Saturday, March 23, 2024

All You Need To Know. Need More Like Him. American Betrayal. Rafah Blunder. Revive American Dream. Good News Israel.

All you need know.

We need more like him!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The American betrayal of Israel
The suggestion that Israel is no better than Hamas is a pernicious lie spread by those who want Israel gone. 
By Melanie Phillips

Melanie Phillips, a British journalist, broadcaster and author, writes a weekly column for JNS. Currently a columnist for The Times of London, her personal and political memoir, Guardian Angel, has been published by Bombardier, which also published her first novel, The Legacy, in 2018. To access her work, go to: melaniephillips.substack.com.

(JNS) As some of us have long feared and that has now become undeniable, Israel is fighting not one but two wars of defense against a malevolent foe.

The first is against the axis of Iran and its proxies: Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis of Yemen. The second is against America.

The Biden administration is to construct a pier off the Gaza shore to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. This week, Israeli TV’s Channel 14 reported that, astoundingly, the Americans have handed over the financing and management of this pier to Qatar, the founder, funder and protector of Hamas and therefore the godfather of the Oct. 7 pogrom.

Channel 14 said the Qataris demanded that the new pier be built by a Gaza company named Al Hissi, which is controlled by Hamas.

Giving Qatar control of this pier would ensure Hamas continues to exist, enrich itself and attack Israel with an open route into Gaza. As Yigal Carmon, the founder of MEMRI, has written in horror: “The U.S. has flipped sides, from Israel to Qatar.”

America could end this war tomorrow by telling the Qataris that unless they instruct Hamas to surrender and release the hostages, Qatar will forfeit its preferential treatment by the United States and will henceforth be treated instead as an international pariah.

Instead, America is feeding Israel into the Qatari jaws. The outcome, writes Carmon, will be escalation into a total regional war by Iran not only against Israel but America.

America’s action is so preposterous it’s hard to believe. Yet in any event, the Biden administration has already pivoted from supporting the destruction of Hamas to working for its ultimate victory.

The administration has been relentlessly pressuring Israel to admit more and more aid into Gaza, accusing it falsely of stopping the trucks and ignoring the fact that most of this aid is being stolen by Hamas to enable it to survive at the expense of the needy civilian population.

The United States is determined to impose rule in post-war Gaza by the Palestinian Authority, despite the fact that the Palestinian Authority’s ruling party, Fatah, has exulted at the Oct. 7 pogrom and declared that it will continue such attacks.

The administration is determined to impose upon Israel a Palestine state, even though this would become another “Hamastan” and place central Israel in grave danger of Oct. 7-style attacks on steroids.

And with Israel now poised to attack the last redoubt of Hamas in Rafah, which is key to the defeat of this genocidal enemy, America is subjecting Israel to intense pressure to abandon this final front of the war.

A common explanation for this shocking American reversal is that, in this election year, President Joe Biden has to play to the anti-Israel gallery in the Democratic Party.

Maybe so; but rather more significant is the endemic hostility to Israel within the administration, and above all, its pathological hatred of Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, whom the administration is astonishingly trying to push out.

New York Magazine has reported an Israeli expert frequently consulted by U.S. officials saying, “I have been asked by a serious administration figure what it is that will force the Netanyahu coalition to collapse. They were interested in the mechanics, what can we demand which will collapse his coalition.”

The National Threat Assessment by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence presents Netanyahu’s opposition to “territorial compromise” with the Palestinian Arabs as a threat to peace, and envisages that public protest may oust him from power by “a different, more moderate government.”

This is not only an outrageous attempt to oust the democratically elected leader of a sovereign country. It’s also based on a fundamental error.

The Biden administration doesn’t understand that, despite widespread opposition to Netanyahu over his domestic record, Israel is united in support of going into Rafah to defeat Hamas. It’s also united, post-Oct. 7, in opposition to a Palestinian state.

But having invested Netanyahu with diabolical qualities, American liberals believe that if only he could be removed Israel would meekly fall into line with U.S. demands.

This was illustrated last week by the Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. In a shocking statement, he called for an Israeli election “once the war starts to wind down” to oust Netanyahu.

Far worse, Schumer parroted the blood libels being used to demonize Israel by its enemies. Claiming to be one of the Jews who “love Israel in our bones,” he stated in the next breath: “I’m anguished that the Israeli war campaign has killed so many innocent Palestinians. I know that my fellow Jewish Americans feel the same anguish when they see the images of dead and starving children—and destroyed homes.”

Every civilian death in wartime is tragic. But “so many innocents” is based on Hamas casualty figures that inflate the numbers and totally omit the Hamas forces they include.

Even more nauseatingly, Schumer smeared Israel still further by intoning: “We must be better than our enemies, lest we become them.”

The suggestion that Israel is no better than Hamas is a pernicious lie spread by those who want Israel gone. In fact, Israel’s ratio of civilians to combatants killed is fewer than 1.5 civilians for every one combatant, far better than any other country’s army has ever achieved.

Israel is not just fighting to defend itself against genocide. It is on the front line of the West’s defense against its enemies and the defense of civilization against barbarism.

Western liberals can’t acknowledge this because they can’t allow their unchallengeable orthodoxies of Palestinian Arab powerlessness, “peace processes” and Western iniquity to be destroyed. So they have turned on the Jews. Jewish suffering has to be erased because it gets in the way of the narrative.

That’s why the eruption of Palestinianism throughout the West is so shattering. People wonder why the forests of Palestinian Arab flags at the incendiary anti-Israel demonstrations are in themselves so intimidating.

It’s because the Palestine Arab cause is not two states side by side. Palestinian Arab identity consists entirely of the intention to eradicate Israel by the hijack and appropriation of Jewish history. Palestinianism stands for the erasure of Jewish national identity and wiping the Jewish people out of their own historic homeland.

That’s why anti-Israel thugs have ripped apart a painting in Cambridge University of Arthur Balfour, the British prime minister who gave his name to the 1917 declaration of British support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine. It’s why people across the West have been ripping down the posters of the Israeli hostages. They are all trying to rip Israel and the Jews out of their headspace and their world altogether.

That’s why the betrayal by Schumer and American Jews who still support the Democratic Party and its Israel-bashing agenda is so devastating.

According to the Oxford University Press Dictionary of American Family Names, “Schumer” derives from a German word that means a “good-for-nothing.”

Schumer claims instead that his name derives from the Hebrew shomer, or “guardian”; and so he boasts to be the shomer of Jewish values. “What horrifies so many Jews especially,” he said, “is our sense that Israel is falling short of upholding these distinctly Jewish values that we hold so dear.”

How dare he. He is not a shomer. What has horrified so many is that Schumer and other liberal American Jews who are taking aim at Israel’s “right-wing” are using “Jewish values” as a shield behind which they are betraying Israel and the Jewish people and delivering them to their enemies.

Along with the shills for Israel’s surrender in the Biden administration, they present an obscene and disgusting spectacle.

“In every generation,” say the Jews at Passover, “they rise up against us.” To the enemies of the Jewish people today—Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran—we must add the Biden administration, Chuck Schumer and the liberal Jewish fifth column.

And:

Former Shin Bet chief: Give them a state? That would be a catastrophic disaster'

Former Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen warns against a Palestinian state: We need to explain to the world that we are dealing with a population that behaves in barbaric and sadistic manners.
By Yoram Cohen

Former Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) chief Yoram Cohen told Channel 12 News in an interview on Saturday night that he is "closer than ever" to joining politics, but added that he has not yet made a final decision on the matter.

On the issue of defeating Hamas in Gaza, Cohen said, "Our definitions for the end of the war should be that the leadership of Hamas does not control Gaza – whether they are dead, imprisoned or in exile. If they decide to go to Algeria or Qatar, I don't see it as a problem. Hamas has suffered a severe but not yet fatal blow. If they still have six battalions - it is not a fatal blow. If we reach a situation where the fighting stops and six Hamas battalions remain, we will have two problems: They will go wherever they want to control in the future and if an international force or someone else enters, they will encounter the armed battalions."

"It is important to topple the rule of Hamas and also to harm Hamas," explained Cohen. "Today we have two levers that we cannot lose. One - the threat of the strength of the IDF in preparation for the fighting and the conquering of Rafah. Two - the fact that the IDF is at the Netzarim checkpoint and is delaying the entry of people from the south to the north - this is a dramatic lever and we cannot give up these two things before the hostages come home."

Asked what Hamas would consider as a defeat, Cohen replied, "Taking land from them would cause them very serious harm. The second thing is to topple the [Hamas] government. We will probably remain inside the territory until the Hamas rule no longer exists and there will be a security reality, I hope by agreement, in the Philadelphi route in cooperation with the US and with the consent of Egypt."

Cohen commented on the great support among the Palestinian Arabs in Judea and Samaria for the brutal massacre by Hamas, saying, "We need to explain to the world that we are dealing with a population that behaves in barbaric and sadistic manners and that giving them a state, also in Judea and Samaria, would be a diplomatic disaster as well as a security catastrophe for us."

He stressed the importance of bringing the hostages home, noting that "I trust the Israeli team and the political echelon." Cohen noted that a deal must not risk the lives of Israeli residents.

And more:

Blinken’s Rafah blunder

The U.S. secretary of state’s warnings to Israel are music to Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar’s ears. Opinion.
Posted by Ruthie Blum

Ruthie Blum, an author and award-winning columnist, is a former adviser at the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

(JNS) In a press conference on Thursday in Cairo, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated his opposition to an Israeli ground operation in Rafah, saying that such a move would be a “mistake.”

An invasion into the southern Gaza city, he stated, was “unnecessary” to achieving the goal of defeating Hamas. This attitude, which the Biden administration has been expressing with increasing fervor, runs counter to Israeli assessments.

It has become the key bone of contention between Washington and Jerusalem since the start of the Oct. 7 war, spurred by a massacre of Jews that hadn’t been seen since the Holocaust.

Other disagreements—surrounding the use of Israeli force, civilian Palestinian Arab casualties and plans for “the day after”—have been mild in comparison. Or at least they’ve been treated by Israel as arguments that can be addressed through a presentation of the facts.

This hasn’t been simply a tactical ploy to avert discord. On the contrary, the justice of destroying the genocidal terrorist organization that controls territory along Israel’s southern border and vows to repeat the atrocities of Oct. 7 “again and again and again” is irrefutable.

Anyone disputing Israel’s duty to eradicate Hamas—for the survival of the Jewish state, as well as for the benefit of the region and the world—is on the wrong side of history. Period.

Furthermore, Israel has the data to support the extreme measures it employs to avoid non-combatant deaths in Gaza. It has proof of the huge quantities of humanitarian aid entering the Strip. It also has evidence of its efforts to prevent Hamas from stealing the goods.

Blinken is fully aware of the above. He is equally cognizant that the war would end in an instant if Hamas surrendered unconditionally and released the remaining 134 hostages, among them U.S. citizens, held in its sadistic, sexually abusive captivity.

But since the only pressure Hamas understands is that exerted by Israel Defense Forces bombs and troops, America’s top diplomat has no recourse but to powwow with Qatar and Egypt. The former has close ties with Iran and provides refuge for “exiled” Hamas bigwigs.

The latter shares a border with Gaza. Though porous enough to have enabled the flow of materials for the construction of hundreds of miles of Hamas terror tunnels, meaning Egypt bears responsibility for October 7, it has been totally impenetrable for Gaza residents who wish to leave.

Has Blinken raised these issues during his shuttle diplomacy excursions to the Middle East to “mediate” a deal for the release of the hostages that involves a halt in the fighting? Of course not.

No, “as a Jew,” he’s been too busy warning Israel about the “humanitarian crisis” in Gaza and pushing for a “sustained” ceasefire. You know, to persuade Hamas to free the innocent men, women and children whom it mercilessly abducted from their homes and a neighboring music festival nearly half a year ago.

The Israeli War Cabinet’s adamant about going into Rafah—to wipe out the last Hamas battalions and locate the hostages—is thus especially inconvenient. Hence, Blinken and his boss in the White House are promoting a fantasy as far-fetched as the “two-state solution” and nuclear agreement with Iran: that Hamas can be destroyed by “other means.”

Apparently, they think that it’s possible to win this war without killing any more terrorists or the human shields behind whom they hide. Talk about music to Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar’s ears.

No wonder his ultimate demand is for a full IDF withdrawal from Gaza and continued Hamas reign in the enclave. He doesn’t want to agree to a temporary ceasefire in exchange for hostages.

His having done so in November was due to two factors. One was IDF might. The other was the assumption that Israel wouldn’t have the wherewithal or legitimacy to resume fighting.

He was right about the first and wrong about the second. Today, however, thanks to U.S. admonitions about Rafah, Sinwar has cause to up any ante on offer.

It’s not clear, then, what Blinken meant by announcing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and in Egypt the following day that the “gaps are narrowing” in the negotiations. Perhaps he explained how he reached that baseless conclusion when he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel.

And Netanyahu would do well to point out how unwise it is—particularly with a new round of talks kicking off in Doha—to make pronouncements that embolden Sinwar and raise false hopes for the desperate families of the hostages.
++++++++++++++++++++
The Best Way to Fight Anti-Semitism is to Revive the American Dream

The fact is, America today is broken, and the more it is broken, the worse it is for the Jews.
By David Suissa
 

One way to fight Jew hatred is to identify, condemn and punish the haters. We do plenty of that already, which makes sense. When it comes to real haters, the stick works a lot better than the carrot.

But focusing only on fighting for our side carries its own risks. For one thing, it diminishes the American Jewish brand. We have a tendency to look reactive, insecure and insular.

This goes against the classic image of the popular and confident American Jews who helped build America. What happened to those Jews, one might ask?

In the current maelstrom of the Jew hatred that has spread like a virus, that venerable Jewish archetype is nowhere to be found. Most Jews now fight to help their own. America can wait.

That may be an understandable impulse, but it’s not sufficient. It overlooks a bigger opportunity, a bigger calling.

The fact is, America today is broken, and the more it is broken, the worse it is for the Jews.

“Success” has been replaced by “white privilege.” Skin color now determines moral status. Meritocracy has given way to misplaced discrimination, education to indoctrination. Social progress is ignored to promote a version of America that is irredeemably flawed. Extreme partisanship has replaced difficult problem-solving, commitment to narrative has replaced a search for truth, and loyalty to party has replaced loyalty to country.

America is no longer that place where everyone is encouraged to work for their dreams. Among too many, permanent victimhood is the new aspiration.

The good intentions behind this new America—fairness, justice, inclusion, diversity, etc.—were so misused and distorted they ended up eroding the very values on which this country was founded.

Those values, let’s remember, have a lot to do with the Jews. As Bret Stephens writes in Sapir, “It’s hard to overstate the extent to which the United States is founded on ideals that are philosemitic by conviction, design, and effect.”

Stephens touches on a notion that has gotten lost in our post-Oct. 7 battles: the friendship between the Jews and America. “Like all great friendships,” he writes, “the one between America and the Jews rests on a foundation of shared values and aspirations.”

We need to revive those values and aspirations, because they are as Jewish as they are American. The American Dream and the Jewish Dream are bonded at the hip.

“America’s Jews rose because we are blessed with a culture that values education, initiative, rectitude, hard work, personal responsibility, and full participation in the society of which we are a part,” Stephens writes. “We rose, too, because, for the most part, the broader American society respected and even revered Jewish heritage instead of reviling it, and admired Jewish success instead of envying it.”

Given that American values and Jewish values are so intertwined, Jews are the ideal people to help revive those values in a fair and decent way. That’s why we can’t allow our immediate fight against antisemitism to make us forget our long tradition of fighting to make America better.

“America looked to the Jewish story as an indication of divine blessing, and therefore as a source of inspiration for the sort of country America was called to be,” Rabbi Meir Soloveichik writes in his recent essay, “What Jews Mean to America.”

At a time when both America and the Jews are hurting, Jews have an opportunity to renew their mission of being an inspiration for the sort of country America was called to be. The Jewish fight is the American fight. Recent polls show that Jews still have major support throughout much of the country, regardless of the propaganda spread by the haters. We can build on that support.

We can’t allow our immediate fight against antisemitism to make us forget our long tradition of fighting to make America better.

While we continue our fight against the haters and in defense of Israel, let’s incorporate the theme of “Jews for America” in our activism and communal planning. America must be reminded how much we care about this blessed nation, and Jews must be reminded that reviving the American Dream is good for America and good for the Jews.
++++++++++++++++++
 Ordman's Good New Israel!

In Praise of Women - Israel's Positive Newsletter 
Jews around the world have just heard how Queen Esther saved the Jewish people from annihilation over 2,000 years ago. This week, the positive Israeli news is full of the achievements of Israeli women.
 
They include the discoverer of a treatment for a common eye disease. 
Three women who developed a test for newborns at risk of disabilities. 
The Oct 7 survivor who is back on her feet thanks to Israeli technology. 
Technion’s first female dean of aerospace engineering.
The winner of the “Nobel Prize” for Electrical Engineering.
And the founder of an NGO that has brought water & electricity to 1,100 African villages.
 
Read also about an Israeli startup that uses AI to increase fertility, and how the Technion is encouraging young mothers to join the ranks of future entrepreneurs.


Please recommend www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com and forward this email to friends, family and colleagues and especially to any individuals who you think need to know about the good work that Israel does.

In the 24th Mar 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
  
 If someone wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should either click here or send a request (with their name) to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com

 
POSITIVE NEWS DURING A WAR
 
Israel Prize for heroes. The Israel Prize for civilian heroism will be awarded to Menachem & Elchanan Kalmanson and Itiel Zohar, for saving over 100 lives on Oct 7. They named themselves “Team Elchanan” in honor of Elchanan Kalmanson, who died in the rescue operation.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/heroic-civilians-to-receive-israel-prize-for-saving-nearly-a-100-people-on-oct-7th/
 
Bedouin Arab policeman rescues hundreds. On Oct 7 Police Sgt. Remo Salman El-Hozayel, a member of the southern Israel Bedouin community, drove hundreds of Nova partygoers to safety in a small, abandoned car he found after Hamas blew his up with a grenade. He later returned the car to its owner who had escaped on foot.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/california-synagogue-leases-space-to-muslim-group-werent-expecting-this-result-2/
 
Technion UK solidarity trip to Israel. UK readers can join Technion UK (May 6 – 10), for the “Solidarity trip to Israel”. Experience Israel’s innovative spirit firsthand through privileged encounters with pioneering startups, interactive sessions at the Technion Institute and adventure into the heart of Israel’s past, present, and future.
https://technionuk.org/event/solidarity-trip-to-israel/
 
Directing $800 million of donations to Israel. (TY Yanky) North American Jewish response to the Gaza war has been phenomenal. Jeff Schoenfeld, co-chair of the Israel Emergency Allocations Committee, is busy allocating $800 million of funds raised by Jewish Federations of North America and other institutions.
https://jweekly.com/2024/03/13/the-man-directing-800m-in-post-oct-7-donations-to-israel-on-where-the-money-goes/
 
 
ISRAEL’S  MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
 
Another approach to curing Alzheimer's? (TY Nevet) In 2023, Bar-Ilan University Prof Shai Rahimipour (see here previously) worked with Canadian scientists on a peptide therapy for Alzheimer’s disease. Now he is working with Italian scientists developing nanoparticles to attack an early version of the Amyloid-beta protein.
https://tps.co.il/articles/nanotechnology-breakthrough-could-transform-alzheimers-care/ 
 
New pathway for treating wet AMD.  Prof. Ofra Benny, cofounder and CSO of Israel’s Orsight, has developed a small molecule that (in lab tests) stops the formation of excess blood vessels in the eye, thus preventing the worst effects of wet AMD. It also has prospects for use in cutting off blood supply to tumors.
https://www.israel21c.org/orsights-novel-amd-drug-may-preserve-sight/
https://ngt-healthcare2.com/orsight-pharma/
 
Linking heart disease to cancer. (TY Nevet & UWI) Researchers at Tel Aviv University and Sheba Medical Center found that a diseased heart releases bubbles, called extracellular vesicles (sEVs). These travel through the bloodstream and promote the growth of cancer cells. Spironolactone stops sEVs and prevents cancer.
https://tps.co.il/articles/israeli-researchers-uncover-biological-pathway-between-heart-disease-and-cancer/
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.123.066911
 
Saliva tests can prevent lifelong disabilities. (TY Nevet) Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection causes (often lifelong) health problems for one in every 1,000 newborns in the USA. Hadassah / Hebrew Uni researchers have developed an efficient cCMV PCR saliva-based screening test for early detection & treatment.
https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-791556 
https://www.hadassah.org/story/newborn-saliva-screen-could-revolutionize-ccmv-protocol
 
Innovative tech gets survivor back on her feet. Neta from Kibbutz Kfar Aza was badly wounded by Hamas on Oct 7. Technion doctors created a unique orthotic device tailored specifically for Neta based on 3D scans of her leg, to aid her in walking while her ankle is unable to bear weight. It allows for adjustment as her leg heals.
https://technionuk.org/news-post/a-new-step-toward-healing-with-innovative-orthotic-technology/
 
New technologies for treating wounded. (TY Nevet) Doctors at Hadassah’s hospitals in Jerusalem are using the latest technologies, like robot-assisted surgeries, 3D printing, and computer games, to treat wounded soldiers and civilians.  A robot can extract a bullet easily, without damage to other organs.
https://www.hadassah.org/story/voa-hadassah-treats-wounded-using-advanced-technology
https://www.voanews.com/a/israeli-medical-technology-helps-treat-save-soldiers/7508578.html
 
Increasing fertility with AI. Israel’s FertilAI has developed Fertilane – an AI platform for clinicians, to offer solutions for better patient care throughout the entire fertility journey. It also includes an app to help patients throughout the complicated process of fertility treatments and to improve clinic-patient communication.
https://www.israel21c.org/fertilais-ai-platform-increases-clinical-fertility-by-8/  https://fertilai.com/
 
 
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
 
Female-friendly Technion. (TY Nevet) This year, 50% of new undergraduate students at Israel’s Technion Institute are women. To encourage more new mothers to enroll, the Technion has installed 18 nursing rooms. They are located in each faculty, as well as in the Student House and the Ulman Building used by all faculties.
https://ats.org/our-impact/the-technion-opens-18-rooms-for-nursing-moms/
 
First female head of aerospace engineering faculty. (TY Nevet) Professor Daniella Raveh is the first woman to become dean of the Israel Technion’s faculty of Aerospace Engineering. An alumna of the faculty, she graduated with honors and went on to earn both a master’s and Ph.D. degree at the Technion.
https://ats.org/our-impact/making-history-first-woman-to-head-the-faculty-of-aerospace-engineering-at-the-technion/    https://ats.org/about/faces-of-the-technion/daniella-raveh/
 
80,000 Muslims pray peacefully at Al-Aqsa. Tens of thousands of Moslems peacefully worshipped in the compound of the Al-Aqsa mosque on the first Friday prayers of Ramadan. Police reported no unusual incidents, despite Hamas calling for violence. The Islamic Waqf estimated that 80,000 people took part.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-gird-for-first-ramadan-friday-prayers-after-hamas-calls-to-defend-al-aqsa/
 
Medtech hub utilizes Israeli Arab creativity. Israel’s MEDX Xelerator (see here previously) has generated the NorthMed innovation hub in the northern town of Sakhnin. In its first year, NorthMed helped Swift Duct (see here previously) develop its endoscope for navigating the bile duct.
https://nocamels.com/2024/03/medtech-hub-fostering-underutilized-creativity-of-israeli-arabs/  
https://medxelerator.com/
 
Ramadan parade led by Israeli flagbearer. (TY Yanky) The Israeli Bedouin settlement of Bir al-Maksur, which means Broken Well, and is located near the Jezreel Valley. The village held a parade to mark the start of Ramadan. Leading the parade was someone proudly carrying the Israeli flag.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Israel/comments/1bbk7i0/this_is_how_we_welcome_ramadan_in_my_arab_home/
 
“Nobel Prize” for Electrical Engineering. Tel Aviv University Prof. Hagit Messer-Yaron has been awarded the top prize in electrical engineering – IEEE’s Medal for Environmental and Safety Technologies - for her groundbreaking technology that uses existing cellular networks to monitor meteorological phenomena.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/tau-professor-wins-top-electrical-engineering-prize-for-weather-monitoring-work/   https://corporate-awards.ieee.org/wp-content/uploads/env-safety-rl.pdf
 
Still happy despite the war. (TY Nevet) Although at war, Israel is fifth on the World Happiness Report 2024, just one place lower than in 2023 and four higher than in 2022 (see here). The scores are from asking citizens questions about GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/387047
https://tps.co.il/articles/despite-war-israel-ranks-5th-in-world-happiness-report/
https://happiness-report.s3.amazonaws.com/2024/WHR+24.pdf
 
1,000+ African villages. Israeli NGO Innovation: Africa has brought water and electricity to 1,100 villages in Africa. Each village costs $65,000 to provide costs for drilling, solar pump, solar panels, tanks, piping, taps, a 10-meter tower, and remote monitoring.  $20,000 brings light to all school classrooms and teacher’s homes.
https://innoafrica.org/    https://innoafrica.org/projects/
 
 
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
 
Shaping future technology with India. (TY Nevet) Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed a strategic partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi to foster research initiatives through collaborative projects, training programs, and research consultancy.
https://tps.co.il/articles/iai-iit-collab/
 
Sensing food that has gone bad.  Israel’s Sensifi promises to revolutionize pathogen detection. Using an ‘artificial nose’, Sensifi’s tiny sensors – electrodes covered with carbon nanoparticles - enable rapid detection of harmful pathogens like E. Coli and Salmonella in under an hour, far less than current alternatives.
https://nocamels.com/2024/03/artificial-nose-sniffs-out-bacteria-making-your-food-go-bad/
https://www.startuphub.ai/startups/sensifi/
 
Printing on the moon. Israeli 3D printing firm Stratasys is sending its 3D-printed materials on an upcoming lunar mission to test their performance on the surface of the moon. It is part NASA’s Tipping Point which is promoting companies that develop space technologies.
https://nocamels.com/2024/03/3d-printing-firm-testing-how-its-products-perform-on-the-moon/
 
Innovative cooling technology. Israel’s Storage Drop (see here previously) has won a 1 million Euros grant in the EU funding program - HORIZON in the Clean and Efficient Cooling 2023 Track. The system, receiving energy from solar panels, aims to supply electricity to the system to produce 5 TR of cooling 24/7.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-storage-drop-wins-eu-grant-to-develop-innovative-cooling-systems-1001473896
 
Turning Beersheva into Singapore. A comprehensive article about the Synergy7 hub (see here previously) located in the Gav-Yam Advanced Technologies Park in Beersheva. It has just opened its new, first-of-its-kind robotics lab, with specialists from Israel’s Elbit enabling entrepreneurs to gain valuable practical experience.
https://www.israel21c.org/ambitious-new-robotics-lab-opens-in-war-hit-negev/ 
https://www.gavyam-negev.co.il/en/   https://synergy7.co.il/
 
 
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
 
Thousands more foreign workers. (TY Hazel) The Ministry of Housing plans to bring about 40,000 more foreign workers to Israel for jobs in the construction industry. Already some 1,200 Indian workers are in Israel, increasing to 10,000 by end June. Similar numbers will be employed from Georgia, Sri Lanka, and Azerbaijan.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-792325
 
Facts about Canadian trade. (TY Hazel) In his announcement of an arms embargo on sales to Israel, Canada’s Foreign Minister forgot to mention that in the last decade, the Canadian Defense Ministry purchased Israeli weapon systems worth more than a billion dollars. (see also here previously)
https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-792943
 
Israel Resilience Fund invests in 34 companies. Israel’s OurCrowd has announced that commitment by investors to its Israel Resilience Fund had increased to $17 million, enabling it to increase funding to a current total of 34 startups. In addition, PwC Israel will provide business support to portfolio companies in the fund.
https://www.ourcrowd.com/startup-news/pwc-israel-collaborates-with-ourcrowds-israel-resilience-fund-to-support-israels-tech-sector-at-time-of-crisis
 
Europe continues to invest. The tenth Europe Days conference in Tel Aviv (see here previously) featured some 200 Israeli startups and entrepreneurs. All were hoping for investment from the 14 venture capital funds and 18 representatives of companies, authorities, and municipal bodies from Europe.
https://www.israel21c.org/foreign-investors-eye-israeli-startups-at-europe-days/
 
Europe invests in Israeli AI startup. Israel’s NeuReality (see here previously) has raised $20 million including from The European Innovation Council and Israel’s OurCrowd.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-israeli-chip-co-neureality-raises-20m-lincluding-eus-eic-1001474101
 
Securing payments in Africa. (TY OurCrowd) Egyptian-based PAPSS (the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System) has selected Israel’s Thetaray (see here previously) as its anti-money laundering (AML) and screening partner. 
https://nocamels.com/2024/03/egypt-based-pay-platform-taps-israeli-anti-money-laundering-startup/
 
Sports Illustrated is (for 10 years) Israeli.  Israel’s Minute Media has reached a 10-year licensing deal for digital and print rights to publish Sports Illustrated. The Israeli company will oversee all digital and print editorial operations across the SI portfolio.  https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/s1tq0kuap
 
Exits, takeovers and mergers – to 24/3/24: US-based Gitlab is acquiring Israel’s cloud security startup Oxeye for $30-40 million. Israeli-founded Redis has acquired Israel’s Speedb.
 
Startup investment – to 24/3/24: BigID raised $60 million and achieved Unicorn status; NeuReality raised $20 millionEuno raised $6.25 millionIO River raised $5.4 million,
 
 
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
 
International Photography Festival. The 11th International Photography Festival has been rescheduled and will now take place Mar 27 – Apr 6 at the Enav Cultural Center and Ofer Garden complex in Tel Aviv. It is free and includes the Meitar 2024 exhibition, focusing on photographs of the evacuees of the Negev and the Galilee.
https://www.nbn.org.il/events/photo-israel-11th-international-photography-festival/
https://photoisrael.org/en
 
Visit the Israel Museum. There are currently some interesting exhibits and lectures at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Shekels true or false (ends Apr 30); a VR tour of Aleppo’s Great Synagogue. Roman Road in the Desert; The lost album of Yemenite photos;
https://www.imj.org.il/en/current-exhibitions  https://www.imj.org.il/en/exhibitions/shekels-true-or-false  https://www.imj.org.il/en/exhibitions/wonders-deep
https://www.imj.org.il/en/exhibitions/lost-album-jakob-rosner%E2%80%99s-yemenite-photographs
 
International Music Festival. The Felicja Blumental International Music Festival runs Mar 25 – 30 at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. It advertises as “the best of our Israeli songwriters and classical Arabic music, all wrapped within European classical music performed by orchestras and chamber ensembles”.
https://www.nbn.org.il/events/felicja-bloomental-international-music-festival/
https://fbmc.co.il/en/festival/felicja-blumental-festival/
 
Jerusalem in Harmony. The “Emunah” Concert – Jerusalem in Harmony, takes place on Weds Mar 27 at the Jerusalem Theatre. Chazanut, Classics, Broadway, Israeli, and more. Featuring Shai Abramson, Simon Cohen, Halellu Choir, & Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. Proceeds go to the Emunah Centers for Trauma Counselling.
https://www.nbn.org.il/events/the-emunah-concert-jerusalem-in-harmony/
https://www.jso.co.il/en/concert/the-emunah-concert-jerusalem-in-harmony/?bt=1
 
Jerusalem’s new laser light show. The city of Jerusalem has just started its new laser light show along the Tower of David promenade. Through music and visuals, the show tells the story of Jerusalem’s cultural tapestry while offering spectators a panoramic view of the iconic landmarks of Israel’s capital city.
https://www.israel21c.org/jerusalem-debuts-spectacular-laser-light-and-sound-show/
https://www.jwire.com.au/lasers-light-up-jerusalem-night-sky/
 
Cycling team wins Tour de Taiwan. (TY WIN) Israel Premier - Tech cycling team continued its success at the Tour de Taiwan. After winning the first stage last week (see here previously) it won the overall team event after clinching the 5th and final stage in Kaohsiung City. The team’s 13th win of the year already beats 2023.
https://tps.co.il/articles/israeli-cycling-team-clinches-overall-victory-in-tour-de-taiwan/
 
The Israelis heading for the Paris Paralympics. Israel has 15 athletes so far in its team for August’s Paris Paralympics.  Israel won nine medals at the 2021 games – eight of them in the swimming events.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-paralympic-team-so-far-15-athletes-heading-to-paris/
 
 
THE JEWISH STATE
 
2,000-year-old hideout from the Romans. (TY UWI & WIN) Israeli archaeologists have discovered an extensive underground complex at Huqoq in the Galilee, just north of Tiberias, dating from the First Jewish Revolt against the Roman Empire in 66 - 70 CE. It had been converted from a 2nd Temple period water cistern.
https://www.jns.org/2000-year-old-refuge-complex-found-near-sea-of-galilee/
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/386913
 
Virtual tour – the return to Zion. An immersive virtual tour (one-hour on Zoom) exploring the profound impact of Persian rule on ancient Israel and its enduring influence on the symbols of Zionism.
https://www.nbn.org.il/events/virtual-tour-the-return-to-zion-post-purim/
https://www.museumtours.co.il/event-details/virtual-tour-return-to-zion
 
Solidarity mission to Israel. This May, join the Friends of the IDF for a truly unforgettable mission to spend Israel's Memorial Day and Independence Day on Israeli soil with her protectors. Spend Shabbat in Jerusalem; private meeting with Israel’s President; Yom haZikaron at the Kotel; Yom Ha’Azmaut with IDF soldiers.
https://www.fidf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Israel-Mission-May-Itinerary.pdf
 
Global hour of Jewish Unity. A global service of solidarity on Mar 21 was streamed live from the Kotel (Western Wall). The hour of psalms and please for the release of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas culminated with the simultaneous recitation of the Shema prayer.  Also see the connection between Purim and this war.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiS5dprr0jU  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFIKFnWNHzg
https://www.jns.org/thousands-attend-western-wall-prayer-service-for-the-hostages/
 
Jerusalem’s first Purim parade in 4 decades. Despite the war, Jerusalem will host its first Purim parade since 1982 on Shushan Purim 25th March. It will include 30 floats and seven musical stages along the 1km downtown route. Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion said it is “a victory of spirit and standing strong”.
https://www.jns.org/jerusalem-to-hold-first-purim-parade-since-1982/
 
 
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/donation-en/  (select the English speakers’ option)
 
American Friends of Magen David Adom (US donors): https://afmda.org/
or Magen David Adom (Israel): https://www.mdais.org/en/donation
 
Zaka (US donors):  https://donate.zakatelaviv.org/give/525578/  or (Israeli donors): https://charidy.com/zaka  
or (Canadian donors): https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/bellevue-foundation/
 
United Hatzalah: https://israelrescue.org/campaign/israel-at-war-2/  or Canada https://www.uhcanada.org/
Leket Food Israel: https://www.leket.org/en/
JNF USA - https://my.jnf.org/gaza-emergency/Donate  or Canada https://jnf.ca/
Orthodox Union - https://www.charidy.com/ouisraelcrisis
 
Schneider Children’s Hospital: https://www.fos.org.il/en/donate (Israelis)
https://system.smartgiving.org.uk/charities/8530/make-donation (UK) 
https://chaischneider.org/donate/ (USA)
 
Hadassah Hospital Israel: https://www.hadassah.org/
Laniado Hospital (Netanya) https://my.israelgives.org/en/fundme/EmergencyLaniado
 
And many more charities here:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/where-people-abroad-can-donate-to-israels-hospitals-troops-survivors-and-more/  https://chesedtoday.com/campaigns/soldiers/ (Warm winter clothes for Israeli soldiers)
 
Buy Israel Bonds to support the Jewish State. (TY Larry B)
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/state-of-israel-bonds
USA - https://www.israelbonds.com/
Europe - https://israelbondsintl.com/
Canada - https://www.israelbonds.ca/
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 

 

No comments: