GOOD NEWS FROM AMAZING ISRAEL FROM MICHAEL ORDMAN
First, the bad news. In 2022 Israel has had the highest number of casualties from Arab terrorist attacks since 2008. Second, antisemitism, much of it propelled by the anti-Israel libels and bias in academia and the media is at an all-time high in just about every continent. Exception Azerbaijan.
But here is a silver lining: In spite of heightened security concerns and equipment, Israel’s research institutions, laboratories and hospitals continue to create better modalities and outcomes in science, medicine, agronomy and food production and storage. Below is another amazing catalog of these triumphs brought to us weekly by Michael Ordman. Rsk
www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com
In medicine, Israeli scientists have developed cancer-killing antibodies using computers; generated microscopic bubbles to make tumors explode; predicted and prevented future heart attacks; protected medical staff from future radiation damage, and so much more that will extend future human lifespans.
In the food industry, Israelis are answering the call to feed a hungry world by creating foods such as no-turkey turkey, no-cow yogurt, no-tree cocoa and vegan products to satisfy all tastes. Meanwhile, Israeli technology will keep fruit and vegetables fresh for weeks on supermarket shelves.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Computer-designed anti-cancer antibodies. Israel’s Bar-Ilan Prof. Yanay Ofran has invented antibodies to attack tumors, using computers and then produced them from amino acids in a process akin to 3D printing. His startup Biolojic Design created Aulos Bioscience which is conducting human trials of AU-007 in Australia.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/cancer-patients-trialing-worlds-first-nano-robot-antibodies-made-in-israel/
Ultrasound and bubbles can destroy tumors. Tel Aviv University researchers have used a combination of low-frequency ultrasound and injected nanobubbles to cause tumors to explode. Lab tests focused only on the area of the tumor, which avoids damage to healthy tissues. It could be used to treat tumors deep inside the body.
https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-723059
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2022/nr/d2nr01367c
Hi-tech volunteers help diagnose cancer. Hundreds of Israeli hi-tech employees volunteer in the Code for Israel initiative to benefit Israeli society. One group founded the Pathomatic Project and developed an algorithm that immediately alerts medical staff, at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov (Sourasky) hospital, to cancer biopsy scans.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/362832
https://nocamels.com/2022/11/algorithm-beats-cancer-scan-delays/
Risk of heart failure detected. The HearO app from Israel’s Cordio Medical (see here previously) achieved an 82% success rate in a study of 180 patients at 10 Israeli clinics. The app detected Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) an average of 18 days before it occurred, using algorithms and previously recorded speech.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-app-sounds-alarm-before-heart-failure-just-by-analyzing-your-voice/
US approval for medical radiation shielding. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Radiaction Medical has received US FDA clearance for its Radiation Shielding System. The system protects medical staff in labs using fluoroscopy machines – a leading source of occupational ionizing radiation exposure for healthcare providers.
https://www.radiactionmedical.com/radiaction-medical-announces-the-latest-food-and-drug-administration-510k-clearance-for-its-novel-automated-radiation-shield-system-highlighting-u-s-expansion/
The “Waze” of feeding tubes. (TY WIN) The Envue feeding tube placement system from Israel’s Envizion Medical (see here previously) has been used tens of thousands of times in dozens of US hospitals including the Cleveland Clinic and the St. Vincent network of hospitals. It has been 100% successful and saved many lives.
https://www.israel21c.org/a-feeding-tube-that-could-prevent-tragedies/
Your personal clinic at home. Israel’s TytoCare (see here previously) has launched its Home Smart Clinic. It conducts remote physical exams using AI-powered guidance and diagnostic support. The virtual clinic includes the remote handheld diagnostic device plus Tyto Insights, Tyto Engagement Labs, plus all necessary support.
https://www.tytocare.com/home-smart-clinic-ebook/
Brain monitoring at home. Israel’s X-trodes (see here previously) has partnered US-based EMOTIV to launch a first-of-its-kind medical-grade wearable solution for brain and physiological monitoring outside of clinical settings. X-trodes’ multi-electrode patches measure a patient’s EEG, EMG and ECG signals.
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/article-722605
Mental health center for English speakers. Yeshiva University (YU), together with Amudim Israel, have opened the Jerusalem Therapy Center. It fulfills a critical need for affordable, English-language mental health services, serving those impacted by trauma, addiction, and other complex mental health related issues.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363125
Advancing healthcare with the UAE. Israel’s Sheba Medical Center has signed a strategic agreement with Abu Dhabi-based innovation giant G42 Healthcare to develop new health technology. Plans include joint projects in stem cell research, cardiology, oncology, obstetrics, gynecology, diabetes, fertility, and more.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/major-israeli-emirates-agreement-signed-to-start-jointly-building-health-tech/
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363163
Bacteria or virus – Tucson hospital will know. (TY Atid-EDI) Arizona’s Tucson ER & Hospital has adopted the bacteria vs virus test from Israel’s MeMed (see here previously). The test distinguishes viral from bacterial infection within 15 minutes and avoids wasting antibiotics on a virus.
https://www.me-med.com/press-releases/tucson-er-hospital-adopts-trailblazing-memed-bv-test/
Hear from a top Israeli scientist. Fascinating podcast featuring Tel Aviv University’s Vice President, Prof. Dan Peer. He is an extraordinarily prolific scientist with more than 130 patents under his name and over 150 publications. He discusses nanotechnology, COVID-19, and translational medicine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AmZG-DH-SI
The bus ride of his life. Volunteer EMTs from Israeli NGO United Hatzalah saved the life of Shmuel who had a cardiac arrest on a bus in Bnei Brak. One EMT was on the same bus and he alerted UH dispatch. In minutes four EMTs were working on Shmuel, whose pulse returned shortly after. In hospital, Shmuel thanked them all.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363117
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Preparing Russians for university. 43 recent Russian immigrants have enrolled in the Aliya to Academia program at Israel’s Ben Gurion University. Courses in mathematics, physics and programming are taught in Russian. Students also receive a Hebrew ulpan, a stipend, mentoring, field trips, and more.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-722415 https://in.bgu.ac.il/en/pages/news/russian_academia.aspx
SACH has saved 3,000 Palestinian Arab children. 5-year-old Amir from Gaza is the 3,000th Palestinian Arab child to have had life-saving heart surgery by doctors from Israel’s Save A Child’s Heart. Amir’s mother revealed that everyone in Gaza says Israeli doctors are the most professional and trustworthy in the world.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/3000th-palestinian-child-has-heart-operation-in-israel-through-save-a-childs-heart/ https://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-surgeons-save-life-of-gaza-boy-with-heart-defect/
Azerbaijan to open embassy in Israel. The Azerbaijani parliament has announced its historic decision to open an embassy in Tel Aviv. It will be the first embassy in Israel of a country with a Shi’ite majority and a Shi’ite government. Azerbaijan recently opened a trade office and a tourism office in Tel Aviv.
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy/1668771190-azerbaijan-will-open-embassy-in-israel
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363035
Baby born in UAE gets Israeli passport. The Israeli Embassy in Abu Dhabi has just issued the first passport to an Israeli baby born in the United Arab Emirates. Mateo David was born on 13 May to an Israeli mother and her Belgian husband who have been living in Abu Dhabi for the past year.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/historic-baby-born-in-gulf-country-gets-israeli-passport-i-am-a-zionist-mother-says/
Lions of Judah. (TY Atid-EDI) Two Asiatic lion cubs were born at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo – the second litter of resident lions Gir and Yasha. Israel’s joint project with the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria aims to rescue the Asiatic lion, which were widespread in the Land of Israel until the Crusader period.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/jerusalem-zoo-welcomes-second-litter-of-rare-asiatic-lions/
UN uses Israeli company for sustainability awards. Israeli think tank and incubator YK Center is working with three United Nations organizations to launch an award that will be given to banks, insurance companies and stock exchanges that have performed best in relation to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-group-helping-rank-companies-on-un-sustainability-goals-for-annual-prize/ https://ykcenter.org/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuSQaKJhWaY
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Removing CO2 together. Israel’s Carbonade (see here previously) turns greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into plastic, building materials and even detergent. But it doesn’t capture the gas. However, Israel’s RepAir does (see here previously). So, it’s handy that RepAir’s founder Yehuda Borenstein is also chairman of Carbonade!
https://unitedwithisrael.org/green-plastic-israeli-startup-transforms-co2-captured-from-air/
Solar windows. Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJ) are using the mineral perovskite to coat solar panels and create transparent windows that generate electricity. It has led to two HUJ startups, Trans/Sol and SOLRA (see here previously).
https://nocamels.com/2022/11/solar-powered-skyscrapers-a-new-window-of-opportunity/
Building a bright future for Israel’s youth. Watch this webinar, featuring Dr. Shahar Abramovitch, the director of Ben Gurion University’s Jusidman Science Center for Youth. The center aims to provide every child in Israel’s periphery the opportunity to succeed. Its remarkable young students are the future of Israel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a7yvRUdMUw
An engine for hi-tech growth in the North. The Kinneret Innovation Center (see here previously) is emerging as a leading Israeli tech hub for agriculture, water and sustainability. CEO Elad Shamir, the grandson of former Israeli PM Yitzhak Shamir, oversees an innovation academy and the construction of an agro-technology park.
https://www.jns.org/21st-century-zionism-on-the-shores-of-the-sea-of-galilee/
Making bricks out of salt. Salt is a polluting waste product from industry and desalination. Now scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have converted salt into bricks that are many times stronger than cement. Also, making standard bricks generates huge amounts of CO2, whereas salt bricks produce almost none.
https://nocamels.com/2022/11/bricks-made-of-salt-the-building-material-of-the-future/
Going green at FoodTechIL. (TY UWI & I24 News) Traditional chefs met cutting edge technology at FoodTechIL – Israel’s Food Tech Expo (see also here previously). This year, vegan alternatives and sustainability were in the spotlight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnYpnRK1Up0
Sustainable chocolate. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Celleste-Bio is developing high-value cocoa ingredients using cell culture methods, eliminating the dependence on the cultivation of cocoa trees. Lab-produced cocoa avoids deforestation, child labor and high carbon emissions. https://www.trendlines.com/portfolio/celleste-bio/
https://www.trendlines.com/news/trendlines-invests-in-celleste-bio-to-make-our-chocolate-supply-sustainable/
No-cow yoghurt. Israel’s Wilk (see here previously) has announced the successful development of the world’s first yogurt developed with cell-cultured milk fat. The concept product validates Wilk’s technology to produce cell-cultured products that are chemically identical, and have identical taste, to their cows-milk equivalents.
https://www.prnewswire.com/il/news-releases/in-world-first-israeli-foodtech-company-wilk-presents-first-cell-based-yogurt-produced-with-cultured-milk-fat-301679719.html
No-turkey Moist Maker. Israel’s SuperMeat (see here previously) has made the first ever “Moist Maker” Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich consisting of all the classic leftovers from the big meal, including stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and gravy, BUT, paired with the first ever cell-cultivated turkey.
https://www.meatpoultry.com/articles/27618-supermeat-reinvents-moist-maker-sandwich-with-new-cultivated-turkey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of3b4ZzJJuk (The original “Friends” Moist Maker episode)
Quadrupling the shelf-life of cucumbers. (TY Atid-EDI) Researchers at Israel’s MIGAL Galilee Research Institute (MIGAL) more than quadrupled the postharvest life of cucumbers – from two to nine weeks – using a “smart” sequential treatment protocol suggested by its Artificial Intelligence-based algorithms.
https://www.prnewswire.com/il/news-releases/migals-advanced-ai-quadruples-cucumber-postharvest-life-301663439.html https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3520304.3533976
Stopping cybercrime. (TY UWI & I24 News) Israeli cybersecurity startup Konfidas and Israel-based Sygnia (see here previously) recently foiled a major cyber attempt by North Korean hackers to steal crypto-currency. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c965HvyVsYk https://www.konfidas.com/
Preventing information overload. Israel’s theGist develops smart AI and machine learning tools to enhance the employee experience by focusing on simplifying the content of internal data and communications. Its first product theGist for Slack, scans hundreds of Slack posts to provide personalized insights and highlights.
https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/15/thegist-uses-ai-to-summarize-slack-channels-and-threads/
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hksaghzuj https://www.thegist.ai/
Medical supply network by drones. Israel is set to become the first Western country to establish an aerial drone medical supply network. Gadfin Spirit One UAVs will ferry medical equipment, medicines, vaccines, blood, serum, lab samples etc., from Sarel’s Netanya-based logistics center to major hospitals within 200 km.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-companies-to-launch-drone-supply-network-for-hospitals/
Slow and sure wins the race. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Carteav develops electric autonomous low-speed vehicles (ALSVs) for transporting people and goods. It aims to be the global leader for ALSVs in retirement communities, hospitals, factories, universities, colleges, golf courses, residential apartments, and more.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/11/07/2549597/0/en/Autonomous-Vehicle-Developer-Carteav-Closes-6-5m-in-Capital-Funding.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKYS1ORk4r8
https://carteav.com/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Israeli conference in Morocco. The Jerusalem Post Group held its “Global Investment Forum 2022” in Marrakech, Morocco. Israeli companies presenting included Netafim and NewMed Energy. Other topics included Eilat (tourism), Jerusalem (tourism and conferences), and the Abrahamic Business Circle.
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/article-722493
The next free trade agreement with an Arab country. Following the success of a Free Trade Agreement with the United Arab Emirates (see here previously), Israel has successfully completed the first round of FTA talks with Bahrain. Israel’s Economy ministry remarked on the “quick progress in the negotiations”.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/israel-bahrain-free-trade-talks-enjoy-successful-first-round/
Off the shelf. Eran Kravitz, co-founder and CTO of Israel’s Shopic (see here previously) describes his company’s shopping device and system that speeds up the checkout process. Shopic is working with Israeli supermarket giant Shufersal and several North American supermarkets.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/rkojinqui
Partnership to save lives on the road. Leading Japanese electronics manufacturer Murata has partnered with Israel’s Autotalks (see here previously) to launch the most mature mass-market ready V2X (vehicle to anything) communications module. It will operate with either of the two global V2X communication standards.
https://www.murata.com/en-eu/news/connectivitymodule/v2x/2022/1121
Fleet Management Innovation of the Year. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Otonomo (see here previously) has been awarded “Fleet Management Innovation of the Year” by the 2022 AutoTech Breakthrough Awards. Otonomo’s Maintenance and Mileage dashboards provide customers with a 360-degree view of all relevant vehicle data.
https://otonomo.io/press-releases/otonomo-wins-top-recognition-from-2022-autotech-breakthrough-awards-for-fleet-management-innovation-of-the-year/
Worthwhile investment. This article about Jerusalem’s rising innovators includes Housetable, which provides finance for families below the normal bank-lending threshold. Housetable uses Artificial Intelligence to deduce how much a home would be worth on completion of renovation work. https://www.housetable.com/
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/tech-and-start-ups/article-721937
Investment in Israeli startups to 27/11/22: Torr FoodTech raised $12 million; Piggy raised $7.7 million; Carteav raised $6.5 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT`
Israel Philharmonic plays Carnegie Hall. The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) just completed its first tour in three years under Maestro Lahav Shani – the first native Israeli to lead the IPO. The 14 Nov performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall rounded off a tour that included Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Palo Alto.
https://www.jns.org/israel-philharmonic-orchestra-led-for-the-first-time-by-an-israeli-conquers-new-yorks-carnegie-hall/
First direct flight from Israel to Qatar. The first aircraft to fly between Israel and Qatar took 180 Israeli and Palestinian Arab soccer fans to the World Cup. Qatar refused to allow Israeli airplanes to make the trip, but they overlooked that Cyprus-based TUS Airways is a subsidiary of Israel’s Knafaim Holdings Ltd.
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/world-cup/1668960049-first-direct-flight-from-between-israel-and-qatar-takes-off-for-world-cup https://www.jns.org/first-ever-direct-israel-qatar-commercial-flight-takes-off/
Jerusalem hosts World Chess Championship. 12 top international teams, including Israel (with its female captain) compete for the World Chess Team Championship in Jerusalem this week. The teams are Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, India, South Africa, China, Spain, France, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United States.
https://www.jns.org/despite-boycott-call-chess-teams-in-israel-for-world-championship/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/first-israel-woman-captain-men-chess-team/
https://en.chessbase.com/post/world-team-ch-2022-live
THE JEWISH STATE
The stairway to the Temple. Take a virtual walk across Temple Mount in Jerusalem and see the stairs that Jewish pilgrims ascended to reach the Second Temple, even before King Herod expanded the courtyard.
https://www.israelunwired.com/discovering-the-temple-mount-the-southern-stairways/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjBltYBcVio
Ben Gurion Day in the USA. Each year on 6th Kislev, Israel pays tribute to its founding father, David Ben-Gurion, with a national holiday. This year, on 30 Nov, for the very first time, “Ben-Gurion Day” will come to the USA. Register here, to discover how Ben-Gurion’s groundbreaking ideas and dreams are now a reality.
https://americansforbgu.org/BenGurionDayintheUSA/
An app for Jewish mothers. The global movement for Jewish mothers, Momentum (see here previously) has launched Yomm – the first social networking app designed to bring Jewish women closer together to learn and connect. Yomm was created in partnership with the Mayberg Foundation and Israel’s Diaspora Affairs ministry.
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/article-722516 https://yommapp.com/
Startup CEO donates kidney to a stranger. Rony Zigler is CEO of Kolhei Golan, managing all the sewage treatment plants in the Golan Heights. His latest treatment plant uses reconditioned kidney dialysis filters from Israel’s NUFiltration (see here previously). It inspired Rony to altruistically donate a kidney to a total stranger.
https://www.israel21c.org/sewage-tech-inspires-man-to-donate-kidney-to-stranger/
More kidney donors. The above article about Rony Zigler also mentions that more than a dozen residents of his religious Zionist hometown of Hispin in the Golan have donated kidneys to strangers through the NGO Matnat Chaim (“gift of life”). Israelis are the world’s most altruistic kidney donors (see here previously).
https://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-inspired-to-donate-kidney-to-a-stranger-by-sewage-tech/
The first Bnei Menashe synagogue in Israel. Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue, the first-ever house of prayer in Israel for Bnei Menashe immigrants from India, has just been inaugurated in the northern Israeli city of Nof Hagalil. About 150 worshippers attended – most of them members of the community.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363254
Welcome to Israel. In 2021, Israel brought 1,755 Ethiopian Jews to settle in Israel. They joined over 90,000 others who were born in Ethiopia, together with another 73,800 with at least one parent born in Ethiopia. Netanya is the city with the largest population of residents of Ethiopian origin (around 12,000).
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/flashes/592047
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