This Week’s Sanity Report from Israel at War Jan. 7, 2024
As we welcome in 2024, I think we would all welcome a better year than 2023.
Parents of IDF lone soldiers have been flown to Israel to give a surprise welcome to their children. And a support group of parents has enlisted famous personalities to record videos of welcome messages to those soldiers.
Several welcome potential cures were undergoing human trials last week. A stent for blocked leg arteries; Nitric Oxide for cancer; and a device to prevent delirium in immobile hospital patients. New Israeli technology includes a system that welcomes you and then parks your car automatically. And now that welcome rains have arrived, a solar farm’s system redirects the water to irrigate crops efficiently.
Israeli startups have received welcome funding for nine joint US-Israeli clean energy projects. Meanwhile, positive results in the war against Hamas means that many startups are welcoming back employees from reserve duties.
New arrivals welcomed to Israel included 18 graduates of the Zionist Leadership Academy; a late surge of new immigrants, including a 95-year-old veteran from Israel’s 1948 War of Independence; and two species of rare birds, making their first visits to Israel. Finally, an Israeli synagogue welcomed a new Torah scroll, which had been completed by thousands of IDF soldiers in Gaza, secular Kibbutz members and survivors of the Supernova party.
The photo is of the Newborn center at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov (Sourasky) Medical Center – one of the Israeli hospitals that welcomed 179,000 new babies in 2023. Notice the helicopter landing pad on the roof – large enough to welcome the vast numbers of storks bringing in the new arrivals! (warning – fake news
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The highlights include:
- Tears were shed when parents met with their lone soldier children.
- Israel’s Phoenix Battalion of reconditioned tanks goes into action.
- An Israeli device can prevent delirium in immobilized ICU patients.
- An all-female IDF unit operates drones to protect soldiers.
- Volunteers make thousands of devices to re-charge IDF equipment.
- New innovation centers will encourage hi-tech nationwide.
- Two rare birds spotted wintering in Israel.
- The youngest and oldest new Israelis.
POSITIVE NEWS DURING A WAR
More heroes of Oct 7. (TY UWI) Brothers Daniel and Neria Sharabi, saved dozens of lives at the Supernova music festival on Oct 7 by providing fire cover for escapees with weapons they found in a tank, while receiving instructions over the phone from an IDF officer. They also treated the wounded who were hiding with them.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Operation Hug. Some very emotional scenes as Nefesh b’Nefesh flies out parents to Israel to greet their lone soldier children serving in combat units. There is no guarantee that the IDF will release the soldiers to meet up with their parents but just see the reaction when they do! https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.nbn.org.il/
https://worldisraelnews.com/
Support for parents of IDF soldiers. Parents Beyachad is a worldwide group of parents of IDF soldiers. They have enlisted famous personalities to record 60+ video messages of support.
https://www.jns.org/wire/
https://www.parentsbeyachad.
Word of the Year – Resilience. Israel21c’s Word of the Year for 2023 is Resilience. Israeli NGO Eran defines it as “the ability to enlist internal resources such as flexible thinking, creativity and a willingness to receive help, together with external resources, in order to overcome the challenges and obstacles that always face us.”
https://www.israel21c.org/
Showers, tailor, laundry, beds. Not a John le Carre book, but some of the innovative mobile services that Israelis have developed to provide IDF soldiers with basic necessities. Thanks to Brothers and Sisters for Israel, (see here) the NGO Restart (see here), Rabbi Shai Graucher (see here), and Bentov Ellipsis.
https://nocamels.com/2023/12/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.bentov.net/ https://vimeo.com/882815262
The spirit of wounded soldiers. These brave soldiers send out such positive inspirational messages.
https://www.jns.org/a-rare-
Just see what Israelis can recycle. IDF reservist Dan Levit is VP of R&D at Israel’s U-Tron Parking. He assembled a team to rehabilitate 24 decommissioned IDF tanks and then trained volunteers to operate them. The appropriately named “Phoenix” tank battalion is already seeing action in Gaza. And the IDF wants more.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Cure for Peripheral Artery Disease sounds good. Israel’s NovaPulse has developed a “virtual” stent that opens blocked arteries in the legs. The implant sits just under the skin on the leg; when the patient moves, they generate ultrasound waves that dilate the implant, allowing oxygenated blood to flow from the heart.
https://nocamels.com/2023/12/
https://medxelerator.com/
Nitric Oxide for cancer. Israel’s Beyond Air (see here previously) has partnered with US-based Beyond Cancer to produce a form of immunotherapy for solid tumors known as ultra-high concentration nitric oxide (UNO). The ultra-high concentration of UNO is undergoing Phase 1 human trials.
https://nocamels.com/category/
Restoring sanity in the ICU. Two Israeli hospitals (Beilinson and Assuta Ashdod) are trialing the innovative communication headset for locked-in patients developed by Israel’s EyeControl (see here previously). They want to see if it can reduce the incidences of delirium (nightmares & hallucinations) in ICU patients.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Computer games can lift depression. Neuroscientist Prof. Moshe Bar co-founded Israel’s Hedonia and created the computer game Mood Bloom to reduce negative feelings. It is based on a therapy called Facilitating Thought Progression (FTP) in which mini games require the player to focus less on circular thoughts.
https://nocamels.com/2023/12/
Rehabilitating wounded soldiers. More on the Kemtai AI-powered virtual physiotherapist (see here previously) that Israel’s medical institutions and organizations are using to help get wounded IDF service people on the journey back to health. https://vimeo.com/707320029
https://nocamels.com/2024/01/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Guardian angels. (TY UWI) The all-female IDF Sky Rider unit operates the drones (UAVs) that protect troops on the ground. Read here about a battle where they were the eyes in the sky for the 13th Battalion in one of the major battles of the ground incursion Gaza and helped the soldiers on the ground emerge unscathed.
https://www.jns.org/the-
Friends despite the war. (TY Diana Bletter) Two Jews and two Muslims share an apartment run by Kivunim, an organization that helps young adults with disabilities. Despite Oct 7, the four flat mates get along just as before. Kivunim’s 45 apartments in Nahariya and Haifa house some 120 residents with disabilities.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
No cycle of violence here. (TY Diana Bletter) Zippy Schrager, a 56-year-old Rabbi’s daughter, manages a cycle repair shop in Mailiya, a Christian Arab village in the Western Galilee, just 12 miles from Lebanon. Zippy learned how to fix bikes from the shop co-owner Ron Boutillier who is currently on IDF reserve duty.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Man of the Year. (TY UWI) Frontpage Magazine’s Man of the Year is the IDF Soldier. It writes, “In a year of defeatism and surrender, he is fighting back… The men on the front lines are not the politicians or the generals, they’re among the 360,000 reservists … who left behind their homes, families, and jobs to go and fight.”
https://www.frontpagemag.com/
Zionist Leadership Academy. (TY Sharon) KKL-JNF and the WZO’s Zionist Leadership Academy is a 10-month program to develop young global leaders who will strengthen connections between their communities and Israeli institutions. Read about the recent mission to Israel of 18 program graduates from 14 countries.
https://baltimorejewishlife.
https://www.wzo.org.il/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
30,000 chargers for soldiers. Shaked Agress designed the Mensch (Military vehicle USB Charging) Solution – a device that allows IDF soldiers to recharge their phones, GoPro cameras, iPads for medics, and more, while in army vehicles. In a synagogue, hundreds of volunteers are assembling thousands of life-saving devices.
https://www.i24news.tv/en/
IDF’s encrypted smartphone. The IDF-designed encrypted smartphone can make calls, and transmit encrypted videos, texts, files, emails, and more. It speeds up decision-making, providing relevant information for combat.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Automated valet parking. Israel’s U-Tron is a leading provider of automated parking solutions. The system is eco-friendly with huge space-saving benefits. https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.utron-parking.com/ https://www.youtube.com/
Transforming energy storage. Israel’s Windstore has developed a system that stores the energy generated by a wind turbine as compressed air within the actual wind mast at low cost. It means many previously uneconomic wind farms are now viable and can compete with fossil fuel plants. https://windstore-energy.com/
Solar-powered crop irrigation. Israel’s Trigo-Solar allows farmers to install solar farms without losing valuable arable land. The agri-solar system focuses on water management of rain-fed crops. Rainwater falling on the solar panels is diverted to the crops, reducing evaporation whilst maintaining yields.
https://trigo.solar/ https://www.youtube.com/
Connecting Einstein to quantum physics. Professor Ron Folman of Ben Gurion University has received a $2.6 million grant from a collective $30 million fund to lead the development of a nanodiamond spatial interferometer. It will help resolve the disconnect between quantum physics and Einstein’s theory of relativity.
https://www.jns.org/wire/ben-
Verifying Biblical history. Thermal demagnetization technology developed by researchers at four Israeli universities has enabled archaeologists to estimate the firing temperatures of burnt materials discovered in excavations. In one case it confirmed the destruction of the Philistine city of Gath as in Kings 2, ch12 v17.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Nine innovation centers. Israel is investing NIS 100 million to set up nine innovation centers in regions away from Israel’s center. They will help local entrepreneurs build technical solutions for food tech, agritech, desert tech, aquaculture, biotech, health tech, climate, renewable energy, green building tech, innovation, and AI.
https://www.jns.org/israel-to-
$9.75 million for clean energy projects. Nine clean energy projects (see here previously) are to receive $9.75 million under the US-Israel (BIRD) Energy program. Israelis orgs involved include Bar Ilan R&D, SolarPaint, Groundwork BioAg, CarbonBlue, Boson Energy, PowerPlug, AIR EV, Trigo Solar, and Windstore Energy.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
https://windstore-energy.com/
“Resiliency is off the charts”. At two financial events last week, finance heads and investors spoke of the resilience of Israeli entrepreneurs. Typical was Ed Sim, founder, and general partner at boldstart Ventures. “Yes, there’s an impact,” he said. “But the resiliency is off the charts.”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Taste vegan “realistic meat” in Florida. The fermented plant-derived “meat” from Israel’s Chunk Foods (see here previously) has now reached Florida. The authentic tasting replicated whole cuts are now available at The Talk of the Town Restaurant Group, which comprises six restaurants in Central Florida.
https://nocamels.com/2023/12/
Boycott brings success to Israeli company. The Israeli franchise of Ben & Jerry’s is expanding thanks to its split from its anti-Israel parent. It is to open a bigger factory to expand its product range into ice cream bars and popsicles. CEO Avi Zinger also wants to enlarge the frozen pastry division.
https://worldisraelnews.com/
Returning to work after a war. Israeli companies have been gearing up to help employees re-adjust when they return from IDF reserve service. Read how Israeli firms Applied Materials, Taboola, Priority, and Monday.com have prepared for the challenge. https://www.calcalistech.com/
Palantir stands with Israel. US tech giant Palantir is to hold its first board meeting of 2024 in Tel Aviv. The company wrote on X last week, “We stand with Israel…Our work in the region has never been more vital. And it will continue.” https://www.calcalistech.com/
Exits, takeovers, and mergers – to 7/1/24:.US-based Level Access has acquired Israeli AI web accessibility startup UserWay for around £99 million.
Startup investment – to 7/1/24. Israel’s PomVom (IPO); Aqua Security raised $60 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Rare birds visit Israel for the first time. Two rare birds recently arrived in the Jewish State. A rare hybrid cross between the western yellow wagtail and citrine wagtail has nested in a kibbutz in northern Israel. And a Pacific diver from Alaska was spotted in Eilat – the first time this bird has been seen in the entire Middle East.
https://www.
https://www.jpost.com/
Finding solace underwater. Diving clubs in Eilat are offering evacuated Israelis free courses and sessions in scuba diving and free diving. The underwater setting, physical activity, breathing exercises, weightlessness, body control, and exposure to and overcoming fear can all serve to mitigate emotional pain and reduce stress.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Israeli MMA fighter gives Jews self-defense lessons. (TY UWI) French-born Israeli Natan Levy stars in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He has also been training participants in the Israeli American Council’s (IAC) Teen Ambassador program. He is now showing Brooklyn Jews how to combat racist attacks.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-
https://www.jpost.com/
IDF team to run in Miami marathon. In a show of solidarity and unity between Israel and the Jewish people, a group of 10 Israeli soldiers will join Team Lifeline at the upcoming Miami Marathon on Jan. 28. They will raise funds for Chai Lifeline, the children’s charity that benefits families coping with serious illness and trauma.
https://www.jns.org/wire/idf-
We’ve got a friend. New Argentine President Javier Milei opened the Pan-American Maccabi Games in Buenos Aires. In front of 10,000 participants, he declared his “unalterable commitment to the State of Israel and to the Jewish people in their fight against Islamic terrorism, for peace and freedom.”
https://worldisraelnews.com/
THE JEWISH STATE
End-of-year Aliyah surge. Whatever the annual statistics show, there certainly has been an increase in Aliya since Oct.7. 720 newcomers have arrived in Israel since the onset of the war, with 200 of them landing just in the last week of 2023. And in the 4th quarter of 2023, Aliyah requests were up 142% from the previous year.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
https://www.
179,000 Israeli babies. Israel’s population grew by 1.9% in 2023 to just under 10 million – an expected milestone for 2024. It included 45,000 new immigrants – most from Russia and Ukraine. The most popular names for Jewish babies were David and Abigail. The most popular baby name overall was Mohammed.
https://worldisraelnews.com/
https://www.jns.org/avigail-
He fought in Israel’s War of Independence – now he makes Aliyah. Canadian-born Irving Matlow, who fought to ensure Israel’s existence in 1948, is finally becoming an Israeli citizen at the age of 96. His parents made Aliyah in 1955 and he always wanted to, “but life got in my way”.
https://www.jpost.com/aliyah/
Yanky’s Morale-Boosting Doodles. Yanky Fachler (based in Ireland) sends out a batch of positive stories, every 2-3 days – many related to Israel. If anyone wants to be added to his mailing list, please email [email protected]
Jewish presence in the Land of Israel (Part 3). The final installment of the series shows that Jews have been in the Land of Israel for over 3,000 years. Just in case anyone tells you that we are colonialists! (Parts 1& 2)
https://aish.com/jews-in-the-
A Torah scroll of healing and hope. Nogah Safer’s day job may be in hi-tech, but it is his work as a Torah scribe that he really enjoys. In writing his first Torah scroll he has enlisted secular Kibbutz members, survivors of the Nova party, and IDF soldiers serving in Gaza. Over 1,000 added a letter to help complete the scroll.
https://www.jns.org/a-torah-
How to help Israel. Here are some sites where newsletter readers can donate to Israeli organizations that provide vital help to Israelis at this difficult time. Many thanks to those who have already contributed and to those who are helping by donating their own valuable time and resources.
Friends of the IDF (US donors): https://www.fidf.org/
or IDF Soldiers Fund in Israel: https://www.ufis.org.il/en/
American Friends of Magen David Adom (US donors): https://afmda.org/
or Magen David Adom (Israel): https://www.mdais.org/en/
Zaka (US donors): https://donate.zakatelaviv.
or (Canadian donors): https://www.canadahelps.org/
United Hatzalah: https://israelrescue.org/
Leket Food Israel: https://www.leket.org/en/
JNF USA – https://my.jnf.org/gaza-
Orthodox Union – https://www.charidy.com/
Schneider Children’s Hospital: https://www.fos.org.il/en/
https://system.smartgiving.
https://chaischneider.org/
Hadassah Hospital Israel: https://www.hadassah.org/
Laniado Hospital (Netanya) https://my.israelgives.org/en/
And many more charities here:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Buy Israel Bonds to support the Jewish State. (TY Larry B)
https://www.
USA – https://www.israelbonds.com/
Europe – https://israelbondsintl.com/
Canada – https://www.israelbonds.ca/
