Good News from Israel (August 23, 2021)

By Michael Ordman

Michael Ordman

NETANYA, Israel — In the August 23, 2021 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include: 

ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Coronavirus booster progress. Some 1.2 million Israelis have now had a third coronavirus vaccination and wider rollout is imminent. Maccabi Healthcare Services reported 37 (all non-serious) infections in Israelis over 60 who have been triple-vaccinated, compared to 1,064 (many serious) for those who have had only two doses.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/08/18/israeli-hmo-initial-results-show-covid-19-booster-shot-86-effective/
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312034

Covid treatment is too cheap? Professor Eli Schwartz of Israel’s Sheba Medical Center was unable to publish the results of his successful double-blind trial of ivermectin on 89 coronavirus patients. Interesting reading.
https://www.jpost.com/health-science/israeli-scientist-says-covid-19-could-be-treated-for-under-1day-675612

Trial approved for Alzheimer’s treatment. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s SciSparc to commence a Phase 2a clinical trial of its SCI-110 (formerly THX-110) treatment for patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and agitation. The study will be conducted at the Israeli Medical Center for Alzheimer’s.
https://www.prnewswire.com/il/news-releases/scisparc-to-commence-phase-iia-clinical-trial-of-sci-110-for-the-treatment-of-alzheimers-disease-and-agitation-301326828.html

New therapies for mental illness. Israel’s Nextage Therapeutics is developing technology to deliver to the brain tiny quantities of controversial chemicals, to treat depression and other neurological disorders.
https://www.jpost.com/health-science/israeli-team-aims-to-treat-neurological-disorders-with-psychedelics-676923

How the brain maps 3D space. Scientists from Israel’s Weizmann Institute and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have unveiled how 3-dimensional space is represented in the brain’s “GPS” system. They mapped out how “grid cells” work in bats and the findings have turned the previous theory “on its head”.
https://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il/life-sciences/when-brain%E2%80%99s-gps-goes-grid
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03783-x

First 3D printed active tumor. After Researchers at Tel Aviv University have printed an entire active and viable glioblastoma (brain cancer) tumor using a 3D printer. It includes simulated brain tissue and blood vessel-like tubes through which blood cells can flow and treatments can be (and have been) tested.
https://www.jpost.com/health-science/israel-prints-worlds-first-3d-living-malignant-brain-tumor-677079
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUjuFyLF5nM

Rejuvenating the immune system. (TY UWI) The reason the elderly are vulnerable to Covid, is their immune systems fail to recognize a new virus. Scientists at Israel’s Technion Institute, Sourasky (“Ichilov) and Rambam hospitals have demonstrated that removing most of the memory B lymphocytes rejuvenates these immune cells.
https://www.israel21c.org/study-reveals-why-elderly-at-more-risk-from-covid-19/
https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.2021012428

Take your blood pressure with your smartphone. Israel’s Binah.ai (see here previously) is in the final stage of validating its iPhone blood pressure functionality at Israel’s Sheba medical center. The technology records video at up to 120 frames per second, to analyze skin color changes for monitoring vital signs.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-startup-lets-users-check-vital-signs-by-looking-at-their-smartphones/

Google health subsidiary sets up Israeli R&D center. Verily Life Sciences, an independent subsidiary of Google’s parent company Alphabet, is establishing a Research and Development center in Israel.  The company focuses on digital health, applying AI to medical problems. In Israel it will target colorectal (colon) cancer.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-googles-verily-life-sciences-to-set-up-israel-rd-center-1001380819
https://www.timesofisrael.com/new-google-project-in-israel-aims-to-use-ai-to-help-detect-colon-cancer/

Online support. Israel’s Circles has developed a platform designed to help users overcome life’s challenges. It matches groups of 6-8 people who are facing similar difficulties such as divorce, grief, or medical diagnoses, and connects them together for one-hour video meetings. People don’t have to face their struggles alone.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3915387,00.html

ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Not even the sky is the limit. Major N. is the first Israeli woman to have been promoted to the position of Deputy Commander of a combat squadron. She currently serves as head of the Air Force Commander’s Office and will take up her new position as Deputy Commander of the 119 Squadron (The ‘Bat Squadron’) next year.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/311927

Wildflowers will go out from Jerusalem. The Nechama Rivlin Save the Wildflower Initiative (named after ex-President Rivlin’s late wife) is a community-based project at Jerusalem’s Botanical Gardens. It aims to save rare flowers and return 35 indigenous wildflowers to the region. Israelis can buy seeds from the online shop.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/wildflowers-will-go-forth-from-jerusalem/
https://www.jbgculture.com/homepage (Links to seeds shop – seeds packed by Israelis with special needs)

Charity car seats to save lives of Arab children. Half of the children killed or injured in road accidents in Israel are Arab. Israeli charity Yad Sarah has therefore loaned 200+ car seats to Arab and Bedouin citizens of Israel. Their volunteers also showed how to install the seats and keep children safe when riding in a vehicle.
https://www.jns.org/yad-sarah-develops-two-programs-hospitality-center-and-car-safety-initiative/

Arab social media stars come to Israel. (TY UWI) Two dozen social media influencers from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco, visited Israel, thanks to non-profit Israel-is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF2u9yWaMp8    https://www.israel-is.org/en/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuyOaLMX-Do  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKYIxPhwyeE&t=1s

The first Israeli baby born in the UAE. Ilan Sztulman, head of the Israeli mission in Dubai, and his wife Jacqueline celebrated the birth of their fifth child – Mia on 14th Aug at Dubai’s Mediclinic. Mia is the first Israeli citizen to be born in the UAE, just one year after the signing of the Abraham Accords.
https://www.jns.org/meet-the-first-israeli-baby-born-in-united-arab-emirates/

Three Israeli universities in global top 100. (TY UWI) The 2021 Academic Ranking of World Universities ranked three Israeli institutions in the top 100 (2,000 surveyed), for the first time since 2013. They are Hebrew University of Jerusalem (90), Weizmann Institute (92) and Technion Institute (94).
https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/08/15/3-israeli-universities-rank-among-worlds-top-100/

Protecting Spanish troops. Israel’s Netline Communications Technologies (see here previously) is to deliver 87 C-Guard RJ vehicle-mounted improvised explosive device (IED) jamming systems to Spain’s Defense Ministry in November. They are part of a 5-year contract for 334 IED jammers. 51 were delivered in 2020.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-company-to-supply-ied-jammers-to-spanish-ministry-of-defense/

Israel goes back to Haiti. (TY WIN) Israeli NGO IsraAID was at the forefront of international rescue efforts after the 2010 Haiti earthquake and for eight years afterwards.  IsraAID has now returned after the recent quake and tropical storm. IsraAID’s CEO describes on ILTV how his team is working for Haiti’s long-term recovery.
https://www.jns.org/israaid-offers-assistance-to-haiti-after-earthquake-flood-waters-from-tropical-storm/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_4jVAmmRH8

Help offered to Turkey. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz contacted Turkey’s defense attaché to Israel and the Turkish Defense Ministry and offered to send a search and rescue delegation to help Turkey cope with the aftermath of devastating floods. He also offered to send an IDF Home Front medical team and supplies.
https://worldisraelnews.com/israel-offers-turkey-emergency-aid-in-wake-of-devastating-floods/

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Innovation center in Israeli-Arab city. Israel’s Sheba Medical Center has inaugurated an innovation center in the Israel-Arab city of Kfar Qasem. It is an extension of Sheba’s own ARC (Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate) Innovation Center (see here previously), which develops lifesaving and life-improving medical solutions.
https://www.jns.org/sheba-medical-center-inaugurates-arc-innovation-center-in-city-of-kfar-qasem/

IDC gets university status. Israel’s Council for Higher Education has granted the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya recognition as an unbudgeted private university. The IDC has nearly 9,000 Israeli and international students in a variety of undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degree programs.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/311936

Global cyber training. Israel Aerospace Industries and Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing service are teaming up to provide governments, academies and global enterprises with cyber security training. IAI’s Elta Systems has set up cyber academies in many countries, using IAI’s cyber-simulator training platform Tame Range.
https://www.jns.org/israel-aerospace-industries-and-microsoft-team-up-for-cyber-training/
https://www.iai.co.il/iai-and-microsoft-to-collaborate-on-cyber-training

AI training for citizens in Northern Israel. Israeli companies Rafael and RAD Bynet have launched an educational-employment project in Israel’s northern region. The one-year project will train young adults, that have recently completed IDF service, in AI and big data technologies.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3915541,00.html

A smart 5G stadium. Petah Tikva’s soccer stadium aims to be Israel’s first smart 5G stadium. The NIS 3.5 million project partners Aluma Infrastructures and Cellcom Israel. It will allow unique sports features such as home viewing in 3D, plus player body cameras for seeing the action through the players’ eyes.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-petah-tikvah-to-become-israels-first-smart-5g-soccer-stadium-1001380218

A sports car in the sky. Israeli startup Air is developing an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle. While other companies are building air taxis, Air’s self-driving “drive the sky” personal alternative offers a sporty but sustainable way to get to any destination. More details in the fall (autumn).
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/air-emerges-from-stealth-to-reimagine-personal-air-mobility-with-consumer-airevs-301336340.html   https://www.airev.aero/

Mind that bike. Israel’s V2X (Vehicle to anything) developer Autotalks has successfully tested, with Ben-Gurion University, a “smart” signpost for preventing accidents between cars and electric bicycles / scooters. The signpost, installed at intersections, lights up if a bicycle or scooter with a V2X device is present.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/08/19/smart-signpost-from-autotalks-and-bgu-helps-prevent-bike-scooter-accidents-at-intersections/

Smart water management. (TY WIN & I24 News) Israel’s national water company Mekorot is piloting the AI water management system from Israel’s Evolution Water (part of Evolution Networks see here previously). It could save Mekorot some $24 million per year – 15% of Mekorot’s annual electricity costs.
http://www.diplomacy.co.il/products-services/4487-from-a-startup-nation-to-an-environment-nation-evolution-water  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1dEeATf0TQ  https://www.evolution-networks.com/
https://www.mekorot-int.com/innovation/

More efficient refineries. Because the world still needs fossil fuels, Israel’s Imubit has developed Closed Loop Neural Network AI technology to optimize hydrocarbon processing plants. Imubit is so certain it can unlock substantial value for its clients that if there is no measurable value from its system, then there is no fee.
https://imubit.com/  https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3915329,00.html

Another no-cow milk company. This new Israel21c article mentions all three Israeli no-cow milk startups previously reported here. It also features a fourth – the aptly named Fantastic Farms, which is engineering plants to make milk proteins. Like the other three, it aims to produce dairy substitutes without animal farming.
https://www.israel21c.org/flexitarians-want-cow-free-dairy-and-israels-got-it/
https://www.fantasticfarms.com/

Smart system for perfect beer. Two Israeli engineering students have developed BeerZone  – an AI-based system to serve beer at the perfect temperature and fizz level – without a bartender. Each BeerZone device can sit on the customer’s table, or next to the bartender.  (See also here the system from Israel’s Weissbeerger)
https://www.jpost.com/jpost-tech/in-start-up-nation-college-students-use-ai-to-serve-better-beer-676776

A day in the life of an Israeli tech manager. Roni Aloni, a software team leader at Tel Aviv’s Citi Innovation Lab, is responsible for Citi’s “no-code” platform for Workflow Management. Read how she juggles her flexible hours, hybrid home / office locations, innovative work, family, and her favorite hobby – baking.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3915284,00.html

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Economy grows by 15.4%. Israel’s economy grew by 15.4% in the second quarter of 2021 (Apr to Jun). This was more than most other OECD countries (e.g., Canada 13.8% and the United States 12.2%).
https://www.jns.org/israeli-economy-jumped-15-4-percent-as-corona-restrictions-eased/

Think Israel – Buy Israeli. (TY TPS) Israel’s government has partnered the American Communities Helping Israel (ACHI) organization to sell Israeli products in the US and Canada. Israeli businesses can join the scheme, under the slogan “Think Israel – Buy Israeli”, if they have a permit to mark products “Made in Israel”.
https://worldisraelnews.com/new-think-israel-buy-israeli-promotes-purchase-of-blue-and-white-products/

IAI’s best ever results. Sales at Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) during the first half of 2021 rose by 22% to a record $2.2 billion. IAI employs around 15,000 people and is responsible for the Beresheet lunar lander, the Ofek 16 satellite and the Arrow 3 defense system. It has also won four Israel Security awards.
https://www.jns.org/israel-aerospace-industries-reports-most-profitable-stretch-in-companys-history/

Business class route to Paris & New York. Boutique airline La Compagnie is launching a business-class-only service to New York via Paris.  All 76 seats on the plane are Business Class.  The service will commence on 5th Sept – if the pandemic situation allows for it.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/boutique-airline-to-launch-all-business-class-tel-aviv-paris-new-york-flights/

Kushner planning to open Israeli investment office. Jared Kushner is reported to be in the final stage of launching an investment firm, Affinity Partners, based in Miami. He is also looking to open an office in Israel to pursue regional investments connecting Israel’s economy with those of India, North Africa and the Gulf.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/310792

Global Data Center exits for NIS 1 billion. International data center solutions giant EdgeConneX has acquired Israel’s Global Data Center (GDC – see here previously) for an estimated $300 – $400 million (approximately NIS 1 million). GDC has only 20 employees and operates only in Israel. This may soon change.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3915392,00.html
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3915316,00.html

Cisco buys Epsagon for half a billion dollars. Israeli cloud server monitoring startup Epsagon (see here previously) has been taken over by US giant Cisco for $500,000. It is Cisco’s second-largest acquisition of an Israeli company, following the purchase of NDS for $5 billion in 2012.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3915194,00.html

Investment in Israeli startups: BrainQ raised $40 million; Browzwear raised $35 million; Imubit raised $30 million; Circles raised $8 million; retrain.ai raised $7 million; CASTOR raised $3.5 million;

CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT`

Byzantine discoveries.  (TY UWI) 1,500-year-old relics have been unearthed at a huge building site in Ramat Hasharon, north of Tel Aviv. They include a winepress with mosaic floor, chains, foundations of a warehouse, millstones, and jars. Also, a rare gold coin showing a cross, but inscribed with both Greek and Arabic writing.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/311956
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10zTFtB2sPk

Hot sights on the streets of Jerusalem. (TY Sharon). Jerusalem Streets highlights last week include street decorations; street musicians; renovated Zion Square Plaza; tours for Israelis; Theater in the Rough, evening illuminations, a new massive Agam-designed mezuzah; flowers, and posters for the Jewish New Year.
http://rjstreets.com/2021/08/15/7-positive-things-in-jerusalem-this-week/

Watching the heavens. Thousands of Israelis converged at the Ramon crater (Mitzpe Ramon) in the Negev Desert to watch the annual Perseid meteor shower. The spectacular phenomenon is caused as the Earth passes through the debris of the Swift-Tuttle comet. The next good display will occur in 2024.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/annual-meteor-shower-dazzles-thousands-of-visitors-to-israels-south/

Climbing the walls. “Towers in the Air” at Jerusalem’s Tower of David Museum is a ropes adventure that typifies the Israeli attitude to risk. It includes a 50-meter zip line, 40 meters above the ground. Children from age 9 are fitted with harnesses, helmets, full climbing gear and under-12s must be accompanied by an adult!
https://www.timesofisrael.com/climbing-the-walls-at-jerusalems-tower-of-david/

Red carpet for Israeli athletes. (TY Sharon) Israel’s President and Prime Minister honored Israel’s 2020 Olympic athletes at Beit Hanasi, in Jerusalem. They hailed the records of Israel’s largest delegation (90), the most medals (4) and the playing of the Hatikvah national anthem (twice) to celebrate two Olympic gold medals.
https://baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=37&ARTICLE_ID=146950
https://www.timesofisrael.com/youve-inspired-future-generations-herzog-bennett-welcome-olympic-delegation/

Israelis compete in Morocco. (TY I24 News) For the first time, 12 Israelis were able to take part in Morocco’s ‘Dakhla Downwind Challenge’ – a challenging five-day kiteboarding journey from Dakhla to Lagouira in southern Morocco. The governor of Dakhla-Oued-Ed-Dahab was very happy to welcome the Israelis.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-israel-takes-part-in-kite-surfing-competition-in-morocco/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO4AuYu-EHI

THE JEWISH STATE

IDF soldiers donate hair for cancer charity. An entire IDF unit has donated its hair to Zichron Menachem – an Israeli charity that supports children with cancer.  Children with cancer often lose their hair when being treated with chemotherapy. Hair donations are used for hairpieces to help children feel beautiful.
https://jr.co.il/only-in-israel/idf-soldiers-donate-their-hair-to-children-with-cancer.htm
https://zichron.org/uk/hair-donation-3/

Internship for protecting Israel. Israeli NGO Shurat Hadin of legal volunteers has had an overwhelmingly positive response to its Weissblum Internship Program to train Israel’s next generation of leaders in the public-legal arena. Last year was only for Israelis, but this year anyone can apply – and applications are flooding in.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IFUqATNj7SoEo1I1SPGVoTgctjOYEzZQ/view

Sabbatical year agreement with Jordan. Israel has signed an agreement to boost imports of Jordanian agricultural products during this coming year following Rosh Hashana. Every seventh year is “Shmita”, the time that Torah states that land in Israel belonging to Jews must rest and lie fallow.
https://worldisraelnews.com/israel-and-jordan-sign-agricultural-agreement-ahead-of-sabbatical-year/

Ex-Kuwaiti Muslim is now an Israeli citizen. Mark Halawi (see here previously) has just received his Israeli citizenship. He was born and raised in Kuwait but moved to Jerusalem (via Jordan, Syria and Canada) when he discovered that his mother was Jewish and had married a Muslim during the British Mandate.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/podcast-how-a-kuwaiti-muslim-now-lives-in-jerusalem-as-a-jewish-israeli-citizen/

Bar Kochba will go to the stars. When Israeli astronaut Eytan Stibbe (see here previously) flies to the International Space Station next year, he will carry a 1,900-year-old coin from the Bar Kochba Jewish rebellion against the Roman occupation of Judea.  Bar Kochba is Hebrew for “son of the Star.”

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Michael Ordman writes a free weekly newsletter containing positive news stories about Israel. www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com and a searchable archive www.IsraelActive.com For a free subscription, email a request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com