Prof. Marta Weinstock-Rosin Photo: COURTESY- HEBREW UNIVERSITY Weinstock-Rosin is a professor emeritus at the Hebrew University’s School of Pharmacy-Institute for Drug Research.
Good News from Israel
highlights include: Positive news for two new Israeli leukemia treatments. Wounded Ukrainians have been airlifted to Israeli hospitals. Only in Israel can top multinational companies design hi-tech products together. Twice as many low cost flights to Israel this summer. Two Israeli winners in this year’s Academy (Oscars) awards Israelis will make people happy on Good Deeds day and on Purim.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Israel prize for developer of Alzheimer’s treatment. The Israel Prize for Medicine goes to Professor Marta Weinstock-Rosin of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Weinstock-Rosin developed Exelon, for treating dementia related to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Exelon is currently undergoing Phase II trials.
US approval for Leukemia treatment. The US FDA has approved SYNRIBO from Israel’s Teva for the treatment of patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia who failed therapy using tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
Positive results in Leukemia trials. (Thanks to Atid-EDI) Israel’s BioLineRX announced that its BL-8040 treatment for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) stopped growth of cancer cells in-vitro and caused them to self-destruct. It also reversed any protection given to the CML cancer cells from a bone marrow transplant.
Promoting bone cancer research. Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have received a $62,500 grant for promising research into osteosarcoma metastasis – a bone cancer commonly found in children and young adults. Dr Rami Aqeilan and his team will explore microRNA biomarkers and responsiveness to therapy.
Stroke treatment shows promise. Israel’s D-Pharm has announced successful interim results in the Phase IIa clinical trial of its drug THR-18 taken in conjunction with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for the treatment of cerebral stroke. D-Pharm’s share price rose 117%, despite the trials taking place in the Ukraine.
Elderly and infirm can stay at home. Israeli life-science company Essence has launched Care@Home – an in-home care monitoring solution for the elderly and chronic disease sufferers. The system learns a person’s everyday routine and detects any deviations, such as skipped meals, reduced activity or unusual events.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Ten years of caring for seriously ill. The Israeli charity Life’s Door – Tishkofet has helped more than 10,000 patients, family members and professionals in its ten years of operation. Professor Ben Corn of Tel Aviv University founded the organization after losing his father to cancer and finding no one to help with the trauma.
Israeli Arabs live longer than Americans. As the book “Liberal Oasis: The Truth About Israel” by Joshua Muravchik states, “Israel has done better in evening out the differences between its Jewish and Arab citizens than most countries encompassing sharply diverse nationalities.” Available on Kindle.
Academic center for Arab girls. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat has inaugurated the “Center for Excellence You-niversity” in Beit Hanina, an Arab neighborhood in the eastern part of the city. The Center was established in cooperation with the Jerusalem Municipality and the World ORT Kadima Mada.
Israeli soldiers save Palestinian Arab crash victims. Members of the Israel Defense Force’s 669 Search and Rescue Unit treated 4 Palestinian Arabs who were injured in a car crash. Their speeding vehicle flipped over and fell into a wadi. The severely injured and a two-year-old were evacuated by helicopter to hospital.
Syrians treated in Israel: (Thanks to Nevet – www.broaderview.com) Dr. Massad Barhoum, Director General of Israel’s Western Galilee Hospital (and a Christian Arab) talks about treating casualties from Syria’s civil war. http://bcove.me/fc8s1coe
Ukrainians treated in Israel. Seven Ukrainians wounded in the Ukrainian unrest are being flown to Israel for treatment. One, Alexander, aged 20, landed at Ben-Gurion airport last week and was rushed to Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot for wrist surgery.
Princeton partners with IDC Herzliya. Juniors from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs will enroll in the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy at IDC Herzliya. The IDC is Wilson School’s only partner in the Middle East.
LAPD get tour of Israeli hi-tech. Eight top brass of the Los Angeles Police Department spent 9 days in Israel seeing Israeli crime-fighting technology. Of most interest was the HoverMast from Israel’s Sky Sapience.
22 ways Israel has helped Africa in last 3 years. A great summary by Israel21c of Israel’s recent technological, humanitarian, medical, ecological and agricultural aid to developing African nations.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Thinner, stronger and greener packaging. Israeli start-up Valentis is developing a packaging material that has a strength-to-weight ratio 8 times greater than stainless steel. The material is based on nano-crystalline cellulose (NCC), a biodegradable, transparent material made from plant pulp waste.
http://trendlines.com/spotlight-coating-platform-food-packaging/ http://trendlines.com/portfolio/valentis/
Toys help develop children’s skills. Israel’s TinyLove makes innovative toys for babies. Check out this video, showing only one of their many products. It’s on the anti-Israel boycott list, so please support them.
Identifying malicious operations. Israel’s Cybereason has launched its service that spots hackers once they have breached the security defenses of an organization.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/zackmiller/2014/02/21/watch-out-hackers-this-vc-backed-israeli-special-ops-cybersecurity-company-will-hunt-you-down/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iUUirFjW5s
Israel’s Moon shot is already a winner. Israel’s SpaceIL says its 140kg LunarX satellite is one of the top contenders for Google’s $30 million prize for landing on the moon. It is the smallest, smartest spacecraft, plus the first to rely on optic navigation. And the project has already won the hearts of a whole generation of Israelis.
New program for tech entrepreneurs. The Technion-Cornell Innovation Institute (JTCII) is launching a new one-year postdoctoral “Runway program” for technology entrepreneurs. Professors provide academic guidance whilst off-campus consultants supply legal, industrial and financial advice.
Multinationals work together in Israel. Only in Israel can Citi, Ebay, General Electric, General Motors, Microsoft, Red Hat, and 3M develop new ideas together. The seven companies will send 3-5 software engineers to a “Weekathon” in Ra’anana where they will work in groups to develop futuristic products.
Cheap roaming for smartphones abroad. (Thanks to Atid-EDI) Israel’s Simgo has launched a low-cost roaming service for Samsung and iPhone. Attach a virtual SIM-enabled protective cover to access high-speed data services, enjoy excellent quality, whilst retaining your own mobile number for all calls.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Israel’s cyber industry. Israel National Cyber Bureau (INCB) has estimated exports by Israeli companies in the cyber field at $3 billion in 2013 – three times greater than those of the United Kingdom. Also, Israeli cyber companies raised $165 million last year – approximately 11 percent of total funds raised worldwide.
http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/02/23/israeli-cyber-exports-three-times-greater-than-united-kingdoms/
Who’s using your website? Israeli start-up SimilarWeb performs in-depth analyses of website traffic. It has thousands of customers, including Adidas, eBay and Hewlett Packard. It has just raised finance to expand into Germany and the US.
Frutarom gets more fruitful. Israeli flavors and ingredients giant Frutarom is still growing. It has now bought Florida-based CitraSource, which specializes in developing, manufacturing, marketing and selling of unique solutions in citrus specialty ingredients.
Managing 3000 vehicles in Brazil. Israel’s Pointer Telocation has been awarded a $3 million contract for systems to manage a fleet of 3000 vehicles in Brazil. Pointer’s telemetry solution can track and manage fuel consumption, prevent fuel waste, unauthorized use of the vehicle, improve productivity and reduce accidents.
What went right in the State of Israel? Please read this great article by Professor Michael Curtis. It describes some of the major International companies that have come to the Jewish State to share in its success.
Building the US border fence. The US subsidiary of Israel’s Elbit Systems has won a $145 million contract to help secure the US Mexican border fence. Arizona Senator John McCain said the technology would help “give our agents the ability to detect, evaluate, and respond to all illegal entries crossing our border.”
Twice as many low-cost flights. This summer, Israel will operate 89 low-cost flights per week from Ben Gurion airport’s Terminal 1. This is double the number for summer 2013 and 33 more than the current figure.
Healthier gluten-free sweets. Israel’s Carmit Candy Industries has launched gluten-free chocolate clusters. Those with Celiac Disease / Gluten Intolerance and those following a gluten-free lifestyle can enjoy a wide range of combinations of gluten-free cereals and dried fruits or nuts, covered in either chocolate or yogurt.
US roadshow for Israeli clean-techs. A delegation of 15 Israeli energy and water companies is headed to the U.S. for meetings with investors in San Francisco and Chicago. The companies include Hydrospin Monitoring Solutions, NewCo2Fuels, G.P.M. and Greenlet.
Wireless to Latin America. (Thanks to Atid-EDI) Israel’s FriskyDSP Technology has licensed its LTE Layer 1 Small-Cell Extended Range solution to one of Latin America’s foremost communication institutions. The government of the unnamed country demands rural areas 30km from cities to be covered by wireless by 2017.
Alcoholic drinks at 5 shekels each. The coffee chain Cofix, which sells everything on its menu at 5 shekels an item, is opening up in the evenings to sell alcoholic beverages also at 5 shekels (under $1.50) a glass. Even at those prices, Cofix expects to make a gross profit of 100 per cent on each drink.
good news from Israel
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Jerusalem youth orchestra shines at Carnegie Hall festival. (Thanks to Linda) The Jerusalem Conservatory Hassadna youth wind orchestra won the New York wind festival competition at Carnegie Hall. New York State communities hosted the 45 musicians who then gave a free concert to 200 at Westchester Jewish Center.
Happy in Tel Aviv. (Thanks to Barry and Israel21c) Israelis dance to the sounds of Pharrell Williams’s song “Happy” with background scenes of Tel Aviv / Yafo.
Two Israelis win Oscars. Israel’s Niv Adiri picked up an Oscar to add to the BAFTA he’d won previously for his team’s work on the sound of the multi-award winning film “Gravity.” Also celebrating was Israel’s Arnon Milchan who co-produced “12 Years a Slave” which won the top prize of Best Picture.
40,000 hit Tel Aviv’s pavements. The streets of Tel Aviv overflowed as 40,000 runners took part in the 2014 Samsung Tel Aviv Marathon. It was Israel’s largest professional running event. Ezekiel Koech of Kenya won the men’s event in a new course record of 2hrs 14 minute 40 seconds.
good news from Israel
THE JEWISH STATE
Hi-tech internships in Israel. The Israel Tech Challenge, a new initiative by The Jewish Agency, will offer young gifted Jewish students in computer science from around the world – among them Ivy League students and employees of companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google – an insider’s look at the Startup Nation.
Every cloud has a silver lining. Israel’s embassy in Japan has donated more than 300 Anne Frank-related books to public libraries in Tokyo, after many were found vandalized. The mayor of Tokyo’s Suginami ward said, “Through this incident, I believe that people also learned about the horrid facts of history and of racism.”
Hero pops the question. Just over a year ago I reported on IDF Captain Ziv Shilon who lost an arm in a Hamas attack but returned to duty shortly afterwards. I’m pleased to write that he proposed to his girlfriend at a “Friends of the Israel Defense Forces” event in Florida, and she said, “Yes”.
Good Deeds Day gets bigger. 11th March sees the launch of “Good Deeds Day – Kulanana” with its aim to get one million Israeli citizens to take part. The goal is to strengthen the fabric of Israeli society by encouraging cooperation between Israel’s different communities.
Laugh – Purim is coming. A flash mob cheers up travelers on the Jerusalem light railway. After all, it’s the Hebrew month of Adar Sheni and the Jewish festival of Purim is approaching.
The long-eared owl is back. The long-eared owl, a nocturnal bird of prey, was once a rare sight in Israel, but in recent years it has proliferated. Like a number of other species of birds, the long-eared owl has become more common in the North and similar areas, having become accustomed to the expanded, JNF-KKL forests.
Thanks to Good News From Israel
