This Week’s Sanity Report from Israel Oct. 25, 2020
Much of recent positive Israel news will come “out of the blue” and astound those who do not receive my newsletter. Even regular readers couldn’t have imagined three Arab countries making peace with Israel within a few short weeks. Other surprises include a boost for peace in Judea & Samaria; multiple agreements and trade deals with UAE and Bahrain; 3 new innovative Covid-19 tests; 7 global Israeli “cyber women”; archeological discoveries and amazing conversion and wedding stories. From the blue sky and water comes, new air routes between Tel Aviv, Dubai and Abu Dhabi; vegan meat in outer space; drones for hospitals and Europe; a peace orchestra on an Israeli skyscraper, a superb aerial photograph, the largest beach cleanup; ozonated dental water; a summit to combat deserts; a pipeline linking the Red and Med seas; a huge on-land salmon farm and an improbable rainstorm over Jerusalem. Israel’s achievements certainly counter the Blues!
The photo captures the thrill of seeing the Land of Israel appear between the blue ocean and the blue sky.
The highlights include:
- A hi-tech Israeli eye-test device could prevent millions from going blind.
- Seven of the top 25 women cybersecurity executives are Israeli.
- Sudan is to normalize ties with Israel.
- Israel is hosting the world’s largest desertification conference.
- An Israeli pipeline will bring oil from the UAE to Europe and Asia.
- An Israeli company is to build a huge on-land salmon farm in Nevada.
- A towering Israeli musical message of peace to Arab states.
- A coronavirus patient gets to see his son’s wedding, from his hospital window.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Update on Israeli Covid-19 vaccine. The Covid-19 vaccine being developed by the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) is beginning Phase 1 human trials. Head of IIBR, Professor Shapira confirmed this at the recent Christian Media zoom Summit attended by this newsletter editor, who asked a question at 1:38:47.
https://worldisraelnews.com/israeli-corona-vaccine-brilife-to-start-human-testing-in-october/
https://youtu.be/EUx5EL1CANQ?t=4976 https://youtu.be/EUx5EL1CANQ?t=5927
Israeli Covid-19 antibody serum for Israeli Health ministry. Israel’s Kamada (reported here previously) has signed a deal to supply Israel’s Health ministry with its plasma-based hyperimmune immunoglobulin (IgG) product. The product treats COVID-19 patients with pneumonia and is currently in Phase 1 & 2 trials in Israel.
https://nocamels.com/2020/10/kamada-deal-supply-israel-health-ministry-covid-19-antibody/
Hospital uses drones to save lives. (TY TPS) Ziv Medical Center in Tzfat (Safed) will be the first Israeli hospital to use drones. They will transport medical equipment, medicines, and blood and Corona tests, to and from the hospital. Initially, they will carry 5kg loads up to 10km, saving time and bypassing road blockages.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/first-israeli-hospital-deploys-drones-to-save-lives/
Preventing worldwide blindness. Israel’s AEYE Health (reported here previously) is pushing hard to get its retinal disease AI diagnostic eye scanner approved by the end of 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic has seriously cut the number of patients visiting eye specialists. The eye scanner can be used easily by GPs or clinic staff.
https://www.israel21c.org/diagnosing-retinal-disease-with-artificial-intelligence/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Cx5XmwLJPw
US clears PE diagnostic. Israel Aidoc’s triaging and notification algorithms for flagging and reporting incidental pulmonary embolism (see here) have just been approved by the US FDA. The solution is an ‘always-on’ safety net for unexpected cases. It is Aidoc’s sixth FDA-approved tool for triage and notification:
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3863760,00.html
Another Covid-19 breath test. Israel’s NextGen Biomed is developing a breathalyzer test (see another here)
to identify Covid-19 infections. The biological markers were identified in an April study by Israel’s Scentech Medical. The two companies are now being merged and a validation trial is scheduled to commence shortly.
https://www.scentech-medical.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rGian6PWqQ
Autonomous vehicle imaging can detect Covid-19. Israel’s Adasky (reported here previously) develops and manufactures high-resolution thermal vision AI sensors for the advanced vehicle industry. Its Viper-R system can detect Covid-19 instantly, by scanning multiple individuals 10 meters away for elevated body temperatures.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3864150,00.html
Molecular test for Covid-19 or cancer. Nanotechnologists at Israel’s Technion Institute have eliminated the time-consuming amplification process in coronavirus and secondary cancer tests. 100 molecules of the sample are passed one by one through a nanopore – a tiny hole and assessed for the presence of a specific bio-marker.
Replacing antibiotics in the dairy industry. Israeli biotech Mileutis has developed Imilac – designed to treat mastitis in cows by boosting their immune systems. Imilac is near the marketing stage and can replace the wide use of antibiotics for which resistance is growing and being passed to humans via milk products.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3862670,00.html http://mileutis.com/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
The top women in Cybersecurity. The Software Report’s Top 25 Women Leaders in Cybersecurity of 2020 includes 7 Israelis. Yael Ben Arie (SafeBreach), Sagit Manor (Nyotron), Ola Sergatchov (Guardicore), Yuval Lazar (Pcysys), Nadia Malinoff-Kan (Intezer), Dr. Dorit Dor (Check Point) and Sigalit Shavit (CyberArk).
https://www.thesoftwarereport.com/the-top-25-women-leaders-in-cybersecurity-of-2020/
An orthodox female cyber chief. Ola Sergatchov, VP of corporate strategy at Israel’s Guardicore (reported here previously) is good at multi-tasking. “On Friday morning I have on one ear a conference call and one hand mixing cholent, and with my foot I’m rocking the baby carriage,” she says. “That’s what my life looks like.”
https://www.israel21c.org/meet-the-orthodox-woman-at-the-top-of-israels-cyber-game/
The Israeli Druze. The UK Embassy of Israel, and the UK’s Board of Deputies, are hosting an event on 28 Oct to mark 100 years of the Druze people joining the Haganah and to celebrate their contribution to the State of Israel. It will feature a lecture by Dr Amir Khnifess, head of the Ronson Institute for Israeli-Druze studies.
https://swesrs.org.uk/celebrating-the-druze-communitys-contribution-to-the-state-of-israel/
The largest beach clean-up. On 30 Oct, thousands of Israelis will try to break world record for the largest beach clean-up. Volunteers will work at about 100 spots along the coasts of the Mediterranean, Kinneret and Red Sea, to raise awareness of the importance of protecting the environment.
Peace progress from Abraham and Covid. The Abraham Accords and (ironically) the Covid-19 pandemic have opened new avenues of investment for Israeli and Palestinian Arab entrepreneurs in Judea and Samaria.
Agreements with Bahrain. In the Bahrain capital, Israeli and Bahrain officials signed a joint communique on the new “diplomatic, peaceful and friendly” relations between Jerusalem and Manama. Ministers also signed Memorandum of Understandings on finance, investment, trade, tourism, communications, tech and agriculture.
https://www.jns.org/israel-and-bahrain-officially-seal-diplomatic-peaceful-friendly-relations/
https://worldisraelnews.com/friendly-relations-israel-and-bahrain-sign-warm-peace-agreement/
Unbelievable progress. Saleh Abdullah was the flight captain of the first commercial passenger flight from the UAE to Israel. He said. “If someone asked me a few months ago if I would be here making a speech in Tel Aviv, I would have said this is impossible”. The agreements include 28 flights a week plus chartered, cargo etc.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/HJM9Ki5ww https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfo28x_Z_iI
Sudan and Israel to normalize ties. US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Sudan will normalize ties with Israel, becoming the third Arab country to do so in recent months, after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The news was confirmed in a subsequent joint statement issued by the three countries.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289722
https://www.jns.org/in-call-with-israel-and-sudan-trump-announces-next-normalization-agreement/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN_-Xy91bMw
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Slaughter-free meat everywhere. (TY Liat) Last year, Israel’s Aleph Farms produced meat from non-GMO animal cells on the International Space Station. It has now launched its “Aleph Zero” program, emphasizing Aleph’s mission to produce fresh, quality meat even in the most harsh and remote extraterrestrial environments.
https://www.prnewswire.com/il/news-releases/aleph-farms-launches-aleph-zero-program-to-grow-steaks-in-space-301156809.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0fp6vSgKtg
Instagram Lite. Facebook’s Israeli R&D center (one of Facebook’s largest hubs) launched Facebook Lite in 2015 for low-end phones and no WiFi (reported here previously). It is now developing Instagram Lite – under 2MB compared to the 32MB full version. The new app is aimed for users in South East Asia, Africa and India.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3863170,00.html
Check out the latest Israeli Corona-tech. The resource center (reported here in April) built by Start-Up Nation Central and HealthIL to encourage and promote Israeli Corona-Tech innovation, now contains details of over 300 Israeli companies that are developing solutions to combat the Coronavirus pandemic.
https://www.coronatech.org.il/startups-solutions
Projecting games for locked down seniors. Israel’s Eyeclick (reported here previously) has developed Obie – an interactive projector plus sensors, specifically designed to help stimulate isolated seniors in old age homes. Obie turns any floor, wall, or tabletop into a fully interactive surface for playing physical and cognitive games.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3863151,00.html https://www.obieforseniors.com/
https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/Hk93AHiUP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml2pX8fiZJE
Navigating without GPS. Satellite GPS has become essential to much of modern technology. Two Israeli companies have built products to prevent jamming of GPS (reported here previously). Now, Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has developed CT-MENTOR to navigate using cameras and 3D photo images.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3863132,00.html
Healthy gums with the push of a button. (TY UWI) Israel’s Purecare Dental has developed a flossing device that delivers ozonated water straight to the gums. Ozone acts as a disinfectant, killing perio-pathogenic bacteria and fungus. It does not kill other bacteria necessary for good oral health.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-startup-keeps-gums-healthy-with-push-of-a-button/
An Emmy for better sound. Israel’s Sound Radix has won a prize from the Engineering Emmys – which honors companies that create unique technologies to improve broadcasting. Sound Radix’s globally used Auto-Align Post product synchronizes microphones to balance the sound from moving actors and musicians.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3863277,00.html https://www.soundradix.com/
https://www.soundradix.com/products/auto-align-post/
The world’s largest desertification conference. Israel’s Ben Gurion University is hosting the International Drylands, Deserts & Desertification Conference (DDD) Nov 16 – 18. This year’s title is “Feeding the Drylands – Challenges in Changing Environment”. These include food, water, human and ecosystem.
https://dddconf.org/ (The on-line event is free of charge – prior registration required).
Respect my privacy. Israeli startup Mine (Saymine Technologies) allows consumers to discover which companies hold their personal data on an ongoing basis. They can decide if they want the company to keep their data and can submit a deletion request (The Right-To-Be-Forgotten) for services they no longer use.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3863951,00.html https://saymine.com/
Driverless mining vehicles. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Australia’s Bis Industries have founded a joint venture called Auto-Mate, which will provide driverless vehicles for the mining industry. It will use IAI’s technology (reported here previously) to convert existing vehicles into autonomous platforms.
The Waze of construction. Israel’s Constru uses spatial and spherical cameras to digitally record the progress of construction sites. It sends progress reports as an email or app notification, updating project managers on the site’s development and alerting to any problems or deviations from the plan.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3858050,00.html https://www.constru.ai/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Connecting the Gulf to the Med. (TY IsraPundit) The Europe-Asia Pipeline Co has signed an agreement with the Med-Red company to convey UAE oil from Eilat to Ashkelon. It will save shipping the oil through the Suez Canal, benefiting the Israeli economy economically and cementing strategic joint Israeli-Arab relationships.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-agreement-signed-to-operate-israel-uae-oil-pipeline-1001346340
A $3 billion Abraham Fund. The US, Israel and UAE have established the Abraham Fund. It aims to mobilize more than $3 billion in private sector-led investment and development initiatives, to promote regional economic cooperation and prosperity in the Middle East and beyond. Its development office will be based in Israel.
Israeli airline to fly daily to Dubai. Israeli airline Arkia has begun offering tickets for daily direct flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai that will commence operation on 3rd Jan. The 3 to 4-hour flight will use Arkia’s 122-seat Embraer 195 jets. Arkia also investigating routes to Manama in Bahrain and Sharjah in the UAE.
Startup City. Entrepreneur Erel Margalit and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion launched Margalit Startup City, an international entrepreneurship and innovation quarter in the Israeli capital. The 50,000-sqm space will house startups, multinationals, investment and international R&D centers, plus an adjacent cultural and social center.
https://www.israel21c.org/jerusalem-innovation-investment-and-startup-quarter-opens/
Intel ignites more startups. Intel Israel has selected 10 Israeli startups for the 3rd cohort of its Ignite TLV AI accelerator program (reported here previously). They are Armo, Bria.ai, Komodor, Konnecto, Lightsolver, Lynx, Oolo, Orca AI, Solvo and Valerann. Only Orca and Valerann have been featured here previously.
EU to lease Israeli UAVs. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), together with its partner Airbus DS Airborne Solutions (ADAS) has been awarded a contract to provide the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) with Maritime Heron UAVs for unmanned patrols. IAI’s UAVs are already used in Europe (see here).
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3863372,00.html
An expert health fund. Veteran medical and financial experts have partnered together to form Medination – a new health-tech fund. Its team originates from Teva, IBM, BGU, Hadassah, TLV Medical Center, Ichilov-Tech, Clal and VC fund managers. Medination will invest in breakthrough stage R&D digital health companies.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3862610,00.html
Cyber powerhouse is worth $3 billion. Israeli-founded SentinelOne, incorporated as Sentinel Labs Inc. is in the process of raising between $150 million and $200 million at a valuation of $3 billion. It will be the largest privately-owned tech company founded by Israelis and one of the largest private cyber companies in the world.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3863756,00.html
A digital bridge for Europe. Israel’s Novawind has organized a virtual conference “Europe Days 2020” (27 Oct). It aims to give companies in Germany, Switzerland and Austria access to the tech solutions of at least 200 innovative Israeli companies, to help them overcome the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Growing salmon on land in Nevada. Israel’s AquaMaof Aquaculture Technologies (reported here previously) has won a $90 million contract to build an on-land salmon farm in Reno, Nevada. Producing up to 60,000 tons of fish per year without the use of chemicals or antibiotics, it will be one of the largest salmon farms in the U.S.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3858491,00.html
Investment in Israeli startups.
Augury raised $55 million; Syte raised $30 million; BlackSwan raised $28 million; Mileutis raised $20 million; Liquidity Capital raised $20 million; Nym Health raised $16.5 million; Adasky raised $15 million; SayMine raised $9.5 million; Frontegg raised $5 million; vHive raised $4 million; Agora raised £3 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT`
The highest message of peace. From the roof of Tel Aviv’s Azrieli tower, Israel’s Firqat Alnoor orchestra of Jews, Muslims, Druze and Christians performed the Emirati song “Ahebak” (“I Love You”) in tribute to the historic Israel-UAE peace treaty. The YouTube clip has had more than a quarter of a million views.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-orchestra-sends-musical-love-letter-to-arab-states/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbZ2ETDNZQc
Master of wine. Ido Lewinsohn is only the second Israeli to graduate as a Master of Wine from the London-based Institute of Masters of Wine. It involved a 3-year study program, theory papers, blind-tasting tests and signing a code of conduct. Ido is head winemaker at Barkan – one of Israel’s largest wineries.
https://www.israel21c.org/lchaim-second-ever-israeli-master-of-wine-appointed/
A quiet stroll through Jerusalem. (TY Sharon) During Israel’s lockdown, Sharon Altshul took some photos of a very peaceful capital city. Next week it is expected to get a little busier as the lockdown eases.
https://baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=37&ARTICLE_ID=136548
https://baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=37&ARTICLE_ID=136644
Caught in flight. Israeli photographer Yossi Eshbol was “Highly Commended” for his entry to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. His photo entitled “Kids Game” captured the image of a Nubian ibex bravely jumping over a ravine in Mitzpe Ramon to reach its sibling on the other side.
https://nocamels.com/2020/10/israeli-photographer-wildlife-competition/
Aulcie. Israeli filmmaker (“On the Map”) Dani Menkin premiered his latest documentary about Aulcie Perry, the American Israeli basketball player who helped Maccabi Tel Aviv win the EuroLeague in 1977 and 1981. Aulcie converted to Judaism, rehabilitated from addiction and was finally reunited with his estranged daughter.
https://jewishjournal.com/culture/arts/322911/documentarian-dani-menkin-brings-his-idols-story-to-life-in-aulcie/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9747800/ https://www.filmlinc.org/films/aulcie/
THE JEWISH STATE
The secret archaeology on the Temple Mount. Two Christian tourists have just produced a short film on the Temple Mount. It highlights the amazing history of this fascinating location. The video has had over 480,000 views in 10 days. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3W9iX0SnCo
Second Temple period clay objects unearthed intact. Dozens of ancient jars and complete clay objects have been discovered inside a water hole at the Khirbet Kafr Mer archaeological site at Beit El. The site is deemed to have been part of a Jewish community that lived in the area roughly 2000 years ago.
Israelis and Americans pray in Bahrain synagogue. Members of the joint Israeli-US delegation, that negotiated the establishment of diplomatic relations, took time out to pray the afternoon “mincha” service in capital’s Manama synagogue. They also met Ebrahim Nonoo, leader of the Bahrain Jewish community.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-american-delegations-pray-in-bahrain-syngagogue/
From Gaza mosque to Jerusalem Yeshiva. Yaron Avraham’s journey to Judaism began in a devout Muslim family in Lod, Israel, and then Gaza where he learned martyrdom. He escaped to Eilat, worked in Tel Aviv and enlisted in the IDF Givati Brigade. After the army he joined the Machon Meir yeshiva where he converted.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289377
Wedding outside coronavirus ward. A bridegroom’s father was in Hadassah hospital’s Covid-19 ward. So the Yad Avraham organization arranged for the young couple to be married under the father’s hospital window so he could watch. The number of celebrants was restricted, and all wore facemasks, but tears of joy were visible.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289333
Shabbat cakes for the elderly. (TY HR) Before every Jewish Sabbath, the organization “Sweets for the Soul” delivers 1,000 cakes to elderly Israelis isolated in their homes. The initiative was founded by Tel Aviv baker Itamar Glazer who insists “90% of the world’s problems can be solved with a slice of a good cheesecake.”
https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-health-israel-middle-east-25c2dba2260f08eddf9bbced07b6d1c2
Israel’s first rains. Jerusalem just received an “out of the blue” downpour. It was 30 degrees centigrade and no rain was forecast when a lone nimbus cloud hovered low over the central mountains of Israel and unloaded its contents over the holy city. Jews began praying for rain just over a week ago.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/289507
