This Week’s Sanity Report from Israel Mar. 19, 2023
Many readers will be busy cleaning their homes for the upcoming Jewish festival of Passover. I noticed a fresh, clean theme connecting many of the recent articles in this issue of my positive Israel newsletter.
In the medical arena, Israeli scientists have developed a vaccine that can clean up bacterial infections and have enhanced ultrasound treatment to clean the pathway to the brain of Alzheimer’s patients. Israeli startup CleanCoin is spreading its innovative trash removal solution across the globe; Israel’s Kando is helping keep Negev Bedouin communities clean and disease free; and Israel’s BlueGreen has cleaned up a toxic South African reservoir, for free.
There have been several recent Israeli clean, green energy advances – improving the efficiency of Electric Vehicle batteries; extracting bio-fuel from insects, and generating hydrogen in Japan. An Israeli app can add air quality analysis to all air purifiers; an Israeli innovation can reduce the amount of CO2 generated by steel production; and another can replace plastic and polystyrene with biodegradable alternatives.
Green, plant-based foods help make a cleaner, sustainable environment. Latest Israeli innovations include vegan egg albumin; pea-protein substitutes for deli meats, and a biosensor to give early warnings of crop diseases. Finally, JNF-USA has followed its successful Be’er Sheva River Park project with the creation of the Yerucham River Park – a clean, green, recreational site built using recycled wastewater and purified rainwater.
The photo (TY Marsha & Alan) was taken at the clean, green, Snir Stream Nature Reserve in Northern Israel.
The highlights include:
- Israeli scientists have developed a vaccine against deadly bacteria.
- A VeryGoodNewsIsrael reader tells of the Israeli treatment for her skin cancer.
- An Israeli startup restores a previously toxic South African reservoir.
- Two Israeli advances for Electric Vehicle batteries.
- Samsung invests in Israeli startups.
- Another foreign embassy is to open in Jerusalem.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
A vaccine against bacteria. For the first time worldwide, researchers from Tel Aviv University and the Israel Institute for Biological Research have developed an mRNA-based vaccine that is 100% effective against plague bacteria, lethal to humans. It also works against antibiotic resistant bacteria.
https://english.tau.ac.il/
https://www.science.org/doi/
Alzheimer’s ultrasound treatment in Florida. Delray Medical Center is the first hospital in Florida to treat an Alzheimer’s disease patient using non-invasive focused ultrasound technology from Israel’s Insightec. The FDA-approved clinical trial will test reducing excessive protein buildup to open the blood-brain barrier.
https://www.fau.edu/newsdesk/
The best medicine. Israel’s Protai has built a proteomics AI-based platform that comprehensively maps the course of a disease on the protein level. It can identify which patients will respond to a given treatment, as well as identifying identify diseases that a therapy should be able to treat.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
US approves pain-monitoring device. The US FDA has granted marketing authorization to the PMD-200 monitor developed by Israel’s Medasense Biometrics (see here previously). The device monitors pain in non-communicating (e.g., anaesthetized) patients and already has made an impact in multiple countries.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Preventing migraines. The Nerivio device from Israeli startup Theranica (see here previously) already has US FDA approval to treat acute migraines. It has now been approved for preventing migraines. Recent trials of 248 participants showed a huge improvement for those using Nerivio compared to those on a placebo device.
https://nocamels.com/2023/03/
https://headachejournal.
The right time to do a C-Section. A nationwide study led by Jerusalem’s Hadassah hospital discovered that pregnant women brought into the Intensive Care Unit seriously ill with Covid-19, were more likely to improve if they gave birth (by Caesarian section) before their condition deteriorated. The data will save many lives.
https://www.jpost.com/health-
Israeli radiation treatment – a first-hand review. Please read newsletter reader Lili Eylon’s personal account of Alpha DaRT radiation cancer therapy developed by Israel’s Alpha Tau (see here previously). Lili was one of 56 patients in DaRT’s human study at Hadassah Medical Center – its second skin cancer human study in Israel.
https://blogs.timesofisrael.
Dying of cancer in Russia; saved in Israel. (TY Hazel) 20-year-old Kalim was sent home from hospital to die in St Petersburg after doctors said they could not treat his acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He immigrated to Israel where five months of CAR-T treatment at Rambam Health Care Campus gave Kalim back his life.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
What to do after retirement – save lives of course. 61-year-old EMT Joelle Cohen retired from the medical field and joined United Hatzalah as a volunteer EMT. When a man in his 70s suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at a diabetes clinic in Jerusalem, Joelle revived him, saying it gave her one of the most incredible feelings.
https://www.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
International women entrepreneurs. Israeli women-founded innovation hub Tech It Forward (see here previously) recently hosted a Cartier Women’s Initiative (CWI) Impact event. The CWI is an international program that empowers women entrepreneurs who can make a social or environmental impact.
https://nocamels.com/2023/03/
Incentivizing a clean society. In the 15 months since I last reported (here) on Israel’s CleanCoin, the number of registered app users has grown to 100,000. As a reward for reporting or clearing up trash, they receive tokens (coins) that can be redeemed at some 60 Israeli businesses. The idea has spread to NYC, the UK, and Canada.
https://www.israel21c.org/
Caring for our furry friends. Researchers at Haifa University’s Tech4Animals lab are developing an app that uses AI technology to detect animal feelings. It will advance and transform the world of veterinary care. Facial recognition identifies subtle changes in facial expressions, e.g., in the tips of the ears, eyes, and whiskers.
https://www.israel21c.org/dr-
https://www.nature.com/
Combating disease for the Bedouin. (TY OurCrowd) Portable smart samplers from Israel’s Kando (see here previously) are testing the wastewater for many Negev Bedouin communities. They provide early warnings for outbreaks of anything from diarrhea and dysentery to polio, flu, norovirus and Covid.
https://nocamels.com/2023/02/
Japanese emergency team visits Israel. A Japanese medical delegation of researchers, physicians, and emergency experts has been in Israel to discuss responding to emergency situations. They saw MDAs Ramla blood center and its national operations center in Kiryat Ono. They also held a joint preparedness conference.
https://www.jns.org/japanese-
Blood for Greek train crash victims. (TY Hazel) Israel’s ambassador to Greece, Noam Katz, was one of thousands who donated blood for the injured in the deadly train crash near the Greek city of Larissa.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/
Treating the poor in Brazil. (TY Hazel) A delegation of doctors from Tel Aviv’s Ichilov hospital recently visited Brazil, treating rural communities in the Amazon rainforest and people living in the favelas (slums) in major cities. The mission aims to reduce maternal and infant mortality in developing countries.
https://worldisraelnews.com/
Cleaning South African reservoir – for free. Despite the South African government’s anti-Israel behavior, Israel’s BlueGreen Water Technologies completed its pro-bono (free) project to remove toxic algae from South Africa’s Setumo Dam. It means the people of Mahikeng have safe drinking water for the first time in decades.
https://bluegreenwatertech.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Using AI to teach kindergarten children. (TY UWI & I24 News) Havatzelet is the first Israeli school to use artificial intelligence (AI) to teach English to kindergartners. Amit (“companion” in Hebrew) is to be rolled out to 70 Israeli schools in September. https://www.youtube.com/
Powering ahead. Israel’s Addionics (see here previously) has just inaugurated its new Tel Aviv production facility for its advanced electric vehicle batteries. Addionics expects to achieve a 1 GWh production capacity by 2025. Its clients are some of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers in Europe and the US.
https://www.jpost.com/
Extending electric car battery life. Israel’s Carrar has a novel thermal management solution to significantly increase the lifespan and efficiency of EV batteries. By keeping the battery at a steady, optimal temperature, its life is extended by up to 100%. It also improves acceleration performance, recharge time and much more.
https://www.ourcrowd.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Oil, feed, and medicine from larvae. Israel’s BugEra is enhancing the larvae of the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) to produce 60% oil. BugEra aims to supplement the biofuels market, saving precious land resources and helping to eradicate organic waste. BSF larvae also makes animal feed and may alleviate symptoms of ulcerative colits.
https://nocamels.com/2023/02/
New family of snakes identified. (TY NoCamels) Tel Aviv University researchers have registered a new family of snakes, dating back 50 million years and corrected a previous wrong classification. Micrelapidae comprises 3 distinct species, one of which resides in and around Israel. The other two live in East Africa.
https://english.tau.ac.il/
An app for nutritionists and patients. Israel’s Anydish enables healthcare professionals to develop personal nutrition plans for their patients – a kind of culinary prescription. It can also be used by individuals to take control of their eating habits and improve their medical condition and wellbeing.
https://www.anydish.me/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Predicting the effect of cosmetics. Israel’s MeNow is an AI solution that predicts the impact of any ingredient or its combination on the skin of any individual or targeted masses of people. It can transform the formulation and distribution of cosmetics. It can also help individuals identify the best product for themselves.
https://www.menow.ai/ https://www.youtube.com/
A plant-based alternative to egg protein. Israel’s Fabumin has developed a plant-based alternative to the egg protein albumin. that is used commercially in cakes, mayonnaise, spreads, meat products, and more in a market worth some $14 billion. Fabumin is vegan, with no allergens, salmonella, cholesterol, or dairy.
https://www.fabumin.com/ https://www.youtube.com/
Saving the bees in California. Israel’s BeeHero (see here previously) is installing 14 new bee research stations across California. Nearly 100,000 acres of crops have now been pollinated thanks to BeeHero’s platform. BeeHero is also expanding into Australia, Europe, South Africa, and South America.
https://nocamels.com/2023/03/
Air purifier and analyzer. (TY UWI) This article describes the tech that Israel’s Airovation (see here previously) uses to remove CO2 from the air. Meanwhile, Airovation’s Airosphera air quality analyzer has been enhanced to enable all air purifier manufacturers to use its AI-based technology and make smarter indoor filters.
https://www.israel21c.org/an-
Cleaner steel production. Israel’s Helios (see here previously) is known for its technology that could one day be activated to generate oxygen on the Moon. It now plans to replace coal in steel production with sodium, thus reducing CO2 emissions substantially. Sodium also uses less energy to reach 400 degrees instead of 1200.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Not just plant pots. Israel’s Bioplasmar (see last week) produces biodegradable plant pots. It plans to use the technology to produce a wide range of other goods that are currently made of environmentally harmful materials such as plastic and polystyrene. Bioplasmar’s new German factory will also make larger, lighter, pots.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Biosensor to warn of crop diseases. Researchers at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University have developed varieties of potatoes that produce special proteins. If infected by potato blight, these proteins display fluorescent properties before the infection appears on the leaves of the plant, allowing early effective treatment.
https://www.
Five European grants. The European Research Council has awarded grants of up to 2 million Euros each, to five researchers at Israel’s Technion to help them pursue their ideas. They address proton transfer in proteins; antimicrobials and amyloids; the fascia in neuro-immune communication; replacing toxic metals; and aging.
https://www.technion.ac.il/en/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
I2U2 business forum. inaugural I2U2 Business Forum (see here previously) just convened to “accelerate joint investment in key sectors” in the UAE, bringing together Israel, India, the UAE and the US, an essential and important partnership that came about in the wake of the Abraham Accords.
https://www.jpost.com/middle-
Samsung funds Israeli innovators. (TY Hazel) Korean giant Samsung is to fund selected Israeli startups with $50,000 each and provide them with support over a six-month period. The focus is cameras, power, audio, on-device AI, AR, sensors, foldables, wearables, environment, and sustainability, and advanced materials.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
More flights to/from Florida. El Al Airlines is to increase flights to and from Florida, including new operations at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. 100,000+ people flew El Al’s Miami to Tel Aviv route in 2022, which highlighted a need for more flights from Florida.
https://www.jns.org/el-al-to-
Award-winning hotels. Three Israeli hotels have won 2023 Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards – the self-described “global authority on luxury hospitality.” They are the Setai, Jaffa, the Ritz-Carlton Herzliya, and the Norman, Tel Aviv. https://www.jpost.com/israel-
Producing hydrogen in Japan. Israel’s H2Pro (see here previously) is to build hydrogen production facilities for the Japanese giant Sumitomo. The deal is estimated at $250 million. H2Pro signed a $70 million agreement with renewable energy company Doral last year. https://www.calcalistech.com/
Igniting Orthodox Jewish businesses. Orthodox entrepreneurship program Dos Ventures, and Intel Ignite (see here previously) have partnered to help orthodox Jewish entrepreneurs integrate into Israel’s hi-tech industries. It will provide them with mentoring, marketing, and sales skills, plus how to raise funds and adapt products.
https://nocamels.com/2023/03/
Tiv Taam goes kosher vegan. Israeli supermarket chain Tiv Taam is known for selling non-kosher products. But it has now decided to partner Vgarden, developer of plant-based alternatives (see here previously) to produce a kosher pea-protein based vegan line of deli meats simulating pepperoni, ham, chicken, turkey etc.
https://www.prnewswire.com/
Exits, mergers and acquisitions. US-based Rapid7 has acquired Israeli cybersecurity Minerva Labs for $45 million. Rapid7 previously acquired Israel’s IntSights for nearly $335 million. Israel’s Via Transportation has acquired UK’s Citymapper for $100 million.
Investment in Israeli startups to 19/3/23: Fairmatic raised $46 million; Assured Allies raised $42.5 million; Protai raised $20 million; Mitiga raised $13 million; Click-Ins raised $7.5 million; Kardome received $1 million from Japan’s Automotive Fund.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT`
Animating in France. The Israel Animation Guild created a special stand at the Annecy Animation Festival in France to promote Israeli animation artists in the world. It included an installation inspired by Sacher Park in Jerusalem. https://www.jpost.com/365days/
Eurovision. (TY Hazel) Israel’s entry “Unicorn” by Noa Kirel was unveiled this week. Noa remarked that she sees similarities between the Unicorn and Israel – both being very strong. (Ed – not sure of that connection!)
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Celebrate Israel at 75 in London. If you are in the UK on Sun 14th May, why not join Technion UK’s “From Israel With Love” event to celebrate Israel’s 75th birthday. Enjoy singers from Israel including the iconic Gali Atari who won the Eurovision with the song Hallelujah. Suitable for the whole family.
https://technionuk.org/event/
Yerucham River Park. The Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-US) has created the Yerucham River Park. It flows from the Yerucham town’s lake – itself created from recycled and treated wastewater and purified rainwater. The River Park has become a popular recreational site for local residents and a magnet for birdlife.
https://www.jnf.org/menu-3/
THE JEWISH STATE
Israeli airlines distribute Purim parcels. The SonShine Association donated 7,500 mishloach manot packages via El Al and Arkia flight attendants to passengers flying on Purim. They were asked to pass along their package to a fellow Jew at their destination. The project is in memory of 3 Israeli teens murdered in 2014.
https://www.jns.org/project-
See the Purim festivities. (TY Hazel) The Holon Adloyada Purim parade was back to its pre-pandemic grandeur. Thousands of marchers and dancers garbed in glittery costumes promenaded down the central Israeli city’s streets accompanied by gigantic floats. https://www.ynetnews.com/
https://www.israelhayom.com/
Papua New Guinea to open Jerusalem embassy. The Oceana nation of Papua New Guinea will open its first embassy in Israel in Jerusalem this year. It will join the U.S., Guatemala, Honduras, and Kosovo in recognizing Israel’s capital. https://www.jns.org/papua-new-
Sulamot wins Jerusalem Prize. The Sulamot organization has been awarded the Jerusalem Prize for Education and Judaism. It has been conducting religious education initiatives for 15 years and prides itself on connecting “amazing Jewish youth” to “amazing Torah”. It teaches in a language that speaks to the young generation.
https://www.
https://www.sulamot.org/en/
Thinking of Aliyah within 18 months? Already made Aliyah? UK Aliya Advisors is hosting two free on-line talks to help make a successful Aliyah (before & after the move). The first deals with taxation planning and the second will discuss mortgages for Anglos. Register quickly – it’s on Sun March 19th at 5 – 6:30pm UK time.
https://ukaliyahadvisors.com/
4 Israelis receive corneas from murdered brothers. The corneas of the two Israeli brothers shot by a terrorist were transplanted into the eyes of four Israelis at Beilinson Medical Center in Petach Tikvah. The brothers’ parents said, “The kind and beautiful eyes of Hallel and Yagel will continue to illuminate our world.”
https://www.jns.org/four-
7-year-old brought back to life. Minutes before Shabbat, a 7-year-old Rehovot girl suffered cardiac arrest. Thanks to the fast response of United Hatzalah EMTs, CPR, and five shocks from their defibrillator, the girl’s pulse returned. When the EMTs visited her in hospital after Shabbat, she was watching TV, alive and well.
https://www.
