Israel good news

·        Israelis use missile technology to replace a man’s jawbone.

·        Israelis are running a summer camp for orphans in Ethiopia.

·        A clever Israeli device turns your iPhone / iPad into a TV – without a network connection.

·        Four of Israel’s eight universities are in the world Top 100 academies for scientific excellence.

·        A new business park will bring 40,000 jobs to Jerusalem.

·        National Geographic chose the Israel National Trail as one of its 20 “World’s best hikes”.

·        Israeli archaeologists have discovered a huge, unique-designed, 1300-year-old olive oil press.

·        Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary

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Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.

Israeli engineers save man’s jaw.  Vladislav Zaitsev was suffering from severe jaw infection causing loss of bone and inability to eat, drink or speak. Doctors decided to bring in engineers from Israeli company RAFAEL who used missile technology to construct a brand new titanium jaw.  Ironically, before his Aliya in 1997, Vladislav was a missile engineer in the former Soviet Union.

Proteins that cause allergies.  Tel Aviv University Professor Sagi-Eisenberg and PhD student Nurit Pereg-Azouz have identified a group of 30 proteins involved in the trigger process for an allergic reaction.  They have isolated two specific proteins that could be targeted by medication without the side effects of steroid treatments.

Cancer – a terrorist in the body.  A team of microbiologists, including Professor Eshel Ben-Jacob of Tel Aviv University, has discovered that cancer cells and bacteria behave in the same way as terrorists do in real life.  They spy out the body, manipulate genes, enslave normal cells and become dormant to avoid danger.

We care for Autism.  Hundreds of researchers and educators joined families affected by autism at ICare4Autism’s 2012 International Autism Conference in Jerusalem.  The organization is building the world’s first global autism research centre, adjoining the Hebrew University campus on Jerusalem’s Mount Scopus.

http://www.icare4autism.org/   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ5djHi2KpE

The Ramadan cannon.  Rajay Sanduka has been responsible for the Ramadan cannon in Jerusalem for 25 years.  But on this particular day, he gave the task of firing the cannon (to mark the end of the fast) to Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, who spoke of how vital it is that all religions respect each other in Israel’s united capital.

Only 10 roadblocks left.  More than a hundred checkpoints in Judea and Samaria have been removed as “goodwill” measure to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.  The media frequently reports that roadblocks are a crucial reason for the failure of the Palestinian Authority to become economically solvent, but the PA itself said last week that it is enjoying an exceptional growth rate of 5.2 percent.

Saving Jewish teens.  Here is the story of the charity ‘Learn & Live’ that rehabilitates those young people who, due to dysfunctional families, bad company or immoral influences, fall between the cracks of society.

Israelis run summer camp for Ethiopian orphans.  Please read this guest blog. Five young Israeli volunteers from Project T.E.N. (Tikkun Empowerment Network – a project of The Jewish Agency for Israel) have opened a summer camp for street children in Gondar, Ethiopia.  51 children attend the camp, where they study English every day and participate in traditional camping activities including sports, arts and crafts, and drama.

Reviving the “golden era” of Africa.  Israel’s deputy Foreign minister Danny Ayalon will fly from Ethiopia to Uganda and Kenya to inaugurate Israeli projects in agriculture and health.  Many African leaders have said they want to repair the damage caused by the cutting of diplomatic ties in the 1970’s and 80’s.

Bringing the impossible to life.  Artist M. C. Escher was famous for his 2-dimensional drawings of “impossible” 3-dimensional buildings.  Now Prof. Gershon Elber of Israel’s Technion has used technology plus a 3D Israeli Objet printer to build models that show how the illusions work in reality.

Eilat hub for renewable energy.  Regional Development Minister Silvan Shalom approved a NIS 10 million renewable energy program for the Eilat-Eilot region.  Laboratories will be set-up for bio-energy, bio-fuels, hydrogen, solar energy and more.  40% of the budget is allocated for regional cooperation with Jordan.

TV on your Apple.  Israel’s Siano has launched the Carmel – a miniature digital terrestrial TV accessory for receiving live TV stations on your iPhone or iPad.  In Israel, UK and much of Europe you can pick up all the available free channels in high quality and without any network connection.  You don’t even need a TV license.

Israelis can predict the weather.  (Thanks to Israel21c) Meteo-Logic has developed an innovative technology, which turns weather stations into forecasting points that provide highly accurate weather forecasts.  It can determine the temperature, humidity, wind intensity, wind direction and rainfall expected six hours ahead.

Cutting-edge technology produces the best Israeli wines.  Israeli scientists are making huge strides in winemaking.  The Golan Heights Winery has harnessed technology to eradicate viruses; match vines with the best subsoil and use satellite models to monitor the microclimate and ensure correct irrigation and harvesting.

Israel to host Asian Science Camp.  Some 250 top scientific minds from 22 Asian countries, including at least five Nobel Prize winners will gather in Jerusalem at the end of the month for one of the most prestigious youth science gatherings ever held in Israel — the Asian Science Camp.

Four Israeli Universities in top 100 science academies.  Israel only has eight universities, but in the prestigious Academic Ranking of World Universities (known as the Shanghai list), three appeared in the top 100 and four in the top 100 for scientific studies.  Hebrew U (38), Technion (39, TAU (51) and Weizmann (75).

Better Place for the poor.  Green Motors International (GMI) is an Israeli start-up developing and manufacturing electric scooters.  They are being marketed as “the poor man’s Better Place – Israel’s world-leading electric car infrastructure.  The scooters are assembled in Nazareth.

Atlanta to increase trade with Israel.  Georgia’s largest chamber of commerce—the Metro Atlanta Chamber—has entered into a joint agreement with the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce.

How to turn a problem into an opportunity.  You may have heard that due to a mistake El Al were forced to sell 5000 return tickets from New York to Israel for under $400 each. Cleverly, El Al then offered the lucky customers the chance to upgrade their tickets to non-stop for $75 each way, thus ensuring only El Al planes would be used and cutting out code-sharing partners.  It also means that El Al’s low-season flights will be full.

It’s now legal to come to Israel.  New regulations agreed earlier this year allow foreign firms to practise the law of their home jurisdiction in Israel rather than merely establish representative offices for business purposes.  Linklaters, DLA Piper and Zeichner Ellman & Krause are among many firms to expand in Israel in response.

The ultimate convenience shop.  Just next to Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market is a store that provides a top quality facility that we all need at some stage – a public toilet.  400 customers per day each pay three shekels for a choice of décor and music with the equivalent standard of service, hygiene and atmosphere of a five star hotel.

Israel brings stranded tourists home.  The collapse of Italian budget airline Wind-jet ruined the holiday plans of 300,000 customers.  However, the Israeli government organised planes to fly 200 stranded Israeli tourists home from Rome.  Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said, “The fact that all of Israel is responsible for one other is something which makes us unique and of which we should be proud”.

Israeli faculties at two Beijing universities.  China’s University of International Business Economics is opening an Israeli economics and Judaism department.  Meanwhile, at the University for Foreign Affairs 56 students are either studying or just completed studies in Hebrew language and culture.

40,000 new jobs for Jerusalem.  Israel is to build 12 new skyscrapers in a business park containing 1 million square meters of office space at the entrance to Jerusalem.  The area will contain the terminus for the new high-speed train linking Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Bringing entrepreneurship back into the game.  Jerusalem Venture Partner’s Erel Margalit explains why Israel is known as a “start-up nation.”  What can the USA learn from Israel in order to “re-start” its economy?

And all that gas.  Long article about Israel’s massive new natural gas deposits and the political changes that they are likely to make.

Two of the best restaurants in the world.  53 of the top chefs in the world have chosen two Israeli restaurants for Newsweek Magazine’s list of the 101 Best Places in the World to Eat.  Tel Aviv’s Abraxas North and Habasta were two of only three restaurants in the Middle East to be included.

The Israel trail – one of the World’s “Epic Trails”.  National Geographic has included the Israel National Trail in its list of the best 20 of the World’s Best Hikes.  No other trail covers the land of the Bible.

Formula One racing in Jerusalem?  Apparently Mayor Nir Barkat of Jerusalem is working on a plan to bring Formula 1 to Israel’s capital city. A proposed track would pass through the heart of the modern city of Jerusalem – with the start and finish line near the walls of the Old City.

Israeli wins Olympic medal.  Israel’s David Blatt coached the Russian basketball team to an 81-77 victory over Argentina to clinch the bronze medal at the London Olympics.  Blatt dedicated his accomplishment to Israeli sports saying, “Above all else, I can say today that part of this medal is for Israeli sports. I’m mainly a product of Israeli sports and I give this medal as a gift to everyone in Israel.”

Yemenite widow makes Aliya with her 9 children.  Luiza Nahari has immigrated to Israel with her four youngest children.  She arrives four years after her teacher husband was murdered by a radical Islamist in Raydah, Yemen. Luiza’s other five children made Aliya shortly after the death of their father.

Israel can make you “cool” parents.  Ari Teman writes about his parents, who were ordinary suburbanites in New Jersey.  They were boring and predictable – but then they made Aliya.

Olive oil production 1300 years ago.  The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has discovered an industrial olive press from the 6th – 8th century CE.  The site was found near Hod HaSharon, North of Tel Aviv. The olive press system had been carved into huge building slabs that were sunk into the ground.

30 years work – correcting the Bible.  84-year-old Judaic expert Menachem Cohen accomplished a 30-year task to correct all known textual errors in Jewish scripture. Cohen identified 1,500 inaccuracies in vowels and cantillation notation in the Old Testament’s prophets and writings.

An organic oasis in the desert.  In the middle of the Arava desert is Kibbutz Neot Semadar growing several varieties of native date palms and organic grapes that it transforms into sulphur-free wines.  It also contains Pundak Neot Semadar – a charming all-organic restaurant with a dining area enclosed by a veritable jungle.

Carrying his love a bit too far.  The Rabbis probably would have objected to a young religious Jewish man’s 30km Shabbat trek from Jerusalem to Ofra in order to propose to his girlfriend.  Due to having to carry a bottle of water, a spare shirt plus, of course, the ring – they would have ruled that true love should wait a bit.

Need an Israel Advocacy Idea? Ask Herzl.  Ask Herzl is a website that will serve as a database for Israel programs and strategies. It will also connect students and professionals around the country who are working on similar initiatives and facing similar challenges to collaborate and share material and ideas.

Read more about Israel.  I like this neat site by the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, Florida – great supporters of the Jewish State.