This Week’s Sanity Report from Israel Feb. 5, 2023
This week’s newsletter is packed with life-enhancing creations from the minds of Israeli scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators. Cell therapy to fix genetic diseases; Artificial Intelligence to diagnose diseases from biopsies, from retina scans, and from CT-scans; even smart systems to ensure hospitals are never short of essential supplies.
Scientific breakthroughs include efficient fusion energy, satellite quantum communications, growing vegan super-food indoors; heat-generating polymers; sunglasses that convert to reading glasses; continuous mobile Internet; and intelligent robots to replace unresponsive customer service centers.
Israelis are exploring outer space and returning to educate the next generation of creative minds.
It makes you think, doesn’t it?
The photo is one of the mind-blowing exhibits at the Museum of Medicine and Science in Hadera, central Israel.
The highlights include:
- An Israeli biotech is developing cutting-edge cell therapy to cure diseases.
- Another Moslem country opens its embassy in Israel.
- An Israeli startup is developing fusion energy technology.
- Israeli sunglasses can convert instantly into reading glasses.
- Israeli business ventures include companies from India, Japan, and Qatar.
- Israel’s winter rains have finally arrived.
- A prayer for Israel’s welfare comes down from the Heavens.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Cell therapy to treat disease. (TY UWI) Israel’s Minovia Therapeutics (see here previously) is testing mitochondria augmentation therapy (MAT) on children with rare, untreatable mitochondrial diseases. It has had some success with Pearson’s Disease sufferers. It may eventually also be able to treat age-related diseases.
https://www.israel21c.org/new-
Diagnosing cancer and the mutation causing it. The AI digital biopsy from Israel’s Imagene (see here previously) not only identifies if someone has cancer but also what mutation is responsible for the anomaly. This is something pathologists cannot determine using a microscope. With results in minutes, not weeks.
https://nocamels.com/2023/01/
The world’s first “smart inventory” operating room. Israel’s Galilee Medical Center has inaugurated the first operating room to automatically manage medical inventory. The system from Israel’s Autonomi tracks and manages all medical equipment, reduces waste, conducts patient-safety recalls and issues expiration warnings.
https://www.jpost.com/health-
Sheba alliance with futuristic Bahraini hospital. Israel’s Sheba Medical Center is helping set up the King Hamad American Mission Hospital (KHAMH) in Manama, Bahrain. Specifically, Sheba is helping establish ARC (Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate) medical start-up innovations for doctors to provide advanced care.
https://www.jpost.com/health-
AI in Healthcare conference. The Medical AI Roadmap Conference at Israel’s Beilinson Hospital assembled Israel’s leading doctors, academics, scientists and entrepreneurs to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the healthcare industry. https://www.
Look into my AIs. Professor Irit Bahar is director of the ophthalmology department at Beilinson Hospital. She described how AI is fundamental to her work. As part of fundus photography (imaging of the retina) AI not only helps detect eye problems but also diagnoses (for example) whether the patient is at risk of diabetes.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
More benefits of AI. Israel’s Nanox (see here previously) is using data from CT-scans taken for a particular reason, for early detection of other medical issues. A scan for pneumonia can then be further analyzed using AI to discover (for example) osteoporosis. If calcium is discovered in the arteries, it can indicate heart problems.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Israeli women in R&D. Carine-Belle Feder, CTO & Co-Founder at Antidote Health, was so unhappy at being the only woman in the room she started “Baot. It is now the biggest Israeli community of women in R&D – software engineers, data scientists, security researchers and academic researchers.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Wise words – “Jews save Arabs. Arabs save Jews”. Israeli Arab Fadi Dekidek has been an MDA paramedic for nearly 20 years. He says, “MDA is in a state of its own for co-existence – it’s an example for the whole world.” “The difference between a culture that glorifies terror and one that works hard to heal is education.”
https://www.jpost.com/israel-
The world’s largest employer of autistic people. Captain Udi Heller is autistic and founder of the “Titkadmu” (Move Forward) program at the largest employer of autistic people in the world – the IDF. Captain Heller spoke at the high-tech diversity conference organized by Calcalist, Bank Leumi, Meitar and PowerInDiversity.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Training Haredim for business. One of the companies attending Israel’s “Power in Diversity” conference was PHONE.DO (see here previously). CTO Israel Weinberg explains how his company recruits Haredim who are finishing their studies and trains them for work in IT development or call center operations. (Video in link.)
https://www.calcalistech.com/
“Hatikvah” played in Albanian Parliament. A delegation of Zionist activists and Knesset members visited majority Muslim Albania and met with local legislators. Israel’s national anthem, Hatikvah, was performed at the Albanian parliament in the presence of the Israelis and members of the pro-Israel Beit Yisrael group.
https://www.
Chad opens Embassy in Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chad President Mehmet Déby have inaugurated the African country’s embassy in Israel, five years after the two countries restored diplomatic ties. The majority Muslim country’s embassy is in Ramat Gan – a suburb of Tel Aviv.
https://www.i24news.tv/en/
More bullet-proof ambulances for Ukraine. Israel has transferred three more ambulances to Ukrainian rescue services (see here previously). The Israeli “Plasan Re’em” company reinforced the ambulances and equipped them with life-saving medical gear including a defibrillator, oxygen system and more.
https://www.jns.org/israel-
“The Jews have arrived!”. Wonderful interview with Colonel Golan Vach, Commander of the IDF’s National Rescue Unit. He describes some of the unit’s international life-saving missions. But most amazing is the response from civilians when Colonal Vach tells them that they have come from Jerusalem.
https://mizrachi.org/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
The skies are no limit. The 18th Ilan Ramon Space Conference in Tel Aviv attracted space industry leaders from NASA, the German, Italian and Greek space agencies, Portugal, Morocco, and the UAE. Israeli space startups included Ramon.Space, Helios Space and StemRad. The theme was “Earth and Space Becoming One”.
https://www.jns.org/the-skies-
Israel-Korea Space Workshop. Is-Ko-Space 2023 (Jan 29 – Feb 3) was the first Israeli-Korean astronomy & space science workshop, and aims to encourage joint projects. It comprised 2 days of presentations and 2 days visiting Israel’s Wise Observatory in Mitzpe Ramon and Weizmann Institute’s Ne’ot Smadar observatory.
https://www.ariel.ac.il/wp/
Groundbreaking satellite ground station. Tel Aviv University scientists have built one of the most advanced satellite ground stations in the world (see here previously) and the first observatory for secure quantum optical communication with Earth-orbiting satellites. It also features tracking, sensing, and hyperspectral imaging.
https://www.aftau.org/news_
Clean fusion energy. Israel’s NT-Tao is engineering compact and scalable nuclear fusion energy technology. It says its proprietary ultra-fast plasma heating method will enable it to reach 1000 times higher density than other fusion reactors, thereby making its fusion reaction 1 million times more effective. It has just raised $22 million.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Israel to host Ferroelectricity conference. (TY Nevet) For the first time since its 1966 inauguration, the International Meeting on Ferroelectricity (IMF) will be held in Israel. Technion Assistant Professor Yachin Ivry will chair the conference in Tel Aviv (26-30 Mar) with 500 participants expected. (See Wikipedia if necessary)
https://zuckerman-scholars.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Sustainable Proteins. Israel’s Technion Institute is investing $20 million in establishing the Sustainable Protein Research Center (SPRC). It will partner the international non-profit Good Food Institute to accelerate alternative protein innovation. Israel is second only to the USA for investments in sustainable proteins.
https://www.jpost.com/
https://www.calcalistech.com/
An urban farm like no other. Israel’s GreenOnyx (see here previously) has opened an indoor breeding farm to grow and produce its Wanna Greens duckweed-based lentil greens – no agricultural land, autonomous, all-year-round. GreenOnyx markets its fresh, affordable, ready-to-eat, water-based superfood on-line.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
The future of food. (TY UWI & Israel21c) Hebrew University of Jerusalem Professor Yaakov Nahmias is the founder of Believer Meats (formerly Future Meat Technologies) – see here previously. He explains how his Jerusalem-based startup is Israel’s most advanced developer of cultured meat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
LEDs to trigger heat-generating polymers. Scientists at Israel’s Ben Gurion University have developed polymers that heat up or change their physical properties (e.g., from flexible to rigid) when exposed to LED light. The practical implications are wide-ranging, including housing in off-grid environments.
https://www.jpost.com/science/
You are what you see. Israel’s Deep Optics (see here previously) is clearly moving ahead with its adaptive optics technology. A layer of liquid crystal allows standard sunglasses to switch into reading glasses with a swipe along the arm of the frame. The next version will allow switching from reading glasses to distance lenses.
https://nocamels.com/2023/01/
Customer service – use a robot. Companies are gradually realizing that most customer queries can be answered by a chatbot – an intelligent robot answering service, rather than a human operator. Israel’s CommBox offers both – passing complex queries seamlessly from chatbot to human and then back again.
https://nocamels.com/2023/01/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Internet access on trains in Asia-Pacific. Israel’s Gilat Satellite Networks (see here previously) has won a multimillion-dollar contract for the expansion of satellite communications capabilities on trains in Asia-Pacific. Gilat’s ER7000 SATCOM On-The-Move antennas will provide continuous internet access to passengers.
https://www.gilat.com/
Immerse yourself in Israeli Innovation. Israel21c has listed 8 top Israeli innovation sites to visit. I personally can recommend Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, Weizmann Institute, Ramat Negev agri R&D, and Vidor Center. The Technion, Ashlam, and Salad Trail look fascinating too.
https://www.israel21c.org/8-
A different degree. The Rothschild-Technion Program for Excellence is an academic study program for a bachelor’s degree, geared to make the most of the students’ curiosity and creativity, and to expand their horizons. The program is designed for students who are capable and interested in learning “differently”.
https://www.edrf.org.il/en/
https://excellence.technion.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Twin boost for Israeli ag-tech. (TY OurCrowd) Amazon Web Services (AWS) recommends farmers use Israel’s CropX (see here previously) to supply food to the world’s population. CropX systems use AWS Cloud computing. Meanwhile, CropX has acquired US-based precision irrigation startup Tule, its 4th acquisition.
https://www.aboutamazon.com/
https://agfundernews.com/
Israeli alliance to transform the spirulina market. Israel’s Simpliigood (see here previously) has partnered Israeli agri-tech multinational Haifa Group (see here previously). Together they will optimize Simpliigood’s spirulina algae production, use Haifa Group’s waste CO2 for spirulina photosynthesis and develop new foods.
https://www.prnewswire.com/il/
Business with India is truly motoring. Israel’s EVR Motors has signed its 4th commercial agreement in India. It is now partnering RSB Group to develop electric motors for light commercial vehicles using its breakthrough Trapezoidal Stator RFPM topology. Previous agreements with Badve (see here), Napino, and EKA Mobility.
https://www.business-standard.
Japanese alliance for auto security. (TY OurCrowd) Japanese IT service giant NTT has selected Israel’s C2A Security (see here previously) as the first project of its new Global Automotive Security Test Center. The center will test connected cars to secure and protect their systems from cyber-attacks for NTT’s global clients.
https://www.jpost.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Freightos IPO includes Qatari investment. Israel’s global freight booking and payment platform Freightos has begun trading on Nasdaq after a $500 million IPO. Freightos raised over $80 million in capital through the listing, including $10 million from Qatar Airways. https://www.calcalistech.com/
Global cybersecurity alliance. Israel’s Elron Ventures has unveiled CyberFuture – a cybersecurity alliance of global Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and entrepreneurs. It aims to support new cybersecurity startups, plus earn investment income for the security professionals (including several Israelis) involved.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
One in a thousand. When global management consultancy McKinsey acquired Israel’s Iguazio last month (see here previously) they had examined more than 1,000 AI companies worldwide. Iguazio (McKinsey’s first Israeli acquisition) was identified as the best fit to help McKinsey significantly accelerate its AI offering.
https://nocamels.com/2023/01/
Exits, mergers & acquisitions to 5/2/23: US giant Dell acquired Israel’s cloud orchestration solutions startup Cloudify for up to $100 million; Israel’s OpenWeb acquired Israeli-founded proprietary audience management platform Jeeng for $100 million; Canada’s Plusgrade acquired Israel’s UpStay and opened Israeli R&D center.
Investment in Israeli startups to 5/2/23: Freightos raised $80 million (IPO); Sentra raised $30 million; NT-Tao raised $22 million; Evigence raised $18 million; BridgeWise raised $13 million; Gem Security raised $11 million; Guardz raised $10 million; Addressable raised $7.5 million; GoodOnes raised $3.5 million.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT`
February in Israel. February is one of the most beautiful times of the year, as much of the country is covered in gleaming green grass after the rain. Also check out the Eilat Chamber Music Festival (8th-11th), the Sommelier Exhibition (14th-15th) and the Tel Aviv Marathon (24th).
https://www.touristisrael.com/
https://www.touristisrael.com/
Dogotel. (TY Hazel) Lior is a former IDF canine unit officer and a seasoned dog trainer, who uses his skills to train hundreds of pups in his Tel Aviv “Dogotel” academy. His premises include a playroom with a library and a ‘poodle room’ spa. He has 100+ students and prospective new entrants have to pass an entrance exam.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
Dream Theater plays Tel Aviv. (TY Nevet) Grammy-winning progressive metal band Dream Theater chose Tel Aviv’s Hangar 11 to begin their 2023 Top of the World Tour. The band credits influences, such as Rush, Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden and Metallica and often uses the Bible to evoke powerful imagery in their music.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The rich history of Israeli wines. (TY UWI) Israel’s Shomron has many fine wineries, including Jordan Valley’s Ben Ami, Shiloh’s Amichai Luria, Har Bracha’s Tura Estate, Karnei Shomron’s Gat Shomron, Itamar’s Tom, Elon Moreh’s Kabir, Yitzhar’s Ben Porat, Givat Harel’s Gvaot, and Pesagot. “LeHayim!”
https://www.jns.org/up-and-
11 inches of snow on Mount Hermon. Winter finally arrived in Israel. Israel’s only ski resort, Mount Hermon saw at least 30 cm (11 inches) fall in one night.
https://www.israelhayom.com/
THE JEWISH STATE
More homes in Jerusalem. 850 new apartments are to be built in the historic Jerusalem neighborhoods of Katamonim, Kiryat HaYovel, and Arnona. Hopefully this (and similar projects) will alleviate some of the demand for accommodation in Israel’s capital – currently home to nearly one million residents.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
How to educate on Zionism in the US. 3,000 delegates at the 8th Israeli-American Council (IAC) Summit in Austin, Texas, heard mega-bloggers give advice on how to advocate for Israel. They included Emily Austin (1 million on Instagram), London Lazerson (9.4 million on TikTok) and Nusair Yassin (21 million on Facebook).
https://www.jns.org/pro-
Reclaim the Narrative. Hurry to register for these online series of classes provided by partners of the JNF-USA. “Israel Explained: Through the Lens of History”, by Laureen Lipsky, CEO & Founder, Taking Back the Narrative; and “Zionism Today”, by Rabbi Uri Pilichowski of Nefesh B’Nefesh.
https://www.jnf.org/events-
UN Ambassador’s son celebrates Bar Mitzvah. Amit Erdan, son of Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan, put on tefillin for the first time as he celebrated his Bar Mitzvah in New York. They were both surprised and overjoyed when the Ambassador’s parents arrived from Israel to celebrate the occasion.
https://www.
Refugee from Nazis helped create army dog unit. 93-year-old Esther Cohen escaped to mandate Palestine in 1938. She and canine scientist Rudolphina Menzel established Haganah’s canine unit, the forerunner of the modern-day IDF Oketz Unit. The dogs were trained for guard duty, search & rescue, messengers and spying.
https://www.jns.org/a-refugee-
A historical reminder for Tu BiShvat. This recent article about the non-Jewish soil conservationist Walter Clay Lowdermilk graphically illustrates the transformation of the barren 19th century Land of Israel into one of the most lush, fruit-yielding areas in the world. An appropriate reminder for the Jewish New Year for Trees.
https://mizrachi.org/
Prayer for Israel returns from space. At the 11th Israel Space Week, Israeli astronaut Eytan Stibbe returned to President Herzog the glass cube that he carried to the International Space Station. It was inscribed with the Prayer for the Welfare of State of Israel instituted by Israel’s Chief Rabbi Herzog – The President’s grandfather.
https://www.jns.org/herzog-
