Better News From Israel

The world needs more joy! In Israel we have it too!!!

Most of the news published about Israel in the world deal with sad items such as terror, violence and death. This is an important but rather small part of life in Israel. In reality people in Israel do their jobs, build families and live their everyday lives with a special Israeli 'joie de vivre'. On these pages you'll see pictures and stories of this side of Israel, remarkable news your local media may not bring you, and may eventually even have a good laugh...

HADASSAH MEDICAL ORGANIZATION NOMINATED FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
	(NEW YORK, NY -- March 8, 2005) -- The Hadassah Medical Organization, which has achieved international acclaim for promoting peace in the Middle East region by providing equal treatment to Palestinians and Israelis, has been nominated for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize. Although the Norwegian Nobel Committee does not release the names of nominees, professors and members of legislatures from at least four different countries recently revealed to Hadassah officials that they had extended formal nominations on behalf of the medical organization, according to June Walker, National President of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, the founder and benefactor of the medical organization.
Their nominations cited three areas in which Hadassah Medical Organization has excelled in promoting peace in the region: the ability to maintain the value of equal treatment for all people despite treating more terror victims than any other medical center; the model of cooperation and coexistence set by the mixed staff of people of all faiths; and the medical organization's ongoing initiatives in creating bridges for peace even throughout the intifada. “I can't think of a more meaningful way to celebrate our founding,” said Walker, noting that the organization is celebrating its 93rd birthday this month. “The values of Hadassah continue to set the standard that all people need to strive for.” The winner of $1.6 million prize will be announced in the fall.

Ireland and Israel - A Love Story (28 March 2005)

Many of the 4000 Irish soccer fans accompanying their national team expressed amazement to find the true friendly face of Israel to be so much different to the one shown to them by their media. Many of the local Israelis, who had been bracing themselves for an invasion of drunken soccer louts, were surprised to discover thousands of smiling and likeable Irish folk who, like Israelis have a true love of life. And so, score 1:1, honours shared and mutual respect ended a weekend exhibition of friendship and good sportsmanship between the Irish and the Israelis.
Click here to read more!

A BUSY ROUTE FOR WANDERING BIRDS

Did you know that since Israel lies on one of the busiest bird migration routes, it is a favorite site for bird watching enthusiasts from all over the world? Most of the migration of Europe's bird population to Africa in autumn and their return in the spring, takes place over the narrow corridor from the Hula nature reserve and bird sanctuary in Northern Israel, southward to Eilat. An estimated 500 million birds, from the smallest to storks with one-and-half meter wingspan, fly over Israel during March and April.

Typical of Israel, is a project in the Hula Valley which provides a home to over 13,000 cranes from Siberia. Since the crane's favorite meal is the corn crops of the local moshavim and kibbutzim, it could be expected that the local farmers would use their shotguns to protect their crops. Instead, in cooperation with the JNF, they designated an area to which they bring three tons of corn daily to feed the cranes, thus diverting them from the crops which they need to save.

While driving on the Haifa -Tel-Aviv coastal highway during coming weeks you are likely to see a huge flock of storks overhead, as if in a slow cloud, comprising thousands of birds, gracefully swirling and dancing a waltz. Beware though, don't be too distracted by the beauty - keep your eye on the highway so that you return home safely and in peace.

While most storks and pelicans stopover in Israel for a fish snack and some water from the lakes or the fish ponds, on their 450 kilometer journey to Eilat, other birds may choose to stay here for a while...

06/03/2006

Israeli woman wins Mrs. World
March1,2005. Mrs. Israel, Sima Behar, won the title of Mrs. World 2005 at the international pageant held at Amby Valley Sahara Lake City near Bombay, India last week. Behar, 28, beat out more than 40 other attractive women from around the world. After her victory was announced, a diamond and ruby studded crown worth $18,000 was placed on her head by last year's winner Suzana Pavadee Vicherut Mcnokroot of Thailand.
In the final round, Behar's was asked what her biggest challenge in the competition had been - her answer "being away from my daughter" won her a standing ovation and clinched the crown. She told the Israeli press that she was "in shock. The amount of support for Israel was tremendous," and noted that her closest friend over the course of the pageant was Mrs. Lebanon.

Letter of Visitor in Israel

Dear Alan! Pinner, March 4, 2005

I must say I am a little surprised to learn of your hesitancy to visit Israel. I thought you, of all people, would understand Israel is more than a beautiful Land of Promise. It is a land of some very interesting certainties!!

I did enjoy my visit there tremendously. Don't believe to the grim stories about Israel today. Truth is, people in Israel get on with the business of living, embracing family life and pursuing their occupations with a vibrancy few other nations enjoy. Life is to be lived there!! Now not less than ever. Equally true is the fact that it is not selfishly lived: Israel makes valid contributions to the happiness and well-being of others - especially to that of the stranger in their midst!

How about this for personal care and consideration?! Did you know that an Israeli bus company has joined forces with a communications company to ensure that its passengers are not subject to erratic arrivals of buses on their various routes? They have launched a service to provide exact information about arrivals at bus stops through satellite linked equipment known as a Global Positioning System which monitors traffic conditions and the bus's location, speed and direction. With this information it can estimate the bus's time of arrival at any given stop. Passengers can call a number to receive accurate information from any location - home, office or bus stop.
From Metulla to Eilat, north to south, east to west no longer will any one be waiting beyond the estimated arrival time to see three buses arriving at once - a novel experience.

What travel courtesy! So, leave the car at home and have a great time.

Yours truly - as ever, Helen

Spring is here!

Can the passing away of a man be in the "Better News from Israel" section?! YES, if the man Israel is paying homage to is Israel's all-time leading humorist EFRAIM KISHON, who left this world now physically after a long and wonderfully productive and successful life, but, as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said:
“EPHRAIM KISHON'S WORKS WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US.”

January 30, 2005

Click here to read more

NEW!!! - What the following rather American item has to do in Take-A-Pen 's "Better News from Israel" section??
If it gives You a HEARTY LAUGHTER on TERRORIST MATTERS - isn't it good news fo Israel?
The LARK Program: A person wrote a letter to the White House complaining about the treatment of a captive taken during the Afghanistan war.
Click here to read the letter he received back!

Weizmann Institute- President's message 2004

click here to read

When friends ... ask me for some good news from our region, I have no difficulty in responding. The irrepressible energy and boundless ingenuity of Israeli inventors and entrepreneurs are there for all to see, but to none are they more evident than to those of us immersed in science and research.

Success for Israeli medical High Tech !

The winners of The Wall Street Journal's 2004 Technology Innovation Awards competition have been announced. Innovators world-wide were considered.
The Gold award went to Sun Microsystems Inc of California for a wireless
approach to chip design. The Silver award went to Given Imaging Ltd of Yoqneam, Israel for 'PillCam', a tiny camera that patients swallow so that doctors can see their digestive tract. The Bronze award went to InSightec Image Guided Treatment Ltd. of Tirat Carmel, Israel for 'ExAblate 2000', a nonsurgical way to destroy tumors by focusing ultrasound waves on them. This is a wonderful achievement for Israel. From a world-wide search, Israel took two of the top three places. This should be celebrated by us and brought to the attention of the press world-wide. Israel often receives undeserved bad press. Let us counter this with
some positive images. Well done Israel !

PillCam

ExAblate 2000

A TIME OF RENEWED HOPE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
- Egypt and Israel Co-operate on Security in Gaza
- Israel is determined to maintain the momentum (1 Dec 2004)

Excerpts from joint press conference by FM Shalom and Egyptian FM Abul Gheit - 1 Dec 2004

FM Silvan Shalom told a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Abul Gheit today that this is a time of renewed hope in the Middle East. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Abul Gheit today that this is a time of renewed hope in the Middle East, particularly with regard to the upcoming elections in the Palestinian Authority.

“Israel is determined to maintain the momentum,” Shalom said at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, thanking Egypt for its key role in helping to stabilize the PA by strengthening its moderate forces. “All are interested in a responsible Palestinian leadership,” noted Shalom. Egyptian Foreign Minister Abul Gheit said he feels Israel is determined to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and that Egypt and Israel understands the need to increase cooperation and to focus on bilateral issues. He noted that Egypt and Israel are close to an agreement on enhancing security along the Gaza Strip southern border. Egypt is not offering its troops, but will retrain Palestinian forces for this purpose, he said.

ISRAEL, PA ISSUE JOINT CHRISTMAS TOURIST CALL

- For the first time in more than four years, the Israeli and Palestinian Authority tourism ministers issued a joint declaration on Wednesday calling upon millions of Christians to visit the Holy Land during Christmas, The Jerusalem Post reports. While refusing to say that the intifada is over, Abu Aitah said the interim Palestinian leaders had "opened their hearts for peace and talks." "We are here to open a new era in relations between the two sides," Ezra said, "and nothing is better than tourism to do good for both sides."
From: ICEJ News - Nov 25

Nobel prize in chemistry to 2 Israeli Scientists
for work leading to new anti-cancer drugs

06/10/2004 STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Israelis Aaron Ciechanover and Avram Hershko and American Irwin Rose have won the 2004 Nobel Prize in chemistry for discovering a process that lets cells destroy unwanted proteins.

Ciechanover, 57, Hershko, 67, -- the first Israelis to win a science prize -- and Irwin Rose, 78, were honored by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for their work in the 1980s that discovered that cells give a chemical "kiss of death" to proteins that must be destroyed.

Ciechanover and Hershko
Israeli Nobel prize winners

"When the degradation does not work correctly, we fall ill. Cervical cancer and cystic fibrosis are two examples," said the Academy in its citation, adding that such knowledge "offers an opportunity to develop drugs against these diseases and others." The scientists found that proteins which could cause disease are "labeled" for destruction with a molecule called ubiquitin which dispatches them to the body's "waste disposal" units, called proteasomes.

"We are not a building that stays still, we are all the time exchanging our proteins, synthesizing and destroying them," an elated Ciechanover said in a conference call. "Some proteins get spoilt. We discovered the process by which the body exercises quality control."

Ciechanover is director of the Rappaport Family Institute for Research in Medical Sciences at the Technion, in Haifa, Israel, while Hershko, originally from Hungary, is a professor there. Rose is a professor emeritus at the University of California-Irvine and a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. All three will share the 10 million kronor ($1.3 million) cash prize.

Letter from Israel

Ramat Gan Safari Park Sending Animals to West Bank Zoo

Fri 10 September

The Ramat Gan Safari Park is sending a gift comprising lions, zebras and desert goats to Qalqiliya Zoo in the West Bank town of the same name in a gesture of co-operation. Qalqilya Zoo reopened six months ago as relative calm returned to the area that is adjacent to the Israeli town of Kfar Saba. This is directly due to the building of the security barrier in that area which has put a halt to the terror attacks and sniping incidents that were a regular occurrence there. The delivery is expected to be made this coming Sunday.

A lion named Nabuko looks out of its cage at the safari park in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv, shortly before he was transferred to a zoo in the West Bank city of Qalqilya. Photo by Ammar Awad/Reuters

The 20th "Zimriya" World Assembly of Choirs in Jerusalem This assembly was held for 10 days from Aug. 2nd throughout Aug. 12th. Lots of people attended it from all over the world.

KOREAN SINGER'S LETTER:" I'll remember Israel for the rest of my life."

Next a picture from the Korean "Seoul Music Teacher's Choir".

Below: During their stay in Israel the Korean choir visited the Bahai temple in Haifa.

Madonna in Israel
MADONNA: ISRAEL NO LESS SAFE THAN NEW YORK - Attending a Rosh Hashana conference in Tel Aviv, iconic pop star Madonna, who uses also the Biblical name Esther' recently, told the audience at a Sunday (18 Sept 2004) night gala dinner sponsored by the trendy La Kaballah Center that she felt safer in Israel than New York.

“To be perfectly honest, I was a bit hesitant to come here after seeing so many news reports about terrorist attacks and reading travel warnings about how dangerous it is for Americans here. I realize now it's no more dangerous to be here than in New York. I feel very safe and welcome,” the singer said adding that the only danger encountered during her visit was from the “paparazzi waiting outside my hotel."

Joy for a whole nation:
The first medal to Israel in Athens
Judoka Arik Ze'evi - net 100 kg of strength and smile

It caused a huge wave of joy in the whole of Israel, more than national pride, when judoka Arik Ze'evi won Israel its first Olympic medal in Athens, on Thursday the 19 August 2004.

For a country with stronger sport traditions a bronze medal may not be a national issue, but in Israel it is a big deal and everything is a little bit of a family event. Israel's greatest sport achievments have been mostly in professional basketball, its youth being busy fighting mostly in other, more serious arenas. So achievements in sports have a special flavour of peace and joy in Israel, particularly if the sportsman is such a great and cute fellow as Arik Ze'evi.

2,000 loud Israeli fans came to see and to cheer one of Israel's top medal hopefuls, and Ze'evi did not disappoint. The 27-year-old won five bouts, all via ippon, Judo's equivalent of a knockout. However Ze'evi had an especially hard way to the bronze medal.

In his first fight he defeated world No. 3 Mario Sabino of Brazil.
His second win was against Italian Michele Monti, who in turn defeated the Sydney 2000 silver medallist.
In his third bout against Jang Sung Ho of South Korea an 'accident' happened: Ze'evi took control early with a waza-ari move, worth five points, lifting and dropping Jang on his side. However when the bout was stopped a second time for minor medical treatment of Ze'evi, bleeding from a small cut on his nose, his coach wrapped a strong bandage over Ze'evi's nose and ears around his head to ensure that the blood would not come through, since he could be disqualified for a third medical treatment, and after this point Ze'evi never regained his full concentration. Ze'evi was leading by five points against Ho when was thrown onto his shoulders and so lost the battle 'by ippon'. The loss seemed to be by mistake; Ze'evi stopped fighting a second before, seemingly believing the fight was stopped because they were already out of the mat - but nobody heard him later to complain or 'explain' this blow. With this loss Ze'evi lost his chance to win a gold or silver and had to start a long way of six fights in one day for a possible bronze in the consolation or repechage group. Here he defeated Franck Martial Moussima from Cameroon in the semi-final by locking down his opponent for 25 seconds and French opponent Chislain Lemaire the same way in the final of the group, Thus hard he earned the right to meet the formidable Dutch champ Elco Van Der Geest who beforehand shocked and ousted the gold medal favorite, world champion and world No. 1 Kosei Inoue of Japan. Ze'evi was unstoppable from the beginning to beat the Dutch giant too, leading by points first and dropping him on the back shortly before the end of the bout.

August 2004

Andre's letter: LIFE IS GOOD IN ISRAEL!

All tourists, whether Israel-loving or Israel-suspecting before arrival, are taken by surprise in Israel by the intensity of that special Israeli 'joie de vivre' present everywhere in this country; the religious way in Jerusalem, cosmopolitan in Tel-Aviv, Mediterranean along the seashore, Eilatian in Eilat, and...(to read the whole letter click here)

Israel Ranked number 22 on the United Nations Human Development Index

Israel has been ranked number 22 on the just issued United Nations Human Development Index for the year 2003. The report, released July 16, 2004, rates 177 countries' well being based on per-capita income, educational levels, health care and life expectancy. Norway came in at the top spot, the United States ranked 8th, and most of Europe filled out the top twenty, with France at 16. Italy placed 21st, and Hong Kong right below Israel at 23. - more on this

July 2004

Israeli company tests long-lasting nose drop vaccine for the flu
By David Brinn

July 19, 2004 - An Israeli company has developed a revolutionary nose drop vaccine for influenza which promises to protect people of all ages for five years against all present and future strains of the flu.

The patented vaccine - developed by startup BiondVax - has completed successful laboratory testing on mice and is now securing funds for clinical tests on humans. The vaccine is based on 20 years of research by Weizmann Institute of Science Professor Ruth Arnon, who earlier in her career was a senior member of the team that developed the breakthrough drug Copaxone for multiple sclerosis.

Conventional flu injections are good for only one season, as the virus mutates every year. According to Isaac Devash, chairman of BiondVax, their new vaccine is not dependent on variable strains, so it will be long-lasting and more protective. Only a single drop need be inserted in the nose to be effective, he says. "It's a quantum leap in technology," he said. "It's a totally different concept from other vaccinations."

Instead of identifying the surface of the virus and developing a vaccine to combat it, Prof. Arnon decided to look conceptually at the virus - beneath the surface - to see if there are particular elements that don't change, and then make a vaccine out of those parts which are universal in all viruses.

Devash said that Arnon's lab in Rehovot tested the vaccine on "human mice," - rodents in which a human immune system (white blood cells) have been introduced.

"The results were staggering. The humanized mice were vaccinated and then attacked by different strains of influenza. All of the vaccinated mice stayed alive, while the control group of mice who didn't receive the vaccination all died," he said. This success rate among the 'human mice' predicts a high likelihood of success in human clinical trials, Devash added.

Arnon, 71, is a world-famous scientist whose list of prizes and honorary degrees includes the French Legion of Honor, the Wolf Prize for Medicine and the Israel Prize for Medicine. She's published has published over 400 articles on immunology.

After all the years of research and testing, Devash is optimistic that the funding will be found for the clinical trials and that they will prove to be successful. And he looks forward to the day when a five-year flu vaccine from Israel will be distributed around the world saving lives.

Courtesy www.israel21c.org

May 2004

Happy Lag-Ba'Omer in Australia

See Two Happy Pictures from Australia, from the Lag Ba'Omer festivities of the Jewish-Israeli community at Bondi Beach:
One is of course very happy, when Kleizmers (Hassidic musicians) are blowing their clarinets walking on "legs of storks" ( storks= "Hassidot" in Hebrew).

The other picture is even happier: ALL political parties and branches of Israel, from Judaism to the far-left Shalom Ah'shav - or Peace Now" are celebrating together, UNITED! - a least at Bondi Beach in Australia (Photos: NOLI)"

May 2004

Want to get acqainted with beautiful Haifa, Israel, the

International Children's Theatre Festival 2004 in Haifa

and more? - Read a foreign guest's letter, 'apres' !

International Children's Theatre Festival 2004 in Haifa

The Haifa International Children’s Theater Festival has celebrated its 14^th anniversary in April 6-9, 2004. It was a professional success probably of the highest level, and was certainly a source of joy to the young audiences. Children and whole families, local and from other parts of Israel had a chance to enjoy the festivities. They were offered a choice of performances which spread over 14 theater halls, as well as additional open air activities in the streets.

In addition to the many Israeli productions, there were guest performances by theater companies from Italy, Spain and Korea. The Haifa Festival maintains close contact with the international association of theatre for young people. Fifteen representatives arrived in Haifa from 9 countries, to attend the festival and, possibly, to invite Israeli groups to perform abroad. The impressions and reflections of our guests were most positive -- over and above anything we could expect.

We bring below a letter written by one of the many wonderful guests from abroad. It reflects the general mood that prevailed..

To our dear Hosts!

I honestly don't know where to start to thank you for all you did to make my visit to Israel one of the most memorable events of my life.

From the moment of arrival I felt really welcome and the high standard of organization could be seen from the outset-- the taxi at the airport and the phone call from Ziv checking that all was well.

How fortunate we were to have stayed in the Panorama Hotel and what a good first impression that made on me. I also felt very privileged to have been there during Passover as it gave me an insight into the Jewish faith, something that has always really interested me.

The day in Haifa before the Festival started, gave me an opportunity to see the beautiful city of Haifa and to interact with the people-- I loved it. The Bahai Shrine and gardens are truly magnificent. It was special to see how faithful the Jews are to their laws and how important family is to them. A wonderful atmosphere pervaded as families enjoyed time together savoring the beauty of their city.

The opening night at the Haifa Theatre gave us a taste of what treats were in store for us and then what an honor to meet all those involved with the organization of the Festival and to experience their hospitality and friendship.

From then on it was one treat after another. Each day presented an opportunity to see a variety of what was on offer-- competition plays, puppet theatre and wonderful dance programs. I was completely overwhelmed by the number of productions on offer to the children of Israel and also by the commitment of those involved in the productions. It would seem that many people who work in Children's Theatre do it voluntarily because they believe so fervently in the cause. How fortunate are the young people of Israel to have access to such a wonderful education through theatre.

Particularly exciting was the fact that we were present at some premiers, "The Girl I Love" and "Voyage of the Blue People" being two of them-- both charming productions. How on earth did Hagit manage to direct the play and give so much time to helping make the Festival the success that it was. How fortunate was I to have received an autographed copy of the Yehuda Atlas' book of poems on which the play was based and to get a sketch done on the spot by the wonderful illustrator, Dani Kerman.

I was very impressed by the addressing of the subject of tolerance and by the fact that many of the productions reflected a plurality of beliefs depicting different communities within Israeli society. There was a great message of the importance of mutual respect. Wonderful work in this regard is being done by the Arab -Hebrew Theatre of Jaffa ( I loved their production "Ach Ach Boom Traachhh"); Nola Chelton, The Galilee Multi Cultural Theatre; ( such a variety on offer); Howard Rypp, and I'm sure many others of whom I am not aware. I was deeply moved by the productions "It Sounds Better in Amharic" produced by Howard Rypp, and "Samir and Jonathan" directed by Nola Chelton. I am already trying to raise finance to bring these productions to S.A.

Other highlights were a visit to the home of the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company where we were privileged to see a rehearsal of a wonderful dance program, to the beautiful Mediterranean home of Pablo Ariel and his delightful family and a visit to the Train Theatre in Jerusalem where we saw "A Touch of Light" a very special work indeed.

Last and not least, mention must be made of the wonderful hospitality of Ziv Nevo- Kulman, Head of Performing Arts Section Division for Cultural and Scientific Affairs.

It would be hard to describe what lengths he went to make our visit to Israel a memorable experience. His organization was impeccable, his knowledge of so many subjects relating to Israel extremely impressive, his courtesy unmatched and his sensitivity to people and situations- moving; Thank you Ziv.

This was my first visit to Israel and it is without doubt one of the most special things that I have done in my life. I endorse what travel brochures say --"It offers the visitor everything from the ethereal to the earthly". I was captivated!! All the cities we visited were so different but all were special. Staying in down town Tel Aviv at the friendly Cinema Hotel was exciting and exhilarating, and Jerusalem was all that I ever imagined. It all feels like a dream.

I loved the fact that there was a lot being done to improve relations between the peoples and that peaceful co-existence seemed to be happening in many parts. I can honestly say that at no time did I feel unsafe even when walking back alone at midnight from a wonderful concert given by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

Thank you to Daniella Michaeli, Lymor Shine and their committee, to Hagit Rehavi Nikolayevsky and ASSITEJ Israel, to the Division for Cultural and Scientific Affairs, and to the Performing Arts Section particularly of course to Ziv to Diane Wolfson-- cultural officer Embassy of Israel South Africa, and to the many others who helped make the visit to Israel a very special one.

Yours very sincerely

Ann Curry.

May 2004

First ever Arab-Israeli team wins State Cup

Bnei Sachnin Champion!

May 2004

Technion engineer clears up underwater photos

May. 3, 2004 20:52

A carefully constructed algorithm and a commonplace camera filter can not only dramatically improve the quality of underwater photography, but may someday save lives as well.

The technique developed over the past 18 months by scientists from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have started as a means of improving underwater photography. But it has wide applications in engineering, science, and even lifesaving, and has aroused much interest around the world – even before Dr. Yoav Schechner is due to present the work before the prestigious IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition in Washington, DC, in July.

The method, to be outlined in an article that will be published in the IEEE conference's official proceedings, not only makes it possible to see objects that previously appeared blurry and out of focus, but also makes it possible to estimate distances underwater and give the photos three-dimensional depth. It would be a boon for marine biologists, Schechner said, because photographers wouldn't have to disturb animals with closeups. The technique could also help lifesavers better see into swimming pools to prevent drowning and might even be applied to improve photography in living tissue.

Source: Jerusalem Post

April 2004

Made in Israel

Israeli women who rave about the products of the American lingerie chain Victoria's Secret might be surprised to learn they were manufactured by Tefron in Israel.

Israelis who drive Opel, Peugeot or Porsche models are probably unaware that the oil pan at the bottom of the automobile's engine is produced here in Israel by Tadir-Gan Precision Products.

It's doubtful whether users of Intel's new mobile computers, equipped with the Centrino chipset, know that this chipset was developed in Haifa. Similarly, farmers using Natafim's drip irrigation system are not always aware that it originates in Israel.

It's true that Israel has yet to produce a company the size of Finland's Nokia, but quietly, with almost no public relations locally, dozens of Israeli firms in various fields - agriculture, automotive, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and technology, of course - have succeeded in making an impact on the lives of hundreds of millions of people around the world. Most of these people, like us, have no idea that these products come from this conflict-ridden part of the world they hear about in the news.

The Israeli technology industry is the exception: there is worldwide recognition of the R&D capability of Israeli brainpower in this area. "The world's Silicon Valley" and "a global source of technological innovation" are just some of the superlatives the world has attributed to the Israeli high-tech industry.

Trailblazers have included Scitex Corporation (Nasdaq:SCIX), Check Point Software Technologies (NASDAQ:CHKP), Comverse Technologies (NASDAQ:CMVT), Zoran Corporation (Nasdaq:ZRAN), Indigo, and M-Systems (Nasdaq:FLSH), as well as some 50 R&D centers of foreign companies like Intel, Motorola and Texas Instruments.

Common to all of them is technological innovation that allowed them to create new markets or change existing markets. Today, in practically every area of technology, there is something Israeli - a chip, application, or particle.

Hundreds of Israeli companies have developed in this atmosphere of technological innovation and hundreds of startups are following in their path. The long line of Israeli companies registering patents in the United States, and the huge sums invested in Israeli startups (surpassing Europe in recent years), are additional evidence of Israeli inventiveness.

In addition to its achievements in "traditional" technological fields like medical equipment, software protection, digital printing, chips and telecommunications, the last two years have seen new and promising developments in the areas of digital video, nanotechnology, Internet and cellular applications.

These technological developments are bringing investors and foreign companies to Israel in search of "the next thing" - even during days of terror attacks.

April 2004

One more Israeli Medical Invention

"Given" Imaging M2A capsule safe for children
By Jessica Steinberg April 04, 2004

Given Imaging now offers a new Pediatric Accessory Kit to simplify pediatric use of the M2A capsule endoscope.

When 12-year-old Carly Taylor first laid eyes on the M2A capsule, she wasn't sure she could swallow the half-inch, multi-vitamin-sized pod. But the video-imaging shell - which glides through the digestive tract, transmitting images of the intestines to a portable data recorder - was Carly's best chance at figuring out what caused her chronic stomach pain.

Eight hours after she swallowed the capsule, Carly's doctors at Duke University hospital transferred the images of her intestines to a computer, helping them determine that she has Crohn's disease, a severe inflammatory disease of the bowel that can be controlled relatively easily with medication and steroids.

"To think that it was that simple, after months of invasive procedures, and having Carly crying and screaming in my arms," tells her father, Phillip Taylor. "Crohn's is something she may have for the rest of her life. But at least we caught it before it got a good foothold."

For the Taylors, the capsule examination gave them the answer for Carly's persistent abdominal pains. For Given Imaging, the Israeli company that created the imaging solution for the gastrointestinal tract - the company name stands for GastroIntestinal, Video, and ENdoscopy - Carly's successful diagnosis proved that capsule endoscopy is safe and successful for kids as well as adults.

To date, over 65,000 patients worldwide have swallowed the M2A capsule, and more than 140 million Americans currently can be reimbursed by their health plans for capsule endoscopy procedures to diagnose Crohn's, Celiac disease and other small bowel and small intestine conditions. Now kids aged 10 to 18 can also be diagnosed with the M2A capsule.

The capsule endoscopy procedure was invented by Gavriel Iddan, an Israeli electro-optical engineer who spent a good chunk of his career at Israeli military manufacturer Rafael Israel Armament Development Authority, developing guided missile technology. During a sabbatical year in Boston, his neighbor, an Israeli gastroenterologist, challenged him to invent an endoscope that could make its way through the entire gastrointestinal tract. It took about 20 years, but in 1997, Iddan, now the 'Given' company's chief technology officer, signed a patent for capsule endoscopy.

The Nasdaq Stock Market-traded company hopes to eventually create imaging solutions for the entire gastrointestinal tract, including the large intestines and colon.
Since receiving FDA approval in 2001, capsule endoscopy has become standard practice in every gastroenterologist's practice, with over 10% of gastroenterologists using it in their practices in the U.S.

According to estimates from the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, there are at least one million Americans with inflammatory bowel disease. Children, however, are often diagnosed only when their growth has already been stunted as a result of the disease. This has changed now for ever.

March 2004

Dancing Children in Zichron Yaakov

March 2004

This winter the Sea of Galilea was filled with water !

Look how low the water level was in 2002:

And this is how it looks today, plenty of water!

February 2004

February 2004 saw a 61% upsurge in tourism

TOURISM SURGE -February 2004 saw a 61% upsurge in tourist traffic to Israel over the same month last year, The Jerusalem Post reported Thursday as the slow recovery in visitor numbers continues after three and a half years of dramatic decline brought on by ongoing Palestinian violence. "Tourism is the number one generator of growth in the Israeli economy,” Tourism Minister Benny Elon told Arutz-7. “Every million tourists bring NIS 9 billion into the country, and create 45,000 jobs. In effect, every dollar that the state invests in tourism yields $45 in income.” According to the most recent figures available, 55% of tourists

January 2004

The Importance of Israel -
By Roy Sasson

January 9, 2004
Hi, my name is Roy Sasson, I am currently a senior at the University of Florida majoring in Digital Arts and Sciences. I was born in Israel, and moved to the states at the young age of six. I've gone back to visit several times since, however my most recent trip allowed me to look at Israel through a completely different perspective.

Over the past two weeks, I embarked on a memorable trip that has left an imprint in my life. Eighty students including myself from some of the most prestigious universities in the United States including Cornell, Penn State, Stanford, Columbia, The University of Florida (of course) and others, were invited to attend a trip to Israel to educate us in respect to the technology and business within the country. My expectation was simply 'another free trip to Israel'. I had no idea what I was in for.

Prior to the trip, my perception was that Israel was practically a 3rd world country way behind its time, only a source of violence and turmoil. I saw first hand that Israel is in fact one of the major reasons as to why our modern world has become what it is today. Our trip was comprised of visits to top notch Universities, biotechnology companies, an aircraft development company, the stock exchange, meetings with venture capitalists, economists, business men, entrepreneurs, and prestigious professors. Some of the brightest students today had the opportunity to listen, interact, and most importantly question, some of the most amazing developments in technology. We witnessed these developments first hand, and got a chance to have them explained, not by their low level representatives, but by the actual scientists, professors, and business men themselves, and I have to say, it was nothing short of inspiring.

Let's just list the facts.
80% of biotechnology in the entire world comes from Israel. The Entire World. I'm talking about technologies that will revolutionize the world. One such account was a biotechnology company who will in three months time be approved by the FDA to perform operations to remove tumors without even penetrating the skin! Every laptop that you use from now on is powered by the new mobile centrino processor, a technology developed in Israel. A 3D face recognition technology was recently developed here (to combat terrorism) that is so sophisticated it can tell apart identical twins. Teva Pharmaceuticals developed the most effective drug to counter Parkinson's disease. Israel is home to a pill that when taken, captures images inside of the body. File formats such as gif and zip files that you use everyday, developed here. Smart cards for credit cards, the chips in your digital cameras. It is in large part due to Israel that the internet is where it is today. Many of the problems that we were facing on the internet in regards to communication, bandwidth, and security, had already been implemented in the Israeli Army. The first Instant messaging software, the first firewall...the list is endless.

Huge companies such as Microsoft, HP, Intel, and IBM, establish major research and development centers in Israel looking to capitalize on the breakthroughs, genius, and talent. The US forces Israel to sign agreements not to adjust F15 and F16 fighter planes Israel buys from the United States with superior radar and other advanced technologies Israel possesses. Over 100 Israeli companies are listed on the NASDAQ, third only to Canada. Israel is the world leader in environmental research, high-tech, and the arts. It is in Israel where students cracked the GSM cellular phone network encryption code.

Not surprisingly, over 50% of Israel's economy is driven by technology, and there are various reasons for this; their local market is only 6million (really small), I doubt that any of their neighbors (mostly Arab countries) would like to do business with them, eliminating a regional market. So when they develop these companies, technologies, and advances, they are built with the hopes and aspirations of making a difference in the world. It is a country where the entrepreneur has become the hero, and making an impact on the world is not uncommon.

Israel is a country built around art and education. When an Israeli is successful it does not simply affect his household, but the entire country, bringing up the economy, honor to the country, and a strong sense of pride. Just imagine if our capitalist society was focused on building companies and technologies to make a difference in the world, instead of making a difference in our pockets. Imagine the possibilities with an educational system enforcing the idea that you, the young and bright, can make a difference in the world, in a country where we do not have to worry about violence and terror as Israel does to maintain its survival.

One professor told of us of a story of a child who asked his father, serving in the Israeli Army "why do you fight?" His father answered," I fight today so that your generation will have the opportunity to learn and be educated so that you may be engineers, so that the generation that follows yours may live to be poets and artists."

I wasn't told to write this, and I'm not exactly the most eloquent of speakers. I am writing this because I see it as my responsibility, privileged enough to have experienced these things first hand. I tell you all of this not to show you the importance of Israel from a Jewish perspective, but to show you the importance of Israel as part of the human race.

Roy Sasson - Roy@eSasson.com

Note: This Article Can Additionally Be Found At
www.GainesvilleNights.com (News Section - then Sassy Truth)
www.eSasson.com/israel (External Link)

November 2003
BETTER NEWS - Tourist hike in Israel

The number of tourists in September rose 24% over the same month a year ago. September 2003 saw 90,500 tourists enter the country. (Ministry of Tourism).

In October some 3000 Christian pilgrims from 65 nations came to the ICEJ Feast of Tabernacles Celebration, the largest single annual tourist event in Israel (ICEJ News). One of the many pilgrims from Brasil said in Gan Sacher in Jerusalem, before the traditional colorful Tabernacle Walk of Jerusalem: "It is becoming clear to more and more people, that no Palestinian terror can ruin that special beauty of life in Israel".

October 2003
Colorful Jerusalem March of Christian friends

The Jerusalem March is a popular annual event taking place during the week of Succot - the Feast Of Tabernacles. Thousands of marchers converge on the capital and march through the streets. Through the years this march has become a special event of showing solidarity with Israel and friends of Israel of all over the world arrive to take part in this march.

New Immigrant Kids, mostly from Ethiopia, finish running the 14 km long
track of the Jerusalem March, arriving at Jerusalem's Sacher Garden

Take-A-Pen's Andre - less fresh after the long march than the children are -
with Ariel, soldier from a religious 'yeshivat hesder' unit

International Christian Embassy Jerusalem Feast pilgrims from 70 nations and other Christian groups flooded Tuesday's Jerusalem March, making up almost 50 percent of the crowd of 10,000 marchers. An estimated 4,000 Christians joined the march in he city's Gan Sacher showing their support for Israel with national flags, banners and faces painted with their flag colors.

A montage of national FLAGS of the Christian delegations in the Jerusalem March is shown, from Norway, Austria, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Brazil - and behind it 450 people - the largest delegation from abroad this year, the Philippines, Singapore and of course Israel. About 60 more flags participated, the US, UK, Canada and Australia, probably all the European countries, a high rank Russian-Orthodox delegation, delegations from Asia, like Indonesia, Taiwan and Japan, and many colorful delegations from Africa and Latin America, just imagine them all into the montage!!!

August 2003

Uncle Bela Is 100 Years Young !

       Yerachmiel Schwarz, or as everybody knows him, 'Bela bacsi' (Uncle Bela in Hungarian) was 100 years old in June 2003. Bis Hundert und Zwanzig, Bela bacsi! said the narrow family and friends, well above two hundred people from Israel and quite some from abroad. Take-A Pen's Andre was there as family.

    Bela bacsi was not sitting on a chair even in his birthday party, rather walked around among the people. On workdays even more active. Every day very early in the morning goes for his morning prayer and then walks to his flower fields, to physically work. SEE his smile while bending like a young man!

    He knew great tragedies. Returning from forced Jewish labor service in 1945 found himself alone, his parents, his wife and five siblings killed by the Nazis. But with deep faith in his God and strong love for the promised land he stood up, remarried and with two small children came to Israel and was one of the founders of moshav Zaffariya. He grows and markets there flowers ever since.

    Yerachmi'el Scwartz wrote and published two precious books. The first one is a book of verse: I PLOUGHED AND SOWED ON FOREIGN LAND...", the second is his Holocaust diary: "WE DRAUGHT THE CHART"
Reading the first page only of the English Introduction is enough to amaze you But the most beautiful lines for me he ever wrote are from an unbelievably wonderful love poem he wrote to his wife after her death.
WHO can help us to TRANSLATE them, to the same beauty, from Hungarian or from Hebrew?

Yerachmi'el Schwartz, everybody's 'Bela bacsi' (Uncle Bela in Hungarian) - A 100 years old works in the field

The front pages of Uncle Bela's two books, here in Hebrew, a book of verses: "I PLOUGHED AND SOWED ON FOREIGN LAND" and a Holocaust diary: WE DRAUGHT THE CHART...

The first page of the Editor's note on the author, Yerachmi'el Schwartz

July 2003

Israeli scientists harness sunlight to replace medical lasers
A group of physicists at Ben Gurion University of the Negev has discovered that solar-powered lasers can kill tissues as well as medical lasers, but in a safer and less costly manner.

The group of physicists at the Department of Solar Energy and Environmental Physics, Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research at Ben Gurion University of the Negev - Dr. Daniel Feuermann, Gordon, and Mahmoud Huleihil - have developed a device that could emulate the actions of laser surgical tools, using only sunlight.

Note the names of the physicists - Israeli Jews and Muslims working together for the betterment of mankind - surely this is the way to live in peace if only the Arabs could realize it.

June 2003

SHMULIK Leshed is 93 years old, and still brings smile to the faces of kids and adults alike, on this picture he is doing it on the Haifa beach. Shmulik plays the accordion, drums with his feet, sings in Hebrew and Polish and German, knows the songs of the whole world, and sometimes jumps from his chair for a little dance, makes a pirouette with his accordion without stopping to play, to sing and to laugh. What has Shmuel received from life in a century? Nobody knows. What we know he has been giving to thousands sheer joy , and goes on......

'Bis hundert WIE zwanzig, Schmulik!!!'
Live 100 years like a 20 years old, and then, go on for another 30, as a 30 years old, Shmulik! "

May 2003

"HOW A FRIENDLY TOURIST SEES ISRAEL?"

Friends,
We are a few SWU (www.standwithus.com) staffers here, in Israel, working to arrange for our next SWU mission. As we walk around, we are delighted to tell you that the streets of Tel Aviv are busy with life and spirit... and the beaches are once again filled with people enjoying the sidewalk cafes, the games on the sand, and the crystal clear water. A quick update about "Mikes" cafe...the one that was recently attacked by a suicide bomber: They have re-built Mikes, and the crowds are back. They are sipping coffee and enjoying the beach, in SPITE of the attack. This, friends, is the Israeli strength of character.

We arrived on 'Yom Ha Atzmaut'...Israel's Independence Day. An overwhelming day to arrive. Imagine Israeli flags flying from car windows, markets, every possible street sign, and even gas stations. People, who danced the previous night all over Israel, are now relaxing at neighborhood parks. The parks are CROWDED with people, enjoying the day. What a welcoming sight!!

Every place we go, there are crowds. Entertainment events and malls are busy again. Security is good. Tens of potential attacks are caught in their preparation stage and do not reach Israel. There are guards in front of most restaurants, and of course there are multiple guards at the entrances to malls.
...
We joined a children's group and traveled to Masada, to see the remains of the fortress in the Judea desert where two thousand years ago two thousand Jews stood for two years, until they fell, against two Roman armies. Here we slept in a tent and hiked up the Roman Ramp to photograph the sunrise. This particular children's group from Los Angeles has a "twin" program with a school in Tel Aviv, and they are seeing the country together with their Israeli counterpart students. These kids have seen the Rosh Hanikra Grottos in the North, the Dead Sea, the Ein Geddi oasis, the Western Wall and many other things in Jerusalem, etc.

We are looking to coming again soon!

April 2003

Did You Miss the Biggest Jewish Party in the World ?

by Judy Lash Balint

If you weren't here in Israel over the past 24 hours, then you missed the biggest Jewish party in the world.

As night falls, bringing relief from the agony of Remembrance Day, Israelis come out to celebrate Israel's 55th birthday in their own way. In Jerusalem, hundreds dressed in blue and white stream into synagogues all over the city for special prayers of thanksgiving.

At the Ohel Nechama synagogue, a few steps away from the President's house and the Jerusalem Theater, the baal tefilla (prayer leader) is a white-haired survivor of the Holocaust. His voice is strong as he belts out the Hallel and leads the congregation in the Shehechiyanu prayer, thanking God for allowing us to reach this special time. The brief service over, congregants pour out into the street mingling with youngsters on their way into town for the traditional music and dancing on the streets that are closed to traffic.

Meantime, the official Independence Day opening ceremonies are getting underway at Mt Herzl. It's the closest we get to a military parade. Dozens of representatives of Israel's armed forces take part in a meticulously choreographed march-by set to patriotic music. The formality of the ceremony is very un-Israeli.

Meanwhile, back in town there are two main stages set up on King George Street and in Zion Square featuring some of Israel's most popular groups. The plaza in Safra Square is set aside for Israeli dancing. Buildings all over the city are adorned with massive Israeli flags. The roof of the Dan Panorama Hotel on Keren Hayesod Street is aflutter with dozens of smaller flags and strings of white lights. Cars sport flags attached from every conceivable opening.

Teenagers roam from one stage to the other squirting anyone within range with white goop from an aerosol can. Foreign news cameras ask kids to pose so they can document the mayhem. At 10:30 p.m. people start to congregate near the Sheraton Plaza Hotel to watch the main fireworks display. Fifteen minutes after it was scheduled to begin, the sky lights up with an awesome array of pyrotechnics. The noise is deafening, the colors against the black sky are stunning. Many of the non-teen revelers head down to the Jerusalem Theater after the fireworks. The lobby is packed and impossibly hot as hundreds have packed themselves in to join Yehuda Elisa and Oshik Levi in a free sing-along of classic Israeli numbers. Starting at 11:30 p.m, there's a dance party there that features samba, salsa and 70s style music.

This morning, I hear the military band start up at the President's House nearby. President Moshe Katzav, one of Israel's most popular presidents, is on the receiving line all morning for dignitaries who come to present their good wishes. Mid-morning, several air force jets do a stunt fly-by, leaving a trail of blue and white smoke in their wake. Regular folks have already headed out to the parks and beaches for the traditional "mangal" or barbecue. There are regular radio updates on the gridlock covering certain parts of the country. By mid-day, several national parks are closed because there's just nowhere to squeeze in another vehicle.

It's the one day in the year that feels like a Sunday. Pure recreation with no major religious obligations. No newspapers, banks or mail to take the mind off finding the best place to set up the portable barbecue. On the radio there's a special edition of a program where Israelis around the world call in. Michael from Tokyo calls to wish us chag sameach in Japanese. Yossi from Denver reports that he's going to a Yom Haatzmaut program at the JCC, and Etti checks in from Amsterdam to let us know she's thinking of us.

I head out to Kibbutz Kfar Etzion, half an hour south of Jerusalem, for a reunion with my old ulpan buddies. It's 30 years since we sat together in the stifling classroom at Kibbutz Beerot Yitzhak memorizing dialogue as we tried to learn Hebrew. I haven't seen anyone from those days in more than 20 years, but several of them have kept in touch with each other. Two of the former ulpanistim come out to meet me at the parking lot--it's startling to see middle-aged versions of the kids I remember from those days. Surprisingly, three of the group are still living on kibbutzim. My former ulpan roommate, formerly from Connecticut, married a kibbutzim and they made their lives on Beerot Yitzhak.

Our host, Shoshana, a New York native, also married an Israeli and has never lived anywhere besides the kibbutz. Then there's Avraham, who went from Beerot Yitzhak to Bar Ilan University to Kibbutz Alumim, where he works as a gardener today.

In between the eating, we peer at faded photos of our youthful exploits as new Israelis. We struggle to put names to faces we see in the pictures, and enjoy hearing fragments of stories that someone's heard about one or another of the group. We figure that almost half of the ulpan still lives in Israel.

I manage to stop by at another backyard barbecue in nearby Alon Shvut before heading back to Jerusalem. The city is thronged with people in the early evening. All the parks are still packed with revelers who want to extend this joyful day as long as possible. In the lovely Yemin Moshe neighborhood just outside the walls of the Old City, a living history program is taking place, with actors dressed in period costume from the War of Independence days. Cafes nearby are jammed, families are strolling and music is everywhere.

After dark, there's one final round of fireworks, this time set off near the Tower of David--and then it's over.

Next year you won't want to miss it.

Judy Lash Balint is a Jerusalem based writer and author of Jerusalem Diaries: www.jerusalemdiaries.com

March 2003

Blossoming Almond Trees

February 2003

Rain in the north of Israel