Michael Ordman: This Week’s Sanity Report from Israel Dec. 7, 2025
Israelis are known for their fast response to incidents, threats and opportunities. This week’s Positive newsletter reports on how quick Israeli startups were to integrate their innovations into Israel’s defense technology to help with the war effort. Israeli doctors were ultra-fast to use their skills to save a soldier with a bullet in his heart and transfer the organs of a deceased boy into four desperate patients. And Syrian Druze were very quick to thank Israel for saving them from jihadis.
In Technology, Israel is accelerating its development of hypersonic aviation. It also is ensuring that it can speed up the construction of new buildings to accommodate the anticipated rush of immigration from Europe and New York City. In business, Air India and easyJet are speedily returning to Israel and expanding their routes. Startups are fast boosting their revenues, and nearly all countries are placing orders for fast delivery of Israeli defense systems.
Finally, Israeli athletes are fast becoming world champions in so many sporting disciplines that require speed and agility; and special thanks to an eagle-eyed newsletter subscriber who was very fast to spot my mistake in last week’s newsletter. Please respond swiftly to any (hopefully rare) errors you may see.
This week’s photo (TY Sharon) publicizes children’s events at the National Library of Israel during the Jewish festival of Chanukah, which is fast approaching.
The highlights include
- The startups and innovators responsible for Israel’s wartime success.
- Israeli doctors saved three patients in complex operations.
- Three examples of religious Israelis displaying outstanding morality.
- Public and private Israeli hypersonic projects.
- Air India and easyJet are returning to Israel.
- Israelis kicked up 7 medals in Abu Dhabi.
POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
Hostage returns. Former hostage Alon Ohel spent the weekend with his family at the hotel he used to work at before he was kidnapped. He returned to the Six Senses Shaharut Hotel, performed at the piano with singer Keren Peles, and took down the posters that had called for his return.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
100+ startups contributed to Israel’s war effort. At DefenseTech 2025 in Tel Aviv, Defense Ministry’s Col. Yishai Kohn said over 100 startups have integrated their products into Israeli combat operations over the past 2 years. Defense exports increased by 13% to $14.7 billion, of which 50% were with European countries.
https://www.jns.org/over-100-
Redefining innovation in wartime. Robel Innovation and Israel Defense unveiled the “30 Young Promising in Defense for 2025” list. Many of them played pivotal roles during the Iron Swords war, highlighting the direct impact of their innovations on Israel’s security. https://www.jpost.com/defense-
NIS 60 million for reservist families. The Jewish Agency for Israel and the Class Action Foundation have launched a $15 million grant program to support businesses owned by the spouses of IDF reservists. One-time grants of up to 20,000 shekels plus a package of business and consumer assistance, including workshops.
https://www.jns.org/wire/
No androids here. The IDF is extending its “iPhone-only” policy to Lt Col rank and above. Apple devices are seen as less “hackable”. Android devices will be banned for all officers, except for private (non-military) use. The decision stems from lessons drawn after the Oct 7 2023 attack and an internal review of security.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Cart-T to restore hope of cancer cure. Israeli-invented CAR-T immunotherapy, which re-arms T-cells with synthetic receptors to seek and destroy malignant cells, has already changed the outlook for several blood cancers worldwide and is steadily expanding in Israeli hospitals through tightly regulated clinical programs.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
Doctors save soldier with bullet in his heart. (TY Ron M) Surgeons at Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center saved the life of a critically wounded Israeli soldier evacuated from Syria with a bullet lodged in his heart. They made several incisions to stop the bleeding but left the bullet in place for later removal by catheterization.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Doctors extract chicken bone from man’s lung. Physicians at Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center say a chicken bone lurking in a man’s soup caused a blockage in his lung. This led to an infection that nearly killed him. After medication failed to clear the infection and his severe cough, a bronchoscopy revealed the cause.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
Ariel’s organs save 4 lives. Organs from six-year-old Israeli Ariel Hakakian, who died from influenza complications, saved the lives of two adults and two children. His intestine was used by surgeons at Beilinson Medical Center in one of the most rare and complex transplants ever performed in Israel (see second link).
https://www.
8,000 children saved. (TY UWI) Save a Child’s Heart, operating out of the International Pediatric Cardiac Center and Sylvan Adams Children’s Hospital at Wolfson Medical Center, has performed its 8,000th life-saving heart surgery for a child from Africa. Plus training African doctors to save lives. Please watch the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Accessible trails. The Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) invited persons with disabilities to four accessible Israel hiking trails ahead of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities marked on Dec 3. Givat HaMoreh in the Jezreel, Jordan Park (North of the Kinneret), Martyrs’ Forest (West of Jerusalem), and the Arch Cave.
https://www.jns.org/jnf-
The world’s largest playground facility. A giant lion-shaped playground, the largest of its kind in Israel and worldwide, has opened at Ashkelon’s Eco Park. The 13-meter high installation, covering 0.4 acres, was built by Israeli company Elu Et Nitzan. It has a central tower, tunnels, slides, swings, sensory sections, and much more.
https://www.ynetnews.com/real-
Haredi officers graduate. Seventy IDF from the Hasmonean Brigade completed the IDF’s first Haredi squad commanders course after intensive nationwide training and combat experience in Gaza.
https://worldisraelnews.com/
Hassid becomes doctor and IDF medic. (TY UWI) Ger Hassid Yehuda Sabiner grew up in Har Nof, Jerusalem. Long video but worth hearing him speak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Haredi student returns NIS 150,000 found in wall. After discovering 150,000 shekels hidden in a wall during renovations, a Slabodka Kollel student in Bnei Brak sought halachic guidance. He then returned the money to the unaware, but extremely grateful, non-religious seller from whom he had bought the apartment. B”H.
https://worldisraelnews.com/
Arabs for United Hatzalah. The annual Eastern Jerusalem United Hatzalah event brought Arab and Jewish medics together, united by one mission: to save lives.
https://api.filekitcdn.com/e/
Syrian Druze march to honor Israel. Hundreds of Syrian Druze marched through Sweida – where radical Islamic terrorists once left a trail of slaughter – raising Israeli flags and photos of Israel’s Prime Minister. They were honoring the Jewish State, whose field hospitals and humanitarian aid helped their community survive.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
An Israeli hospital for Jordanians! The Jordan Gateway Project would entail building a joint Israeli-Jordanian cross-border industrial park on a key node in the future India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). The park would include a hospital servicing seriously ill Jordanian patients.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Muslim African delegation to Israel. President Herzog welcomed Imams and Muslim community leaders from Senegal, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, and Togo to Jerusalem. The delegation came to promote a message of peace, coexistence, and partnership between Muslims and Jews, and between Africa and Israel.
https://www.
South African royal family visit Jerusalem. (TY UWI) King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo of South Africa’s AbaThembu Kingdom led a delegation to Israel including Princess Ntando, Prince Sinethemba, and other Chiefs and royal family members. They will meet ex-hostages & visit communities invaded by Gaza terrorists.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-
Apologies to Avera. In last week’s newsletter I wrote “Avera Manfisto – a 5-years hostage of Hamas”. It should have read Avera Mengistu – 10 years and 5 months hostage of Hamas. Apologies for my wrongdoing (In Hebrew = Averah!) https://www.jns.org/ethiopian-
Ecuador in Jerusalem. At the opening of Ecuador’s new Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Jerusalem, Foreign Minister Sa’ar said that the South American country, under President Daniel Noboa’s leadership, “is among Israel’s greatest friends in Latin America and the world.” (see also in Science & Tech)
.https://unitedwithisrael.org/
Top of the region for global talent. Israel rose 2 places to 23rd in the 2025 Global Talent Competitive Index from the INSEAD business school and Portulans Institute for Research. It scored high for R&D, retaining talent, and leadership. Political instability prevented a higher rating, as surprisingly did tolerance to immigrants!
https://www.calcalistech.com/
IAC Summit. Jan 15-17 is the date for the 10th IAC National Summit – the biggest pro-Israel summit in the US. Nearly 100 speakers include Dr Miriam Adelson, Haim Saban, Rabbi Doron Perez, Prof․ Eugene Kontorovich, Tony Gelbart (Nefesh b’Nefesh), and Gen Amir Avivi (IDSF).
https://plus.mcievents.com/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
End of month for Iron Beam. Brig. Gen. (res.) Daniel Gold, head of the Directorate of Defense Research & Development at the Defense Ministry, announced that Israel’s Iron Beam (Ohr Eitan) laser defense system will begin defending against aerial threats at the end of December. Daniel Gold was project manager for Iron Dome.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
https://www.jns.org/iron-beam-
Ecuadorian Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Ecuador has inaugurated its official Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Israel, located within the Hebrew University’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center, ASPER-HUJI Innovate. It will spearhead activities in government, industry, and academia.
https://international.huji.ac.
Weizman cancer research survives Iranian rockets. (TY WIN) When an Iranian ballistic missile hit Israel’s Weizmann Institute it destroyed years of research into a cure for cancer. But resilient scientists recovered samples from smashed refrigerators that miraculously had survived the impact. So life continues – literally.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Quantum-powered hydrogen drones. Israel’s Heven Drones (see here previously) has partnered US quantum computing company IonQ to integrate quantum-based sensing, communication, navigation, and security into Heven’s drone systems. It will keep the drones accurate and stable in electronic interference conditions.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Propelling the future. Israel’s Technion Institute founded the Center for High-Speed Flight at the Technion in 2023. It combines materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, and physics. It is building wind tunnels that can heat air to 9,000 deg F and fuels that generate energy and cooling.
https://technionuk.org/news-
Launching into space with electromagnetism. Israel’s Moonshot Space is developing a high-power electromagnetic launcher designed to propel objects to hypersonic speeds using electricity rather than chemical propellants. The team includes veterans of Iron Dome, David’s Sling, JFrog, Valerann and Ramon Foundation.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
https://payloadspace.com/
Super-fast pre-construction planning. Israel’s LeanCon uses AI to overhaul one of the construction industry’s most entrenched bottlenecks – pre-construction planning for bids. This phase typically spans months, but with LeanCon it takes about 7 minutes, generating detailed projections on cost, schedule, logistics, and methods.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Coral reef transplants. Scientists at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University and Technion Institute have teamed up with Australian scientists to save coral reefs from dying. Their coral reef ecosystem transplant (aCRET) uses terracotta tiles embedded with invertebrates and microorganisms, to rejuvenate damaged reefs.
https://israfan.com/p/coral-
Tackling the egg crisis. I24 News featured Israel’s Meala (see here previously) and its pea protein powder that replaces eggs. https://www.i24news.tv/en/
What’s Next? 800+ people registered for the Next Summit 2026, sponsored by Finnegan and the “What’s Next in Israel Tech” initiative. They heard presentations from RAAAM Memory (AI chips), GynTools, Attis Aviation, and Eexion Energy. At the end, 150 delegates stayed behind to discuss future opportunities.
https://www.ynetnews.com/tech-
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Air India and easyJet return. Air India returns to Israel in Jan 2026 with four weekly flights to New Delhi. It will also offer competitive one-stop connections to Mumbai, Goa, Kathmandu, Bangkok and Phuket. UK low-cost carrier easyJet says it will resume flights to Israel in March. It may add many more routes from Tel Aviv.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
https://en.globes.co.il/en/
Cyberstarts Tel Aviv cyber campus. The Cyberstarts venture capital fund plans to be the first VC fund in Israel to bring all of its portfolio companies under one roof. Its “cyber campus” will take over the entire 27 floors (45,000-square-meters) of Landmark 2 (B) tower – adjacent to the Sarona complex in Tel Aviv.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
US deal boosts TopGum. Israel’s TopGum Industries (see here previously) has seen its share price soar 31% following news of a supply agreement with a major U.S. supplement brand. Sales from nutritional supplements rose 163% last year. Net profit ($2 million) is up 200% and orders for the kosher gummy candies are rolling in.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
$10 million order for Gilat. Gilat Satellite’s Gilat DataPath subsidiary (see here previously) has received a $10 million order for a customized Earth Observation Solution. It accesses satellites equipped with various sensors to provide real-time data for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and situational awareness.
https://www.gilat.com/
Thailand buys Israeli defense system. Thailand’s Royal Air Force is purchasing Israel Aerospace Industries’ Barak MX air and missile defense system to enhance protection of bases and assets. The news came on the day Israel delivered an Arrow 3 battery to Germany as part of a NIS 14 billion deal – the largest in Israeli history.
https://worldisraelnews.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Investment news to 7th Dec 25: Check Point (not a start-up) raised $1.75 billion; 7AI raised $130 million; Heven Drones raised $100 million (new Unicorn); Zafran raised $60 million; Moonshot Space raised $12 million; LeanCon raised $6 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT,
Jerusalem Ballet in Florida. (TY Yanky) In October and November, Florida Atlantic University presented four performances of the Jerusalem Ballet. They performed “Houdini – the Other Side” and “Memento”, twice each on separate evenings. https://www.fau.edu/newsdesk/
https://southfloridatheater.
Winter dreams in Jerusalem. (TY Kay B) Jerusalem’s Botanical Garden hosts the 2025 Winter Dreams festival, the largest light sculpture exhibition in the world, until 30 Jan 2026. It comprises a multi-sensory experience (2 million colorful LED lights) , a culinary experience, giant displays, and a winter market.
https://www.winterdreams.co.
Ultra-marathon runner. (TY Ron M) Israel’s Kobi Oren runs ultra-marathons – races that last many days. His latest run in Italy covered 3,417 miles (5,500 km) and took 54 days, averaging 20 hours a day. He was the only one to complete the race. Not only that, he had completed a 3,100 mile race in New York in August.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
https://statistik.d-u-v.org/
https://3100.srichinmoyraces.
Consecutive gold for Israeli windsurfer. Israeli windsurfer Daniela Peleg, 21, won her second straight iQFOiL European title in Palermo. Israel’s National anthem Hatikvah rang out over the water, sealing her place as one of the sport’s fiercest rising talents.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
Seven kickboxing medals in the UAE. Israelis won seven medals at the World Kickboxing Championships in Abu Dhabi. 26-year-old Yulia Sachkov won gold in the women’s 52kg event, while Osaid Gouda (75kg) and Yosef Aybazli won silver in the men’s events. Four other Israelis won bronze medals.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
Avdija helps beat NBA champions. Israeli basketball player Deni Avdija led the Portland Trail Blazers to a 121-119 win to inflict the first loss of the season for reigning NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder. Avdija scored 26 points, including a personal best 15 free throws. Portland came back from a 22-point half-time deficit.
https://www.jns.org/nba-deni-
THE JEWISH STATE
From top general to tech pioneer. IDF Maj. Gen. (res.) Dan Tolkowsky, who just passed away at 104,
served in the Israeli Air Force in the 1948-49 War of Independence and commanded the IAF from 1953 – 1958. When he left the military, he led the Defense Ministry’s Planning and Scientific Research Administration.
https://worldisraelnews.com/
Hungary’s new embassy branch in Jerusalem. The Hungarian Academy in Jerusalem, a cultural center located next to the YMCA in Jerusalem’s Talbiyeh neighborhood, will officially open its doors early next year as a new embassy branch. The Czech Republic and Slovakia also have embassy branches in the same street.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
