GOOD NEWS FROM AMAZING ISRAEL BY MICHAEL ORDMAN
www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Good progress on dry-AMD treatment trials. (TY Karen) Human trials of OpRegen from Israeli biotech Cell Cure (see here) at Hadassah Medical Center are proceeding well. This unique stem cell therapy aims to stop progression of the dry form of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) that leads to blindness.
http://www.hadassah.org/news-stories/clinical-trial-for-blindness.html
Oral insulin to replace injections. Israeli TV news about the innovative treatment from Israel’s Oramed that will make life better for many of the 400 million people with diabetes.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/214498#.V3uKKjUbNf4
When you cannot eat. Many sufferers from cancer, stroke, cerebral palsy and Parkinson’s cannot take food orally. Israel’s Fidmi Medical is developing an innovative enteral feeding device that is secure, reliable, painless and discreet. It is extremely unlikely to get clogged up or be dislodged by (potentially fatal) accident.
http://trendlines.com/portfolio/fidmi/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQz-HBmHrWE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo8dL-W05Xs
Studying cancer in space. (TY SDM) Israeli startup SpacePharma is working with Bioscience engineering faculty and students at SUNY Polytechnic Institute in a $1.75 million research project that will use research in space to find new cancer cures. They will launch a “lab-on-a-chip” with cancer cells inside in a micro satellite that will orbit the earth, studying how cancer cells behave in zero gravity and micro gravity environments.
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/SUNY-Poly-Israeli-firm-to-study-cancer-in-space-8333922.php
http://www.space4p.com/?page_id=163
UK fellowship award for Israeli CF Professor. (TY Karen) The UK’s Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health has awarded an Honorary Fellowship to Professor. Eitan Kerem, head of the Division of Pediatrics at the Hadassah Medical Center and cystic fibrosis specialist. He was praised especially for his work training Palestinian Arab pediatricians in his cystic fibrosis clinic, and treating Palestinian Arab children.
http://www.hadassah.org/news-stories/royal-college-of-pediatrics-award.html
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Conference for religious female entrepreneurs. (TY Sharon) Over 650 women attended the 7th annual Temech Conference for Israeli Female Entrepreneurs on Jun 28 in Jerusalem. Parallel programs were offered in English and Hebrew. Temech was started by Anglos but Hebrew speakers were in the majority this year.
http://www.baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=37&ARTICLE_ID=75262
Beyachad – together. The latest JNF newsletter contains many great features on JNF’s latest activities not only in the fields of water technology, but also in coexistence and diversity projects like support for Bedouin Arabs and “Baseball for All”. http://www.jnf.org/byachad/
Free sports in Jerusalem for lone soldiers. (TY Janglo) Jerusalem’s municipality has given season tickets to all lone soldiers for the Kiryat Yovel sports center. Free pool, gym and studio classes like yoga and Pilates. https://www.facebook.com/nir.barkat/photos/a.163572597082036.27441.159416337497662/866408356798453/?type=3&theater
Thank you for saving my daughter. (TY Karen) I featured (May 15th) the story about Hadassah doctors saving Palestinian Arab student Sara al Qassriwy (Katzroy) who collapsed whilst jogging. Now her father has shown his gratitude by hosting a Hadassah interfaith mission to a festive meal in his Bethlehem home.
http://www.hadassah.org/news-stories/hadassah-interfaith-mission.html
Rail link for Arab trade. (TY Hazel & Dan) Israel is due to open in October a new 40-mile rail line between Haifa and a terminal 5 miles short of the Jordanian border. Trade between Israel and Jordan increased 65% between 2010 and 2015 as trucks with European goods travel on to Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the Gulf. http://www.wsj.com/articles/israel-builds-railway-in-hope-of-boosting-commerce-with-arab-neighbors-1466614190
Tanzania to open embassy in Israel. (TY Dan) The Tanzanian government has said it has decided to open an embassy in Israel in a move aimed to promote economic diplomacy and “following the economic development Israel has made in agriculture, science and technology”.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201606220625.html
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/363730#.V3qakjUbNf4
Africa needs Israel. During the visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said Israel is a critical partner in the battle against terrorism, the most serious challenge facing the world today. President Kenyatta vowed to work to upgrade Israel’s status in the African Union. http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/During-historic-Netanyahu-visit-Kenyan-president-says-Africa-needs-Israel-459548
Drip irrigation for Paraguay. (TY Dan) Israel has delivered 13 drip irrigation systems from Israel’s Netafim to farmers in San Pedro, Paraguay. It is part of the “Family Drip System” plan led by Paraguayan agronomist Edgar Figueredo, a graduate of Mashav – Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-to-deliver-drip-irrigation-systems-to-paraguayan-farmers/
HUJ VP gets France’s highest honor. Yossi Gal, the Vice President for Advancement and External Relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has been named a Commander of France’s Legion of Honor. Prior to joining the Hebrew University, he served as Israel’s Ambassador to France.
http://new.huji.ac.il/en/article/31554
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Purifying water using plants. Israeli startup Ayala Water & Ecology provides a solution to water purification which lies within nature itself. Its flagship product, called Natural Biological System (NBS), uses containers full of plants to act as a biological filter for wastewater treatment.
http://nocamels.com/2016/06/ayala-purifies-water-using-plants/ http://www.ayala-aqua.com/#
Israeli finalists for Shengjing Awards. Three Israeli startups have won through to the finals of this year’s Shengjing Awards in China. They are Boomerang (cancer therapy – see Oct newsletter), NiniSpeech (stutter cure – see Feb newsletter) and AerialGuard (drone navigation). Israel’s DiACardio won last year’s award.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/3-israeli-start-ups-to-vie-for-chinese-prize-money-limelight/
Israel-Korea project to grow grapes using drones. (TY Dan) Korea and Israel are to work together in developing a system of growing grapes through utilization of amphibious and commercial UAVs and big data. They will also co-develop a grape cultivation and growth control system for entering the new Chinese wine market. http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/english/news/industry/15035-uva-joint-development-korea-israel-co-developing-unmanned-aerial-vehicles
Using drones to retrieve stolen cars. (TY Dan) Israeli startup Ituran uses Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs / drones) to track down vehicles stolen in Israel and then taken to Palestinian Authority towns. It helped to keep car theft down to 5400 vehicles between January and May – 19% less than in the same period in 2015.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4818824,00.html
Traffic control for drones. Israeli startup Arbe Robotics has a solution to prevent collisions between the increasing numbers of unmanned air vehicles (drones). It uses radar technology – radio frequencies – to help drones detect objects and avoid crashing. Arbe won the TechCrunch Meetup and Pitch-Off event in Tel Aviv.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/arbe-robotics-uses-radar-to-avoid-drone-crashes/
https://techcrunch.com/2016/06/22/tel-aviv-meetup-winners/
Israeli satellite to secure Rio Olympics. Israeli high-resolution imaging satellite Eros-B will strengthen security during the Rio Olympics. Brazilian Defense Minister Raul Jungmann said “This is an Israeli satellite at a low Earth orbit altitude capable of capturing high-resolution images of up to 50 centimeters in an area of 450 kilometers.” http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-satellite-to-secure-rio-olympics/
Music to your ears. (TY SDM) Israeli startup MeQ Inc has developed earphones that adapt to your unique hearing condition. The Even Headphones incorporate an “earprint” facility which allow the listener to lower the volume and protect against further hearing problems from being over-exposed to loud music.
http://www.jpost.com/Business-and-Innovation/Tech/Israeli-start-ups-headphones-adapt-to-peoples-unique-earprints-459192 https://www.engadget.com/2016/06/28/even-headphones/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Record $1.4 billion raised by startups. Israeli startups broke all records for the most funds raised in a quarter. The $1.4 billion raised from Apr to Jun beat the $1 billion in Q1 2016 and the £1.1 billion in Q2 2015.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-israeli-startups-raised-record-14b-in-q-1001136992
$3.32 billion in six months. Israeli startups are still in high demand. In the first half of 2016 there were 45 exits by Israeli startups worth $3.32 billion. They include the $811 million acquisition of EZchip by Mellanox, the $643 million buyout of Xura, and the $430 million acquisition of Ravello Systems by Oracle.
http://www.israel21c.org/israeli-exits-in-first-half-of-2016-total-3-32-billion/
$100 million Israeli fund makes first investment. The $100 million Israel Biotech Fund (IBF), founded to invest in Israeli bio-techs, has made its first investment in cancer treatment developer Vidac. Vida’s VDA-1102 is the first ointment that selectively targets malignant skin cancer cells with minimal effects on surrounding healthy skin. http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-israel-biotech-fund-raises-100m-1001136253
Another 9 joint US-Israel projects. The Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation approved funding (worth $21.5 million) for nine new projects. The Israeli companies involved are Cellect Biotechnology, Evogene, File X, Hinoman, IAI, Kamada, Keystone Heart, MedAware and Mellanox.
http://www.birdf.com/?CategoryID=427&ArticleID=511
Bosch opens Israel R&D center. (TY Dan) Bosch Group has established a research and technology office in Tel Aviv. Bosch CEO Volkmar Denner said “Pioneering spirit, world-class universities, and creative ideas – they’re all here. It’s just the right environment for groundbreaking innovations, and thus for Bosch as well”.
http://www.automotiveworld.com/news-releases/israel-country-innovations-start-ups-bosch-establishes-research-office-tel-aviv/
Israeli cybersecurity boom is sustainable. (TY Dan) Isaac Ben Israel, who heads the Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center (ICRC) at Tel Aviv University, reckons the massive growth in Israel’s security industry will continue. “Israel is the only country where you can choose cybersecurity in high school,” he said at Cyber Week. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/06/22/isreal_cybersecurity_boom/
Mobileye is world’s 6th smartest company. (TY Dan) MIT Technology Review ranks Israel’s Mobileye sixth on a list of the world’s 50 “smartest” companies. Mobileye is working on autopilot and collision avoidance technology for Audi, BMW, General Motors, Nissan, Tesla, Volkswagen, and Volvo.
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=34521
Mighty Israeli tahini. (TY Dan) Israel’s Rushdi Foods Industries has launched Mighty Sesame Tahini. It is made from just one ingredient‑ Ethiopian sesame seed – no preservatives, sugar, salt, or any artificial ingredients. Over 21% protein and ten times higher in calcium than cream cheese.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ready-to-use-next-gen-tahini-launches-at-fancy-food-300286852.html http://www.ilovesesame.com/lp/
Microsoft’s latest accelerator graduates. Ten Israeli startups have just completed Microsoft Israel’s latest “Scalerator” program, bringing a total of 83 that have graduated from the eight programs to date. Six of the ten have already raised investments or received investment offers for a total of $27 million.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/microsoft-israel-accelerator-graduates-raise-27-million/
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
A taste of Israeli wines from the Judean hills. From Bible times till today, the Judean Hills near Jerusalem has been the home of some of the region’s finest vineyards. The owners of the Castel Winery, Mony Winery and Zion Winery have unique stories to tell. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugq-cY8MSWs
Carlos Santana donates concert proceeds. Despite BDS pressure, singer and guitarist Carlos Santana is looking forward to his Tel Aviv concert on 30th July. He has even donated his proceeds to the Israel charity Hand In Hand, an organization that brings together thousands of Jews and Arabs in 6 schools throughout Israel.
http://www.israellycool.com/2016/06/25/carlos-santana-excited-to-come-back-to-tel-aviv/
https://www.handinhandk12.org/ http://www.milagrofoundation.org/news.asp
https://www.facebook.com/carlossantana/?fref=ts%C2%A0
Morrissey to perform in Israel. (TY SDM) Having performed in Israel in 2008 and 2012, legendary British singer Morrissey is once again returning to the Holy Land, for two concerts on August 22 at Tel Aviv’s Mann Auditorium and August 24 at the Caesarea Amphitheater. http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/King-of-Mope-Morrissey-returns-to-Israel-for-two-August-concerts-457895
Ramon’s Piano. Tal Ramon, second son of Israel’s first astronaut Ilan Ramon, has just released his first album, “Character” (Dmut in Hebrew). He was inspired to take up music thanks to his father Ilan, the son of a piano teacher who survived Auschwitz, and in 1974 spent his entire first paycheck a Steinway piano.
http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/music/204984/ramons-piano
White Night Tel Aviv. Here is a montage of the huge number of all-night events that took place on Jun 30th.
http://www.itraveltelaviv.com/events/white-night-events
THE JEWISH STATE
The largest donation to an Israeli University. A $400 million gift to Ben-Gurion University from the estate of Howard and Lottie Marcus is believed to be the largest-ever bequest on behalf of an Israeli university. Much of it goes to BGU’s Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, which studies sustainable use of water resources, desalination technologies, water quality, and microbiology.
https://aabgu.org/marcus-family-donates-400-million-to-bgu/
Miracle at Entebbe. (TY Avi) Please watch this exciting six-and-a half-minute video summary of the IDF raid to free 102 Jewish hostages at Entebbe airport Uganda, 40 years ago – hailed as the most daring rescue in the history of the Modern Jewish State. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xCxzdU9dQo
http://www.israelvideonetwork.com/the-most-unbelievable-rescue-mission-in-history/
A Bat Mitzvah for 100 Holocaust survivors. About a hundred Holocaust survivors, ages 75-95, celebrated their “coming of age” Bat Mitzvah ceremony at the Western Wall (Kotel) in Jerusalem. The event was arranged by the charity Ezer Mizion, for women who were prevented by the Nazis from celebrating at age 12.
http://www.ezermizion.org/blog/i-missed-mine/
Re-planting the Garden of Eden. (TY Janette) The Hava V’Adam (Adam and Eve) Ecological Farm near the Israeli city of Modi’in is organizing the planting of an ecological orchard – an edible forest of fruit trees and herbs. Residents of the Modi’in neighborhood are able to take part in establishing and maintaining the garden.
http://www.modiinfo.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=5370:planting-the-ecological-orchard&Itemid=178 http://www.havaveadam.org/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSx44ZbziI8
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