This Weeks Sanity Report from Israel Nov 13 2016
Thanks to Michael Ordman and Very Good News from Israel
The highlights include:
- An Israeli treatment for tendon injury has received European approval.
- Israel is to train UN Peacekeepers in field medicine.
- Thanks to Israel, 8,300 Vietnamese received humanitarian aid.
- The first camera for Apple’s smartwatch is Israeli.
- Israeli scientists have made a quantum leap.
- Netafim is bringing more Israeli irrigation to South America.
- See the new National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel.
- The first of the new wave of Ethiopian immigrants has arrived in Israel.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
European approval for tendon pain treatment. Israel’s CollPlant has been awarded the EU CE Mark for VergenixSTR, a soft tissue repair matrix for the treatment of tendinopathy (tendon injury or disease and associated pain). VergenixSTR is based on CollPlant’s proprietary plant-based collagen technology.
Causing HIV virus to self-destruct. (TY Bennett) I reported previously (Feb 7) on the Hebrew University scientists’ peptide treatment for HIV that uses multiple copies of the virus to make it self-destruct. It has now been tested on the blood from AIDS patients and has similar results to earlier clinical trials.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-scientists-see-breakthrough-in-aids-cure/
New treatment for cognitive impairment. Israel’s Therapix Biosciences has developed a unique tablet for sublingual (under the tongue) administration of THC. A clinical trial of this tablet is anticipated to commence early 2017 for treatment of impairments in cognitive functioning, including early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Israeli-Arab village has highest percentage of doctors. Israel has 3.4 doctors per 1000 residents (OECD average is 3.3 per 1000). But for the 24,000 residents of the Israeli-Arab village of Arraba in the Galilee, there are 6 doctors per 1000 residents. Dr. Hatim Kanaaneh is credited with boosting numbers of local Arab doctors.
http://www.israel21c.org/the-small-israeli-village-where-everyones-a-doctor/
Medical incubator opens its doors. I reported previously (May 1) that Israel’s Chief Scientist has licensed medical incubator MEDX. Now MEDX has been formally launched and plans to submit 3-4 projects to the Israel Innovation Authority in the coming months. It will focus on non-invasive medical devices.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-medx-incubator-opens-its-doors-1001153519
Israel’s first exclusive digital health fund. Israel’s leading global equity crowdfunding platform OurCrowd has launched Qure – Israel’s first exclusively focused digital health fund. The fund will invest in innovative digital health startups. OurCrowd will work with Johns Hopkins University to bring novel ideas to market.
http://blog.ourcrowd.com/ocqure/
Video of Brainstorm’s ALS treatment. New ABC TV video of the 4-year human trials of the stem cell treatment from Israel’s Brainstorm on 26 ALS patients at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center. 90% have shown positive change. The patients’ own bone marrow stem cells are extracted, treated and re-inserted.
El Al flight delayed – to save a life. 15 mins before departure, El Al flight attendant Nitzan Rabinowitz went to look for her cell phone. At the train station, an Asian man had collapsed and Nitzan administered CPR until paramedics arrived. Nitzan never told passengers why their flight was delayed, but her phone was later found.
IDF to train UN peacekeeping forces in field medicine. United Nations peacekeeping forces are to participate in a special emergency field medicine seminar headed by the Israeli military and local medical professionals. They will learn the unique methods Israel uses to deal with cases involving emergency medicine on the ground.
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=37535
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Linked to Life. Israeli charity Ezer Mizion has set up a What’s App group called Linked to Life. Members post urgent requests and other members find solutions. Like getting medication from Israel to LA in 24 hours. Or take a disabled Jerusalem boy’s crutches to Tel Aviv for repair and return within the same day.
http://www.ezermizion.org/blog/relay-race-a-la-whats-app/
Christians successful in Israel. (TY Hazel) Jonathan Elkhoury advocates for the Christian Empowerment Council (CEC) in Israel. “The Christian society is one of the successful minorities in Israel. There are people in high positions in education, in hospitals, courts – everywhere you look you will find a Christian in a high position.”
http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2016/9/23/what-you-need-to-know-about-israels-christian-minority
New Scottish parliament pro-Israel group. Members of the Scottish Parliament from all parties, with the exception of the Scottish Greens, will be represented on the ‘Building Bridges with Israel’ cross-party group, which aims to establish closer cultural, academic and economic links with the country.
Solar generators for Fiji. (TY Hazel) Fiji has received 12 portable solar generators from Israel to address the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Winston that had left a path of massive devastation in the Pacific island nation earlier this year. Fijian Minister Inia Seruiratu thanked Israel for its work in the reconstruction process.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-10/26/c_135782376.htm
Medical aid to Vietnam. (TY Karen) The Israeli Embassy to Vietnam sponsored humanitarian and medical aid to 8,300 needy Vietnamese citizens in remote Kon Tum province. The program was conducted by Family Medical Practice – a chain of clinics in Vietnam founded and headed by an Israeli physician, Dr. Rafi Kot.
http://www.israel21c.org/israeli-diplomats-and-doctors-join-hands-for-vietnam/
International wildlife award. Rony Malka of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority received a 2016 Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award at the 17th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora in Johannesburg, South Africa.
http://www.israel21c.org/israeli-wildlife-law-enforcer-accepts-international-award/
Israeli cleantech at the UN. I reported previously (Oct 24) that Israeli companies presented at the United Nations to 700 representatives of African countries. This article gives more details, and also reports that Israel’s Energiya Global signed a Memorandum of Understanding to install Liberia’s first ever solar field.
http://israelnewtech.com/2016/10/09/israeli-cleantech-companies-bring-technologies-africa-via-un/
Beating BDS with facts. Billed as the largest clearinghouse of its type, this new website has plenty of resources to counter the lies of those who want to boycott the Jewish State.
http://israelandtheacademy.org/
http://www.timesofisrael.com/history-making-website-aims-to-beat-bds-with-facts/
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The world’s largest reverse osmosis desalination plant. (TY Bennett) IBA News goes behind the scenes at the Sorek desalination plant, which produces 20% of Israel’s domestic water.
Israeli cows are taking over the world. Dairy farmers from India to Italy travel to Israeli kibbutzim to learn how to increase their milk yields. They hear that happy cows give a lot of milk and discover how to make their cows happy, from Israel’s Afimilk (Kibbutz Afikim), Netanya’s SCR Dairy and Akol (Kibbutz Bror Hayil).
http://www.thetower.org/article/israeli-cows-are-taking-over-the-world/
The first camera for the Apple watch. I reported previously (Jun 26) that Israeli video messaging startup Glide was working on a new smartwatch project. It has now announced that it is the CMRA camera for Apple’s smartwatch. You will be able to take photos and videos with your Apple Watch and integrate seamlessly with your iPhone. Available to pre-order. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4rWepfGFuA
http://www.israel21c.org/jerusalems-glide-hatches-first-camera-for-apple-watch/
How the Ein Gedi scroll was unwrapped. (TY Nevet) Video that explains the science behind the virtual unwrapping of the earliest manuscript copy of the book of Leviticus, discovered at Ein Gedi near the Dead Sea.
http://www.livescience.com/56200-en-gedi-scroll-virtually-unwrapped-video.html
Technology and Torah. Software company Ravtech in Bnei Brak outsources its services to Check Point and Citibank. It is staffed by Jewish ultra-Orthodox married men aged 25 to 35. They first complete a 12-month course run by Avratech in English, math, computer studies and coding whilst studying Torah in the morning.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/students-ponder-talmud-tackle-software-in-push-for-livelihood/
Tire sensor wins top Shell prize. I reported previously (Nov 2012) about the TyreCheck app from Israel’s Neomatix. Now Neomatix has beaten 218 mobility startups from all over the world to win the €25,000 Shell Bright Energy Ideas Challenge.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/shell-awards-top-prize-to-israeli-tire-technology/
Breakthrough in Quantum Computing. (TY Nevet) Researchers from Israel’s Technion working in quantum computing, have built a device that can produce large clusters of entangled photons (light particles) on demand. It is a major step to developing quantum super-computers and fast super secure Internet communications.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/quantum-computing-breakthrough-israeli-scientists-152801708.html
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Happy hour in Jerusalem. (TY Sharon) Community-based non-profit “Made in Jerusalem” puts on end-of-month “happy hours”, uniting entrepreneurs, job seekers, funders and hi-tech supporters. The October event featured Glide, CareNav, uChange, MatchLynx, Talklet and Leadlike. Later, a Tech &Torah session took place.
http://www.baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=37&ARTICLE_ID=79947
The right image for eBay. When eBay bought Israel’s Corrigon last week for $30 million, it acquired its advanced image identification algorithms. These allow web users to home in on an image and find it elsewhere (e.g. to buy a product or protect copyright) even if the images have been colored, cropped or modified.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/ebay-buys-israels-corrigon-to-boost-buyer-experience/
The new “Oslo Agreement”. An agreement to promote startups, the first of its kind, has been signed between the Oslo International Hub and its Tel Aviv equivalent, Impact HUB Tel Aviv. Israeli-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce and the Norwegian-Israeli Chamber of Commerce are also parties to the agreement.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-israeli-and-norwegian-cos-1001158264
Flights to Mumbai and Hong Kong. India’s largest airline, Air India, is to launch new flights to connect Tel Aviv and Mumbai, starting in 2017. Hong Kong airline, Cathay Pacific, will begin flights between Hong Kong and Tel Aviv in March 2017. Both services will compete with El Al and should result in lower fares.
https://www.touristisrael.com/air-india-fly-tel-aviv-mumbai/19580/
https://www.touristisrael.com/cathay-pacific-to-start-flights-from-hong-kong-to-tel-aviv/15716/
$250,000 prize for relevant advertising. Tel Aviv-based startup Comprendi won a $250,000 award at the Twitter #Promote Ads API Challenge in San Francisco. Comprendi’s technology enables advertisers to change ads in real time based on factors such as sports results, the weather and trending topics.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-comprendi-gets-twitter-nod-for-its-ad-tech/
Australia encourages Israeli IPOs. Five Israeli companies have listed shares on the Australian stock exchange since January 2015, including Sky and Space Global (satellite comms) and Weebit Nano (data storage). At least two more plan to launch by end 2016 including Dragontail Systems (restaurant technology).
http://www.timesofisrael.com/australian-stock-exchange-to-israeli-tech-firms-come-list-down-under/
Buying into irrigation in Costa Rica. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Netafim has acquired 60% of the Costa Rican irrigation company RyM. It will become part of Netafim Central America and help bolster Netafim’s status in the region, while targeting states such as Panama, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador.
http://www.netafim.com/news-item/netafim-acquires-leading-central-american-irrigation-firm-rym
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Israel’s Campus for Archaeology. (TY Sharon and Israel21c) Jerusalem’s Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel will constitute the largest center in the world for the presentation of the archaeological heritage of the Land of Israel, including all its cultures.
http://www.baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=37&ARTICLE_ID=79528
http://www.israel21c.org/unearthing-history-at-new-national-archeology-campus/
Japanese try Israeli snacks. Tour guide and Newsletter subscriber Pamela Levene sent some Israeli snacks to Japan for video bloggers Satoshi and Shinich to taste. Some of their reactions to these unusual (for them) products were very amusing. Please “like” their video
Things to do in Israel this November. November concerts in Israel include Chemical Brothers (12th), The Stranglers (17th) and Air Supply (24-26th). Sophia Loren presents (25th) and Lord of the Dance starts (28th). The Hula Valley Bird Festival (20-27th) features tours, photography seminars, and a scientific conference.
https://www.touristisrael.com/things-to-do-in-israel-this-november/2710/
Bird-watching in Tel Aviv. (TY Pamela Levene) KKL-JNF held a ceremony at the newly constructed Bird-watching Center in Yarkon Park’s Rosh Tzippor Forest. The 7.5-acre park will open this Spring.
Taking the Aliya story to Jo’burg. Actors Grant and Daniella Crankshaw are taking their hit show “Together, Against the Odds” on an international tour. They will perform and sing their hilarious tale of how they met, married and made Aliya in Johannesburg on Nov 24 and 26. They also plan to tour the UK, Australia and the US.
http://www.desert-rose-productions.com/international.html
THE JEWISH STATE
What the Waqf allowed Israel to dig up. With minimal publicity, the Islamic Waqf has permitted the Israel Antiquities Authority to conduct limited scientific excavations on Temple Mount over the past decade. At a conference at Hebrew University, archaeologists presented new details of olive pits, animal bones and pottery fragments dating to the time of the First Temple. http://www.timesofisrael.com/archaeologists-reveal-first-solomons-temple-era-artifacts-ever-found-on-temple-mount/
The stone that beat the Romans. (TY Avi) In the Western Wall (Kotel) is a 2000-year-old stone that measures 40 feet long by 12 feet high by 14 feet deep. It weighs 600 tons – the equivalent of two 747 jumbo jets including passengers and luggage. The Romans tried to destroy it, but couldn’t – and it is still there today.
The day the Dead Sea scrolls were recovered. Hebrew University Professor Eliezer Sukenik purchased the Dead Sea scrolls from an antiquities dealer in Jerusalem on Nov 29 1947. As he was examining them that evening, his radio was broadcasting the UN vote on the partition of Palestine. What amazing timing!
http://reviveisrael.org/the-miraculous-timing-of-dead-sea-scrolls-discovery/
That “Bayt al-Makdis” inscription. Readers asked me for a photo of the Arabic inscription mentioning the Beit Mikdash (Jewish Temple) that was discovered in the wall of the Mosque of Umar in Nuba, near Hebron. This article shows the inscription that proves early Moslems knew the origin of the Dome of the Rock.
Israelis pray for Syrians. (TY Karen) On the eve of Yom Kippur, some 1,500 Israelis gathered in Beersheba, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, the Golan Heights and other places, to pray for the people of war-torn Syria.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/hundreds-of-israelis-gather-to-pray-for-people-of-war-torn-syria/
Jerusalem’s Tiferet Yisrael Synagogue to be rebuilt. The 144-year-old Tiferet Yisrael Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City was destroyed by the Jordanian army in the 1948 War of Independence. Now the Israeli government has approved funds to restore it to its former splendor.
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=36995
ICEJ sponsors new wave of Ethiopian Aliya. The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) is sponsoring the first wave of renewed Ethiopian Aliya. It has given $500,000 for flying in 523 Ethiopian Jews, plus another 104 Jewish immigrants due to make Aliya soon from France and the Ukraine. Please see video.
http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Christian-group-sponsors-first-wave-of-renewed-Ethiopian-aliya-469450
Halleluya. Leonard Cohen, who passed away last week aged 82, was a firm supporter of Israel and visited several times. Arab Christian Lina Mahoul won the “Voice of Israel” in 2013 with his song “Hallelujah”. The videos are from concerts in London and in front of 50,000 fans at the Ramat Gan stadium in Tel Aviv in 2009.
http://israelactive.com/israel-is-inclusive-global/arab-israeli-wins-the-voice-israel/
