In the 12th Mar 26 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
l Israeli surgery and weddings continue despite rocket sirens.
l Sheba Medical Center rises to number 7 in the world rankings.
l Did the BBC or CNN show the 80,000 Muslims praying on Temple Mount?
l Over 100 orbiting satellites are powered by Israeli engines.
l There are 3,300 pre-launch orders for an Israeli personal aircraft.
l Israeli history was made in an NBA basketball game.
l A gem of a find from the Kingdom of Judah.
· Click here to see the 29th Mar 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, 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
Sirens didn’t stop transplant. Doctors at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa carried out a corneal transplant during repeated air raid alerts triggered by rockets from Iran. They completed the procedure on an 80-year-old patient who had waited more than a year for a donor cornea. The transplant was successful.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/80-year-old-patient-receives-cornea-transplant-during-air-raid-sirens/
Wedding in a shelter. Lior and Michael didn’t let a war and cancelled venue stop their wedding. They relocated to a public bomb shelter, 4 floors beneath Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff Center. Among the concrete columns friends and family celebrated, including the groom’s parents who had traveled from Argentina. Great scenes.
https://www.jns.org/israel-news/watch-israeli-couples-wartime-wedding-in-underground-shelter
New protected hospital. (TY UWI) Clalit Health Services has opened Magen HaAri - a new rocket-protected hospital in Rishon Letzion designed to safeguard some of Israel’s most vulnerable patients. 216 patients plus medical teams have been transferred from rehab and geriatric facilities that lack adequate protected spaces.
https://www.jns.org/israel-news/israel-sets-up-new-rocket-protected-hospital-for-vulnerable-patients
Rehabilitation center expanded. (TY I24 News & WIN) Following Oct 7 2023, the non-profit “Belev Echad” (see here previously) significantly expanded its rehabilitation center, doubling staff and converting rooms for physical and emotional therapy to help wounded Israeli soldiers and those with PTSD recover.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pzwuDPMNjM
Programs for citizens with damaged homes. Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael–Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) has launched programs for residents whose homes were damaged by Iranian missile attacks during the ongoing war. They include activities at hotels where evacuees are temporarily staying, offering families some respite.
https://www.jns.org/israel-news/kkl-jnf-launches-programs-for-displaced-israelis
Half a billion raised. More than $500 million has been raised for Israeli civilians since Oct 7 2023 through the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. It has helped evacuees from north & south, wounded soldiers, former hostages and their families, bereaved families, and civilians whose homes were damaged or destroyed.
Apps for wartime. (TY WIN) You can rely on the Startup Nation to develop smartphone apps that make it safer for Israelis during wartime. Warnings to move near to a shelter; where the nearest shelter is; register if you need help getting to a shelter; or safe to have a shower. There’s even one for speed-dating in a shelter;
“I didn’t do enough”. Former hostage Nimrod Cohen announced his return to the IDF. "I didn't really do my service, the way I see it. I served for ten months until I was kidnapped."
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-885861
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Treatment for traumatic memory. Medical startup Kailo is developing the first-ever medication designed to directly treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It follows research at the University of Haifa in which scientists are developing a peptide to neutralize the pathological “amplification” of fear memories..
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/skjngqp9bl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWfd6Ac-SV4
https://www.f6s.com/company/kailo-pharma#about
DBS can treat schizophrenia. Researchers at the Rambam Health Care Campus have used DBS (deep-brain stimulation) in the laboratory to counter schizophrenia symptoms. DBS acts on the brain’s decision-making process, to cure cognitive inflexibility – the source of schizophrenia’s hallucinations and chaotic behavior.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-breakthrough-israeli-scientists-use-deep-brain-stimulation-to-counter-schizophrenia/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60044-5
Device to treat pancreatic cancer approved. The US FDA has approved Optune Pax, by Israel’s Novocure for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. The portable, non-invasive device delivers electrical tumor treating fields (TTFields), to the abdomen to disrupt rapid cancer cell division.
Will chemo give benefit? Researchers at Israel’s Technion Institute have developed an AI tool to predict the benefit of chemotherapy on breast cancer patients. It examines high-resolution digital images of tumor tissue and uses deep learning to identify patterns in both the cancer cells and their surrounding environment.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bjwjvews11x
First robotic heart surgery in the Middle East. Israel’s Sheba and Poriya Medical Centers have together performed the first robotic heart surgery in Israel and the Middle East using the da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system. It is less invasive, carries lower surgical risk, and shortens both hospital stay and recovery time.
https://www.shebaonline.org/first-robotic-heart-surgery-middle-east/
Better outcomes for lumbar spinal fusions. Doctors at Israel’s Assuta Medical Center have successfully treated the first Israeli patient enrolled in the international OASIS clinical trial. The study is evaluating a novel biological implant designed to improve outcomes in lumbar spinal fusion surgeries.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/422913
Sheba rises to 7th best in the world. Israel's Sheba Medical Center rose to seventh place in Newsweek and Statista’s 2026 World’s Best Hospitals ranking, extending its streak to eight years on the list. Its new Roman Abramovich Theranostics and Nuclear Medicine Center is expected to treat more than 16,000 patients a year.
https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-887945
New medical center in Netivot. The “Hadassah-Helmsley Netivot", a state-of-the-art medical center, has been inaugurated. It is will provide 150,000 residents of Netivot, the western Negev, and surrounding communities, with advanced diagnostic, treatment, and ongoing care close to home.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/422336
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
$1 million win for Netanya. The city of Netanya is one of 24 winning cities in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayors Challenge competition. "Kesher Nolad” (A Bond Is Born), has professionals in child development meet with parents and children at local parks, offering tools and guidance that may not be readily available to parents.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-887940
Women break glass ceiling in hi-tech. At the Tsofen-Tashbik Women Conference, tech veterans veterans Lilyan Pinchas, Linur Serero, and Maisam Jaljuli, explained how women (Jewish and Arab) can use their professional confidence to overcome obstacles and reach top positions in the hi-tech industry.
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/tech-and-start-ups/article-889313#google_vignette
The next IDF Arabic spokesperson. Maj. Ella Waweya, known as ‘Captain Ella,’ (see here previously) will be the new IDF Arabic spokesperson. She will be promoted to Lt Col, and be one of the most senior female Arab Muslim officers in the military. She has more than half a million followers on TikTok and 170,000 on X.
80,000 Muslims pray peacefully at Al-Aqsa. Some 80,000 Muslim worshipers - including 8,500 Palestinian Arabs - gathered at Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem for the first Friday noon prayer of Ramadan. It was completely peaceful. https://www.timesofisrael.com/80000-muslim-worshipers-pray-peacefully-at-al-aqsa-on-first-friday-of-ramadan/
A new era with India. In a powerful display of partnership and shared vision, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi oversaw the signing of agreements spanning agriculture, geophysical exploration, heritage, science, education, economy, cyber, technology, security, and AI.
https://israfan.com/p/netanyahu-modi-economic-security-agreements-jerusalem
Taiwan stands with the Jewish state. Taiwan has donated $207,000 to the ZAKA organization for the purchase of life-saving operational equipment. Some of the equipment acquired through this donation was used at the recent disaster in Beit Shemesh. https://www.jns.org/israel-news/taiwans-donated-equipment-used-after-beit-shemesh-disaster https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/03/05/taiwan-donates-humanitarian-aid-israel-sends-message-hope-solidarity-amid-iran-strikes/
Training Somaliland’s water engineers. Israel, through its MASHAV program, trained Somaliland’s first 20 water engineers in desalination, purification, and resource management - boosting the self-declared republic’s fight against water scarcity. (Worth seeing the video.)
https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-israel-trains-somalilands-water-engineers/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Reducing aviation carbon emissions. More on Boeing’s partnership with Israel’s Technion to create SAF (sustainable aviation fuel - see here previously). Dr. Brendan Nelson, president of Boeing Global, said “If there is one country in the world capable of solving civil aviation’s emissions challenge, it is Israel.”
Advancing AI infrastructure. A huge boost for Israel’s Tower Semiconductor. It has partnered with NVIDIA to advance AI infrastructure with 1.6T Data Center Optical Modules. Tower’s advanced Silicon Photonics platform enables optical and network infrastructure ecosystem with high-speed data transceivers for AI systems.
https://towersemi.com/2026/02/05/02052026/
AI agreement with Azerbaijan. Israel and Azerbaijan signed a memorandum of understanding in the field of artificial intelligence at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem. The partnership will address supercomputing infrastructure, the application of AI in critical civilian sectors, human capital and joint research.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/422867
Underwater drone for Germany. The German navy has taken delivery of an autonomous Israeli-made “BlueWhale” underwater drone, for reconnaissance and detecting “hybrid threats at sea.” Developed by Israel’s IAI with Germany’s TKMS, it is the navy’s “largest and most advanced unmanned underwater vehicle to date.”
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-israel-aerospace-delivers-unmanned-sub-to-germany-1001536018
Connecting US soldiers. Israel’s Elbit has won a $120 million contract to develop a real-time intelligence system for the US Army. The Soldier Borne Mission Command (SBMC) system connects soldiers with sensors, positioning data and shared battlefield intelligence through head-mounted technology.
https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/sjot4fpf11x
Israeli engines steer 100+ satellites. Israel’s Rafael Labs has developed engines that steer satellites in the world's most critical orbits; their high efficiency allows them to operate for many more years without failure. Rafael is a preferred supplier for agencies including the European Space Agency and the French space agency.
https://www.ynetnews.com/tech-and-digital/article/sk0dh8vdwg#autoplay
Transforming video surveillance. Israel’s Conntour is developing an artificial intelligence platform for real-time video intelligence analysis. Users could (for example) search for “a man with a tattoo on his left arm” or “a van with a print of fruits on it.” https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/rk5onjgjbe
Converting diesel trains to electric. Israeli-founded Voltify is developing a comprehensive solution that enables railway companies to transition from diesel to electric power without requiring massive infrastructure investments. Its platform combines battery-powered locomotives, dynamic fast-charging technology, and a network of microgrids designed to supply energy to trains.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/b1odhsfjze https://www.voltify.com/
Order from chaos. Prof Erez Hasman of Israel’s Technion Institute, together with his ex-student Prof Bo Wang and his team in China, have discovered that protons of light, when scattered by the random Brownian motion of nanoparticles in a liquid, get locked into an ordered spin. They can then measure the nanoparticles.
https://www.technion.ac.il/en/blog/article/order-from-chaos/ ( See cover of Nature Materials Feb 2026)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-025-02413-5 https://www.nature.com/nmat/volumes/25/issues/2
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
20,000 jobs in California. 367 Israeli-founded companies created more than 20,000 jobs in California in 2024, and added $6.5 billion to the economy, according to a new report from the U.S.-Israel Business Alliance. They also paid average annual earnings of over $175,000, nearly double those of other companies in the state.
NIS 2.3 billion defense order from Greece. Israel’s Elbit will supply the Greek Army with PULS multiple rocket launcher systems and a comprehensive ammunition package worth NIS 2.3 billion ($650 million). It will be implemented over four years, plus a further 10-year’s support and maintenance.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjijfqz3we
NIS 74 billion backlog. Israel’s Rafael now has a backlog of orders totaling $23.7 billion. In 2025 it received new orders worth over $10 billion with a net profit of over $400 million.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hj8s7jqiwe
$1 billion orders for personal planes. Israel’s AIR has received orders worth $1 billion, with 3,300 customers currently on a waiting list for its AIR ONE eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) personal aircraft. FAA regulatory approval and the start of serial production are anticipated this year.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hkqf9p11jwx
Better defense against drones. Israel’s Ministry of Defense has purchased $3.5 million worth of anti-drone systems from Israel’s Autonomous Guard. BeeSense Sensor Systems detect cross-border threats from land, air, and sea. Skylock (see here previously) focuses on drone detection and neutralization.
https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-890102 https://aguard-sys.com/
Exits, takeovers & mergers to 12/4/26: France’s Publicis has acquired Israel’s AdgeAI for $100 million. Warner Music has acquired Israeli music tech Revelator.
Israeli startup investments to 12/4/26. ScaleOps raised $130 million; NoTraffic raised $90 million; Qodo raised $70 million; Linx Security raised $50 million; Above Security raised $43 million; Notch.cx raised $30 million; Sett.ai raised $30 mlillion; Voltify raised $30 million; Q-Factor raised $24 million; Haat raised $20 million; Scala Biodesign raised $16 million; Onit Security raised $11 million; Huskeys raised $8 million; Conntour raised $7 million; Kailo raised $2.1 million; ServiceNow invested several million dollars in Clover Security. Salesforce Ventures invested tens of millions in Upwind at $1.6 billion valuation.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT,
Apple TV makes “Unconditional” deal. The upcoming series, “Unconditional”, was sold by Keshet International before its Israeli premiere and will be available on Apple TV to its 45 million subscribers worldwide. According to Keshet, the deal is one of the biggest in its history for an original series.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-887663
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-841880
Israel’s 2026 Eurovision entry. Noam Bettan, Israel’s contestant for the Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Austria, has revealed his new song titled “Michelle,” which will be sung in Hebrew, English, and French.
https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-israels-eurovision-representative-debuts-contest-song/
Walking on the Sun in Tel Aviv. Legendary band Smash Mouth, known for the hits “Walking on the Sun”, “All Star” and “I’m a Believer,” delivered a surprise performance at a Tel Aviv club as part of a blind concert initiative where attendees had no idea who would take the stage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwC05CwdZN8
Israeli Thai boxer gets even. In the pre-match weigh-in, Turkey’s Ali Koyuncu illegally kicked Israeli Thai boxer Ahavat Hashem Gordon. In the actual contest, in Lithuania, Gordon won in two rounds. In the second link, see him visiting wounded IDF soldiers at Belev Echad. Ahavat’s brother is Ruach (see here previously).
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-887420
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/422975
Gold for gymnast Dolgopyat. Israeli Olympic champion Artem Dolgopyat won the gold medal in floor gymnastics at the 2026 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Germany.
Historic NBA game features 3 Israelis. (TY UWI) When the Brooklyn Nets hosted the Portland Trail Blazers at the Barclays Center, Portland’s Israeli star Deni Avdija uniquely faced Brooklyn’s Danny Wolf and Ben Saraf, both Israeli citizens. The crowd waved Israeli and US flags and some wore hats written in Hebrew.
Largest ever Tel Aviv marathon. Over 50,000 runners participated in the Tel Aviv Marathon on Friday, making it the largest in the nation's history. Five of the runners were brought to the medical tent for heatstroke. They were immediately treated with ice baths to lower body temperature.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-888203
THE JEWISH STATE
Gemstone seal from Kingdom of Judah. A late 8th century BCE gemstone seal was discovered during excavations in northern Israel. It is believed to have been used by a high-ranking administrative official during the time of the Kingdom of Judah. It is inscribed, “Belonging to Makhach (son of) Amihai,”
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-886482
Read the Isaiah scroll. The Great Isaiah Scroll (see here previously), the oldest near-complete biblical book ever found, is on show in its entirety for 1st time since 1968. The 7-meter, 2,100-year-old artifact, can be seen at Jerusalem’s Israel Museum. Only 25 people at a time are allowed into the climate-controlled room.
Aliya continues during the war. A special flight carrying about 50 Jewish immigrants from France and Britain arrived at Ben-Gurion Airport during the ongoing war. The Jewish Agency and the Aliyah Ministry said thousands of new immigrants have arrived since the conflict escalated and 20,000 since last Passover.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/dozens-of-jewish-immigrants-arrive-from-france-and-britain-on-special-flight-during-war/ https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-891730
Mikvaot with shelters. Israel’s Religious Services Ministry has published a centralized list of women’s mikvaot (religious bathhouses) equipped with accessible protected spaces. Women’s mikvaot were permitted to remain open only if the facility included a nearby protected space. Men’s mikvaot, by contrast, were closed.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-889591 https://mymikve.org.il/ https://www.mikve.online/
21 children, no multiple births. A family in Modi’in Illit recently celebrated the birth of their 21st child. All 21 children were born as singletons, with no multiples among them. The eldest child is only 22 years old. This means that over just more than two decades, the family has welcomed nearly one child every year.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/423679
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/
