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Demography does not lie.
Demography does not lie.
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World-Historical Transformation Is Taking Place in Britain, Yet Few Have Noticed https://pjmedia.com/robert-
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Ordman edited.
This newsletter was compiled before the latest rescue of four hostages from Gaza. However, all of Israel is celebrating the good news, despite the loss of another Israeli hero
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Please recommend www.verygoodnewsisrael.
In the 9th Jun 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Penetrating the BBB. The nano-platform technology of Israel’s NanoCarry traverses the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) to deliver potentially life-saving therapies to the brain. Its initial target is HER2 breast cancer brain metastases for which there is no treatment, even though the original cancer can now effectively be cured.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/
https://nanocarry.com/
Predicting what cancer cells will do next. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem analyze cancer patient biopsies and use AI to predict disease progression or chemotherapy resistance. Using the science of nano-informatics, they expose cells to nano particles, record absorption levels, and model cellular behavior.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://www.science.org/doi/
Sickle cell disease treatment trial. Israel’s BiolineRX is to conduct Phase 1 clinical trials on sickle cell disease (SCD) patients at multiple locations in the US. It will use its motixafortide stem cell therapy (see here previously), currently used to treat multiple myeloma. SCD is caused by a mutation of the hemoglobin gene.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/
The long road. Back in 2015 (see here previously) Israel’s Ben Gurion University researchers discovered the link between protein macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Now they are leading an international team to use it as a potential cure.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/
The right antibiotic in 90 mins. Scientists at Israel’s Technion Institute have developed optical sensor technology that can identify the correct antibiotic for urinary tract and other infections in just 90 minutes. They worked with Technion alumni in a Maryland USA company and at John Hopkins University.
https://ats.org/our-impact/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.
An ambucar needed for Netanya. Israel’s United Hatzalah is appealing for funds to purchase a rapid response vehicle - known as a minilance (mini ambulance) ATV (all-terrain vehicle). It can bring a team of up to five UH volunteers and veteran lifesaving medics to the scene of a local emergency within minutes.
https://israelrescue.org/
Eradicating the last polio virus. Ben-Gurion University has received a $1.3 million grant from the Gates Foundation to develop and validate a novel and safe approach for measuring immune responses to polioviruses.
https://provaeducation.com/
Merck boost for antibody design startup. Israel’s Biolojic Design (see here previously) is partnering Merck, to develop molecules that could be the basis for therapies to treat cancer and other immunological disorders. The venture is potentially worth up to 350 million euros to the Israeli company.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Treating late life depression. (TY Atid-EDI) The US FDA has extended its approval of the Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation system from Israel’s BrainsWay (see here previously). It can now be used to treat depression up to the patient’s 86th birthday. The previous maximum age limit was 67.
https://www.brainsway.com/
Exercises restore eyesight. Israel’s RevitalVision (see here previously) has been very successful in improving the condition of the visually impaired. On average, the structured on-line brain exercises achieve a measurable improvement of 20 – 25%, equivalent to an extra two lines on a standard eye chart.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Watch out for snakes. Doctors saved an Israeli woman in her 50s after she was bitten by a snake in southern Israel. She was brought to Ashdod hospital by family members who also brought the snake. Doctors were able to identify the snake and administer the correct anti-venom serum. The article contains some important advice.
https://www.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Mother of 11 wins Krill Prize. (TY Yanky) The Wolf Foundation has awarded one of its 2024 Krill Prizes to Dr. Chaya Keller from the School of Computer Science at Ariel University for her significant contributions to discrete and computational geometry. Dr Keller is a mother to 11 children. Her husband is a Bar-Ilan professor.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
https://wolffund.org.il/
The Israeli Arab in charge of building Intel’s factories. Israeli Arab Reda Masarwa (see here previously) is Intel’s VP of Fab Construction Engineering. He is one of the key people entrusted with the largest expansion in Intel’s history - building and equipping ten factories, including in Israel, Germany, Poland, and (yes) Malaysia.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/
All-Israeli action figures. (TY Yanky) A must for all ages. Pre-order IDF action figures, symbolizing the courage and mosaic of Israel’s real-life heroes. Ashkenazi special forces, Mizrahi kibbutz infantrywoman, Arab Druze paratrooper, and Ethiopian reconnaissance ranger, and many more. Plus, a K9 dog and many accessories.
https://giboreyisrael.com/
Emirati award to Israeli female professor. The UAE’s Khalifa Award for Education was given to Technion Professor Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus for her research on how children learn to read. Horowitz-Kraus specializes in brain imaging research (EEG and MRI) to help children who have difficulties learning to read.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://edu.technion.ac.il/en/
Thousands march for Israel in NYC. Estimates of between 40,000 and 100,000 marchers gathered for ‘Israel Day on 5th,’ the annual parade on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue in support of Israel.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
https://www.jns.org/israel-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
And in London. An estimated 40,000 people marched through London under the banner “United we bring them home”. It was the largest pro-Israel gathering in the UK since Oct 7. At the end of the march, yellow balloons were released.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Japanese donate ambulances. Christian politicians from across Japan are donating two ambulances to Israeli communities along the border with Gaza to replace ambulances destroyed by Hamas on Oct 7. They recently gave £150,000 to Israel’s Magen David Adom to buy the first mobile intensive care unit ambulance.
https://www.jns.org/japanese-
Israeli WHO amendment approved. Every year since 1968, the World Health Organization’s annual Assembly in Geneva passes a resolution criticizing Israel. This year, Israel proposed an amendment calling for the release of the Gaza hostages and denouncing militarization of Gaza hospitals. Amazingly, it passed.
https://worldisraelnews.com/
We could learn from this. (TY Yanky) U.S. military legal experts and former commanders have issued a report praising the IDF and its conduct of the war against Hamas. It concluded, “The U.S. military would benefit from studying how the IDF fought effectively in this highly complex, multi-domain environment,”
https://www.jns.org/idf-
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Intel-Israel’s latest AI chip. Intel has unveiled Lunar Lake – its new range of AI-ready processors. Designed and developed by Israeli architects and engineers; constructed at Intel’s Haifa and Petah Tikva development centers. Lunar Lake is 50% faster than the previous generation, while consuming 80% less energy.
https://www.intel.com/content/
Nine awards. Israel’s Appdome (see here previously) received a total of nine (9) Cybersecurity Excellence Awards. They were Mobile security platform, Automation, Social engineering defense, Bot defense, Geo location compliance, XDR (Extended Detection & Response), DevOps tool, and Application security.
https://www.ourcrowd.com/
A billion shekels. (TY Anne & Geoff) Israel’s Bar-Ilan University has received an anonymous $260 million (NIS 1 billion) donation (one of the largest ever to an Israeli university) to invest in deep-tech sciences. Bar-Ilan President Prof Arie Zaban said it potentially could positively influence the future of Israel and humanity.
https://www.jns.org/bar-ilan-
https://www.biu.ac.il/en/
Safety system for e-bikes and e-scooters. Israel’s Autotalks (see here previously) has launched the V2X (Vehicle to Anything) TEKTON3-BIKE System on Chip safety system, plus the ZooZ3 V2X device or smartphone app for e-bikes and e-scooters. Cyclists will receive real-time alerts to potential road hazards.
https://auto-talks.com/
Supercharging lead-acid batteries. Israel’s Salvation Battery has incorporated carbon nanotubes into lead-acid batteries, quadrupling their life and making them potentially rechargeable and recyclable. Lead-acid cells currently are used to start gasolene-fueled vehicles, but soon may replace lithium-ion cells in EVs and more.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/
Cleaning North Carolina’s largest lake. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s BlueGreen Water Technologies (see here previously) has begun a pilot study to treat cyanobacteria in an area of Lake Mattamuskeet, the state’s largest freshwater lake. Large, toxic algal blooms and declining water quality threaten the lake’s extensive wildlife.
https://www.
Cheese from soybeans. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s NewMoo has joined the ranks of Israel’s no-cow milk food producers (see here for others). NewMoo generates casein proteins (80% of the proteins in milk) from soybean plants, which are turned into liquid form for animal-free cheese production.
https://www.foodtechbiz.com/
https://newmoofoods.com/
Life from the sun. Most people know that photosynthesis is the way many plants grow, using sunlight, water & CO2 to generate chemical energy. Technion scientist Ariel Hazan traveled to Antarctica to investigate another way - where the microbial protein rhodopsin enables microorganisms to convert sunlight into energy.
https://biology.technion.ac.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Space – the final frontier for computer screens. Israel’s Sightful (see here previously) has unveiled the latest version of its no-screen Augmented Reality laptop computer. The Spacetop G1 is scheduled to be released in Oct. It’s a computer, Jim, but not as we know it. https://www.calcalistech.com/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Terminal 1 opens as Ryanair returns. Ben Gurion airport's low-cost Terminal 1 reopened on Jun 3rd for international flights. A few hours later, Ryanair's first flight in Israel since February landed. It will operate routes between Tel Aviv and Berlin, Paphos, Budapest, Bari, Milan, Malta and Athens.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/
A cool business – 3km from Gaza. Israel’s ZutaCore (see here previously) has returned to its Sderot factory to continue to produce its unique waterless dielectric liquid-cooling solution for overworked AI microchips. CEO Erez Freibach, describes his entrepreneurial background and that of his “genius” CTO Nahshon Eadelson.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Working on the Gaza border. The center of Sderot is the unlikely location for NatureGrowth. It originally was planned to be a hub for ag-tech and climate-tech startups. After Oct 7 it became SafeSpace – a quiet co-working area, and now it’s a base for non-profits. The owners hope one day it can become a global ag-tech hub.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Prepared for when disaster strikes. Aman Group (see here previously) is Israel’s largest IT company, with some 4,000 employees. Established 50 years ago, it deliberately maintains 50% of its operations in Israel. But it also has subsidiaries in several other countries, which can operate as disaster recovery sites in times of crisis.
https://www.israel21c.org/it-
5 cyber companies to watch. Calcalist identifies five specialist Israeli cyber security startups that should do well in 2024. Oasis Security (non-human identities, eg passwords), Astrix Security (non-human connections, e.g. APIs), Backslash (development security), Zenity (low code environments) and OneLayer (hospitals).
https://www.calcalistech.com/
New factory for microalgae protein. Israel’s Brevel (see here previously), has opened its first commercial plant for producing its alternative protein from microalgae. The product is vegan, gluten-free, non-allegenic, non-GMO, over 60% protein, and has a long shelf life. It can be used in dairy or meat alternative products.
https://agfundernews.com/
A buffalo farm in Israel. Chanoch Trister owns and manages Israel’s one-and-only buffalo farm in Moshav Bitzaron in southern Israel from buffalos flown to Israel in the 1990s. The farm produces mozzarella and burrata balls, a wide range of hard, aged cheeses, flavored yogurts, labneh and even buffalo milk ice cream.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://bufalo.co.il/ https://www.instagram.com/
Eyes for French aircraft engine manufacturer. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Odysight.ai has received a purchase order from France-based Safran Aircraft Engines. Odysight.ai will supply its cutting-edge micro cameras to support Safran’s experimentation, planning and development of jet engines for the aviation industry.
https://www.odysight.ai/press/
Software for football (soccer) coaches. Israel’s Easy Coach helps soccer coaches manage their clubs. Features include club administration, player development & performance, team analysis, tactics, training strategies etc. Used by the Israeli National team, Villarreal FC, and 250+ other teams in 7 countries including South Africa.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/
https://www.easycoach.club/
$260 million order for Elbit. Another (undisclosed) international company has recognized Israel’s dominance in the defense technology industry with a two-year, $260 million purchase order for systems from Israel’s Elbit. In 2023, Elbit earned revenues of approximately $6 billion and now has an order backlog of $17.8 billion.
https://elbitsystems.com/pr-
Pineapple delight. Israel has cancelled customs duties on pineapple imports from Costa Rica, leading to plummeting prices. Israelis have taken full advantage, almost doubling their normal consumption. The fruit already had increased its popularity, rising from 1.1 million sold in 2021 to 1.9 million in 2023.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/
Exits, takeovers and mergers – to 9/6/24: Germany’s SAP is acquiring Israel’s WalkMe for $1.5 billion; US-based Tenable is acquiring Israel’s Eureka Security for “tens of millions of dollars”. Israel’s Valens Semiconductor has acquired Colorado’s Acroname.
Startup investment – to 9/6/24: Gauzy raised $75 million (IPO);
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Hot Jazz. A taste of the New Orleans Jazz festival in Tel Aviv (see here previously).
https://eng.hotjazz.co.il/the-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Jerusalem streets after Lag B’Omer. Jerusalemites have been taking full advantage of the end of the ban on weddings before Lag B’Omer. Now the streets are full of the sound of celebrations and parties. But these cannot compare to the Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day) celebrations - to be reported next week.
https://rjstreets.com/2024/06/
Gal Gadot’s movie has over 100 million views. (TY UWI) Israeli actress Gal Gadot’s action thriller “Heart of Stone” was streamed on Netflix over 109 million times in the second half of 2023. It was the second most watched movie, behind “Leave the World Behind”, which had 121 million views.
https://www.algemeiner.com/
European curling runners up. (TY Nevet) Bulgaria beat Israel 7-4 in the final of the men’s European Curling Championships 2024 C-Division in Dumfries, Scotland. The silver medal-winning Israeli men’s team comprised skip Alex Pokras, third Dmitri Abanin, second Lawrence Sidney and lead Jeffrey Yaakov Lutz.
https://worldcurling.org/2024/
THE JEWISH STATE
Jerusalem’s Herodian quarter is open. After two years of renovations costing $5 million, Jerusalem’s 2,000-year-old Herodian Quarter in the Old City is reopening to the public. The 2,600sqm area contains luxurious homes, mosaics, paved streets and numerous ritual baths for the priestly families that served at the 2nd Temple.
https://www.jns.org/unveiling-
The sacred mountains of Samaria. A new study from Tel Aviv University identified the earliest appearance worldwide of special stone tools, used 400,000 years ago to cut fallow deer meat. The study also named Mounts Ebal and Gerizim (see Books of Deuteronomy & Joshua) as sacred places where fallow deer were plentiful.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
https://link.springer.com/
Using AI to analyze the Talmud. Researchers from Tel Aviv and Ariel universities have used a Machine Learning algorithm to find places in the Talmud that contain unusual language variations. They confirmed the theories of Rashi and other Torah scholars that these “special tractates” may have come from different sources.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-
https://cris.tau.ac.il/en/
Jerusalem’s population tops 1 million. As the Jewish world celebrates Yom Yerushalayim – Jerusalem Day, the Jerusalem Research Institute published its annual survey, showing that the population of Israel’s capital - the eternal city - has just exceeded one million inhabitants. It grew by 13,400 residents since last year’s survey.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
https://www.jns.org/jerusalem-
How to help Israel. Here are some sites where newsletter readers can donate to Israeli organizations that provide vital help to Israelis at this difficult time. Many thanks to those who have already contributed and to those who are helping by donating their own valuable time and resources.
Friends of the IDF (US donors): https://www.fidf.org/
or IDF Soldiers Fund in Israel: https://www.ufis.org.il/en/
American Friends of Magen David Adom (US donors): https://afmda.org/
or Magen David Adom (Israel): https://www.mdais.org/en/
Zaka (US donors): https://donate.zakatelaviv.
or (Canadian donors): https://www.canadahelps.org/
United Hatzalah: https://israelrescue.org/
Leket Food Israel: https://www.leket.org/en/
JNF USA - https://my.jnf.org/gaza-
Orthodox Union - https://www.charidy.com/
Schneider Children’s Hospital: https://www.fos.org.il/en/
https://system.smartgiving.
https://chaischneider.org/
Rambam Medical Center (Haifa) https://aforam.org/ways-to-
https://www.rambam.org.il/en/
Hadassah Hospital Israel: https://www.hadassah.org/
Laniado Hospital (Netanya) https://my.israelgives.org/en/
And many more charities here:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Buy Israel Bonds to support the Jewish State. (TY Larry B)
https://www.
USA - https://www.israelbonds.com/
Europe - https://israelbondsintl.com/
Canada - https://www.israelbonds.ca/
Please recommend www.verygoodnewsisrael.
In the 9th Jun 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
- Two more Israeli breakthroughs in the fight against cancer.
- An Israeli exercise system can improve poor eyesight by 25%.
- Thousands of Israel’s supporters took to the streets in London and Manhattan.
- Intel unveiled its new Israeli-developed microprocessor for powering AI systems.
- An Israeli innovation is poised to transform the electric battery industry.
- See latest examples of Israeli technology in France and South Africa.
- On Jerusalem Day 2024 the population of Jerusalem exceeds one million.
- Please click here, to donate (a small or large amount) to help me publicize VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
- If someone wishes to be added to the free email subscription list, they should either click here or send a request (with their name, and the subject “Subscribe”) to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.
com
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Penetrating the BBB. The nano-platform technology of Israel’s NanoCarry traverses the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) to deliver potentially life-saving therapies to the brain. Its initial target is HER2 breast cancer brain metastases for which there is no treatment, even though the original cancer can now effectively be cured.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/
https://nanocarry.com/
Predicting what cancer cells will do next. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem analyze cancer patient biopsies and use AI to predict disease progression or chemotherapy resistance. Using the science of nano-informatics, they expose cells to nano particles, record absorption levels, and model cellular behavior.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://www.science.org/doi/
Sickle cell disease treatment trial. Israel’s BiolineRX is to conduct Phase 1 clinical trials on sickle cell disease (SCD) patients at multiple locations in the US. It will use its motixafortide stem cell therapy (see here previously), currently used to treat multiple myeloma. SCD is caused by a mutation of the hemoglobin gene.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/
The long road. Back in 2015 (see here previously) Israel’s Ben Gurion University researchers discovered the link between protein macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Now they are leading an international team to use it as a potential cure.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/
The right antibiotic in 90 mins. Scientists at Israel’s Technion Institute have developed optical sensor technology that can identify the correct antibiotic for urinary tract and other infections in just 90 minutes. They worked with Technion alumni in a Maryland USA company and at John Hopkins University.
https://ats.org/our-impact/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.
An ambucar needed for Netanya. Israel’s United Hatzalah is appealing for funds to purchase a rapid response vehicle - known as a minilance (mini ambulance) ATV (all-terrain vehicle). It can bring a team of up to five UH volunteers and veteran lifesaving medics to the scene of a local emergency within minutes.
https://israelrescue.org/
Eradicating the last polio virus. Ben-Gurion University has received a $1.3 million grant from the Gates Foundation to develop and validate a novel and safe approach for measuring immune responses to polioviruses.
https://provaeducation.com/
Merck boost for antibody design startup. Israel’s Biolojic Design (see here previously) is partnering Merck, to develop molecules that could be the basis for therapies to treat cancer and other immunological disorders. The venture is potentially worth up to 350 million euros to the Israeli company.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Treating late life depression. (TY Atid-EDI) The US FDA has extended its approval of the Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation system from Israel’s BrainsWay (see here previously). It can now be used to treat depression up to the patient’s 86th birthday. The previous maximum age limit was 67.
https://www.brainsway.com/
Exercises restore eyesight. Israel’s RevitalVision (see here previously) has been very successful in improving the condition of the visually impaired. On average, the structured on-line brain exercises achieve a measurable improvement of 20 – 25%, equivalent to an extra two lines on a standard eye chart.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Watch out for snakes. Doctors saved an Israeli woman in her 50s after she was bitten by a snake in southern Israel. She was brought to Ashdod hospital by family members who also brought the snake. Doctors were able to identify the snake and administer the correct anti-venom serum. The article contains some important advice.
https://www.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Mother of 11 wins Krill Prize. (TY Yanky) The Wolf Foundation has awarded one of its 2024 Krill Prizes to Dr. Chaya Keller from the School of Computer Science at Ariel University for her significant contributions to discrete and computational geometry. Dr Keller is a mother to 11 children. Her husband is a Bar-Ilan professor.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
https://wolffund.org.il/
The Israeli Arab in charge of building Intel’s factories. Israeli Arab Reda Masarwa (see here previously) is Intel’s VP of Fab Construction Engineering. He is one of the key people entrusted with the largest expansion in Intel’s history - building and equipping ten factories, including in Israel, Germany, Poland, and (yes) Malaysia.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/
All-Israeli action figures. (TY Yanky) A must for all ages. Pre-order IDF action figures, symbolizing the courage and mosaic of Israel’s real-life heroes. Ashkenazi special forces, Mizrahi kibbutz infantrywoman, Arab Druze paratrooper, and Ethiopian reconnaissance ranger, and many more. Plus, a K9 dog and many accessories.
https://giboreyisrael.com/
Emirati award to Israeli female professor. The UAE’s Khalifa Award for Education was given to Technion Professor Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus for her research on how children learn to read. Horowitz-Kraus specializes in brain imaging research (EEG and MRI) to help children who have difficulties learning to read.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://edu.technion.ac.il/en/
Thousands march for Israel in NYC. Estimates of between 40,000 and 100,000 marchers gathered for ‘Israel Day on 5th,’ the annual parade on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue in support of Israel.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
https://www.jns.org/israel-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
And in London. An estimated 40,000 people marched through London under the banner “United we bring them home”. It was the largest pro-Israel gathering in the UK since Oct 7. At the end of the march, yellow balloons were released.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Japanese donate ambulances. Christian politicians from across Japan are donating two ambulances to Israeli communities along the border with Gaza to replace ambulances destroyed by Hamas on Oct 7. They recently gave £150,000 to Israel’s Magen David Adom to buy the first mobile intensive care unit ambulance.
https://www.jns.org/japanese-
Israeli WHO amendment approved. Every year since 1968, the World Health Organization’s annual Assembly in Geneva passes a resolution criticizing Israel. This year, Israel proposed an amendment calling for the release of the Gaza hostages and denouncing militarization of Gaza hospitals. Amazingly, it passed.
https://worldisraelnews.com/
We could learn from this. (TY Yanky) U.S. military legal experts and former commanders have issued a report praising the IDF and its conduct of the war against Hamas. It concluded, “The U.S. military would benefit from studying how the IDF fought effectively in this highly complex, multi-domain environment,”
https://www.jns.org/idf-
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Intel-Israel’s latest AI chip. Intel has unveiled Lunar Lake – its new range of AI-ready processors. Designed and developed by Israeli architects and engineers; constructed at Intel’s Haifa and Petah Tikva development centers. Lunar Lake is 50% faster than the previous generation, while consuming 80% less energy.
https://www.intel.com/content/
Nine awards. Israel’s Appdome (see here previously) received a total of nine (9) Cybersecurity Excellence Awards. They were Mobile security platform, Automation, Social engineering defense, Bot defense, Geo location compliance, XDR (Extended Detection & Response), DevOps tool, and Application security.
https://www.ourcrowd.com/
A billion shekels. (TY Anne & Geoff) Israel’s Bar-Ilan University has received an anonymous $260 million (NIS 1 billion) donation (one of the largest ever to an Israeli university) to invest in deep-tech sciences. Bar-Ilan President Prof Arie Zaban said it potentially could positively influence the future of Israel and humanity.
https://www.jns.org/bar-ilan-
https://www.biu.ac.il/en/
Safety system for e-bikes and e-scooters. Israel’s Autotalks (see here previously) has launched the V2X (Vehicle to Anything) TEKTON3-BIKE System on Chip safety system, plus the ZooZ3 V2X device or smartphone app for e-bikes and e-scooters. Cyclists will receive real-time alerts to potential road hazards.
https://auto-talks.com/
Supercharging lead-acid batteries. Israel’s Salvation Battery has incorporated carbon nanotubes into lead-acid batteries, quadrupling their life and making them potentially rechargeable and recyclable. Lead-acid cells currently are used to start gasolene-fueled vehicles, but soon may replace lithium-ion cells in EVs and more.
https://nocamels.com/2024/06/
Cleaning North Carolina’s largest lake. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s BlueGreen Water Technologies (see here previously) has begun a pilot study to treat cyanobacteria in an area of Lake Mattamuskeet, the state’s largest freshwater lake. Large, toxic algal blooms and declining water quality threaten the lake’s extensive wildlife.
https://www.
Cheese from soybeans. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s NewMoo has joined the ranks of Israel’s no-cow milk food producers (see here for others). NewMoo generates casein proteins (80% of the proteins in milk) from soybean plants, which are turned into liquid form for animal-free cheese production.
https://www.foodtechbiz.com/
https://newmoofoods.com/
Life from the sun. Most people know that photosynthesis is the way many plants grow, using sunlight, water & CO2 to generate chemical energy. Technion scientist Ariel Hazan traveled to Antarctica to investigate another way - where the microbial protein rhodopsin enables microorganisms to convert sunlight into energy.
https://biology.technion.ac.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Space – the final frontier for computer screens. Israel’s Sightful (see here previously) has unveiled the latest version of its no-screen Augmented Reality laptop computer. The Spacetop G1 is scheduled to be released in Oct. It’s a computer, Jim, but not as we know it. https://www.calcalistech.com/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Terminal 1 opens as Ryanair returns. Ben Gurion airport's low-cost Terminal 1 reopened on Jun 3rd for international flights. A few hours later, Ryanair's first flight in Israel since February landed. It will operate routes between Tel Aviv and Berlin, Paphos, Budapest, Bari, Milan, Malta and Athens.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/
A cool business – 3km from Gaza. Israel’s ZutaCore (see here previously) has returned to its Sderot factory to continue to produce its unique waterless dielectric liquid-cooling solution for overworked AI microchips. CEO Erez Freibach, describes his entrepreneurial background and that of his “genius” CTO Nahshon Eadelson.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Working on the Gaza border. The center of Sderot is the unlikely location for NatureGrowth. It originally was planned to be a hub for ag-tech and climate-tech startups. After Oct 7 it became SafeSpace – a quiet co-working area, and now it’s a base for non-profits. The owners hope one day it can become a global ag-tech hub.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Prepared for when disaster strikes. Aman Group (see here previously) is Israel’s largest IT company, with some 4,000 employees. Established 50 years ago, it deliberately maintains 50% of its operations in Israel. But it also has subsidiaries in several other countries, which can operate as disaster recovery sites in times of crisis.
https://www.israel21c.org/it-
5 cyber companies to watch. Calcalist identifies five specialist Israeli cyber security startups that should do well in 2024. Oasis Security (non-human identities, eg passwords), Astrix Security (non-human connections, e.g. APIs), Backslash (development security), Zenity (low code environments) and OneLayer (hospitals).
https://www.calcalistech.com/
New factory for microalgae protein. Israel’s Brevel (see here previously), has opened its first commercial plant for producing its alternative protein from microalgae. The product is vegan, gluten-free, non-allegenic, non-GMO, over 60% protein, and has a long shelf life. It can be used in dairy or meat alternative products.
https://agfundernews.com/
A buffalo farm in Israel. Chanoch Trister owns and manages Israel’s one-and-only buffalo farm in Moshav Bitzaron in southern Israel from buffalos flown to Israel in the 1990s. The farm produces mozzarella and burrata balls, a wide range of hard, aged cheeses, flavored yogurts, labneh and even buffalo milk ice cream.
https://www.israel21c.org/
https://bufalo.co.il/ https://www.instagram.com/
Eyes for French aircraft engine manufacturer. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Odysight.ai has received a purchase order from France-based Safran Aircraft Engines. Odysight.ai will supply its cutting-edge micro cameras to support Safran’s experimentation, planning and development of jet engines for the aviation industry.
https://www.odysight.ai/press/
Software for football (soccer) coaches. Israel’s Easy Coach helps soccer coaches manage their clubs. Features include club administration, player development & performance, team analysis, tactics, training strategies etc. Used by the Israeli National team, Villarreal FC, and 250+ other teams in 7 countries including South Africa.
https://nocamels.com/2024/05/
https://www.easycoach.club/
$260 million order for Elbit. Another (undisclosed) international company has recognized Israel’s dominance in the defense technology industry with a two-year, $260 million purchase order for systems from Israel’s Elbit. In 2023, Elbit earned revenues of approximately $6 billion and now has an order backlog of $17.8 billion.
https://elbitsystems.com/pr-
Pineapple delight. Israel has cancelled customs duties on pineapple imports from Costa Rica, leading to plummeting prices. Israelis have taken full advantage, almost doubling their normal consumption. The fruit already had increased its popularity, rising from 1.1 million sold in 2021 to 1.9 million in 2023.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/
Exits, takeovers and mergers – to 9/6/24: Germany’s SAP is acquiring Israel’s WalkMe for $1.5 billion; US-based Tenable is acquiring Israel’s Eureka Security for “tens of millions of dollars”. Israel’s Valens Semiconductor has acquired Colorado’s Acroname.
Startup investment – to 9/6/24: Gauzy raised $75 million (IPO);
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Hot Jazz. A taste of the New Orleans Jazz festival in Tel Aviv (see here previously).
https://eng.hotjazz.co.il/the-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Jerusalem streets after Lag B’Omer. Jerusalemites have been taking full advantage of the end of the ban on weddings before Lag B’Omer. Now the streets are full of the sound of celebrations and parties. But these cannot compare to the Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day) celebrations - to be reported next week.
https://rjstreets.com/2024/06/
Gal Gadot’s movie has over 100 million views. (TY UWI) Israeli actress Gal Gadot’s action thriller “Heart of Stone” was streamed on Netflix over 109 million times in the second half of 2023. It was the second most watched movie, behind “Leave the World Behind”, which had 121 million views.
https://www.algemeiner.com/
European curling runners up. (TY Nevet) Bulgaria beat Israel 7-4 in the final of the men’s European Curling Championships 2024 C-Division in Dumfries, Scotland. The silver medal-winning Israeli men’s team comprised skip Alex Pokras, third Dmitri Abanin, second Lawrence Sidney and lead Jeffrey Yaakov Lutz.
https://worldcurling.org/2024/
THE JEWISH STATE
Jerusalem’s Herodian quarter is open. After two years of renovations costing $5 million, Jerusalem’s 2,000-year-old Herodian Quarter in the Old City is reopening to the public. The 2,600sqm area contains luxurious homes, mosaics, paved streets and numerous ritual baths for the priestly families that served at the 2nd Temple.
https://www.jns.org/unveiling-
The sacred mountains of Samaria. A new study from Tel Aviv University identified the earliest appearance worldwide of special stone tools, used 400,000 years ago to cut fallow deer meat. The study also named Mounts Ebal and Gerizim (see Books of Deuteronomy & Joshua) as sacred places where fallow deer were plentiful.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
https://link.springer.com/
Using AI to analyze the Talmud. Researchers from Tel Aviv and Ariel universities have used a Machine Learning algorithm to find places in the Talmud that contain unusual language variations. They confirmed the theories of Rashi and other Torah scholars that these “special tractates” may have come from different sources.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-
https://cris.tau.ac.il/en/
Jerusalem’s population tops 1 million. As the Jewish world celebrates Yom Yerushalayim – Jerusalem Day, the Jerusalem Research Institute published its annual survey, showing that the population of Israel’s capital - the eternal city - has just exceeded one million inhabitants. It grew by 13,400 residents since last year’s survey.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
https://www.jns.org/jerusalem-
How to help Israel. Here are some sites where newsletter readers can donate to Israeli organizations that provide vital help to Israelis at this difficult time. Many thanks to those who have already contributed and to those who are helping by donating their own valuable time and resources.
Friends of the IDF (US donors): https://www.fidf.org/
or IDF Soldiers Fund in Israel: https://www.ufis.org.il/en/
American Friends of Magen David Adom (US donors): https://afmda.org/
or Magen David Adom (Israel): https://www.mdais.org/en/
Zaka (US donors): https://donate.zakatelaviv.
or (Canadian donors): https://www.canadahelps.org/
United Hatzalah: https://israelrescue.org/
Leket Food Israel: https://www.leket.org/en/
JNF USA - https://my.jnf.org/gaza-
Orthodox Union - https://www.charidy.com/
Schneider Children’s Hospital: https://www.fos.org.il/en/
https://system.smartgiving.
https://chaischneider.org/
Rambam Medical Center (Haifa) https://aforam.org/ways-to-
https://www.rambam.org.il/en/
Hadassah Hospital Israel: https://www.hadassah.org/
Laniado Hospital (Netanya) https://my.israelgives.org/en/
And many more charities here:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Buy Israel Bonds to support the Jewish State. (TY Larry B)
https://www.
USA - https://www.israelbonds.com/
Europe - https://israelbondsintl.com/
Canada - https://www.israelbonds.ca/
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Who’s Next in Line After President Kamala Harris?
The question isn’t as odd as it sounds. She could easily be sitting in the Oval Office this time next year
Joe Biden can’t seem to catch a break. As he was about to embark to Normandy’s grand stage to commemorate America’s defense of freedom on D-Day, this newspaper confirmed what the nation could already see. The U.S. president is sliding dangerously into dotage in an increasingly perilous national and international environment.
Elections are in the hands of voters, not journalists and pundits. That became clear in 2020, when Mr. Biden benefited from interconnecting unexpected events—political missteps by Mr. Trump, economic uncertainties caused by the pandemic, and a media eager to forgive his basement hideaways. The end result: Mr. Biden’s allies dragged him across the finish line and he won by a nose. Things look good for Mr. Trump today, but polls are a snapshot in time, and November is five months away. So what happens if Joe Biden is re-elected?
By any measure of common sense, Mr. Biden’s mental acuity and physical stamina won’t carry him through a second term. The disconnectedness reported by those who sat with him in meetings, combined with the painful observance of his stumbles on TV, can’t help but leave voters wondering: How could he possibly last beyond a year after retaking the oath of office?
A President Kamala Harris is the specter before the U.S., which raises many interesting questions. The obvious one is whether Ms. Harris is fit for the office. Her meager poll ratings and the widespread suspicion of her capabilities have dominated her years as vice president. Ask any cab driver, anyone using coupons for grocery purchases, and the next Marine on leave if they are comfortable with leaving America’s economy and security in her hands. That’s even before the next big questions: Can she face down Vladimir Putin or Xi Jinping? Is she ready for the responsibility of the nuclear codes?
One test will come when Ms. Harris debates her Republican challenger. I hope one of the moderators asks an important and intriguing question: Does she have anyone in mind to serve as vice president in the event that she is promoted to the presidency?
The answer would be revealing. Would Ms. Harris retreat to the left’s comfort zone by using a “diversity” test? In an early debate in 2020, Mr. Biden committed to picking a woman as his running mate. Is it possible that Ms. Harris would pledge to pick a gay man or a lesbian? Or would she commit to selecting an Asian or Latino? Might she resurrect a loser from previous races, such as Beto O’Rourke, or commit to a black woman, such as Stacey Abrams? Progressive pressure to apply the diversity test would be immense.
The question of governmental succession is neither frivolous nor political gamesmanship. Hiding Mr. Biden’s mental and physical decline is no longer a luxury the country can afford. So long as he is the Democratic nominee for president, his staff, friends and supporters will persist in propping him up. But we can believe his toadies or our lying eyes. If Mr. Biden is re-elected on Nov. 5, Kamala Harris will almost certainly move into the Oval Office before the midterm elections of 2026. The country deserves to know who she believes is capable to lead the free world, secure our economy, preserve our culture and—as the Biden-Harris team repeatedly shouts—protect our democracy.
Mr. Khachigian was chief speechwriter to Ronald Reagan and is author of the memoir “Behind Closed Doors: In the Room With Reagan and Nixon,” forthcoming in July.
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Four Hostages Come Home
By Sherwin Pomerantz
Four hostages were rescued in a joint operation, the IDF announced in a statement on Saturday: "It has been cleared for publication that in a complex operation by the IDF, Shin Bet, and the Yamam unit of the Israel police four Israeli hostages were rescued this Saturday morning. The hostages, Noa Argamani (25,) Almog Meir (21,) Andrey Kozlov (27,) and Shlomi Ziv (40,) were kidnapped by Hamas to the Gaza Strip from the 'Nova' party on October 7th.”
"The hostages were rescued by Shin Bet and Yamam fighters from two different locations in an operation in the heart of Nuseirat. Their medical condition is stable, and they have been transferred for further medical examinations at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer. Security forces will continue to make every effort to bring back the hostages."
Shortly after Israeli forces freed the on Saturday, Hamas published a statement from the terror organization’s leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in which the arch-terrorist asserted that Hamas would not surrender. “Our people will not surrender, and the resistance will continue to defend our rights in the face of this criminal enemy,” Haniyeh reportedly said. “And if the occupation believes that it can impose its choices on us by force, it is delusional, and the movement will not approve any agreement that does not achieve security for our people first and foremost.” In a later statement Haniyeh added that as a result of the hostage release exercise on Saturday, Hamas would now make conditions for the remaining 120 hostages more difficult.
In the statement, the Hamas leader asserted that the Israeli military was engaging in massacres of the Palestinian people in Gaza. “[Israel] continues the massacres against our people, children and women, the chapters of which are now taking place in Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah.”
According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, the bodies of at least 93 Palestinians who were killed during Israeli activities in Nuseirat and other areas in the central region of the Gaza Strip arrived at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital on Saturday. The ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its reporting, and the numbers published by the ministry have come under scrutiny, particularly in recent days, for its apparent inflating of the proportion of women and children killed during the war.
The US push for a three-stage hostage deal appeared to remain at a standstill on Saturday, even as Israel celebrated the IDF operation that rescued four captives held in Gaza for 246 days. “We won’t stop working until all the hostages come home and a ceasefire is reached, that is essential,” US President Joe Biden said during a joint press event in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron. He spoke as eight days have passed since he unveiled the proposal that opens a pathway for the return of the remaining 112 hostages and an end to the war. Israel has accepted the deal, which the US has characterized as their proposal.
Hamas has made statements dismissing the deal, but their words have not been considered a final rejection. Mohammad Al-Hindi, deputy chief of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group that is also holding some of the hostages, said that Israel’s military operation on Saturday would not affect the deal. He added that conditions for the deal remain the same, in comments he made to Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to travel to the region this week in an attempt to close the hostage release deal. His visit follows regional trips made last week by CIA Director William Burns and US special envoy Brett McGurk. The trip will be Blinken’s eighth to the region since the Hamas-led invasion of Israel on October 7, in which over 1,200 people were killed and 251 seized as hostages. Blinken is expected to visit Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Qatar and meet with their senior leaders. Egypt and Qatar have been the chief mediators for a hostage deal.
Of course, as could have been expected, the Arab press along with the UN are trying to turn the tables on Israel and make us the bad guys for doing whatever we can to release the illegally taking hostage of hundreds of Israelis on October 7th. The world needs to remember that (a) taking those hostages was a crime; (b) holding them without proper food and drink was a crime; (c) not allowing much needed medication to reach the hostages was a crime; (d) sequestering them among civilians [and then complaining because civilians were killed or injured during the release] was also a crime, all according to international law.
Once again, the world needs to be reminded that Hamas could have ended this war long ago by putting down their arms and releasing the hostages. Instead, it has chosen to prolong the fighting so that it can gain the sympathy of the world and make Israeli a pariah state. Those countries that have refused to lean on Hamas to take the current offer on the table are themselves guilty of criminal activity by acting as enablers. No nation wants this war to end and see the hostages returned [both those who are alive and those who are not], more than Israel. It is now up to the rest of the world to bring Hamas to the table by cutting off the funds and materiel that make it possible for them to continue fighting.
Israel cannot do this alone.
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