In the 2nd Feb 25 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
l An Israeli university offers full scholarships to freed Gaza hostages.
l An Israeli life-support system is being deployed to US hospitals.
l The Head of Hadassah hospital saved a passenger on an El Al flight.
l Israeli organizations saved lives in Las Angeles and Georgia.
l See how cows are milked on an autonomous Israeli dairy farm.
l Israeli tech will protect India and its trains.
l You can behave like an animal at a new Israeli zoo.
l Buy a home in Israel – while you can.
· Click here to see the 26th Jan newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen, (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours, (TY) Aviva) United With Israel, (TY Ted Belman) IsraPundit and Joan Swirsky (email her to get daily news). 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
On a clear day you can see Damascus. Israel’s internal risks may have deteriorated by the release of hundreds of terrorists, but at least its external geographic security situation has improved substantially.
https://www.jns.org/on-a-clear-day-you-see-damascus-a-rare-visit-to-mount-hermon/
Up close with the Arrow defense system. (TY Yanky) Serving 24-hour shifts in vault-like rooms across the country, 136th Battalion soldiers face the ballistic missile threat against Israel at all times. Ultimately, one person decides when to press the button to intercept a ballistic missile launched thousands of kilometers away.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sy3beemvjx
Full scholarships to former hostages. (TY Yanky & ToI) The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is offering full scholarships for a three-year academic degree (both Bachelor’s and Master’s programs) to all released hostages. It will also establish a fund to pay the fees, when they reach adulthood, of children held hostage by Hamas.
https://www.afhu.org/2025/01/27/hebrew-university-announces-scholarship-fund-for-released-hostages/
An ice bath works wonders. Biokineticist Nikia Blumenthal offers IDF combat soldiers a cold plunge to promote physical and emotional healing. She packs her car with a portable bath and 100kg (220 pounds) of ice and drives to IDF bases or army refreshment stations. (Disclosure - I attend Nikia’s Netanya stretch classes)
https://www.israel21c.org/an-icy-bath-can-work-wonders-for-soldiers-bodies-and-minds/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Natural antibiotic is safe. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s Omnix Medical (see here previously) has completed Phase 1 trials of its lead antimicrobial, nature-derived, peptide OMN6 on 80 patients to show its safety. It is now starting Phase 2 FDA-approved clinical trials to establish its efficacy, especially on superbugs.
https://www.clinicaltrialsarena.com/news/omnix-medical-approval-anti-infective-trial/
Life-support for US hospitals. (TY Atid-EDI) ART 100 cardiopulmonary bypass systems from Israel’s Inspira Technologies (see here previously) are to be deployed in hospitals on the US East Coast. The system takes over the functionality of the heart and/or lungs in critical care patients.
Clowns relieve the ultimate pain. (TY Irene) This article features medical clowns alleviating both physical and mental suffering - for children and adults. (Aside, I went to see a friend in hospital recently who was visited by clowns while he was on a video call to his work office. “You’re at the circus!” his colleagues exclaimed.)
https://momentmag.com/israeli-medical-clowns/
Restoring the lives of wounded IDF soldiers. This article describes the life-saving work of the charity Belev Echad (see here previously). It facilitates the recovery of wounded men and women of the IDF through physical, medical, legal, emotional and financial support. And sometimes it requires a miracle.
https://belevechad.nyc/ https://belev-echad.org/en/home/
Predicting the next accident. The AI accident prediction system (see here previously) built by the IDF for Israel’s United Hatzalah, really works. It sent a team to the Azrieli Mall in Ramat Gan just as someone began suffering a heart attack. With 14% of UH’s volunteers on IDF reserve duty, the system is literally a life-saver.
https://www.jns.org/how-life-saving-ai-tech-used-by-united-hatzalah-was-born-out-of-oct-7/
Does your DNA define you? Israel’s OMGene is developing an AI decision-support system based on personal genetic information. It links the genome to a database of health, psychological, and social characteristics, from thousands of individuals and generates recommendations e.g., on sleeping, relationships, hobbies, health etc.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-omgeneai-using-dna-and-ai-to-identify-our-strengths-1001499609
Are your proteins good? Researchers from Israel’s Weizmann Institute have developed IPHOMED - a method for mapping all the proteins in a person’s microbiome. Some act as natural antibiotics, killing good bacteria and possibly causing inflammatory bowel disease. Problem proteins in food can also be mapped.
https://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il/life-sciences/we-know-what-you-ate-detailed-protein-maps-assess-intestinal-health https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(24)01429-6
Targeting genetic diseases. Israel’s Averna Therapeutics (formerly Exsilio Therapeutics) is using gene editing to develop medicines to cure rare genetic diseases. Averna’s leadership includes Tal Zaks who was Chief Medical Officer at Covid-19 vaccine developer Moderna. Averna has already raised $82 million in funds.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-tal-zaks-israeli-startup-targets-rare-genetic-diseases-1001500636
Get a good night’s sleep. Prof. Giora Pillar, head of Sleep Clinics at Clalit Health Services in Haifa and the Western Galilee, gives plenty of advice to those who are losing sleep during these difficult times.
https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/bjttx00ilkl
Hospital director saves heart patient on El Al flight. Prof. Yoram Weiss, director general of the Hadassah Medical Organization, saved a man having a heart attack during an El Al flight to Miami. Weiss administered oxygen, provided medication, and had the flight diverted to Athens. The passengers applauded in appreciation.
https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/rkh3yhydkg
Surgeon returns to reconstruct faces. Dr Alan Billig performs facial reconstructive surgery at Hadassah in Jerusalem. He won the 2024 Best paper award for the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal. The ex-IDF medic graduated in New York, qualified in Israel, and practiced in Toronto. Now he’s back.
https://www.jpost.com/aliyah/article-834140
9 startups to improve UK healthcare. The Dangoor Health-Tech Academy has selected nine Israeli health-tech startups for its program to advance the UK healthcare ecosystem. They are Impilio, Kai.AI, Shela Health, Predose, Thrive Together, Sensomedical Labs, Treat Me, Anydish, and Seegnal.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/ry2dgxniye https://sensomedical.com/home/
https://www.israel21c.org/9-israeli-startups-to-help-uk-improve-its-healthcare/
https://impilo.health/ https://www.shela.health/ https://www.predose-tech.com/
https://www.thrivetogether.health/ https://www.treatme.ltd/entreatme
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Housing for lone soldiers. (TY UWI & I24 News) At the Kibbutz Hannaton Educational Center in the Galilee, the pre-Army (“mechina”) gap year program aims to support lone soldiers - immigrants serving in the IDF without family in Israel - by providing housing and community support.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_O5vlRNCfk
Holocaust museums in the Muslim world. Tel Aviv University has highlighted new and planned museums in the Muslim world commemorating the Holocaust. They include the Shaar Hashamayim Holocaust Museum in Indonesia, a permanent exhibition in Dubai, and a new museum being built in Albania.
https://www.jns.org/shoah-museums-in-muslim-world-cited-as-small-light-in-the-tunnel/
https://www.jns.org/first-permanent-holocaust-exhibit-comes-to-muslim-majority-indonesia/
https://www.jns.org/uae-becomes-first-arab-gulf-country-to-open-holocaust-education-exhibit/
https://www.jns.org/new-museum-to-provide-comprehensive-look-at-albanian-jewish-life/
Israeli & Argentinian University partnership. Israel’s Ben Gurion University has signed an academic and cultural agreement with Argentina’s Instituto Universitario Isaac Abarbanel. It covers joint research, student partnerships, Zionism & Israel studies, and interfaith relations projects. Additional initiatives are planned.
https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/news-and-articles/mou-between-bgu-and-iuia/
International courses at Tel Aviv University. Some readers (or their children or grandchildren) may be interested in studying at Tel Aviv University. Degree courses, master’s and MBAs – all taught in English.
https://study.tauintl.tau.ac.il/
Saving a rare butterfly. KKL-JNF’s conservation work (see here previously) recently expanded to protect the Tomares Nesimachus, one of Israel’s rarest butterflies. It will only lay its eggs on the large-fruited milk-vetch plant – so KKL-JNF grew seedlings and planted them in the Begin Forest to reintegrate the butterfly.
https://www.israel21c.org/how-israelis-rallied-to-save-an-endangered-butterfly-species/
Our Swedish European MP ally. (TY Rhoda) Swedish MEP Alice Teodorescu Mawe is Israel’s top European ally. As Sweden’s sole center-right Christian Democrat member of the European Parliament, the staunch advocate for Jews and Israel is leading the fight against Jew-hatred masquerading as anti-Zionism.
Saving lives in LA. Some of the recent activities performed by Israeli humanitarian organization SmartAID in Los Angeles include providing power to a dialysis clinic and home-based dialysis patients. They have provided clean water and Wi-Fi Internet; they also coordinate distribution of supplies and donated goods.
https://www.israel21c.org/smartaid-regional-officer-describes-lifesaving-efforts-in-la/
https://www.smartaid.org/projects/urgent-los-angeles-wildfire-appeal
Fast response to Hurricane Helene. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Gilat Satellite Networks, in partnership with Hispasat, swiftly provided additional satellite capacity in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The extra bandwidth enabled first responders and utility workers to operate effectively during Georgia State’s recovery efforts.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Students design together. (TY Nevet /ADL) Students from San Diego Jewish Academy worked with students from Israel’s Sha’ar Hanegev to design a community space for the war-impacted community. They studied the region’s culture, needs and also urban planning. Then using state-of-the-art technology they built a 3D model.
Hyperspectral imaging for better tomatoes. (TY TPS) Scientists at the Hebrew University, Bar-Ilan Uni, and the Volcani Institute used a handheld hyperspectral camera, plus AI-software, to monitor unripe tomatoes and predict future quality. They will now build an low-cost portable device to help farmers maximize crop yields.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-ai-innovation-transforms-tomato-farming-efficiency/
Monitoring the bees. (TY Atid-EDI) Israeli companies Hazera Seeds and BeeHero (see here previously) are testing BeeHero’s Pollination Insight Platform (PIP) for monitoring pollinators in seed production fields. IoT sensors in fields collect data including on bees’ visits to flowers and environmental conditions.
https://www.hazera.com/category/crops/
Eradicating the mosquito. Israel’s Diptera.ai (see here previously) aims to reduce the population of mosquitos killing some one million people each year from malaria. The pilot of its sterile insect technique (SIT) system at Kibbutz Tzora cut local mosquito numbers by 94%. It now plans an African field trial this year.
https://www.israel21c.org/this-startup-fights-malaria-by-releasing-more-mosquitoes/ https://diptera.ai/about/
Robots milk cows. Israel’s Afimilk (see here previously) has launched a robotic milking system for farms with 500 to 5,000 cows. The cows are herded in; the robots arrive, sanitize the udders, attach milking cups, remove them after milking, disinfect the teats, take 3D images and collect data about each cow.
https://www.israel21c.org/revolutionary-robotic-milking-system-for-500-to-5000-cows/
https://www.afimilk.com/parlor-automation/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWq6lWQdKM4
Female Israeli astronaut. (TY WIN) NASA has confirmed that it will send the first Israeli woman astronaut into space. Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Gila Gamliel said, “We in Israel have now begun the process of searching for our candidate among our brave women.”
https://www.jns.org/israeli-female-astronaut-will-go-to-space-with-nasa/
Italy joins Israeli moonshot. Israel Space Agency director general Brig. Gen. Uri Oron and Italian Space Agency president Prof. Teodoro Velente signed a memorandum of understanding for collaboration on Space IL's Beresheet 2 mission to the moon. The joint budget for the mission is estimated to be over €10 million.
Progress for Iron Beam. Rafael chairman Yuval Steinitz said that Israel's Iron Beam laser air defense system is set to become operational in the second half of 2025. Its effective range (around 10km) continues to increase and the project team has bypassed the absorption effect of the atmosphere.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-iron-beam-set-for-deployment-this-year-1001500840
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Inflation rate falls again. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell by 0.3% in Dec 24 (more than analysts expected), after its 0.4% fall in Nov. At the end of 2024, Israel’s annual inflation rate was 3.2% (down from 3.4% at the end of Nov 24.) Prices of fresh fruit and veg fell again, this time by 5.6%.
Foreign airlines flock back to Israel. In the last 3 weeks, 14 leading airlines have announced resumption of Israel flights. They include Wizz Air, Ryanair, easyJet, Lufthansa Group (including Swiss & Austrian), British Airways, Air France, Delta Airlines, and Air India.
$6 million for joint US-Israel projects. The BIRD Foundation is providing another $6 million of funding for five new joint US-Israeli projects. Israel companies involved are Medasense (anesthesia monitoring), Qedma (Quantum errors), RespirAI Medical (chronic monitoring), SpotItEarly (cancer odor), and TriEye (sensors).
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/syfylqjd1l https://www.qedma.com/
Night vision binoculars for US Army. Elbit Systems of America has received a $139 million order for more Enhanced Night Vision Goggle-Binocular (ENVG-B) systems to the US Army (see here previously). The Augmented Reality systems also provide holistic situational awareness in all weather and visibility conditions.
Barak 8 for Indian navy. India has bought over 70 ship-mounted MRSAM (medium-range surface-to-air missile) systems from Bharat Dynamics, Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) partner in developing the Indian version of the Barak 8 air defense system. The contract is worth around $340 million.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-iai-wins-340m-air-defense-contract-with-indian-navy-1001500405
Safer trains in India. (TY Atid-EDI) The advanced safety systems of Israel’s Rail Vision (see here previously) are to be introduced to the Indian market. Indian Railways, which operates India's national railway system, boasts one of the largest rail networks in the world, with approximately 15,000 locomotives.
Battery material for Europe. Israel Chemicals Limited (ICL) has partnered with Hong Kong’s Shenzhen Dynanonic to produce lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode active material in Europe. ICL says that LFP is a critical solution for the future of Europe’s energy transition. ICL will build a new factory in Spain.
Exits, mergers & acquisitions – to 2/2/25:. Israel’s TopGum acquired Canada’s Island Abbey Nutritionals. Israel’s Zencity acquired UK’s Commonplace for some millions of dollars. Israel’s Hub Cyber Security has acquired Israel’s BlackSwan Technologies. US Tenable acquired Israel’s Vulcan Cyber for $150-180 million.
Startup investment – to 2/2/25: UVeye raised $191 million; DarioHealth placed $25.6 million of shares; Token Security raised $20 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
A warm week in Jerusalem. (TY Sharon) Quite a few events to interest Jerusalemites this week including the early flowering of the capital’s almond trees, US President Trump’s inauguration, and Walter Bingham’s 101st birthday. Ad 120, Walter. https://rjstreets.com/2025/01/26/oh-what-a-week-in-the-warm-jerusalem-january/
An innovative zoo. (TY Nevet /ADL) In Beersheba’s new Midbarium experiential animal park (aka “zoo”), 15 interactive experiences enable visitors to “walk in the shoes” of the animals to understand how they survive and thrive in their habitats. E.g., to fly like a bird, lurk like a crocodile, or navigate in the dark like a bat.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-836443 https://midbarium.co.il/ https://midbarium.co.il/en/
https://www.mandelfoundation.org.il/english/About/News/Pages/Midbarium-launch.aspx
Israeli hockey to debut in USA. The Jerusalem Capitals and HC Tel Aviv, two leading clubs from the Israel Elite Hockey League (IEHL), will face off at New York’s UBS Arena on 23 Mar. It marks the first time Israeli professional hockey teams will compete on North American ice.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-hockey-teams-make-history-with-first-american-match/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmsjJPRFzKM
THE JEWISH STATE
Mezuzahs from Australia to the Negev. KKL-JNF has built temporary homes in Kibbutz Ruhama for Kibbutz Kfar Aza residents whose houses were destroyed by Hamas on Oct 7 2023. KKL-JNF Australia held an event where participants crafted handmade mezuzahs and hamsas - each to be affixed to one of the homes.
https://www.jns.org/wire/residents-of-kibbutz-kfar-aza-receive-handmade-mezuzahs-from-australia/
Surge in diaspora Jews buying Israeli homes. Jews from overseas are rushing to buy Israeli apartments - 1,900 in 2024, 50% more that in 2023. Jerusalem was the most popular city, at 100 purchases per month. The French are immigrating in large numbers, whereas Americans and the English are not in a hurry to move, yet.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-israeli-home-purchases-by-foreign-residents-jump-50-1001500598
Shoah survivors make Aliyah. Sixty-eight Holocaust survivors moved to Israel since Oct. 7, 2023. The oldest new immigrant who survived the Shoah was 98, while the youngest was 81. Nine went to live in my city of Netanya. Of the 123,715 Israeli survivors, 257 are older than 100.
https://www.jns.org/68-shoah-survivors-made-aliyah-during-swords-of-iron-war/
Mizrachi missions to Israel. World Mizrachi is now registering participants for its 2025 3-day missions for those who plan to be in Israel during Yom HaAtzmaut, Yom Yerushalayim, Shavuot, Thanksgiving or the secular New Year. They include meeting inspirational speakers and visiting places off the beaten track.
https://mizrachi.org/missions/OPEN/
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RQ9o_fWADCK7Jd9D6duXyY2QdO7fAmUW/view
The JNF-USA in January. This month’s newsletter from JNF-USA’s CEO Russell F. Robinson highlights its work building a new medical center in Kiryat Shmona, disability support in northern Israel, a culinary school, the Alexander Muss High School, and Shabbat for Israel on May 2nd.
https://www.jnf.org/menu-3/news-media/robinson-reports/robinson-report-january-2025
2,000-year-old inscription deciphered. Researchers from Israel’s Bar-Ilan University have deciphered the Aramaic inscription on a pottery shard discovered in the 1980s at the Alexandrium Fortress (Sartaba) in the Jordan Valley. They used Israeli advanced imaging technology to read ““Eleazar bar Ger… from Beit Akiman.”
https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/hknx2uruyg
How to help Israel. Here are some sites where newsletter readers can donate to Israeli organizations that provide vital help to Israelis at this difficult time. Many thanks to those who have already contributed and to those who are helping by donating their own valuable time and resources.
Friends of the IDF (US donors): https://www.fidf.org/
or IDF Soldiers Fund in Israel: https://www.ufis.org.il/en/donation-en/ (select the English speakers’ option)
American Friends of Magen David Adom (US donors): https://afmda.org/
or Magen David Adom (Israel): https://www.mdais.org/en/donation
Zaka (US donors): https://donate.zakatelaviv.org/give/525578/ or (Israeli donors): https://charidy.com/zaka
or (Canadian donors): https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/bellevue-foundation/
United Hatzalah: https://israelrescue.org/campaign/israel-at-war-2/ or Canada https://www.uhcanada.org/
Donate a medic bag, save a life https://israelrescue.org/campaign/medicbag/
Leket Food Israel: https://www.leket.org/en/
JNF USA - https://my.jnf.org/gaza-emergency/Donate or Canada https://jnf.ca/
Orthodox Union - https://www.charidy.com/ouisraelcrisis
Schneider Children’s Hospital: https://www.fos.org.il/en/donate (Israelis)
https://system.smartgiving.org.uk/charities/8530/make-donation (UK)
https://chaischneider.org/donate/ (USA)
Rambam Medical Center (Haifa) https://aforam.org/ways-to-give/ (US)
https://www.rambam.org.il/en/support_rambam/donate_now/ (Rest of the World)
Hadassah Hospital Israel: https://www.hadassah.org/
Laniado Hospital (Netanya) https://my.israelgives.org/en/fundme/EmergencyLaniado
Buy Israel Bonds to support the Jewish State. (TY Larry B)
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/state-of-israel-bonds
USA - https://www.israelbonds.com/
Europe - https://israelbondsintl.com/
Canada - https://www.israelbonds.ca/
