HAPPY SUKKOT TO ALL WHO OBSERVE THIS HAPPY HOLIDAY AND GOOD WISHES TO ALL!
www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com
Finally, on the 5th anniversary of the Abraham Accords I anticipate a future world that will embrace Israel as a true “light to the nations”. Michael Ordman
More good news: Maybe, just maybe, the Gaza war may be ending and the hostages held in Gaza by Hamas may be released soon. rsk
Amusing news: It turns out that the ship of fools with its poster girl Great Thunberg, ostensibly taking food and first aid to Gaza had nothing, nada, zilch, gurnisht, that would help even a Gaza lizard. rsk
Finally: Let’s remember the real “freedom flotillas” that piloted some wretched Holocaust survivors to Israel in the aftermath of the Shoah. The duplicitous English fired on them, and even arrested them and put them in squalid camps in Cyprus. rsk
POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
Eden to return to IDF service. American-Israeli Edan Alexander, who was held hostage in Gaza for 584 days, said that he intends to continue his IDF service next month. “I will once again put on the IDF uniform, and I will proudly serve alongside my brothers. Serving in the IDF is one of the greatest honors of my life.”
https://worldisraelnews.com/freed-hostage-edan-alexander-says-hes-returning-to-the-idf-next-month/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-868112
Yuval is a hero. Yuval Raphael, Nova Festival survivor and Israel’s 2025 Eurovision contestant, received the United Hatzalah Hero Award at the organization’s Los Angeles annual gala. Her rendition of resilience anthem “New Day Will Rise,” won the global audience vote and 2nd place overall, despite suffering anti-Israel abuse.
https://www.jpost.com/j-spot/article-868140
Water of Life. (TY Scott & Yanky) Two years after the 7 Oct 2023 Hamas massacre, Kibbutz Be’eri turned its bloodied fields into 139 tons of barley to make single-malt whisky, “Single Be’eri”. It featured at Whisky Live Tel Aviv (Sep 10-11) together with other local whiskies plus “SuperNova”, blended by Israel’s nine distilleries.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/whisky-event-will-join-israeli-enthusiasts-and-distillers-launch-oct-7-single-malt/ https://www.ynetnews.com/food/article/bjpqk00aceg
https://travelheights.org/whisky-live-israel-2025-sets-new-benchmarks-a-spirited-celebration-in-tel-aviv/
Robotic vehicles in Gaza. The IDF has deployed dozens of robotic armored vehicles in Gaza. They carry an explosives container, place it at the target, and retreat before detonation. They are a dramatic combat tool, neutralizing thousands of explosive devices and saving the lives of many soldiers.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/415257
Academic support for IDF soldiers. Serving IDF soldiers enrolled in further education, will continue to receive benefits in the new academic year. In addition, all lectures will be recorded and made accessible to students who are serving in the military. More benefits for those serving over 300 days, plus STEM subjects.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-868174
New rehab center in Ramla. Construction has begun on ALEH Zahav, an $81 million, 15-story, 420-bed rehabilitation facility in the Israeli city of Ramla. It will provide inpatient care, trauma therapy, hydrotherapy, adaptive sports, advanced imaging, and family support for soldiers and civilians wounded in the Gaza conflict.
https://www.jwire.com.au/new-420-bed-rehab-facility-in-ramla-to-aid-israels-injured-soldiers/
$7.8 million for recovery projects. The UJA-Federation of New York announced a fresh round of grant allocations to Israeli initiatives on Monday totaling $7.8 million, mainly to recovery projects in the north and the Western Negev. Half the funds will go to communities attacked by Hamas terrorists on 7 Oct 2023.
https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/uja-federation-of-new-york-issues-7-8-million-in-grants-to-israel/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Hypnosis before brain surgery. (TY Nevet) Surgeons at the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya have been using hypnosis instead of anesthesia prior to drilling holes in the skull for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). Psychologist Dr Udi Bonshtein says it helps shorten and improve medical treatment.
https://www.jpost.com/science/article-868234
Technion’s medical breakthroughs. (TY Nevet) Latest news from Israel’s Technion Institute includes AI analysis of imperfect ECG images to pinpoint critical heart problems (see here) plus how dopamine rewires the brain to help learn new movements (see here).
https://ats.org/our-impact/todays-breakthroughs-for-the-next-generation-of-treatment-part-2/
Obese children can still be healthy. A new study from Tel Aviv University and Dana Dwek Children’s Hospital shows that obese children with illnesses had over twice the fat in their liver than healthy obese children. A Mediterranean diet may provide protection against metabolic illness, even in the case of obesity.
https://english.tau.ac.il/research/liver-fat-predicts-health
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1559271/full
More European funds for Israeli research. Two Technion faculty members have been awarded prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grants. Prof Efrat Shimron for her development of a low-cost, small portable MRI machine, and Prof Ariel Rapaport for his work on fractal geometry.
https://www.technion.ac.il/en/blog/article/two-technion-researchers-win-prestigious-european-research-council-erc-grants/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Women’s summit in Tel Aviv. (TY Hazel) 30 women leaders, from or with roots across the Middle East and North Africa, met in Tel Aviv for the inaugural Women Champions for Change summit. Israelis, Lebanese, Iranian, Tunisians, Saudis, Afghans, Moroccans, Emiratis, and Iraqis, discussed collaborating on social change.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-shadow-of-war-iranian-afghani-women-join-others-in-tel-aviv-to-push-for-change/
Day centers for adults with disabilities. Israel Elwyn (see here previously) has just opened a $7 million day center in Herzliya for people with disabilities aged 21 and over requiring constant comprehensive support. It is funded by the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, Bituach Leumi, and the Shalem Fund.
https://israelelwyn.org.il/activity/day-programs/
Fast entry for students. Foreign visitors arriving in Israel with valid student visas will now be able to enjoy a streamlined entry process. Upon scanning their passport at the automatic machines, they will receive a printed “VIP” slip and may proceed directly to the exit gates without stopping at the counter.
https://chaimvchessed.com/updates/good-news-for-student-visa-holders-streamlined-entry-at-ben-gurion-airport/
From beauty queen to pro-Israel influencer. Israel’s Noa Cochva represented Israel at Miss Universe in 2021. In 2023, when Hamas launched the Oct. 7 attack, she was called up as a reservist. Her message is that Israeli women are both soldiers and beauty queens – strong and feminine at the same time.
https://www.jns.org/noa-cochva-from-beauty-queen-to-pro-israel-influencer/
Memorial garden in Majdal Shams. The “Peace Team Garden” was inaugurated in Majdal Shams in memory of the 12 Druze children killed by a rocket fired by Hezbollah terrorists. The garden’s funders include pro-Israel Jerusalem-based Christian organization Bridges for Peace and Toronto-based One Free World International.
https://www.jns.org/memorial-garden-dedicated-to-12-angels-of-majdal-shams/
250 legislators from all 50 states. The largest-ever delegation of US lawmakers, representing all 50 US States, attended the “50 States, One Israel” event in Jerusalem. Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked the “Democrats and Republicans alike”. Delegates visited Gaza border towns, met US lone soldier immigrants and planted 50 trees.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/saar-urges-250-visiting-us-state-legislators-to-pass-anti-bds-laws-in-their-states/ https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-867559
New York police chiefs train in Israel. (TY Yanky) 13 senior police officials from the New York area returned to the U.S. after an intensive week in Israel designed to increase their counterterrorism training and understanding of antisemitism. They also visited the Nova music festival site and several kibbutzim.
https://jewishinsider.com/2025/09/new-york-police-chiefs-israel-counterterrorism-antisemitism-training/
Top entrepreneurial universities. (TY Hazel) Two Israeli universities are listed among the world’s top 10 academic institutions for producing the most entrepreneurs, according to financial research firm PitchBook’s 2025 rankings. Tel Aviv University maintains its 2024’s 7th position. Technion Institute rose 6 places to 10th.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/two-israeli-universities-listed-in-top-10-global-producers-of-entrepreneurs/
https://english.tau.ac.il/news/tau-maintains-7-place (Highest non-US University)
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/sjjpqw00ogg (unstoppable)
Climate Solutions Prize Tour. The Climate Solutions Prize Tour, in partnership with the Jewish Climate Trust, arrived in Israel on 14 Sep, after launching in the United Arab Emirates on 10 Sep. It connects builders, investors, and changemakers to forge meaningful partnerships, and explore transformative technologies.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com/CST25/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
More help for the bees. Israel’s Technion is helping Israel’s – and the world’s – dwindling bee populations thrive. From AI-monitored hives to robotic honeybees, Israel’s brightest minds are ensuring that Jewish tradition and nature’s sweetness endure for generations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8n8Iv2DkpE
University prize-winner. 18-year-old Raz Dvora won the top prize at the International Mathematics Competition for University Students, just weeks after graduating high school. He had simultaneously been studying undergraduate mathematics at the Open University of Israel’s Academia in High School program.
https://www.jns.org/wire/open-university-of-israel-program-launches-teen-to-global-math-victory/
Engineering a new future for Haredim. Israel Sci-Tech Schools has inaugurated a new ultra-Orthodox hesder yeshiva, thanks to Chedvata (see here previously). Netanya’s Hermelin College combines Torah study with academic excellence in practical engineering tracks. There are now four Chedvata yeshivot.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-867220 https://chedvata.org/
Filling the Sea of Galilee. As planned (see here previously) for the first time in the world, desalinated seawater is being pumped into a freshwater lake, as Israel transfers Mediterranean water into the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret). The “Reverse Carrier” initiative will keep the level of the Kinneret above the “Red line”.
https://www.ynetnews.com/environment/article/skadez43xl
Eilat corals survive heatwaves. An Israeli university study has revealed that corals in the Gulf of Eilat have survived four consecutive and intensifying marine heatwaves without experiencing mass bleaching. These include the world’s most extreme event in 2024 – a resilience unmatched anywhere else on the planet.
https://www.jpost.com/environment-and-climate-change/article-868441
Vegan eggs from pea protein. Israel’s Meala FoodTech (see here previously) has unveiled Groundbaker, a single-ingredient pea protein that replicates eggs’ multi-functional performance in baked goods. It enables food manufacturers to reduce costs, decrease reliance on eggs (due to avian flu), and simplify formulations.
https://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/news/meala-egg-replacer-groundbaker.html
Strawberry fields not needed. Israel’s Novella Innovative Technology has used its AuraCell platform to develop Novella Strawberry, a patent-pending, new generation of bio-actives derived from whole strawberry cells. Novella bypasses the need to grow the whole plant, saving time, cost, waste and the environment.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/novella-launches-potent-whole-cell-strawberry-ingredient-at-ssw-302557353.html
Hard cheese. Israel’s SCIO has launched its handheld Cheese Analyzer (see here previously). No need to prepare the sample, the portable near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy device provides fast, accurate, and non-destructive analysis of fat, moisture, and protein content in all types of cheese and curd in under 10 seconds.
https://www.scionir.com/solutions/dairy/ https://farming.co.uk/news/scio-introduces-handheld-cheese-analyzer
Satellite communications in the palm of your hand. Israel’s Commcrete has developed a suite of ultra-compact satellite communication systems (Flipper, Stardust & Bittel) to work without clear sky access or heavy antennas, enabling secure voice, text, data, and location-sharing globally, in any environment or weather.
https://www.commcrete.com/ https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/rkzk00fthlx
Science that makes you laugh and think. A team of Ben Gurion University Professors and students has won an Ig Nobel – the international science prize for making people laugh and then think. They published a study to reveal what happens to bats when they get drunk. They won ten trillion Zimbabwe dollars (60 cents in 2008).
https://www.science.org/content/article/ig-nobels-are-science-s-most-lighthearted-event-year-not-typical
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376635710000446?via%3Dihub
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Israeli hi-tech had a record year. Despite the war. Israel’s high-tech industry posted a record year for exits and cemented its global leadership in Deep-Tech. The “Status Report on Israeli High-Tech 2025,” from Dutch database management company DealRoom, totaled 1,500 active Deep-Tech companies in Israel.
https://www.jns.org/despite-war-israeli-high-tech-has-record-year-new-report-finds/
AIR ONE can fly. (TY OurCrowd) The AIRONE all-electric eVTOL aircraft from Israel’s AIR (see here previously) has successfully received FAA Experimental Airworthiness Certification.
https://www.prnewswire.com/il/news-releases/air-expands-evtol-flight-operations-in-florida-following-faa-airworthiness-certificate-issuance-302545049.html
ElliQ for Japan. (TY OurCrowd) Japan’s Kanematsu will develop a Japanese version of ElliQ, the interactive AI companion for seniors developed by Israel’s Intuition Robotics (see here previously) Japan has 36 million seniors. Kanematsu is also investing in Intuition Robotics to raise its total equity funding to date to $85 million.
https://blog.ourcrowd.com/ai-companion-robot-says-hello-to-japans-36-million-seniors/
https://www.jobtorob.com/elliq-japan-launch
Partnering Nasdaq to prevent fraud. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s BioCatch (see here previously) has partnered with Verafin (a subsidiary of Nasdaq). They will combine their fraud detection technologies to combat rising payments fraud. Verafin is used by over 2,600 financial institutions.
https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/nasdaq-verafin-biocatch-strike-partnership-curb-payments-fraud-2025-09-03/
Managing autonomous taxis. The technology of Israel’s Via Transportation (see here previously) is to serve as the backbone of the autonomous taxi service of Google subsidiary Waymo. Via’s platform will allow for pooling multiple passengers into a single ride.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/lrmoww2qt
No worries for Elbit. Israel’s Elbit Systems has secured a $120 million contract to supply its Hermes 900 unmanned aerial system (UAS) for long-range maritime surveillance to an undisclosed international customer.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/b1zvead3gx
Living financially smarter in Israel. The third annual Living Financially Smarter in Israel (LFSII) conference, at Nefesh B’Nefesh’s Jerusalem campus attracted some 350 new and veteran immigrants, plus English-speaking Israelis. They heard practical strategies on how to build financial stability and thrive in Israel.
https://www.jns.org/nefesh-hosts-living-financially-smarter-in-israel/
Free banking in Israel? In early 2026 Israel’s newest digital bank, Esh Bank Israel, promises to offer accounts completely free of fees for both retail customers and small businesses. It also will share 50% of the interest earned on their current account balances. The bank will be entirely digital, offering basic banking services.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-newest-digital-bank-to-start-offering-zero-fee-accounts-in-early-2026/
Exits, takeovers, and mergers to 5th Oct 25. US Datavant has acquired Israeli medical document analysis startup DigitalOwl for just over $200 million. Israel’s Kela Technologies has acquired Israel’s Pelanor for tens of millions of dollars. Israel’s Honeybook has acquired Israel’s Fine.dev. Brazil’s Unico has acquired Israel’s OwnID.
Startup investment – to 5th Oct 25: Via Transportation (value $3.65 billion) raised $493 million (IPO); Descope raised an additional $35 million; Commcrete raised $29 million; Datawizz raised $12.5 million; Gain raised $12 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Oldest church organ makes music again. A pipe organ crafted some 1,000 years ago for Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity made music once more, as the instrument was unveiled at Jerusalem’s Terra Sancta Museum. It was hailed as the “oldest organ in Christendom.” It was rediscovered in 1906 during construction work.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/oldest-organ-in-christendom-makes-music-in-jerusalem-after-centuries-of-silence/
Ancient gold hoard unearthed. University of Haifa archaeologists have uncovered a Byzantine-period (6th or 7th century CE) hoard of 97 pure gold coins and jewelry at Sussita National Park. They believe it was buried in fear of the Sasanian-Persian conquest. It includes a rare 610 CE tremissis (gold coin) of Emperor Heraclius.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/415383
World’s largest fish visits Israel. Ashdod authorities recorded the the first documented sighting of a whale shark along Israel’s Mediterranean coast and only the third confirmed sighting in the entire Mediterranean. Whale sharks are occasionally seen in the Gulf of Eilat – this one is thought to have swum up the Suez Canal.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/whale-shark-spotted-off-ashdod-in-first-recorded-sighting-in-israeli-waters/
https://www.ynetnews.com/environment/article/skadez43xl
Israel reached Euro baseball quarterfinals. The Israel Baseball National Team beat Switzerland 9-1 to reach the quarterfinals of the 2025 European Championship. Pitcher Justin Alintoff dedicated the victory to all the Israelis fighting in the war and those who have lost their lives. Israel finished 7th in the competition.
https://israfan.com/p/alintoff-leads-israel-euro-baseball-quarterfinals
Good results. Israel finished 7th at the European Softball Championships. Israel placed 8th at the Women’s European U-18 Water Polo Championships. And Israel’s men’s U18 water polo team won the European Championship Division 1, having already secured promotion to the Elite tier.
https://www.wbsceurope.org/en/events/2025-womens-softball-european-championship/teams/34606
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_women%27s_national_water_polo_team
https://www.instagram.com/isrswimming/p/DNyJ9LJ2BIu/
THE JEWISH STATE
Bringing youths from FSU to Israel. (TY Yanky) The NGO Naale (its acronym means Youth Immigrating Before Parents) has brought 40 Jewish teenagers from the Former Soviet Union to pursue a new life in Israel. They are being supported by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) including its Ireland branch.
https://www.icej.org/blog/naale-nurturing-the-next-generations-connection-to-zion/
Training young advocacy leaders. 25 young leaders from four continents completed KKL-JNF’s Zionist Leadership Academy in Israel with a week of training, advocacy and resilience building. Now in its fourth year, the program combines about 10 months of online sessions with a mandatory intensive week in Israel.
https://www.jns.org/young-diaspora-leaders-attend-zionist-leadership-academy/
New home for lone soldiers. A new residential facility for lone soldiers was inaugurated at the Hannaton Educational Center in northern Israel (see here previously), welcoming 30 young immigrants from North America as its first residents.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/new-home-for-lone-soldiers-opens-in-northern-israel/
Future-proof in Jerusalem. (TY Sharon) Jerusalem is busy preparing for future. Construction continues at a pace. Conferences included Living Financially Smarter in Israel, the Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference (including discussion on the rise of global antisemitsm), and the Michael Levin Base gala,
https://rjstreets.com/2025/09/28/from-rosh-hashanah-to-yom-kippur-on-the-jerusalem-streets/
5th anniversary of Abraham Accords. Several articles mark the five years since the Abraham Accords were signed on the White House lawns between Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, and the USA. Despite the current war, international cooperation still continues. Jewish religious events in Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been restored.
https://themedialine.org/top-stories/asher-fredman-on-abraham-accords-fifth-anniversary-continuation-depends-on-peace-as-a-strategic-choice/ https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/the-abraham-accords-offer-a-model-and-a-means-for-countering-antisemitism-on-campus/ https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/414969
