The highlights include: An Israeli cancer detector has won a global medical competition. An Israeli smartphone app can help reduce your blood pressure. The first ever visit to Israel by an Indian Head of State. NASA signs agreement to increase space ties with Israel. New flights will connect Silicon Valley to the Startup Nation. US star Jerry Seinfeld is to perform in Israel. Israeli yachtsmen saved 11 Syrian and Iraqi migrants from drowning.
This Weeks Sanity Report From Israel – Oct. 25 2015
The highlights include:
- An Israeli cancer detector has won a global medical competition.
- An Israeli smartphone app can help reduce your blood pressure.
- The first ever visit to Israel by an Indian Head of State.
- NASA signs agreement to increase space ties with Israel.
- New flights will connect Silicon Valley to the Startup Nation.
- US star Jerry Seinfeld is to perform in Israel.
- Israeli yachtsmen saved 11 Syrian and Iraqi migrants from drowning.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Patent for prostate cancer treatment. Israel’s Rosetta Genomics has received a US patent for the treatment of prostate cancer through the administration of anti-hsa-miR-210. High levels of hsa-miR-210 indicate the presence of prostate cancer and treatments to reduce it may cure the disease.
Red wine improves good cholesterol of diabetics. A two-year controlled study of 224 type-2 diabetics by Ben-Gurion University scientists has revealed that a daily 5-ounce glass of red wine with dinner increased “good” cholesterol (HDL) by 10 per cent and significantly decreased the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL.
http://aabgu.org/red-wine-may-help-with-diabetes/
Cancer detector wins global innovation contest. Israel’s MobileODT, which uses mobile phones to detect cancer and other diseases, is the winner of the 2015 MedTech Innovator competition in San Diego. The Israeli startup beat 300 international med-tech startups to win $200,000. Israel’s MedAware was also a runner-up.
http://www.israel21c.org/mobileodt-wins-medtech-innovator-contest/
Boost for blood clot protection device. Top US cardiologist Dr. James Jenkins performed his first catheterization procedure using the WIRION system from Israel’s Allium Medical. WIRION protects against blood clots and emboli produced during catheterization procedures for opening blocked blood vessels.
First robotic surgery systems for New York City. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Mazor Robotics has just sold two of its innovative Renaissance systems for the first time to hospitals in the New York Metropolitan area. One of the hospitals is one of the largest hospitals in the US. The Renaissance systems treat either brain or spine.
An artificial lung to study pollution. Scientists at Israel’s Technion have made a life-sized, artificial human lung. It is the first diagnostic tool for understanding in real time how particles behave in the deepest part of the human lungs. It will help research into airborne pollution, and into treatments for the respiratory system.
http://nocamels.com/2015/10/technion-creates-artificial-lung-to-study-pollution-effects/
An app to prevent heart attacks. (TY Michelle) Analysis of 4000 users of Israel’s Hello Heart iPhone, Apple Watch and Android phone app reveals that, after six weeks use, 25% had reduced their blood pressure by 10 points or more, with an average drop of 24 points.
[youtube=www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLqtH1yMEG0&w=520&h=315]
http://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/2015/10/12/can-app-help-prevent-heart-attacks/
https://helloheartapp.com/change-behavior-and-lower-blood-pressure/
New hospital for SACH. Israeli humanitarian organization “Save a Child’s Heart” (SACH) has laid the cornerstone of its new International Pediatric Cardiac Center at the Wolfson Medical Center. The $35 million IPCC will allow SACH surgeons to continue life-saving heart operations, currently running at 250 per year.
http://www.saveachildsheart.com/global/our-projects/current-projects/ipcc/
US-Israel legislation to help cure brain diseases. The United States-Israel Global Neuroscience Partnership Act has just been announced, to fund joint US-Israeli research and technology into treatments for brain diseases. Lead sponsor, US Congressmen Chaka Fattah, said that Israel is way ahead of everyone else in neuroscience.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/congressmans-bill-to-further-us-israel-cooperation-on-brain-tech/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
More female speakers. Hana Rado, Tel Aviv COO of global ad agency McCann, has developed a database called “Persona” of 700 women who are qualified to speak on conference panels. Rado has also launched a national campaign to increase the representation of women speakers to 50%.
http://fortune.com/2015/10/06/mccann-tel-aviv-women-on-panels/
Learn sign-language on-line. The Institute for the Advancement of Deaf Persons in Israel has launched the first online sign language 3000-word lexicon. Users enter a word in Hebrew, English, Arabic, or Russian, and immediately, a 5-second video clip opens in which a presenter demonstrates the word in Israeli Sign Language.
http://www.algemeiner.com/2015/10/21/israels-first-computerized-sign-language-lexicon-goes-online/
Israel reported VW testing problem to EU in 2013. Israel’s Environment Ministry told European regulators two years ago that local testers had been unable to test Volkswagen diesel vehicles at higher speeds because of a component placed in engines by the company. The EU committee said then that no changes were needed.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/10/07/volkswagen-emissions-israel-idUKL8N1273DV20151007
First ever visit by Indian President. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee addressed the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) during his historic 3-day trip. Talks with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu focused on bilateral ties in security, technology, innovation, and agriculture. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem also awarded President Mukherjee an honorary doctorate.
http://new.huji.ac.il/en/article/27941
http://www.timesofisrael.com/indian-president-condemns-terrorism-during-historic-state-visit/
10 agreements signed with India. (TY Michelle) During President Mukherjee’s state visit to Israel, India and Israel signed ten Memoranda of Understanding. They covered fairer taxation, cultural exchange and stronger university ties.
Buzz Aldrin touches down in Israel. As promised, (see Aug newsletter) the second man to ever walk on the moon, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, 85, talked to an enthusiastic audience at the International Astronautical Conference in Jerusalem. Buzz recounted his personal history and technical issues in space.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/buzz-aldrin-touches-down-in-jerusalem/
Jews and Arabs rescue injured pelican. Amir, Sunny and Muhammad Riad Hamed from the Arab-Israeli village of Muqeible found a pelican with a broken wing and other injuries in their yard. They contacted the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and the bird is now receiving treatment at its wildlife hospital.
Arab and Israeli neuroscientists work together. Ahmed El Hady is a 31-year-old Egyptian postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University’s Neuroscience Institute. His decision to co-chair the NeuroBridges 2015 Conference – a scientific meeting of the minds between Arabs and Israelis – was a no-brainer.
http://www.israel21c.org/teamwork-a-no-brainer-for-arab-israeli-neuroscientists/
Gulf States want Iron Dome. UK TV station Sky News reports that the Gulf Cooperation Council, made up of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Oman, wishes to buy Israel’s Iron Dome system for its six members. The purchase will be through Raytheon, the US partner of Israeli developer Rafael.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-gulf-states-in-talks-to-buy-iron-dome-report-1001073669
40 mayors converge on Jerusalem. (TY Michelle) Mayors from nearly 40 cities around the world have converged on Jerusalem for the 30th annual Mayors Conference. The delegation will get a taste of the “Start-Up Nation” when they meet with Jewish and Arab leaders of successful Israeli tech hubs.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/202079#.Vikbamvn-Vc
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Why females are more motherly and males more aggressive. Researchers at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have discovered the triggers in the brain that influences motherly instincts and aggressiveness. Nurturing and hostility are instinctively gender-based behaviors controlled by cells, proteins and neurons in the hypothalamus.
http://www.israel21c.org/network-of-brain-cells-operate-according-to-gender/
Robots for China. As anticipated in a previous (Feb 2013) newsletter, China is working with Israel to develop smarter and better robots. It has just established a Sino-Israeli Robotics Institute at its $2 billion industrial park in the Guangzhou region of China.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-tech-to-power-a-robot-revolution-in-china/
Israel’s lunar module. Israel’s SpaceIL unveiled its prototype lunar lander at a ceremony in Jerusalem. The 50 guests included Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Science and Technology minister Ofir Akunis, plus Chanda Gonzales and Bob Weiss, who head up the $20 million Google Lunar XPrize competition.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israelis-sign-contract-to-launch-spacecraft-to-the-moon/
NASA and Israel sign space cooperation agreement. (TY Michelle) NASA and the Israel Space Agency have signed an agreement to expand cooperation in civil space activities. NASA administrator Charles Bolden said the agreement would enable the US space agency to tap Israeli innovation and technology.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/nasa-and-israel-sign-space-cooperation-agreement/
Israel-California Green-Tech Partnership. 170 Israeli and Californian business executives, investors and policymakers gathered at Google Israel’s Tel Aviv headquarters to launch the Israel-California Green-Tech Partnership, a new initiative using Israeli and American expertise to combat California’s drought crisis.
http://www.israel21c.org/israel-calif-green-tech-partnership-launches-at-google/
A geothermal partnership. Israeli geothermal energy developer Ormat Technologies is teaming up with Toshiba Power Systems to build geothermal power plants. Ormat’s generators combined with Toshiba’s steam turbines will help launch many new ventures, beginning with the Menengai geothermal project in Kenya.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-israels-ormat-teams-with-toshiba-on-geothermal-energy-1001073942
The best place to surf. Roni Eshel, winner of the 2011 Israeli Women’s Surfing Championships, has designed goFlow – a crowdsourcing app to identify the best surfing locations. Users report beach conditions and the app automatically updates the goFlow server to inform friends or the whole surfing community.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/surfs-up-with-israeli-surfing-champs-crowdsourced-reports/
What’s new at WATEC. Israel’s international water conference and exhibition kicked off by focusing on new technologies from Israeli startups. These included Emefcy’s unique SABRE (Spiral Aerobic Biofilm Reactor) solution for wastewater treatment and the leak detection innovations from both Aqua-Rimat and Triple+.
http://israelnewtech.com/2015/10/watec-innovation-pavillion-showcases-new-technologies-and-trends/
New center for agriculture research. The Israeli Agriculture Ministry’s Volcani Institute has inaugurated the Center for Arid Area Agriculture for the study of desert agriculture and the impact of desertification. The NIS 13 million center will host 14 teams, researching crop protection, plant pests, irrigation and fertilization.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Growing nicely. (TY Michelle) Moody’s Investors Service reported that Israel’s resilient growth model, effective governance and steadily improving debt metrics underpin its A1 government bond rating and stable outlook.
Record funds raised by hi-tech firms. In the nine months to Sep 2015, a total of 506 Israeli high-tech companies raised a phenomenal $3.2 billion. This compares to $2.3 billion raised by 504 Israeli companies over the same period in 2014.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-ivc-kpmg-israeli-high-tech-cos-raising-record-amounts-1001075192
30 years of US-Israeli free trade. (TY Michelle) The 30th anniversary session of the U.S. – Israel Joint Economic Development Group in Washington also highlighted the 30th anniversary of the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement – the first free trade agreement signed by the United States.
http://m.state.gov/md248218.htm
New Tel Aviv to San Francisco flights. United Airlines is to start a 3-times-a-week service between Tel Aviv and San Francisco. The new route will strengthen ties between the Startup Nation and Silicon Valley and was praised by the US Ambassador Dan Shapiro.
New Chinese fund for Israeli investments. CreditEase China, one of the biggest microcredit and wealth management firms in the world, has established the CreditEase Israel Innovation Fund (CEIIF), its first Israel-focused venture-capital/private equity fund. The fund has raised $30 million for investment in Israeli hi-tech.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/chinese-investors-rush-to-embrace-israel-via-new-fund/
CyberArk makes US purchase. CyberArk is another Israeli firm growing by acquisition. Following its NASDAQ launch and purchase of Israel’s CyberIntel, it has now bought up Massachusetts-based Viewfinity for $30 million. Viewfinity will help CyberArk’s Privileged Account Security Solution to prevent cyber-attacks.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/fledgling-israeli-cyber-security-giant-makes-second-acquisition/
Israelis to drill for North Sea oil. Israel’s Delek Group is to become the biggest shareholder in UK North Sea oil and gas firm Ithaca Energy following a £43million investment. Ithaca is currently focused on the construction of a new production hub in the Greater Stella area of the central North Sea.
https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/90152/israelis-move-into-the-uk-north-sea/
SanDisk sold for $19 billion. Memory chip maker SanDisk, founded by Israel’s Eli Harari, has been sold to US hard disk manufacturer Western Digital for $19 billion. In 2014, Harari received the US National Medal of Technology and Innovation for revolutionizing the flash storage industry. SanDisk has 3 Israeli R&D centers.
http://jewishbusinessnews.com/2015/10/21/western-digital-to-buy-sandisk-for-19-billion/
Microsoft buys another Israeli cybersecurity firm. Microsoft is buying Israeli cyber security company Secure Islands for $100-150 million. It will be Microsoft’s fifth Israeli acquisition this year and its 3rd Israeli cyber security company in the past 12 months.
Marketing intelligence is worth millions. US firm Gilbarco has bought Israeli marketing intelligence company Odysii Technologies for $30 – 40 million. Odysii’s Impulse platform informs customers of the retailer’s in-house promotions at the Point of Sale – thus potentially generating more business.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-gilbarco-buys-israeli-co-odysii-for-40m-1001073548
$50 million funding for Cybereason. (TY Michelle) Japanese telecom conglomerate Softbank has invested $50 million in Israeli cybersecurity startup Cybereason. The firm’s software gathers usage data across a computer network to discover suspicious activity.
http://fortune.com/2015/10/13/cybereason-softbank-raise/
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Billy Joel’s Israeli backing violinist. Renowned Israeli violinist Itzhak Perlman has revealed that he is the incognito musician playing on Billy Joel’s album “Storm Front”. Perlman also makes occasional surprise appearances at Joel’s stage shows. Joel also supports the Perlman Music Institute.
http://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/the-cognito-violinist/#ixzz3oD1je2ox
Israeli orchestra performs at Bundestag. During October, Beersheba’s Sinfonietta orchestra joins with Germany’s Philharmonic of Nations to play at Germany’s Bundestag Parliament building in a series of concerts to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between Germany and Israel.
http://english.isb7.co.il/index.php?m=text&t=26537
Jerry Seinfeld to debut in Israel. Superstar comedian Jerry Seinfeld is to make his first standup performance at Tel Aviv’s Menora Mitvachim on Dec 19. Seinfeld last visited Israel in 2007 when he was promoting “The Bee Movie.” As a teenager, he did a stint as a kibbutz volunteer.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/jerry-seinfeld-to-make-stand-up-debut-in-israel/
Israeli medical miracles on US TV. (TY Michelle) A new documentary is to be shown on PBS stations across the United States beginning early 2016. “Medical Miracles from Israel” will tell the remarkable story of the medical device industry in Israel today and will list the life-saving tools that Israel has provided the world.
http://www.thedoctorshow.com/medical-miracles-from-israel/
Top 10 finish in Formula SAE. (TY Nevet) Ben-Gurion University’s student Formula One racing team, is the first ever Israeli team to place in the top 10 at the Formula SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) competition. Students worldwide compete in Formula SAE to design and build the best racecar.
http://aabgu.org/bgracing-team-lands-israel-in-the-top-ten/
THE JEWISH STATE
A conference to heal the world. (TY Michelle) A sold-out inaugural Wharton Israel Conference in Pennsylvania focused on one small country – Israel – as it pushed for a global effort to make the world a better place. The event featured international speakers who shared how Israelis work to improve the world.
http://www.thedp.com/article/2015/10/wharton-israel-conference
Israelis rescue Syrian migrants. Israelis aboard an Israeli yacht rescued 11 Syrian and Iraqi migrants whose boat capsized overnight near the Greek island of Kastellorizo. The yacht, from Ashdod, was on a routine training activity in the area when its occupants noticed boat wreckage. Please read what else the Israelis did.
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=29031
What to do with your Etrog. (TY Janglo) Five suggestions for the citron from Sukkot’s four species are: Havdalah spice, Etrog jam, Mr Etrog Head, Etrog candy bites and Etrog vodka.
http://shivimpanim.org/articles/top-5-uses-for-an-etrog-after-sukkot/
