Marathon dedicated their race to raising awareness for the 101 Israeli and foreign hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Dubbed the “Run for their Lives” team, the runners wore t-shirts depicting the five hostages who were avid marathon and triathlon competitors.
https://israfan.com/p/nyc-marathon-solidarity-israeli-hostages
THE JEWISH STATE
Online courses in Israeli history. Please look at the courses from innovative educational platform OFEK to inspire children and build a deep connection to their heritage. Students learn the history of Israel and the Jewish people, from the first days Israel was established, featuring Jewish heroes and all significant events.
https://ofekhub.org/israeli-history/
New curriculum for teaching Israeli history. The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA) has released a new “teacher-friendly curriculum”, for middle and high schools, that addresses “the history of the Jewish people in the land of Israel from ancient to modern times.”
https://www.jns.org/comprehensive-camera-curriculum-focuses-on-ties-of-jewish-history-to-israel/
Israel’s vehicle rescue service. (TY Yanky) Israel’s car rescue service Yedidim (see here previously) now has 65,000 members. Call 1230 from your mobile phone and someone will arrive to help stranded motorists change a tyre, or fix a problem with the car. Yedidim answers up to 3,000 calls every day. Only in Israel.
241103
In the 3rd Nov 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
l Christian Zionists donate dozens of ambulances and emergency vehicles.
l Israeli researchers discover a breakthrough mechanism for eradicating cancer.
l Israeli volunteers rush to help Polish flood victims.
l An Israeli startup has a unique method for detecting hostile drones.
l Three new Israeli innovations to clean up our environment.
l The 100th anniversary of the birth of Ephraim Kishon - Israel’s greatest satirist.
l The festival of Simchat Torah was celebrated in Israel with joy and dignity.
· Click here to see the 27th Oct 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.
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POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
Wounded paramedic returns. United Hatzalah emergency medic Rabbi Chaim Sassi was seriously wounded by a Hamas terrorist in Sderot on Oct 7. He has now returned to active service after receiving a custom-made “ambucycle” designed to accommodate his lingering leg injury. Rabbi Chaim was praised as “an inspiration”.
https://www.jns.org/volunteer-medic-injured-on-oct-7-returns-to-service-with-ambucycle/
Mezuzah from devastated kibbutz goes to Paraguay. A mezuzah was all that survived on Oct 7 from a home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. To honor the memory of the owners of the home, the mezuzah was placed on the doorpost of the new Israeli embassy in Paraguay.
Boxer is champion defender. US boxing legend Floyd Mayweather has donated $100,000 to purchase 100 bulletproof vests for Israeli medical volunteers on the front lines. He announced the gift during a sold-out United Hatzalah event in Jerusalem to raise funds for 1,000 protective kits for its volunteer EMTs.
https://worldisraelnews.com/ex-boxing-champ-gives-israeli-rescue-group-100-bulletproof-vests/
US Christians donate armored ambulances. Samaritan’s Purse, founded by Franklin Graham, son of the late evangelist Billy Graham, has donated two more armored ambulances to Magen David Adom. They previously donated 14 ambulances and have committed to donate 28 more. They have also donated 1,000 trauma kits.
South African Christians donate MDA response cars. (TY Yanky) The South African branch of the Christian organization Bridges for Peace is spearheading a donation of two $80,000 Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency rapid response vehicles. MDA will use the cars in communities attacked on Oct. 7.
https://www.jns.org/south-african-christians-donate-emergency-vehicles-to-israel/
Gaza envelope kibbutz looks to regrow. Kibbutz Holit has begun to rehabilitate after the Oct 7 Hamas attacks. It will grow the potato developed by Israel’s Rumafeed (see here previously) that has eliminated the toxic glycoalkaloids in its foliage. Rumafeed has just been selected for the latest Intel Ignite accelerator group.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/kibbutz-ravaged-on-oct-7-looks-to-renewal-through-gene-edited-vegetable-trials/ https://unitedwithisrael.org/kibbutz-holit-ravaged-on-oct-7-grows-into-hub-for-agricultural-innovation/
An AI view of Gaza without Hamas. ChatGPT was asked the question, “What would life, culture, and the economy be like in Gaza if Hamas were not in control?” ChatGPT also was also asked to generate a visual image of Gaza without Hamas. I expect “Lebanon without Hezbollah?” might generate a similar response.
https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-chatgpt-shows-what-gaza-could-be-without-terrorism-and-hamas/
Anti-drone system recycled. Israel has deployed the Israeli-upgraded M61 Vulcan cannon along its northern border, to combat suicide drones launched by Hezbollah terrorists. An older version of the M61 Vulcan was originally provided to Israel by the U.S. during the 1973 Yom Kippur War and saw action in Lebanon in 1982.
https://worldisraelnews.com/unique-vulcan-anti-drone-cannon-deployed-in-north/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machbet https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-826246
One Day raises $1 million. US Jewish reggae singer Matisyahu performed a concert titled “One Day” in New York City. It was part of a Ben Gurion University event that raised $1 million to help the rebuilding and recovery of Israel’s southern communities. “There’ll be no more wars, and our children will play. One Day!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRmBChQjZPs https://genius.com/Matisyahu-one-day-lyrics
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Protein antibody to treat cancer. Tel Aviv University researchers were checking protein levels after exposure to UV light. They saw that Ly6a levels rose significantly and speculated it might suppress the immune system in cancer patients. Lab tests showed that antibodies against Ly6a reduced tumor size in many cancers.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/398375 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-52079-x
Recovery from strokes. Israel’s BioXtreme has developed the deXtreme rehabilitation robot device for improving of motor recovery of upper limbs for stroke patients. And doctors in 30 countries use Tigertriever, from Israel’s Rapid Medical (see here previously) to respond in real time during thrombectomy procedures.
https://www.israel21c.org/8-startups-transforming-stroke-prevention-detection-treatment/
https://bio-xtreme.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJOPaxTO5gE
https://www.rapid-medical.com/tigertriever
Life-saving blood cancer analysis. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s Scopio Labs (see here previously) has launched its groundbreaking Full-Field Bone Marrow Aspirate™ (FF-BMA) Application for effective, digital imaging and AI analysis of blood cells. It replaces previous slow, manual, expert-only, error-prone, analysis methods.
https://scopiolabs.com/news/scopio-labs-receives-groundbreaking-fda-clearance-for-first-ever-digital-bone-marrow-aspirate-application/ https://www.ourcrowd.com/startup-news/beckman-coulter-and-scopio-labs-add-worlds-first-digital-bone-marrow-imaging-and-analysis-to-long-term-partnership https://scopiolabs.com/ff-bma/
Reducing phantom pain. Israel’s 6Degrees (see here previously) is now using its MyMove virtual reality games to enable dozens of new war amputees to have independent physical therapy sessions while decreasing their phantom pain and dependence on pain medications. “Exercising” an amputated limb helps blood flow.
500 successful transplants. The partnership between the Gift of Life Marrow Registry and Taglit-Birthright Israel has just celebrated its 500th successful transplant of blood stem cell and bone marrow from Birthright donors to patients. They have saved hundreds of sufferers with leukemia, lymphoma and immune disorders.
Personal park guide for the visually impaired. The audio orientation and guiding system Israel’s RightHear (see here previously) has now been installed at 2,500+ global locations from Angola to the UAE. In August, Natural Bridge State Park in Virginia became the first US state park to offer the digital accessibility solution.
https://www.israel21c.org/the-startup-opening-up-the-world-for-the-visually-impaired/
Ariel’s first medical graduates. Israel’s Ariel University celebrated the first class of graduates from its 2019-founded Adelson School of Medicine. 53 students (including 40 women) were awarded their “Doctor of Medicine.” degrees in a ceremony attended by Israeli President Herzog and philanthropist Dr. Miriam Adelson.
https://www.jns.org/ariels-adelson-school-of-medicine-marks-first-graduating-class/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Women in hi-tech. (TY Yanky) The first-ever "Women at the Front" Jerusalem conference attracted 250 Israeli women in senior positions at leading hi-tech companies. It featured lectures, panels, workshops dealing with AI, smart career management and startups raising capital and penetrating global markets.
Combining Torah study, military service and hi-tech. As the first Haredi Hesder yeshivot founded in 2017 by Haredim, Chedvata offers a unique combination of Torah study, military service and college training, while maintaining the high religious standards of its participants. Hundreds of graduates serve in Gaza and Lebanon.
https://chedvata.org/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJRzMFehFtc
An inside look at the Israeli Druze. Eylon Levy on State of the Nation interviews Mansur Ashkar, an Israeli Druze leader, activist, and ex-IDF special forces officer, who was stationed in Gaza before the disengagement. He believes that Jews & the Druze are the prime example that Israel aspires for peace and coexistence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR2BFECtEP8
IDF takes Gazan children to hospitals. The IDF transferred 23 Gazan patients, mostly children, along with 26 chaperones from the Kamal Adwan Hospital to active hospitals in the Gaza Strip. They used 5 ambulances, accompanied by 4 UN vehicles in coordination with WHO and UNICEF.
258 doctorates. Israel’s Technion Institute awarded awarded degrees to 258 students from 12 countries, including China, Russia, Germany, Spain, Brazil, and South Korea. 44 pf students were from the faculty of medicine, 23 from Electrical and Computer Engineering and 23 from Computer Science; 47%, were women.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-819278
Lifetime achievement award. Ben Gurion University’s Prof. Amir Sagi won a Lifetime Achievement Award in University Transformation from the ACEEU Asia-Pacific Triple E Awards. The award ceremony took place in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, which does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/news-and-articles/prof-amir-sagi-receives-lifetime-achievement-award/
IDF rescues wounded pelican. IDF soldiers on the border with Lebanon found a white pelican that was injured by a bullet and was unable to fly. Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority treated the bird for a fractured wing and then, after it had healed, released it back into the wild at the Hula river in northern Israel.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/idf-soldiers-rescue-pelican-that-was-shot-in-lebanon/
Relief to Polish flood victims. (TY Yanky) Two Israeli doctors, members of Rescuers Without Borders, joined local Jewish volunteers from Warsaw in combatting floodwaters in Poland, as torrential rain and floods pounded Central Europe. Rescuers Without Borders is an Israeli-French medical relief group,
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Iron Beam is fast-tracked. Israel’s Iron Beam laser defense system is now set for a 2025 operational launch following Israel’s Ministry of Defense signing a new $500 million contract with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems. Danny Gold, designer of Israel’s Iron Dome, was at the signing ceremony.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hjkdkp2xjg
Detecting drones from their signals. Israel’s R2 Wireless has developed an anti-drone system that can detect any kind of flying threat, whether airborne, or grounded on land or at sea. It scans for any transmitted signal and uses AI algorithms to classify, geolocate, and track it in real time. It is being trialed in Israel and the UK.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-startup-says-it-can-help-detect-deadly-terror-drones-with-smart-signal-tech/ https://r2-wireless.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtLK3UTeYlg
Bereshit 2 is on track. Latest videos from SpaceIL describing Israel’s Bereshit 2 moon landing mission. The latest expected launch date is during 2027.
https://eng.spaceil.com/beresheet-2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHXa5DdE04M (English)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lfLsnf2pQw (Hebrew)
Better, safer, construction. Israel’s BiltOn has improved construction efficiency and safety for over 1,200 companies and at 3,000+ worksites worldwide, including residential, industrial, commercial, healthcare, and infrastructure projects. The founders served together as combat officers in the elite IDF unit Sayeret Matkal.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/r1tkhxhxjg https://bilton.tech/
Israel’s supercomputer microchips. Israel’s NextSilicon (see here previously) has launched a new supercomputer chip, the Maverick-2 and has already received orders totaling tens of millions of dollars. NextSilicon has 300+ Israeli-based employees and is set to rival Nvidia’s Israeli-based Mellanox.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bk5eooyz1g
Touchless control. Israel’s Wearable Devices Ltd (see here previously) has partnered with US-based Qualcomm Technologies to integrate its Mudra Band AI-powered wristband into Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Spaces XR Developer Platform. It will boost development of virtual and augmented reality devices and apps.
https://ats.org/ats-news/israeli-startup-collaborates-with-u-s-tech-firm-on-touchless-control/
https://nocamels.com/2024/02/israeli-startup-collaborates-with-us-tech-firm-on-touchless-control/
https://www.wearabledevices.co.il/
Decarbonizing the steel industry. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s Helios (see here previously) is to trial its green iron clean energy process with Australia's BlueScope Steel. The steel industry currently accounts for some 10% of global carbon emissions. https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/australias-bluescope-steel-signs-green-iron-agreement-with-helios-2024-09-18/ https://heliosmatters.com/
Decarbonizing desalination and more. Israel’s MOZAICO is developing an electrolysis process to remove limescale and other marine debris from coastal desalination plants and power plants. It can boost desalination and power production efficiency, absorb CO2, and generate pure calcium carbonate for industrial use.
Purifying emissions. Israel’s Clairion (ex-MercuRemoval) has reduced the cost of cleaning biogas and other gas emissions by 50%. Clairion’s Sulkan solution transforms biogas into a commercial renewable energy source, using a novel catalytic liquid technology and unique absorption and separation processes.
https://www.israel21c.org/a-stable-green-way-to-make-biogas-a-viable-energy-source/ https://clairion.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn7h0U6Lgh0
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Property management company worth $500 million. Israeli property management platform DoorLoop has raised $100 million from US JMI Equity, valuing the company at around half a billion dollars. DoorLoop currently employs 160 people, including 60 in Israel and is looking to recruit some 240 more, mainly in Israel.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/b1sszfagkl https://www.doorloop.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlzS00O6_FU
Checkpoint surges. Israeli cybersecurity Checkpoint’s revenue last quarter was $635 million, with operating profits over $200 million. The company is now valued at a massive $22 billion, up 36% since January.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/vjr2dg3rr
The best places to work in Israel. Chipmaker giant Nvidia has overtaken Microsoft as the best tech firm to work for in Israel, as ranked by Dun & Bradstreet. Workplace management platform Monday.com is 3rd. Nvidia’s focus on its staff during the war boosted it from 8th place last year. Israel has 47,000+ tech workers.
Exits, mergers & acquisitions – to 3/11/24: Sweden’s Sanalabs.com has acquired Israeli AI workflow automation startup Ctrl. Salesforce is acquiring Israeli data management startup Zoomin Software.
Startup investment – to 3/11/24: Israeli-founded Armis Security raised $200 million; Melio raised $150 million; Doorloop raised $100 million; Zenity raised $38 million; OneStep raised $36 million; Stream.Security raised $30 million; Innoventric raised $28.5 million; Noma Security raised $25 million; Decart raised $21 million; BiltOn raised $15 million; MIND.io raised $11 million; Vensica Medical raised $11 million; Matia.io raised $10.5 million; Veras AI raised $7.6 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Read all about it – Israel’s philanthropy. Israel’s Aviva Klompas used to write speeches for Israeli ambassadors at the United Nations. She has written a book, “Stand-Up Nation: Israeli Resilience in the Wake of Disaster.” about Israel’s history of international aid, even when it was an impoverished nation itself.
https://www.jns.org/former-un-speechwriter-pens-book-on-israels-global-aid-work-even-when-desperately-poor/ https://posthillpress.com/book/stand-up-nation-israeli-resilience-in-the-wake-of-disaster
100th anniversary of Ephraim Kishon. (TY Yanky) Ephraim Kishon was Israel’s most famous humorist and satirist. A recent nostalgic evening in Tel Aviv celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of the creative genius who wrote such iconic pearls as Salach Shabbati, The Policeman Azulai, and The Histadrut Building.
https://blog.nli.org.il/en/kishon/
Israeli chess record shattered. (TY Yanky) 1,000+ chess players of all levels gathered at Safron Square, Jerusalem, in a display of resilience, unity, solidarity. It marked the end of the Israel Chess Federation tournament. Each of the 50 Israeli master played against 20 players simultaneously.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-822572
Extreme bike race in a war. (TY Yanky) Bara Epic Israel 18-21/9/2024 was a 4-day mountain bike stage race (prologue and 3 stages). The race village was on the grounds of Nachsholim Hotel which is located on the Hof Dor coast. The state of war didn’t stop hundreds of riders from participating.
https://www.epicisrael.org.il/en/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBV3RajxPCk
Israel’s acrobatic gymnasts. The 2024 Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships was held in Guimarães, Portugal. In the medal table, Israel finished in 6th place (above the likes of the USA and UK), with a total of 8 silver medals and 3 bronze medals.
https://www.instagram.com/followteamisrael/p/DADU-fftzqg/?img_index=1
THE JEWISH STATE
Elevator project is underway. The Western Wall Elevator project will make the holy site more accessible by saving visitors the effort of negotiating 142 steps or taking a long walk around the city walls. Two elevators, will each carry up to 30 visitors between the 85-foot gap separating the Jewish Quarter from the Kotel.
https://www.jns.org/elevator-project-of-kindness-to-make-western-wall-more-accessible/
Simchat Torah in Jerusalem. (TY Sharon) Despite the war and the anniversary of the events on Simchat Torah last year, Jews joyously celebrated the festivals of Simchat Torah and Sukkot in Jerusalem in defiance of the evil plans of our enemies.
https://rjstreets.com/2024/10/27/15-simchat-torah-highlights-in-jerusalem/
Huge number of archeological relics found in 2024. 120 Israeli archeological sites were excavated last year, uncovering tens of thousands of historical relics. Countless artifacts, from the Second Temple era and the Late Roman period, were uncovered across Israel in 2024, including a ship, roads, rings and stone seals.
https://www.jns.org/israel-ten-of-thousands-of-archaeological-relics-uncovered-in-2024/
Ancient city discovered. A 5,000-year-old settlement, providing a view of the beginning of the urbanization process in the Land of Israel, was discovered in the Israel Antiquities Authority excavations near Beit Shemesh at the site of Hurvat Husham. https://www.timesofisrael.com/5000-year-old-site-near-beit-shemesh-offers-clues-to-how-cities-developed-in-israel/ https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/398264
A model to indigenous peoples. (TY UWI) Native American couple Chief Joseph and Amb. Dr. Laralyn RiverWind understand that Jews are indigenous to the land of Israel. They say the Jews are an example to them for how a people should stay strong and defend their land. Joseph even discovered his ancestors were Jewish.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enuhGafk4rE
First Birthright trip for autistic volunteers. (TY Yanky) Birthright Israel brought 12 adult volunteers to Israel, all either on the autistic spectrum and/or with other non-physical disabilities. In addition to agricultural work, the group’s 10-day visit included volunteer activities where they helped pack up food and supplies.
Netanya welcomes new immigrants. My home city of Netanya was the destination that took most Olim (immigrants) this year with over 4,700 new Olim becoming residents here. It surpassed Tel Aviv (4,480), Haifa (3,870) and Jerusalem (2,260). https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/396906
241027
In the 27th Oct 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
l Many examples of Israel’s determination to rehabilitate the wounded.
l An Israeli startup has developed a device that can save millions of stroke victims.
l Israeli volunteers are helping Americans recover from recent hurricanes.
l An Israeli startup makes flour from the waste from olive oil production.
l Take a ride on Israel’s first driverless public bus.
l Resilient Israelis make wine and beer while under fire.
l Celebrating Sukkot (Tabernacles) in Israel is a unique experience.
· Click here to see the 13th Oct newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen, (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours, 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 25,300 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, and the subject “Subscribe”) to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
Sheba hospital’s new rehab center. At Sheba hospital’s new “Returning to Life Rehabilitation Center for War Casualties”, over 600 patients have undergone critical rehabilitation since Oct 7. Sheba’s original rehab unit was expanded to meet the increased demand for trauma care and rehabilitation for civilians and soldiers.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-hospital-transforms-to-meet-wartime-rehab-demand/
Farm rehabilitates soldiers. Havat Rom (Rom Farm) some 30 miles from the Lebanese border, contains a farm-to-table restaurant and a glamping site. It also hosts a government rehabilitation program helping people with mental illnesses and disorders, including soldiers suffering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
https://www.israel21c.org/farm-helping-soldiers-with-ptsd-under-shadow-of-war/ https://havatrom.co.il/
Back on their feet. Two articles describing wounded IDF soldiers who are bravely walking again after extensive hospital treatment and rehabilitation. Major Rotem Shaked Aharon is fortunate to have his original legs, whereas Elisha Madan has two prostheses.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-severely-wounded-idf-soldier-leaves-hospital-on-own-two-feet/
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/397410
1,600+ scholarships. Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) has established a scholarship fund for students in southern border communities. Many are evacuees and still in shock. Returning to studies is a form of rehabilitation. So far, some 1,670 students have received NIS 4,000 each. See also here.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-non-profit-gives-over-1000-scholarships-to-students-gaza-border-communities/ https://donate.kkl-jnf.org/education_jp_full/
How Ellay survived. Ellay Golan’s recovery from 8-weeks in a coma to graduating medical school was reported here previously. This article describes how, despite being burned, she bravely fought off Hamas terrorists on Oct 7 to save her 18-month-old baby daughter.
https://www.israel21c.org/rising-from-the-ashes-a-mothers-fight-to-survive/
Always thought of others. (TY Yanky) IDF Sgt. Omer Ginzburg may have fallen in battle, but his bone grafts will repair orthopedic injuries; his corneas will give sight to the blind; his skin will treat burns injuries, and his heart valves will also be used. Omer’s parents said, "He always thought of others before thinking of himself.”
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-814321
Israel tests 8 anti-drone systems. About time! The IDF drone interception tests included Elbit (Iron Hawk), IAI (Precise Falcon), Rafael (Typhoon), Aerobotics, Xtend, General Robotics (Pitbull), Smartshooter, Fortem (US) + Elbit. See here for most of these and many other Israeli systems previously reported in this newsletter.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bki2ag2yje
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgaDOTCN5sE
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Pioneering medicine. The Pioneering Israeli Medicine Conference in New York City (Sep 22) highlighted new technologies, innovating hospitals, physical & mental rehabilitation, innovation in emergency medicine. The lessons learned from Oct 7 helped medical professionals prepare for the escalation with Hezbollah.
https://www.israel21c.org/october-7-stats-reveal-extraordinary-lifesaving-medical-efforts/
http://med-conf.scienceabroad.org.il/
New metabolites can treat diabetes and obesity. Israel’s Metabolize is testing two molecules that reduce both appetite and weight, helping to treat diabetics and the obese. The phenylalanine metabolite X-Phe and N-acetyltaurine (NAT) don’t have the side effects of existing medications and can be ingested rather than injected.
https://nocamels.com/2024/09/harnessing-our-own-bodies-for-side-effect-free-weight-loss/
3D-printed implants. (TY Atid-EDI) Israeli startups Collplant and Stratasys have commenced a pre-clinical study to test the ability of their 3D-printed implants (see here previously) to promote the growth of natural tissue and completely degrade over time. It may be an alternative to reconstructive surgery after cancer surgery.
Bladder cancer test goes to Europe. Italy’s Menarini Diagnostics is to distribute the EpiCheck non-invasive bladder cancer urine test from Israel’s Nucleix (see here previously) in Europe. Bladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer as there are approximately 760,000 people in Europe with the disease.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240909391086/en/
Bacteria vs virus test trial successful. Israel’s MeMed (see here previously) successfully completed the first clinical trial of its BV test to differentiate between bacterial and viral infections. The test on 260 patients with suspected lower respiratory tract infection resulted in a 62% relative reduction in unnecessary antibiotics.
Handheld lung test device. Israel’s TechnoPulm is developing a handheld device capable of performing full lung function tests. The tool will replace large, expensive machines with a compact, portable device that weighs just 400 grams. It can be operated in the physician's office and complete the entire test in under three minutes.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/rjzzgmhkjx https://t-pulm.com/
US funding for Israeli Ebola virus treatment. BARDA, part of the US department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, is funding development by Israel’s Redhill of Opaganib (see here previously) for the treatment of the Ebola virus.
https://nocamels.com/2024/10/us-government-funding-development-of-israeli-ebola-treatment/
Rejuvenate skin with your own cells. Israel’s Ananda Labs is developing an organic treatment that improves skin elasticity, diminishing wrinkles and scars. Using technology of Hebrew University Prof. Yossi Buganim, Ananda genetically reprograms skin cells into placental stem cells, up to 50% younger than the adult originals.
https://www.israel21c.org/the-company-aiming-to-slow-down-aging/ https://www.buganimlab.com/
AI alerts of an impending stroke. More about Israel’s Avertto (see here previously) that has developed the first medical device with an AI alert of an impending stroke based on biological mimicry. Avertto cites studies indicating that 80% of strokes are preventable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBhR72JOSb4
https://www.israel21c.org/swift-stroke-prevention-using-ai-and-artery-monitors/
A new path to treating cancer. Researchers at Tel Aviv University a significant portion of cancer cells are “aneuploid” – i.e. have an abnormal number of chromosomes. It means they are more sensitive to certain anti-cancer treatments. Patients with that type of cancer could respond to these individually targeted treatments.
https://www.aftau.org/news_item/changes-in-the-chromosomes-of-cancer-cells-may-increase-their-sensitivity-to-anti-cancer-drugs/ https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-820780
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Muslim professor’s Israeli University lab. Prof. Muhammad Y. Bashouti graduated from the Hebrew Uni, earned his PhD at the Technion, researched at the Max Planck Institute and returned to set up his lab at Ben Gurion University. With nanotechnology of materials he can develop sensors or even generate hydrogen.
https://www.jpost.com/science/article-816902
The answer is obvious. This is a very interesting article concerning a Palestinian Arab studying at an Israeli University. He has to undergo certain restrictions and checks when travelling from his town. But he understands and accepts the reason. The author of the article prays that the student’s path can be made easier.
https://www.jns.org/the-answer-is-obvious/
Bird-friendly walls. (TY Yanky) Each year, thousands of birds die as a result of collisions with transparent acoustic walls along highways, designed to shield residents from traffic noise. Now Israel’s Transportation Ministry is constructing new walls alongside main highways that birds will be able to recognize and avoid.
https://www.ynetnews.com/environment/article/h100fm4cja
Global cybersecurity advances. Israeli Intelligence Unit 8200 has become a driving force of global innovation. Alumni create billion-dollar companies, and draw the attention of top U.S. venture capital firms. The unit is renowned for its advanced capabilities in cybersecurity and cyberwarfare.
Cybersecurity geniuses are made in Israel. The Israel Cyber Campus prepares students for careers in cyber, either to defend against attacks or to develop safe systems. On-line courses are run by graduates of the IDF’s elite 8200 cyber unit. One course is for high school students in North America, Canada, and Australia.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/spotlight/how-the-israel-cyber-campus-is-preparing-the-next-generation-of-cyber-warriors/ https://www.israelcybercampus.com/landing
Aid to hurricane-hit US states. Israel’s SmartAID has deployed solar power units and communication systems to communities hit by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. It brought food, solar-powered water pumps and smart mobile trailers to Asheville, North Carolina and to Taylor County in Florida. More to come.
Christian conference of Presidents. 100 presidents of top Christian organizations and Christian influencers attended the inaugural meeting of the Conference of Presidents of Christian Organizations in Support of Israel.
https://www.jns.org/new-christian-conference-of-presidents-aims-to-support-israel/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Accurate results for crop tests. Israel’s Agmatix has launched RegenIQ – an AI- powered platform to accurately measure the results of agricultural activities to regenerate the soil. It helps plan effective trials, manage field staff, validate records, simplify data collection, and analyze results for maximum impact.
https://www.agmatix.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhQv8szE5GM
Vaccination syringes for animals. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel's ThaMa-Vet has just launched its latest state-of-the-art automatic syringe systems for fish. For more than 60 years ThaMa-Vet has been servicing global veterinary and healthcare industries, plus producers of poultry, swine, cattle, fish and small animals.
Helping to implement AI. Israel’s Jeen.ai helps companies to set-up Artificially Intelligent chatbots to handle customer service enquiries and analyse the results of those conversations. It already serves dozens of major Israeli companies, including, Isracard, Cellcom, Amdocs, Perrigo, and Delek, plus Reichman University.
https://www.israel21c.org/startup-helps-large-organizations-implement-genai/ https://jeen.ai/
Engineering innovations. The eighth annual Afekathon at Israel’s Afeka (Academic College of Engineering in Tel Aviv) was won by a solar charging system for parasols in the campus yard. Another event titled MDAthon produced a smart bandage that detects infection from changes in pH levels.
https://www.afeka.ac.il/en/afeka-news/magazine/the-eighth-afekathon/
https://nocamels.com/2024/10/rehabilitation-nation-israeli-innovation-is-helping-the-country-heal/
https://www.jns.org/wire/israeli-engineering-students-innovate-emergency-care/
Vegan milk proteins from yeast. Israel’s DairyX is developing animal-free casein milk proteins in the lab, using precision fermentation based on yeast. It sells the proteins to food manufacturers who use them to make dairy-free products e.g., vegan cheese and yoghurts. DairyX was Mass Challenge Israel’s 2023 top performer.
https://nocamels.com/2024/09/startup-creates-building-blocks-of-dairy-products-using-yeast/
https://masschallenge.org/news/masschallenge-israel-unveils-winners-of-the-2023-early-stage-accelerator-at-jerusalem-finale/ https://dairyx.com/
Recycling olive waste. After olives have been pressed into olive oil, the 85% solid residue (known as pomace) is usually burned or buried because it’s toxic, acidic, and stinks. Now Israel’s PhenOlives rescues the waste before it oxidizes, and converts it into safe, gluten-free flour and other commercial products.
https://www.israel21c.org/turning-olive-press-waste-into-gluten-free-flour/ https://www.phenolives.com/
Innovating on the border. Several Israeli and US organizations have opened Israel’s Climate Tech Innovation Center just 17 miles from the Lebanese border. They decided to keep the tech community together, where possible, both virtually and physically. 15,000 people have returned to the area in the past few weeks.
https://www.jns.org/climate-tech-innovation-center-opens-in-northern-israel/
Space is closer then ever. Israel’s Rakia, which launched Israel’s Eytan Stibbe’s mission on the International Space Station, has now established the Israel Space Forum together with Israel Space Agency and the Israel Export Institute. Its aim is to grow an advanced Israeli space sector, connecting startups to investors and more.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/rki9ougxjx https://www.rakiamission.com/spaceforum https://israelspaceforum.com/
Self-driving bus takes to the road. Israel’s Ministry of Transportation has authorized Israel’s Imagry (see here previously) to begin testing an autonomous bus on public roads in the northern city of Nahariya. The electric bus will run an 8km route beginning and ending at the Nahariya Mall through the city’s busiest areas.
https://worldisraelnews.com/israel-launches-first-autonomous-bus-pilot-on-public-roads/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
$80 million fund begins investing. Israeli venture capital fund New Era Capital Partners has closed the first $80 million of its target $150 million 3rd fund so that it can start investing in new Israeli startups. Its primarily focus will be on enterprise software, with strong emphasis on cyber companies with breakthrough technologies.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/syx8rbxpc
100 startups launched. Cornell Tech – the school established by Cornell University and Israel’s Technion Institute have reached a significant milestone – creating more than 100 companies through its Runway Startups program. Those startups are now valued at $660 million and have created 500 new jobs in New York City.
https://ats.org/ats-news/cornell-tech-reaches-milestone-of-more-than-100-runway-startups-amassing-a-total-valuation-of-660-million/ https://fortune.com/education/articles/cornell-tech-reaches-milestone-of-more-than-100-runway-start-ups-amassing-a-total-valuation-of-660-million/
Tel Aviv to New York flights. (TY Israel Realtime) Issta, an Israeli charter airline, has rented a jet for return flights from Tel Aviv to New York, direct - with a refueling stop in Ireland.
https://www.issta.co.il/flights/to/usa/new-york
Investing in AI. Israel has allocated NIS 500 million ($133 million) for education and critical R&D and data infrastructure to help keep pace with global AI developments. It includes a national institute for advanced research in partnership with Israeli and international experts across academia, industry, and the military.
Personalized campaign really works. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s Clinch (see here) has sold its Flight Control marketing campaign software to leading companies such as Coca-Cola, J.P. Morgan Chase, Hyundai, L’Oréal, Mars Wrigley, and Tesco. It now includes Copilot - an AI-powered guide to automate much of the campaign.
https://clinch.co/clinch-launches-genai-powered-copilot/
Talicia launches in the UAE. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s RedHill Biopharma has launched its Talicia (omeprazole magnesium, amoxicillin and rifabutin) in the United Arab Emirates – making it available by prescription to treat adults with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.
$17 million order for flying car. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s AIR ONE (see here previously) has won $17M in purchase orders for the autonomous cargo version of its flying car. Air EV generated more than $1M in revenue in 2023 and expects to reach $7M revenue in 2024.
https://aircargonext.com/news/advanced-air-mobility/podcast-air-one-cargo-evtol-nabs-17m-in-orders/
Brewing beer 6 miles from Lebanon. Another Israeli business trying to “raise the spirits” while under missile fire is the Malka brewery (see here previously) just six miles from the Lebanese border. Malka has sent tens of thousands of bottles of beer to evacuees in Dead Sea and Eilat hotels. Malka beer is on sale in the US (see link).
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-brewery-near-lebanon-making-beer-under-missile-fire/
https://shop.jnf.org/products/malka-brewer
Buy Israeli wine. Several Northern Israel wineries need support to keep them in business as they experience daily rocket attacks from Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon. Please seek out the wines from Dalton, Tulip, Uriel, Pelter, Galil Mountain, and Mika. Also, Underdog winery, whose owner served six months in the IDF.
https://www.israel21c.org/war-battered-wineries-you-can-support-this-holiday-season/
Changing the world, one wave at a time. Israel’s Eco Wave has updated its agreement with I-Ke International Ocean Energy (part of Lian Tat, see here previously) to install a 100kw (was 20kw) wave energy generation unit in Taiwan. Eco Wave’s CEO is confident that it will lead to the adoption of wave energy all over Asia.
https://nocamels.com/2024/10/israeli-wave-energy-tech-to-create-power-in-taiwan/
Managing temporary staff. Israel’s Ubeya helps employers hire and manage temporary or shift workers. Clients include Wembley and soccer clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Ajax. Events include the UEFA Champions League final, Wimbledon tennis tournament, and Foo Fighters and Taylor Swift concerts.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hjyhz00ckjx https://www.ubeya.com/
Exits, mergers & acquisitions – to 27/10/24: Israeli hospitality startup Duve has acquired Israel’s Easyway and now has 70% of the Israeli market.
Startup investment – to 27/10/24: Obligo raised $35 million; Port (GetPort) raised $35 million; Monogoto raised $27 million; Lidwave raised $10 million; Ubeya raised $10 million; Early (startearly.ai) has raised $5 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Israel’s longest zip line. A unique experience of Jerusalem’s rich history. From Armon HaNatziv a 731-meter zipline, the longest in Israel, offers breathtaking views of the Mount of Olives, Kidron Valley, City of David, and Temple Mount. It concludes in the "Peace Forest" with return transport in a safari vehicle.
https://israfan.com/p/largest-israeli-zipline-biblical-jerusalem
Best hotels. (TY Yanky) National Geographic Magazine named two hotels owned by Israeli hotel chain Fatal in their latest rankings. London’s The Dilly was named best London hotel for families, while Amsterdam’s The Manor is “the best unique hotel for guests who want to feel like locals in Amsterdam.”
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/best-hotels-in-london
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/the-best-hotels-in-amsterdam
The best decision I’ve ever made. NBA legend Patrick Beverly reflects on being in Israel. He took his talents to the Israeli basketball league where he currently plays for Hapoel Tel Aviv. He certainly doesn’t regret his decision; he loves Israeli culture and tells his Euroleague ex-colleagues that the war doesn’t change anything.
THE JEWISH STATE
From tragedy to rejoicing. It was a privilege to hear Rabbi Leo Dee speak at local Netanya shul (McDonald International). You may remember that Arab terrorists murdered his wife and eldest daughters. Rabbi Dee explains how it is possible to recover from such an event and use it as a springboard for positive work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMDsqz_xDKQ
Timely reminder. A replica of the sacred Ark of the Covenant, made of gold and acacia wood, has been on display for the first time, in the sukkah at Jerusalem’s King David Hotel. Inside was placed a Torah scroll that survived the Holocaust. In Biblical times the Ark was taken into battle, reminding us of our ultimate protector.
The most beautiful festival. (TY Sharon) The festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles) has more colorful symbols and features than any other Jewish festival. The streets of Jerusalem are full of decorated booths and people rushing around with palm branches and citrons. Despite the war, crowds thronged the Kotel (Western Wall) plaza.
https://rjstreets.com/2024/10/21/in-jerusalem-sukkot-begins-with-blessings-and-crowds/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xHQ5ObYoFo
They shall all come to Jerusalem. For many Christians, the festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles) has special significance due to its prophetic association with the gathering of nations in Jerusalem. Despite the war, thousands of pilgrims from around the world gathered in Jerusalem for the annual Jerusalem Sukkot March.
https://worldisraelnews.com/desire-to-be-with-israel-is-bigger-than-our-fear-jerusalem-march-attracts-thousands/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJaBh0iWkkg
241013
In the 13th Oct 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
l While fighting Hamas, the IDF rescued a Yazidi girl from slavery in Gaza.
l Israelis can diagnose Alzheimer’s 20 years in advance of the first symptoms.
l Israel spends more on education per capita than almost every other nation.
l An Israeli laser beam can knock hostile drones out of the sky.
l One day soon, Israeli technology will be inside every car.
l An Israeli 17-year-old girl is Europe’s Youth chess champion.
l A Torah scroll memorializing Oct 7 victims was dedicated at the Western Wall.
· Click here to see the 29th Sep newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen, (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours with a great intro, and (TY Aviva) United With Israel. 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 25,300 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, and the subject “Subscribe”) to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
IDF rescues enslaved Yazidi girl from Gaza. (TY UWI) Fawzia Amin Sido, a Yazidi girl abducted by ISIS in Iraq at age 11 and later sold to a Gazan and held captive by Hamas, has been freed by Israeli forces. And after a complex, months-long operation involving the US and others, she was reunited with her family in Iraq.
Mia leaves hospital. (TY WIN) Former hostage Mia (Maya) Regev was discharged from hospital after a long rehabilitation process following her release from Gaza in November. Hamas terrorists shot her at the Nova festival. A “doctor” in Gaza reattached her foot sideways, and Israeli surgeons had to operate to correct it.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/former-hostage-mia-regev-released-from-hospital-after-months-of-rehabilitation/ https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/society/artc-former-hostage-mia-regev-released-from-hospital-after-long-recovery
Oct 7 survivor’s heroism in Jaffa. Lev Kreitman, who survived the Oct 7 Nova Music Festival massacre, eliminated one of the terrorists responsible for the deadly attack at the Jaffa light rail station. Having served five months in Gaza, he had successfully applied for a pistol, with which he saved many innocent lives.
We can fly. More than a dozen patients from the Kaylie Rehabilitation Medical Center at ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran took to the southern Israel skies with pilots from the partner organization “Ananim: Flights for the Community”. It gave a moment of joy, respite, and motivation to continue their complex battle with disability.
https://www.jns.org/wire/war-wounded-soldiers-and-civilians-touch-the-southern-israel-skies/
Wedding on the front lines. Victoria and Asher were all set to marry in a beautiful ceremony, but then Asher was called up. Rather than postpone the celebration, Asher’s friends from the Carmeli (Golani) Brigade, along with a rabbi, took it upon themselves to create a memorable wedding on the eve of Rosh Hashanah.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-idf-soldiers-wedding-goes-forward-on-the-front-lines/
IDF’s “autistic” unit is winning the war. IDF’s Unit 9900 employs Israelis whose neurodivergence makes them particularly talented in monitoring and analyzing satellite images. They are playing a key role in dismantling Hezbollah’s leadership. These “gifted” soldiers greatly help protect Israel’s population.
https://www.nysun.com/article/how-israels-unit-for-soldiers-with-autism-helped-the-idf-demolish-hezbollahs-leadership (register for two free articles)
Rebuilding the Gaza envelope. Israeli NGO Kolot has launched the “Restart” program, a transformative initiative dedicated to revitalizing communities in Israel’s Gaza envelope region. Initiatives include business development, educational outreach, tourism, welfare, community building and the arts.
https://www.jns.org/wire/kolot-launches-restart-program-to-rebuild-gaza-envelope/
Back to school. (TY Yanky) Kibbutz Be’eri’s children may be displaced, but that didn’t prevent them starting the new school year with Be’eri’s flag ceremony held since 1952. Flag standards were rescued from a wrecked storeroom. Volunteers, including a Bedouin woman, cleaned and repaired the flags for the children to parade.
Thank you to our UK friends. Great to see and share the support for Israel from friends in the UK. Here is a video of supporters from Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, who conduct a weekly vigil to publicize the plight of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. In this video they unfurled a giant yellow ribbon as a symbol of hope.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X8USIUdMjo
Some of the many global vigils to mark the anniversary of Oct 7.
https://marchoflife.org/thousands-of-people-in-more-than-130-cities-commemorate-october-7/
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-823442 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f26a388bIqI (UK)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80iVsWF2xUQ (Eylon Levy, Citizen Spokesman’s Office)
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Markers for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's. A team of researchers led by Hebrew University has mapped millions of brain cells in 437 patients, discovering molecular markers that indicate future onset of Alzheimer’s disease some 20 years in advance of symptoms. The discovery will help development of early treatments.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-game-changer-israeli-researchers-find-alzheimers-markers-20-years-before-onset/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07871-6
No more missed diagnoses. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Professor Miri Sklair-Levy and Dr. Debbie Anaby, from Israel’s Sheba Medical Center explain how AI tools are revolutionizing the fight against breast cancer and early diagnosis. The digital revolution is no longer a futuristic dream - it is happening now.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bjuatjgyyg
Beyond the Blood Brain Barrier. Charles River Laboratories International has partnered with Israel’s Insightec (see here previously) to develop brain disease remedies. Insightec's novel low-frequency ultrasound platform non-invasively disrupts the blood brain barrier, enabling drugs to be delivered to targeted brain areas.
Seeing deep inside the body. Researchers at Israel’s Technion Institute have devised a radical new way to obtain clear direct images of cells deep inside the body using non-invasive wavefront shaping. They obtained images of neurons (nerve cells) using the fluorescent protein EGFP and correction software to remove “noise”.
https://www.technion.ac.il/en/2024/08/an-in-depth-view/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-49697-w
Closed eye imaging. (TY WIN) Researchers from Tel Aviv University can monitor changes in pupil size and gaze direction behind closed eyes using touchless infrared imaging. It can help track the depth of sedation, and recognize pain or responsiveness in unconscious patients that may occur after trauma and in intensive care,
https://english.tau.ac.il/research/see-through-closed-eyes
https://www.aftau.org/news_item/closed-eye-imaging-can-track-pain-in-unresponsive-patients/
DNA sequencing in Romania. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s Sequentify (see here previously) has partnered with Romanian distributor Dexter bring Sequentify's InfiniSeq™ library preparation solutions to Romania. InfiniSeq reduces time from DNA extraction to sequencing to 3.5 hours to enable fast diagnosis of genetic diseases.
Automatic medical coding. Medical coding is at the heart of the American medical record system. It usually requires a trained coder to analyze and convert patient records into US-recognized codes. Israel’s Nym Health does this automatically, saving time and costs, while improving accuracy, and achieving compliance.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bk36lbtrc https://vimeo.com/779623519 https://nym.health/
https://www.coursera.org/articles/medical-coder
London’s first MedEx. 100 doctors attended London’s first MedEx event to support UK medical professionals considering or intending to make Aliyah. They met representatives of the Health Ministry, hospitals, and the Health Management Organizations, to discuss licensing requirements, employment options and benefits.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Mass polio vaccination for Gazans. Israel has facilitated polio vaccinations for 600,000+ children in Gaza following a polio outbreak affecting several Gazans and is coordinating a follow-up program. Meanwhile, Israel continually facilitates the treatment of sick Gazans via field hospitals run by the UAE, Jordan and others.
https://www.jns.org/israel-facilitates-massive-polio-vaccination-drive-in-gaza/
https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/israel-at-war/our-humanitarian-aid-efforts/patients-that-required-treatment-abroad-facilitated-through-kerem-shalom-crossing/ https://gaza-aid-data.gov.il/main/medical-response/
https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-idf-facilitates-medical-treatment-of-252-ill-gazans/
Education is top priority. Israel has the highest percentage of youth in the OECD. It spends 6.1% of GDP on education (4.9% OECD average). Most Israeli 3-5 year-olds are enrolled in a preschool and over half of under-3s attend a daycare facility (e.g. kindergarten) – one of the highest rates in OECD.
https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/education-at-a-glance-2024_c00cad36-en.html
EU support for Israel. The October Effect conference in Jerusalem brought together diplomats, lawmakers, former leaders, and officials from several European and Western countries including Hungary, Czechia, and Belgium. They pledged their support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas and Iran.
https://www.jns.org/more-friends-than-we-think-global-allies-converge-on-jlem-for-confab/
Slovakia buys Israeli defense systems. (TY Yanky) Slovakia – a NATO country – has approved plans to buy six mobile air defense systems from Israel at a cost of more than $600 million.
Albania to open liaison office in Jerusalem. In September, Isaac Herzog made the first-ever visit to Muslim-majority Albania by an Israeli President. Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama informed the President of his decision to open a new office in Jerusalem that will serve as a commercial liaison office / economic mission.
https://www.jns.org/muslim-majority-albania-to-open-economic-mission-in-jerusalem/
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/396106
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
NIS 30 million to improve sustainability. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Energy Ministry is providing NIS 30 million to local authorities in 2024 to install solar roofing, efficient lighting, air conditioning, and renewable energy storage systems. Also to launch initiatives for residents. Lower socioeconomic areas will get priority.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-817573
Hydrogen stars at Greentech 2024. Hydrogen was a key session at the Greentech 2024 New Horizon Conference and exhibition in Jerusalem. Israeli startups represented included H2PRO, Naki, Maygia, Hydro X, Eilat Eilot, plus from the Israeli Ministries of Energy and Finance.
https://www.jpost.com/brandblend/greentech-2024-conference-green-horizon-importance-of-green-energy-820467 https://kenes-media.com/greentech/ https://naki-v.com/ https://www.maygia.com/
Discovering how AI works. Deep learning, using artificial neural networks has advanced so quickly that scientists do not know how AI made a particular decision. IT engineers at Ben Gurion University developed DISCOVER and with startup AIVF (see here) reverse-engineered how AI decides if an IVF embryo is viable.
https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/news-and-articles/aihelpdoctors/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-51136-9
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-09-method-ai-doctors-decipher-medical.html
11 TAU researchers win European grants. The European Research Council (ERC) has awarded Starting Grants for 2024 to eleven researchers from Tel Aviv University. The grant enables promising early-career scientists achieve their research goals, promote cooperation and begin commercialization of the technology.
https://english.tau.ac.il/news/erc-2024-grant-winners
Detecting national threats. Israel’s Cognyte helps hundreds of customers in over 100 countries detect incidents of terror and crime. Its AI-based analytics present a clear, logical and cohesive picture of people, places, organizations, events, etc. A national security agency recently placed a $4 million follow-on order.
https://www.cognyte.com/news/national-security-agency-in-apac-ramps-up-solution-capacity-with-4-million-cognyte-order/ https://www.cognyte.com/
We have rebuilt it. Haifa’s Hecht Museum has repaired the 3,500-year-old ceramic jug accidentally shattered by a four-year-old visitor (see here previously) and put it back on display. Cracks and damage were still visible, and a small piece was deliberately left out, to show that the restored artifact was visibly incomplete.
Autonomous fruit picking. The California Citrus Research Board is helping fund a $900,000 series of field trials with Israel’s Nanovel. The multi-arm robot can pick citrus fruit despite dense foliage. Nanovel says it’s the first AI-powered autonomous robot harvester for the fresh citrus industry. But see also Israel’s Tevel.
https://www.nanovel.co.il/ https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/tech-and-start-ups/article-761339
Lite Beam. While we wait for Iron Beam to be ready, Israel’s Rafael announced the deployment of Lite Beam - a 10kw laser that can neutralize drone swarms and IEDs. It can be mounted on vehicles, ships or ground platforms. It showcased at the 2024 Association of the United States Army (AUSA) event in Washington, D.C.
https://armyrecognition.com/news/army-news/army-news-2024/new-high-energy-lite-beam-laser-from-rafael-to-neutralize-drone-swarms-and-ieds https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/article-823780
20 startups to represent Israel at COP29. The Israeli Innovation Authority has named 20 Israeli climatech companies to be featured at November’s COP29 Climate Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. Each company will showcase its solutions at the Israeli pavilion in the BLUE ZONE, the event’s main hub.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/syn7kpk1kx
The founder of Bitcoin mining. Weizmann Institute Prof. Moni Naor recently won the Rothschild Prize for his research in the field of computer science. He is responsible for the theoretical foundation of Bitcoin mining.
https://events.eventact.com/Ortra/36698/WebSitePage/uploads/Rothschild_Prize_Excellence_Award_-_Moni_Naor_-_updated.pdf https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hp7efinb0
https://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~/naor/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moni_Naor
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Average wages are still growing. (TY Atid-EDI) In July 2024, the average monthly wage in Israel was NIS 13,683, up 6.7% from July 2023 and far in excess of inflation. In contrast, Israeli hi-tech monthly salaries (June figures) averaged NIS 32,215, up 8.1% from a year ago.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-israels-average-monthly-wage-still-rising-1001488411
The fastest growing venture economy. (TY Yanky) Jon Medved of OurCrowd writes that Israel was the fastest-growing venture economy in the world in the first half of this year. Venture funding in Israeli startups grew by 31% compared to the same period in 2023 - almost double the global rate of 16%.
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/4-reasons-why-israel-is-leading-a-global-vc-rebound-despite-the-war/
US-Israel economic summit. Jerusalem hosted the 38th meeting of the US-Israel Joint Economic Development Group. Sessions included environmental technologies, strategic regional projects, and foreign investment screening. The war impact was also discussed. Note slight textual differences in the statements linked to below.
https://www.jns.org/us-israeli-officials-discuss-economic-cooperation-at-jerusalem-summit/
https://il.usembassy.gov/joint-statement-on-the-u-s-israel-joint-economic-development-group-2/
https://www.gov.il/en/pages/press_12092024
Batteries for Australian army. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Epsilor (see here previously) has delivered the first COMBATT 6T batteries for installing in the Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), which will be supplied to the Australian Army. The batteries store 3,630Wh of energy, the highest energy density in the market.
Mitsubishi Motors choses Israeli security. (TY OurCrowd) Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has selected Israel’s C2A Security's EVSec platform (see here previously) to manage its cyber protection needs. C2A was chosen for its ability to address auto manufacturer cybersecurity regulations such as United Nations' UN R155.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bjylsa8nc
REE ramps up production. Israel’s REE Automotive (see here previously) has signed a supply chain deal with India’s auto parts maker Samvardhana Motherson to increase production. Motherson, supplies major car manufacturers in 44 countries, including Mercedes Benz, Audi, Volkswagen, BMW, Porsche, and GM.
The next Wiz? Israel’s Eon.io has emerged from stealth to announce the raising of another $77 million of funds ($127 million in under a year). It markets its systems as a breakthrough in cloud backup where you only backup what you need. The backup data is also available for analysis – the first time that backups are useful.
https://www.eon.io/ https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/r1yc0uy00
Google’s European AI accelerator. Google has selected three Israeli startups to join 12 others in its inaugural European Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First. They are Bagel AI, Dtect Vision, and Geneyx Genomex. The 10-week program includes mentoring from experts in Google Cloud and Google DeepMind.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/skebb2k6a https://www.getbagel.com/ https://dtectvision.ai/
Exits, mergers & acquisitions – to 13/10/24: US Comply365 has acquired Israel’s Qualtero, a premier provider of training management solutions, especially aviation training.
Startup investment – to 13/10/24: Eon.io raised a total of $127 million; Nym Health raised $47 million; Qodo (previously CodiumAI) raised $40 million; Xtype raises $21 million; Air Doctor raised $20 million; Augmented Intelligence raised $10 million; Kando raised $10 million; Prime Security raised $6 million; Hub Cyber Security raised $3.3 million; TechnoPulm raised $2 million.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Early Christian mosaic is exhibited. A 230 CE mosaic floor unearthed at Megiddo illustrates Israel’s importance as the birthplace of Christianity. The mosaic has gone on view at the Bible Museum in Washington DC. It includes an illustration of two fish and a very early mention of the name of Jesus.
Exhibit to benefit evacuees. ‘Three Spoons of Oil and Two Brushes,’ was a weeklong exhibit at Tel Aviv’s ANU – Museum of the Jewish People. Famous culinary figures were paired with leading illustrators who used chef jackets as a canvas to describe the chef they were paired with. Sales of the jackets benefited the displaced.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/chef-jackets-become-art-at-pop-up-exhibit-benefiting-the-displaced/
European chess champion. (TY Nevet) Israel’s Noga Orian won the European Youth chess championships (Girls Under 18 category) in Prague. She was the top seed and scored 7.5 points after nine rounds.
https://chess-results.com/tnr977140.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=9&flag=30
https://www.europechess.org/european-youth-chess-champions-2024-crowned-in-prague/
https://www.chessdom.com/noga-orian-is-the-european-youth-girls-champion-u18/
THE JEWISH STATE
Uncovering 2,700-year-old Jewish history. Construction in Jerusalem has revealed 8th century evidence of the assault on the Kingdom of Judah by Sennacherib of Assyria. Although King Hezekiah survived, his administrative structure didn’t. Among the relics are hundreds of storage jars handles with their owner’s seal.
https://worldisraelnews.com/archeological-find-in-jerusalem-sheds-light-on-ancient-kingdom-of-judah-and-assyrian-invasion/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTU-2RSo7EY
Oct 7 war victims Torah scroll installed at Kotel. A Torah scroll, written in part by families who lost loved ones on Oct 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza, was dedicated at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, where it will be housed. It conveys and strengthens the message and spiritual symbol of Jewish unity and shared values.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/torah-scroll-honoring-october-7-victims-installed-at-western-wall/
Self-service store. Customers at an all-night grocery store in Tel Aviv put on a laudable show of honesty after the one member of staff became unwell and left the store unattended. Customers took over running the cash register to pay for items that were purchased. They even worked out how to pay with credit cards.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/honest-customers-operate-unstaffed-all-night-store-in-tel-aviv/
50 years after Oskar Schindler. (TY Sandra) On Oct 9 1974, Oskar Schindler passed away. He saved some 1,200 Jews from the Nazis and was immortalized in the movie “Schindler’s List”. Recognized as one of the “Righteous Among the Nations”, he is buried on Mount Zion, Jerusalem. A timely reminder of moral clarity.
https://www.sudetendeutsches-museum.de/wp-content/uploads/Schindler_Programmheft.pdf
https://www.yadvashem.org/righteous/stories/schindler.html
Shana Tov Jerusalem 5785. (TY Sharon) Positive recent events in Jerusalem include KKL-JNF’s “Uniting for the Future” solidarity mission, Jerusalem Design Week “The Ark”, fairs to support Israeli businesses, the book launch for “Az Nashir – We Will Sing Again”, and late night Selichot prayers.
https://rjstreets.com/2024/09/29/in-jerusalem-september-ends-with-the-sounds-of-selihot/
