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ECONOMIC AFFAIRS: Corporate titans like Google, Microsoft and Intel continue to channel billions to Israeli innovation – with apparently good reasons.

The Jerusalem Post

By ZACHY HENNESSEY Published: FEBRUARY 24, 2022 20:08 

Despite the third year of the global pandemic looming, international conflicts coming to a head, and Amazon thinking it can do justice to the Lord of the Rings franchise, at least one industry is doing great: the Israeli hi-tech sector.

Last year was a banner year for the blue and white country. According to a report from Start-Up Nation Central, Israel’s tech sector raised a record $25 billion last year, as large venture capital funds channeled money to innovative companies, and it seems as though 2022 is closely following suit.

It’s become “one of the most technologically important strands for the next decades,” says Aviv Zeevi at the Israel Innovation Authority. “We can see it by the amount of investment in this market and by the many countries investing in this technology.”

Jewish News Syndicate

BY DAVID ISAAC

(February 23, 2022 / JNS) In response to what industry observers call the second quantum revolution, Israel announced on Feb. 15 an ambitious goal to build its first quantum computer within a year.

The first quantum revolution led to inventions like the transistor, the laser and the atomic clock, which form today’s information technology. The second is about controlling particles that show quantum effects, like photons and electrons. Although real-world applications are 10 to 30 years off, Israel, which punches above its weight in tech, doesn’t want to be left behind.

Our state's values are worth defending against a movement that seeks to undermine Israel’s existence.

Tom Henderson and Charles Schneider

Guest columnists

Des Moines Register

February 16, 2022

"Since Israel’s founding in 1948, Iowa has had a strong connection to Israel through trade in agricultural equipment and materials, business, and the exchange of scientific, technological, and medical information. In 2020, exports to Israel from Iowa totaled $62 million, and have been consistently over $60 million annually.

As the only truly representative elected form of government in the Middle East, Israel has also been a steadfast ally of the United States. That is why US foreign policy has always sought a two-state solution that would allow Israel and Palestine to exist peacefully..."

By Adam Shinder

NoCamels 

December 29, 2021 

As we head into 2022, forecasts for Israel’s bubbling tech sector are big, optimistic, and showing no signs of slowing down. Industry experts and tech investors are looking ahead with eyes wide open and faith in the country’s entrepreneurs that the year to come will be strong with stable growth. 

 By JERUSALEM POST STAFF   

AUGUST 31, 2021 23:39

For the first time, researchers at Tel Aviv University have been able to predict both the type of cancer and patients' survival probability based on silent mutations in cancer genomes.

Groundbreaking research out of Tel Aviv University (TAU) is able to predict both a patient's type of cancer and their survival probability based on silent mutations in cancer genomes – a proof of concept that will likely save lives in the future. 

Geektime

Dor Schwartz / 26 Aug 2021 

Over the past year and a half, and even before, we witnessed the importance of pristine healthcare systems, and these Israeli startups are putting patients and their care at the center.

The Times of Israel

By LUKE TRESS 

8 August 2021, 6:08 pm  

Google’s Verily Life Sciences has said it will open a research and development center in Israel that will focus on applying artificial intelligence technology to biomedical problems.

The R&D center will move forward with research conducted by Google Health and the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, Verily said on Thursday.

Verily, formerly called Google Life Sciences, is an independent subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company. It focuses on life sciences and health care, with the goal of using the world’s health data to prevent and manage disease.

The Times of Israel

By TOI STAFF

31 July 2021, 12:48 pm 

Congratulations to our friends in Israel!

Israel’s mixed team in judo won a bronze medal at the Olympics on Saturday, the nation’s second medal at the Tokyo games.

By NATHAN JEFFAY 

29 July 2021, 5:14 pm  

People who tested positive give a drop of blood, wait 15 minutes, and discover their coronavirus destiny; if severe, doctors empowered to avert the outcome.

A “next-generation” COVID test made in Israel tells coronavirus-infected people how likely they are to deteriorate to serious illness.

Science

By Josh P. Roberts

Jul. 27, 2021 , 9:30 AM 

Israel’s institutions of higher learning underpin a vibrant intellectual community that supports innovative research. From tiny satellites to the vast oceans, from computational science and virtual technology to new ways to deal with the still very real COVID-19 pandemic, Israel performs on the global scientific stage.

The Times of Israel

By NATHAN JEFFAY 

March 15, 2021, 1:48 pm

Just in time, Tel Aviv scientists may have found medicines to help Eli Reich, a Jewish 2-year-old who has a rare and currently untreatable disorder that harms brain development

by Holly Ellyatt

PUBLISHED FRI, JAN 8 20212:30 AM ESTUPDATED FRI, JAN 8 20218:48 AM EST 

It has raced ahead of other countries that have also started their vaccination rollouts. To date, and with a new lockdown in place amid a surge in coronavirus cases, around 1.59 million people in Israel (of a population of 8.6 million) have received their first vaccine shot, according to Our World in Data.

By contrast, the U.S. has given the first inoculation to 5.9 million people (with a population of around 331 million), the U.K. has vaccinated 1.3 million (of 66 million) and just 45,000 people in France have received their first shot (population: 67 million).

The Guardian

Oliver Holmes in Jerusalem

Mon 4 Jan 2021 02.57 EST

Doctors in Europe and Israel have begun using a medical gun that spins out a protective web to cover burns and wounds, hoping the breathable “skin substitute” will help patients recover without the need for painful bandage changes.

Nanomedic, the Israeli company that designed the Spincare system, claims its device gives patients increased mobility – often essential for burn rehabilitation – and the ability to shower, a process that can be difficult with traditional bandages. The translucent layer it produces allows medics to examine the wound without touching it, the firm says.

Bloomberg Opinion

By Daniel Gordis

January 1, 2021, 9:36 AM CST

Labor was Israel’s founding party, the party of its first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, the party that ruled almost absolutely for Israel’s first 29 years. Thus, Labor’s apparent demise is yet another indicator that the Israel of 1948 is all but gone.

The image of Israel as a small country surrounded by enemies is giving way to a new Middle East in which Israel has peace with Egypt and Jordan, normalized relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan, made progress with Morocco and, apparently, movement with Saudi Arabia. A country that barely held on in the face of what seemed imminent economic collapse in the 1950’s is now a technology powerhouse and boasts a formidable economy. Its population has grown tenfold since 1948, from approximately 800,000 in 1948 to 8.6 million now.

Aired: Tuesday, Jan. 5

1930 IL / 1230 EST / 2130 GST 

OurCrowd CEO Jon Medved and Gulf Partner Sabah al-Binali interviewed by Arsen Ostrovsky.

Tel Aviv International Salon with OurCrowd and Sharaka presented a live conversation on the business implications of the normalization of relations between Israel and the UAE. Featuring Jon Medved in Jerusalem and Dr. Sabah al-Binali in Abu Dhabi, hosted by Arsen Ostrovsky in Tel Aviv. 

If you missed it live, you can still watch it!

The Times of Israel

By SHOSHANNA SOLOMON 

November 29, 2020, 4:36 pm  

Smart beehive, folding booster seat, shrinking electric car, AR headset, sweeter sugar, medical data miner said to change how ‘we live, work, play and think about what’s possible’

The global “groundbreaking inventions” of 2020 published earlier this month include a skill building robot, hydrogen power for airplanes, vodka out of think air, alt-pork, a hands-free tooth-brushing device, and mRNA vaccines to fight COVID-19.

The Times of Israel

By YAAKOV SCHWARTZ

27 November 2020 

From the makers of the Jewish Wisdom Ball comes Dreidel Revolution, a twist on the holiday classic that introduces skill, speed, and even bluffing for more dynamic gameplay.

So Genauer’s version includes uniquely original components, such as eight-sided dreidel-dice, a “shamash” button, letter tokens, play coins, and a dice cup. There are instructions for four all-new dreidel games appropriate for all ages, as well as an additional four games more suitable for older players.

The Times of Israel

By GABE FRIEDMAN

17 November 2020, 4:29 am 

The head scientist at company developing coronavirus vaccine is eager to point out role of new arrivals to America in crucial scientific breakthroughs.

“This may turn out to be one of the biggest medical advances of the past 100 years,” Dolsten said by Zoom from his home office last week, the emotion clear in his voice and on his face.

Thanks to Israel’s Vocalis Health, voice recordings can be used to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Tal Wenderow, CEO and President of Vocalis Health, discusses how this voice database is playing a pivotal role in identifying COVID-19 carriers. 

The Jerusalem Post

By TAMAR BEERI 

NOVEMBER 5, 2020 23:02

Israel spends the highest percent of its GDP on research and development, followed by South Korea, Switzerland, Sweden and Japan.

Israel is the #1 country in a list of the top five countries in the world who spend the most money on research and development, the World Economic Forum (WEF) reported on Thursday.

Israel spends 4.95% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on research and technology in 2018, according to the World Bank, most of which went into computer systems, cybersecurity, AI and medical research. GDP is the measure of market value of goods and services throughout a certain period of time in a country.

The Jerusalem Post

By CELIA JEAN, CODY LEVINE 

OCTOBER 17, 2020 12:07

Israel and Bahrain will sign a declaration on the the establishment of peace and diplomatic relations, senior American and Israeli officials told Walla.

The agreement will serve as an interim agreement and will include the establishment of diplomatic relations and the opening of embassies in the respective countries. 

The Times of Israel

By SARA TOTH STUB

15 October 2020, 2:26 pm 

The food a dairy cow eats is key to its health, milk content and reducing waste.

But for farmers, figuring out exactly how much to feed cattle has long been a guessing game full of constant adjustments and waste.

Now, a hand-held mobile device, called SCiO, from Israel-based Consumer Physics, quickly tells farmers the moisture content of their animal feed.

By Viva Sarah Press

NoCamels

October 15, 2020 

While traveling to Israel to sample exciting local flavors is on hold for the time being — as coronavirus lockdowns continue to restrict tourism – bringing the country’s delicious tastes into your home is as easy as a click of a button. 

Israeli cuisine initiatives are bursting with this country’s traditional flavors in online cooking workshops, subscription snack boxes and follow-along video tutorials.

The Jerusalem Post

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF

OCTOBER 17, 2020 11:55

Israeli medical staff at the Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv successfully performed life-saving surgery on a baby while being born on Wednesday.

The baby was born with a lump in its throat which blocked its airway, requiring immediate intervention to survive.

The doctors performed a combined cesarean section with a laryngectomy to unblock the child's airways before it left the uterine cavity of the mother, as after birth the baby would be dependent on manually breathing to survive.

The Times of Israel

By NATHAN JEFFAY

12 October 2020, 8:50 pm 

Israeli nanotechnologists say that they have found a way to examine molecules one by one for coronavirus, and eliminate the most time-consuming process in COVID-19 test analysis.

In regular virus testing, lab teams need to massively increase the number of molecules they have from each patient’s sample, through a process known as amplification. That typically takes between one and two hours, and requires special chemicals. Millions of molecules are needed before a sample can be analyzed.

But the method just developed in Haifa, tested, and outlined in the peer-reviewed journal ACS Nano, requires just 100 molecules, eliminating all need for amplification, bio-engineer and nanotechnology expert Amit Meller told The Times of Israel Monday.

Florida Daily

By KEVIN DERBY

10.15.20 

Back in January, U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., the first Green Beret to serve in Congress, introduced the “United States-Israel PTSD Collaborative Research Act.”

“The United States-Israel PTSD Collaborative Research Act, would leverage research assets and experiences of the U.S. and Israel to develop best practices in the research, diagnosis and treatment of PTSD. The legislation also establishes a grant program for American universities and private non-profits teaming up with Israeli counterparts to research PTSD,” Waltz’s office noted.

New York Times

By Peter Baker, Isabel Kershner, David D. Kirkpatrick and Ronen Bergman

Published Aug. 13, 2020

Updated Aug. 19, 2020

"Israel and the United Arab Emirates reached a landmark accord sealed by President Trump on Thursday that could presage a broader realignment in the region as the two agreed to “full normalization of relations” in exchange for Israel suspending annexation of occupied West Bank territory..."

Cleveland Jewish News

by Abigail Klein Leichman

Posted Jul 31, 2020 at 1: 00 PM

"The coronavirus crisis is first and foremost about people.

People stuck at home, people out of work. People sick with the virus, people caring for them. People canceling dream weddings and vacations, people deciding public-health policies.

Technology is also about people."

Uncover Israel - Israel 21c

By Abigail Klein Leichman  

Posted AUGUST 13, 2020, 7:50 AM 

"The Energy Box, a groundbreaking device that delivers energy to off-grid schools and medical centers, was recently unveiled by Israel-based Innovation: Africa (iA), a 12-year-old non-profit organization dedicated to bringing Israeli solar, water and agricultural technologies to rural African villages.

...the Energy Box provides sufficient light and energy to power all of a facility’s laptops and/or medical equipment."

Uncover Israel - Israel 21c 

By Abigail Klein Leichman 

Posted AUGUST 18, 2020, 3:50 PM 

Photo courtesy of Newsight

"A one-second saliva test for Covid-19 is being tested in Israel. 

Imagine results of a Covid-19 test in less than a second, from a single sample of saliva.

That could happen by the end of this year, if Newsight Imaging’s revolutionary SpectraLit device continues to show excellent results in ongoing clinical trials at Sheba Medical Center."

Uncover Israel - Israel 21c 

By Abigail Klein Leichman 

Posted AUGUST 24, 2020, 9:12 AM

"NAP, developed in Israel, has proven effective in treating a mouse model of ADNP syndrome, a common genetic syndrome on the autism spectrum.

NAP (also called CP201) was invented by Prof. Illana Gozes of the Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry. Twenty years ago, Gozes’ lab discovered the activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) gene and its link to autism."

The Jerusalem Post

By CODY LEVINE   

AUGUST 25, 2020 18:31

"Eliran Malki, a co-founder and CEO of Belong.Life, was named among the top 25 innovators of 2020 for his company's utilization of AI and Machine Learning to create uniquely personalized patient experiences, according to a press release from the company on Monday.

Belong.Life (Belong) also develops social and professional networks for those attempting to manage and navigate treatments, which includes the largest social network for cancer patients. Malki was named in the August 24 issue of Modern Healthcare magazine."