RUTHFULLY YOURS

www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com
http://blogs.jpost.com/users/just-look-us-now
In a chance discovery, Israeli scientists have found a treatment to kill deadly bacteria.
· This week’s newsletter features the development of four Israeli cancer treatments
· Israeli surgeons have reconstructed the jaw of an injured Syrian refugee.
· An Israeli microphone enhances a speaker’s voice over any background noise.
· An Israeli CO2-to-fuel reactor has won a World Technology Award.
· Latest IDF recruits include 3 Chinese Jews and a baby saved from terrorists 18 years ago.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Anti-inflammatory treatment may prevent deadly infections. Ben Gurion University researchers have discovered accidentally that alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) could prevent deadly infections in immune system-compromised patients. Lethal bacteria in mice were practically eradicated by AAT therapy within 24 hours.
http://aabgu.org/anti-inflammatory-drug-may-prevent-deadly-infection/

Wearable technology to analyze Parkinson’s. (Thanks to Israel21c) Intel Israel has developed an advanced analytics platform for researching the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The system can work with smart watches linked to a smartphone and can handle 300 observations per second from each participant.
http://www.israel21c.org/headlines/wearable-technology-is-breakthrough-for-parkinsons/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJX9f8goIq8#t=139

Teva launches generic antibiotics. Israel’s Teva continues to help keep down US health costs by launching generic versions of two leading antibiotics – Zyvox (linezolid), and Nafcillin – injectable antibiotics for the treatment of severe infections. Teva also has launched a generic blood-pressure treatment.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-teva-launches-generic-versions-of-two-antibiotics-in-us-1000998963
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-teva-launches-generic-blood-pressure-treatment-in-us-1000999040

Nano-particles to attack cancer. (Thanks to Israel21c) Israel’s Quiet Therapeutics has developed “GAGomers,” a new class of nano-particles (coated with glycosaminoglycan, or GAGs, a polysugar) that specifically target tumors and blood cancers based on a biomarker expressed on malignant tissue.
http://www.israel21c.org/headlines/the-nanoparticles-coming-to-attack-cancer/

Success in antibody cancer therapy. Israeli biotech Compugen has announced positive initial experimental results for the first two of five of its candidate antibody cancer therapy (ADC) treatments. ADC therapy uses antibodies to target proteins present at high levels in cancer cells, releasing a toxic payload to kill the cells.
http://cgen.com/press-releases/2014/259-compugen-discloses-initial-experimental-results-for-predicted-antibody-drug-conjugate-targets

Early detection of colon and uterine cancer. A breakthrough by researchers at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem will allow early detection and possible prevention of colon and uterine cancers. They have discovered a genetic mutation that can identify at-risk patients.
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=22167

Leukemia treatment gets boost. The US FDA and the European Medicines Agency have awarded Israel’s stem cell therapy developer Gamida Cell orphan status for its NiCord leukemia treatment. NiCord treats acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma and myelodysplastic syndrome.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-gamida-cell-leukemia-treatment-granted-orphan-drug-status-1000998856

ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Tablets let bedridden kids “attend” school. Samsung and Israeli e-book firm E-vrit have teamed up to enable long-term hospital patients keep up with their classmates. Children at Israel’s Schneider hospital will receive a Samsung tablet, including E-vrit’s software and e-books, connected to the hospital’s learning center.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/tablets-let-bedridden-kids-attend-school/

IDF helps PA combat the snow. Following a request by the Palestinian Authority, Israeli Defense Forces have been helping to clear snow blocking roads to the PA city of Ramallah. Other specific incidents included helping to clear flooding in Tulkarem and helping a Palestinian Arab push his taxi out of frozen mud.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4613096,00.html

Israeli surgeons reconstruct Syrian’s jaw. A 23-year-old Syrian citizen arrived in Israel for treatment after a bullet completely destroyed his lower jaw. Doctors at Haifa’s Rambam hospital implanted a custom-made 3D-printed titanium jaw in a pioneering new operation. One day after surgery, the patient was eating and speaking.
https://www.facebook.com/rambamhospital/photos/a.201448466545904.50409.199662550057829/884859494871461/?type=1&theater

Israel inaugurates farm in Senegal. The Israeli embassy in Senegal has inaugurated a drip-irrigated vegetable farm in the city of Fatick. It is being managed by a group of Senegalese women. The innovative Israeli program has been vital for fighting poverty in the drought-prone Sub-Saharan African country.
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/israels-fight-against-poverty-in-africa-embassy-inaugurates-farm-in-senegal/2014/12/14/

Brazil delegation in Israel to train in Krav Maga. Israel’s Kobi Lichtenstein is South America’s guru of 10,000 students of the Israeli self-defense art of Krav Maga. There are over 150 Krav Maga centers in the continent. Kobi has brought two Krav Maga missions from Brazil to train at Masada, in Tiberias and Netanya.
http://www.diplomacy.co.il/diplomatic-magazine/art-culture/2774-krav-maga-delegations-from-brazil-to-israel-with-head-of-south-american-federation-of-krav-maga-master-kobi

Helping New York tap into Israeli entrepreneurial ecosystem. (Thanks to Israel21c) Former Israeli paratrooper Lior Vaknin founded Israeli Startups NYC, which now has a 2000 membership. 200 attended its recent startup pitch night and panel discussion entitled “How to Build a $100 Million Business.”
http://www.israel21c.org/headlines/importing-israeli-startup-sauce-to-ny/ http://israelistartupsnyc.com/

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Making your voice heard. Communications giant Motorola has invested in Israeli start-up VocalZoom, which has developed an optoelectronic microphone able to substantially enhance a speaker’s voice over any background noise. The technology creates a “virtual cube” in space, sensing sound from only within the cube.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-motorola-solutions-invests-in-israeli-co-vocalzoom-1000999236
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vD5HyWUwpM

A vegetable garden on your wall. (Thanks to Israel21c) With limited available space you can still grow sufficient vegetables to feed yourself wherever you live, thanks to the vertical gardens technology of Israel’s GreenWall. Around 100 living walls have been installed in Israel. Prices start at $800.
http://www.israel21c.org/headlines/the-garden-that-climbs-walls-and-feeds-you/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R4K29rT5RY

Israel’s solar-panel dry-cleaning robots. (Thanks to Nevet – www.broadview.org) A comprehensive report about the robots, built by Israeli startup Ecoppia. They clean solar panels in the desert (without water) to keep them in the most efficient condition.
https://gigaom.com/2014/11/25/this-israeli-startup-makes-robots-that-dry-clean-solar-panels/

Sensors to save energy. Ben Gurion University students have developed a climate-controlled location-based air conditioning system using real-time sensors with an infrared and depth perception camera. It activates when a person enters the room, turns off when the person leaves, and tracks the temperature throughout the location.
http://aabgu.org/bgu-students-awarded-engineering-prize/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yRSCFCpYn4

Israeli ingenuity on display at CES. Some of Israel’s most innovative startups are on display at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. They include ZuTA Labs’ Mini Mobile Robotic Printer, Lexifone’s language translator and uMoove’s app that tracks eye movements to detect neurological problems.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/start-ups-hope-to-make-big-impression-at-biggest-ever-ces/
http://nocamels.com/2015/01/best-israeli-tech-ces-2015/

Detecting water leaks. Over 30 percent of the fresh water supplied by the world’s water utilities is lost through leaking pipes. The systems developed by Israel’s TaKaDu detect leaks and are saving billions of liters of water all over the world. And yet there are still some utilities that believe it’s impossible!
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2015-01-08/takadu-helps-israel-be-a-most-efficient-water-manager
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNKIfI8R6xI

World Technology Awards winner. Israel’s NewCO2Fuels (NCF) won the 2014 World Technology Award in the Corporate Energy category. NCF is developing a reactor to convert Carbon Dioxide into fuel.
http://israelnewtech.com/2014/12/ncf-wins-technology-award-envisions-efficient-future-alternative-energy/
http://www.wtn.net/summit-2014/2014-world-technology-awards-winners

Non-toxic control of insect pests. Israel’s EdenShield uses natural desert plant extracts that mask the odor of crops and fools insects that prey on the crops. EdenShield has just raised over $1million to expand operations.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-insect-control-co-edenshield-raises-over-1m-1000998970
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkge2acVvSU

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Israeli diamonds still sparkle. Israel’s exports of polished and rough diamonds rose by more than $175 million in 2014. Net exports of polished diamonds totaled $6.269 billion and rough diamonds $3.061 billion.
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/israeli-diamond-exports-sparkled-small-but-bright-in-2014/2015/01/05/

El Al starts Tel Aviv to Boston service. Israel’s El Al airline has begun selling tickets for its new route from Tel Aviv to Boston Logan International airport. Boston is a popular business destination.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-el-al-tickets-for-boston-flights-go-on-sale-1000998574

More Israeli firefighting aircraft. Israel’s Ministry of Defense is buying six new firefighting aircraft to add to its eight-plane squadron. The US Air Tractor planes will be upgraded and maintained by Israel’s Elbit Systems.
http://jewishbusinessnews.com/2015/01/05/elbit-gets-100-million-contract-from-israeli-government-for-firefighting-aircraft/

Water for Taiwan. Taiwan and Israel held a seminar in Taipei aimed at seeking closer cooperation in the area of water resources management. Israeli companies gave presentations of their products and solutions on waste waster treatment, water quality control and reducing leaks.
http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20141129000016&cid=1105

Stronger ties with Japan. The Israeli cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s program to strengthen economic ties with Japan. The comprehensive plan involves several areas of government and the investment of tens of millions of shekels over the next three years.
http://unitedwithisrael.org/cabinet-approves-plan-strengthening-economic-cooperation-with-japan/

Chinese invest in new Israeli biotechs. (Thanks to Globes & CFHU) A Chinese investment company has placed $3million in Integra Holdings – the biotechnology holdings company of Yissum, the technology transfer company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. It will fund new biotechs founded by the Hebrew University.
http://www.cfhu.org/news/globes-article-yissum-biotech-unit-raises-3m-from-chinese-investors

Buying into Israel’s future. Morton Mandel invests in Israeli firms as a way of building up the Jewish state. His aim is to “buy more companies that are not doing well and fix them up” for a better, stronger, healthier Israel. He also runs leadership-training programs to unlock the talents of the ultra-Orthodox community.
http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Exclusive-American-billionaire-pledges-to-purchase-Israeli-companies-to-strengthen-Jewish-state-384608

CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Restoring Jerusalem’s “Great Synagogue”. Yaakov Stark’s early-20th Century murals at Jerusalem’s Ades Synagogue (called with affection the “Great Synagogue”) are a masterpiece of early Zionist art, mixing Arabic calligraphy with Art Nouveau. This article describes the battle to save this heritage of Syrian Jewry.
http://tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/187796/ades-synagogue-jerusalem

Tel Aviv Port – 4 million visitors a year. If you haven’t been to Tel Aviv Port’s entertainment hub along the Mediterranean Sea lately, watch this new video to see why it’s time for another visit. More than four million visitors each year enjoy its eateries, coffee shops, stores, clubs and the Friday farmers’ market.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIEcQ792jH8&feature=em-uploademail

Atletico Madrid has Israeli sponsor. Israeli online trading provider Plus500 will feature on the back of the shirts of Spanish soccer champions Atletico Madrid. Plus500’s platform is based on proprietary technology, is accessible from multiple operating systems and has been translated into over 31 languages.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-plus500-signs-sponsorship-deal-with-atletico-madrid-1000999043

THE JEWISH STATE

Kuwaiti Muslim is now an Israeli Jew. After years of being educated to hate Jews, Mumtaz Halawa was shocked to learn he is Jewish. He changed his name to Mordechai, moved from Kuwait to Israel and settled in Jerusalem. ‘I feel like Abraham,’ he says.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4599670,00.html

Israeli police rescue faun from poachers. As Israeli police were uncovering a weapons and drugs cache in Hebron, they heard noises and found a baby faun (a protected species) chained up inside a barrel. The faun was transferred to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo for medical treatment. The poachers were arrested.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4610767,00.html

From China to the IDF. Moshe Li, Gideon Fan and Yonatan Xue are the first Jews from the Chinese Kaifeng community to enlist in the IDF. All three were born in the ancient Jewish community in Kaifeng. They immigrated to Israel some five years ago and recently completed their conversion and naturalization processes.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4596568,00.html

Baby Shani is now 18 years old. Shani Winter was only 6 months old when her mother was killed while shielding her daughter with her body from a terrorist bomb in Tel Aviv. 18 years later, the policewoman who carried Shani from the wreckage is accompanied her as she joined the Israeli army.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0%2c7340%2cL-4611100%2c00.html

Jump in – the water is warm! LiAmi Lawrence just made Aliya and he encourages others to do likewise.
http://www.jewishjournal.com/headjewincharge/item/jump_in_the_water_is_warm_israel_is_not_so_bad

But wait until the snow clears! Wintry weather has covered Jerusalem and Northern Israel in a white blanket.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4613162,00.html

“From Time Immemorial” lives on. Former CBS news producer and renowned author on the subject of the Arab-Israeli conflict Joan Peters has died at the age of 76 but her unique legacy remains. Her book “From Time Immemorial” analyzes thousands of British Mandate records that document the true history of pre-state Israel.
http://www.jns.org/news-briefs/2015/1/8/joan-peters-tv-producer-and-acclaimed-author-on-arab-israeli-conflict-dies-at-76#.VK-HD8kpqSo=
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/189674#.VK-Z5ckpqSo

“My commitment is… to reject any repression in the name of religion… a goal we will reach in a peaceful and law-abiding way.” — Raif Badawi.

If he ever leaves prison, his life will have been destroyed — by voyeurs as sexually twisted as those of ancient Rome.

“Our Prophet,” Malik said, “would have been crystal clear and unequivocal in condemning [the Charlie Hebdo massacre]. But his statement points out why there is a problem. Malik was — quite innocently, I am sure — completely wrong. Muhammad did the same thing – many, many times.

Today we all are Charlie, and we are all Raif.

His first 50 lashes were administered Friday. After the noon prayers, outside the mosque, Saudi writer and blogger Raif Badawi, 30, received a sentence perhaps worse than death. Accused of “insulting Islam,” he is to receive 1000 lashes: 50 per week for 20 weeks — nearly half a year. “The lashing order says Raif should ‘be lashed very severely,'” a twitter notice read. “If they lash him again next week we do not know if he is going to survive. He has no medical assistance,” another notice said.

What did the shoppers in a Jewish supermarket, four of whom were slaughtered, have to do with the cartoon images of Mohammad?

In light of all the expressed concern about possible anti-Muslim incidents, claims on television that “Muslims are the most persecuted people” seemed jarring and wrong.

Perhaps they should have spent a little time reporting on the anti-Jewish rioting that took place in the heavily Muslim neighborhood of Trappes, a suburb of Paris?

A seemingly required inclusion in most reports on the recent mass murder in Paris was the rhetorical question posed by reporters has been: “Will these events invite a wave of anti-Muslim incidents”? Since these Islam-inspired murders, however, there have been only a few anti-Muslim actions — all against property.

Under-reported, however, was how rapidly the assault against Charlie Hebdo migrated into an anti-Jewish mini-pogrom in the heart of Paris. What did shoppers in a kosher market, four of whom were slaughtered, have to do with the cartoon images of Mohammad? Nothing. But the assault on the HyperCacher Jewish kosher supermarket has a lot to do with the true nature of Islamic militancy.