The
50th anniversary of the re-unification of Jerusalem on May 24th will be
celebrated during the 50 days between the Jewish festivals of Pesach (Passover)
and Shavuot (Pentecost). This feature article focuses on the significance of
the number 50 in many of the recent amazing achievements of the Jewish State.
Among
Israel’s numerous medical innovations, ApiFix’s minimally invasive system has straightened
the deformed spines of 50
adolescents within two years of being approved in Europe. And the
Israeli breakthrough treatment hCDR1 from XTL Biopharmaceuticals is the first
new treatment for Lupus sufferers in
50 years. Finally, when surgeons from Save a Child’s Heart mended the
heart of baby
Lisa from East Timor, the Southeast Asian nation became the 50th country to
have children treated by surgeons from the life-saving Israeli organization.
It’s
refreshing to see how much Israel has done for the environment in recent
years. Thanks to making a substantial
improvement in water quality, the freshwater Yarkon Bleak fish has now returned
to the mid-stretches of the Yarkon river, after an absence of 50 years.
And it is an annual event to watch newborn sea turtles scamper “home” to the
sea just 50
days after the mother turtles lay their eggs on clean Israeli beaches. But Israel’s biggest cleantech achievement by
far is the 700% increase in crops that Israel has managed to produce from the
same amount of water it used 50 years ago.
Israel
can be proud of its inclusive treatment of the less fortunate in society. It is even building a new town where 50
Israeli families will be integrated with dozens of high-functioning
special needs adults, who will be employed alongside regular workers in the
local services. Another highlight is how the all-volunteer Israel Lawn Bowls
Association for the Blind coaches 50 adults
with visual disabilities at clubs in Israel.
One
example (amongst many) of co-existence was a soccer tournament in the
Israeli-Arab town of Baqa al-Gharbiyye where Israeli children (50 Jews and
50 Arabs) were split up into six different soccer teams, each
representing a 2016 World Cup country.
Another is the Moona outer space research center in the Israel-Arab town
of Majd Al-Kurum in which 50
Jewish and 50 Muslim high school students attend courses in robotics,
drones, 3D printing, electronics and other technologies related to outer-space
exploration.
Israel’s
global impact is astonishing. Israeli-Arab
Bedouins are using Israeli HomeBioGas units (subsidized by Israel’s Environment
ministry) to transform trash into bio-gas.
50
HomeBioGas units are now being tested in the Dominican Republic, as part
of attempts to curb deforestation caused by the burning of wood for
cooking. In Africa, Israel’s award-winning
Amiad Water Systems supplied 50
filtration systems to a project providing clean drinking water in
Angola. And Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu improved relations with Africa immensely during the first
visit by an Israeli leader to the continent in
50 years.
Trade
relations were enhanced by visits to Israel by Massachusetts Governor Charlie
Baker and his delegation of 50 business
and academic leaders. Another 50
business professionals came to Israel for the New Zealand’s inaugural Innovation
Mission. And 50
university and secondary students from Hong Kong got the chance to see
firsthand the secrets of Israeli entrepreneurial success, thanks to Israel’s Technion
and the Li Ka Shing Foundation.
It
may be only the 50th anniversary of Jerusalem’s re-unification, but Jewish
links to its capital city go back thousands of years. To experience this, tourists can now do “the
mikveh trail” - a newly-opened walk to see 50
ritual baths (mikvot) unearthed near Temple Mount. These were used by Jewish
pilgrims to purify themselves, prior to making offerings in the Temple over
2000 years ago. And please watch this
video by Hebrew University of Jerusalem archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar about the
ancient Jewish treasures discovered during excavations just 50
meters from Temple Mount.
Now
let’s celebrate – there must be at least fifty ways!
Michael
Ordman writes a free weekly newsletter containing positive news stories about
Israel.
www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com
and a searchable archive www.IsraelActive.com
For
a free subscription, email a request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
