The above defines many people I know and they are mostly liberals.
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More last pictures of our beloved Kahlua
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As noted in the title, this memo will mainly be devoted to defining who I believe I really am in a political sense.
Over the years we have had so-called friends who, because I am conservative, have broken off yet, I seriously doubt they really know who I am.
I was born in 1933 so my first presidential vote was for Adlai vs. Eisenhower. (Adlai was brilliant but America's equivalent of Shakespeare's tragic Dane. I subsequently read more about IKE and realized he was a far better president that I thought at the time)
My subsequent presidential votes were:
Kennedy vs Nixon (voted for my generation and despised Nixon)
Johnson vs Goldwater (liked Goldwater's conservatism but he ran a terrible campaign)
Humphrey vs Nixon (I believe Humphrey knew he had cancer still despised Nixon. )
Nixon vs Mc Govern (I swallowed hard. I detested Nixon but he was bright. Mc Govern was feckless)
Carter vs Ford ( Biggest mistake, all motivated by regionalism)
Reagan vs Carter (came back to my senses)
Reagan vs Mondale (no contest)
Bush 41 vs Dukakis (no contest)
Bush 41 vs Clinton (in retrospect not a bad president)
Dole vs Clinton (Dole ran a pitiful campaign)
Bush GW vs Gore (no contest)
BushGW vs Kerry (no contest)
McCain vs Obama (could not stand Obama)
Obama vs Romney (Romney ran a stupid campaign)
Trump vs Hillary (no contest)
Trump vs Biden (still no contest)
After my four years at Wharton, and some excellent conservative professors, I began to understand economics and the impact it had on politics. I even coined a phrase, when I became a stock broker, "If you want to understand Wall Street you had to stop off in D.C." That is as true today as it ever has been.
I am schizoid when it comes to politics actually. I am socially liberal, military a hawk and fiscally conservative but ruled by the latter. If you want something, the best brake on government's outrageous spending is, pay for it.
My liberal friends love to attack by calling names. One prominent businessman says I am to the right of Attila. I doubt he knows much about Atilla but it is a catchy word. When I ask my liberal friend to explain what they say they believe they can't and lately (for the last 6 years simply bash Trump.) In doing so they call him a crook yet ignore Biden's wealth achievements since being in office for 50 years or his son's behaviour. They call Trump a liar and dismiss Biden's continued lying. They hate Trump and attack his elegant wife's Christmas decorations and the media praises Dr. Jill.)
They never can bring themselves to acknowledge the corruption of Hillary, her own alleged illegalities as well as her dossier involvement which she offloaded to partners in a law firm that represented the DNC and I could go on in a factual manner.
When so called friends cannot look past one's politics, I believe they are hypocrites and basically un-American and this is what is wrong today. I can relate to those who disagree with me and do so by defining their own views based on reasoning and facts but when they have no clue as to why they say what they believe that becomes another matter. I despise phonies and bigots
I was fairly close to Senator Sam Nunn. He spoke for me on several occasions and when I happened to be in D.C he always made time for me to come by and visit. He even was gracious enough to take me to lunch in The Senate Dining Room on one visit. I thought Sam was the epitome of what a Senator should be and when I disagreed with him I would let him know.
I challenged his vote to sell Saudi Arabia AWAC's despite Sam's support of Israel. I thought his vote against Bork was disgraceful and wrote a memo entitle "Bork And The Liberal Stork" and thought his reluctance to support Bush 41's Gulf War was a contradiction of his view that Carter would best be known for introducing human rights as part of our diplomacy.
On my last visit, Feb 1, 1980, the day Drexel Burnham closed it's Atlanta office, I had a pre-arranged with Sam in his office in The Russell Federal Building in Atlanta. I knew he was not running again because he told me he needed to make some money in view of the fact he had two kids in college. Sam subsequently became a millionaire and lives on Sea Island. After serving unopposed in The Senate he joined a prominent Atlanta firm and became a director of some of America's iconic Public Corporations.
I also concluded Sam's vote against The Gulf War could possibly lead to his defeat and he would have to raise a lot of money to defend his position. The first contribution I made to him he did not need and offered to return it. Subsequent contributions he kept because he helped fund other campaign of Democrat friends. Sam's most admired Republican friend was Senator Baker from Tennessee and he admired the parliamentary skills of Senator Byrd.
I cite my relationship with Nunn because I have always been able to separate political disagreements with views about the person though it often causes me to doubt their sanity and/or intelligence. Free speech, the ability to express oneself and our Bill of Rights are the cornerstone of what makes this nation great and distinguishes us from the rest .
I admit that, though I am not a Republican, I am a fiscal conservative, keenly distrustful of government, believe the current Democrat Party is a train wreck and has an element of anti-Semitism within it's ranks. Being Jewish, I find this disgusting. I also believe both party's have lost all sense of fiscal responsibility, lost sight of the nation and are self-serving.
This leads me to Trump. I told Nunn at the door as I departed ( I overstayed my assigned time,) Reagan would win because the nation's mood was turning ugly with distrust of government. He told me I was too pessimistic. I was early perhaps but what I felt then has come to pass. We are a deeply divided nation partly because we allowed too many radicals, socialists etc. to burrow their way into our society at every level. I have written about this for years.
As for Trump, here again I have separated personality from performance. No president has ever suffered the attacks, indignities and accomplished more than this tough, crude, real estate developer with a "uge" ego. He came into office with no obligations and posed a threat to the D.C elites and establishment and they did everything in their power to wreck his efforts. Being a street fighter he took them on and paid dearly. He learned the CIA (various intelligence agencies) and mass media lackeys are not to be challenged. They will guard their power at any price as he and the nation sadly experienced.
Trump failed to contain his ego and supplied his many enemies with ammunition. I never will forget the first meeting he had with allied leaders and how he shoved his way to the front. When a brash New York Developer he was the darling of the media because he gave them copy but when he challenged the Democrat Party Elites he went too far and they began concerted efforts to destroy him and it continues to this day.
He also was charitable, able to relate to all ethnic types, including the "deplorable" construction workers but he also made some unnecessary comments which cost him dearly.
Meanwhile , as I noted above, he remains the piñata liberals love to attack and who believe voters will dismiss everything and anything related to Biden because they cannot get beyond their own hypocrisy .
As for myself, I admit a distaste for the "bleeding class" and am happy to avoid them as they are me.
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. Good News (Edited)
Israel has just re-opened its gates to overseas visitors who can once again experience the Start-up / Scale-up Nation at first hand. Those who are not yet ready to travel can read here about the "open miracles" emanating from the Jewish State. Medical breakthroughs that provide "openings" for treatments to cure cancer, ADHD, diabetes, Parkinson's and more. The latest articles highlighting Israel's "open society" for Christian and Moslem Arab citizens and the opportunities for Palestinian Arabs. Those Arab nations that have "opened their arms" to welcome Israel. The Israeli technology that "opens the door" to smarter cities, better mobility, non-animal meat, renewable energy, education for children and sustainable fashion, and to eradicating coronavirus. Israeli businesses are "opening" all over the world. Finally, you can view virtually what Israeli archaeologists found when they "opened up the ground" under the City of David in Jerusalem.
Please click here, to donate a small or large amount to help me publicize VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
In the 9th Jan 22 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Etta’s cancer breakthrough. Professor Etta Livneh of Israel’s Ben Gurion University has found a peptide (uPEP2) in the body’s messenger RNA that inhibits cancer cell survival, tumor progression, metastasis and more. Amazingly, uPEP2 originates from a gene classified with the Greek letter Eta (Prof Livneh’s forename).
https://in.bgu.ac.il/en/pages/
Unraveling the genetics of ADHD. Israeli scientists at Ben-Gurion University and Soroka Medical Center have proved that a mutation in a single gene, CDH2, can cause ADHD. Molecular analysis of neurons in mutant mice demonstrated the precise effects of the mutation on the activity of synapses in the brain.
https://www.jpost.com/health-
First Israeli to receive new Alzheimer’s treatment. (TY WIN) Yirmiyahu Kozari, 57, recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, is the first Israeli to receive Aduhelm (Aducanumab) from Biogen, at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. The treatment removes beta-amyloid from the brain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
First shipment of anti-Covid pill. Israel has received its first consignment of tens of thousands of Pfizer’s COVID-fighting Paxlovid pills – the first country outside the USA to take delivery. Israel has authorized use of the treatment, which is effective if taken within five days of the onset of coronavirus symptoms.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Dormant insulin-producing cells. Israeli scientists have discovered that babies make insulin in their intestines before birth. The responsible cells are present after birth, but they no longer produce insulin. This means that adults may have a “backup” system that could be reactivated to treat diabetes.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://www.nature.com/
Haifa’s digital health accelerator launched. Plans to promote tech innovation in Haifa (see here previously) have come to fruition with the launch of Startup City Haifa - Digital Health Accelerator. Led by JVP, Margalit Startup City and others, it will support startups working on advanced medical technology and cybersecurity.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Coexistence saves Myanmar girl. 8-year-old Hannah from Myanmar was brought to Israel for an urgent operation by Jewish, Muslim and Christian doctors from Israeli non-profit Save A Child’s Heart. The surgeons were led by Dr Hagi Dekel and included Dr Mervat El-Faraha from the PA and Dr Ziwa Modniso from Zambia.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
Brain surgery under local anesthetic. (TY WIN) Israel’s Rabin Medical Center recently completed the world’s first ever operation on a patient’s brain, using ketamine as a local anesthetic. They performed Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), implanting an electrode to cure the tremors of a patient with Parkinson’s disease.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The world’s smallest needles. Israel’s NanoPass (see here) is partnering Korea’s Micro2Nano to mass-produce the world’s smallest needles. The tiny needle uses standard syringes, allowing intradermal (between the skin layers) injections, including for coronavirus. These are painless and elicit a better immune response.
https://jewishbusinessnews.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Especially intelligent. 14 special needs volunteers from a school in Petah Tikva have joined the Telem Unit in the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate. Telem is responsible for infrastructure, logistics, and for relocating Military Intelligence to its new campus in the Negev region of southern Israel.
https://www.jns.org/14-
The Moslems who serve in the IDF. There are around 5,000 Israeli Circassians, mostly Sunni Muslims, who converted from Christianity and have chosen to serve in the IDF. Israel’s soccer captain is a Circassian. Also (TY UWI) please see Arab Israeli Yoseph Haddad’s video featuring Arab Israelis who volunteer for the IDF.
https://blog.nli.org.il/en/
Empowering Israeli Christian Arabs. (TY I24 news) The non-profit Jerusalemite Initiative organization empowers Arabic-speaking Christian Israelis in the Jewish state. Jews and Arabs work side by side, teaching the Hebrew language to help Christian Arabs integrate in Israel. See video of co-founder Elias Zarina.
https://www.israelhayom.com/
The Palestinian Arabs in Israel. (TY WIN & I24 News) An estimated 500 to 1,000 Palestinian Arabs work in Israeli hi-tech companies - many are graduates from Israeli universities. In the video, Inas Awad describes her job at Israeli hi-tech Colabo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
A pro-Israeli Arab blogger. Good feature article about Nuseir Yassin, better known to his 40 million Facebook followers as “Nas Daily” (see here). He famously produced 1000 one-minute videos in 1000 days. Born in Arraba near Nazareth, he has since opened Nas Academy, to teach others how to become viral stars.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
UAE astronaut takes Israeli flag to ISS. Hazzaa al-Mansoori, the first Emirati astronaut in space, revealed he brought an Israeli flag to his first space flight in 2019. He then presented the same flag to delegates of the Israeli pavilion at Expo Dubai 2020. “This is my gift to all Israelis," he said, and plans to visit Israel this year.
https://www.jpost.com/middle-
Clearing trash from the Red Sea. Volunteer divers in the Red Sea Port of Eilat removed 1.6 tons of discarded tires and other waste from the seabed in their annual cleanup operation. The divers belong to Israeli non-profit
The Coast Patrol, and Eilat’s Palamida diving club.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Israeli Ambassador presents to King of Bahrain. Israel's first ambassador to Bahrain, Eitan Na'eh, handed his credentials to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa at the Al-Sakhir Palace in Manama. The event included the hoisting of the Israeli flag and the playing of the Israeli anthem "Hatikva".
https://www.
More aid to the Philippines. (TY UWI) Israeli NGO IsraAID has deployed an emergency response team in the Philippines following Super Typhoon Rai (Odette - see here). It is delivering safe water, hygiene kits and trauma aid, to many of the 2.4 million Filipinos affected, focusing on Southern Leyte and Cebu provinces.
https://www.israel21c.org/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Disinfecting with Ozone. (TY UWI & I24 News) Israel’s MyCleanBit has developed an eco-friendly disinfectant that uses ozone to get surfaces germ-free in just a few seconds. (See here for other Israeli disinfectants that use ozone.) https://www.youtube.com/
Rolling out from the sewers. Israel’s Kando (see here previously) has been conducting a two-year pilot study of coronavirus infections using the wastewater in the sewers of several Israeli cities. The project will now be rolled out nationally to predict and help counter future Covid-19 outbreaks.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
4th phase of Israel’s drone program. Israel’s National Drone Initiative reached its fourth phase (see here previously) with day and night flights above Gush Dan and Yeruham to integrate drones in routine activities such as transporting basic products and first aid. Drones will also be used for real-time monitoring of traffic.
https://www.
Protection against Internet bad actors. Israel’s ActiveFence (see here previously) has built an artificial intelligence-powered platform to proactively uncover and flag malicious content and activity “at scale” worldwide. ActiveFence’s 240 employees help global clients protect themselves and their users.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
New technologies to solve real-world problems. This article showcases several Israeli startups (previously unreported in this newsletter) that are transforming their industries. They include CrymBo (digital assets enabler), Simpool (what if? AI Simulator), and Storycards (user engagement generator).
https://crymbo.com/ https://simpool.io/ https://story-cards.com/
https://worldisraelnews.com/
Creating tomorrow’s smart cities and mobility solutions. A panel of Israeli experts have selected the five most promising Israeli startups in the smart city and mobility sectors. Valerann, Ottopia, and Addionics featured previously in VeryGoodNewsIsrael. Urbanleap and Click-ins are new to this newsletter.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
https://www.urbanleap.io/ https://stageonevc.com/our-
https://www.click-ins.com/ (see also Ravin)
Your robot-printed vegi-burger. Israel’s SavorEat has revealed its flagship product at the BBB burger restaurant chain in Herzliya. The plant-based 3D-printed burgers were ordered by members of the press via their mobile phones, printed by Robot Chef and presented alongside fries, onion rings, and fried cauliflower.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Electricity from seaweed. Researchers from Israel’s Technion Institute have developed a method of harvesting an electrical current directly from seaweed. The Ulva algae (sea lettuce) is already being researched as a Covid treatment (see here previously) and it now appears to be able to generate currents on a par with solar panels.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Bringing books to life. Israel’s Zoog (see here previously) has advanced significantly with its virtual storybooks for children. Zoog has just partnered with Snap (previously Snapchat) and its Camera Kit to make Zoog’s Alternate Reality masks, machine learning, and animation-creation technologies even more exciting.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Teaching sustainable fashion. The fashion industry is notoriously wasteful of resources. Now Israel’s Browzwear (see here previously) has set-up “Digi-hub” centers in China and Bangladesh to help garment manufacturers go digital, reduce pollution, and become more sustainable.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The AI solution to recruitment. Israel’s Paradox has developed Olivia - a virtual personal assistant, who joins human recruitment teams and helps them automate all recruitment processes. Paradox has just raised $200 million of funds to give it a market valuation of $1.5 billion and make it Israel’s first “unicorn” of 2022.
https://jewishbusinessnews.
https://www.paradox.ai/ https://www.youtube.com/
Self-repairing materials. Scientists at Israel’s Technion Institute have produced eco-friendly self-healing nanocrystal semiconductors. They have shown how these materials, known as double perovskites, exhibit self-healing capabilities after being injured by electron beam radiation.
https://jewishbusinessnews.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
An extraordinary year. The IVC Research Center and the law firm Meitar have published their 2021 Israel Tech Review. It shows Israeli companies raised an “exceptional” $25.6 billion in private investments, shattering 2020’s previous record of $10.3 billion in funding. Q4 was the strongest, with investments totaling $8 billion.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Entrepreneurial companies of the year. (TY JBS) Independent research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan has named two Israeli companies in its 2021 Entrepreneurial Company of the Year list. Windward was recognized for its AI maritime systems and Aura Air for its technology to counter coronavirus.
https://www.frost.com/news/
https://www.israelhayom.com/
The $55 billion Israeli-founded company. Palo Alto Networks (see here previously), founded by Israel’s Nir Zuk, trades at a $55 billion market cap, an all-time high. The cybersecurity giant has just entered the prestigious Nasdaq-100 index, ironically replacing Israel’s Check Point, where Zuk was among the first employees.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
From little seeds. Israeli startups Nirit Seeds and TomaTech have been acquired by Israel’s AP Partners Fund and Discount Capital to merge them into Israel’s largest vegetable breeding seeds company. The 80 employees will continue operations in Israel, Spain, Mexico, and Italy, expanding into the Netherlands and North America.
https://www.freshplaza.com/
10 Israelis become top Intel global executives. Intel Corporation has appointed 10 Israeli executives to senior international positions. They include Karin Eibschitz-Segal who led development in Israel and Validation Engineering globally, overseeing the work of 10,000 people. She becomes global Corporate Vice President.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://www.calcalistech.com/
The future of marketing. Israeli startup, Drill, has developed a technology to monitor real-time implied responses by consumers while shopping. Drill develops neuromarketing tools, aimed at improving the buying experience and communication with customers.
https://drill-d.co.il/ https://www.calcalistech.com/
The largest dairy farm in the Middle East. JNF-USA is supporting the ‘Halutza’ project (‘halutz’ is Hebrew for pioneer) to expand the Negev towns of Naveh, Bnei Netzarim, and Shlomit. They have established a hi-tech sustainable dairy farm that will grow to 1,500 cows and produce 900 million liters of milk a year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Biodegradable plastic goes Down Under. Israel’s Tipa (see here previously) works with several global companies like Scotch & Soda, Stella McCartney, Woolworths, and UK’s Waitrose. Now Swiss packaging giant AMCOR will use Tipa to make compostable packaging in Australia and New Zealand.
https://www.israelhayom.com/
Four dozen Unicorns in 2021. Some 48 Israeli and Israeli-founded companies reached unicorn status ($1 billion market value) in 2021. In 2020, the number was only16. 41 of those companies have a CEO and key management in Israel. https://nocamels.com/2021/12/
Where are they now? This article explains what happened to Israeli startups Argo (Rewalk), Better Place, Brainsway, CartiHeal, Cupron, IceCure, Insightec, Kamada, MediWound, Moovit, Paulee, Powermat, Pythagoras Solar, Seambiotic, Urban Aeronautics and more. Even some of the failures have happy endings.
https://www.israel21c.org/
Israeli exits: (TY WIN) Google has bought Israeli cybersecurity Siemplify for an estimated $500 million.
Investment in Israeli startups: Paradox raised $200 million; Remilk raised $120 million; Tipa raised $70 million; Drill raised $1.25 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT`
The rise of the ibex. One of the first new laws of the State of Israel was to ban hunting. This saved the Nubian ibex, which is native to the Middle East and mentioned in the Bible. There are now some 1,200 to 1,400 ibex and numbers are growing. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority works to ensure their continued protection.
https://www.israel21c.org/the-
Fauda releases trailer for season 4. (TY UWI) The trailer for Season 4 of the hit Israeli TV series Fauda has just been released. The series is planned to air on Yes and Netflix in mid-2022. “Fauda,” means “chaos” in Arabic, and is an international hit, including among audiences in Arab countries.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Running blind. (TY UWI) Israeli marathon runner Avi Solomon was born in Ethiopia. He suffered from glaucoma and went blind, aged only 14. Despite (or because of) many personal tragedies, he took up running and helps raise his seven children. He came 62nd of 12,000 in November’s Abu Dhabi marathon.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/
THE JEWISH STATE
Where it all began. For a limited time, the City of David Foundation is offering free premium access to its virtual “Unearthed” tour of the City of David in Jerusalem. It is fascinating. Free registration is required. Then watch Israel’s Ambassador to Italy give a tour in Italian (English subtitles).
https://my.matter.co.il/tour/
BDS Fail. An anti-Israel group in Canada promoting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel has been found to be using software from Israel’s Wix to circulate its message. The response to the hypocritic organization went viral and the BDS site no longer exists.
https://www.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
Israel’s image. Israel’s Public Diplomacy Forum has met for the first time in several years, “to lead a unified, precise and clear message on significant issues and events”. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated that Israel’s image is “a main component of our national security and our national strength”.
https://www.jns.org/israels-
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Please click here, to donate a small or large amount to help me publicize VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
In the 9th Jan 22 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
- An Israeli professor makes a cancer breakthrough in a gene with her name on it.
- Jewish, Muslim, and Christian doctors save Myanmar girl in Israeli hospital.
- More good news about the Moslem and Christian citizens of Israel.
- Israeli scientists have produced electricity from seaweed.
- 2021 shattered previous records for investment in Israeli companies.
- Israeli biodegradable plastic has now reached Australasia.
- A blind Israeli took part in the Abu Dhabi marathon.
- Take a virtual tour of the City of David
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Etta’s cancer breakthrough. Professor Etta Livneh of Israel’s Ben Gurion University has found a peptide (uPEP2) in the body’s messenger RNA that inhibits cancer cell survival, tumor progression, metastasis and more. Amazingly, uPEP2 originates from a gene classified with the Greek letter Eta (Prof Livneh’s forename).
https://in.bgu.ac.il/en/pages/
Unraveling the genetics of ADHD. Israeli scientists at Ben-Gurion University and Soroka Medical Center have proved that a mutation in a single gene, CDH2, can cause ADHD. Molecular analysis of neurons in mutant mice demonstrated the precise effects of the mutation on the activity of synapses in the brain.
https://www.jpost.com/health-
First Israeli to receive new Alzheimer’s treatment. (TY WIN) Yirmiyahu Kozari, 57, recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, is the first Israeli to receive Aduhelm (Aducanumab) from Biogen, at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. The treatment removes beta-amyloid from the brain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
First shipment of anti-Covid pill. Israel has received its first consignment of tens of thousands of Pfizer’s COVID-fighting Paxlovid pills – the first country outside the USA to take delivery. Israel has authorized use of the treatment, which is effective if taken within five days of the onset of coronavirus symptoms.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Dormant insulin-producing cells. Israeli scientists have discovered that babies make insulin in their intestines before birth. The responsible cells are present after birth, but they no longer produce insulin. This means that adults may have a “backup” system that could be reactivated to treat diabetes.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://www.nature.com/
Haifa’s digital health accelerator launched. Plans to promote tech innovation in Haifa (see here previously) have come to fruition with the launch of Startup City Haifa - Digital Health Accelerator. Led by JVP, Margalit Startup City and others, it will support startups working on advanced medical technology and cybersecurity.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Coexistence saves Myanmar girl. 8-year-old Hannah from Myanmar was brought to Israel for an urgent operation by Jewish, Muslim and Christian doctors from Israeli non-profit Save A Child’s Heart. The surgeons were led by Dr Hagi Dekel and included Dr Mervat El-Faraha from the PA and Dr Ziwa Modniso from Zambia.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
Brain surgery under local anesthetic. (TY WIN) Israel’s Rabin Medical Center recently completed the world’s first ever operation on a patient’s brain, using ketamine as a local anesthetic. They performed Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), implanting an electrode to cure the tremors of a patient with Parkinson’s disease.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The world’s smallest needles. Israel’s NanoPass (see here) is partnering Korea’s Micro2Nano to mass-produce the world’s smallest needles. The tiny needle uses standard syringes, allowing intradermal (between the skin layers) injections, including for coronavirus. These are painless and elicit a better immune response.
https://jewishbusinessnews.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Especially intelligent. 14 special needs volunteers from a school in Petah Tikva have joined the Telem Unit in the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate. Telem is responsible for infrastructure, logistics, and for relocating Military Intelligence to its new campus in the Negev region of southern Israel.
https://www.jns.org/14-
The Moslems who serve in the IDF. There are around 5,000 Israeli Circassians, mostly Sunni Muslims, who converted from Christianity and have chosen to serve in the IDF. Israel’s soccer captain is a Circassian. Also (TY UWI) please see Arab Israeli Yoseph Haddad’s video featuring Arab Israelis who volunteer for the IDF.
https://blog.nli.org.il/en/
Empowering Israeli Christian Arabs. (TY I24 news) The non-profit Jerusalemite Initiative organization empowers Arabic-speaking Christian Israelis in the Jewish state. Jews and Arabs work side by side, teaching the Hebrew language to help Christian Arabs integrate in Israel. See video of co-founder Elias Zarina.
https://www.israelhayom.com/
The Palestinian Arabs in Israel. (TY WIN & I24 News) An estimated 500 to 1,000 Palestinian Arabs work in Israeli hi-tech companies - many are graduates from Israeli universities. In the video, Inas Awad describes her job at Israeli hi-tech Colabo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
A pro-Israeli Arab blogger. Good feature article about Nuseir Yassin, better known to his 40 million Facebook followers as “Nas Daily” (see here). He famously produced 1000 one-minute videos in 1000 days. Born in Arraba near Nazareth, he has since opened Nas Academy, to teach others how to become viral stars.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
UAE astronaut takes Israeli flag to ISS. Hazzaa al-Mansoori, the first Emirati astronaut in space, revealed he brought an Israeli flag to his first space flight in 2019. He then presented the same flag to delegates of the Israeli pavilion at Expo Dubai 2020. “This is my gift to all Israelis," he said, and plans to visit Israel this year.
https://www.jpost.com/middle-
Clearing trash from the Red Sea. Volunteer divers in the Red Sea Port of Eilat removed 1.6 tons of discarded tires and other waste from the seabed in their annual cleanup operation. The divers belong to Israeli non-profit
The Coast Patrol, and Eilat’s Palamida diving club.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Israeli Ambassador presents to King of Bahrain. Israel's first ambassador to Bahrain, Eitan Na'eh, handed his credentials to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa at the Al-Sakhir Palace in Manama. The event included the hoisting of the Israeli flag and the playing of the Israeli anthem "Hatikva".
https://www.
More aid to the Philippines. (TY UWI) Israeli NGO IsraAID has deployed an emergency response team in the Philippines following Super Typhoon Rai (Odette - see here). It is delivering safe water, hygiene kits and trauma aid, to many of the 2.4 million Filipinos affected, focusing on Southern Leyte and Cebu provinces.
https://www.israel21c.org/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Disinfecting with Ozone. (TY UWI & I24 News) Israel’s MyCleanBit has developed an eco-friendly disinfectant that uses ozone to get surfaces germ-free in just a few seconds. (See here for other Israeli disinfectants that use ozone.) https://www.youtube.com/
Rolling out from the sewers. Israel’s Kando (see here previously) has been conducting a two-year pilot study of coronavirus infections using the wastewater in the sewers of several Israeli cities. The project will now be rolled out nationally to predict and help counter future Covid-19 outbreaks.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
4th phase of Israel’s drone program. Israel’s National Drone Initiative reached its fourth phase (see here previously) with day and night flights above Gush Dan and Yeruham to integrate drones in routine activities such as transporting basic products and first aid. Drones will also be used for real-time monitoring of traffic.
https://www.
Protection against Internet bad actors. Israel’s ActiveFence (see here previously) has built an artificial intelligence-powered platform to proactively uncover and flag malicious content and activity “at scale” worldwide. ActiveFence’s 240 employees help global clients protect themselves and their users.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
New technologies to solve real-world problems. This article showcases several Israeli startups (previously unreported in this newsletter) that are transforming their industries. They include CrymBo (digital assets enabler), Simpool (what if? AI Simulator), and Storycards (user engagement generator).
https://crymbo.com/ https://simpool.io/ https://story-cards.com/
https://worldisraelnews.com/
Creating tomorrow’s smart cities and mobility solutions. A panel of Israeli experts have selected the five most promising Israeli startups in the smart city and mobility sectors. Valerann, Ottopia, and Addionics featured previously in VeryGoodNewsIsrael. Urbanleap and Click-ins are new to this newsletter.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
https://www.urbanleap.io/ https://stageonevc.com/our-
https://www.click-ins.com/ (see also Ravin)
Your robot-printed vegi-burger. Israel’s SavorEat has revealed its flagship product at the BBB burger restaurant chain in Herzliya. The plant-based 3D-printed burgers were ordered by members of the press via their mobile phones, printed by Robot Chef and presented alongside fries, onion rings, and fried cauliflower.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Electricity from seaweed. Researchers from Israel’s Technion Institute have developed a method of harvesting an electrical current directly from seaweed. The Ulva algae (sea lettuce) is already being researched as a Covid treatment (see here previously) and it now appears to be able to generate currents on a par with solar panels.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Bringing books to life. Israel’s Zoog (see here previously) has advanced significantly with its virtual storybooks for children. Zoog has just partnered with Snap (previously Snapchat) and its Camera Kit to make Zoog’s Alternate Reality masks, machine learning, and animation-creation technologies even more exciting.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Teaching sustainable fashion. The fashion industry is notoriously wasteful of resources. Now Israel’s Browzwear (see here previously) has set-up “Digi-hub” centers in China and Bangladesh to help garment manufacturers go digital, reduce pollution, and become more sustainable.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The AI solution to recruitment. Israel’s Paradox has developed Olivia - a virtual personal assistant, who joins human recruitment teams and helps them automate all recruitment processes. Paradox has just raised $200 million of funds to give it a market valuation of $1.5 billion and make it Israel’s first “unicorn” of 2022.
https://jewishbusinessnews.
https://www.paradox.ai/ https://www.youtube.com/
Self-repairing materials. Scientists at Israel’s Technion Institute have produced eco-friendly self-healing nanocrystal semiconductors. They have shown how these materials, known as double perovskites, exhibit self-healing capabilities after being injured by electron beam radiation.
https://jewishbusinessnews.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
An extraordinary year. The IVC Research Center and the law firm Meitar have published their 2021 Israel Tech Review. It shows Israeli companies raised an “exceptional” $25.6 billion in private investments, shattering 2020’s previous record of $10.3 billion in funding. Q4 was the strongest, with investments totaling $8 billion.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Entrepreneurial companies of the year. (TY JBS) Independent research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan has named two Israeli companies in its 2021 Entrepreneurial Company of the Year list. Windward was recognized for its AI maritime systems and Aura Air for its technology to counter coronavirus.
https://www.frost.com/news/
https://www.israelhayom.com/
The $55 billion Israeli-founded company. Palo Alto Networks (see here previously), founded by Israel’s Nir Zuk, trades at a $55 billion market cap, an all-time high. The cybersecurity giant has just entered the prestigious Nasdaq-100 index, ironically replacing Israel’s Check Point, where Zuk was among the first employees.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
From little seeds. Israeli startups Nirit Seeds and TomaTech have been acquired by Israel’s AP Partners Fund and Discount Capital to merge them into Israel’s largest vegetable breeding seeds company. The 80 employees will continue operations in Israel, Spain, Mexico, and Italy, expanding into the Netherlands and North America.
https://www.freshplaza.com/
10 Israelis become top Intel global executives. Intel Corporation has appointed 10 Israeli executives to senior international positions. They include Karin Eibschitz-Segal who led development in Israel and Validation Engineering globally, overseeing the work of 10,000 people. She becomes global Corporate Vice President.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://www.calcalistech.com/
The future of marketing. Israeli startup, Drill, has developed a technology to monitor real-time implied responses by consumers while shopping. Drill develops neuromarketing tools, aimed at improving the buying experience and communication with customers.
https://drill-d.co.il/ https://www.calcalistech.com/
The largest dairy farm in the Middle East. JNF-USA is supporting the ‘Halutza’ project (‘halutz’ is Hebrew for pioneer) to expand the Negev towns of Naveh, Bnei Netzarim, and Shlomit. They have established a hi-tech sustainable dairy farm that will grow to 1,500 cows and produce 900 million liters of milk a year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Biodegradable plastic goes Down Under. Israel’s Tipa (see here previously) works with several global companies like Scotch & Soda, Stella McCartney, Woolworths, and UK’s Waitrose. Now Swiss packaging giant AMCOR will use Tipa to make compostable packaging in Australia and New Zealand.
https://www.israelhayom.com/
Four dozen Unicorns in 2021. Some 48 Israeli and Israeli-founded companies reached unicorn status ($1 billion market value) in 2021. In 2020, the number was only16. 41 of those companies have a CEO and key management in Israel. https://nocamels.com/2021/12/
Where are they now? This article explains what happened to Israeli startups Argo (Rewalk), Better Place, Brainsway, CartiHeal, Cupron, IceCure, Insightec, Kamada, MediWound, Moovit, Paulee, Powermat, Pythagoras Solar, Seambiotic, Urban Aeronautics and more. Even some of the failures have happy endings.
https://www.israel21c.org/
Israeli exits: (TY WIN) Google has bought Israeli cybersecurity Siemplify for an estimated $500 million.
Investment in Israeli startups: Paradox raised $200 million; Remilk raised $120 million; Tipa raised $70 million; Drill raised $1.25 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT`
The rise of the ibex. One of the first new laws of the State of Israel was to ban hunting. This saved the Nubian ibex, which is native to the Middle East and mentioned in the Bible. There are now some 1,200 to 1,400 ibex and numbers are growing. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority works to ensure their continued protection.
https://www.israel21c.org/the-
Fauda releases trailer for season 4. (TY UWI) The trailer for Season 4 of the hit Israeli TV series Fauda has just been released. The series is planned to air on Yes and Netflix in mid-2022. “Fauda,” means “chaos” in Arabic, and is an international hit, including among audiences in Arab countries.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Running blind. (TY UWI) Israeli marathon runner Avi Solomon was born in Ethiopia. He suffered from glaucoma and went blind, aged only 14. Despite (or because of) many personal tragedies, he took up running and helps raise his seven children. He came 62nd of 12,000 in November’s Abu Dhabi marathon.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/
THE JEWISH STATE
Where it all began. For a limited time, the City of David Foundation is offering free premium access to its virtual “Unearthed” tour of the City of David in Jerusalem. It is fascinating. Free registration is required. Then watch Israel’s Ambassador to Italy give a tour in Italian (English subtitles).
https://my.matter.co.il/tour/
BDS Fail. An anti-Israel group in Canada promoting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel has been found to be using software from Israel’s Wix to circulate its message. The response to the hypocritic organization went viral and the BDS site no longer exists.
https://www.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
Israel’s image. Israel’s Public Diplomacy Forum has met for the first time in several years, “to lead a unified, precise and clear message on significant issues and events”. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated that Israel’s image is “a main component of our national security and our national strength”.
https://www.jns.org/israels-
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