(My photo of two individuals enjoying an Israeli beach may be a more common sight when part of the Israel National Mediterranean Sea Trail opens next year)
This Week’s Sanity Report from Israel Nov 25 2018
The highlights include:
- Two new Israeli portable blood tests are now available.
- An Arab Christian is Israel’s new ambassador to Muslim Azerbaijan.
- Israeli NGO IsraAID is providing help to evacuees from California wildfires.
- NASA’s Sun probe is using Israeli technology to capture images and data.
- Innovative Israeli startup benefits supermarkets, customers and the planet.
- A new all-time record for the number of tourists to Israel.
- An Israeli comedy show won an Emmy award.
- 3,000-year-old Hebrew-inscribed half-shekel weight discovered in Jerusalem.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Brain bleed detection approved. (TY Atid-EDI) I reported previously (see here) on Israel’s MedyMatch and its Artificial Intelligent Accipio Ix intracranial hemorrhage detection software. MedyMatch (renamed MaxQ AI) has now received both FDA and CE approval to sell its systems in both the US and in Europe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UrqJ84BJbc
US approval for portable blood test. (TY Atid-EDI) I reported previously (8th Apr) on Israel’s PixCell which received a multi-million grant by the EU to help advance its HemoScreen portable blood test. The US FDA has just approved HemoScreen to sell in the USA. Meanwhile, Israel’s SightDx has launched its OLO blood tester.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hemoscreen-hematology-analyzer-for-point-of-care-receives-fda-510k-clearance-300745234.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xjPf1N8T0k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1iSO1KaJ-Y https://www.sightdx.com/
Treatment for advanced Parkinson’s disease. I reported previously (see here) on Israel’s Intec Pharma which is developing treatments based on its innovative Accordion technology. Intec’s COO Nadav Navon provided an update of Intec’s pipeline on ILTV. Phase 3 trials have now commenced on Intec’s Parkinson’s treatment.
https://ir.intecpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/intec-pharma-completes-enrollment-pivotal-phase-3-clinical-trial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQEAH5L6Ng0
Quadriplegic bridegroom stands at his wedding. (TY TIP) I reported previously (Dec 2015) about a paraplegic bridegroom who walked down the isle in an Israeli ReWalk exoskeleton. Now a quadriplegic Israeli, Adir, was able to stand next to his bride, Liat, thanks to ReWalk’s latest “UPnRIDE” mobility solution.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-device-lets-wheelchair-bound-groom-stand-under-chuppah/
The right treatment is in the DNA. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s 2bPrecise takes sources of patient genetic data to help physicians determine the best treatment for individuals. 2bPrecise is partnering with US-based Innovation Institute and Avera Health’s GeneFolio to deliver a pharmacogenomics knowledge base to the point of care.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181102005411/en/2bPrecise-Honored-Israel%E2%80%99s-Top-Startups https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005764/en https://2bprecisehealth.com/
Pediatric orthopedic training for 50 African doctors. Professor Mark Eidelman of Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center led a unique 4-day training course in Addis Ababa. 50 doctors from Ethiopia and neighboring countries learned how to fix pediatric orthopedic deformities.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/254979
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
From Ethiopian immigrant to Israeli Parliament. (TY UWI) Penina Tamanu-Shata is the first Ethiopian-born woman to become a member of the Israeli Parliament (Knesset). Penina came to Israel in 1984 at the age of 3 during Operation Moses. She tells of her Aliyah and her work helping other immigrants to integrate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-wNynsw0Ec
Audio books for kids with reading difficulties. (TY Moshe K) The Israel Audiobook Project provides children with reading difficulties free access to texts in audio, rather than written, form. Now they too can enjoy the pleasure of well-known children’s stories and their characters.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/listening-to-a-world-of-adventures-one-magic-book-at-a-time/
Training program for special needs. Tel Aviv University and AKIM have launched a training program for those with learning difficulties to become professional dental sterilization technicians. Skills include decontamination, assembling, packaging, and distribution of re-usable surgical instruments and equipment.
The guy who saves wild animals. Avihu Sherwood runs the “For the Wildlife” Animal Rescue at the Dear Park Country Zoo, founded by Tzvi Adiv, on Israel’s Moshav Elishama, in Central Israel. Avihu tries to save any injured animal and reintroduce it into the wild – some 3,000 – 4,000 animals per year.
http://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/interviews-and-profiles/healing-nature/2018/05/28/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo61yiz6Mwg
Christian Arab Israeli Ambassador to Muslim Azerbaijan. Israel has appointed George Deek, an Israeli Christian Arab, as the country’s next Ambassador to Azerbaijan. Born in Jaffa (Yafo), Deek has previously served as deputy ambassador to Nigeria, and Norway. http://www.jewishpress.com/news/global/russia/george-deek-first-israeli-christian-arab-to-be-ambassador-to-azerbaijan/2018/11/19/
Winning the argument. An Israeli youth debate team has topped the EurOpen 2018 International Schools Debate Competition in Stuttgart, Germany, beating 30 other teams. The four members of Israel 1 made history by becoming the first team from Israel to win the tournament. http://www.europen-debate.net/
https://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-team-tops-international-youth-debate-competition/
Israel’s international Parliament. Israel is hosting the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) for a conference on promoting innovation. Established in 1889, the IPU represents the national parliaments of 178 countries and is the permanent forum for political multilateral negotiations. It is the first time Israel has hosted the IPU.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/knesset-first-israel-hosts-international-parliamentary-union-event/
The largest international rescue drill. On 4th Nov, the Israel Air Force’s elite Airborne Combat, Search and Rescue Unit 669 hosted elite units from the US, Italy, Croatia, Czech Republic, Canada and Netherlands in Israel’s largest-ever rescue exercise. 669 unit has previously rescued over 10,000 people across the world.
Averting India’s water crisis. (TY Arlene) India’s Sandipan Dasgupta is a PhD student in Biochemistry at Israel’s Weizmann Institute. He summarizes Israeli water technology and confirms that Israel is thus rightly poised to be India’s strategic partner to help alleviate its water crisis that impacts some 600 million people.
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/israeli-tech-can-assuage-indias-worst-water-crisis/
Help for Californian wildfire evacuees. Israeli NGO IsraAID has sent an emergency response team to California in the wake of its deadly and devastating wildfires. IsraAID will distribute relief items to families in temporary accommodation and initiate activities to promote community resilience and recovery.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Best Invention of 2018. I reported previously (24th Dec) on the revolutionary new Nanobébé baby bottle. Nanobébé has now been recognized by TIME magazine and appears on the cover of its latest issue as one of the best inventions of the year. TIME rated originality, creativity, influence, ambition and effectiveness.
https://worldisraelnews.com/time-magazine-includes-israeli-gadget-among-best-inventions-2018/
Foresight wins CES innovation award. (TY Atid-EDI) I reported previously (21st Jan) on the QuadSight vehicle camera-based vision systems from Israel’s Foresight. QuadSight has now been named a 2019 CES Innovation Award honoree in the Vehicle Intelligence and Self-Driving Technology category.
https://ir.foresightauto.com/press_release/foresight-wins-ces-innovation-award/
Even better innovation. (TY Atid-EDI) I reported previously (3rd Dec) that Israel’s Innoviz won a CES Innovation Award for its groundbreaking InnovizPro High Definition Solid State LiDAR (Light Imaging, Detection, And Ranging). This year, Innoviz went even better, winning the CES Best of Innovation award.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/innovizs-solid-state-lidar-wins-ces-2019-best-of-innovation-award-300746904.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDqYBeIGeqc
More fuel for Israeli moonshot. Sylvan Adams, the Canadian-Israeli billionaire businessman credited with bringing the Giro d’Italia cycle race to Israel earlier this year, has joined Israel SpaceIL’s project to land a spacecraft on the moon. He is also donating $5 million to the project. https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Billionaire-Sylvan-Adams-joins-Israeli-space-project-aiming-for-the-moon-572246
Photographing the Sun. A breakthrough image sensor developed by Israel’s TowerJazz is onboard the NASA Parker Solar Probe spacecraft. The CMOS (complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor) sensor is capturing high-resolution images of the sun’s atmosphere, including coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar wind.
http://nocamels.com/2018/11/israeli-tech-nasa-photos-sun/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_z19KPvV1w
https://towerjazz.com/2018/10/02/100218/ https://blogs.nasa.gov/parkersolarprobe/
Broadband connectivity across China. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Gilat Satellite Networks already deploys its multi-application platform, SkyEdge II-c in China. During 2019, China Satcom will use Gilat’s ground network to deploy its CS-18 and extend its CS-16 broadband services across the whole of China.
Israeli simulators for Poland. Israel’s Elbit Systems has delivered M-346 Full Mission Simulators (FMS) and Flight Training Devices (FTD) to the Polish Air Force. Already in use in Israel’s Air Force, they enable cadets to safely achieve skills from basic familiarity to top level combat flight competence in complex arenas.
Pearls to follow diamonds. I reported previously (see here) on Israeli-founded Sky and Space Global and the success of its first three nanosatellites, the “3 Diamonds,” launched into space in June 2017. SAS has completed the critical design review of its Pearls satellite and intends to launch 200 of them in 2019 and 2020.
https://www.israel21c.org/bringing-nanosatellites-to-the-unconnected/
Another Israeli flying car? Israeli startup NFT is developing a fully electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle – i.e. a flying car. Apparently, the vehicle will be the size of a big SUV, offered in both electric and hybrid versions and will be priced competitively against regular cars. Watch this space!
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3749708,00.html
Pupils’ startup idea to keep beach-goers safe. A team of 16- and 17-year-olds at Yeshivat Amit Nachshon school near Beit Shemesh has set up a startup to develop a wrist band that aims to help keep beach-goers safe from drowning. Life guards will be alerted if someone is swimming out too far or if showing signs of distress.
Reducing food waste and shopping bills. (TY Jacques & Hazel) US supermarkets throw away 25 million tons of food each year. Israeli startup Wasteless cuts food waste and shopping costs. Its system enables supermarkets to lower prices of products nearing their expiration date. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5FKSmWIcjQ
http://israelbetweenthelines.com/2018/11/21/supermarkets-about-to-super-save/ https://www.wasteless.co/
https://www.israel21c.org/food-expiration-dates-are-about-to-undergo-a-revolution/
The bio-toilet. I’ve reported previously (see here) on Israel’s HomeBiogas, manufacturer of small-scale biogas systems. To mark World Toilet Day, HomeBiogas has launched its Bio-Toilet in Jalpatagua, Guatemala, and in off-grid communities in Israel. The digestor turns both human and paper waste into cooking gas.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Million-dollar fund for North Israel startups. (TY UWI) The University of Haifa’s Carmel innovation fund has raised $1 million to attract entrepreneurs to Haifa and northern Israel. It includes $100,000 to support its underwater-vision startup SEAERRA, developing applications for oil and gas, security and fish-breeding.
Annual tourism record broken. The number of incoming tourists to Israel has just surpassed last year’s record of 3.6 million, and the Tourism Ministry is projecting the total will exceed four million by end Dec. Significant increases include 90% from Poland, 40% from the Czech Republic, Romania and Hungary, and 35% from Italy.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Record-number-of-tourists-visit-Israel-in-2018-572186
Up to £250,000 for joint UK-Israel projects. The UK and Israeli governments have set up a fund of over £2 million to encourage joint UK-Israel business ventures. They have invited entrepreneurs developing new technology to team up and bid for grants up to £250,000 to help pay for cooperative business efforts.
UK delegation seeks Israeli innovation. Senior UK executives from Mastercard and Citi have come to Israel as part of a delegation organized by the chamber of commerce for UK Israel Business (UKIB). They will meet Israeli technology giants, startups, investors etc. Many UK businesses are seeking Israeli partners post-Brexit.
Welcome Mississippi. I reported previously (Nov 2014) when Mississippi Governor Phil Bryan led a business development mission to Israel. Governor Bryan is back again on his 4th visit, with a large delegation of state economic development leaders and private business executives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyDhuByOdOc
Israeli energy and agro-tech for Angola. (TY Hazel) Israel is to invest $60 million in various sectors in Angola, including the construction of a 50 megawatts solar power plant. Israel has already invested $300 million in the agricultural sector in Angola since 2014. https://allafrica.com/stories/201811150152.html
Getting good value from ad campaigns. Israeli startup Trendemon analyzes a company’s ad campaigns and can help prevent it wasting money. Trendemon CEO Avishai Sharon explained more on ILTV.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ7ht_vE4eo https://trendemon.com/product/insights/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUEkkCM6Q-M
Award-winning business tools. (TY Atid-EDI) Israeli startup Camilyo equips small businesses with the tools to compete with the big on-line companies. One of Deloitte’s 50 fastest growing Israeli companies, Camilyo just won 3 prestigious Excellence awards at the SIINDA Local Search Summit held in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Israel’s top retail disruptor. (TY Atid-EDI) I reported recently (4th Nov) on Israel’s Ladingo and its platform to significantly reduce shipping and handling costs. Ladingo has just won top prize at the Retail Disrupt Startup Competition. 1200 delegates from 25 countries attended Israel’s leading conference on retail technology.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ladingo-takes-top-prize-at-retail-disrupt-startup-competition-300741261.html https://www.retaildisrupt.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO3QNJSKMRM
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Matisyahu goes underground. Jewish American reggae singer Matisyahu, currently on a world tour with his latest album, “Undercurrent,” returns to Israel with a concert on December 2 at Jerusalem’s Zedekiah’s Cave. He is also hosting intimate evenings at bars and spaces throughout his Israeli tour.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/matisyahu-goes-underground-for-upcoming-jerusalem-concert/
Netta performs at BA’s Israel celebration. Eurovision fans in London were treated to a star performance by this year’s Israeli winner, Netta, at British Airways head office. The event celebrated 70 years of Israel’s independence and over 80 years of British Airways flying to Tel Aviv.
Israeli series wins International Emmy. The Israeli show Nevsu won the Best Comedy series at the 46th annual International Emmy Awards in New York. Nevsu depicts a marriage between an Ethiopian Israeli man and an Ashkenazi Jewish Israeli woman.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-interracial-comedy-series-wins-international-emmy-award/
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/Israeli-TV-show-Nevsu-wins-International-Emmy-Award-572322
The Israel National Mediterranean Sea Trail. (TY Erez) The Israel National Mediterranean Sea Trail is an exciting project to add to Israel’s impressive line-up of nature trails. In 2019, hikers will be able to enjoy the first 34km of a 240km (150 miles) coastal trail from Rosh Hanikra in the North to Kibbutz Zikim in the South.
https://hike-israel.com/2018/11/19/israel-mediterranean-sea-trail/
THE JEWISH STATE
1st Temple census stone. Archeologists sifting soil originating from Western Wall foundations, have found a half-shekel stone weight engraved “beka” in ancient Hebrew. Beka is mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 38, Verse 26: “One beka per head; [that is,] half a shekel”. The beka stone was used in a census 3000 years ago.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/255040
The Jewish bond to Jerusalem. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen made a passionate speech from the House floor about the significance of the archeological discoveries of ancient Jerusalem at the City of David site. She reaffirmed the Jewish people’s undeniable connection to the holy city as a matter of historical fact.
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/us-news/rep-ros-lehtinen-reveals-city-of-david-discoveries-to-the-house/2018/11/21/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDdB6lJorKc
Thanksgiving dinner for 1000 lone soldiers. Each year Israel’s Lone Soldier Center hosts a Thanksgiving Dinner for nearly 1,000 Lone Soldiers from all over the world. This celebration is all about appreciating all the good in our lives and thanking the lone soldiers defending Israel.
https://secured.israelgives.org/donate/Thanksgiving
Turning a “crisis” into a beautiful Shabbat. If you have been upset by malicious reports about the problems on a delayed pre-Shabbat El Al flight LY-002 from New York to Tel Aviv, please read these uplifting accounts (especially the second one) of what really happened.
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/us-news/ny/ly-002-passengers-claim-pilot-and-el-al-lied-about-erev-shabbat-flight/2018/11/18/ https://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=53086&alias=i-was-on-fridays-el-al-flight
Yitzhak Navon. (TY Sharon) Now that Jerusalem’s Yitzhak Navon railway station is open, this article nicely describes the man who served as Israel’s fifth President from 1978 to 1983, passing away in 2015. His family had lived in Jerusalem for over 300 years and he was fluent in Arabic, Hebrew, Ladino, French and English.
http://rjstreets.com/2018/11/20/yitzhak-navon-israeli-president-remembered/
Jerusalem Conference of European Rabbis. (TY Sharon) President Reuven Rivlin hosted the heads of the Conference of European Rabbis – the main Orthodox rabbinical alliance in Europe, comprising over 700 communities. The Chief Rabbi of Moscow presented the Israeli President with a new Talmud, in Russian.
https://baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=37&ARTICLE_ID=110776
Israel never gives up. The IDF publicizes its moral obligation to locate all missing personnel, prisoners and fallen whose burial places are unknown. Using new technology, the remains were found of Israel Air Force pilot Lt. Yakir Mordechai Naveh (Leifer) who died when his plane crashed into the Kinneret, 56 years ago.
https://jewishwebsite.com/featured/remains-of-missing-israeli-pilot-found-in-the-kinneret/35589/
Hanukkah in Israel. Hanukkah in Israel (Dec 2 – 10) is an important and iconic festival, widely celebrated and marked by many symbolic events, customs and, of course, foods. There are many national events, tours, and traditional foods such as sufganiyot (donuts) and latkes can be seen everywhere. (And TY Jacob for the songs.)
https://www.touristisrael.com/being-in-israel-for-hanukkah-the-festival-of-light/3082/
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/18u1yYCMR3g1l6evSIBB0W
Hatikva – Israel’s National Anthem. (TY Jacob) Here is a great site for everything you want to know about Israel’s National Anthem – Hatikva. It includes Hebrew lyrics with English transliteration and translation, plus links to its historical background and 15 unique videos.
