As we leave behind the celebrations of
Israel’s independence, it is important not only to look back at what Israel has
achieved in the past, but also at what Israel is doing right now! Both indicators show that the Jewish State
is leading mankind into a future that is vastly different both medically and
technically from our current environment.
The world we are beginning to see is one
where humans no
longer suffer from dementia.
The research by Professor Michal Schwartz and her team at the Weizmann
Institute highlights the changes in the brains of the elderly that prevent
immune cells traveling to repair brain trauma. It opens up the possibility of
new treatments to prevent brain degeneration.
Similarly, Parkinson’s
will be cured – maybe using the sugar substitute mannitol that
researchers from Tel Aviv University found to protect the brain against the
disease.
The
“Big C” will one day be a thing of the past,
thanks to specialists like Israel’s Professor Alexander Levitzki of the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem. The American
Association for Cancer Research has just awarded him its 2013 Award for
Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry in Cancer Research. Other problems with
the immune system will be resolved.
Professor Rifaat Safadi’s team from Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem
has already identified the way the system’s Neuroliglin 4 protein can either
fight fatty
liver disease or exacerbate it.
Whilst on the subject of medicine, Israel’s
Teva is the world’s largest producer of generic medications. In the US, one
in six prescriptions are for Teva products. CEO Jeremy Levin recently
stated, "We are an Israeli company, and we will remain an Israeli company.
At our Ashdod plant, whilst people (in Gaza) fire rockets, we make medicines.”
In the new golden age, no one would dream
of accusing Israel of being an apartheid state. Everyone will know how Israel’s hospitals employ Arab
Muslims alongside Jews at all staff levels. For example, 57-year-old cardiologist Dr. Aziz Darawshe from the
Arab village of Iksal, near Nazareth is the new
director of the emergency department at Hadassah University Medical
Center in Jerusalem, and chairman of the Israel Society for Urgent
Medicine. Everyone will hear that
Israeli hospitals treat thousands of Palestinian Arab children every year. Like siblings Ahmad and
Hadil Hamdan from Gaza, who both suffer from chronic kidney disease and
receive dialysis treatment at the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel. Now just sit back and enjoy some beautiful
images of Israel’s diverse population and cultures.
Israel is the world’s third most
innovative country, according to a Massachusetts Institute of
Technology survey of 61 experts from 20 countries. Israel’s agricultural technology is starting to eliminate hunger
in Africa, India and China. The latest
innovations include a low-cost robot
milking machine from Israeli start-up MiRobot, which is marketed as
“the greatest thing to happen in dairy farming in 100 years”. MiRobot is embarking on a road show of the
US with four other Israeli
agri-tech start-ups including SolChip (solar powered livestock tracking
sensors) and EdenShield (natural herbs to prevent insect infestation of
plants).
Storage of electricity will soon become far
more efficient than at present. Two
Israeli companies are at the forefront of this technology. First, Tel Aviv’s Enstorage has produced the
first ever Hydrogen-Bromine
flow battery to be connected to the national grid. It is the cheapest,
smallest and most powerful flow battery on the market. The second company, Phinergy, impressed US
President Obama with its evolutionary aluminum-air
battery. It can power an
electric vehicle for up to 1,000 miles (1600 km) before needing a recharge –
three times longer than any competitor.
There will be no drought or water shortages
in tomorrow’s world. Israel - the
world’s most efficient user of water - invested NIS 3 billion in water
infrastructures in 2012. Israel is
marketing its desalination
and recycling facilities across the world. Israel will also be an economic powerhouse. Already its currency is the strongest in the
world. Of the 31 currencies monitored
by Bloomberg, Israel’s
shekel had the best performance in the first three months of 2013. Reasons include Israel's stable growth and
anticipation of the favorable economic impact of new natural gas flowing from
the Tamar field.
But financial strength and technological
advances alone are not enough. “What
the world needs now is love” and the composer of that song, Burt
Bacharach, is coming to the Jewish State in July to perform some of his
70 top 40 hits. We all should “Say a
little prayer” and maybe we will receive a few “Magic Moments” to inspire us
towards a better future. Meanwhile our
homegrown vocal group “The Fountainheads” has used the translation of the title
of our National Anthem (Hatikvah) to energetically express this “Hope”.
Finally, to celebrate Israel’s 65th
Independence Day, here is Israel21c’s list of the
top 65 solutions that Israel has provided to some of the world’s most
pressing problems. Plus 65 things we
love about Israel in 65 seconds. See
how many you agree with.
From my blogs, you can
probably find about 65,000 more!
Enjoy the Sunrise.
Michael Ordman writes a free weekly
newsletter containing Good News stories about Israel.
For a free subscription, email a request to
michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
