This Week’s Sanity Report from Israel Sept. 20, 2023
The Jewish New Year is a very appropriate time to celebrate more new exciting Israeli life-changing innovations and activities.
These include new ways to combine cancer treatments to increase effectiveness with less side-effects. And a new Israeli treatment for MS is now available on-line. The US FDA have approved new Israeli software to guide cancer surgery and a new Israeli ultrasound-guided device to take biopsies. Meanwhile, Europe is funding trials of a new Israeli formula for feeding premature newborns.
There’s a new sign-language tour of Jerusalem’s Tower of David; a new home for lone soldiers; the first visit to Israel by the UK’s latest Foreign Minister; and the first official Israeli delegation to a conference in Saudi Arabia.
Israelis have found new ways to communicate with plants; new ways to extract milk proteins from mushrooms and to generate new proteins using biotechnology; new ways to motivate children at school; and new protective fireproof uniforms.
Recent diplomatic announcements opens up the prospect of a new age where Israel provides natural gas and electricity to Europe and becomes the center of a new trade route linking Europe, the Middle East and India. Meanwhile, numerous new business ventures have just been launched by Israeli startups.
Jerusalem, the eternal city, continues to be renewed as the rebuilt Tiferet synagogue nears completion. Finally, visitors to the Kotel (Western Wall) had a new experience – the sight of Jews and Muslims praying together. It brings new hope for the New Year.
The photo (TY Sharon) is of the inside of Jerusalem’s new National Library of Israel, which will be opening in October.
Wishing those that celebrate it a peaceful and meaningful Yom Kippur and a very happy Sukkot / Tabernacles.
In the 20th Sep 23 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
- Israeli AI system identifies thousands of new effective combination cancer therapies.
- Two examples of Israel’s inclusive army.
- Israelis are helping survivors of the earthquake in Morocco.
- More Israeli breakthroughs to prevent global hunger.
- Israel is “on the global map” for trade links, electricity, and (we hope) peace.
- Israeli innovations will protect the vulnerable in Oklahoma and Japan.
- The “People of the Book” has a new National library.
- Muslims and Jews pray together at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Better together. Researchers at Israel’s Technion have developed an AI system that identified 77 approved cancer nano-therapies that can chemically self-assemble in nearly 2,000 combinations to be far more effective, with less side-effects. They proved their system, combining bortezomib-cabozantinib to treat head/neck cancer.
https://nocamels.com/2023/09/
https://www.israel21c.org/ai-
https://www.sciencedirect.com/
Woman saved from deadly skin-peeling disease. A woman with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) was saved by doctors at Soroka-University Medical Center in Beersheba. The genetic disease progresses into toxic epidermal necrolysis – a life threatening condition causing 30% of the skin to peel off.
https://www.jpost.com/health-
Positive results in bladder cancer trial. Israel’s UroGen Pharma (see here previously) has published positive results from two clinical trials of bladder cancer treatment UGN-102. The therapy can benefit some 80,000 patients. Trial success (65%) was similar to patients who had surgery but with a 55% less re-occurrence rate.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/
Nasal spray combats allergic reactions. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Nasus Pharma (see here previously) has reported positive results from its latest clinical study of its FMXIN002 intranasal Epinephrine powder spray device. It provides a safe and effective rescue for the emergency treatment of life-threatening allergic reactions.
https://www.prnewswire.com/
MS treatment commercialized. GranaGard Nano Omega 5, made by Israel’s Granalix Biotechnologies, is now available in Israel and online. The nano-engineered high antioxidant supplement from pomegranate oil (see previously) improves cognitive function in Multiple Sclerosis patients and will be tested on dementia patients.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://il.granalix.com/en/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
EU funds trial for preemie insulin. Israel’s Elgan Pharma (see here previously) has been awarded a 2.36 million euros grant by the European Innovation Council. It will support a Phase III study of its ELGN-GL oral insulin-based formulation that helps the development of a preemie’s gastrointestinal (GI) system.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
US approval for cancer treatment software. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Techsomed (see here previously) has received US FDA approval for its Ablation Treatment Planning and Confirmation Software. VisAble.IO helps guide surgeons using ablation therapy (extreme heat or cold) to destroy tumors.
https://www.prnewswire.com/
US approval for precision endoscope. Israel’s Limaca Medical (see here previously) has received US FDA approval for its Precision GI™ Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) Biopsy Device. The device automatically obtains biopsies, for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and other cancers, quicker and safer than current products.
https://www.prnewswire.com/il/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Tower of David tours for the deaf. The Tower of David Museum has conducted its first tour via sign language. It previously has run tours for the blind and sight impaired and created an enrichment course to train guides to work with people with low cognitive function. September is International Month of the Deaf.
https://www.jns.org/israel-
Chabad Chassid is a top IDF soldier. Staff-Sgt. Yossi Bluming, a Chabad Chassid who made Aliyah from Maryland three years ago, were recognized as an “Outstanding Soldier who continuously excels in the Israel Defense Forces’ 6,000-strong Paratroopers Brigade”. Yossi commands a unit of 18 combat soldiers.
https://www.jns.org/israel-
A Chinese Jewish woman in the IDF. An amazing article. Staff Sergeant Abigail Windberg’s family roots originate in the ancient Kaifeng community in China’s Henan province. Her mother still lives in Beijing.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
A new home for lone soldiers. Israel has begun building a state-of the-art home for 222 lone soldiers. It is being funded by the Friends of the IDF (FIDF), The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ), and Ha’aguda Lema’an Hachayal (the Association for Israel’s Soldiers. It should open in Dec 2024.
https://www.
Jewish, Druze & Muslim girls build ties through sport. The One Team summer camp, now in its second year, is an initiative by the Azrieli Foundation’s Sports for Social Impact (SSI), operated by World ORT Kadima Mada. It brings together Israeli girls (Jews, Druze, and Bedouin) to train and mix in all kinds of sports.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
UK Foreign Minister praises Israel. British Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, was warmly received on his first visit to Israel. Topics discussed included increasing bilateral cooperation in security, technology, and AI. He also made an important speech at the international security conference at Israel’s Reichman University.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
Israeli delegation in Saudi Arabia. (TY Israel Unwired) An Israeli delegation attended a meeting of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Riyadh, marking the first public appearance by Israeli officials in Saudi Arabia. The nameplate of the Jewish state was displayed on their desk.
https://www.jns.org/abraham-
Kenya Agriculture innovation center. The Israel-Kenya Don Bosco Agricultural Innovation and Technology Center (AITEC-EMBU) has been opened in in Embu County, Kenya. The new training center will bring Israeli technology to local farmers, including techniques to access fresh water and to boost food security.
https://www.jns.org/africa/
Aid to Morocco. Four Israeli humanitarian aid groups have dispatched rescue teams to Morocco to help survivors of the deadly earthquake. They are SmartAID, IsraAID, United Hatzalah, and NATAN Worldwide Disaster Relief. The IDF, Ministry of Health, and Magen David Adom plan to send and open a field hospital.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://israelrescue.org/
Memorializing the victims of 9/11. Israel held its 22nd annual ceremony to remember the victims of 9/11. KKL-JNF pledged to plant 2,977 trees in the Land of Israel – one for each victim.
https://www.jwire.com.au/9-11-
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Giving a voice to plants. Israel’s Plantell is helping plants signal potentially fatal stresses. It develops strains of crops that include green-fluorescent protein (GFP). These light up when the plants are stressed, showing what has caused the stress. Natural fertilizers and pesticides can then be fine-tuned to treat the crops.
https://nocamels.com/2023/09/
https://www.plantell.tech/
The language of plants. Israel’s Agresense has developed a biochemical language that uses AI to identify bioactive products for the agriculture and food industries. Israeli Nobel Prize winner Aaron Ciechanover is on the Advisory Board. Agresense has just partnered with Israel Chemicals Ltd, which is also a key investor.
https://www.agrematch.com/
Milk from mushrooms. Israel’s ImaginDairy (see here previously) has bioengineered milk proteins (whey and casein) to create a wide range of dairy products – using mushrooms and no cows. Mushrooms are easy and cost effective to grow, doubling in size every 24 hours, and they can be picked just four days after they are visible.
https://nocamels.com/2023/09/
Proteins for all. Israel’s Scala Biodesign (see here previously) designs proteins that can be mass-produced, to help companies develop new medicines (vaccines, antibodies, enzymes etc.,) and foods faster and cheaper than before. It could even help generate entirely new applications of biotechnology that were impossible previously.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
More participation, less work for teachers. The app from Israel’s FloWeavers allows teachers to increase student involvement and social skills. Teachers upload tasks to the app, which students perform independently in exchange for points toward “educational incentives”. It also improves student discipline.
https://www.israel21c.org/app-
https://www.floweavers.com/
Teaching cyber skills to children in the periphery. Israeli organization Shchackim employs 33 teachers at 70 schools away from the center of the country. They teach the children via digital games such as Minecraft. This imparts hi-tech skills while learning English, physics, and math. Thousands have benefited.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Parachutes for drones. With the increased use of commercial drones, Israel’s ParaZero has developed automatic parachute systems to ensure that any drone malfunction will not damage the payload or endanger the public below. It has enabled drone manufacturers to get U.S. Federal Aviation Administration certification.
https://parazero.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.globenewswire.com/
Fireproof uniforms save lives. (TY Hazel) The IDF has reported that new hi-tech fireproof uniforms for its elite forces have already saved lives. They contain special fibers and threads that absorb and extinguish the fire. The uniforms have been integrated into the IDF reconnaissance and special forces units over the past two years.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
Israeli innovation at COP28. The Israel Innovation Authority has selected 30 Israeli climate-tech companies, from 200 candidates, to represent Israel at the United Nations’ 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) in Dubai (Nov 30 – Dec 12). They include Daika Wood, HomeBiogas, ANINA Culinary Art, and Xfloat.
https://nocamels.com/2023/09/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
The hub of an economic corridor. (TY WIN) Global leaders at the G20 summit in New Delhi announced a multinational rail and ports deal linking the Middle East and South Asia. Israel’s railways and ports will open a new gateway from India, through the Middle East, to and from Europe via Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
https://www.jns.org/middle-
Electrifying! Great article detailing Israel’s partnership with Cyprus and proposed fiber-optic and energy links. “a connection that transcends mere diplomacy and hits home the idea of shared civilization and values. Not just about transporting goods or services; it’s about transporting peace, connectivity, and progress.”
https://israfan.com/2023/09/
Electricity supply revolution. (TY Atid-EDI) From Jan 1st, Israel Electric Company’s supply monopoly ends. Israel’s Enlight Renewable Energy together with Electra Power JV will be able to supply clean energy to residences in Israel. Enlight has also launched Israel’s largest solar-storage fusion project at Sde Nitzan.
https://www.jpost.com/
https://ca.investing.com/news/
Direct flights from Kazakhstan. Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s flag carrier, launched twice-weekly 6 to 7-hour direct flights between Ben Gurion and Almaty International airports. Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Israel said, “Great opportunities open up with the start of direct flights between our countries”.
https://www.jns.org/jns/
Grain deal ensures Israel’s food security. Israel has signed a grain deal with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan to secure the country’s wheat during disruptions in the global food supply. Israel will share its ag-tech knowledge to help with production. It is another sign of Israel’s friendly relations with the two majority Muslim countries.
https://www.jns.org/jewish-
Innovation Envoy. Jerusalem’s deputy mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum (see here previously) has been appointed Israel’s first Innovation Envoy. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen praised Hassan-Nahoum’s “tireless” efforts to strengthen the Israeli capital’s innovation ecosystem over the past years. She will now do this on a global scale.
https://www.jns.org/startup-
Palo Alto to expand Israeli R&D center. Palo Alto Networks plans to hire 250 employees in Israel in 2024. Its 1,000 personnel Israeli R&D center is the cyber giant’s second largest outside its California HQ. Vacancies include product managers, development managers, developers, cyber researchers, analysts, QA, and DevOps.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Remote diagnostics for Japan. Japan’s insurance provider, Sompo, has teamed up with Israel’s TytoCare (see here previously) to deploy the Israeli AI remote diagnostic devices in 300+ nursing homes and hundreds of care centers servicing the elderly in Japan. The deal is one of many since Sompo established Digital Lab Tel Aviv.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Earthquake warning system for Oklahoma. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s SeismicAI is working with the Oklahoma Geological Survey to apply the SeismicAI early-warning techniques with data from a real-time statewide seismic network. Oklahoma has some 50 minor earthquakes annually – most are unnoticeable.
https://www.prnewswire.com/il/
10,000 vegan beef burgers coming right up! Israel’s SavorEat (see here previously) has partnered Sodexo to become the first Israeli food robotic company in the meat alternative sector to launch in the US. SavorEat will print and serve some 10,000 kosher, plant-based, meat-alternative meals to students at Denver University.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://www.jpost.com/
Exits, takeovers & mergers to 20/9/23. US-based Tenable has acquired Israel’s Ermetic for $265 million. US-based MDA has acquired Israel’s SatixFy Space Systems subsidiary for $60 million. Israel’s Payoneer has acquired Israel’s Spott.
Investment in Israeli startups to 20/9/23: UroGen Pharma raised $120 million (Nasdaq) UBQ raised $70 million; FloLIVE raised $47 million; SQream raised $45 million; Prisma Photonics raised $20 million; Port.io raised $18 million; Zenity raised $16.5 million; ViAqua Therapeutics raised $8.25 million; Scala Biodesign raised $5.5 million; Tamnoon.io raised $5.1 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT`
New National Library. Jerusalem’s hi-tech National Library of Israel is opening in Oct. The 46,000 sqm building has 11 floors and cost NIS 860 million. It will house over 4 million books, photos, newspapers, collections, maps, manuscripts, posters, records, tapes, plus millions of digitized documents & recordings.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Fauda returns. Israeli hit television show Fauda is set to return to the screen for an unexpected Season 5. Season 4 was meant to be the series’ grand finale, but the show’s producers and cable provider YES have agreed to continue for another season. Thanks to Netflix, Fauda was the top TV show in Lebanon and Qatar.
https://www.israel21c.org/
Top tennis stars to compete in Watergen Open. Israel will host the Tel Aviv Watergen Open on Nov. 5-11, in which top-ranked tennis superstars from around the world will compete for a $1 million prize pool. Last year’s tournament saw Novak Djokovic defeat Marin Cilic in the final. Some 4,500 spectators are expected.
https://www.jns.org/israel-
Israel beats Belarus in stoppage time. Israel’s national soccer team scored in the 93rd minute to beat Belarus 1-0 and keep them in contention to qualify for the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship.
https://www.jns.org/jewish-
Disabled IDF veterans win 5 medals. (TY Hazel) Disabled IDF veterans participated for the first time in the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf. Israel sent 20 veterans to compete in swimming, cycling, archery, table tennis and indoor rowing. The team won 5 medals including a gold and a silver in table tennis.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
THE JEWISH STATE
What was its purpose? It’s not every day that a 3,000-year-old artifact is excavated, but when it is, the archeologists usually can identify its purpose. Not so with the 9th century BCE channel installation discovered in the City of David National Park, close to Temple Mount. And then they found a second one!
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Rebuilding the Tiferet. The historic Tiferet Yisrael, or “Glory of Israel” synagogue, was established in 1872. The 3-storey 80 feet high building dominated the Old City’s Jewish Quarter until its destruction after the Jordanian Army captured the Old City in 1948. After a NIS 70 million project, it should re-open in 2024.
https://www.jns.org/jewish-
13 Presidential Medal winners. Israel’s 2023 Presidential Medal of Honor was awarded to 12 individuals who have contributed to the State of Israel, the Jewish people, and all humanity. Also, the Kemach NGO which promotes haredi employment. Non-Israelis included Morocco’s André Azoulay and Canada’s Irwin Cotler
https://www.
African-American imams visit Israel. (TY Hazel) Nine African-American imams visited the Holy Land on a mission to promote faith-based peace in the Middle East. At the Western Wall in Jerusalem the imams, wearing kufis with their hands turned skywards, prayed side-by-side with Jewish men in skullcaps.
https://www.i24news.tv/en/
Israeli cultured meat is kosher. The Orthodox Union has certified chicken cell line products from Israel’s SuperMeat as kosher Mehadrin meat, meeting the most stringent qualification for kosher supervision. SuperMeat’s lab-grown poultry uses the stem cells from chicken eggs.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
New season and New Year in Jerusalem. (TY Sharon) Jerusalem’s new sights include new festive lights, inflatables at the Botanical Gardens, new immigrant shuks (markets), Nefesh B’Nefesh’s Business Conference, a new bike trail, new brides & grooms, the new National Library, and apple & honey for a sweet New Year.
http://rjstreets.com/2023/09/
Well, I’ll be blowed! A new exhibition in the Beit Shemesh Biblical Museum of Natural History showcases one of the largest collections of kosher shofars in the world. They originate from the traditional ram, ibex and goat to the kudu, sable, and waterbuck antelope, and the East Caucasian tur.
https://www.jns.org/israel-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
