www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com
Even during a war, Israelis deliver innovations and perform activities that are bearing fruit for the rest of humanity. In this week’s newsletter, note the positive impact Israeli startups have made on tackling international criminal activity and the misery of human trafficking. See the effects of Israeli medical innovations detecting urgent problems; preventing adverse medicine interactions; and saving limbs from amputation. Meanwhile, many Israeli war wounded are reaping the benefits of Israeli rehabilitation therapy. Michael Ordman
What makes Israel special even beyond its outsize contributions is the fact that inside the researchers, the technicians, the accountants, the plumbers, the landscapers, the lawyers, the actors, and citizens on the beaches, cafes, and theaters, there is a soldier prepared to mobilize at a moment’s notice to defend the only Jewish state in the world. That citizen army guarantees the continuity and survival of the Jewish people. rsk
POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
Wounded paramedic has a strong spirit. Tal, an IDF paramedic was wounded when he went to the aid of a soldier shot by Hezbollah, who subsequently fired an anti-tank missile at him. He is in rehabilitation but has returned to manage the Golani distillery that he and his family own. He is literally keeping up everyone’s spirit!
https://davebender.substack.com/p/heroic-idf-medics-dad-shares-emotional
https://www.golanispirit.com/collections
Miracle survivor leaves hospital after 9 months. Nova victim Sa’ar Ben Sela was almost dead before a Hamas terrorist aimed his gun to finish him off. But the gun jammed and Sa’ar was eventually brought to Ichilov hospital. After surgery and nine months of recovery, Sa’ar was discharged and walked out of hospital.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-miraculous-israeli-wounded-at-nova-festival-released-after-9-month-recovery/
A healing trip to Mexico. A group of 30 orphaned Israelis recently returned from a 13-day healing retreat in Mexico. The trip, arranged by Israeli NGO OneFamily and the Jewish community of Mexico City, brought orphans who lost both parents to terrorism (including on Oct 7) along with their adopted families.
https://www.jns.org/30-israeli-orphans-including-oct-7-victims-heal-in-mexico/
Scholarships for Gaza border students. The Russian Jewish Congress and the Center for Jewish Impact have awarded scholarships totaling NIS 430,000 to students at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University residing within 7 km of the Gaza border fence. Many of the students were directly affected by the Oct 7 events.
https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/news-and-articles/scholarships-for-gaza-border-bgu-students/
Global support for Gaza border towns. The Jewish Agency for Israel has launched Communities2Gether, to pair 25 Israeli communities with those around the world. The pairings aim to help rebuild infrastructure, mend social bonds and foster long-lasting connections. The priority is to help everyone to return to their homes.
https://www.jns.org/jewish-agency-project-to-strengthen-gaza-border-towns/
Released hostage passes IDF training with honors. Noga Weiss, who was released from Hamas captivity in November, has just completed an IDF training course with honors. She said, “Today I have finished the course and I feel that I have won. I am excited for the future, to feel that I am able to help other soldiers.”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/392824
The search for Stevie. (TY Yanky) When Rebecca travelled from Tel Aviv to London, she left her dog Stevie with friends in a village 7km from Gaza. On Oct 7, Stevie ran off and went missing for 41 days. Thanks to two animal charities and posters, Stevie was found and now has a new job comforting human victims of Oct 7.
https://people.com/missing-dog-israel-hamas-war-found-8410773
Israel lives. (TY Joan) Kathleen Hayes writes in the Jewish Journal about her first trip to the Jewish State. In her opening sentence she states, “there’s something almost biblical about the Israeli people. Ever-emerging stories about October 7 continue to awe and humble me.” And afterwards, “they are getting on with living”.
https://jewishjournal.com/commentary/opinion/372616/israel-lives/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Preventing loss of limbs. Israel’s BioGenCell (see here previously) is conducting Phase 2 trials of its Tissue Regenerative Activated Cell (TRACT) Therapy. It is preventing amputations at Netanya’s Laniado Medical Center, the US (Yale and Johns Hopkins), Belgium, and Georgia. It is now raising funds for Phase 3 trials.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hki11xl2wa
Preventing clash of medications. A study by Israel’s FeelBetter (see here previously) at Boston’s Mass General Brigham, of its medicine interaction algorithm shows it could reduce hospitalizations by 24%. It has now signed with New Jersey’s Atlantic Health System, which administers to over half a million Americans.
https://nocamels.com/2024/07/patient-care-platform-makes-taking-multiple-medications-safer/
Saving lives in Ohio. (TY Atid-EDI) Cleveland based University Hospitals is deploying the aiOS diagnosis platform from Israel’s Aidoc (see here previously) across 13 of its hospitals and many outpatient locations. All patients undergoing CT scans for injury or pain will be analyzed by aiOS for expected and unusual conditions.
https://news.uhhospitals.org/news-releases/articles/2024/06/uh-transforms-patient-care-with-aidocs-ai-enabled-solutions-across-its-entire-health-system
Sealing wounds after heart surgery. EndoRon Medical provides abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair with a long-lasting sealing and fixation solution for their endograft.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/h1wabb6w0 https://endoronmedical.com/
American Jewish medical professionals see this. (TY Yanky) The American Jewish Medical Association (AJMA) is a non-profit, national organization representing health professionals (doctors, dentists, nurses, and others) who stand strongly with Israel, and promote Jewish values and ethics in medicine. Please join them.
https://www.theajma.org/
First Aliyah event for South American medics. The inaugural South American MedEx event took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Over 60 doctors came from all over Argentina and neighboring Uruguay to be assisted with their Aliyah planning and licensing. (see here for previous MedEx events in Europe and USA).
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/392745