This Week’s Sanity Report from Israel April 30, 2023
As it completes its 75th year, Israel continues to build up the modern Jewish State. This latest Positive newsletter contains medical advances to build up the strength of the sick and injured everywhere – physically and mentally; young and old; collectively or individually. Israeli volunteers help rebuild the lives of the vulnerable from Israel to Brazil and all points in between.
In hi-tech and business, Israelis are helping build a society with clean energy, pollution-free agriculture, clean water, healthy foods, and sustainable products. Israel strives to build a better future for all.
The photo was taken during Israel’s 75th Independence Day fly-past. It aptly highlights the Israeli spirit and determination to reach new heights.
the highlights include:
- Innovative Israeli therapy causes cancer cells to collapse.
- A simple Israeli device will save numerous babies from suffocation.
- Israel opens a permanent embassy in another Muslim country.
- Three Israeli startups have won awards for hydrogen-based technology.
- A record number of passengers used Ben Gurion Airport in March.
- Israelis are “all a flutter” from a heavy dose of butterflies.
- Some great stories to celebrate Israel’s 75 birthday.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Cancer therapy breakthrough. (TY WIN) Researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed nanoparticles containing RNA that silences the protein CKAP5 – essential to the stability of many types of cancer. The therapy causes the cancer cells to collapse and is 80% effective in lab tests targeting ovarian cancer.
https://www.
Diffusing radiation therapy for inoperable cancer. Israel’s Alpha Tau Medical (see here previously) has used its Alpha DaRT radiation therapy to treat its first patient with advanced inoperable pancreatic cancer. The Montreal trial will treat 30 patients with Stage II, III, or IV pancreatic cancer or an inoperable pancreatic tumor.
https://www.alphatau.com/
Preventing mosquito bites. Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers have discovered that a thin coating of natural, sustainable, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) applied to human skin, decreases the number of mosquito bites by 80%. In combination with the naturally occurring amino acid Indole, it is over 99% effective.
https://www.jns.org/hebrew-u-
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.
Relieving social anxiety without pills. An Israeli-led study of 105 adults with social anxiety disorder used therapy based on eye-tracking, combined with a musical reward. The “gaze-contingent music reward therapy” (GC-MRT) was just as successful (50%) as the standard psychiatric medicine.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://ajp.psychiatryonline.
Relieve stress with an AI-based nutrition coach. April is Stress Awareness Month in both the USA and UK, Israeli-US startup myAir has marked it by launching its stressless routine smart food platform. It includes 24/7 personal support from an AI-based nutrition coach to supplement its nutrition bars (see here previously).
https://myair.ai/landing/
Turning out alright. It took an Israeli – Dr Abraham Yaari – to invent the Yaari Extractor™- a simple device that solves shoulder dystocia – an emergency where a baby’s shoulders are preventing safe delivery. The device allows the obstetrician or gynecologist to turn the baby 45 degrees, thus preventing its suffocation.
https://nocamels.com/2023/04/
Matching patients to the best treatments. The normally anti-Israel BBC has discovered Israel’s Genetika+ (see here previously) which is developing a precision tool that uses Artificial Intelligence to determine if a particular antidepressant will work for an individual. https://www.bbc.com/news/
Super-paramedic. Benny, a United Hatzalah volunteer EMT, treated two victims of a terrorist stabbing. Before that, however, he helped immobilize the terrorist. A real life Israeli super-hero.
https://israelrescue.org/blog/
Israeli doctor saves passenger. For the second newsletter in a row, another Israeli doctor saved an airline passenger. This time it was a teenager who suffered a severe anaphylactic attack. United Hatzalah volunteer Dr. Natan Ungar used adrenaline to treat the patient, and the El Al plane continued from Tel Aviv to New York.
https://www.
Robotic surgery saves Jerusalem doctor. When Dr. Ariel Lipschuetz fractured his back skiing in France, he called Dr Schroeder, Director of Hadassah’s back unit. Amazingly, he was skiing only 26km away and arranged for robotic percutaneous fixation surgery at Hadassah. It saved Dr Lipschuetz from almost certain paralysis.
https://www.jpost.com/health-
Celebrating the Remarkable 3. I highly recommend watching this inspiring video of some of the pioneering medical science and researchers at Israel’s Ben Gurion University. It describes BGU’s groundbreaking discoveries and innovations in 3D printed science, cancer research, biomedical engineering, and so much more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Helping to feed the vulnerable. Israeli charity Sayeret Hessed Yihudit – SAHI (see here previously) has grown to 1,500 volunteers ages 13 to 19. Comprising 44 chapters with 80 leaders, they perform voluntary community service in depressed communities. SAHI’s Ofri Butbul lit a Yom Ha’Atzmaut torch in 2021.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Five examples of Israeli Jewish-Arab partnership. (TY UWI & I24 News) Yoseph Hadded reminds everyone about the partnership between Arabs and Jews in Israel. You won’t see this in the Mainstream media.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Israeli soldiers rescue trapped camel. When a camel got itself stuck in between rocks in the desert, soldiers from an IDF unit helped extricate the distressed animal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Eurovision contestants plant saplings in Israel. 36 participants in the Eurovision Song Contest in May have planted saplings in the KKL Eurovision Forest, halfway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. KKL-JNF’s Karine Bolton complimented the musicians, “Your music is like a seed of hope being planted for the future.”
https://www.jns.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Saving billions of plastic bottles. Israel’s SodaStream (now owned by PepsiCo) says it has prevented five billion single-use plastic bottles from being used last year. SodaStream systems use pressurized cylinders to add carbon dioxide to water and create soda at home, thereby not wasting single-use bottles.
https://nocamels.com/2023/04/
Moroccan diplomats hold “Mimouna” celebration. (TY WIN & I24 News) Morocco’s liaison office in Israel – soon to be expanded to a full-fledged embassy – marked the Moroccan Jewish tradition of ending Passover festival with a “Mimouna” gathering. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Opening Israeli embassy in Turkmenistan. Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen landed in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, to inaugurate the permanent building of the Israeli embassy in Turkmenistan and meet with the Jewish community. This year Israel and Turkmenistan mark 30 years of diplomatic relations.
https://www.
70 years of diplomatic relations with Mexico. 1,200+ people attended a concert in Mexico to celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations between Israel and Mexico. The soloists were Israel’s Evgenia Epshtein and Mexico’s Adrián Justus, who has given two performances at Monday concerts in Netanya.
https://www.jpost.com/365days/
Heroes. Israeli NGO Heroes for Life (see here previously) is sending dozens of ex-IDF personnel to volunteer in deprived areas of Brazil. Israel also just held a ceremony for Outstanding Soldiers. Three are Haredi Jews. https://www.ynetnews.com/
https://www.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Jupiter mission launches with Israeli tech on board. The European Space Agency’s JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) mission launched on Apr 14. It carried an Ultra Stable Oscillator made by Israel’s AccuBeat (see here previously) which will measure the composition of Jupiter’s atmosphere when it arrives there in 2031.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-
https://www.
Hydrogen’s rising star. Israel’s GenCell (see here previously) received the Rising Star in the Hydrogen Field award, in the framework of the Hydrogen Future Awards 2023. Presented at the Connecting Green Hydrogen MENA conference in Dubai, it recognizes GenCell’s zero-emission hydrogen and other technologies.
https://www.jpost.com/
Another Hydrogen award winner. Bloomberg’s New Energy Finance energy-transition research arm has awarded a BloombergNEF Pioneer award to Israel’s H2Pro (see here previously). H2Pro is building a plant capable of producing 73 tons a year of hydrogen from water electrolysis, for commercial deployment in 2025.
https://blog.ourcrowd.com/12-
https://www.bloomberg.com/
Hydrogen-powered drones. Israel’s Heven Drones has unveiled its H2D55 hydrogen-powered UAV. It can fly for 100 minutes with a 7kg payload. HevenDrones won the Monaco Hydrogen Alliance Award for Disruptive Hydrogen Mobility. https://www.hevendrones.com/ https://uasweekly.com/2023/
Israel’s largest solar project. Israel’s Teralight has launched the “Ta’anakh” – the country’s largest solar project – in the Jezreel Valley. It is expected to provide electricity for around a quarter-million Israelis living in more than 60,000 households by the end of the first half of next year. https://www.teralight.co.il/
https://www.jpost.com/
Reversing the flow of water. The Israel Water Authority (Mekorot) Reverse Water Project is complete, and water can now flow from Israel’s desalination plants back into Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). It is the first project of its kind and will ensure that the world’s lowest freshwater lake will never be at risk of running dry.
https://nocamels.com/2023/04/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Soil sensor launched. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s DOTS (Data Of The Soil) has now launched its electro-optical soil sensor and information system (see here previously). Real-time nitrate monitoring can significantly reduce the use of fertilizers. https://www.jpost.com/
AI and Beyond. Some 500 experts, students, and guests attended the annual Tech.AI conference of Israel’s Technion Institute, focusing on ways to translate AI theories into useful applications. Companies involved included Microsoft, IBM, Mobileye, Nvidia, Harel, and AI21 Labs, plus many Israeli university professors.
https://www.technion.ac.il/en/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The future – one circuit at a time. (TY UWI & I24 News) The 7th Israeli Conference on Robotics featured many innovative Israeli startups including Cogniteam (software for autonomous robots), Israeli founded Momentis (Anovo surgical robot), and Forsight Robotics (eye surgery). https://www.cogniteam.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.momentissurgical.
Green MED diet is great for the heart. Studies of the Green Mediterranean (high polyphenols) diet (see here previously) show its benefits for the gut and brain. Now, Ben Gurion University research shows it is twice as good as the standard Mediterranean diet for the heart aorta that carries oxygenated blood throughout the body.
https://www.jpost.com/health-
Reduced sugar berry juices. Israel’s Better Juice (see here previously) has completed successful trials of its technology to lower the sugar content (sucrose, fructose, and glucose) of natural berry and other fruit juices. It also works on fruit products such as jams. These products are predicted to reach the shelves next year.
https://www.prnewswire.com/
Look who’s eating vegan. At a visit to Israel’s Steakholder foods (see here previously) a high-profile Israeli politician said “Today we ate fish produced without fish, meat produced without cows. This is a global revolution. Soon we will bring new approvals and new heights that will change the world,”
https://www.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Green Product award. Israel’s Balena (see here previously) won a Green Product Award in the fashion category from the Green Future Club at a ceremony in Berlin. The international award program, now in its 10th year, recognizes products and services in sustainability, innovation, and design.
https://www.israel21c.org/
All the medals at Maths Olympiad. (TY Nevet) In a historic first, a team of Israeli students took home every medal possible at the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO) for grades 10 – 12 in Slovenia. Noga Friedman beat 214 from 54 countries to win gold with a “perfect score.” Israelis also won silver and gold.
https://www.jpost.com/j-spot/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Ben Gurion Airport’s busiest ever month. Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport saw its busiest month in history during Mar 2023. A total of 1,983,428 passengers passed through on 13,490 international and domestic flights – 57% more than in Mar 2022. El Al flew 432,365 passengers – its highest monthly total and 50% more than in 2022.
https://www.jpost.com/
Toyota prize to fund Israeli gardens. Israeli non-profit Venatata has won Toyota’s NIS 1 million Israel Earth Prize. The prize money will be allocated towards Venatata’s 100 Gardens Project, which aims to establish 100 therapeutic gardens in medical and social rehabilitation centers across Israel.
https://www.jpost.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Fish for Morocco. A consortium of Israeli-based startups is partnering with Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University to produce high-protein fish food for Morocco’s fish farms. They are Seakura (seaweed), Shachar Group (recycled waste), FreezeM (insect protein), and Hungary’s Celitron (organic waste).
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://www.shachar.biz/en/
Managing wastewater down under. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s Kando (see here previously) is partnering Australia’s Detection Services to deliver Kando’s wastewater management technology to customers in Australia and New Zealand. It follows a successful Proof of Concept project at Rotorua New Zealand.
https://www.prnewswire.com/
Controlling drone deliveries in Brazil. Israel’s High Lander (see here previously) is partnering Brazil’s Speedbird – one of Brazil’s largest UAV operators – to safely steer drones delivering fast-food and groceries across Brazil. Locals order with the app iFood and a High Lander-controlled Speedbird UAV delivers the food.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Intelligence for brokers. Israel’s Capitola offers a productivity and market intelligence platform for broker teams. Its platform brings together brokers and underwriters, removing many of the operational inefficiencies around manual processes and repetitive tasks.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Wind farms in Poland. Zephyrus Wing Energies is the first company to list on the TASE since August; raises NIS 145 million at a company valuation of NIS 935 million. Zephyrus’ projects in Poland include Potegowo – the largest wind-energy project in the country, comprising eight wind farms at multiple sites.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Israel is a critical market. Vesey Ventures, based in the US and Israel, has launched a $78 million fund investing in early stage fintech companies. Vesey was founded by three former female Managing Directors at AMEX Ventures, focusing on Israel as a critical market for enterprise software, cybersecurity and data and AI.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Exits, takeovers and mergers to 30/4/23. US-based Akamai Technologies is acquiring Israel’s NeoSec for “several dozen millions of dollars”.
Investment in Israeli startups to 30/4/23: Zephyrus Wing Energies raised $40 million (IPO); CropX raised $30 million; Quantum Source raised $27 million; Volumez raised $20 million; Capitola raised $15.6 million; Safeguard (construction) raised $8 million; Floodlight raised $6.4 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT`
A summer of music. Israeli performances this summer include Shlomo Artzi, Gidi Gov, Static, Nunu, Marina Maximillian, Idan Raichel, Ishay Ribo, and Chava Alberstein. International stars include Backstreet Boys, Robbie Williams, Sam Smith, Papa Roach, Guns N’ Roses, The Black Keys, Buddy Guy, & Imagine Dragons.
https://www.israel21c.org/top-
From Israel with Love. The Technion UK will be holding an event in London on May 15 to celebrate Israel’s 75th Anniversary. All proceeds from the show will go towards funding the Integrated Cancer Research Centre at the Technion. https://technionuk.org/event/
Butterfly exodus. (TY UWI) The fields surrounding Israel’s Hula Lake are currently covered in Pink Lady butterflies enroute from the Arabian peninsula to Europe. Its an intergenerational migration, as the butterflies that arrived from Saudi Arabia lay eggs in Israel that eventually turn into butterflies that continue onto Europe.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://static.israel21c.org/
National butterfly. With its colors matching the Israeli flag, the common blue butterfly has been voted Israel’s national butterfly. It joins the hoopoe (national bird), the anemone (national flower), the olive (national tree), and the Canaan dog (national dog), as symbols. Tens of thousands of Israeli schoolchildren voted.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Sportstech Emmy winner. Israeli sports-tech company WSC Sports (see here previously) won an “AI-ML Curation of Sports Highlights” award at the 74th Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards. The awards are presented by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
https://www.israel21c.org/
THE JEWISH STATE
4 sets of twins in 24 hours. Four women each delivered twin babies within the same 24-hour period at Israel’s Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba. Prof Shantal, director of the Women’s and Midwives department said that when the mother embraces two babies, the room is double happiness and magic.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-
Toronto friends celebrate in Israel. 300+ members of UJA (United Jewish Appeal) of greater Toronto have been touring Israel (Apr 24 – May 1) on an “Israel @ 75” mission. It explores Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Sderot, the Dead Sea, and much more, with a variety of tracks. It ends with a gala in Tel Aviv for 1500+ Israel supporters.
https://www.jewishtoronto.com/
Why I love Israel. (TY Jacob Richman) To celebrate Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Jacob has updated his hot-sites of Israel links. I particularly recommend Barbara Sofer’s 75+1 new reasons I love Israel.
https://jr.co.il/hotsites/
https://jr.co.il/articles/75+
Babies in Blue & White. For Israel’s Independence Day, Israel’s Assuta Hospital in Ashdod dressed the newborns in its maternity ward in the colors of the Israeli flag. “Our flag symbolizes our inseverable connection to this land and our responsibility to stay united for the sake of the children of tomorrow,” the hospital wrote.
https://www.
Happy 75th birthday Israel. Some new videos and recent photos to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the declaration of Israel’s Independence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.
https://www.
Here forever. Ofra Haza and Zohar Argov were two of Israel’s most loved singers. They never sang together, until now. For Israel’s 75th birthday, their families agreed that a team of Israeli producers could use Artificial Intelligence to create a new song and a video of the two, performing a duet “Kan Le’Olam” (“Here Forever”).
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
