The coronavirus is the only topic of global importance at the moment and its eradication is the focus of thousands of Israeli scientists, researchers, medics, entrepreneurs, investors, politicians, volunteers and others. Meanwhile, many more Israelis are working to make life as tolerable as possible for everyone.
The photo is of the Jerusalem Headquarters of Israel's Emergency Service Magen David Adom. MDA is at the forefront of coronavirus testing throughout Israel.
Best regards
Michael
In the 29th Mar 20 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
- Hundreds of Israeli companies, academics and NGOs are working to combat coronavirus.
- Top Israeli companies are donating cash to help fight coronavirus.
- Israeli tech advances are just some of the positive effects of the coronavirus.
- Israeli microgreens contain concentrated immune system-boosting nutrients.
- The Internet is full of Israeli ideas for things to do while in isolation.
- El AL flew its longest-ever flight, to bring home 230 Israelis from Australia.
- Prayers for rain have filled the Sea of Galilee – and are now tackling coronavirus.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Over 70 Israeli companies fight coronavirus. (TY UWI & Algermeiner) Israeli non-profit Startup Nation Central (SNC) has created a comprehensive directory of more than 70 relevant Israeli med-tech startups that are helping combat COVID-19. The areas are treatment, diagnostics, prevention, monitoring, and social.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3803022,00.html
https://finder.startupnationcentral.org/startups/search?list_1_action=and&list_1_tag=coronavirus
Hebrew U and coronavirus. Anti-coronavirus research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem includes: a genetic biobank to help prevent its spread, faster diagnostic kits, boosting the immune system, developing new proteins as a basis for a vaccine and treatments to block infection and reduce tissue damage.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-university-mobilizes-faculty-to-battle-coronavirus/
Ben Gurion U and coronavirus. A summary of 15 of 50+ projects that Israel’s Ben Gurion University has launched to mitigate COVID-19 or its repercussions. Highlights are neutralizing antibodies, anti-viral air filters, emergency drones, automatic sanitizers and anti-viral microalgae. And 100+ students help at Soroka hospital.
https://aabgu.org//wp-content/uploads/2020/03/BGU-COVID-19-Response-Projects-3-19-25.pdf
https://in.bgu.ac.il/en/pages/news/corona_labvolunteers.aspx
Technion and coronavirus. Israel’s Technion Institute has 20 labs working on solutions for coronavirus. It has 4 diagnostic testing projects, 2 projects developing vaccines, 4 therapeutics projects and 7 projects developing aids for medical teams. Plus, numerous emergency projects. You can even join its voice study (click here)
https://www.technion.ac.il/en/2020/03/technion-researchers-covid-19/ https://vocalishealth.com/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-startup-aims-to-identify-coronavirus-carriers-using-their-voice/
Israeli startups in the age of coronavirus. Great Forbes article listing many Israeli companies working on coronavirus-related products and services. Not previously reported include SaNOtize (nasal spray), Pulm-One (lung function test), MagniLearn (distance learning) and Kemtai (virtual personal trainer that can see you)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/gilpress/2020/03/18/israeli-startups-join-the-fight-against-coronavirus/
https://www.sanotize.com/product-pipeline https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBUQVs7B9k
https://www.pulm-one.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OwxrDbCr2Q
http://www.magnilearn.com/ https://get.kemtai.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2ohhuSRopo
More detail on Israeli coronavirus med-tech. This article focuses on six Israeli startups. RADLogics (diagnoses lung infection), Sight Diagnostics (blood test), Kamada (antibodies), Clew Medical (severity monitoring), EarlySense (home monitoring) and Geneyx Genomex (genetic resistance analysis).
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3803020,00.html
http://radlogics.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro50KjWWbXg
https://geneyx.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvjpxVNsLK4
Coronavirus vaccine from recovered patients. Israel’s Kamada is developing a treatment against the coronavirus derived from the blood-plasma of patients who have recovered from the disease and are in convalescence. Kamada says that the plasma is likely to contain antibodies that can be the basis for a vaccine.
https://www.jpost.com/HEALTH-SCIENCE/Israeli-company-Kamada-working-on-passive-vaccine-for-coronavirus-621333
Intelligent testing for pathogens. Diagnostics.ai is a British company, but almost its entire R&D is based in Israel. The company uses Artificial Intelligence to analyze COVID-19 (or any pathogen) test results automatically. It removes the need for specialists and ensures standardization, accuracy and quality-control.
https://www.jpost.com/HEALTH-SCIENCE/Israeli-researchers-develop-innovative-diagnostic-method-for-coronavirus-621617 http://www.diagnostics.ai/Diagnostics.ai_COVID-19_approach.pdf
A better mask. (TY UWI) The Israeli ViriMASK Protective Oculo-Respirator shields the face and eyes from the coronavirus. It is strapped around the head, with a see-through visor and has a filtering mechanism for the nose and mouth. The device can be washed and reused and the replaceable filters last 12 hours. Available soon.
https://www.israel21c.org/new-ventilator-mask-protects-entire-face-from-coronavirus/
https://www.virimask.com/
More ventilators. Israel’s Inovytec Medical Solutions (reported here previously) is mass-producing portable respiratory machines. It plans to deliver 1,000 of the machines to the Israeli Defense Ministry in May and has had additional orders from Europe. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3802855,00.html
http://www.inovytec.com/ventway/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xRf8cAUkuQ
Barcoding cancer treatments. As reported previously (Nov 2016) Israeli scientists developed nano-packages of anti-cancer treatments, barcoded to identify which is the most effective. Now, Israel’s Barcode Diagnostics sends different chemo in nanoparticles and reads barcodes on the dead tumors to see which one worked best.
https://www.barcode-diagnostics.com/
US approval for hammertoe fixing system. Israel’s Ossio (reported here previously) has just received US FDA approval for its OSSIOfiber® Hammertoe Fixation system. The bio-integrative non-metal “intelligent” bone-regeneration implants come in 3 sizes, plus straight and angled configurations, for better customization.
https://ossio.io/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/OSSIO-Full-HT-Clearance-Press-Release.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhiHflP1nGE
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Philanthropic Israeli companies., Big-hearted Israeli companies include Israeli-founded Mobileye, which is donating NIS 10 million to cash-strapped non-profits. Mobileye’s parent, Intel, is donating $320,000 to Haifa’s Rambam Hospital to buy a hi-tech coronavirus testing system. And MyHeritage is donating 66,000 swabs.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3803273,00.html
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3803096,00.html
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3803120,00.html
Austria’s Chancellor grateful for PM’s advice. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said that Israeli PM Netanyahu shook him out of his complacency, urging him to "do something" to contain the coronavirus epidemic. It prompted him to make Austria one of the first European countries to take serious action.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2020/03/22/austrian-leader-thanks-god-for-netanyahus-advice-on-coronavirus/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Predicting the spread of coronavirus. Scientists from Israel’s Weizmann Institute and other organizations have developed a method for monitoring, identifying, and predicting the coronavirus’s spreading zones. It involves patients answering a one-minute questionnaire. 60,000 Israelis completed the form in just one week.
https://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il/life-sciences/two-steps-ahead-coronavirus
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.19.20038844v1
Hackathon to alleviate isolation. 150 Israelis and Americans from Birthright, MIT and the IDF’s elite 8200 unit held a virtual hackathon called “HackCorona”. They designed video innovations, a digital services platform, an errand volunteering platform, distance learning and other virtual on-line facilities.
https://www.jns.org/birthright-mit-and-idf-unit-8200-alumni-collaborate-in-anti-coronavirus-hackathon/
Transferring coronavirus test data. In just 48 hours, Israel’s Kryon (see here) built a Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solution to automate the twice-daily uploading of Israeli Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 test results onto Maccabi Healthcare Services’ system. Healthcare professionals can now focus on treatment.
https://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2020/03/159246-ourcrowd-portfolio-company-kryon-aids-covid-19-testing-with-robotic-process-automation/ https://www.kryonsystems.com/
Positive aspects of coronavirus. Not everything about the coronavirus is negative. Families spend more time together and some unhealthy vices are curtailed. The major benefit is advancing technology e.g. telemedicine, robotics and efficient financial technology. And Calcalist has published OptimisTech with more good news.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3802250,00.html
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3803612,00.html
US-Israel water-energy initiative. The tech transfer arm of Israel’s Ben-Gurion University and Northwestern University are to jointly develop technologies to solve global water challenges. The $21.4 million initiative covers energy-efficient water supply, wastewater reuse and recovery, and energy-water systems.
https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2020/03/u-s-israel-consortium-launches-21-4-million-initiative-to-develop-water-energy-technologies/ https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3800506,00.html
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Grants to startups combatting coronavirus. The Israeli government has promised financial support worth NIS 50 million to Israeli start-ups advancing solutions to combat the coronavirus pandemic. It said it will fund most of the development expenses for companies with exceptional impact breakthrough technologies.
https://www.jpost.com/HEALTH-SCIENCE/Government-offers-assistance-to-tech-developers-fighting-coronavirus-621412 https://m.calcalistech.com/Article.aspx?guid=3801691
Virtual business summit to fight coronavirus. Israel’s Catalyst Investments is hosting a virtual conference in early April to match investors with med-tech and biotech companies fighting the novel coronavirus. Managing Partner Edouard Cukierman believes that funding can help Israeli startups develop a breakthrough solution.
http://nocamels.com/2020/03/virtual-conference-israeli-biotech-medtech-covid19/ https://catalyst-fund.com/
Small Israeli startups can adapt. This article highlights that many Israeli startups will be nimble enough to survive the “black swan” coronavirus event. The 2008 financial crisis provides an historical precedent. They are boosting their on-line presence, preserving cash and increasing stocks held by foreign distributors.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article.aspx?did=1001321215
https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-coronavirus-strikes-israeli-tech-firms-gear-up-to-new-normal/
Investment in Israeli startups continues. Venture Capital funds and large multinationals are still investing in Israeli startups. This week Pitango completed raising a $250 million growth fund; Pyramid Analytics raised $25 million; Quantum Machines $17.5 million; ePlane $9 million; Revuze $5.1 million etc. etc.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3803510,00.html
Israel’s largest port operating normally. (TY Hazel) Israel’s largest seaport, Ashdod, is fully operational, at a level similar to last year despite the global coronavirus outbreak. Some 97% of cargo to Israel, by weight, arrives by ship and the government has assured the country there will be no shortages of essential products.
https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-israel-ports/israels-biggest-seaport-operating-fully-no-shortages-expected-idUSL8N2BB6B0
Wines from the Biblical heartland. The Israeli wine industry in the Judean Hills grows literally from strength to strength (see here for previous articles). For example, Gush Etzion winery produces 100,000 bottles a year and the Judean Hills Quartet is a group of 4 boutique wineries producing top quality, award-winning wines.
https://www.israel21c.org/sip-the-wines-of-the-fabulous-judean-hills-terroir/
A billionaire entrepreneur in isolation. Israel’s Adam Neumann was ousted last year from the WeWork co-working multi-billion-dollar company he founded. In December he returned to Israel and is still here 3 months later. What is he doing? This interview with his Mum is a real “eye-opener”.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3802511,00.html
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT`
Idan Raichel livestreams to 400,000. More than 400,000 people from around the world tuned in to watch renowned Israeli musician Idan Raichel’s livestreamed 22nd Mar concert from his Tel Aviv living room. He performed some of his most popular and uplifting songs, while sending a message of hope and togetherness.
https://www.jns.org/400000-people-worldwide-tune-in-for-livestreamed-concert-by-idan-raichel/
THE JEWISH STATE
Good for the elderly in Modi’in. Barkai Center for Practical Rabbinics and Community Development has set-up a food-distribution system using WhatsApp groups, for homebound Israelis. Over 250 volunteers deliver cooked meals three times a week to vulnerable, elderly residents in each of Modi’in’s 13 neighborhoods.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-rabbinical-organization-organizes-innovative-food-distribution-system-for-the-elderly/
President reads to children during lockdown. Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin went on-line to give parents a break. He said, “Read along with me, the whole family or just the children (and take the time for a coffee, without your phone).” He then read the children’s book “A Room for Rent,” by Leah Goldberg.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/only-in-israel-president-entertains-children-on-social-media-during-lockdown/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O0jVoLhyzQ
Israelis rescued from Peru. Itzik Garber piloted one of 4 El Al planes that flew 16 hours and over 12,000km to Peru to rescue 1,000 Israelis stranded by the coronavirus outbreak. After a 4-hour break on the ground, Captain Garber flew his Boeing 787 Dreamliner with hundreds of Israelis for another 15 hours back home to Israel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpE8Q7KmGJk
Record-breaking flight to Australia. In a historic first, El Al flew a commercial flight directly from Israel to Australia to evacuate Israelis stranded due to the coronavirus pandemic. The 17-hour flight landed in Perth and took off several hours later. It carried 230 Israelis, including 80 who went to Perth from New Zealand.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/First-ever-direct-El-Al-flight-to-Australia-evacuates-stranded-Israelis-622120
More Israelis rescued. (TY Hazel) Israel showed again that it doesn’t abandon its citizens. El Al planes have brought back 40 from Ghana, 600 from Ukraine (on 4 flights), including 160 mostly Arab-Israeli students from Odessa. Other missions include from Italy, Ethiopia, Thailand and Croatia.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Israelis-evacuated-from-Ghana-hours-before-borders-close-621901
Can’t stop Aliya. (TY TPS) Immigration to Israel continues despite the coronavirus pandemic. 961 immigrants have arrived in Israel since the beginning of March., They included 72 Ethiopian immigrants from the Falash Mura community. All new immigrants have to spend their first 2 weeks in self-isolation.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/coronavirus-cant-stop-aliyah-961-immigrate-to-israel-in-march/
The Kinneret is almost full. (TY WIN) Prayers for rain have worked. The Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) is at a 16-year high - just short of the upper red line. At that level, the Dganya Dam should be opened to prevent flooding. A little more rain is forecast, plus the melting snow from Mount Hermon should push it over the line.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2020/03/23/for-the-first-time-in-17-years-sea-of-galilee-is-nearly-full/
https://forecast.israelinfo.co.il/kineret
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Some op eds you might find interesting:
Economic Numbers Don't Matter Now Amid Dire CrisisJames Galbraith, Guardian
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More dumping Biden commentary. Calling on Obama to play Brutus:
Democrats need to recruit Obama to bench Biden, find another candidate:
By Michael Goodwin
It is a given in politics that an incumbent has the advantage until things go wrong, at which point the challenger gets an edge. Then why, amidst panic, death and economic shutdown, is Joe Biden looking like the sick man of 2020?
Biden’s predicament is odd considering a key pillar of Donald Trump’s presidency — record low unemployment — is being vaporized. Thursday’s 3.3 million new unemployment claims wiped out nearly half the jobs created in the last three years, and the worst is yet to come.
Indeed, my initial assumption was that the former veep caught a lucky break in the timing of the coronavirus outbreak. His winning streak in the last primaries gave him a solid lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders just before the shutdown froze the race and spared Biden added focus on his glaring weaknesses.At the same time, Trump would be on the hot seat and inevitable missteps would magnify the sense of an out-of-control crisis, damaging if not destroying his re-election chances.
So how did the script get flipped, with Trump rising and Biden shrinking? And what can Dems do about it?
The first answer is fairly obvious: Trump has outperformed expectations as Biden first disappeared, then reappeared in several dreadful performances.
Despite initial reluctance, the president embraced the pandemic as a national threat and is ordering a massive mobilization. He calls himself a “wartime president” and is leading from the front, to a fault on occasion.
His daily briefings demonstrate the hands-on approach Americans expect from a president during an emergency. He’s on the case, and that’s half the battle when stricken citizens need reassurance that somebody is looking out for them.
Trump made a good choice in tapping Vice President Mike Pence to lead the task force, and the core team is credible and likeable, especially Drs. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx. By setting a target date of Easter, April 12, for a partial easing of federal restrictions, the president injected the first ray of optimism in the dreary projections.
Naturally, many on the left refuse to share that optimism, preferring a sky-is-falling pessimism and demanding a national lockdown. Nor are they welcoming signs of bipartisanship, choosing to magnify even slight differences as absolute proof that America remains polarized.
As for the media, their hostility toward Trump for four years has led them to cheerlead for a Biden victory.
In truth, with the virus continuing to spread and deaths rising, all Democrats might benefit from the outbreak. But for now, that looks less likely because Trump is turning the tables.
Polls show the president’s job-approval rising, and his handling of the crisis is getting strong majority support, including 60 percent in a Gallup survey. And that was before he helped push the $2.2 trillion relief bill over the goal line.
Meanwhile, Biden is a shrunken version of the guy who got hot at the right time. After going silent for nearly a week, he emerged in video clips and interviews from the basement of his Delaware home, where he is quarantining himself.
Looking isolated and lapsing into occasional gibberish, he seemed every bit the mentally challenged 77-year-old he was on the worst days of the campaign. Although he did better on a CNN virtual town hall Friday, his tics, such as having a three-point answer to every question, do not inspire confidence that he is capable of being president for four years.
So what can Dems do?
Find another nominee. But first, they must bench Biden, or persuade him to bench himself.
The former president remains the most trusted member of his party and is uniquely situated to deliver the bad news to his vice president. In fact, it won’t be a total surprise given that Obama never endorsed Biden, despite making it clear he did not want Sanders, the only other choice, to be the nominee.
Obama could pitch withdrawal as a final public service to country and party. For all we know, members of Biden’s family share the idea and would welcome Obama’s intervention.
The timing is tricky because the remaining primary schedule is in flux, leaving Biden about 800 delegates short of the required majority of 1,991. It is even possible the July convention will be postponed or canceled, creating huge complications around the nomination.
And moving Biden aside makes sense only if there are better alternatives. By my count, there are three.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is emerging as a favorite of some Dems because of his take-charge approach to the virus. His aggressive style would be a worthy counter to Trump’s and, as a prodigious fundraiser with a legacy name, he would be better than Biden at uniting the party. At 62, he isn’t burdened by age and health issues.
On the downside, the New York model of sky-high taxes and insanely expensive public services would be a hard sell in swing states, as would Cuomo’s foolish ban on fracking and fuel pipelines.
Nancy Pelosi also deserves consideration. The House speaker enjoys huge name recognition, is adept at twisting rich arms and has the requisite personal hatred of Trump. However, she turned 80 last week and her name on the ballot would unite Republicans as well as Dems.
And there is always Hillary Clinton. Insiders say she hasn’t given up despite being a two-time loser, and a rematch of 2016 would galvanize the nation. Her Trump grudge would be the only rationale she would need and might give Dems the turnout they would need.
But first things first. Paging Dr. Obama . . .
About buddy buddy Blasio
“I’ve really gotten to like him. I get along with him very well. Now, he wants us to do certain things, and we’ve produced.”
Given that they were nasty combatants, there are two possible explanations for the change.
One, Trump means it. He loves his hometown and sees the mayor as a good partner in trying to save lives.
Two, Trump is embracing de Blasio because Gov. Cuomo shuns the mayor. Cuomo and Trump swapped praise for a few days, but now are swapping barbs. So the enemy of Trump’s enemy is his new best friend.
The old maxim that “if it bleeds, it leads” explains why bad news dominates the media, yet the need for good news has rarely been greater.
It’s a guaranteed mood lifter. And inspiring.
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