An Israeli biotech has developed the only really effective vaccine against Hepatitis B. Tel Aviv University scientists can diagnose schizophrenia by checking your nose. A Hebrew University on-line medical course is popular in Muslim and Arab countries. Technion scientists have developed the first insulator for light particles. Israel’s top water technology companies are exhibiting in Berlin. An Israeli won a gold medal at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Israel marked Earth Day by screening the first ever film powered by solar energy.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
The best vaccine against Hepatitis B Virus. (Thanks to Israel21c) Although nearly all babies are vaccinated against HBV, the virus still kills 1.2 million people every year – mainly immune-suppressed, gluten intolerant and diabetics. Israeli biotech SciGen’s Sci-B-Vac is the only third-generation HBV vaccine, given to almost all Israelis and has reduced HBV deaths in Israel significantly. It will soon be available in most countries.
US funds Israeli university to research measles virus. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has received a two-year UN National Institutes of Health grant to investigate why the measles virus persists in its target cells and establishes chronic infection, long after resolution of its acute phase.
Praise from World Health Org chief. World Health Organization director general Margaret Chan praised Israel’s national health infrastructure on her first visit to Israel. She said, “I’ve come here to learn from your excellent health system”. She also visited Gaza children at Tel Aviv’s Dana-Dwek Children’s Hospital.
Early cancer detection saves lives. Here is a report on the cancer-screening program conducted at Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center. Its Integrated Cancer Prevention Center program is considered to be unique in the World. In a few hours you get examined for early detection of at least 11 most common cancers.
Keeping your strength up. Israel’s Health Ministry has for the first time issued standards for food served in Israeli hospitals, aiming to guarantee that patients receive more wholesome and tastier meals. Changes include less salt, wholegrain bread, menu choice, low fat poultry and fish and dairy products with up to 5 percent fat.
Medical cooperation with Maryland. The Governor of the US State of Maryland and the President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore visited the Hebrew University Hadassah School of Medicine in Jerusalem. They pledged increased collaboration in research and academia.
A nose test for schizophrenia. A Tel Aviv University team says they can diagnose the psychiatric disease of schizophrenia at an early stage. They take samples of nerve cells from the upper internal part of the nose and test for a specific molecule of micro-RNA that has high levels in schizophrenia patients. Previous tests could only be performed post-mortem on the brain.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Gaza weekly deliveries: 27,641 tons of goods including food, medicines and construction materials were delivered from Israel to Gaza on 1,042 trucks through the Kerem Shalom crossing in the week ending 20th Apr.
Israel and Jordan save Egyptian vulture. The rare bird was born in Israel but flew into power lines in the Jordan valley. The Jordanian authorities contacted Israeli nature organization SPNI who obtained special authorization to collect the vulture. The injured bird is now recovering at Ramat Gan Safari Hospital.
Israelis treat all alike. Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is treating 24 victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. It also treated the surviving Chechen bomber. And who is the director of the hospital? Israel’s Professor Kevin (Ilan) Tabb – a board member of Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem.
Muslims sign up for HU on-line course. Around 40,000 students have signed up for the 9-week on-line course “Synapses, Neurons and Brains” run by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Participants come from Lebanon, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Morocco and Algeria as well as the USA, Europe etc.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
A good name. Dr Irwin Jacobs and his wife Joan have donated $133 million to have the new Jacobs Technion-Cornell Innovation Institute named after them. The funds will help support curriculum initiatives, faculty and graduate students, and industry interactions in a two-year graduate program at the JTCII in New York City.
There still is light. Protecting the transport of photons of light is vital for computing and communications. Technion scientists have developed the first photonic topological insulators that prevent light from scattering irrespective of any defects in the materials that they flow through.
Israel to make wings for F-35. Israel Aerospace Industries has signed a long-term contract with US defense giant Lockheed Martin to produce wings for the F-35 next-generation fighter jet. State-owned IAI already manufactures the wings for the F-16 jet and the T-38.
Breaking down pesticides. More about the literally “groundbreaking” technology that Israel’s Weizmann Institute has developed. Israeli start-up Catalyst Ag Tech is commercializing the system that introduces eco-friendly catalysts into the soil to break down the dangerous chemicals into inert compounds.
Look your best. (Thanks to NoCamels.com) When an unsightly skin blemish spoils a photo, Facetune is your personal “digital make-up artist”. Simply upload your photo to Facebook and Facetune will erase pimples, spots and wrinkles. It can even reshape your nose. Unfortunately it doesn’t work on real life.
Linking up social media. Two Israeli companies are expanding their reach. Graduway (College alumni networks) is integrating with LinkedIn’s professional network to enable graduates to get jobs. Gigya’s social infrastructure (used by 1.5 billion users) is to include links to Google+ .
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Israel gets another “A”. Fitch Ratings reaffirmed Israel’s long-term foreign currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ‘A’ and local currency IDR at ‘A+, both with a “Stable” outlook, citing the country’s diverse and advanced economy. It also predicted that natural gas would boost Israel’s growth rate to 3.7% in 2013.
Germany looks to Israel for advanced water technologies. 24 Israeli companies including Mekorot, Amiad and BlueI presented their products at Wasser Berlin last week. The trade fair focused on water and wastewater technologies and management.
Checkpoint boss’s university career. (Thanks to Uri) Gil Shwed runs Checkpoint – Israel’s leading IT security company. He never gained a university degree, although at 16 he was running the computers at the Hebrew University. He is now on the board of trustees at both Tel Aviv University and its Youth University.
Israeli biotech goes to USA for $480 million. Miami-based Opko Health has just taken over Israel’s Prolor Biotech. Prolor develops long-lasting medicines including a human growth hormone, a clotting factor for hemophilia and treatments for diabetes and obesity. The CEO of Opko is also the Chairman of Israel’s Teva.
13 Israeli start-ups graduate from Microsoft incubator. Microsoft celebrated the graduation of its second Israeli class of Microsoft Accelerator for Windows Azure after a four-month intensive program in Herzliya. 12 of the start-ups are launching products on May 7th and eight have already received over $4 million of funding.
What Israel did for IBM (and vice versa). Meir Nissensohn, former general manager of IBM in Israel, explains why IBM came to Israel, what investment opportunities Israel offers to large, multinational companies and what these companies can give to Israel in return. (Interview on Doug Goldstein’s radio program).
US companies drool over Israeli start-ups. Israel has 4,800 start-ups. Only the USA has more. Almost every U.S. Venture Capital fund has at least one Israeli startup in its portfolio. Israel is a nation of people who can create hardware, gadgets and apps and who have the confidence to leave good jobs and launch companies.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
The Israeli museum of Science. Madatech in Haifa has some great events for Lag B’Omer. Learn all about fire and burning. Also watch some fiery objects at the new space exhibition – “Beyond Planet Earth”
Israeli gymnast wins European gold. Alex Shatilov became one of the greatest Israeli athletes of all time when he won the gold medal in the floor exercise final at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Moscow. Alex previously won silver in 2011 and bronze in 2009 and 2012. He also won bronze at the World Championships in 2009 and 2011.
Israeli wins bronze at Euro Judo championships. Despite competing with an injury, Tommy Arshansky won the bronze medal in the under-60 kilogram category at the European Championships in Budapest, giving the Israeli delegation its first medal of the contest on opening day.
THE JEWISH STATE
Moskowitz Prize for Zionism. Sadly, I missed out for the second year running. But the well-deserved winners were Chancellor Yigal Cohen-Orgad of Ariel University, Rabbi Moshe Levinger of Hebron, and Zionist education expert Dr. Zvi Zameret.
Walkathon for Benji. Every year, hundreds of Israelis walk to raise funds for Ra’anana’s home for lone soldiers. Benji Hillman made Aliya from London in 1983 but was killed in Lebanon in 2006. As divisional commander he always watched over lone soldiers and Habayit Shel Benji was built in his memory.
New home for lone soldiers. A new home for Lone Soldiers in Israel was opened in Ramat Gan with a special ceremony. It marks the conclusion of the $5 million project launched by the American Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.
Israel marks Earth Day. (Thanks to Israel21c) Israel celebrated Earth Day with the world’s first full-length movie screening, powered by solar energy, sponsored by Energiya Global. In Jerusalem the lights were turned off, to highlight the need to save energy – but not until after the opening of the Cool Globes exhibition.
The word “Jew” comes from “Judea”. This is the video “The Spring of Judea and Samaria”.
He must be keen (or daft!). 39-year-old Jorgen Nilsson left his home in Sweden six months ago on a 4,500-kilometer (2,800-mile) pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Jorgen, a knight in the Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus, arrived just in time for the first International Jerusalem Symposium on Green and Accessible Pilgrimage.
Thanks to Michael :www.verygoodnewsisrael.
A message from Michael: I am appealing for help in promoting the news of Israel’s work to benefit the world. I would like to build a search facility that will enable people to find news of Israel’s innovations and other items far more easily. I also wish to publish a book containing previous weekly descriptive summaries. Donations can be as small or as large as you like. I will include any dedications to the memory of relatives or friends on the new website and in the book. Just email me and I will provide details of where to send donations. Many thanks.Best regards
Michael
