In the 30th Nov 25 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
l Wounded Israelis show incredible strength of spirit.
l Life-saving medical partnerships with Germany & Norway.
l Ex-hostage attends his first Sigd festival for 5 years.
l Over 150 Israeli startups featured at Microsoft’s annual conference.
l Foreign companies spent $60 billion in 2025 buying Israeli startups.
l Gold medals for Israeli women in 3 contrasting competitions.
l The IDF Chief of Staff saved a baby 22 years ago and now spoke at his wedding.
· Click here to see the 23rd Nov newsletter on (TY Steve) IsraelSeen, (TY Ruth) Ruthfully Yours, and (TY Peloni) IsraPundit. Also TY Barbara for translating the newsletter into Spanish here TY Colin for translating it into German here and into French here and into Hebrew here. Please forward this newsletter to Spanish-speaking, German-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
Blown up in Gaza, he runs a marathon. IDF engineer Mendel Vile was critically wounded in Dec 2023 when Hamas terrorists in Gaza fired an anti-tank missile at his unit. After numerous surgeries it was a miracle he could walk. Mendel completed the Washington DC Marine Corps Marathon with the Israeli flag on his back.
https://www.jns.org/running-for-his-life/
No legs, one arm, he dances! Watch this video of Ari Spitz, the heroic IDF soldier who was critically wounded in Gaza and lost both legs and an arm. He was seen last night dancing at a wedding - a powerful display of resilience and unbreakable spirit. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/418260
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjClwTL15ZU
War kickstarted rehab innovation. After 7 Oct 2023, Sheba opened a new rehab center and 85 startups responded with rehab ideas. Sheba founded the Sderot Resilience Incubator, partnering Kemtai, Tengable, and Mentaily. Other innovative startups are- Rescue Heat, MyMove, NexoBrid, Cognishine, and MindTension.
https://archive.israel21c.org/war-woes-kickstart-surge-in-medical-innovation/
Oscar-winning film-maker makes Aliyah. Academy Award-winning filmmaker Richard Trank has made a life-changing move leaving Los Angeles to begin a new chapter in Israel, where he is now focusing his lens on the aftermath of the October 7 attacks. He says that moving to Israel has given him not just purpose, but clarity.
https://israfan.com/p/richard-trank-aliyah-october-7-documentary
Healing mission. (TY Yanky) Some 170 Israeli mothers and children who lost loved ones in the war are being hosted in the USA for an extraordinary healing mission organized by Rabbi Mendy Kenig’s Menucha V'Yeshua charity. It is the largest group of Israeli war-bereaved families ever to travel together for such a program.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/417048
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Joint cancer treatment with Norwegian biotech. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s BioLineRX (see here previously) has partnered with Norway’s Hemispherian to develop GLIX1, a first-in-class, oral, small molecule targeting DNA damage response in glioblastoma and other cancers.
Joint liver disease treatment with Germany. Researchers at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University are working on Project HepaModulatoR with the University of Tübingen, Germany to correct damaged RNA causing chronic liver diseases. They have been awarded a multi-million Euro grant from the European Research Council.
https://www.biu.ac.il/en/article/583927
A protein to treat brain injury. (TY Atid-EDI) ProSpecBio has launched its latest product: CHO cell–derived recombinant Activin-A, now available for immediate delivery worldwide. Activin-A is increasingly recognized as a potential therapeutic agent for conditions such as brain injury and inflammatory diseases.
https://www.prospecbio.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=623K0ta58gI
A better bio-ink. (TY Atid-EDI) A head-to-head study by Israel's Technion found that CollPlant's rhCollagen-based bioink, Collink.3D™, outperformed Matrigel®, a leading extracellular matrix, in supporting structured tissue formation. CollPlant's sustainable vegan ink advances regenerative medicine and tissue modeling.
Ambu-scooters. Israeli medical NGO United Hatzalah has launched a pilot of its new electric ambu-scooters. These will get UH medics to medical emergencies even faster. What next – medics on electric skates?
Play video games with your brain. (TY WIN & I24News) A new video featuring Israel’s i-BrainTech (see here previously) showing how their system allows athletes to focus their minds to improve their physical skills.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhfamx-Bca8
Roger Waters helps Israeli researchers. Scientists at Israel’s Technion Institute used low-frequency sounds in Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” to make cells ‘vibrate’ and parts of the brain to ‘light up’. This then released proteins that helped get medication across the blood-brain barrier. Thanks for helping Israel, Roger.
https://technionuk.org/news-post/can-pink-floyd-help-treat-alzheimers/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Sigd holiday in Jerusalem. (TY UWI) Thousands of Jews of Ethiopian descent gathered at Jerusalem’s Sherover Promenade to celebrate the community’s ancient Sigd holiday. Sigd is a bridge between Ethiopian Jewish traditions and the wider Israeli society. One attendee was Avera Manfisto - a 5-years hostage of Hamas.
https://www.jns.org/ethiopian-israelis-mark-sigd-holiday-in-jerusalem/
https://rjstreets.com/2025/11/23/3-things-you-should-know-happened-in-jerusalem/
Hassidic father hugs enlisted daughter. A video circulating online shows a powerful moment: Ba'ash Indursky, daughter of Shlomo Indursky of the Belz Hasidic community, enlisting in the Border Police, accompanied and embraced by her haredi father. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/418460
University buys $5 million Israel Bonds. Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton has purchased $5 million in Israel Bonds, bringing its total investment up to $8.2 million and making it the largest university investor in the United States. https://www.jns.org/florida-atlantic-purchases-5-million-in-israel-bonds-says-president/
Better than 99% of non-profits. Non-profit analysis organization Candid has awarded its 2025 Platinum Seal of Transparency to ELI: The Israel Association for Child Protection (see here previously). It puts ELI in the top 1% of Israeli non-profits, demonstrating exceptional financial health, accountability and impact.
https://www.jns.org/wire/eli-earns-2025-platinum-seal-of-transparency-from-candid/
Mayors from 15 countries at Jerusalem conference. (TY Hazel) Mayors and municipal leaders from 15 countries gathered in Jerusalem for the 34th International Mayors Conference, organized by the American Jewish Congress (AJC) and the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Coming to Israel changed many of their perceptions.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-876246
King of Cambodia greets new Israeli ambassador. (TY Hazel) King Norodom Sihamoni granted a royal audience to Alona Fisher-Kamm, the newly appointed Ambassador of Israel to Cambodia, marking the beginning of her diplomatic mission. Israel has long assisted Cambodia’s agriculture (see here previously).
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
On track for renewables. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel is on track to meet its goal of, by 2030, producing a third of its electricity through renewable sources. By 2024’s end, 14.7% of Israel’s electricity used renewable sources. The government has begun preparing to increase Israel's targets for 2035 to between 35% and 45%.
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/energy-and-infrastructure/article-871075
12% rise in Technion student intake. Israel’s Technion Institute enrolled 2,314 new undergraduate students in Oct – 12% more than in 2024; 45% of them women. The most popular programs are Electrical and Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Samsung’s global innovation winner. (TY Yanky) Israel’s Cyberwrite beat international tech companies to win the Samsung 2025 Financial C-Lab Outside global innovation competition in the Insurtech category. It also won the People’s Choice award. Cyberwrite’s AI platform manages cyber risk, and forecasts losses.
https://www.cyberwrite.com/cyberwrite-has-won-samsungs-global-innovation-competition-for-its-cyber-loss-forecasting-technology/ https://www.cyberwrite.com/
Combating harmful fungi. (TY Hazel) Scientists from Israel’s MIGAL Galilee Research Institute, Tel-Hai College and the Technion found that plant-derived ferulic acid disrupts fungal sterol production, boosts antifungal medicines and reduces crop damage. Annually, some 2.5 million people die from fungal infections.
https://www.ynetnews.com/environment/article/ryzjwsnlbl https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.01909-25
How Israel really brought water to the Negev. (TY Baruch K) My apologies for last week’s video that seemed to show Israel building a canal system to bring desalinated water to the Negev desert. It was an AI fake – too good to be true. The following videos show the actual (still amazing) history.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8HcGK6NoPU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU0CAtJDLzE
Israel shines at Microsoft conference. The 150+ Israeli tech companies at Microsoft’s Annual San Francisco Ignite Conference included Check Point, Zenity, Upwind, Eon, Cyera, JFrog, Vast Data, BigID, AudioCodes, Atera, BlinkOps, Qodo.ai, Semplicity, Genpact Israel, Volumez, ControlUp, and, especially, Varonis.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-takes-the-spotlight-at-microsoft-annual-ignite-conference/
https://www.ynetnews.com/tech-and-digital/article/hyucm3jxzl
More Israeli DeepTechs to be Ignited. Intel-backed Ignite DeepTech’s new cohort comprises Shifters, Hush Security, Anchor, Thermagix, Cellint Bio, SpecificAI, MoRF, Ascendra, Pluto Security, and Infros. The cohort also includes a record number of women founders (4 out 10) for the program.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/syyees411wl
Israel’s first public robotic parking lot. (TY Yanky) Israel’s first public robotic parking lot has opened in Tel Aviv’s Bograshov Street. Parkomat quadruples spaces from 64 to 224. Robotic mechanisms handle the parking and retrieval process, and owners can expect to retrieve their vehicles within 2 minutes.
https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/h1z119yf2xl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqe1dpUpGJo
Israelis Excel! Excel, one of the most powerful and influential tools ever created by the software industry, has turned 40. Its phenomenal success, which has earned Microsoft billions over the years, is largely due to the hundreds of Israeli engineers in Excel’s development center in Herzliya.
https://technionuk.org/news-post/excel-turns-40-meet-the-israeli-team-behind-it/
Two MenteeBots in a warehouse. Israel’s Mentee Robotics (see here previously) shows its V3 humanoid robots working in tandem to complete a logistics task. They operated autonomously, relying on locomotion, manipulation, and decision-making systems designed for real-world deployment.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/skctzanwzg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QumzgbjcjiQ
Czech partnership for 3D silicone printing. Czech-based Prusa Research has enlisted the aid of Israeli startup Filament2 to install a new heat-resistant silicone-printing option for its large-format XL machine.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
A good time to invest in Israel. One of many investment gurus who sees the now is the right time to invest in the Jewish state. Jewish entrepreneur Michael Fertik has opened Modelcode Chai, the Tel Aviv office of his company Modelcode.ai. He believes the future of AI and of broader technology, runs straight through Tel Aviv.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUtaoqUwwPs
https://www.jns.org/michael-fertik-now-is-the-time-to-invest-in-israel/
Foreign investors lap up Israeli startups. A Bloomberg review found that foreign buyers paid roughly $60 billion to acquire more than 85 Israeli companies in 2025 so far - the highest level of foreign acquisition ever recorded in the country. https://unitedwithisrael.org/despite-war-global-demonstrations-israeli-companies-see-record-breaking-foreign-investment/
Another $5.5 million for US-Israeli projects. (TY Atid-EDI) Israeli startups involved in the latest joint US-Israeli projects include Accubeat (quantum atomic clocks), Mentaily Innovations (PTSD test), Newton Tech (gait analysis), and Tuned Ltd (hearing devices). https://www.newton-tech.net/
https://www.birdf.com/bird-to-invest-5-5-million-in-five-new-projects/ https://mentaily.com/
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/h1exewy6ex https://www.tuned.in/
Strengthening ties with Argentina (TY TPS) Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar led a high-level business delegation to Buenos Aires, announcing new trade initiatives and signing agreements aimed at expanding bilateral commerce. Israel will open new economic attaché offices in Buenos Aires in 2026.
https://worldisraelnews.com/new-trade-initiatives-aim-to-strengthen-israeli-argentine-ties/
Tax saving for online Israeli buyers. Israel is to double the threshold for the tax exemption on personal import items shipped from abroad via online retailers. Currently, orders valued up to $75 are exempt from import taxes and 18% value added tax (VAT). This will shortly be doubled to $150.
https://worldisraelnews.com/online-shoppers-in-israel-get-a-big-tax-cut/
McAfee buys Israeli privacy app. Israel’s MineOS is selling its consumer privacy app to security giant McAfee for an estimated tens of millions of dollars. The app will be integrated into McAfee’s consumer protection platform. It is McAfee’s first purchase of Israeli technology in more than a decade.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/r1hsfefzzg
A not-so-sweet partnership. CIRANDA, US supplier of organic, non-GMO and fair-trade food ingredients, launched a new partnership with Israel’s Incredo - the only reduced sugar solution made from real cane sugar. It produces full-flavor products with the taste and texture consumers expect, while reducing sugar content.
Exits, takeovers, and mergers to 30th Nov 25. US blockchain giant Paxos has acquired Israel’s Fordefi for over $100 million. US Ondas has acquired Israel’s Roboteam (its seventh recent Israeli purchase) for $80 million.
Startup investment – to 30th Nov 25: Apono raised $34 million; Clover Security raised $30 million; Fordefi previously raised $28 million; Opti.ai raised $20 million; TULU raised another $17 million; Jiga raised $12 million; Blast Security raised $10 million; Localbird has raised $7.4 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT,
New Tel Aviv art gallery. Tel Aviv has welcomed a new destination for contemporary art with the opening of The L Gallery on Ahad Ha’Am Street. The inaugural exhibition, “Unfolded,” presents a show by Israeli artist Evgeny Merman, on view through 15 Dec. The L Gallery also has galleries in Monaco, London and New York.
https://www.jns.org/wire/a-new-art-space-the-l-gallery-opens-in-tel-aviv-on-ahad-haam-street/
https://thelgallery.art/ https://thelgallery.art/buy-art/
Three key events in Jerusalem. (TY Sharon) Featuring on the Real Jerusalem Streets last week included a production of “Heroines! Songs & Soliloquies for the Soul” at the Raise Your Spirits Theatre. Then Nefesh b’Nefesh hosted the 4th Jerusalem Business Conference. Finally, Sigd - now an annual Israeli Jewish festival.
https://rjstreets.com/2025/11/23/3-things-you-should-know-happened-in-jerusalem/
https://www.raiseyourspirits.org/ https://www.raiseyourspirits.org/shows/heroines/
Babka pies for Thanksgiving. Israeli-owned Breads Bakery has six sites and a kiosk in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Its founder, Gadi Peleg, has introduced two new babka pies for Thanksgiving: blueberry and cherry cheesecake. Pumpkin pie and apple pie are also available.
Israeli dances a full circle. Israeli dancer Yuval Cohen’s performance in a featured role of “Carmen” with the Philadelphia Ballet on Oct. 9 was a full-circle moment. He performed the same ballet in his first featured role with the company two years ago. He keeps in contact with his brothers in the IDF and raises money for Israel.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-dancer-moves-up-through-the-ranks-of-the-philadelphia-ballet/
Wheelchair dance gold medalists. Israelis Tomer Margalit and Orel Chalaf (see here previously) won the gold cup at the 2025 Para Dance Sport World Championships in Kosice, Slovakia. Their victory culminated with Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah,” playing during the medal ceremony.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-duo-wins-gold-in-wheelchair-dance-championship/
Israeli female motorcyclist wins World Cup (TY UWI) Israeli extreme motorsport enthusiast Alona Ben Natan finished first in the 2025 FIM Bajas World Cup’s female category after finishing 2nd in Dubai. She is the first Israeli woman to race in Dubai, Jordan and Morocco and aims for the 2027 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-motorcyclist-wins-bajas-world-cup-in-dubai/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTnfMzaF5cw
Ninja Champions. (TY Hazel) At the European Ninja Championships held in Poland, Israelis May Yahalom, Hila Gilboa & Darian Toren won Gold, silver & bronze medals respectively in the Elite women category (see facebook video). Israel also won many events, plus the Team competition (watch youtube video at 6hrs 4mins).
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=876353838283398 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLWw8RPGABU
https://my.raceresult.com/366743/results
THE JEWISH STATE
Goodbye Miriam. Netanya’s long-serving Mayor, Miriam Feirberg-Ikar, passed away last week. Her 27-year continuous tenure saw Netanya grow into the seventh largest Israeli city and home to many tech startups and multinationals. The city’s “Iron Lady” had become the public face of Netanya through decades of service.
Full circle. 22 years ago, a terrorist opened fire on a vehicle driven by Rabbi Yigal Kirshnzaft. All the bullets missed the Rabbi, his wife and 8 children, including baby Menachem. IDF officer Eyal Zamir was nearby and neutralized the terrorist. 22 years later IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir danced at Menachem’s wedding.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/418268
Reuniting the “Lost” Tribe. Israel has agreed to bring the last 6,000 members of the so-called “lost tribe” of Menashe, from Northeastern India, to Israel within five years. Some 5,000 of the Bnei (sons of) Menashe currently live in Israel. An Israeli delegation will start processing their immigration applications by next week.
https://worldisraelnews.com/last-of-the-bnei-menashe-to-be-brought-to-israel-within-five-years/
Transcribing Cairo Geniza fragments. (TY Ron M) Of 400,000 images of fragments from the Cairo Geniza Israel’s National Library, only 15% have been transcribed; many never been properly read or studied. A $11.5 million grant has enabled the MiDRASH project to use eScriptorium open-source for auto-transcription.
A good time to make Aliyah. Prices of property in Tel Aviv have dropped recently, as some misguided “bubble” residents have decided to leave for perceived safer countries. It has left a temporary glut of residences, which means there are buying opportunities for those in the diaspora who want a secure Jewish environment.
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-874927
No tariffs. Israeli exports of religious agricultural items to the USA will be exempt of new tariffs. These include etrogim, date palm branches, myrtle branches, bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits and similar baked products, and puddings.
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.
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/
Magen David Adom UK: https://mdauk.org
USA: https://afmda.org/
Israel: https://www.mdais.org/en/donation
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
Help rebuild Soroka: https://www.soroka.org/
And Weizmann: https://weizmann-usa.org/
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/
