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by: Michael Ordman
POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
Wounded paramedic returns
United Hatzalah emergency medic Rabbi Chaim Sassi was seriously wounded by a Hamas terrorist in Sderot on Oct 7. He has now returned to active service after receiving a custom-made “ambucycle” designed to accommodate his lingering leg injury. Rabbi Chaim was praised as “an inspiration”.
https://www.jns.org/volunteer-medic-injured-on-oct-7-returns-to-service-with-ambucycle/
Mezuzah from devastated kibbutz goes to Paraguay
A mezuzah was all that survived on Oct 7 from a home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. To honor the memory of the owners of the home, the mezuzah was placed on the doorpost of the new Israeli embassy in Paraguay.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/mezuzah-rescued-from-kfar-azza-finds-new-home-in-israeli-embassy-in-paraguay/
Boxer is champion defender
US boxing legend Floyd Mayweather has donated $100,000 to purchase 100 bulletproof vests for Israeli medical volunteers on the front lines. He announced the gift during a sold-out United Hatzalah event in Jerusalem to raise funds for 1,000 protective kits for its volunteer EMTs.
https://worldisraelnews.com/ex-boxing-champ-gives-israeli-rescue-group-100-bulletproof-vests/
US Christians donate armored ambulances
Samaritan’s Purse, founded by Franklin Graham, son of the late evangelist Billy Graham, has donated two more armored ambulances to Magen David Adom. They previously donated 14 ambulances and have committed to donate 28 more. They have also donated 1,000 trauma kits.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/us-evangelical-leader-donates-28-armored-ambulances-in-memory-of-murdered-hostages/
South African Christians donate MDA response cars
The South African branch of the Christian organization Bridges for Peace is spearheading a donation of two $80,000 Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency rapid response vehicles. MDA will use the cars in communities attacked on Oct. 7.
https://www.jns.org/south-african-christians-donate-emergency-vehicles-to-israel/
Gaza envelope kibbutz looks to regrow
Kibbutz Holit has begun to rehabilitate after the Oct 7 Hamas attacks. It will grow the potato developed by Israel’s Rumafeed (see here previously) that has eliminated the toxic glycoalkaloids in its foliage. Rumafeed has just been selected for the latest Intel Ignite accelerator group.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/kibbutz-ravaged-on-oct-7-looks-to-renewal-through-gene-edited-vegetable-trials/
An AI view of Gaza without Hamas
ChatGPT was asked the question, “What would life, culture, and the economy be like in Gaza if Hamas were not in control?” ChatGPT also was also asked to generate a visual image of Gaza without Hamas. I expect “Lebanon without Hezbollah?” might generate a similar response.
https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-chatgpt-shows-what-gaza-could-be-without-terrorism-and-hamas/
Anti-drone system recycled
Israel has deployed the Israeli-upgraded M61 Vulcan cannon along its northern border, to combat suicide drones launched by Hezbollah terrorists. An older version of the M61 Vulcan was originally provided to Israel by the U.S. during the 1973 Yom Kippur War and saw action in Lebanon in 1982.
https://worldisraelnews.com/unique-vulcan-anti-drone-cannon-deployed-in-north/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machbet
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-826246
One Day raises $1 million
US Jewish reggae singer Matisyahu performed a concert titled “One Day” in New York City. It was part of a Ben Gurion University event that raised $1 million to help the rebuilding and recovery of Israel’s southern communities. “There’ll be no more wars, and our children will play. One Day!”
https://www.jns.org/one-day-benefit-featuring-matisyahu-raises-1m-for-recovery-education-in-southern-israel/
https://genius.com/Matisyahu-one-day-lyrics
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Protein antibody to treat cancer
Tel Aviv University researchers were checking protein levels after exposure to UV light. They saw that Ly6a levels rose significantly and speculated it might suppress the immune system in cancer patients. Lab tests showed that antibodies against Ly6a reduced tumor size in many cancers.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/398375
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-52079-x
Recovery from strokes
Israel’s BioXtreme has developed the deXtreme rehabilitation robot device for improving of motor recovery of upper limbs for stroke patients. And doctors in 30 countries use Tigertriever, from Israel’s Rapid Medical (see here previously) to respond in real time during thrombectomy procedures.
https://www.israel21c.org/8-startups-transforming-stroke-prevention-detection-treatment/
https://bio-xtreme.com/
https://www.rapid-medical.com/tigertriever
Life-saving blood cancer analysis
Israel’s Scopio Labs (see here previously) has launched its groundbreaking Full-Field Bone Marrow Aspirate™ (FF-BMA) Application for effective, digital imaging and AI analysis of blood cells. It replaces previous slow, manual, expert-only, error-prone, analysis methods.
https://scopiolabs.com/news/scopio-labs-receives-groundbreaking-fda-clearance-for-first-ever-digital-bone-marrow-aspirate-application/
https://scopiolabs.com/ff-bma/
Reducing phantom pain
Israel’s 6Degrees (see here previously) is now using its MyMove virtual reality games to enable dozens of new war amputees to have independent physical therapy sessions while decreasing their phantom pain and dependence on pain medications. “Exercising” an amputated limb helps blood flow.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-virtual-reality-game-helps-dozens-of-new-war-amputees-reduce-phantom-pain/
500 successful transplants
The partnership between the Gift of Life Marrow Registry and Taglit-Birthright Israel has just celebrated its 500th successful transplant of blood stem cell and bone marrow from Birthright donors to patients. They have saved hundreds of sufferers with leukemia, lymphoma and immune disorders.
https://www.jns.org/wire/gift-of-life-marrow-registry-marks-500th-lifesaving-transplant-from-birthright-donors/
Personal park guide for the visually impaired
The audio orientation and guiding system Israel’s RightHear (see here previously) has now been installed at 2,500+ global locations from Angola to the UAE. In August, Natural Bridge State Park in Virginia became the first US state park to offer the digital accessibility solution.
https://www.israel21c.org/the-startup-opening-up-the-world-for-the-visually-impaired/
Ariel’s first medical graduates
Israel’s Ariel University celebrated the first class of graduates from its 2019-founded Adelson School of Medicine. 53 students (including 40 women) were awarded their “Doctor of Medicine.” degrees in a ceremony attended by Israeli President Herzog and philanthropist Dr. Miriam Adelson.
https://www.jns.org/ariels-adelson-school-of-medicine-marks-first-graduating-class/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Women in hi-tech
The first-ever “Women at the Front” Jerusalem conference attracted 250 Israeli women in senior positions at leading hi-tech companies. It featured lectures, panels, workshops dealing with AI, smart career management and startups raising capital and penetrating global markets.
https://www.jpost.com/brandblend/for-the-first-time-the-great-womens-conference-of-the-jerusalem-hi-tech-820660
Combining Torah study, military service and hi-tech
As the first Haredi Hesder yeshivot founded in 2017 by Haredim, Chedvata offers a unique combination of Torah study, military service and college training, while maintaining the high religious standards of its participants. Hundreds of graduates serve in Gaza and Lebanon.
https://chedvata.org/
An inside look at the Israeli Druze
Eylon Levy on State of the Nation interviews Mansur Ashkar, an Israeli Druze leader, activist, and ex-IDF special forces officer, who was stationed in Gaza before the disengagement. He believes that Jews & the Druze are the prime example that Israel aspires for peace and coexistence.
IDF takes Gazan children to hospitals
The IDF transferred 23 Gazan patients, mostly children, along with 26 chaperones from the Kamal Adwan Hospital to active hospitals in the Gaza Strip. They used 5 ambulances, accompanied by 4 UN vehicles in coordination with WHO and UNICEF.
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/artc-idf-transfers-23-gazan-patients-mostly-children-to-active-hospitals
258 doctorates
Israel’s Technion Institute awarded awarded degrees to 258 students from 12 countries, including China, Russia, Germany, Spain, Brazil, and South Korea. 44 pf students were from the faculty of medicine, 23 from Electrical and Computer Engineering and 23 from Computer Science; 47%, were women.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-819278
Lifetime achievement award
Ben Gurion University’s Prof. Amir Sagi won a Lifetime Achievement Award in University Transformation from the ACEEU Asia-Pacific Triple E Awards. The award ceremony took place in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, which does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/news-and-articles/prof-amir-sagi-receives-lifetime-achievement-award/
IDF rescues wounded pelican
IDF soldiers on the border with Lebanon found a white pelican that was injured by a bullet and was unable to fly. Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority treated the bird for a fractured wing and then, after it had healed, released it back into the wild at the Hula river in northern Israel.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/idf-soldiers-rescue-pelican-that-was-shot-in-lebanon/
Relief to Polish flood victims
Two Israeli doctors, members of Rescuers Without Borders, joined local Jewish volunteers from Warsaw in combatting floodwaters in Poland, as torrential rain and floods pounded Central Europe. Rescuers Without Borders is an Israeli-French medical relief group,
https://www.jta.org/2024/09/19/global/jewish-and-israeli-volunteers-join-in-relief-effort-as-floods-pound-central-europe
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Iron Beam is fast-tracked
Israel’s Iron Beam laser defense system is now set for a 2025 operational launch following Israel’s Ministry of Defense signing a new $500 million contract with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems. Danny Gold, designer of Israel’s Iron Dome, was at the signing ceremony.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hjkdkp2xjg
Detecting drones from their signals
Israel’s R2 Wireless has developed an anti-drone system that can detect any kind of flying threat, whether airborne, or grounded on land or at sea. It scans for any transmitted signal and uses AI algorithms to classify, geolocate, and track it in real time. It is being trialed in Israel and the UK.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-startup-says-it-can-help-detect-deadly-terror-drones-with-smart-signal-tech/
Bereshit 2 is on track
Latest videos from SpaceIL describing Israel’s Bereshit 2 moon landing mission. The latest expected launch date is during 2027.
https://eng.spaceil.com/beresheet-2
(English)
(Hebrew)
Better, safer, construction
Israel’s BiltOn has improved construction efficiency and safety for over 1,200 companies and at 3,000+ worksites worldwide, including residential, industrial, commercial, healthcare, and infrastructure projects. The founders served together as combat officers in the elite IDF unit Sayeret Matkal.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/r1tkhxhxjg
Israel’s supercomputer microchips
Israel’s NextSilicon (see here previously) has launched a new supercomputer chip, the Maverick-2 and has already received orders totaling tens of millions of dollars. NextSilicon has 300+ Israeli-based employees and is set to rival Nvidia’s Israeli-based Mellanox.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bk5eooyz1g
Touchless control
Israel’s Wearable Devices Ltd (see here previously) has partnered with US-based Qualcomm Technologies to integrate its Mudra Band AI-powered wristband into Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Spaces XR Developer Platform. It will boost development of virtual and augmented reality devices and apps.
https://ats.org/ats-news/israeli-startup-collaborates-with-u-s-tech-firm-on-touchless-control/
https://nocamels.com/2024/02/israeli-startup-collaborates-with-us-tech-firm-on-touchless-control/
https://www.wearabledevices.co.il/
Decarbonizing the steel industry
Israel’s Helios (see here previously) is to trial its green iron clean energy process with Australia’s BlueScope Steel. The steel industry currently accounts for some 10% of global carbon emissions.
Decarbonizing desalination and more
Israel’s MOZAICO is developing an electrolysis process to remove limescale and other marine debris from coastal desalination plants and power plants. It can boost desalination and power production efficiency, absorb CO2, and generate pure calcium carbonate for industrial use.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/technion-startup-aims-to-keep-coastal-industry-systems-clean-while-capturing-co%E2%82%82/
Purifying emissions
Israel’s Clairion (ex-MercuRemoval) has reduced the cost of cleaning biogas and other gas emissions by 50%. Clairion’s Sulkan solution transforms biogas into a commercial renewable energy source, using a novel catalytic liquid technology and unique absorption and separation processes.
https://www.israel21c.org/a-stable-green-way-to-make-biogas-a-viable-energy-source/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Property management company worth $500 million
Israeli property management platform DoorLoop has raised $100 million from US JMI Equity, valuing the company at around half a billion dollars. DoorLoop currently employs 160 people, including 60 in Israel and is looking to recruit some 240 more, mainly in Israel.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/b1sszfagkl
Checkpoint surges
Israeli cybersecurity Checkpoint’s revenue last quarter was $635 million, with operating profits over $200 million. The company is now valued at a massive $22 billion, up 36% since January.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/vjr2dg3rr
The best places to work in Israel
Chipmaker giant Nvidia has overtaken Microsoft as the best tech firm to work for in Israel, as ranked by Dun & Bradstreet. Workplace management platform Monday.com is 3rd. Nvidia’s focus on its staff during the war boosted it from 8th place last year. Israel has 47,000+ tech workers.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-a-year-of-war-nvidia-overtakes-microsoft-as-best-firm-to-work-for-in-israel-db/
Exits, mergers & acquisitions – to 3/11/24:
Sweden’s Sanalabs.com has acquired Israeli AI workflow automation startup Ctrl. Salesforce is acquiring Israeli data management startup Zoomin Software.
Startup investment – to 3/11/24:
Israeli-founded Armis Security raised $200 million; Melio raised $150 million; Doorloop raised $100 million; Zenity raised $38 million; OneStep raised $36 million; Stream.Security raised $30 million; Innoventric raised $28.5 million; Noma Security raised $25 million; Decart raised $21 million; BiltOn raised $15 million; MIND.io raised $11 million; Vensica Medical raised $11 million; Matia.io raised $10.5 million; Veras AI raised $7.6 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Read all about it – Israel’s philanthropy
Israel’s Aviva Klompas used to write speeches for Israeli ambassadors at the United Nations. She has written a book, “Stand-Up Nation: Israeli Resilience in the Wake of Disaster.” about Israel’s history of international aid, even when it was an impoverished nation itself.
https://www.jns.org/former-un-speechwriter-pens-book-on-israels-global-aid-work-even-when-desperately-poor/ https://posthillpress.com/book/stand-up-nation-israeli-resilience-in-the-wake-of-disaster
100th anniversary of Ephraim Kishon
Ephraim Kishon was Israel’s most famous humorist and satirist. A recent nostalgic evening in Tel Aviv celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of the creative genius who wrote such iconic pearls as Salach Shabbati, The Policeman Azulai, and The Histadrut Building.
https://blog.nli.org.il/en/kishon/
Israeli chess record shattered
1,000+ chess players of all levels gathered at Safron Square, Jerusalem, in a display of resilience, unity, solidarity. It marked the end of the Israel Chess Federation tournament. Each of the 50 Israeli master played against 20 players simultaneously.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-822572
Extreme bike race in a war
Bara Epic Israel 18-21/9/2024 was a 4-day mountain bike stage race (prologue and 3 stages). The race village was on the grounds of Nachsholim Hotel which is located on the Hof Dor coast. The state of war didn’t stop hundreds of riders from participating.
https://www.epicisrael.org.il/en/
Israel’s acrobatic gymnasts
The 2024 Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships was held in Guimarães, Portugal. In the medal table, Israel finished in 6th place (above the likes of the USA and UK), with a total of 8 silver medals and 3 bronze medals.
https://www.instagram.com/followteamisrael/p/DADU-fftzqg/?img_index=1
THE JEWISH STATE
Elevator project is underway
The Western Wall Elevator project will make the holy site more accessible by saving visitors the effort of negotiating 142 steps or taking a long walk around the city walls. Two elevators, will each carry up to 30 visitors between the 85-foot gap separating the Jewish Quarter from the Kotel.
https://www.jns.org/elevator-project-of-kindness-to-make-western-wall-more-accessible/
Simchat Torah in Jerusalem
Despite the war and the anniversary of the events on Simchat Torah last year, Jews joyously celebrated the festivals of Simchat Torah and Sukkot in Jerusalem to show our defiance of the evil plans of our enemies.
https://rjstreets.com/2024/10/27/15-simchat-torah-highlights-in-jerusalem/
Huge number of archeological relics found in 2024
120 Israeli archeological sites were excavated last year, uncovering tens of thousands of historical relics. Countless artifacts, from the Second Temple era and the Late Roman period, were uncovered across Israel in 2024, including a ship, roads, rings and stone seals.
https://www.jns.org/israel-ten-of-thousands-of-archaeological-relics-uncovered-in-2024/
Ancient city discovered
A 5,000-year-old settlement, providing a view of the beginning of the urbanization process in the Land of Israel, was discovered in the Israel Antiquities Authority excavations near Beit Shemesh at the site of Hurvat Husham.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/398264
A model to indigenous peoples
Native American couple Chief Joseph and Amb. Dr. Laralyn RiverWind understand that Jews are indigenous to the land of Israel. They say the Jews are an example to them for how a people should stay strong and defend their land. Joseph even discovered his ancestors were Jewish.
First Birthright trip for autistic volunteers
Birthright Israel brought 12 adult volunteers to Israel, all either on the autistic spectrum and/or with other non-physical disabilities. In addition to agricultural work, the group’s 10-day visit included volunteer activities where they helped pack up food and supplies.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Netanya welcomes new immigrants
My home city of Netanya was the destination that took most Olim (immigrants) this year with over 4,700 new Olim becoming residents here. It surpassed Tel Aviv (4,480), Haifa (3,870) and Jerusalem (2,260).
https://www.
How to help Israel
Here are some sites where newsletter readers can donate to Israeli organizations that provide vital help to Israelis at this difficult time. Many thanks to those who have already contributed and to those who are helping by donating their own valuable time and resources.
Friends of the IDF (US donors): https://www.fidf.org/
or IDF Soldiers Fund in Israel: https://www.ufis.org.il/en/
American Friends of Magen David Adom (US donors): https://afmda.org/
or Magen David Adom (Israel): https://www.mdais.org/en/
Zaka (US donors): https://donate.zakatelaviv.
or (Canadian donors): https://www.canadahelps.org/
United Hatzalah: https://israelrescue.org/
Leket Food Israel: https://www.leket.org/en/
JNF USA – https://my.jnf.org/gaza-
Orthodox Union – https://www.charidy.com/
Schneider Children’s Hospital: https://www.fos.org.il/en/
https://system.smartgiving.
https://chaischneider.org/
Rambam Medical Center (Haifa) https://aforam.org/ways-to-
https://www.rambam.org.il/en/
Hadassah Hospital Israel: https://www.hadassah.org/
Laniado Hospital (Netanya) https://my.israelgives.org/en/
Buy Israel Bonds to support the Jewish State. (TY Larry B)
https://www.
USA – https://www.israelbonds.com/
Europe – https://israelbondsintl.com/
Canada – https://www.israelbonds.ca/
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