History of Israel's Good News - July to Sep 2017

170917


In the 17th Sep 17 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         Israeli scientists have discovered that bacteria can interfere with chemotherapy.
·         The World Health Organization has appointed an Israeli to its Executive committee.
·         The first visit by a sitting Israeli Prime Minister to Latin America.
·         Israeli technology is purifying water at the Hoover Dam.
·         Israeli driver assistance systems are being installed in Chinese electric buses.
·         An Israeli won gold at the Czech Open table tennis championships.

·         Click here to see the 10th Sept newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours and United With Israel with additional feature on Technology. Also (TY Sandra) in German.

·         Click here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives of more than 11,000 previous news articles.
·         Please click here, to donate a small amount to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.

·         If someone wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should send a request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Making chemotherapy more effective.  Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have discovered why chemotherapy sometimes doesn’t work. Bacteria inside pancreatic tumors metabolize gemcitabine - a common chemo treatment - to make the tumor resistant. After applying antibiotics, the chemo begins to work again.

Stem cell treatments for Asia.  Israeli biotech Pluristem has been awarded two new patents in Hong Kong for two products - mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of skeletal muscle damage or injury, and adherent cells to treat Critical Limb Ischemia and connective tissue regeneration.

Turning Sound and Touch into Sight. (TY Nevet) I reported previously (in 2012) about Dr. Amir Amedi of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem who is developing innovative sensory substitution devices and technologies to help the blind and visually impaired. Here is a video about his work.

Rehabilitating soccer players. (TY Hazel) Spanish soccer club Real Sociedad is using BalanceTutor from Israel’s MediTouch to help its teams improve balance and dexterity, especially after an injury. The 4D treadmill uses unexpected perambulation (jolting to the side etc.) to deliberately disrupt the player’s balance.

Hear this.  Udi Doron, CEO of Israel’s Medton, came on ILTV News to describe his innovative hearing aids. The devices are imported from Oticon Denmark and then adapted and fitted in Israel. They scan the environment to reduce the level of noise. They also connect via smartphone to the Internet of Things.

Free eye surgery for Kenyans.  (TY Hazel) I reported previously (three times) on doctors from Israeli charity Eye From Zion performing free eye surgery around the world.  They have just returned from Kenya where they treated 723 patients, from infants to senior citizens, removing cataracts and correcting astigmatism.

Helping families of cancer patients.  Rivi Kossover of Israeli cancer charity Ezer Mizion arranges transportation for patients, volunteers to make family meals, respite for teenage carers and a tutor for a failing student. And still manages to fit in her own domestic activities.

A virtual safari for bed-ridden kids.  Israel’s Ramat Gan Safari has placed cameras in the monkey enclosures and live-streams video to bed-ridden children at Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer. The innovation helps kids deal with the stress of their illness and is to be expanded to video more animals and include more hospitals.

Medical treatment for Russian Olympic skater.  Russia’s Yulia Lipnitskaya was only 15-years-old when won a team gold medal at the 2014 Olympic games, skating to the theme “Schindler’s List”. She developed chronic anorexia shortly afterwards and retired from skating. In January, she came to Israel for treatment.

WHO board appoints an Israeli.  The World Health Organization (WHO) has finally rewarded Israel for its vital contributions to the WHO (see here) and global medicine.  For the first time in 21 years it has appointed to its Executive an Israeli - Professor Itamar Grotto, the Israeli Health Ministry’s Associate Director-General.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

IDF develops software for kids.  (TY UWI) Cadets in the final stage of the IDF officers’ course participated in a 24-hour Hackathon to develop systems for helping disadvantaged children. One of the organizations to benefit was ALEH-Negev which supports children with severe disabilities.

“We were told they are the enemy, but in reality they are friends”.  (TY Hazel and UCI) Plenty of praise here for Israel from wounded and sick Syrians treated by Israel.  Even the cynical Washington Post report admits the changed perceptions about Israel from those Syrians who have been saved or helped.

US mayors bond with Israel.  The American Jewish Committee (AJC) brought the mayors of Syracuse, Albuquerque and six other US cities to see Sderot, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem, the Syrian border and the Ziv Medical Center in Safed.  Delegation chair was Mayor John Giles of Mesa, Arizona.

More Israeli aid to disaster victims. In a week of hurricanes and earthquakes, Israel has sent aid teams to Florida, Texas, Mexico, Haiti, and the Caribbean to help recovery efforts. “We’ve never seen anything like this,” said Mickey Noam-Alon, from IsraAID. “There are so many massive events going on worldwide.”

8-year-old sees her mother’s work in Uganda. (TY Avi) Emily Yaari, is the daughter of Sivan Yaari, founder and CEO of Israeli NGO Innovation: Africa. Emily travelled to Africa to see the “tikkun olam” work carried out by Innovation: Africa, all in the name of Israel with Israeli technologies.  An amazing 4-minute video.

The first Israeli PM to visit Latin America.  Benjamin Netanyahu’s four-day trip to Argentina, Colombia and Mexico marks the first time a sitting Israeli prime minister has visited South and Central America. He took with him a delegation of businesspeople with the focus on deepening economic and diplomatic alliances. In Colombia, President Juan Manuel Santos thanked Israel for its offer to help clear Colombia of land mines.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

UK conference to share cybersecurity solutions.  (TY Hazel) The UK Israel Tech Hub organized a three-day TeXchange conference in London to share solutions to prevent cyber-attacks. UK firms attending included Aviva Insurance, BT, Goldman Sachs, RBS and Visa. At least a dozen Israeli security startups presented.

Technion and Cornell open New York campus.  (TY UWI) Cornell Tech has officially dedicated its new campus on New York City’s Roosevelt Island, home of a major academic partnership between Cornell University and the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology. Over 500 people attended the inauguration.

Cutting-edge tech to counter cyber threats.  US giant Intel Corp. is teaming up with two Israeli cybersecurity firms – Team8 and Illusive Networks to design and develop solutions for repelling cyber-attacks. Intel is also opening a new cybersecurity center that will operate in both Jerusalem and Haifa.

Wave power for Mexico.  I reported previously (several times) on Israel’s Eco Wave-Power and its systems for generating energy from the sea.  Now, Eco Wave-Power is to build Mexico’s first such facility - a 4.1 MW plant at the Manzanillo Port in the state of Colima along the country’s southwestern Pacific Ocean shore.

A toxin against corn rootworm.  Israeli biotech Evogene has announced positive results in its Insect Control Seed Trait Program and that it had developed the first toxin against Western corn rootworm.

Low sodium vegetarian food.  Israel’s Salt of the Earth recently completed a series of trials of plant-based, vegan and vegetarian meat alternatives. They demonstrated the ability to create tasty meat substitutes with less sodium. http://www.saltoftheearthltd.com/news-events/low-sodium-vegetarian-meat/

Purifying water at the Hoover Dam. (TY Hazel) I reported previously (3 times) on the Hydro-Optic Ultraviolet technology of Israel’s Atlantium that purifies contaminated water systems.  It has recently been installed at the hydroelectric Hoover Dam to help prevent an invasive species of mussel from choking pipes.

Czechs see innovative Israeli city bio-filter.  (TY Hazel) I reported previously (Jun 2016) on the JNF hybrid bio-filter for purifying and recycling rainwater runoff at the Israeli city of Kfar Saba. Before attending Israel’s WATEC conference, the Czech delegation were shown the bio-filter as a possible solution to their polluted run-off water. http://www.kkl-jnf.org/about-kkl-jnf/green-israel-news/september-2017/czech-biofilter-mission/

Superior quality photos and video. More on the miniaturized hyperspectral technology developed at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University (see 5th Feb). It now can be made as an add-on for a standard camera. Using compression sampling, it generates high quality images and video faster and far cheaper than currently available commercial devices.  https://aabgu.org/new-hyperspectral-technology/

IAF training system now does soccer.  (TY Hazel) I reported previously (many times) on Israel’s PlaySight and its SmartCourt training system that began life training Israeli Air Force pilots. It was adapted for tennis training, basketball and now soccer with SmartPitch’s launch at the Soccerex convention in Manchester, UK.

Car sharing in Tel Aviv. I reported previously (22nd Jan) that Israel’s Car2Go would be launching its Auto Tel car sharing service in Tel Aviv this summer.  Since July, 170 Auto Tel vehicles have been in operation. Subscribers book a car 15 mins in advance via a smartphone app.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

20% increase in August tourism. 253,800 tourists visited Israel in Aug 2017 - 20% more than in Aug 2016. 57,200 were from the US – a 33% increase. Tourists from Poland soared 60%. 2.3 million tourists entered Israel Jan-Aug 2017 - 24% more than in the same period of 2016.

Iowa delegation meets Jerusalem biomed leaders.  (TY Sharon) The Iowa Economic Development Authority mission, with over 26 members and led by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, were given presentations from five of Jerusalem's bio-medical and tech community - Pepticom, Valera Heath, Aeon, NIMD and Votis.

Chicago delegation to Israel.  Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is heading a delegation of more than 40 businessmen, investors, health care professionals, academics and water experts to Israel, to seek ways to work with the Startup Nation on technology. 2016 trade between Israel and the state of Illinois totaled $814 million.

Linking up Multinationals with Israeli startups.  Israel’s global equity crowdfunder OurCrowd has launched OurNetwork, providing access for Multinationals to Israel’s most exciting startups.  25 corporations signed up prior to the launch, including Accenture, GE, Google, Honda, Kodak, Nokia, SAP, Shell, UBS and YESBank.

China to import Israeli tech - for lab-grown meat?  China and Israel have signed a $300 million trade deal whereby China will import Israeli advanced agriculture technologies and smart and green energy technologies. Not sure how the UK Independent and others made this into a vegan story but at least it was positive news.

Winning contracts in China for driverless tech. (TY SA) Israel’s Mobileye is installing its Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) in every electric bus built by China’s Yutong, the biggest bus maker in the world. It is also working with Chinese electric car-maker Nio and contracts with more Chinese firms are pending.

Lower fees for international students.  Israel’s Bar Ilan University has dramatically reduced fees for its 2017/18 International BA program. Foreign students will now pay standard Israeli citizen tuition fees, as set by the Council for Higher Education - a two-thirds reduction from the current fees.

Helping women farmers in Latin America.  Israel’s Frutarom has been encouraging women in Peru, Brazil, Guatemala and other Latin American countries to become independent farmers and grow annatto in their fields. Frutarom is committed to buying at a fair price all the fresh annatto harvested for its natural yellow ingredient.

Leading German insurer will cover claims for Israeli exoskeleton.  One of Germany’s leading insurers, Barmer, has signed a confirmation regarding the provision of Israel’s ReWalk Robotics systems for all qualifying beneficiaries. ReWalk’s exoskeleton allows paraplegics with spinal cord injury to walk upright.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

London’s top restaurant is Israeli.  The Barbary restaurant in Covent Garden is number one in TimeOut’s list of London’s 100 best restaurants. Lead chef is Tel Aviv-born Eyal Jagermann.  The anti-Israel Guardian says it’s “thrillingly alien”. The London Standard says, “If you have to queue, queue”. (Not kosher)

Stunning photos of Jerusalem.  Photographer Ezra Landau has opened his outdoor “Jerusalem Moments” exhibition in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. In 50 prints (for Jerusalem’s 50th anniversary Landau finds contrasts and connections between Jews and Arabs, secular and religious Jews, tourists and residents.

And a brief tour of Northern Israel.  (TY Avi) A two-minute glimpse of the Galilee, Golan, Hula valley, mountains, waterfalls and diverse wildlife. https://www.youtube.com/embed/E4JDbsOnbeU?rel=0

Jerusalem women’s night race.  (TY Sharon) Several Jerusalem streets were closed as some 2,000 women and girls raced over 5km or 10km courses in the Capital. They included mothers and daughters, running groups from around Israel and even some studying Torah on their smartphones while they ran.

Italian cycle race to begin in Israel.  (TY Hazel) The Giro d'Italia cycling race will open next year's event in Israel, marking the first time in its 101-year history that the race will begin outside of Europe.  More than 175 of the world's best cyclists will arrive in Israel to compete in the first three stages of the race.

Israelis enter world sheepdog trials.  For the first time, there were Israeli entries in the triennial World Sheep Dog Trials, held in the Netherlands. Among the 243 competitors from 30 countries were Adi Etrog with her dog Daisy and Itai Yatzkan with his dog Munch. They enjoyed the experience and will try again in three years.

Paralympic wins table-tennis gold.  Israel’s Karmit Dor won a gold medal in the Czech Open Table Tennis Championship. She beat Poland’s Karolina Peck in 5 sets to win the Women’s Singles - light disability class. Dor also won a bronze in the doubles with Israel’s Anat Siara Sagi.


THE JEWISH STATE

Tax free commercial honey imports.  (TY Steven S) Israel’s finance minister Moshe Kachlon added a sweetener to the Jewish New Year for the business community, signing an order this week authorizing a Customs tax exemption for the import of 560 tons of honey to the Land of Milk and Honey.

New Israeli stamps – Love songs.  (TY Jacob Richman) The latest postage stamps to be issued by the Israeli Postal Service include 12 love songs. One of them, Zemer Nogeh, was played by NASA to wake up Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon (z”l) to start his day on the space shuttle circling the earth.

California boy’s gift brings survivor to Israel.  After hearing his story, 17-year-old Californian teen, Drew Principe, raised $15,000 to enable 89-year-old Shoah survivor Henry Oster to travel to Israel where he would meet his last living relative and finally celebrate his bar mitzvah.

California girl’s funds for agriculture school. 13-year-old Shira Futornick of Palo Alto, California raised $50,000 for Israel’s Arava International Center for Agriculture Training (AICAT). It was a part of her bat mitzvah tzedakah project. Shira had seen AICAT during her older sister’s bat mitzva tzedakah program in 2015.

Where else in the world would you see this?  This photo taken at the back of a restaurant in central Jerusalem captures two young men praying – one Muslim about to bow on his prayer mat, the other a Jew with his Tefillin on.  Religious tolerance and freedom of religion being practiced in the holiest city in the world.



170910


In the 10th Sep 17 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         An Israeli scientist’s algorithm cuts the time of discovering life-saving treatments.
·         Thousands of foreign students have just completed Israeli agriculture training.
·         GM launches its first Israeli driverless car prototype.
·         An environment-friendly Israeli pesticide is protecting Indian fruit crops.
·         Israel is investing $1 billion in renewable energy projects for Africa.
·         The first Israeli to win a World Gymnastics medal.
·         New technology has revealed Hebrew writing on 2600-year-old pottery.

·         Click here to see the 3rd Sept newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours, Janglo, IsraPundit and United With Israel with features on Inclusive and Global,  and Trade. Also (TY Sandra) in German.

·         Click here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives of more than 11,000 previous news articles.
·         Please click here, to donate a small amount to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.

·         If someone wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should send a request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Trials success for gastroenteritis treatment.  Israeli biotech Redhill has announced that the Phase 3 trial of its BEKINDA treatment for acute gastroenteritis and gastritis, on 321 patients in 21 US clinical sites, met its targets for efficacy and safety. There are some 179 million cases of gastroenteritis annually in the US.

Fighting infections via DNA.  I reported previously (July 2015) on Tel Aviv University Professor Udi Qimron’s research into bacterial viruses (phages) that can kill resistant bacteria. His DNA delivery method is now much more sophisticated and he has just received a $700,000 grant from TAU’s Momentum fund.

Algorithm finds new treatments.  Professor Amiram Goldblum at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has won a 2017 Kaye Innovation award for his Iterative Stochastic Elimination (ISE) algorithm, which helps discover new molecules to treat diseases. It identifies candidate treatments in months rather than years.

Life-changing tech for the visually impaired.  I reported previously (May 2016) on the text to speech MyEye device from Israeli startup Orcam. MyEye now clips onto your spectacles and can read text in English, Hebrew, Chinese, French, Italian and German. It can also store names and faces to help identify the people you meet.

Making back to school less lousy.  I reported previously (27th Nov) on Israeli startup Parasonic and its ultrasonic comb for destroying head lice and their eggs (nits). The device has now received FDA approval and should be launched by mid-2018. Parasonic has just raised $1.6 million of funds.

Games therapy for the brain.  More about Israeli startup Intendu that I reported on previously (2nd July). Designed by neuroscientists, clinicians and games developers, the home training console is designed to enhance and possibly rehabilitate, eight cognitive functions. It is currently on trial at the UK’s Hull Royal Infirmary.  https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevorclawson/2017/08/31/the-therapy-gap-startup-offers-hope-for-brain-impaired-patients/#134ac0944a5c

Israel’s new school of medicine. (TY Atid-EDI) Ariel University recently held a ground-breaking ceremony for a new medical school.  The $28 million facility will vastly enhance Ariel’s current pre-med program and 30 research labs. Currently, 4000 students are studying medicine at Israel’s five medical schools.

Israeli bio-techs in San Diego.  23 Israeli companies (listed here) exhibited at the Bio International Convention in San Diego - the world’s largest conference in the field of life sciences, with over 16,000 delegates from some 76 countries.  http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/israeli-firms-share-innovations-at-bio-international-convention-in-san-diego/2017/06/13/ 

What goes around, comes around.  15 years ago, Batya donated a kidney to save her daughter’s life.  Shortly afterwards, her daughter gave birth to a baby girl.  15 years later, Batya contracted Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and needed a bone marrow transplant. Thanks to the Ezer Mizion database, a 100% match was found.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Jerusalem municipality site in French.  (TY Janglo) The Jerusalem Municipality just launched a new website in French that includes all municipal services, information on absorption in Jerusalem, information on immigrant activities and additional services for French speakers. There is already an English site.

Promoting workplace diversity.  Nonprofit social startup ITWorks promotes diversity in the workplace by helping adults living in Israel’s social and geographic periphery to realize their professional potential. ITWorks sets up courses, boot camps and hackathons for women, Arabs, Druze, Circassians, Haredi and the disabled.

Haredi female pilot flies PM to Greece.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was flown by an ultra-Orthodox female pilot to Thessaloniki, Greece for a trilateral summit with Greek and Cypriot leaders. Nechama Spiegel Novak was the first ultra-Orthodox female to co-pilot a trip for an Israeli prime minister.

An incubator for products for the elderly.  Matav, Israel's nursing care non-profit, and Tech for Good, which supports social impact investment, are setting up an incubator for startups developing products and services for senior citizens. The incubator will focus on solutions that extend the time that senior citizens can live at home.

Seeds of Peace.  An optimistic article that describes how local Palestinian Arab community leaders worked with Jerusalem mayor Barkat to improve security. http://honestreporting.com/seeds-of-peace-israel-insights/

Israel donates $32 million to Syrians.  Israelis have donated at least $32 million on goods for Syrian civilians this year, including $26 million from donations and $6 million from the IDF’s Operation Good Neighbor. It has paid for medical equipment, food, and medicine. Millions more have been spent by Israeli hospitals treating some 3,500 Syrian wounded.  https://unitedwithisrael.org/israelis-donate-over-32-m-in-aid-to-syrians-this-year/

An Iraqi Kurd reports on the Jewish State.  Diliman Abdulkader came from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to see Israel. He praises airport security, a friendly Israeli taxi driver and IDF soldier, Arabs and Jews on beaches, at university, in cafes and Parliament. He concludes that Israel is simply striving to survive in a hostile region.

Israel to fund rebuilding of Houston Jewish buildings.  The Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs is to give $1 million in emergency aid, in the wake of Hurricane Harvey to rebuild Houston schools, synagogues and Jewish community buildings which are not funded by the state. It has also shipped several tons of aid to storm victims.

More Israelis fly in to help Houston cleanup.  A team of eight volunteers from Israel’s ZAKA Search and Rescue organization is in Houston to help with clean up in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.  Four more will join them shortly. The volunteers are currently clearing debris and delivering food.

Jerusalem summit for African Christian leaders.  Some 70 delegates from Nigeria, Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Lesotho, Tanzania and Kenya attended a 4-day “Africa Celebrates Jerusalem” summit. They held meetings with Israeli start-ups, politicians and businesses, focusing on agriculture, finance and technology.

Kenyans praise Arava agriculture center.  (TY Hazel) I reported previously (30th Apr) about Israel’s Arava International Center for Agriculture Training (AICAT) which has trained more than 16,000 students from Africa and Asia. Here three Kenyan graduates of AICAT describe how the center has changed their lives.

Israel AgroStudies apprenticeship.  1,200 students from across Africa and Asia have just completed the 13th running of Israel’s unique post-graduate AgroStudies agriculture apprentice training program. (See previous articles here) Its aim is to transfer theoretical knowledge to modern applied agriculture. 


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Innovate Israel 2017. (TY OurCrowd) Innovate Israel returns to London on 12th Sept co-sponsored by OurCrowd in partnership with The Institution of Engineering and Technology. Over 20 leaders of Israeli companies will discuss the most exciting innovations coming from scale-up nation.

Tel Aviv is an R&D hub for corporates.  (TY Janglo) There are 73 international R&D centers in Tel Aviv, nearly doubling in five years, providing over 6,200 jobs. The latest, Visa, joins Amazon, AOL, Apple, Barclays, Bosch, Citibank, Coca Cola, Deutsche Telekom, Facebook, Google, IBM, Intel, MasterCard, Microsoft, Paypal, Renault, Samsung, Siemens, Yahoo and more. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/235060  
 
Detecting light from a single bacteria cell.  Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have created a nanophotonic chip system using lasers and bacteria to observe fluorescence emitted from a single bacterial cell. The breakthrough technology will enhance efforts to build mobile “lab on chip” devices.

IKEA selects insect protein company.  IKEA has chosen Israel’s Flying SpArk to join the nine other startups in its Swedish training course.  Flying SpArk produces a high-quality protein powder from fruit fly larvae for human consumption as a healthier and sustainable alternative to animal protein.

GM unveils prototype of driverless car.  General Motors’ (GM) R&D center in Herzliya has revealed the company's first prototype of an autonomous vehicle. Based on the electric-only Chevrolet Bolt, the car has an advanced array of Israeli-developed sensors and processors to enable it to travel without a driver.

Hyundai teams with Technion on smart cars.  Car maker Hyundai has signed an agreement with Israel’s Technion Institute and KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) to conduct joint research on future mobility technologies. Hyundai will fund a multi-million-dollar Technion-KAIST R&D center.

Technology for digital bank guarantees.  Israel’s Bank Hapoalim and software giant Microsoft are working together to set up a platform to create digital bank guarantees, based on the latest Blockchain technology. The “pioneering project” will help make the process of signing up guarantors a simple and quicker process.

Unearthing one of the first cities.  Archaeologists at prehistoric Tel Tsaf in Israel’s Jordan Valley have found a unique 7,200-year-old clay silo model, the earliest evidence of ritual food storage. They also excavated well-preserved mudbrick architecture, the region’s earliest metal item, and evidence of long-distance trade.

Israel’s biggest tech conference.  (TY TIP and Jacques) 10,000 high-tech professionals descended upon Tel Aviv for the city’s 5th annual DLD (Digital Life Design) Conference. 100 events were planned – including a new focus on food tech in which Israel has over 500 startups. DLD ended with a closing party on the beach.

Protecting Indian crops from fruit flies.  (TY Merav) I reported previously (Apr 2016) about Israel’s BioFeed which developed a solution that killed the Ziko virus-carrying mosquito without having to spray crops. Now BioFeed’s no-spray fruit-fly solution is helping protect Indian mango farmers against the devastating pest.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Israel’s exports rose 6% in first half 2017.  (TY UWI) Israel saw a 6% rise in exports in the first half of 2017, with exports reaching $50 billion. Exports of goods rose 4% to $29 billion. Exports of services (boosted by hi-tech and tourism) rose 8% to $21 billion.  Hi-tech services rose by 12% and tourism by 16%.

Currency reserves up to $111 billion.  August saw another record level for Israel’s Foreign currency deposits.  The new level is just over $111 billion - up nearly a billion dollars from the end of July’s level.

Financial cooperation with Switzerland. The two most innovative nations, (see 22nd Jan) Switzerland and Israel, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen cooperation in the financial services industry.

A $110 million VC Fund.  Israel’s StageOne Ventures has announced the closure of its third venture capital fund, with $110 million in committed capital to invest in 15-18 Israeli startups. StageOne focuses on deep-technology endeavors in B2B software and next-generation IT infrastructure.

Making overseas shopping simple. (TY WIN) Israeli startup ZIPY simplifies the online shopping experience by consolidating shipping prices, carriers, taxes, etc. It enables shipping purchases from eBay, Amazon, Aliexpress and dealextreme to Israel, Romania and Russia. All communications are in your local language.

Merck launches Israel electronics incubator.  (TY OurCrowd) German life-science giant Merck is founding a technological innovation laboratory in Yavne, called PMatX that will function as an incubator for Israeli startups. Its investments will total €20 million and will focus on next-generation electronics.

Bringing ride-sharing to Europe.  Daimler’s Mercedes Benz Vans has invested $50 million and enlisted Israeli-founded startup Via to enter Europe’s ride-sharing market – initially in London. Passengers wanting to travel in the same direction will use Via’s mobile app to share a single Daimler van.

Filming female entrepreneurs.  Two Brazilian women are making a documentary about female entrepreneurs. After visiting 20 countries, they arrived in Jerusalem. At a meeting at the Tower of David Museum, local entrepreneurs expressed hope that the film would inspire young Jerusalem women to enter the business world.

Seven in 2017.  Israeli fruits and flavors company Frutarom has made another acquisition – its seventh in the current year.  This time it’s an Israel company – Turpaz, buying a controlling 51% for NIS 54 million. Turpaz develops, produces and markets fragrance solutions. It recently opened a center in New Jersey, USA.

$1 billion on renewables for Africa.  Israel’s Energiya Global is to invest $1 billion over the next four years to advance green power projects across 15 West African countries. It is part of a memorandum of understanding signed between Israel and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). (An inspiring video.)

Algae products for America.  I reported previously (3 times) on Algatechnologies which makes the anti-oxidant, AstaPure®, and other products from microalgae grown in Israel’s Arava desert. AlgaTech has just opened a New York City-based subsidiary to increase sales of its products to the North American market.

Direct from Montreal to Tel Aviv.  (TY Atid-EDI) On June 22, Air Canada celebrated their first direct flight from Montreal-Trudeau airport to Tel Aviv. The service operates twice weekly until mid-October. Just four days earlier, on Jun 18, Air Transit celebrated their first direct flight on the same route.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

The Zionist art of Salvador Dali.  (TY WIN) In the 1960s, famous Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali, produced Zionist-themed paintings. They included a ship carrying Jewish refugees to Israel, an Israeli menorah (candelabra) and a series entitled “Aliya”. Here is a new montage of Dali's tribute to the Jewish people.

Mekudeshet festival.  (TY Janglo) The 4-week Mekudeshet festival, which ends on 15th Sept, features many inspirational artists and musicians.  http://en.mekudeshet.com/

The Simon & Garfunkel Story.  (TY Janglo) The Simon & Garfunkel Story is coming from the UK’s West End to tour Israel.  It’s probably the closest you can get to seeing Simon & Garfunkel without actually seeing them. From 13th - 18th Sep in Jerusalem, Kiryat Mozkin, Cinema City, Airport City and Rishon Letzion.

Artists4Israel.  Last year, Artists4Israel visited 63 global campuses and universities to share their artistic talent for Israel.  Led by gifted street and graffiti artists, they engaged with over 25,000 students, many of whom helped paint pro-Israel murals with messages of support for Israel.  Events were co-sponsored by StandWithUs.

Conan O’Brien’s six-day-tour.  (TY Avi) US comedian Conan O’Brien was interviewed by Yonit Levi of Israel’s Channel 2. He talked about his first trip to Israel, meeting all types of people and said he was impressed by the fit men, beautiful women and relaxed vibe. He also told her what he’d do if he moved to Israel.

Tel Aviv comes to London.  The four-day TLV in LDN gala festival kicked off on 8th Sep. It included a beach party, music from Dana International and food from to Israeli chef Shaul Ben Aderet.

Watch NFL games with Israeli tech.  I reported previously (here) on Israeli-developed FreeD from Replay Technologies – since taken over by Intel.  Now TV viewers of American football will be able to watch FreeD’s 360-degree replays and other features at 11 National Football League (NFL) venues this season.  https://worldisraelnews.com/israeli-tech-scores-starting-position-new-nfl-season/

Israel’s first-ever World gymnastics medal.  (TY Hazel) Linoy Ashram won a bronze medal in the all-around competition (hoop, clubs, ball and ribbon) at the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, making her the first Israeli to ever win a medal in the category.


THE JEWISH STATE

Exhibit of 1st Temple Jewish seals.  Letter seals excavated in Jerusalem’s City of David National Park dating back to 700 BCE are to be displayed at the annual City of David archaeology conference. Biblical names like "Achiav Ben Menachem" prove refugee Northern Kingdom Jews had senior Jerusalem positions.

1st Temple inscription revealed.  Tel Aviv University researchers have used multi-spectral imaging to reveal a Hebrew inscription on a pottery shard (ostracon) from 600 BCE.  The object was originally found at Tel Arad and has been on display at the Israel Museum for the last 50 years. The inscription is a request for supplies.

Holocaust survivor’s bar mitzvah in Israel.  (TY Jacques) 93-year-old Shalom Shtamberg celebrated his bar mitzvah 80 years late.  When he was 13 he was imprisoned by the Nazis in the Warsaw Ghetto. After reading from the Torah in Haifa he danced with family and friends.

More mega-bloggers visit Israel.  As part of the UploadEuro project of pro-Israel non-profit StandWithUs, students of the IDC Herzliya brought 7 popular international bloggers (and their 9 million readers) to see Israel as they’d never seen it before. E.g. they were amazed to see Arabs and Jews sit together in a Jaffa restaurant.  They also visited Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. http://www.standwithus.com/news/article.asp?id=5419

“I am the first Bangladeshi to visit Israel”.  (TY StandWithUs) Dr Shadman Zaman was taught at school to hate Israel. But his grandfather taught Shadman the truth about the perseverance of the Jewish people for self-determination in their homeland. Shadham now uses his inherited affinity with Zionism to inspire others.  https://www.youtube.com/embed/nGEFL9MNaXw?rel=0



170903


In the 3rd Sep 17 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         Israeli doctors used a minimally-invasive Israeli implant to treat congestive heart failure.
·         An innovative Israeli laser can treat glaucoma in one second.
·         The first-ever blind person to be accepted to serve in the IDF.
·         Israeli aid teams arrive in Texas to help residents of Houston, Austin and Dallas.
·         Israel’s first environmental satellite is now in orbit.
·         15,000 Indian farmers will have a harvest, thanks to Israeli drip-irrigation.
·         Israeli unemployment drops to a record low of 4.1%.
·         An Israeli is the new World Blind 10-pin-bowling Champion.

·         Click here to see the 27th August newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours, Janglo, IsraPundit and United With Israel with feature on Inclusive and Global. Also (TY Sandra) in German.

·         Click here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives of more than 11,000 previous news articles.
·         Please click here, to donate a small amount to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.

·         If someone wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should send a request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Patient receives new implant to treat diastolic heart failure. A 72-year-old Canadian at Israel’s Rambam Medical Center is the first congestive heart failure patient to receive a new CoRolla implant from Israeli biotech CorAssist. The device was implanted by catheter and the patient has improved sufficiently to be discharged.

Rabies treatment approved.  Israeli biotech Kamada has received FDA approval for its anti-rabies vaccination in the US. US company Kedrion will be responsible for distributing the new product.  Kamada is already marketing the anti-rabies vaccine in various countries.

Seeing the signs of Alzheimer’s.  I reported recently (30th July) about the research at Sheba Medical Center into the link between Alzheimer’s disease and loss of retina function.  Israel’s RetiSpec is already working towards building an ocular scanner for the spectral signature of neuropathological changes due to the disease.

Curing glaucoma in the blink of an eye.  (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Belkin Laser has developed an innovative laser ray system that can treat glaucoma in just one second every year, instead of daily eye drops. There is no need for direct contact of the equipment with the eye. Belkin recently raised $5 million of funding.

An app to guide the visually impaired.  Israel’s RightHear is an iPhone app that enables the visually impaired to find their way through shopping malls, hospitals, universities – any of the 200 locations (mostly in Israel) where Apple iBeacon transmitters have been installed. It’s also integrated with taxi apps Gett, Uber and Lyft.

The elderly can benefit from baby movements.  Researchers at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University have found that older adults use the same exploration-exploitation mechanism that babies use to successfully grasp objects.  And as with babies, making “mistakes” helps improve future task performance.

Doctors save child after massive hemorrhage.  There were dramatic scenes at Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center when a 7-year-old boy arrived with severe stomach bleeding.  They quickly removed a large benign polyp in the boy’s colon – a rare occurrence in one so young.  The boy recovered and has now been discharged.

Gaza man cured of Tree-man virus.  Doctors at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center cured Mohammed Taluli from Gaza of a rare genetic disorder. Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (tree-man disease) is contagious and cancerous. It causes scaly lesions on the feet and hands that resemble tree bark. (See the astonishing photo.)

Returning the smiles to African children’s faces.  Israeli surgeons Omri Emodi and Zach Sharony from Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center have been in Ghana correcting facial deformities (e.g. cleft lips and palates) in local children. The mission was managed by US organization Operation Smile.

After treatment, PA official donates recovery room.  A senior Palestinian Arab official has donated tens of thousands of shekels to Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center after he himself underwent cancer treatment at the Israeli hospital. The money will fund a room for children, pre-and-post chemo and radiotherapy treatment.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

30% subsidy for new Jerusalem employees. (TY Janglo) Jerusalem’s Kivun Center helps the capital’s Haredim find employment.  It is currently offering to pay 30% of the salary for new employees for 30 months. 

Backgammon finals – co-existence wins.  I reported previously (10th Oct) about a Backgammon tournament held in Jerusalem that brought together Jews and Arabs. The games have become a city-wide Championship involving about 500 Jews, Christians, Muslims and others, supported by both private and municipality funding.

Soccer camp unites Israeli Jews and Arab children.  75 Jewish and Arab six-graders attended a 3-day Soccer for Peace summer camp at the Center for a Shared Society in Givat Haviva,

More special IDF soldiers.  (TY WIN) I reported previously (three times) on Israelis with cerebral palsy who applied to and were accepted into the Israel Defense Forces.  Here is a 4th “Special in Uniform” – Lotan Aroch, who has just completed her 18 months’ service in the IDF. And Daniel Defur became the first blind Israeli to serve in the IDF.  http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/daniel-defur-blind-idf/

Israeli debating students compete in Indonesia.  StandWithUs sponsored the 2017 Israeli High School Debate Team which recently competed in the 29th annual World Schools Debating Championship in Bali, in (Muslim) Indonesia. The team finished 13th in the world, winning 6 out of 8 initial debates.

Wheelchairs for Vietnamese children.  (TY Stuart) Israel’s Embassy in Vietnam is donating 100 innovative wheelchairs especially designed for children with disabilities. The Embassy used the budget for Israeli Independence Day celebrations to buy the lightweight wheelchairs from Israel’s “Wheelchairs of Hope.”

Help for Austin and Dallas.  Israeli humanitarian aid organizations IsraAID and iAID have gone to Texas to help residents of Austin and Dallas suffering from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey.  IsraAID will offer trauma counseling and help clean up debris and salvage belongings from flooded homes, whereas iAID will support the National Guard.  http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/hurricane-harvey-chabad-israid-flooding/

Trauma support for Houston.  The Israel Rescue Coalition has just flown a team of the United Hatzalah Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit to Houston, Texas. It is led by Jerusalem therapist Miriam Ballin, a Haredi woman who founded the pioneering psychological first aid unit.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Israel’s first environmental satellite circles the world.  The first Israeli-developed environmental satellite, VENµS, was successfully launched at the Guiana Space Center’s Kourou site.  The joint Israel Space Agency and French space agency CNES project will allow study of global environment, agriculture and water issues.

Fish farm scientist receives innovation award.  I reported recently (2nd July) about Hebrew University Professor Berta Levavi-Sivan’s technology that promotes fish growth – as implemented in Uganda. She has co-founded the startup AquiNovo to utilize the technology and was awarded a 2017 Kaye Innovation award.

UN chief sees Israeli innovation.  (TY Sharon) During his visit to Israel, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was shown Israeli technological innovation in the fields of water, energy and malaria tests. These included Water-Gen, Aqwise, Innovation: Africa, HomeBiogas and Sight Diagnostics.

National English Studies program launched.  Israel’s Ministry of Education has launched a NIS 70 million initiative to increase English proficiency around the country. Its 4-year goal is for 70% of Israeli students to study high and advanced English (currently 61%). It targets improving verbal skills using non-formal methods.
Also, more on the NIS 12 million ($3.4 million) nationwide training program for English teachers.

Agriculture for Angola and Zambia.  Tahal Group – a subsidiary of Israel’s Kardan – is to construct three agricultural centers in Angola worth $145 million. They include farms, irrigation, greenhouses, chicken coops and a training center. Tahal is also to build a $176 million agricultural and water project in Zambia.

Israeli drones deliver goods in Reykjavik.  I reported previously (Sep 2015) about Israeli startup Flytrex’s claims to be the world’s first delivery drone that operates over the cloud.  Now Flytrex has launched in Iceland what it says is the world’s first commercial food delivery route based entirely on unmanned aerial vehicles.

Israeli drip irrigation transformed SW India. (TY Hazel) Karnataka, a state in southwestern India, has transformed 59,305 acres of drought-stricken land in Hunagund into a fertile green pasture, thanks to Israeli drip irrigation. As a result, by October, 15,000 farmers will harvest their first monsoon season crop in years.

The best cybersecurity product for cars. (TY Atid-EDI) I reported previously (20th Nov) on Israel’s Karamba Security which protects cars against hacking attempt to alter its factory settings. Karamba’s CarWall was unanimously awarded 2017 Best Auto Cybersecurity Product/Service by TU-Automotive.

To catch a (data) thief.  (TY WIN) Israeli startup ITsMine has developed technology to protect companies against internal and external data theft. CEO Kfir Kimhi explained his product on ILTV News. Hackers trying to encrypt, copy, change or delete data are immediately blocked.

Protecting things in the Internet of Things.  (TY Atid-EDI) Israeli-managed Armis has launched its unique security platform that lets enterprises eliminate their IoT (Internet of Things) security blind spots. Armis’s team includes Technion graduates and former members of Israeli Cyber Intelligence Unit 8200.

Science on tap.  The Weizmann Institute held its annual “Science on Tap” night where about 60 leading scientists and outstanding PhD students gave informal science talks on the same day, same hour - in bars and cafes around Tel Aviv.  https://www.youtube.com/embed/rpGh0-7nnys?rel=0

Advertise in ice cubes.  Israeli startup Icebow seeks to revolutionize chunks of frozen water by branding them with company logos and images. The technology provides a cool, new way for brands to engage with customers, embossing ads and designs at the center of the ice cubes, using only water, with no additives.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

July unemployment rate at 4.1% - a new low.  Israel's unemployment rate fell to 4.1% in July, down from 4.3% in June. Participation in the labor force for the 25-64 age group rose from 79.8% in June to 80.1% in July.

OECD praises Israel’s growing economy & low unemployment.  (TY Atid-EDI) The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) issued a new laudatory report on the Israeli economy. Low unemployment and 2017/8 growth of 3.25% was good and would increase with Finance Ministry budget plans.

US-Israel energy R&D budget triples.  The Israeli and US governments are jointly to invest an additional $8 million in energy research and development, in addition to the $4 million already invested through the BIRD Energy Fund since 2009. New research fields include fuels, smart grid, desalination and energy cybersecurity.

Digital Israel. Israel’s cabinet has approved the latest phase of the "Digital Israel" program being promoted by the Ministry of Social Equality. It aims to narrow social and geographical gaps, reduce the cost of living, promote rights in healthcare and welfare, stimulate growth and improve access to government services.

Israel is a cybersecurity powerhouse. Ambassador Yoram Ettinger writes that Israel has 300 cybersecurity startups, exporting $6.5 billion in 2016. Three are among WSJ’s top 25 tech companies to watch. 2017 Israeli cybersecurity investment and exits are huge.  Israel and the US have set up a cybersecurity bilateral group.

Israeli-founded biotech exits for $11.9 billion. US giant Gilead has just bought Kite (a biotech founded by Israel’s Arie Belldegrun) for $11.9 billion.  Kite’s CAR-T technology was developed by Weizmann Institute’s Professor Zelig Eshhar. A patient’s own immune system T-cells are genetically engineered to attack tumors.

Mazor Robotics strengthens alliance with Medtronic.  Israel’s Mazor Robotics entered into a strategic agreement with US giant Medtronic in 2016.  Medtronic is now assuming exclusive worldwide distribution of the Mazor X surgical assurance platform for spine surgery. It is also investing a further $40 million in Mazor.

Racing for cheaper sports goods.  6,000 Israelis attended the opening of a huge Decathlon sporting goods chain branch in Rishon Lezion – its first in Israel. Decathlon’s business model is to provide good value prices, mainly through private brands and own-name sporting goods, rather than through leading well-known brands.

Build your own mobile app in a snap.  Israeli startup AppsVillage is the Wix of smartphones, helping small businesses build an app quickly. AppsVillage has already attracted some 1,000 customers in the past three months, mainly in Israel, and is now launching its service in the US.

Diamond tech is priceless (almost).  Israeli ecommerce and diamond technology company R2Net has been bought by Signet - the world’s largest diamond jewelry retailer – for $328 million.  R2Net’s Segoma Imaging Technologies has developed 360° diamond display, the virtual ring sizer and the ring try-on mobile app.

Skoda opens Israeli tech office.  Car maker Skoda is to open an Israeli Digilab office, to search for advanced smart car technologies and investment opportunities that can be included in the brand's technological systems. Skoda said its Israeli presence will give it direct access to innovative projects, high-tech startups, and IT talents.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

The world’s largest Jewish soul festival. The city of mysticism, Safed (Tzfat) is one of Judaism’s four holy cities. It is also home to the world’s largest festival of klezmer music. This year is the 30th that the city has hosted the festival. https://www.youtube.com/embed/tOXDUT1mi2A?rel=0

See the Dead Sea differently.  (TY Avi) One benefit from the lowering of the level of the Dead Sea is that it has exposed some amazing salt crystal formations. https://www.youtube.com/embed/ra-hJJZREhU?rel=0

Cliff Richard to perform in Tel Aviv.  British singer, musician, performer, actor and philanthropist Sir Cliff Richard is scheduled to give a concert on October 10 at Tel Aviv’s Menora Mivtachim Arena. The day before, he will visit the Freddie Krivine Foundation, which fosters young Arab and Jewish tennis players.

Why did the chicken enter the monkey cage?  Niv – a crested macaque monkey at Israel’s Ramat Gan Safari – has adopted a chicken that wandered into his enclosure.  Zoo officials say that the unlikely pair are inseparable. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ss_Qsu_yC-g?rel=0

Israeli in FIBA Hall of Fame.  Miki Berkovich is the first Israeli player to be inducted into the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Hall of Fame. Berkovich, now aged 63, helped Maccabi Tel Aviv win its first European Championship in 1977 and is widely considered to be the greatest Israeli basketball player ever.

Israeli judoka wins bronze in World Championships. Israeli judoka Tal Flicker earned a bronze medal in the under-66 kilo class at the World Judo Championships in Budapest. He beat Ukraine’s Georgii Zantaraia, who had previously won the gold medal at April’s European Championships.

Israeli blind bowler is World Champion.  Shlomi Lazmy, a blind Israeli veteran, won first place in the 2017 International Blind Sports Federation Tenpin Bowling World Championships for the blind in Fukuoka, Japan. 60-year-old Shlomi was blinded in the Golan in 1986. He has been playing the sport for eight years.


THE JEWISH STATE

3 days in Basel. 120 years ago, on 25th Aug 1897, the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland began a Jewish transformation. The sheheheyanu blessing was read, thanking God for bringing the Jews to this time. “We are coming home,” Herzl declared in the Congress. and famously stated later: “At Basel, I founded the Jewish state.”  http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/120-years-later-3-days-in-Basel-that-changed-the-course-of-the-Jewish-nation-503768

120 Herzls celebrate in Herzliya.  To mark the 120th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress that Theodor Herzl organized, 120 men and women named for him gathered in Herzliya, Israel, to celebrate his legacy.  http://www.jta.org/2017/08/25/news-opinion/israel-middle-east/120-people-named-herzl-pose-for-photo-in-israel-to-honor-1st-zionist-congress-anniversary

50 seconds of Jerusalem.  (TY Avi) Multicultural, energetic, inspiring. So much is happening in Jerusalem you will be amazed to see it packed in to 50 seconds. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jxt3-VIi-W4?rel=0

How King David conquered Jerusalem.  (TY Avi) 3000 years ago, the Israelite King David used Israeli “outside of the box” thinking to penetrate the seemingly impossible defenses of the Jebusite city that would become Jerusalem – the capital of the Jewish State.  https://www.youtube.com/embed/XXHiXuPw7zM?rel=0

Inspiring documentary.  “Operation Wedding” a film by Israel’s Anat Zalmanson-Kuznetsov is currently showing in Israel and will shortly tour the USA. The film portrays Anat’s parents and 14 others who were jailed for planning to escape Soviet Russia by plane in 1970. World protests led to the mass Aliya of Soviet Jewry.



170827

In the 27th Aug 17 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         Israeli researchers can detect early cancer using high-powered MRI.
·         Israeli doctors performed the first transplant of lab-grown bone.
·         An Israeli charity has bought land to grow crops for the poor.
·         Israel was the first country to help flood victims in Sierra Leone.
·         Israel’s Weizmann Institute is the top non-US research facility.
·         Fiat-Chrysler has joined the Israeli-based driverless car project.
·         The grand-daughter of a WW2 Nazi mayor now serves in the IDF.

·         Click here to see the 30th July newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours, and United With Israel with extra features on Inclusiveness and Health (with 1,800 likes). Also (TY Sandra) in German and (TY Karen) in Portuguese.

·         Click here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives of more than 11,000 previous news articles.
·         Please click here, to donate a small amount to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.

·         If someone wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should send a request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Detecting cancer early via hyper-MRI.  Researchers at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center have made a breakthrough in non-invasive scanning. Using high-power MRI imaging they illuminate nuclei of Phosphorus atoms in body tissues.  It reveals tissue pH (acidity) levels that can indicate the early formation of tumors.

Cause of rare children’s disease discovered.  Dr Orly Elpeleg of Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center has identified the genetic mutation responsible for a rare and devastating pediatric neurological disease that has baffled doctors for years. Discovery of the DNA flaw can help early diagnosis and treatment development.

A bracelet to monitor vital signs.  Israel’s BiPS Health is developing a medical bracelet that constantly monitors blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), respiration rate and heart rate. The bracelet incorporates two short inflatable finger cuffs with sensors. It will benefit both nurses and patients.

Preventing kidney damage during surgery.  Israel-founded biotech Quark has announced success in a Phase II trial of its treatment for preventing kidney damage during open-heart surgery. 300,000 such operations are performed annually in the US alone. Quark is now in Phase III trials to use the treatment in kidney transplants.

Brain center dedicated.  I reported previously (Mar 2013) on the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Brain Sciences Center.  Construction is now complete and the $58 million building, scheduled to open in October. Another $92 million has been allocated for future research projects.

Emergency medical training for Gap Year students.  Thanks to United Hatzalah, Israel gap year students can now participate in Israel’s first officially recognized NREMT (national registry for emergency medical technicians) program - the most recognized accreditation for medical first responders in the United States.

First transplant using lab-grown bone.  Medical history was made at Emek Medical Center in Afula when semi-liquid live human bone tissue grown in a lab from a 40-year-old patient’s own fat cells was transplanted into the patient’s arm by injection. The early-stage trial used technology by Israel’s Bonus Bio (see here)

More innovative Israeli bandages.  (TY Hazel) Israeli border police medics have been testing Israeli-made Woundclot bandages that clot the blood fast (even on stomach and artery wounds) and then dissolve in a week.
Also, Dr Amir Bakar (co-founder of Israeli startup Nurami) explained his post-brain-surgery patches on ILTV. https://www.youtube.com/embed/i6_hK0SUyBw?rel=0      (See also 5th Feb newsletter)


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Israeli charity buys land to grow food for the needy. (TY Lorraine) Charity Leket Israel has purchased a field near Binyamina for the sole purpose of growing food for the poor. Leket plans to grow some 500 tons of produce per year, to feed around 2,700 people daily.  Leket distributes 15,000 tons of unsold crops to the needy.

Summer camp for special needs kids.  130 children come every day to Ezer Mizion’s day camp for special-needs children. They travel from the entire Southern region (Netivot, Ofakim, Sderot, Beesheva, and all the surrounding towns).  250 volunteers entertain the kids with activities from chocolate-making to dog-training.

Special marriages.  Ezer Mizion and several other Israeli organizations have been instrumental in arranging matches between people with medical issues, including Downs Syndrome. And you don’t have to understand Hebrew to be moved by the associated video. http://www.ezermizion.org/blog/she-opened-up-my-heart/

Every guide dog has its day.  A feature article on the Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind, located near Moshav Beit Oved in central Israel. It is the country’s only accredited guide dog training school. Read why the dogs have English names; why students adopt the dogs for a year, and why there are cats at the center.

Druze IDF chief medic is sworn in.  (TY Hazel) I reported previously (Jul 2016) of the naming of Brig. Gen. Dr. Tarif Bader, a member of Israel's Druze community, as the next IDF Chief Medical Officer.  Dr Bader has just taken up his new position.  In the video he describes his command of Israel’s rescue forces in Nepal.

Treated in Israel – a Syrian’s story.  You’ve probably heard that Israel has treated thousands of Syrians wounded in their civil war. The video focuses on just one of them, and literally brings the situation to life. And more praise for Israel’s work with Syrians from US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Michael Ratney.

Israeli innovation at European Parliament.  Israeli “water from air” startup Water-Gen (see here) and cyber security specialist Cymmetria (see here) presented their innovative systems at the European Parliament’s 'Innovation across borders' conference. Since 1996, 3000+ Israeli projects have been approved by EU programs.

Sharing water tech in Montana.  (TY Nevet) A delegation of Israeli water experts met with Montana US State leaders to explain the leading Israeli technologies developed to address the global water shortage. The Israelis observed Montana’s varied water practices from irrigation to municipal consumption.

Helping African communities survive.  (TY Hazel) Luba Mayekiso, the National Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem in South Africa, explains how Israeli innovation can revolutionize Africa. While other countries have exploited South Africa, Israel has established itself as a partner, rather than colonizer.

Food aid for South Sudan.  Israel’s foreign aid agency and several Israeli humanitarian NGOs have distributed six tons of food supplies to villagers in a drought-stricken area of South Sudan.

Israel is first to help Sierra Leone. Just 24 hours after hearing the call for help, Israel sent supplies to provide nourishment for three days, after heavy flooding and a mudslide that buried houses on the outskirts of Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown. IsraAID workers are now helping survivors They recovered bodies and are giving survivors food, clean water, sanitation, and psychological help. IsraAID has been in the country since the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak.  https://www.israel21c.org/israel-rushes-aid-to-flood-victims-in-sierra-leone/


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Smart job-matching startup targets US market.  I reported previously (Apr 2016) on Israeli startup Workey which uses Artificial Intelligence to match workers to open job offers. Workey has just raised $8 million to help it launch in the US and open a new office in New York City.

Which bread is better – white or whole wheat?  (TY Nevet) Scientists from Israel’s Weizmann Institute, Sourasky hospital and Tel Aviv University have proved that everyone can have entirely different blood-sugar reactions from eating white and whole wheat bread. It is the bacteria in the gut that determines the reaction.

Research into drought resistance.  (TY Nevet) I reported previously (Apr 2012) on olive trees planted at Ben Gurion University’s Wadi Mashash experimental agricultural desert research farm. Students from 30 countries now study how to grow crops in the minimal rainfall climate where planting can only occur after a winter flood.

Quantum communications. I reported previously (Aug 2013) that the Hebrew University of Jerusalem had founded the Quantum Information Science Center. The center has just won a NIS 7.5 million Israel Government tender to lead the construction of a national demonstrator for quantum communications technologies.

The top non-US research institute. The Nature Index of Innovation 2017 ranked Israel’s Weizmann Institute sixth in its international ranking of the world’s top 200 research institutions and the only non-US institution in the top ten.  Weizmann also ranks fifth in applications for patents.

One of the world’s coolest design museums.  See the latest exhibits at the Design Museum of Holon – 6th on the UK Telegraph’s list of coolest museums.  The video shows a recent exhibit of cool eyewear, featuring intriguing optometry pieces from the 19th century, curious contemporary glasses, and futuristic VR shades.

Squeezing out every drop of water.  The Middle East is drying up.  But Israel’s Zuckerberg Institute is developing solutions that can help its parched neighbors and in the process, bring together old enemies in common cause. They see water as a bridge, through joint ventures. And one of those ventures is desalination.

Cutting down the size of the genome.  Now that the human genome has been mapped, the problem is how to store each terabyte of an analyzed genome. Israeli startup Geneformics has developed technology to reduce the size of the data footprint by 90 per cent, helping those working on customized medicines for patients.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

1000 Jewish businesswomen.   (TY Sharon) One thousand Jewish women attended the 8th annual Temech Conference at the Jerusalem International Conference Center. Temech was founded to help educate Charedi-orthodox women so they can get better paid jobs. The focus these days is to help grow existing businesses.

New Jerusalem start-up incubator. An innovation technology incubator has been set-up to support growth of early stage startups in Jerusalem. It is an initiative of Israel’s OurCrowd, Motorola Solutions and Reliance Industries. A key participant is Yissum, the commercialization arm of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Milk and Honey goes up for auction.  The first 100 bottles of Israel’s first single malt whisky, called Milk and Honey, is being auctioned on the Scottish website whiskyauctioneer.com. Experts say that the Tel Aviv distillery produced a mature and complex whisky for its young age, thanks to aging in the warm Israeli climate.

More Israeli driverless car news.  Car maker Fiat Chrysler is joining the self-driving car consortium led by BMW, Intel and its Mobileye (Israeli) subsidiary that aims to develop fully driverless vehicles by 2021.  And Renault-Nissan is opening a smart-car incubator in Tel Aviv.  (See also Jan 29 article)

Direct flights to Buenos Aires. The national airlines of Israel and Argentina, El Al and Aerolíneas Argentinas are to begin scheduled flights between Tel Aviv and Buenos Aires, possibly as early as Sept 2017. 


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Watch the desert turn green.  For about two weeks every year, the Israel’s Judean Desert is transformed into a lush oasis with a green carpet and an abundance of flora and fauna.

Israel’s craft beer boom.  (TY Nevet) I wrote previously (Sep 2013) about the Beer Bazaar in Tel Aviv that sells up to 93 different Israeli beers. The Beer Bazaar has now opened in Jerusalem, which is featured in this article about Jerusalem’s craft beer scene.

Golden State Warriors win, with Israeli tech.  (TY Nevet) I reported previously (29 Jan) that Golden State Warriors were the first US NBA Basketball team to use the Israeli SmartCourt training system. Their “smart” move may have been partly responsible for them winning the NBA Championships in June.


THE JEWISH STATE

Unanimous US support for undivided Israeli capital.  With a vote of 90-0, lawmakers of Capitol Hill’s Senate – the US upper chamber - voted through a resolution that stated, ‘Jerusalem should remain the undivided capital of Israel’. It was co-sponsored by 17 senators, including both Republican and Democratic party leaders.

Iranian blogger is safe in Israel. Hours after she arrived at Ben Gurion Airport on Thursday, Neda Amin, an Iranian-born journalist and dissident who feared being deported from Turkey to Iran, thanked the Israeli government for granting her refuge, adding that she has Jewish roots and would love to live in Israel.

180 new StandWithUs graduates.  At a ceremony at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, 180 students graduated the 2017 StandWithUs Israel Fellows. They join over 1,600 Alumni of the program from the last eleven years. The StandWithUs Fellowship has become the leading program in Israel for public diplomacy at Israeli universities.

Grand-daughter of Nazi mayor joins the IDF.  Hans Beretele was so disgusted with his father’s Nazi past, that he came to Israel and converted to Judaism.  His daughter Gaya now serves in the Israel Defense Forces. 
 

170730
In the 30th July 17 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         Israeli scientists have found a molecule to fix a damaged heart.
·         An Israeli nurse breastfed the baby of a critically ill Palestinian Arab.
·         Israel is top in 4 categories of the UN Global Innovation Index.
·         The first European city to “plant” an Israeli solar-powered tree.
·         A record $1.1 billion takeover of an Israeli biotech.
·         Tel Aviv broke the record for the largest yoga art installation.
·         There is now an App to help make the Aliyah process easier.

·         Click here to see the 23rd July newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours (July 9th), Janglo and United With Israel. Also (TY Sandra) in German and (TY Karen) in Portuguese.

·         Click here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives of more than 11,000 previous news articles.
·         Click here, to donate a small amount to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.

·         If someone wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should send a request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

A molecule that restores heart function.  Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have uncovered a molecule called Agrin, that appears to control the cardiac repair process. It was discovered in the surrounding supportive tissue of the heart known as the extracellular matrix, or ECM. In lab tests, Agrin healed scar tissue in a month.

Good results in acne dual-treatment trials. Israeli biotech Sol-Gel has announced positive interim results in its Phase II clinical trial for its “Twin” treatment for acne. “Twin” combines two known acne treatments with a unique method of molecular wrapping that makes it easier to penetrate the skin.

Alzheimer’s disease can be seen in the eyes.  Researchers at Israel’s Sheba Medical Center have discovered a connection between mild cognitive impairment and the response of that person’s eye pupil to red and blue light. More tests will check if loss of retina function is an early warning of Alzheimer’s disease.

Eye-Control: life-changing technology.  Latest video about Israel’s Eye-Control, a compact and affordable invention that gives a voice to locked-in patients who were unable to communicate, due to diseases such as ALS.  With Eye-Control individuals use their eyes to spell out words and statements, proving that the eyes really are the window into the soul.  https://www.youtube.com/embed/_VaPBIViS7o?rel=0

£7 million for UK-Israel joint research.  (TY Hazel) The Britain Israel Research Academic Exchange (BIRAX) has funded over £7 million in 15 bilateral research programs including stem cell treatments for multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease and therapies for Type 1 diabetes.

Surgery for Fijian children.  (TY Hazel) More than 50 children will undergo free surgery and health screening in Suva, capital of Fiji, by an Israeli team of three doctors and a nurse. The team is part of Mashav, an arm of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, which assists more than 60 countries to alleviate hunger, disease and poverty.

Nordic walking and pain.  I reported previously (15 Jan) on the unique study led by Israel’s Dr. Donald Silverberg that showed Nordic Pole Walking (NPW) can alleviate chronic low back, hip and/or knee pain.  In this video, Dr. Silverberg describes his study and its eye-opening (and back-straightening) results.

Israeli surgeons save girl on Birthright tour. Kimberly Winkler, from the Dominican Republic, suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm whilst on a Taglit-Birthright tour of Israel.  She was rushed to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem where surgeons performed three delicate operations to save her life.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Help for child daycare.  (TY Atid-EDI) As part of the Finance Ministry’s family assistance program, Israel is subsidizing afternoon daycare for all families. The Israeli Parliament also passed a law capping prices for after-school care. http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-cabinet-approves-afternoon-daycare-subsidies-1001189402

New accessible beach for the disabled.  (TY Janglo) Thanks to "Refuah V'simcha," an organization which helps sick and needy people, Israel will have its first separate handicapped-accessible beach in Ashdod.  It will have an access route right up to the water line, allowing the physically handicapped to preserve their dignity.

Integrating Israeli-Ethiopians.  I reported previously (Oct 2016 – TY Sharon) on Israel’s Tech-Career which has helped over 400 young Ethiopian-Israelis launch careers in the Israeli hi-tech industry.  Here is a more recent article about the work of this vital non-profit organization.

Israeli to swim round Manhattan to fund research.  Israel’s Guy Cohen will take part in the 20 Bridges Swim around Manhattan - one of the hardest swims in the world. He is raising funds for research by Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center into Sudden Cardiac Death, which took his six-year-old daughter Netta 15 years ago.

Israeli nurses baby of injured Arab mother.  Finally - a positive Israel article in the NYT. A Palestinian Arab mother was so badly injured in a car crash that she was unable to nurse her baby, who wouldn’t take a bottle. Whilst family members watched helplessly, Israeli nurse Ola Ostrowski-Zak took the child and breastfed him.
https://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2017/06/12/israeli-nurse-breastfed-the-baby-of-a-critically-injured-palestinian-woman/ But please click, as this positive story doesn’t end here.  (Original article in Today.)

The father of Israeli social work.  Eliezer Jaffe passed away aged 83, a week after receiving the Bonei Zion Prize for significant contribution to Israel. Jaffe founded Israel’s first academic school of social work, the Paul Baerwald School of Social Work at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He also founded the Israel Free Loan Association. http://www.jta.org/2017/05/30/news-opinion/israel-middle-east/eliezer-jaffe-a-father-of-israeli-social-work-dies-at-83

Israel-Asia Center graduates.  11 promising young leaders from eight countries recently graduated from the Israel-Asia Center’s 2016-17 Leaders Fellowship program. Now in its sixth year, alumni are heading up Asia operations of Israeli companies, establishing Asian accelerators in Israel and setting up Israel-Asia ventures.

Child development program graduates.  Haifa University’s International Child Development Master’s Program aims to improve the lives of children at risk worldwide, and is the world’s only fully funded academic child development program. 2017 graduates are from Uganda, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Liberia, Tanzania and Kenya. https://worldisraelnews.com/developing-countries-benefit-israeli-child-development-program/

Georgia – a 2,600-year link.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and visiting Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili highlighted the 2,600-year history of Jewish relations with the Caucasus country. The Georgian leader committed his Government and people to strengthen bilateral ties.

The rising star of Global Innovation.  The Jewish state ranked 17th overall in the United Nations Global Innovation Index report, improving its standing by four places from 2016. It topped the list for percentage of researchers, expenditure on R&D, Venture Capital investment and IT services export.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Testing fruit for freshness.  Israeli start-up AclarTech has developed the AclaroMeter app that works with a smartphone’s camera and the Israeli SCIO molecular scanner, to monitor the ripeness, freshness and quality of fruit and vegetables. It could revolutionize the global food market by helping prevent wasted products.

More Israeli protection from the Dark Web.  I reported previously (see here) on three Israeli companies that provide services to prevent cyber-attacks from the hidden side of the Internet.  Israeli start-up White Hat is another. Staffed by former members of IDF intelligence units, White Hat deals in “civilian cyber intelligence”.

Israeli cows are still cream of the crop.  (TY Atid-EDI) I reported previously (Jun 2011) that in 2009 Israeli cows produced more milk than those in any other country – around 10,000 litres a year each. Eight years later, Israel’s cows are still world champions, now producing on average 11,970 litres (3,162 gallons) of milk a year.

French town “grows” Israeli solar tree.  I reported previously (Nov 2014) about the solar-powered artificial tree designed by Israeli start-up Sologic. Now, a Sologic eTree has been placed in the French Loire town of Nevers (population 37,000), allowing passers-by to charge their phones, use free Wi-Fi and have a cool drink.

Nano-ink for printed circuits.  (TY Atid-EDI) I reported previously (see here) on at least three Israeli companies that have developed ink for miniaturized electric circuits.  Here is another – Israel’s PV Nano Cell has just received a Japanese patent for its silver nano particles ink, which should enhance its Japanese business.

The first certified fully-automatic drone. (TY Atid-EDI) The Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI), has granted Israel’s Airobotics the world’s first authorization to fly fully-automated commercial drones without a pilot.  The system uses computer software and artificial intelligence instead of a human drone operator.

The boot is on the other foot.  I reported recently (25 Jun) about Israel’s Invertex which scans your feet to help you choose the right size of shoe on the Internet.  Now another Israeli startup WizeSize does something very similar. Let me know if you can tell the difference. https://www.youtube.com/embed/v1HftsBWWJ8?rel=0


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

$3.1 billion exports to US in 3 months.  Israel Export Institute reported that Israeli exports to the U.S. amounted to $3.1 billion in the first quarter of 2017 - an increase of 5% over the same period in 2016. Medical equipment exports rose 23% to $650 million.

UK-Israel trade increases.  (TY Hazel) The British Embassy in Tel Aviv has reported that since the Brexit vote, from June 2016 to May 2017, 32 new Israeli companies have entered the UK market, investing £152 million and creating 888 new jobs.  http://www.bicom.org.uk/news/uk-israel-trade-increased-brexit-vote/

Top Israeli entrepreneurs give advice. Israeli organization AlmaLinks promotes Birthright-like ties between the Jewish business community in the US and Israel. It brought 200 Diaspora business executives to hear from Israelis who have led their companies to become “Unicorns” - i.e. having valuations of a billion dollars or more.

Lower water rates.  (TY Atid-EDI) The Israel Water Authority Council has reduced the rate for the first 3.5 cubic meters of water per person for household consumers by 14.5%.  The cost to farmers has been cut by 20%.

Help for small and medium businesses. (TY Janglo) Israel’s Ministry of Economy and Industry has set up Maof - The Agency for Small and Mid-Sized Enterprises. Maof has 40 branches, providing subsidized consulting, help to raise funds, organizing conferences, courses, training and special projects.

The largest exit of an Israeli healthcare company.  I reported previously (four times) on Israel’s Neuroderm and its innovative treatments for Parkinson’s sufferers.  Neuroderm has just been bought by Japan’s Mitsubishi Tanabe for $1.1 billion – a record for an Israeli life-science company. It should bring products to market faster.

A $2.6 billion company.  Israel’s Tower Semiconductors, which specializes in analog chips, has seen its share price double over the past year.  It is now valued at NIS 9.5 billion ($2.6 billion). First quarter profit rose nearly 60% to $45.5 million.  The demand for analog chips has soared, even in the digital world.

Elbit’s cyber unit opens in Singapore. Cyberbit, a subsidiary of Israel’s Elbit Systems, is opening new offices in Singapore which it sees as an important center for cybersecurity technologies in the Asia Pacific region.  Elbit acquired Cyberbit from Israel’s Nice Sysems in 2015 and it already has offices in the US and Europe.

Acquisition to help educate coders.  I reported previously (three times) on Israeli cyber-security startup Checkmarx which is preparing a NASDAQ listing.  Checkmarx has just taken over the UK’s Codebashing, whose software trains programmers to write secure code, by use of Codebashing’s interactive game-like app.

Jaguar goes into Israeli car-tech.  (TY Zvi) Through its InMotion Ventures, Tata Motors (owner of Jaguar Land Rover) has invested in the $40 million VC fund of Israel’s Maniv Mobility. This invests in autonomous driving, connected cars and vehicle data and already has investments in Israeli startups Otonomo and Cognata.

Cheaper shoes.  (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Finance Ministry has canceled the 12% customs duty imposed on shoes. Its aim is to reduce the gap in prices between Israel and abroad without hurting domestic industries.

Tel Aviv to Rome by Ryanair. Ryanair, Europe's largest low-cost carrier, is to launch a daily Tel Aviv-Rome route from October 29 with fares starting from €17 in each direction. Ryanair CEO David O’Brien praised Israel’s transport and tourism ministers for opening the skies and for promoting Israel as a tourist destination.

New Intel factory.  (TY JNI Media) Intel Israel has announced that it will open a new microprocessor manufacturing plant in Kiryat Gat that will employ 1,500 workers. Production at the new plant is expected to begin by 2018.  http://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/intel-to-open-new-chip-plant-in-israel-and-create-1500-jobs/2017/07/22/


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Israeli actress is the most popular. Gal Gadot, the Israeli star of the film “Wonder Woman,” rose to No. 1 on The Hollywood Reporter’s Top Actors list, which is a ranking of the most popular actors on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Google Plus.

Record-breaking yoga event.  On International Yoga Day, Tel Aviv organized the world’s largest yoga mat art installation.  Israel’s Amit Trainin, of the Bezalel art institute, designed the 1,400-square-meter yoga mat painting, which was assembled using 1500 yoga mats in Rabin Square, for use by hundreds of Israelis.

Save on summer attractions. (TY Janglo) If you're looking for a fun day out in Israel this summer, you can save BIG with discount vouchers and savings, thanks to Janglo, Kosherfrugal.com and Groupon deals. Indoor, outdoor activities and kosher restaurant / take-away deals.

Jerusalem Beer Festival.  (TY Janglo) The Jerusalem Beer Festival is the largest and most unique festival of its kind in Israel. At Independence Park from 6pm to midnight on Aug 23 & 24, you will find 120 different beer types, from well-established brands to local boutique breweries. It also features DJs & musicians. 

The magic of The Pixies.  Having just experienced Britney, Guns N’ Roses and Radiohead, Israelis were excited to see post-Punk legend The Pixies return to Israel for two concerts in Caesarea on July 25 & 26. In the first, the Boston quartet performed for 2 hours and included 30 songs.

Israel’s National Trail.  The Israel National Trail is one of the most beautiful trails in the world. It’s also a way to see places that regular tourists don’t sees.  One day you’re by the water; next day, the woods and next day, the desert.

Feeding half-a-billion migrating birds.  (TY WIN) Watch this 360-degree video of a tractor driver in Israel’s Hula Valley, spreading food to birds migrating between Europe and Africa to keep them from destroying local agriculture. https://www.youtube.com/embed/RVy5IyOxAuI?rel=0

Soccer chances.  I don’t want you to get too excited, but there are currently still three Israeli soccer teams competing in the finals of European Cup qualifying rounds. Bnei Yehuda have a difficult tie, but Maccabi Tel Aviv and Beersheba both have good chances of reaching the group stages.

Silver in the hoops.  Israel’s Under-20 basketball team reached the European final in Greece.  Although underdogs, they beat France 74-52 in the semi-final, losing to their Greek hosts 65-56 in the final.


THE JEWISH STATE

After 70 years, Exodus passengers meet Israeli President.  At his Jerusalem residence, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin met 12 of the 4,554 Holocaust refugees who traveled on the Exodus, seven decades after the ship’s iconic voyage to the Land of Israel. All were deported in 1947 but many returned to the new State.

From the swamp to oasis.  I recently visited the kibbutz (Sde Eliyahu) featured in this excellent video which charts the history of Israeli agriculture from its malaria-infested beginnings to its current model for alleviating world hunger. The kibbutz develops ecologically-friendly methods to eradicate pests for global benefit.

Soon – no need to convert your driving license. (TY Janglo) Israel’s Transportation Ministry has announced that Olim and returning residents with valid driving licenses for five years will now be able to get Israeli licenses immediately. Currently, all drivers must have lessons and do a practical test to get an Israeli license.

The prayer for Israeli security forces. (TY Janglo) The words “Israel Police officers” have been added to the traditional prayer for the Israel’s Defense Forces, which is recited in synagogues around the world.

Make Aliyah easier – download the app.  (TY Janglo) Aliyah is a series of steps that leads to complete integration: papers, diploma, language, work, going to Ikea, etc. Now MyAliyah - a new iOS app - helps you follow the stages of relocation and absorption and receive your benefits, to ensure a successful Aliyah.

More Aliyah from Venezuela.  Jews are fleeing the rapidly deteriorating conditions in Venezuela.  26 (from seven families) recently opted to use their eligibility for citizenship in Israel. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews organized and paid for their flights and subsidized each family member.

1st Temple artifacts found in Jerusalem.  Israeli archaeologists excavating the Jerusalem’s City of David recently exposed evidence of the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians. The excavations on the eastern slope of the City of David, revealed charred wood, grape seeds, pottery and rare artifacts.



170723

In the 23rd July 17 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         A diabetic treatment from an Israeli plant could benefit millions.
·         An Israeli charity 3D prints hands for amputees.
·         Israel has sent planes to combat fires in Montenegro.
·         An Israeli startup has developed eco-friendly fish farms.
·         An Israeli all-electric plane was unveiled at the Paris Airshow.
·         Huge international sales of Israeli explosives detectors.
·         Radiohead’s Tel Aviv concert was a great success.
·         A 12-part concise mini-series for the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War.

·         Click here to see the 16th July newsletter on IsraelSeen, Janglo and United With Israel. Also (TY Karen) in Portuguese and (TY Sandra) in German (9th July and 16th July).

·         Click here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives of more than 11,000 previous news articles.
·         Click here, to donate a small amount to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Israeli thorn bush treats diabetes.  Dr. Tovit Rosenzweig of Ariel University has discovered that the Israeli plant Sarcopoterium Spinosum (sira kotzanit / thorny burnet) can balance blood sugar levels. Dr. Rosenzweig is developing a treatment from the plant that could benefit more than 200 million diabetes sufferers worldwide.

New treatment for Tourette Syndrome.  (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Therapix Biosciences is conducting a proof-of-concept Phase II clinical study with the Hannover Medical School, of its lead compound THX-TS01 for 20 patients suffering from Tourette Syndrome. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/therapix-biosciences-and-the-hannover-medical-school-enter-into-an-investigator-initiated-clinical-trial-agreement-to-assess-the-effect-of-txh-ts01-in-patients-with-tourette-syndrome-300453033.html

Universal Flu vaccine’s positive trial results confirmed.  Final results of BiondVax’s Phase 2b trials of its Universal Flu vaccine confirmed preliminary results reported here previously. (5 Feb) Both endpoints were met. Immune response to the vaccine was statistically significant. BiondVax can now proceed to Phase 3 final trials.

Hypoparathyroidism biotech heads for NASDAQ.  I reported previously (Apr 2014) on Israel’s Entera Bio which is testing treatments for disorders in the parathyroid gland, and osteoporosis. Entera Bio has now filed for floating the biotech on NASDAQ to fund Phase II/III trials of its treatment for hypoparathyroidism.

Looking good.  A research team from Israel’s Bar-Ilan University has developed “Prophecy” - a first-ever formula that lets hyaluronic acid penetrate the deeper skin layers, to smooth out wrinkles using a cream and without injection. Hyaluronic acid absorbs water to smooth the skin and has antioxidant properties to slow the aging process. http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-researchers-rub-it-in-with-new-anti-wrinkle-cream/

Enabling the mute to speak.  Israeli charity Ezer Mizion recently hosted a major conference on Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC).  The aim of the conference was to share the cutting-edge knowledge that Ezer Mizion has been advancing.  Those on Facebook please watch the video of the conference’s opening.

Enabling the paralyzed to walk.  The ReWalk is an FDA approved exoskeleton that allows individuals with spinal-cord injuries to stand, walk, and move freely. Israel’s Re-Walk has already helped more than 100 paraplegics take their first steps towards mobility – some can be seen in this new short video.

3D printing transforms face surgery. Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham UK uses the Objet Eden 350V 3D printer from Israeli-founded Stratasys to produce customized face models for pre-surgical preparations. It cuts surgical planning time by up to 93%, saves 3-4 hours per surgery and cuts costs by up to £20,000 per op.

Upgraded FDA approval for Insightec.  (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Insightec has been granted US FDA approval to use its Exablate Neuro system with 1.5T MRI - the most common MRI system in use today.  It should vastly expand the use of Insightec’s successful non-invasive focused ultrasound treatment for essential tremor.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Support for survivors.  Three times a week, Israeli charity Ezer Mizion provides breakfast for 120 Holocaust survivors - elderly members of its British Café Club. They have lectures, exercise sessions, field trips and parties. In addition, Ezer Mizion’s Eshnav program gives one-on-one home support to homebound survivors.

3D-printing prosthetic hands.  (TY Karen & INO) Israeli non-profit Haifa 3D prints prosthetic hands for children and adults at no cost. Haifa 3D volunteers receive assistance from Israel’s Technion and donations for computers, printers, plastics and all other parts. They even designed a hand that can hold a guitar pick.

Female tekkies should join the club.  Real-life groups are key to encouraging Israeli girls and women to enter high-tech careers and flourish at work. Examples of such Israeli groups are LeadWith, QueenB and CyberGirlz.

Arab industrial park for Arabs and Jews.  Israel’s Technion and the Israeli Government are establishing a new industrial park in the Galilee Arab settlement of Shfar’am. The aim of the park is to unify the Jewish and Arab economies – managed by Arabs but bringing together Jews and Arabs, to get the best out of both.

UK prince supports Sport for Peace.  During a rain-break at Wimbledon, Prince Michael of Kent helped launch the new Sport for Peace project to complete a new state-of-the-art sports center in Israel. It’s aim: to bring young Israeli Arabs and Jews together to compete alongside each other and increase understanding.

Arab Muslim woman sings with Radiohead.  Arab Muslim female singer Nasreen Qadri shares the stage with Radiohead and supports the band’s decision to perform in Israel.  Nasreen was born in Haifa and grew up in Lod, two cities with a mix of Arab and Jewish communities, living side by side.

Improving security and comfort.  Thanks to fingerprint readers and workers’ buses, it now takes only 8 minutes for 50 Palestinian Arab factory workers to cross the “Green Line” each day on their way to work. The new system is being piloted prior to being rolled out across Israel, Judea and Samaria.

IDF medical help to wounded Syrians.  (TY TIP) In the IDF’s “Operation Good Neighbor”, which began Aug 2016, there have been over 110 individual aid events. The goal was to reach as many needy Syrians as possible, without violating Israel’s carefully crafted policy of non-intervention in the Syrian civil war.

Agreements with Ukraine. In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed agreements with the (Jewish) Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman covering disaster co-operation, medicine and health, trade statistics and temporary workers.  Ukraine recently voted against UNESCO’s anti-Israel resolution.

First-ever visit by Quebec leader.  A 100-strong delegation joined Philippe Couillard’s first official visit to Israel by a Quebec premier. His priority was to open a Quebec trade office in Israel and set-up an artificial intelligence and metadata partnership. A $12 million program will support bilateral industrial R&D projects.

Israeli sends firefighters to aid Montenegro.  Following Montenegro’s appeal to NATO for international help, Israel dispatched firefighters and 4 planes to assist the Balkan state in tackling devastating forest fires that have spread across the country’s coast. A new heatwave in the region is expected to cause further wildfires.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

New species of butterfly discovered.  Israeli researchers have identified a new species of butterfly, named Acentria’s fritillary (Melitaea acentria) unique to northern Israel, Lebanon and Syria. The first new species in 109 years is believed to have arisen through natural hybridization (inter-breeding) between two other species.

Breeding fish in artificial seawater.  Israeli aquaculture startup Latimeria breeds fish in water that has been desalinated and then has salt added.  The innovative process avoids pumping seawater in and out, saving electricity, minimizes water leakage and stops the introduction of harmful bacteria.

Google translates using AI for Hebrew.  You may have noticed an improvement in the accuracy of translating Hebrew into English using Google Translate.  Google has moved to neural machine translations (Artificial Intelligence) for Hebrew and Arabic, resulting in more natural suggestions.
Organic rosemary solutions.  Israel’s Frutarom has developed an extract from organic rosemary that reduces oxidation and thus increases the shelf life of other foods. Frutarom worked with Israel’s Hishtil Nurseries to produce the rosemary variety. Rosemary also has health benefits as anti-oxidants absorb damaging free radicals.

The next generation of microscope.  Israeli startup Scopio Labs develops digital microscopes, based on computational imaging breakthroughs. These dramatically improve research into cancer, hematology, cytology etc. while powering academic studies and treatment development. Scopio has just raised $7 million of funds.

What’s wrong with the system?  (TY Atid-EDI) Israeli startup Loom Systems uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and system logs to discover and prevent problems in digital systems.  It is an automated, machine-assisted log analysis tool, capable of correlating cross-applications events and providing the root cause in real time.

Medals at Chemistry Olympiad.  Israeli secondary school students won 3 medals at the 49th International Chemistry Olympiad in Thailand. Ron Solan, Rina Sevostianov and Ofir Shmool won a silver and two bronze medals, respectively, at the contest which attracted teams from 76 countries.

System to prevent jamming.  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and Honeywell Aerospace have agreed to jointly develop an advanced GPS Anti-Jam navigation system.  The operation of many navigation systems relies on uninterrupted availability of satellite-based navigation and timing. (See here for other Israeli systems.)

Best video ad distributor.  For the 2nd year running, Israel’s Woobi has won a Bully Award for Innovation. Earlier in the year, Woobi won the Best Video Distribution Platform award at the Digiday Video Awards in New York. Woobi's programmatic video ad-tech solutions targets ads to users’ individual interaction patterns.

Improving corn yields.  (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Kaiima Bio-Agritech is working with Beck's, the largest family-owned retail seed company in the United States, to produce high-yielding varieties of corn (maize). Kaiima’s proprietary non-GMO platform called EP™ boosts the efficiency of essential food and feed crops.

Satellites on the move.  (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Elbit Systems is to provide the Israeli Ministry of Defense with dozens of satellite-on-the-move (SOTM) systems. The systems can be installed on a variety of platforms and are unique in their small footprint and its advanced tracking capabilities. http://ir.elbitsystems.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=61849&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2270638&ind=0

An all-electric airplane.  Israel’s EViation Aircraft unveiled its Alice Commuter electric plane at the Paris Air Show. It can carry 9 passengers plus 2 crew up to 1000km using a Li-lon - 980 kWh energy pack. EViation saved hundreds of thousands of dollars and months of time by 3D printing prototype parts and machine tools.

Using AI to train your sales team.  (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Gong.io (a Gartner “Cool Vendor”) has launched its Real-Time Conversation Intelligence platform for sales teams. Gong uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze sales conversations and help train sales and customer service staff.

Food security conference.  International celebrity chef Assaf Granit and Israeli First Lady Nechama Rivlin were among the 350 delegates to a conference in Rehovot on food and nutrition security.

Analyzing feed at US dairy farms.  I reported previously (several times) on Israel’s Consumer Physics and its SCiO handheld food analysis spectrometer.  Now Cargill Animal Nutrition will be sending the SCiO to US dairy farmers to help them check the nutrition of dry forage and deliver a more consistent diet to their animals.

Retrofitting solar to old buildings.  KKL-JNF, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Construction and Housing, have launched “Easy to Breathe” - a national environmental program. Old public housing buildings, commencing in Beit She’an and Safed, will be renovated and retrofitted with solar power.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Airport taxi monopoly ends.  Travelers are now able to order taxis using the Gett app after landing at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport, ending Hadar-Lod Taxi’s monopoly on airport taxi services.  Also, taxis bringing passengers to the airport can now wait to pick up arriving passengers, even those who haven’t pre-booked.

A better detector. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s IDenta has been inundated with orders for its detection kits for explosives and banned substances. The UK (Manchester and London), the US, France and Israel recently placed orders for thousands of kits. Earlier customers include Thailand and Wizz Air.

Israelis find oil in California.  Israel’s Modiin Energy has found signs of oil during its preliminary drilling of the Mountain View project in Kern County, California. It now proposes production tests, to estimate the rate of production and the size of the reservoir in the prospect. Modiin is also testing at the nearby GrapeVine project.

CyberArk acquires Conjur.  (TY Atid-EDI) Israeli cybersecurity “giant” CyberArk has made yet another overseas acquisition by purchasing Massachusetts-based Conjur. Conjur’s revolutionary technology secures Development / Operations and increases CyberArk’s business prospects within the DevOps arena.

SodaStream’s Homoschlepiens ad.  Watch Mayim Bialik (star of “The Big Bang Theory”) in her new commercial for Israel’s SodaStream.  She humorously demonstrates how buying water and fizzy drinks in plastic bottles “makes no sense”.  https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z-yfuSnUz6Q?rel=0

Study for a degree in Law or Business in English.  I reported previously (Feb 2016) about the opportunities to save a fortune in fees by studying for a Law or Business degree in Israel in English, and then finishing your qualifications in the USA. Israel’s College of Law & Business is holding its 2017 Open House on 2nd Aug.

Start-up Nation meets Wall Street. New York City’s NEXUS: Israel education and networking conference, coordinated by American Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, brought together over 300 scientists, attorneys, venture capitalists and others to discuss Israel’s latest high-tech advances. See the amazing agenda.

SAP’s new Israeli HQ.  I reported previously (July 2015) on software giant SAP’s Israeli R&D center and its attraction to the Startup Nation. SAP has shown its faith in Israeli technology and economy by building and moving into its new $67 million Ra’anana headquarters - the new home for its 800 R&D employees.

$35 million exit for Camtek.  I reported previously (Sep 2014) on some big orders that Israel’s Camtek had landed for its semiconductor inspection modules.  Now Camtek has sold its whole Printed Circuit Board (PCB) business to China’s Principle Capital fund. Camtek’s Israeli-based and global operations remain intact.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Discover Africa in Jerusalem.  (TY Janglo) See the treasures of Africa during the months of July and August at the “African Nights” experience in the Botanical Gardens of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem Wine Festival. (TY Janglo) At this year’s Jerusalem Wine Festival (Aug 7 – 10) you can  learn about Israel's best and most interesting wineries, and drink a lot of great wine in the Israel museum's beautiful gardens. Tickets include unlimited tastings. On Tue and Wed, tickets include entrance to the museum.

Ice Cream Day.  For the first time, Israel joined America’s celebration of Ice Cream Day on 16th July. Buza and Iceberg chains promoted black coconut ice cream. Iceberg also sold flower-flavored ice cream and Vaniglia offered malabi with rose water. The Anita chain even gave a free ‘Doggy Cream’ sorbet to any visiting canines.

Ex-IAF medic is Miss Israel.  Rotem Rabi, a native of Jerusalem, has been crowned the new Miss Israel. Rabi served as a medic in the Israel Air Force, and although currently working as a model, she hopes soon to join the Israel Police investigative division. Rabi will represent Israel at December’s Miss World in China.

The Galilee’s secret pastoral hotspot.  (TY Avi) Known as the Princess of the Galilee, Rosh Pina is home to a mix of natural, cultural, historic and entertainment hotspots. A beautifully restored, northern village, Rosh Pina is just the place for a leisurely and relaxing vacation.  https://www.youtube.com/embed/_qKbHL5-qrQ?rel=0

Radiohead’s 27-song concert.  Radiohead showed their loyalty to 47,000 Israeli fans in Tel Aviv’s Yarkon Park with their longest concert in 11 years.  The band’s first international success was in Tel Aviv in 1993. 

Spectacular end to Maccabiah Games.  International supermodel Bar Refaeli was the MC for the closing ceremony of the 20th Maccabiah Games - entitled “Higher. Better. Together.” When Natan Sharansky told the audience passionately, “We all will build our home together,” the crowd began to chant “Am Yisrael Chai!”

Maccabiah upgrade of Jerusalem sports facilities.  The Jerusalem municipality has invested tens of millions of shekels to establish and upgrade sports facilities across the capital for the Maccabiah Games and afterwards to serve the wider public. New facilitates support ice hockey and track and field competitions for the first time.

Race you up Mount Hermon.  On July 28, athletes can take part in the second annual Mount Hermon Run – the ascent of Israel’s tallest mountain, in Northern Israel. There are three race categories: Nordic walking, running and extreme mountain running. The race begins at an altitude of 1,600 meters and finishes at 2040 meters.


THE JEWISH STATE

More finds in the City of David.  (TY Janglo) This is part 2 of the two-part documentary in which Erick Stakelbeck tours the City of David in Jerusalem with City of David Foundation Directory Ze’ev Ornstgein to discover the top ten archaeological finds that prove the ancient Jewish Biblical claim to Jerusalem.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/tG1LCJhGsJM?rel=0 And here is the link to Part 1 in case you missed it.
And (TY IsraPundit) recently the Temple Mount sifting project discovered remains from a mikveh (ritual bath) that existed right underneath the current site of the Al Aqsa Mosque.

What Jews ate in Jerusalem 2000 years ago. Following 3 years excavating an ancient landfill in the City of David, Tel Aviv University has published that 2nd Temple Jerusalemites kept kosher. They dined primarily on sheep and goats, with much fewer cows and chickens. They ate plenty of fruit and vegetables, but no pork or shellfish.  http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Jerusalem-excavation-reveals-diet-of-ancient-Israelites-during-Second-Temple-period-494148

Six-day-War mini-series. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Six Day War between Israel and the surrounding Arab countries, here are 12 very short videos of the dramatic events in June 1967 that transformed the State of Israel. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-DNOnmKkUaagpJX65dCjPHf2gzdZ9LqR

“Celebrate Israel” parade.  I know it’s late, but I must include an article about the 40,000 US supporters of Israel who marched, sang and danced along Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue on June 4th to show their support for the Jewish State.  Earlier, the Empire State Building was lit up in blue and white – the colors of the Israeli flag.

Israel Book Week.  The 56th annual Israel Book Week featured book fairs in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Rishon Lezion, while book stores offered discounts all across the country. For the first time, Jerusalem hosted both the Hebrew Book Week fair and the International Book Fair at the same time. 7,600 books were published in 2016.

Students uncover reservoir in Kingdom of Israel.  High-school students have exposed a huge 2,700-year-old water system near Rosh Ha-Ayin. They also found remains of vessels used to draw water from the reservoir. The reservoir would have been in the Kingdom of Israel, which was conquered by the Assyrians in 720 BCE.



170716

In the 16th July 17 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         Israeli scientists have identified the trigger for Alzheimer’s disease.
·         Israeli and PA emergency services held a major joint training exercise.
·         The first State visit to Israel by the Central African Republic.
·         A major Israeli project is initiated to discover Dark Matter.
·         Tourism to Israel soared by 28% in June.
·         Guns N’ Roses rock Tel Aviv.
·         Jonah and the Whale have been discovered in the Galilee.

·         Click here to see the 9th July newsletter on IsraelSeen, Janglo and United With Israel. Also (TY Karen) in Portuguese.

·         Click here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives of more than 11,000 previous news articles.
·         Click here, to donate a small amount to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Breakthrough in Alzheimer’s research.  Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute genetically sequenced every cell in the brain’s immune system (microglia). In Alzheimer’s disease, they found Disease-Associated Microglia (DAM) trying to keep the brain healthy, but restrained due to insufficient or mutated key regulatory proteins like TREM2. It may lead to new therapies.  https://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il/life-sciences/over-dam-cells-rejuvenate-brain  https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCA43LiwSg0?rel=0

Preventing breast cancer in diabetic women. (TY Nevet) Diabetic women recovering from the aggressive HER2-positive form of cancer double the risk of recurrence if they take insulin. Now a Phase III trial led by scientists at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital has shown that the anti-diabetic treatment metformin can prevent recurrence. http://www.hadassah.org/news-stories/new-study-led-by-hadassah.html

Shedding light on cancer.  (TY Nevet) Israeli biotech Todos Medical has developed the “Total Biochemical Infrared Analysis” (TBIA) method for screening of solid tumors. The patient’s white blood cells are exposed to a spectrum of light. Analysis of the results reveals where the immune system has responded to tumor presence.  

Six Israelis win Howard Hughes awards.  The prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute has awarded 5-year grants of $650,000 each to 41 international biomedical scientists. Six of them (14.6%) are Israelis – three from the Weizmann Institute, two from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and one from Israel’s Technion. 

An autism database. (TY Nevet) Ben-Gurion University scientists and Soroka University Medical Center doctors have established the hospital-university-based (HUB) autism database to benefit scientists, patients and their families. One goal is to help identify different autism subtypes, likely generated by different causes.

Extending the margins.  I’ve reported previously (several times) on MarginProbe from Israel’s Dune Medical and how it detects whether all cancerous material has been removed during breast cancer surgery.  Now MarginProbe is to be extended for similar testing during surgery for prostate, colon, lung and pancreatic cancer.

UK diabetics love their Dario.  Clinical Commissioning Groups in three UK regions have named the Dario™ Blood Glucose Monitoring System the first choice of all patients with type 1 diabetes, for “Smart meters with carb counting.” It comes after Dario’s launch of a direct-to-consumer channel in the UK.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

NIS 3 million for special needs tech.  The Israel Innovation Authority is funding projects worth 3 million shekels to develop solutions for those on the autistic spectrum, the visually impaired and wheelchair users. 

International women entrepreneurs see the Startup Nation.  30 women entrepreneurs from 30 countries came to Israel to get inspiration at Startup Tel Aviv.  They heard from Israeli women like Fiona Darmon, CEO of JVP Media Central.  They pitched to top angel investors and venture capitalists and received useful feedback.

Jewish-Arab tech center is 3 years old.  I last reported (Mar 2015) on the Moona co-existence tech hub in the Galilee two years ago when 50 Jewish and 50 Muslim students attended the research center. Now some 750 students graduate from its activities every year and 30 schools participate in the scheme.

The art of co-existence.  In the Israeli-Arab Galilee village of Sakhnin, the Sakhnin Biennale is an alternative art festival featuring artists from Israel and from 65 other countries. The village has become a meeting place for northern Israel's diverse population which includes Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities.

Training to save lives together.  Israeli Emergency Services and the Palestinian Authority Civil Defense Forces (PCD) held a joint drill to enhance their skills and improve their response to real events. Participants included Israel’s Magen David Adom, the PA’s Red Crescent and fire-fighters from both sides.

The power to distribute electricity.  For the first time, Israel has handed over control of an electricity substation to the Palestinian Authority. The Israel Electric Corporation also trained Palestinian Arabs to maintain the site near Jenin. Substations will soon be handed over in Hebron, Ramallah and Nablus (Shechem).

Rwandan president praises Israel.  During his visit to Israel, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame highlighted the blossoming cooperation between the two countries in technology, agriculture, energy and security. “Israel has continued to follow through on its commitments and objective of scaling up engagement across Africa.”

First state visit from Central African Republic.  President Faustin-Archange Touadéra made the first-ever visit to Israel by the head of state of the Central African Republic (CAR).  He said to Israeli President Rivlin “we have come to Israel in order to learn – your country is a school for us.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

NYT discovers Israel-Arab research project.  I reported previously (Dec 2012) that the BBC reported on the Middle East SESAME synchrotron project without mentioning Israel’s involvement. Over 4 years later, the New York Times reports on the project and amazingly (for the NYT) does mention Israel.

If dark matter exists, Israelis will find it.  (TY Nevet) Dark matter is hypothesized to be far more abundant than ordinary matter but no-one has detected any – until now. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev is to develop Israel’s first dark matter detector.  It utilizes atomic spectroscopy, magnetic sensors, lasers and optics, atomic clocks, and advanced electronics.  https://aabgu.org/bgu-develop-israels-first-dark-matter-detector/

Double security award.  (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Dome9 Security (mentioned here in Jan 2012) has won “Best Cloud Security Product” in the 2017 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards.  It was also Editor’s Choice for Cloud Security Solutions in the 2017 Cyber Defense Magazine Awards. Dome9 just received $16.5 million of funds.

Keeping traffic moving in Nevada.  (TY Karen) The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada and Israeli startup WayCare, are launching a pilot program to help predict and prevent crashes and subsequent traffic jams.  WayCare will use real-time and historic data to alert the RTC to send out patrols.

Efficient delivery of your products.  (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Bringg is the leading on-demand delivery platform for enterprises. It has clients in over 50 countries – the latest being the Panera Bread network of bakery-cafes. The system dispatches and tracks orders and customers see the location of the delivery driver.

An Israeli startup walked into a bar.  (TY Atid-EDI) I reported previously (July 2013) on Israel’s Weissbeerger and its technology to monitor beer taps in a bar. This new video shows how the data produced is used by the brewery to identify consumption patterns and ensure a top quality drink is delivered to the customer.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

June tourism up 28%. 303,000 tourists entered Israel in June 2017, 28% more than in June 2016. Jan to June saw a 26% increase in visitors, to an all-time-record of 1.74 million. Estimated revenue from incoming tourism in this period was NIS 9.4 billion. Tourism from the USA (the largest in total) increased by 20%

Ben Gurion is world’s 8th best Airport. The readers of Travel + Leisure magazine voted Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport as the 8th best airport in the world. Rankings were based on travelers' experiences of access, check-in, security, food, shopping and design.

Naples or Venice?  (TY Janglo) EasyJet are launching regular flights from Tel Aviv to Venice and to Naples. There are three flights a week to Venice, starting 31 Oct and two flights a week to Naples, starting 4 Nov. These routes bring to eleven the number of easyJet’s scheduled services to Europe from Tel Aviv.

Stiff race for top Israeli talent.  In the Israeli tech industry, workers are in greater demand than supply as the 112 recruiting companies confirmed at the employment fair held at the private university IDC Herzliya. Also, many youngsters want the challenge of starting their own company rather than joining an existing one.

Delek strikes oil deal.  (TY Atid-EDI) I reported previously (Oct 2015) that Israeli oil company Delek had taken a 19.7% stake in Canadian-UK oil exploration company Ithaca which is active in the UK’s North Sea waters.  Delek has now taken-over control of Ithaca for around 470 million Canadian dollars.

TaKaDu’s first US customer.  Israeli water event management company TaKaDu has won its first US customer – Knoxville Utilities in the State of Tennessee. TaKaDu will allow Knoxville to detect, analyze and manage network events and incidents such as leaks, bursts, faults, operational failures and more.

Tubi 60 goes global.  Tubi 60 is an Israeli-made alcoholic drink with a secret mix of some 60 natural herbs and fruit essences. Developed and distilled by Hilal and Yanai Tubi, the vegan herbal spirit is available at most Jerusalem bars and clubs. It will soon also be found on liquor shelves in Texas, Brooklyn, Oslo and Berlin.

That’s the ticket.  (TY Atid-EDI) New York based ticketing platform company SeatGeek has bought Israeli ticketing software company TopTix for $56 million. TopTix will power SeatGeek Open – a radically new approach, in which artists sell tickets through popular ecommerce websites, travel tools, and messaging sites.

Getting the flavor of Brazil.  (TY Karen) I reported previously (Oct 2014) that Israeli flavors and fine ingredients giant Frutarom was expanding into Peru and Chile with its purchase of Montana Food. Frutarom has continued its South American acquisitions, buying 80% of Brazilian ice-cream maker SDFLC for $33 million.

How an Israel sells his car.  Israeli Eugene Romanovsky went to great lengths to sell his 1996 Suzuki Vitara by making an elaborate video using visual effects that has generated millions of views. With dramatic music, the car appears to out-run dinosaurs, races a cheetah, escapes an avalanche and drives to a desert mountaintop.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

What to bring back from Israel. (TY Yuval) This video from AIPAC suggests some of the best souvenirs for tourists to take home from a trip to Israel. But a warning - they may take up quite a bit of space in your suitcase.

Israel’s trendiest beaches.  (TY Janglo) Here is the young-person’s guide to the best beaches along the 185 kilometers (115 miles) of sandy Israeli Mediterranean coastline, as well as the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret). Covering Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Herzliya, Kinneret, Hadera, Carmel, Tel Dor. Caesarea and Nahariya.

The magic of Jaffa. (TY Avi) The smells of the sea flavored with black coffee and spices from the markets, Levantine culture combined with European, ancient mixed with new – this is Jaffa. One of the oldest port cities in the world. Today's Jaffa is a vibrant city that never ceases to surprise and innovates.

Guns N’ Roses rock for 3 hours.  Rock legends Guns N’ Roses performed to 60,000 fans in Tel Aviv.  The tour was named the “Not in this lifetime” tour because Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan reunited, in spite of Axl’s 2014 prediction that they would never re-establish the band. The video features “Sweet Child of Mine”.

See the Pretenders in reality.  American musician Chrissie Hynde and her band The Pretenders will perform on 23 Sept at the Menora Mivtachim Arena, Tel Aviv.

NBA champs sign top Israeli.  (TY Janglo) Omri Casspi’s phone rang at one-minute past midnight on the day that the Israeli basketball star became a free agent. It was the owner of NBA champions Golden State Warriors in California, offering Casspi a one-year contract.  It was an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Jerusalem streets closed for Maccabiah Night Run. (TY Sharon) Tens of thousands took part in the Jerusalem Maccabiah Night Run – not just those participating in the Maccabiah Games.  Many of the streets in Jerusalem were closed whilst the runners completed the 5 or 10 km routes or the half Marathon.


THE JEWISH STATE

One million reasons to love Israel.  Here, some Israeli children give perceptive views about their country.

200 new Olim arrive from France. (TY Janglo) The largest Keren Hayesod-Jewish Agency flight of olim from France this summer has landed at Ben-Gurion Airport. Israel’s Health Ministry now recognizes French medical degrees, and a new bill automatically recognizes medical credentials of immigrants from EU countries.

900 on Montreal Mega Mission. More than 900 people, one of whom is 100 years old, came to Israel on the Federation CJA’s Montreal Mega Mission. The trip attracted 100 first-time visitors to Israel and 116 return visitors from the last trip organized by Federation CJA in 2014, which had (only) 600 participants.

From Cuban prison to freedom in Israel.  Alan Gross was sent to prison in Cuba for five years for setting up Internet access for Cubans. He was released in Dec 2014 and made Aliya in May.

Haredi platoon’s first parachute drop.  the Haredi Hetz platoon of the IDF’s elite Paratroopers Brigade successfully conducted their first drops after completing a rigorous parachuting course.

The top 10 finds proving Jerusalem belongs to Israel. (TY Avi) Ze’ev Orenstein takes us on a tour of the City of David in Jerusalem to completely dispel recent ridiculous UNESCO resolutions.

Found in the Galilee - Jonah and the Whale.  (TY Janglo) Archaeologists excavating a 1500-year-old synagogue at Huqoq in Israel’s Galilee have unearthed mosaics featuring the Biblical stories of Jonah and of the Tower of Babel. Previous digs at the site have revealed mosaics of Noah’s Ark and the Splitting of the Sea.



170709

In the 9th July 17 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         Israelis have discovered an entirely new mechanism to defeat cancer.
·         An Israeli device is the first to instantly measure dehydration levels.
·         Over twice as many women than men work in the Israeli medical industry.
·         India’s Prime Minister made an historic and successful visit to Israel.
·         Israel has a new research center for the science of quantum mechanics.
·         Israel’s Mazor Robots has just sold 16 robot surgery systems.
·         Britney Spears’ first Israeli concert was the biggest by a female artist.
·         Listen to VeryGoodNewsIsrael interview on the radio.
·         New Muslim Tanzanian ambassador to Israel recited Jewish prayer of renewal.

·         Click here to see the 2nd July newsletter on IsraelSeen, Janglo and United With Israel. Also (TY Sandra) in German and (TY Karen) in Portuguese.

·         Click here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives of more than 11,000 previous news articles.
·         Click here, to donate a small amount to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

The protein that kills cancer cells.  Professor Varda Shoshan-Barmatz of Israel’s Ben Gurion University has developed many new treatments to kill cancer cells by targeting the protein VDAC1 that controls cell death. A new Israeli biotech, Vidac, is trialing these treatments. VDA-1102 ointment for pre-skin cancer is in Phase 2.

New treatment for Huntington’s disease.  Israeli biotech Mitoconix Bio is developing a new treatment for Huntington’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. It works by inhibiting mitochondrial splitting. Mitochondria contribute to important brain functions, including regulation of cell growth.

Early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.  Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Suaad Abd-Elhadi has won a Kaye Innovation Award for a new tool to diagnose Parkinson’s disease. Her lipid ELISA detects the cellular secretion of the protein alpha-Synuclin, present in the pathways that Parkinson’s disease travels along.

Preventing epileptic attacks.  (TY Nevet) Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Ben Gurion University have discovered that high levels of a micro-RNA called miR-211 reduces the brain’s susceptibility to epileptic seizures. Therapeutics that increase miR-211 production can lead to new treatments for epileptics.

Israel can wipe out Hep C.  Israel’s Health Basket of treatments for Health funds includes protein and polymerase inhibitors that are effective in curing patients from Hepatitis C. The treatment costs $100,000 per patient, but that cost is reducing. Experts say that the treatment will wipe out the disease within a decade.

The first medics course in sign language.  I regularly include (see here) articles to show how important Israel regards sign language for communicating with the deaf and the hearing-impaired.  Now United Hatzalah has organized Israel’s first-ever course to teach sign language skills to volunteer United Hatzalah medics.

“Respect” for MDA.  The family of Sacha Baron Cohen (alias Ali G) has donated two medicycles, costing £15,000 each, to Israeli emergency service Magen David Adom. Daniella Baron Cohen dedicated them to her late husband Gerald (Sacha’s father). On the back of one of the vehicles is Ali G’s famous slogan “Respect!”.

EMET prize for cancer research.  Professor Zelig Eshhar of Israel’s Weizmann Institute and Professor Alexander Levitzki of Jerusalem’s Hebrew University shared the EMET Life Sciences award for their cancer research. Eshhar’s award was for his adaptive immunotherapy treatment; Levitski for his protein kinases inhibitors. http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Creating-a-better-generation-498393

Check you’re not dehydrated.  Currently, dehydration can only be formally identified in hospital using blood tests or urinalysis. Now a non-invasive device from Israeli startup sZone can measure your hydrations levels at home or even whilst running. sZone is vital for athletes, the elderly, children, and the chronically ill.

Cured of tremors during Israel visit.  Parkinson’s sufferer Yocheved Mintz was part of a group visit to Israel’s Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. One of Rambam’s doctors mentioned the hospital’s cutting-edge work on curing Parkinson’s patients of their tremors. Yocheved asked for the treatment, and now she is cured.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Women lead in Israeli Life Sciences.  (TY Jacques) The percentage of Israeli women (70%) working in the field of Life Sciences (medical research, bio-techs, medical device companies) far exceeds that of men (30%). Women are filling roles, not just as employees but as entrepreneurs, investors, head researchers and CEOs.

Women top VC funds.  Women have top positions in Israel’s Venture Capital industry. Anat Naschitz is managing partner at Orbimed; Michal Geva, founded Triventures; Anat Segal founded Xenia; Ronit Segev Gal founded TLV Partners; Fiona Darmon is a JVP partner and Merav Rotem Naaman is MD of Verizon Ventures.

Marathon world record for Israeli amputee. (TY Nevet) Israel’s Eitan Hermon set a world record of 2:56.53 hours in the marathon for single-leg amputee runners in Vienna. Hermon is supported by Tikvot, a non-profit, volunteer-based organization which rehabilitates Israeli victims of terror and wounded soldiers through sports.

New ambassadors.  Israeli President Reuven Rivlin received new ambassadors from Nepal, Honduras, Brazil and (for the first time) from Tanzania. http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Pres-Rivlin-calls-for-UN-support-from-new-ambassadors-to-Israel-496983

London Mayor gets Israel’s help.  London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan said he has sought advice from Israel about how to better combat urban terrorism such as the Manchester and London Bridge attacks. He said police visit Israel and are in regular touch with their contacts.  http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/exclusive-sadiq-khan-sought-counter-terrorism-advice-from-israel-after-spate-of-uk-attacks/

Indians experience Israel.  Smita, Kandlarp and Roy are from India and are currently studying and working in Israel. They share their Israeli experiences, ahead of the visit of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Taking India-Israel relationship to a new level. (TY IsraPundit) Even before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel, he was talking positively about India’s deep ties with Israel. He believes the two nations are soulmates. They share the same a spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation.

India’s PM arrives.  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the first visit to Israel by a sitting Indian premier. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu greeted Modi at Ben-Gurion Airport, along with the top tier of Israel's leadership - an honor afforded to only a few select leaders, such as US presidents and popes.

USS George H.W. Bush arrives in Israel.  Aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush docked in Haifa for a visit intended to enhance US-Israel relations. It is the first visit of a US aircraft carrier to an Israeli port since 2000. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed by helicopter on the ship and hailed it as a symbol of freedom.


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Top positions in Arab rankings. (TY Nevet) UAE-based Center for World University Rankings, judged Israel’s Technion first in the world in the field of aerospace engineering. It also came 4th for Computer Science – Theory and Methods and 8th for Information Systems. Tel Aviv University also achieved two top 10 places.

A truly great scientist.  Professor Jacob Ziv of Israel’s Technion faculty of Electrical Engineering received the 2017 EMET Prize for Exact Sciences. He previously won the 1993 Israel Prize and in the video he receives the 2009 BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge Award. His data-compression work was vital for data communications.

A Quantum leap.  Israel’s Bar-Ilan University has opened its new center, the Quantum Entanglement in Science and Technology (QUEST) for research and development of quantum technology. Its applications include secure quantum networks, cryptography, quantum computation and biomedical sensors.

Texas welcomes Israel water industry.  The first Israel-Texas Water Conference in Austin, Texas was attended by 200 key players from the Texas water industry and government. It featured five innovative Israeli water companies: Elbit Systems, Amiad Water Systems, BioPetroClean, Master Meter and Netafim.

Gold award for innovative suitcase. (TY Nevet) I reported previously (Nov 2015) about the Israeli-developed G-RO suitcase with its large wheels that roll over any terrain.  G-RO has just won a gold medal for innovative luggage at the 2017 International Edison Awards. G-RO has literally re-invented the wheel for world travelers.

Another smart suitcase.  (TY Nevet) Israeli startup Samsara’s smart case is made of aluminum and contains a power supply to charge your laptop and smartphone. It also alerts you if it gets separated from you or someone opens it without your permission. Samsara wanted to raise $15,000 on Kickstarter. It raised over $248,000

Ashdod to be lab for smart transport systems.  Ashdod, Israel’s sixth-largest city, is setting up a joint venture called “Living Lab” with Mobileye, MIT and Microsoft. Its database will be available to startups, government and academics working to build smart transport systems. Ashdod already has “Reway” – its smart bus program.

EcoMotion 2017.  (TY Hazel) The 2017 EcoMotion Conference in Jaffa featured 200 companies, representing Israel's growing smart vehicle community. Most interest was centered on autonomous cars, the Chinese impact, electric power supply and startups of every kind.





ECONOMY & BUSINESS



Reserves now at $108.7 billion. Israel’s foreign currency reserves increased by $1.3 billion in June to an all-time-record of $108.706 billion.  The natural gas reserve fund increased to $11.39 billion.




UK-Israel Tech Hub model vital to Britain. (TY BICOM) London’s City AM reports that strong digital growth in Tel Aviv is a benefit to the UK, and praises the UK-Israel Tech Hub created in 2011. The article notes that this model is “more important than ever as we leave the EU”.




Virtual currencies to support local businesses.  Israeli startup Colu’s digital wallet allows customers to pay local businesses instantly in a virtual currency (e.g. Liverpool local pound) from their smartphone. Starting with Tel Aviv, Haifa, London, Liverpool and Barbados, Colu has instigated a true “peer-to-peer” economy.


IAI is on the acquisition flight path.  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has launched a buying program for cybersecurity companies. It has invested millions of dollars in Holland’s Inpedio BV and Hungary’s Cytrox. Esti Peshin, general manager of IAI’s Cyber Division, said IAI is planning further cybersecurity acquisitions.

WSJ features six Israeli startups.  (TY Janglo) Of the 25 leading startups selected by "The Wall Street Journal," in its article "Tech companies to watch," six - almost one quarter - are Israeli. Furthermore, three of the four cybersecurity companies on the list are Israeli.

Intel spends NIS 5.76 billion in Israel. In 2016 Intel Israel procured NIS 5.76 billion of goods and services, 75% of it from small and medium-sized suppliers. Intel currently has 10,200 employees in Israel. It recycled 270,000 cubic meters of water in 2016 and reduced its production of greenhouse gases by 16,000 tons.

Commercial success for Mazor robot surgeons. (TY Aviram) Israel’s Mazor Robotics has received sixteen purchase orders for its Mazor X system from customers in the U.S. It expects to report record revenues for the second quarter of 2017.  https://www.reuters.com/article/mazor-robotics-results-idUSL8N1JX1TH

$250 million exit for cybersecurity startup. International cybersecurity giant Symantec is acquiring Israeli cybersecurity company Fireglass for an estimated $250 million.  Fireglass was founded only in 2014 and its 40 employees have a cyber solution that eliminates ransomware, malware and phishing threats in real-time.

Israel’s first all-vegan supermarket.  Israel’s first 100% vegan supermarket HaGal HaYarok has opened in Tel Aviv’s Shuk HaCarmel. Besides well-known vegan brands, it stocks baked goods of all kinds, plus hard-to-find and exotic ingredients. It also sells its own HaGal HaYarok private label products.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Weizmann’s House is “iconic”.  Weizmann House in Rehovot, home of the first president of the State of Israel, has re-opened after extensive restoration and conservation. Due to its unique features, the international organization “Iconic Houses” has added Weizmann House to its ranks – the first Israeli building to be included.

Britney’s record-breaking concert.  US pop star Britney Spears gave her first-ever concert in Israel, performing in Tel Aviv’s Yarkon Park in temperatures of around 28° Celsius (82.4°F). With 60,000 tickets sold, it was the largest concert ever for a female artist in the history of Israel.

Jerusalem’s giant solar-powered radio.  (TY Janglo) To mark Jerusalem’s 50 years of reunification, a three-meter-high solar-powered Panasonic digital radio has been installed on Jerusalem’s Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall. Broadcasting from 10am until 10pm, one of its five channels features recordings from the 1967 six-day war. http://www.timesofisrael.com/nostalgia-plays-on-giant-jerusalem-radio/

Jerusalem Light Festival. (TY Sharon and Janglo) ‘Interactive’ was the theme of this year’s Jerusalem Light Festival. There were 39 installations, some with live musicians. Highlights included the Hurva synagogue, Horizontal Interference, Impulse seesaws and Interactive Shadows where images changed when visitors moved.

Radio Rabbi interviews VeryGoodNewsIsrael.  This Newsletter’s editor was interviewed on the Radio Rabbi (Barbara Aiello) program, broadcast in Florida USA on 9th July at 08:30 EST.  Please check the link below for the July 9th show later today, during the week or afterwards.  https://rabbibarbara.com/radio-rabbi-shows/

Israeli 3-year-old trick shots.  (TY Janglo) Nice video of Israeli 3-year-old Matan Shaulov doing trick shots with a soccer ball. He could be the next Ronaldo, Yossi Benayoun or Eyal Berkovic. https://www.youtube.com/embed/15khv-35aHs?rel=0

The Maccabiah Games.  The Maccabiah is the world’s largest Jewish athletic competition, taking place every four years in Israel.  The 2017 Maccabiah is from July 4 - 18 and features about 10,000 athletes from more than 80 countries, plus around 22,000 additional fans.   http://www.maccabiah.com/2017/events

US Football Hall of Famers in Israel. 18 Pro Football Hall of Famers came to Israel on a weeklong goodwill visit sponsored by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. They attended the dedication of Kraft‘s sports complex in Jerusalem, with a regulation-size football field, and visited the Old City, Tel Aviv and the Dead Sea.


THE JEWISH STATE

Revisiting the land of his captivity.  Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, a former Prisoner of Zion, became the first Israeli to address the Russian parliament. In Hebrew, he told of his imprisonment by the Soviets 33 years ago for teaching Hebrew. In Russian, he praised diplomatic and economic ties between Israel and Russia.

201 Olim arrive on 4th July.  (TY Jacob Richman and Janglo) 201 North Americans became citizens of Israel on July 4th when their El Al Boeing 777, chartered by Nefesh B’Nefesh, landed at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport. The 201 passengers on the first Aliya flight of the summer included 34 families and five sets of twins.

Hallelujah – the return to Jerusalem.  (TY Janglo) The City of David has launched “Hallelujah” Nighttime Presentation - the story of the Jewish return to rebuild ancient Jerusalem. The thrilling, outdoor cinematic experience features cutting-edge video mapping technology that reveals a story, 3,000 years in the making.

Tanzanian Muslim ambassador says Hebrew prayer.  Job Daudi Masima, Tanzania's first-ever ambassador to Israel, is a Muslim. But he put on a kippah to greet Israeli President Reuven Rivlin with the Shehecheyahu prayer (the blessing said on new occasions) in Hebrew to mark the beginning of closer ties between the two countries. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/231106

Indian PM meets little Moshe. India’s Prime Minister Modi met 11-year-old Moshe Holtzberg, whose Chabad emissary parents were murdered by terrorists in Mumbai in 2009. Moshe declared his wish to visit India and one day direct Chabad’s mission in India.  PM Netanyahu said he would take Moshe on his next visit to India.

 

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In the 2nd July 17 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

·         Europe has approved an Israeli implant to prevent strokes.
·         During Ramadan, Moslems in the IDF proudly protect Israel while fasting.
·         Tennessee Police cars will carry portable Israeli child booster seats.
·         Weizmann Institute counters BDS with BDS (Build Dialog through Science).
·         Israeli cybersecurity protected organizations from recent global virus attacks.
·         A Shanghai company is to train Israeli startups to do business in China.
·         Israel welcomes Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
·         Archeologists found a 1500-year-old menorah etching in Caesarea.

·         Click here to see the 25th June newsletter on IsraelSeen, Ruthfully Yours, Janglo and United With Israel, with a special feature on Health. Also (TY Sandra) in German and (TY Karen) in Portuguese.

·         Click here, to SEARCH the IsraelActive archives of more than 11,000 previous news articles.
·         Click here, to donate a small amount to help me expand the reach of VeryGoodNewsIsrael.


ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Hypertension treatment is on the right pathway.  (TY UCI) I reported previously (Mar 2012) about the invasively implantable MobiusHD device from Israel’s Vascular Dynamics which reduces high blood pressure. MobiusHD is undergoing trials, has CE approval and is on the FDA’s Expedited Access Pathway program. It has also just received $10.4 million of funds. https://www.youtube.com/embed/I-WUGvm5z-8?rel=0

Europe approves Israeli bladder cancer test.  (TY Hazel) I reported previously (Jun 2014) on the non-invasive urine test of Israel’s Nucleix for monitoring bladder cancer treatment. Following a multi-center, 400-patients clinical trial, Nucleix has received the CE Mark allowing it to market Bladder EpiCheck in the E.U.

Boosting the immune system to beat melanoma.  Dr. Michal Lotem is head of the Center for Melanoma and Cancer Immunotherapy at Hadassah Medical Center. Instead of going after the cancer, they target the immune system, boosting it to respond more aggressively to the disease.

Diagnosing heart attacks when it happens. Israel’s CorAlert is developing a non-invasive monitor that can diagnose heart failure in real-time. Sensors on the arm and chest, a pressure cuff and a proprietary algorithm estimate Left Ventricular End-Diastolic Pressure (LVEDP), an indicator of heart failure.  CorAlert’s CEO Amir Marmor explains on ILTV. https://www.youtube.com/embed/nMYxyXJpKSo?rel=0

Father’s brain injury triggers brain rehab startup.  (TY TIP) After her father suffered a brain injury, Israeli neuroscientist Son Preminger founded Intendu – which has developed motion-based adaptive video games for brain training and rehabilitation. These adapt in real time to the cognitive and physical abilities of the user.

Life is a see-saw.  When Israeli charity Ezer Mizion told a young law student she was a 100% bone marrow match for a 40-year-old female cancer patient, she jumped at the chance to save a life.  But the patient’s health deteriorated and the operation was canceled. Then one day, during law exams, another window opened to save the woman. http://www.ezermizion.org/blog/saving-a-life-the-see-saw-remains-on-up/

We never stop innovating to save lives.  Eli Beer explains how the United Hatzalah model of life-saving has revolutionized the field of pre-ambulatory emergency care in Israel and the impact that it is making around the world. The latest 180 new ambucycles was the largest dedication of emergency vehicles in Israel’s history.

Massive investment in Israeli Life Sciences.  Israeli Life Sciences companies received $823 million in funds last year, representing 20% of all investments in Israeli high-tech. There are currently around 1,350 active life-sciences companies in Israel – of which 42% are in the medical devices sub-sector.

Syrian refugees meet Israel’s Dream Doctors. This video features two of Israel’s medical clowns - one Jewish and one Christian Arab - who bring relief and break down social barriers, one giant puffy red nose at a time. They may look silly, but they are revolutionizing the way Syrian refugees see Israel.


ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

More Israeli Wonder Women.  (TY Sharon) The Facebook group Israeli Women Entrepreneurs' Network (IWEN) has 700 members and helps Anglo female entrepreneurs in Israel. It recently organized a retreat for 43 members. They announced an Israeli first – a women's cooperative in Jerusalem for tourists’ gift shopping.

Moslems in the IDF observe Ramadan. (TY Janglo) The IDF respects Muslim soldiers who protect Israel during the long hours of the fasts during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. After sunset each night, the army prepares for them the special celebratory iftar meal.

Tracks for Peace.  (TY Atid-EDI) Israel unveiled a plan to give Jordan, Saudi Arabia and even Iraq access to the Mediterranean through Israel’s ports in Haifa and Ashdod, in a plan called “Tracks for Peace.” The Haifa to Beit She’an railway would link to the PA at Jenin and extend through Jordan, into Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.

Tracks for bicycles.  (TY Atid-EDI)  Israel is to build 150km of interurban bicycle lanes connecting the cities of Ra'anana, Herzliya, Ramat Hasharon, Petah Tikva, Bnei Brak, Ramat Gan, Givat Shmuel, Yehud, Or Yehuda, Rishon LeZion, Yehud, Holon and Bat Yam. The tracks will contain electric charging stations.

Fish farms in Uganda.  (TY Nevet) I reported previously (in 2011) about Israel’s work to clean up Lake Victoria. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has since been working with Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, to develop fish farms that have restored indigenous species of fish previously devastated by the lake’s invasive Nile Perch.  https://www.youtube.com/embed/cy8MFePPulo?rel=0

US Police use Israeli portable booster seats.  Bradley County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee, USA has teamed up with Israel’s mifold to place 10 special car seats for youngsters in patrol cars. Newsletter readers may remember mifold’s innovative portable car booster seat (see here) that brings the seat belt to the child.

Jerusalem re-unification celebrated at the UN.  Israel held a special event at the United Nations celebrating the 50th anniversary of Jerusalem’s liberation and reunification during the 1967 Six-Day War. Hundreds,of participants, including ambassadors and diplomats from around the world enjoyed a special performance by Israeli diva Sarit Hadad. https://unitedwithisrael.org/jerusalems-reunification-celebrated-at-the-un/

Israel awaits Indian Prime Minister’s visit. On 4th July, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make the first ever visit to Israel by a sitting Indian prime minister. The Israeli cabinet has already approved a series of measures aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries. http://www.jpost.com/Business-and-Innovation/Netanyahu-hails-historic-visit-by-Indian-prime-minister-497844  


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Building Dialog through Science (BDS). Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have launched a new website IsraelBDS.org that features the many and varied scientific studies that rely on close collaboration between Israeli researchers and those in different countries. No Boycott, Divestment or Sanctions please.

Latest joint US-Israeli projects.  The Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial R&D (BIRD) Foundation is to invest
$7 million in joint US-Israeli projects including for autonomous vehicles, biotech, homeland security, nanotech and digital health. The Israeli companies are Atvio, C4 Systems, Check-Cap, Isorad, Melodea, Nutrino Health, OpSys and Pill Tracker.

Jerusalem’s Tech & Gadget library. (TY Janglo) The library at Q5 (the fifth quarter) in Jerusalem doesn’t lend out the usual books. Instead it offers top tech & startup books, laptops, smartphones, tablets, processors, kits for assembling robots and cool new gadgets. Its customers include designers, developers and entrepreneurs.

Jerusalem’s special-needs innovation center.  (TY Janglo) ALYN Hospital, Israel’s only pediatric and adolescent rehabilitation facility, is creating an Innovation Space in Jerusalem for inventions to help special needs kids. The one-stop shop provides a state-of-the-art prototyping lab, expert support and in-house trialing.

More security for cars.  Upstream Security is the latest Israeli cybersecurity startup to focus on the automobile security arena (see here for others). Upstream claims to be the first to offer a cloud-based platform that detects and prevents large-scale attacks on connected and autonomous cars. Upstream just raised $2 million of funds.

Managing a smart home.  Israel’s Techsee is a global leader in Visual Support Technologies for the Smart Home.  Techsee is building a massive database of every interaction and resolution to help customers resolve any recurring technical problem via their smartphones. Techsee has just raised $7.5 million of funds.

Faster Virtual Reality.  (TY Atid-EDI) I reported previously (Apr 30) that Israel’s Giraffic achieved high-speed streaming for Virtual Reality (VR) systems.  Now another Israeli company, Inception, has developed multi-track real time streaming and spatial audio for a seamless interactive VR experience.

The best of CyberTech 2017. CyberTech Tel Aviv featured the most innovative and advanced cyber-security technologies. From applications that prevent hacking, to rescue systems that save lives. CyberTech 2017 attracted over 12,000 participants from 65 countries. Israeli cyber products repulsed recent global virus attacks.

Israeli cybersecurity companies team up. (TY Atid-EDI) The power of Israeli cybersecurity systems has been amplified with a partnership between Israeli companies Check Point and Safe-T. Check Point’s SandBlast for scanning files integrates with Safe-T HDS to ensure all company data is checked, wherever it comes from.

Chooze a name for your child.  (TY Atid-EDI) Israeli startup Chooze has launched an iPhone app that helps expectant parents choose the perfect baby name.  Chooze uses the latest in cognitive psychology to help parents decipher their subconscious preferences for names.  https://www.chooze.io/


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Israel beats 2016 targets. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s 2016 revenue totaled 321.1 billion shekels ($88.02 billion), higher than the Government’s 2016 target of 312.3 billion shekels ($85.61 billion). Also, the Finance Ministry set itself a deficit goal for 2016 of 2.9%, whereas the actual deficit was only 2.1%.

And economy keeps growing.  The Bank of Israel's Composite State of the Economy Index for May 2017 increased by 0.3 percent.  There were significant increases in Industrial Production, manufacturing inputs and revenues for trade and services.  Previous figures for February, March and April were also revised upwards.

Training Israeli startups for the Chinese market.  Israel’s Zvi Shalgo, founder Shanghai’s PTL Group, is offering a free boot camp to ten Israeli startups who want to learn how to do business in China. It includes 5 days of intensive training, presentations, networking with entrepreneurs and visits to leading companies.

Israeli-UK fund to invest in education tech. MindCET, the technological arm of the Center for Educational Technology (CET), has announced the founding of a fund for investment in edu-tech in cooperation with the UK government. The fund, called TaskForce, will initially invest $250,000 in each of 4-6 ventures annually.

US ag-tech fund expands in Israel.  US Venture Capital fund Finistere Ventures, which specializes in agricultural technology, is expanding its activities in Israel. It “sees Israel as a center of excellence in ag-tech” and has appointed two executives to invest in Israeli innovations for the agricultural and food value market.

Promoting French investment.  French Tech met the Start-up Nation at Innovatech 2017 in Paris. The conference focused on food tech, life sciences, auto tech and cybersecurity. It was attended by 250 leaders from the French hi-tech industry, along with 15 Israeli companies and directors of Israeli venture capital funds.

Tell me what you want.  A new website Bekarov (in English it means “coming soon”) is a unique Jerusalem-wide crowdsourced mapping initiative. Residents tell the municipality what businesses are missing from their neighborhood and entrepreneurs can decide if there is a new business opportunity.

Then get a grant to open a new business.  (TY Janglo) New immigrants and returning residents may be eligible for grants up to NIS 43,000 and other benefits if they open up a new business in Jerusalem.  The Israeli government aims to encourage new businesses in Jerusalem and reinforce existing enterprises.

jFrog eats up CloudMunch. I reported previously (Jan 2016) about Israel’s jFrog, which develops products for managing and distributing software. jFrog has just acquired CloudMunch in the US. CloudMunch’s Insights software allows developers to see how their DevOps flow is working, make adjustments or adopt new tools.

Israeli post measures up. (TY Atid-EDI) I reported previously (see here) about Israeli startup MySize whose SizeUp app measures your body for clothes with the sensors of your smartphone. Now the Israeli Postal Service and Mysize are to trial a pilot solution to measure all types of packages using only a smartphone.

First sale of Israeli 3D heart CT scanners. I reported previously (Nov 2011) about the innovative 3D CT scanners from Israel’s Arineta. GE Healthcare has just given Arineta its first commercial order – for 12 scanners, to be sold to GE customers for $1 million each.


CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

New and expanded nature reserves.  Israel is adding and expanding five nature reserves. The new reserve is Katzir (in Wadi Ara). Makhtesh Ramon (the Ramon Crater), will become a national park. Lahav Darom, Har Giora, and Harei Yehuda are to be expanded.  All will be free to the public. 

Virtually Israel. Virtual Reality (VR) is the way to experience Israel without flying across the globe. Virtually Israel is a one-of-a-kind VR experience showcasing Israel’s most prominent cities.  Pause the video and click on the compass on the top left of the screen, to rotate your view of the Dead Sea and Jerusalem.

Jersey Boys come to Israel.  (TY Janglo) The legendary Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (a.k.a. the Jersey Boys) are performing for the first time in Israel on 4th July at the Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv.  Famous for “Sherry” and Grease. “Oh what a night” – they’ll certainly help us “hang on to what we’ve got”!

The most valuable player in Czech Republic.  Israeli soccer star Tal Ben Haim has signed for four seasons with Sparta Prague. The fee of 2.9 million euros ($3.2 million, NIS 11.5 million), makes his transfer the most expensive in the history of the Czech league. Last season, Ben Haim scored 19 goals for Maccabi Tel Aviv.

First Israeli in US NASCAR race.  Israel’s Alon Day won the NASCAR Whelen Euro race at UK’s Brands Hatch and got a call to compete at the Sonoma Raceway in California. Although he finished 32nd out of 40, he became the first Israeli to compete in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series - the sport’s top league. http://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-first-nascar-driver-completes-debut-race/


THE JEWISH STATE

UNESCO chief stresses Jewish links to Jerusalem.  Although her committee denies Jewish links to Jerusalem, Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Irina Bokova has emphasized the historical Jewish connection to the city.

1500-year-old menorah etching. Archaeologists excavating the ancient port of Caesarea discovered a mother-of-pearl tablet inscribed with a menorah, dating from the 4th or 5th century. It was likely part of a box housing a Torah scroll and is the first artifact of its kind made of the precious material bearing a Jewish iconograph.

Student leader gets married on Temple Mount. The head of the Students for Temple Mount Movement, Tom Nissani, betrothed his fiancée in a minimalist ceremony on Temple Mount.

Israel’s outstanding Anglos.  (TY Janglo) Nefesh B’Nefesh 2017 Bonei Zion Prizes, for immigrants from English-speaking countries who have made a major impact on Israel, were awarded to Prof Benjamin Corn, Beth Steinberg, Rabbi Chaim Brovender, Gerald Steinberg, Yoram Raanan; Capt Libby Weiss, and Scott Neiss.

Meet the new arrivals.  (TY Janglo) Come and see the future outstanding Anglos as they arrive on the latest Nefesh b’Nefesh flight to arrive in Israel on 4th July. Tel Aviv will be busy, with the Indian Prime Minister arriving and the Frankie Valli concert in the evening!

Ancient colored fabric found in Solomon’s Mines. (TY WIN) Israeli archeologists have discovered striped clothing worn by skilled workers at copper mines in Timna, in southern Israel, during the time of Kings David and Solomon, over 3000 years ago. Dry desert conditions preserved the blue and red plant-dyed textiles.