Business & Finance

Israeli Shekel Increasing in Value Against Other Currencies

The shekel is strong. The dollar is weak. What does that mean? Commentary here puts the blame on high investments from overseas in Israel, especially in high-tech. It also means that Israeli purchases in the US, or in dollar-linked countries–including Israeli travel overseas, are cheap. But Israel exports to the same places aren’t as profitable as usual. There are fewer dollars coming into the country in exchange for what’s exported.  [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Business & Finance, International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

American Lifestyles Contrast with Israel’s, Western Europe’s

You want it, you pay for it. Economic liberalism is the essence of the American experience. Don’t tread on me. Don’t make me pay for someone else’s benefit. Of course it’s not total. In the U.S., there are programs to pay, or help to pay for those in need. And there’s lots of insurance, often associated with a job, that pays most or all of health care needs. And government programs to lend money for education.  [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Business & Finance, International, Ira Sharkansky, Lifestyles, Middle East, USA

Israel Allocates $9 Billion for Arab Sector Improvements

The Israeli Cabinet on Sunday approved two five-year plans for the advancement of the country’s Arab sector. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, one plan involves the allocation of some 30 billion shekels ($9 billion) in total, to provide greater employment, innovation and housing opportunities. The other is a program to combat increasing violence in Arab-Israeli society. [JNS.org]

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Business & Finance, Middle East

Good News From Israel (October 17, 2021)

In the Oct. 17, 2021 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include: 
–An Israeli startup can test whether a recovering cancer patient needs chemotherapy.
–Israelis are aiding and rescuing trapped Afghans.
–An Israeli has been elected President of Europe’s top nuclear research organization.
–The brother of Israel’s PM has launched an electro-hydrogen truck in the UK.
–BMW, LG, and other multinationals are using Israeli smart glass in their products.
–An Israeli hosted chess tournament attracted participants from Iran and Saudi Arabia.
–Over a million people visited Jerusalem’s Western Wall during the recent festivals. {Michael Ordman]

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Travel and Food, USA

Pro-Israel Groups Call on Unilever to Veto Ben & Jerry’s Boycott of Israel

StandWithUs and the Israeli-American Coalition For Action sent a letter  to Unilever CEO Alan Jope and the Board of Directors regarding its subsidiary company, Ben & Jerry’s, which is planning to cut ties with its factory in Israel—resulting in a boycott of the entire State of Israel. The letter expresses the clear expectation that Unilever will be transparent in acknowledging the reality that it has the authority to overturn this decision and that it will now do so. [StandWithUs and Israeli-Amriccan Coalition]

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Business & Finance, Middle East, USA

Wiesenthal Center Confronts Unilever over Antisemitism

The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) announced on Tuesday a campaign to confront anti-Semitism at Ben & Jerry’s and its parent company, Unilever, in response to the ice cream maker’s recent boycott of Israel. The campaign, which launches with print ads in Jewish newspapers around America, calls on consumers, states, and legislators to hold Unilever accountable for anti-Semitism tied to its organization. A copy of the SWC advertisement as it appeared in one paper, the Cleveland Jewish News, can be found here. [Simon Wiesenthal Center press release]

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Business & Finance, Middle East, USA

Good News from Israel (October 3, 2021)

In the 3rd Oct 21 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include: 
–Israeli scientists have 3D-printed blood vessels for implanted organs.
–Israel’s special Shalva Band performed for a UN disability conference.
–Another Israeli animal-free meat alternative.
–Two Israeli ways to navigate without GPS.
–An Israeli startup makes a $1 billion acquisition.
–Israel won their first European baseball medal

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish Religion, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Travel and Food, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Jewish Tales of the Old West: A Butcher on the Comstock

During the 1870’s, the population of Nevada’s legendary Comstock Lode, then at the height of mining fever, surged to nearly 25,000. In the canyons and down the slopes, housing was scarce, the noise was unceasing, the air nearly unbreathable and the violence endemic.1 Between them, the towns of Virginia City and Gold Hill were a crowded jumble of miners’ cabins, stamp mills, luxury mansions, hotels, restaurants, saloons, stores and stables, all built over an underground city of mining tunnels, adits and shafts. These underground works ultimately produced over 300 million dollars’ worth of precious ore that built the city of San Francisco and made fabulous fortunes for the fortunate. Among this crowd of fortune-seekers lived a Jewish community of about 500, and one of its most influential members was a butcher from Germany named Mark Strouse (1845-1898). [Susan E. James, Ph.D]

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Business & Finance, Jewish History, Travel and Food, USA

Good News from Israel (September 19, 2021)

NETANYA, Israel — In the Sept. 19, 2021 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include: 
–3 million Israelis have had their Covid antibodies boosted tenfold.
–Israeli surgeons successfully separate twins conjoined by their heads.
–Israel’s first female Muslim IDF Major.
–An Israeli startup converts text into video read by an animated narrator.
–The value of Israel’s trade with Arab states in 2021 is triple that of 2020.
–Israeli pianist wins international record contract.
–The Land of Israel reveals more Jewish history. [Michael Ordman]

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

OpEd: U.S. Should Put Caps on Income

Is it not extraordinary that in a country that claims to be as enlightened and advanced as ours that the combined wealth of three individuals – Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and investor Warren Buffett – should exceed the total wealth of the bottom half of Americans? One has to return to the days of the pharaohs of Egypt to find a parallel to the extreme wealth inequality that we see in in America today. Such stark inequality, and the ever-growing concentration of wealth in the hands of a tiny few will only intensify if we continue as we have for the past 40 years. [Sam Ben-Meir, Ph.D]

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Business & Finance, Sam Ben-Meir, USA

Good News from Israel (September 5, 2021)

In the September 5, 2011 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
–Israeli oral treatment can protect against all Covid variants.
–An Israeli low-cost health company is coming to the USA.
–An Israeli hi-tech company only employs autistic individuals.
–Free hi-tech industry training for new English-speaking Israeli immigrants.
–With Israeli technology you can star in a movie trailer.
–Israeli swimmers won six gold medals at the Tokyo Paralympics.
–A tree grown from a 2,000-year-old seed produced a bumper crop of dates. [Michael Ordman]

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish Religion, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA