This Weeks Sanity Report from Israel April 3 2016
The highlights include:
- Two Israeli inventions can save the lives of stabbing victims.
- Israeli ultrasound brain surgery has cured an Israeli of Parkinson’s.
- An elite IDF unit is helping Arab-Israeli startups.
- A Dubai woman named her son after the IDF officer that helped deliver him.
- A new Israeli innovation keeps fruit and vegetables fresh.
- Shh… an Israeli company helped the FBI unlock a terrorist’s iPhone.
- A sale of $1.5 billion Israeli bonds was five times oversubscribed.
- The BBC bought an Israeli story to base its new drama series about autism.
Thanks to Michael Ordman and Very Good News from Israel
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Preventing lung collapse. (TY Dan) Another innovation from Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s BioDesign students. They developed ThoraXS – a one-handed thoracic portal opener that shortens the procedure time of chest-tube insertion from minutes to less than 30 seconds. It is timely for saving victims of terror stabbings.
http://new.huji.ac.il/en/article/29654
Stopping uncontrolled bleeding. Gallium is a bio-metal currently used to stop bone loss in cancer patients. Moshe Rogosnitzky, a researcher at Israel’s Ariel University, has discovered that Gallium in liquid form (known as gallium nitrate) can rapidly halt bleeding from deep wounds, without causing blood clots.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/209371#.Vv53uUfn95R
Leukemia trial results. Latest reports of Phase II trials of BL-8040 from Israel’s Bioline Rx (see Nov newsletter), show that 38% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia, went into complete remission after just two cycles of the treatment. All these patients had previously failed to recover from other leukemia treatments.
How bacteria escape their enemies. A joint team of scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and from the Netherlands have discovered that the common E. coli bacteria plays “hide and seek” to avoid detection from the predatory B. bacteriovorus bacteria. It extends research into combating antibiotic resistant bacteria.
http://new.huji.ac.il/en/article/29284
http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/283/1824/20152154
Gene enhances insulin production. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have discovered that the gene p16 enhanced insulin secretion in beta cells of mice that suffer from diabetes, thereby partly reversing the disease and improving the health of the mice. Similar results in human cells are expected.
http://new.huji.ac.il/en/article/29587
Mending hearts again in Tanzania. Surgeons from Israel’s humanitarian organization Save A Child’s Heart returned to Tanzania in March to perform more life-saving operations on African children. (See July newsletter for previous mission)http://www.israel21c.org/healing-childrens-hearts-in-tanzania/
$25 million to fund new blood center. Israel’s emergency service Magen David Adom received its largest ever donation – $25 million – to build a new blood services center in Ramle. The Marcus National Blood Services Center will replace a facility in Tel Hashomer that is vulnerable to rocket attacks from Gaza.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/magen-david-adom-blood-center-gets-largest-donation-ever/
Exercise center for the brain. (TY Jacques) Swiss Ambassador to Israel Andreas Baum inaugurated Israel’s first BrainPath in Neve Eshkol, near Gaza. The fitness parlor, adjoined to the region’s largest senior citizen center, has eleven exercises that stimulate blood-flow to the brain. http://www.neveshkol.org.il/page_50511
China seeks Israeli remote health tech. Renming Zhu of China’s Truth Enterprises is seeking Israeli startups for its new incubator in Shanghai. Of particular interest are solutions to bring medical care out of the doctor’s office and into the field. China’s vast geography and aging population puts a huge strain on its healthcare costs.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-remote-health-tech-sought-for-chinas-healthcare-system/
Israeli woman cured of Parkinson’s. The focused ultrasound brain surgery of Israel’s Insightec has been used 500 times around the world. In its first procedure in Israel, surgeons at Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center successfully cured an Israeli woman of her uncontrollable shaking. (Video had 570,000 views in 2 days).
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
A unique school. (TY Hazel) The Eastern Mediterranean International School near Tel Aviv has 140 students including Israeli Jews, Arabs and Palestinian Arabs. They include citizens of Afghanistan and Yemen. Almost all receive scholarships from Israel’s Ministry of Education, foundations, and private donors.
The integration of Haredi Jews. More young Israeli ultra-Orthodox lead pious lives while also embracing technology, the modern workplace and their fellow Israelis. This article features the Open University, the Yeshiva High School “Chachme Lev,” and the non-profit KamaTech which has launched 220 Haredi startups.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4780318,00.html
Coming clean about co-existence. Jamila Hair, a 76-year-old Israel-Druze owner of a soap factory, amazed the Spanish audience and press at the Festival of Women in Segovia, Spain, speaking about the peace between the Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze women who work at her factory.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4783929,00.html
IDF veterans promote Arab startups. Former Israeli soldiers are helping Arab tech startups in Nazareth. The The Israeli Government and the 8200 Alumni Association – representing graduates of the top technology unit in the Israeli army – have introduced the Hybrid Program at the Nazareth Business Incubator Center.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-entrepreneurs-get-a-tech-boost-from-idf-veterans/
An Egyptian sees Israel for the first time. Egypt’s Ramy Aziz was invited by the Israeli Ministry of Exterior to visit Israel as part of a delegation of European-based Arab journalists and media representatives. He freely explored the country without influence by any person or institution. Here is his report.
http://fikraforum.org/?p=8877#.VvjgEEfn95R
Tunnels tell stories. Israel have completed digging the tunnels for the new Tel-Aviv Jerusalem Rail Line. It will help all Israelis (Jews, Moslems, Druze, etc) dramatically cut the travel time between the two cities. They are in stark contrast to the purpose of the tunnels that Hamas are digging in Gaza.
http://www.israellycool.com/2016/03/28/tunnels-tell-stories/
Dubai Arab names baby after IDF officer. An Arab woman from Dubai, who went into labor while travelling to the Palestinian Authority, named her newborn son Hadi – after a Druze IDF officer who saved the day and assisted in delivering her baby.
http://unitedwithisrael.org/arab-woman-from-dubai-names-newborn-son-after-idf-officer/
Nigerian competition to win pilgrimage to Israel. (TY Dan) Kennedy Opara, exec secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, said that it was extremely necessary for every practicing Christian to visit Israel on pilgrimage. NCPC has launched a “Win-a-trip-to-Israel” program to generate funding for the pilgrimage. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/pilgrimage-to-isreal-is-biblical-opara/
Help for a million Africans. Innovation: Africa, founded by Israel’s Sivan Ya’ari, has connected 104 rural villages in Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Senegal, Tanzania, DRC and Ethiopia to water and electricity. It has brought solar energy, improved irrigation and cleaner water to as many as 1 million people.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-women-and-tech-connect-african-villages-to-water-electricity/
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
How Israel survived the Mediterranean’s worst drought in 900 years. A new NASA study shows that the 1998-2012 eastern Mediterranean drought was the area’s worst drought in 900 years. But recycling wastewater, desalination of seawater, and a major water conservation campaign has made Israel nearly drought-proof.
http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2016/3/18/esj0wkq167hvfe4v6g17hkqx9ympas#.Vu2lAtDn95Q=
Israeli security stops ATM attack. The first ever mass attempt to steal from Israeli cash machines has been foiled. Israeli cyber-security expert Ido Naor led international cyber-security firm Kaspersky Lab to uncover the ATM-Zombie attack, inform authorities and help to prevent the spread of the attack.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/zombies-and-mules-the-inside-story-of-the-first-ever-shekel-bank-hack/
More sensitive than a sniffer dog. Another article about the nanotech odor technology from Israel’s Tracense that can detect explosives, narcotics, stashed cash, banned metals and toxic liquids. (Also Jul 2014 newsletter)
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-developed-nano-nose-can-sniff-out-bombs-drugs/
Trump brothers invest in Israeli Math teachers. (TY Dan) Eddie and Jules Trump (no relation to Donald) have invested over $150 million in improving math instruction in Israel. The money trains 35 to 45-year-old technology professionals with knowledge in math, who were tired of their job and were seeking challenges.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4774818,00.html
Phresh keeps produce fresh. (TY Dan) Israeli start-up Phresh has unveiled an organic solution which enhances the shelf life of fruit and vegetables by 3 times for consumers. Phresh is based on an organic, non-toxic powder, which dissolves into the atmosphere and based on 12 years of research. Phresh just raised 150% of its $30,000 funding goal on Kickstarter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkLXa_Zuf-U
Inspect with thermal imaging. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Opgal has announced general availability of NDTherm – its Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) solution that uses thermal imaging to detect faults in machinery and infrastructure. (See previous articles)
Smart shower wins innovation award. Italy’s Tissino won the Bathroom Product Innovation of the Year award 2016 for its Intelligente Digital Shower, at the KBB Awards. The central component of the shower is its E-valve powered by Israel’s SmarTap – a major breakthrough in water ecology and usage efficiency. (see here)
http://www.smartap-tech.com/intelligente-winner-at-the-kbb-awards/
http://www.tissino.co.uk/digital-shower-control-interface-white
Terrorists’ phone is unlocked. Israel’s Cellebrite has (reportedly) successfully accessed the iPhone used by the terrorists who perpetrated the San Bernardino massacre in December.
Diver panic bracelet. (TY Hazel) A near-death experience led Omer Arad to the idea of a wearable panic bracelet that lets a diver call his or her partner even when there is no eye contact between them. Arad’s team won this year’s Israeli finals of the international 3-Day Startup (3DS) competition at Israel’s Technion.
http://www.israel21c.org/diver-panic-bracelet-wins-startup-prize/
Lockheed Martin’s Israeli cybersecurity system. Less than a year after investing $25 million in Israel’s Cybereason, US Giant Lockheed Martin has officially released a cyber-security solution based on the Israeli firm’s technology. It includes Cybereason’s market-leading endpoint threat detection and response mechanism.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-giant-lockheed-martin-releases-israeli-based-cyber-security-system/
Boycott Israel? (TY Zev/Barry) A short video that shows it is impossible to avoid Israeli technology.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Israeli bonds are sold out. (TY Dan) Israel has just completed a successful issue of $1.5 billion worth of Government bonds. Demand for the 10-year and 30-year bonds was more than five times the amount issued. It shows the great trust in the Israeli economy throughout the world.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-15b-israeli-treasury-bonds-vastly-oversubscribed-1001109322
Five Israeli startups take Berlin. (TY JBN) Pzartech, Join VR Technologies LTD 4.0, Myndlift, Quiccargo and Shopeat are first Israeli companies to take part in the Tel Aviv-Berlin exchange program.
http://www.israel21c.org/5-israeli-startups-take-berlin/
Israeli builds party platform in New York. (TY Dan) Israeli entrepreneur Amnon Israel has launched Funnster – a web platform to help users create a social event with their friends, split the payment and register who’s bringing what to the party. http://upstart.bizjournals.com/companies/startups/2016/03/10/funnster-ceo-hustle-friendly-n-y-c-puts-startups.html
Nano Dimension launches on NASDAQ. (TY Dan) Israel’s Nano Dimension, a leader in the area of 3D Printed Electronics, has listed on NASDAQ. The company aims to increase awareness within the U.S. investment community and expand its presence in the U.S. market.
Why didn’t they buy? Another app that helps on-line retailers find out why customers fail to complete their purchases at the checkout page. Boston-based BlueSnap markets the system they acquired when they bought Israel’s Plimus two years ago and now has 70 Israel-based employees.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/an-israeli-cure-for-the-heartbreak-of-checkout-abandonment/
Last minute travel bargains. (TY Dan) Tens of thousands of passengers flew on low cost flights in 2015 thanks to Israeli app Hulyo. Hulyo’s parent Gulliver has just raised $1 million to launch a new global online travel venture. http://www.jpost.com/Business-and-Innovation/Tech-Talk-Travel-app-raises-funds-447269
Incubator for banking startups. (TY Dan) An Israeli financial technology hub “The Floor” has opened with the backing of China’s firm Pando Group to help connect Israeli technology with the world’s second-largest economy. The hub provides space, an R&D center, and partners including HSBC, Banco Santander and RBS.
Shipping Peru avocados to Europe. (TY Dan) Israel’s Mehadrin company has been working in Peru to promote the products grown by small farmers so they can directly export their products to European supermarkets out of Israel’s season. Mehadrin helped Peru export 300 tons of Peruvian avocados to Europe.
http://www.freshplaza.com/article/154605/Peru-Cusco-to-send-Hass-avocados-to-the-EU
$25 million for 3D metal printing. Israel’s XJet (see Dec newsletter) has just received a $25 million investment to help fund its unique 3D inkjet printing technology for liquid metal. The XJet system uses nanoparticles in liquid suspension to build metal parts without the need for expensive molds or lasers.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/3d-metal-printing-pioneer-xjet-gets-25m-investment/
Inneractive exits for $46 million. Israeli mobile ad startup Inneractive has been bought by German mobile ad technology platform RNTS Media for a minimum of $46 million. Inneractive’s platform currently serves over 630 million active users spanning 180 countries.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-rnts-acquires-israeli-mobile-ad-co-inneractive-1001107760
20,000 houses for Ghana. (TY Dan) Ghana’s State Housing Company has signed a contract with Israel’s IDM International to deliver 20,000 housing units in Ghana. The project will ease the massive housing problems facing Ghanaians.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Israel’s Edge. A new book “Israel’s Edge: The Story of the IDF’s Most Elite Unit – Talpiot”, features the elite soldiers who are taught not just how to fight, but also how to think. Talpiot’s graduates have created cutting-edge businesses including Check Point, Compugen, Anobit (bought by Apple) and XIV (bought by IBM).
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/israels-edge-the-story-of-the-idfs-most-elite-unit-talpiot-2/
Hear the noise. Following the article from Sharon (see Mar 6th newsletter), here is a video of Jerusalem’s Winter Noise Festival, in which you can hear the exciting events.
Nature paints the Negev red. Carpets of red anemones (known as kalanyot in Hebrew) cover the Negev “desert” of Israel every spring. To celebrate this breathtaking sight, the annual “Darom Adom” (The Red South) Festival takes place during the months of January/February.
BBC buys Israeli drama about autism. The British Broadcasting Corporation is broadcasting “The A-Word” – a drama about a family with an autistic son. The BBC bought the format from Israel’s Keshet International and has remade the Israeli script.
Feed the birds. Israel’s unique location, geography and climate attracts about 500 million birds annually from 550 species. In the Hula Valley, the Israeli Government feeds eight tons of corn to tens of thousands of cranes every day.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/why-israel-is-a-pilgrimage-site-for-birds-and-birdwatchers/
Judo gold in Georgia. The Israeli judo team won a prestigious Grand Prix in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, with Ori Sasson winning a gold medal.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/209958#.VvgyTkfn95Q
Sela wins 20th tennis title. Israel’s Dudi Sela beat China’s Di Wu (175) 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the Shenzhen Open Challenger tennis tournament – his 20th Challenger title success. Sela did not drop a set throughout the competition, which lifted him up to 67th in the world rankings.
http://www.thejc.com/sport/sport-news/155596/sela-course-rio-olympics-after-20th-title-success
THE JEWISH STATE
Israel’s Christian minority. (TY Zev) Shadi Khalloul writes that Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Christians and other minorities grow in freedom and safety with full democratic rights. Christians fill all types of high positions including a Supreme Court Judge, Salim Jubran – a Maronite Christian.
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/7622/israel-christian-minority
Support for pro-Israel activists. The Kadima Fund, a bottom-up online resource center for grass roots pro-Israel initiatives, has just been launched. It will offer advice, materials, contacts, professional resources, financial assistance, and more, to pro-Israel Activists in local, grassroots initiatives. Could it help me?
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/new-fund-to-support-pro-israel-activists/2016/03/01/0/
Protecting wildlife. As forecast, in my March 2013 newsletter, the eco-bridge over Highway 1 between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv is now being constructed. Wildlife will soon be able to cross the highway in safety.
http://www.israel21c.org/why-do-foxes-jackals-and-hyenas-cross-israels-highway-1/
Jacob sheep will return to the Holy Land. (TY Nevet) On a small farm 43 miles east of Vancouver, British Columbia, Jenna and Gil Lewinsky, an Israeli husband and wife, are raising around 130 Jacob sheep – mentioned in Genesis. The Lewinskys plan to take the sheep to Israel this year on a specially fitted plane.
Reconnecting lost Jews. Israel’s Ashley Perry – President of Reconectar – describes the vital project that reconnects descendants of forced converts of Spanish and Portuguese Jewish communities (Bnei Anusim) with the Jewish people and the Jewish State.
A safer Shabbat hotplate. After a hotplate caused a deadly Brooklyn house fire in 2015, an Israeli designer, Rafi Gabbay, developed a safer version. HotMat, is a new foldable 4-ring hotplate, to give observant Jews a safe, portable and rabbinically sanctioned method of heating up food on the Sabbath. Shipping for Passover.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/hotmat-new-shabbat-hotplate-offers-design-and-safety-appeal/
