POSITIVE NEWS FROM ISRAEL FROM MICHAEL ORDMAN

Posted By on August 10th, 2025

www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com

 

Some highlights.

POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR

Gearing up for Iron Beam. (TY Yanky) Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is preparing to launch Israel’s Iron Beam laser missile defense system, It has established a new administration to manage high-power laser systems projects, led by a woman, known only as Dr Y. – a graduate of Israel’s Technion Institute.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-rafael-gears-up-for-iron-beam-launch-1001510874

IDF overhauls Arabic and Islamic training. It looks like some of the lessons of Oct 7 have been learned.
https://www.jns.org/idf-overhauls-arabic-islamic-training-after-oct-7-failures/

Bomb shelter culture. Well worth reading this article which highlights some of the positive aspects of sheltering together with neighbors during an Iranian missile alert. It may have been something similar for UK citizens during the bombing of Britain in the WW2 blitz of 1940.
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-860107

Kerem House. (TY WIN) In the heart of Tel Aviv’s residential areas devastated by Iranian missiles, volunteers from Kerem House bring shattered homes and broken hearts back to life – one act of kindness at a time. Kerem House organizes everything from holiday meals, clean-ups to emergency war support and home restorations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEqcClJ83bg  https://www.keremhouse.org/

Empowering bereaved women. (TY Sharon) 500+ Israeli women, all bereaved by acts of terrorism and war, gathered in Jerusalem for the annual Women’s Empowerment Symposium organized by OneFamily. The women shared their personal stories of loss, finding strength in community and learning to navigate their pain.
https://www.israpundit.org/israels-good-news-newsletter-to-3rd-aug-25/

Haredi brigade receives berets at Western Wall.  The first regular company of the IDF’s Hasmonean Brigade completed seven months of combat training, culminating in a “Beret March” to the Western Wall. The 50 ultra-Orthodox troops entered the Kotel Plaza blowing shofars and singing songs about the Jewish Temple.
https://www.jns.org/hasmonean-brigades-first-company-completes-basic-training-at-western-wall/
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/412832

Bakery rehabilitated. Israel’s Tosha Bakery on the Lebanese border was rebuilding when last featured in this newsletter (see here previously). It is hard to believe the transformation now. The serene pastoral atmosphere, trays of home-made croissants and jugs of sugar-sweet freshly squeezed juice from Golan Heights oranges.
https://www.jns.org/returning-home-israeli-pastoral-cafe-near-lebanese-border-reopens-amid-postwar-regional-renewal/

Improving media coverage. Six-time Emmy-nominated multimedia journalist Jacki Karsh and her husband Jeff in partnership with Jewish Federation Los Angeles, have launched the Karsh Journalism Fellowship – a first-of-its-kind program focused solely on improving media coverage of antisemitism, Jewish life and Israel.
https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/shocked-by-poor-gaza-war-reporting-l-a-couple-launches-fellowship-to-improve-coverage-on-israel-jewish-life/   https://karshfellowship.org/

ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

More power to the immune system. A research team led by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have boosted the immune system’s cancer-fighting ability by reprogramming. They disabled the mitochondrial protein Ant2 in T cells, forcing them to produce more energy and become stronger and better at homing in on cancer cells.
https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-862606
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59310-3

A missing gene and the Goldilocks principle. Researchers at Israel’s Weimann Institute have diagnosed a rare genetic disease that delays child development. Sufferers are missing the gene Chaserr which controls CHD2 protein production. Too much CHD2 causes the disease; too little CHD2 is linked to autism and epilepsy.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/412247

Safer medical devices. Israel’s C2A Security (see here previously) has partnered with US-based Medcrypt to integrate their security protection facilities. It ensures that every software component and artifact in a medical device is traceable, authenticated, and tamper-proof, from development through post-market updates.
https://www.ourcrowd.com/startup-news/c2a-security-and-medcrypt-forge-partnership-to-elevate-medical-device-security

Agetech startups showcase in LA. (TY SCICC) Meet 8 Israeli AgeTech medical startups at UCLA. Lunchtime on Aug 12. Buzzy, Effectivate, Eyeclick, Kemtai, Opmed.ai, Physiclean, Quai.MD & ROBE-Health.  RSVP Brett.Super@israeltrade.gov.il asap, if you wish to attend. Dietary laws observed.
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/76dj8o6ecw5mkm6p7a5ci/Agetech-and-Rehabilitation-Delegation-West-Coast-Catalog.pdf?rlkey=dr8bo0tkvk5f1kn699l3rxkec&e=1&dl=0
https://www.buzzyplatform.com/ https://effectivate.com/ https://physiclean.com/ https://robe-health.com/

Reviving research terminated by the Nazis. An Israeli-led team has been awarded a $1.2 million grant by the prestigious Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP). It will study epigenetic inheritance –traits acquired from the environment can be passed to descendants. This research begun by Jewish scientists came to halt in WW2.
https://safrabio.cs.tau.ac.il/oded_rechavi_human_frontiers_science_program_to_revisit_historical_experiments_june2025

Kidney grown in the lab. Scientists from Sheba Medical Center and Tel Aviv University have taken human kidney tissue stem cells and grown a 3D organ culture (organoids) to 34 weeks maturity – the longest-lasting and purest ever developed. It will advance research into kidney disease, regenerative medicine and transplants.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-a-world-breakthrough-israeli-researchers-grow-first-long-term-human-kidney-in-lab/

Can you fight bacteria in space? Researchers at Sheba Medical Center have sent a groundbreaking scientific experiment to the International Space Station (ISS). It will study how space conditions – especially microgravity – influence bacterial virulence and resistance to antibiotics.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-experiment-on-bacteria-heads-to-international-space-station/

ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

At the top of her profession. Dr. Shimrit Maman (see here previously) has been appointed as the first female head of the Israel Space Agency. Her role includes advising Israel’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology on national space development and funding policy. It’s the highest position anyone can go!
https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/bknnnfhvex

100 million meals delivered. The U.S.-backed, Israeli facilitated Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has reached a milestone of delivering 100 million total meals to Gazans since beginning operations roughly two months ago. It called for other humanitarian groups, including the U.N., to step up and collaborate with them.
https://www.jns.org/ghf-reaches-milestone-of-100-million-meals-delivered/

Reduced sugar juice goes viral. (TY OurCrowd) Israeli Arab vlogger Nuseir Yassin, better known as NAS Daily, has made a sensational video to promote Israel’s BlueTree Technologies and its groundbreaking process for making reduced sugar orange juice. It may lead to a major future reduction in global obesity and diabetes.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/C_y1VqfyosA

Panama loves Israel. Ezra Cohen, the Panamanian ambassador to Israel (see here previously), talks about the potential that exists between Panama and Israel.
https://pulseofisrael.com/2025/07/27/panama-loves-israel/

Arkansas trade mission to Israel. Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, daughter of US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, leads a trade mission to Israel and the UAE. Sanders said that “Israel .. as my dad likes to say, is the one place in the world you visit for the first time, and it feels like coming home.”
https://www.jns.org/huckabee-sanders-to-travel-to-israel-uae-in-august-for-trade-mission/

More humanitarian aid to southern Syria Druze. Israel has delivered another large shipment of aid (food and medical supplies) to the embattled Druze population of Sweida in southern Syria. It follows an initial delivery of aid in March. https://www.jns.org/israel-delivers-humanitarian-aid-to-southern-syria-druze/

$100 million for Israel. Over the past decade, the registered 501(c)3 Ne’eman Foundation has facilitated the transfer of more than $100 million in charitable donations from North American donors to Israeli good causes. Donations to some 1,400 organizations (e.g. United for Israel) via Ne’eman, are tax deductible for US citizens.
https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/neeman-foundation-marks-100-million-raised-for-israeli-causes-credits-personal-touch/

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Olympiad successes. Thanks to the Maimonides Fund’s Future Scientists Center and its partnership with Israel’s Education Ministry, Israeli students soared into the world top ten of the Olympiads in 2025 for Math and Chemistry. Israel came 6th in Math (4 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze) and 10th in Chemistry (2 gold, 2 silver).
https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/maimonides-fund-investment-bears-fruit-as-israeli-olympiad-teams-crack-top-10-in-math-chemistry/  https://www.imo-official.org/year_country_r.aspx?year=2025
http://www.icho-official.org/results/country_info.php?country=Israel

Protecting against AI weaknesses. Israel’s Noma Security (see here previously) safeguards companies from potential vulnerabilities in their AI systems and AI agents (e.g. chatbots). It continually checks for problems, prioritizes risks, simulates attacks and more. Over 50% of companies plan to implement AI agents by end 2026.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/s19xaaudxl

Debunking calls for boycott. (TY OurCrowd) Nearly a third of the recent posts on social media to boycott Amazon and McDonald’s were generated by AI bots. Israel’s Cyabra found fake users coordinated a digital attack of negative posts across X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
https://nypost.com/2025/07/09/business/ai-bots-fuel-boycotts-against-amazon-mcdonalds-over-dei-reversal-analysis/

Technion launches two tech centers. Israel’s Technion Institute has just launched the Carasso FoodTech Innovation Center (see here) and the Esther and Herbert Hecht Sustainable Protein Research Center (see here). They will both promote education, research, and innovation in the food sector.
https://www.technion.ac.il/en/blog/article/technion-launches-two-new-centers-for-foodtech-and-sustainable-protein-research/

Enhanced protection against scams. Israel’s BioCatch (see here previously) has just launched Scams360™. For the first time ever, financial institutions can stop their customers from deception by social engineering scammers using techniques such as romance, investment advice, email-compromise, and impersonation.
https://www.ourcrowd.com/startup-news/biocatch-delivers-scams360-to-help-banks-advance-detection-of-emerging-scam-types   https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/biocatch-delivers-scams360-to-help-banks-advance-detection-of-emerging-scam-types-302507035.html

Historic harvest. Israeli researchers have harvested 20kg of Byzantine-era grape varieties, two years after ancient 1,500-year-old grape seeds were planted at a restored vineyard at Avdat National Park in the Negev Desert. They aim to recreate an renowned ancient wine that was once massively exported throughout Europe.
https://www.jns.org/israel-harvests-1500-year-old-byzantine-grape-seeds-in-negev-desert/

Enabling AI agents to navigate the web. Israel’s Tavily has developed a search layer for AI agents to navigate live web data through a single search layer. It says it has achieved a million monthly downloads and is already serving leading Fortune 500 companies and fast-growing tech firms, like Cohere and Groq.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bj9q00tgdee   https://www.tavily.com/

Incubating new tech startups. Israel Innovation Authority is to select up to three new technological incubators for startups developing semiconductors, advanced robotics, and bio-convergence. Incubators will receive up to NIS 40 million over five years. Startups may receive up to NIS 21 million to progress from initial research.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/r150un9iex

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Upgrading the South. Israel has approved an additional NIS 3.2 billion to rebuild communities devastated by Hamas on 7 Oct 2023.  It includes NIS 1.4 billion for Ashkelon and NIS 1.8 billion for six regional councils. It will boost education, infrastructure, resilience, culture, sports, economy, security, agritech, energy, and more.
https://www.jns.org/israel-oks-940-m-plan-to-develop-oct-7-hit-south/

Upgrading Ben Gurion. (TY JNS) A recent $14 million upgrade to Ben Gurion International airport includes advanced security screening, baggage processing and check-in facilities within Terminal 3. Some 1.9 million passengers are anticipated during August. Meanwhile, Terminal 1 re-opens for International destinations.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/07/13/ben-gurion-airports-14m-makeover/

Startup investment up 28% in July. Over $900 million was raised by Israeli startups in July, marking a 28% increase compared to last year. The surge in funding is especially notable as only two of the 28 deals exceeded $100 million, showing strong support for investment at all levels.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/i2u7ztznt

Handling emergency in seven countries. Israel’s Carbyne (see here previously) has deployed its incident management technology in nearly 300 emergency centers worldwide, including in 23 U.S. states and six additional countries. More than 7,000 dispatchers globally are using Carbyne’s platform.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/skhy4rdvgg

Retinal screening tech across the US. US giant Ford Medical is to distribute the FDA-cleared AI screening technology for eye exams from Israel’s AEYE Health (see here previously), enabling US pharmacies and non-acute centers to offer an in-house, non-invasive instant diagnostic exam, without the need for a specialist.
https://www.ourcrowd.com/startup-news/aeye-health-and-ford-medical-partner-to-bring-fully-autonomous-reimbursable-ai-diabetic-eye-exam-screening-solutions-to-pharmacies

Vegan salmon goes nationwide in US. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s Oshi (See here previously) has secured US national distribution through Sysco, a major distributor in the US foodservice market. The partnership brings Oshi’s whole-cut, plant-based salmon to restaurants, hotels, cafeterias, and institutional kitchens across the US.
https://vegconomist.com/gastronomy-food-service/food-service/oshi-plant-based-salmon-secures-national-distribution-through-sysco/

Building businesses in an AI world. (TY OurCrowd) Israel’s Tailor Brands (see here previously) has created a new operating system for building businesses in an AI-transformed world. Its new Guidance Engine is a structured, step-by-step approach that helps form a company, stay compliant, design a brand, or grow online.
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/tailor-brands-builds-operating-system-to-power-small-business-gr-1047992  https://www.tailorbrands.com/about

Wix now worth $7 billion. Shares in Israeli website developer Wix climbed after Q2 profit beat expectations by a wide margin. Wix reported an adjusted profit of $136.2 million, or $2.44 per share, far surpassing analysts’ expectations of $1.76 per share. The company’s market capitalization now stands at over $7 billion.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/65gff4ws9

Exits, takeovers, and mergers to 10th Aug 25: Israeli giant SentinelOne has bought Israeli GenAI cyber startup Prompt Security for $250 million. US risk intelligence company Sayari is acquiring Israel’s Mirato for “tens of millions of dollars”. NASDAQ-listed Global-e has acquired Israel’s ReturnGO. Israel’s EverC is to merge with US G2 Risk Solutions.

Startup investment – to 10th Aug 25: Decart raised $100 million (value $3.1 billion) Noma Security raised $100 million; Capitolis raised $56 million (SAFE); QuamCore raised $26 million; Tavily raised $25 million;

CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

100,000-year-old burial site. Archaeologists believe they have found one of the oldest burial sites in the world at Tinshemet Cave in central Israel. Well-preserved remains date back some 100,000 years were carefully arranged in pits. Objects near the remains may reveal early human ideas about spirituality and the afterlife.
https://apnews.com/article/israel-archaeology-paleolithic-burial-skeletons-6813bf418566721409f2c3c94b5d627c

Book review – Living dangerously. My friend Atara Beck has written an interesting review of the book “Living Dangerously: My Struggle to Get Rich Without Losing My Soul” by Irwin Gabriel Katsof. Rabbi Katsof became obsessed with money until he turned his life around. Now President of www.Trademissions.org.
https://www.jns.org/living-dangerously-and-the-path-to-salvation/

Using AI to transform artwork. Israeli artist Roy Adin is harnessing the untapped power of artificial intelligence to craft stunning illustrations – fusing cutting-edge technology with ancient knowledge in ways never seen before. https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-israeli-artist-uses-ai-to-create-transformative-works/

Summer is sizzling at the Galilee Culinary Institute. Renovations on JNF’s Galilee Culinary Institute main campus building (restaurant and training kitchens) are nearly complete. Join the JNF’s Coming Home mission (Sep 4 – 11) and attend the official opening (plus a great deal more).
https://www.galileeculinaryinstitute.com/campus-updates
https://www.jnf.org/travel/tour/index/coming-home-mission-to-israel

En garde! A renaissance in Israeli fencing. At the recent World Championships, Israel finished 11th out of 46 in the men’s team épée, which is a remarkable achievement. Although the team did not win a medal at the recent Fencing World Championships, it is building up to something special.
https://www.jns.org/en-garde-a-renaissance-in-israeli-fencing/

THE JEWISH STATE

Rare Jewish seal impression found in Jerusalem. A rare First Temple-era seal impression (bulla) bearing a Hebrew inscription was unearthed three weeks ago by the Temple Mount Sifting Project. It reads, “Yed[a‛]yah (son of) Asayahu.” Asayahu was a servant of King Josiah of Judah who found a Torah scroll 2,647 years ago.
https://www.jns.org/rare-first-temple-era-seal-impression-found-in-jerusalem/

Bionic limbs approved for Shabbat use. The latest Tehumin journal from the Zomet Institute of Halacha and Technology includes rulings that prosthetics (even controlled by electronic sensors) are a basic part of the body. Therefore all use (including reassembling & rebooting after sleeping) may be performed on the Sabbath.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/412789

How startup philanthropy started. Israeli-American venture capitalist and social entrepreneur Yadin Kaufmann founded Tmura (see here previously) in 2002. Here he explains how he started the non-profit that startups donate some of their shares to.  Tmura later sells these – the proceeds benefiting many charities.
https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/engaging-jewish-start-up-entrepreneurs-in-philanthropy-the-story-behind-a-good-option/

It must be something else. (TY Jacob) I’ve seen this before, but it’s certainly worth sharing. “There’s something about Israel that makes people uncomfortable”.  https://jr.co.il/articles/something-about-israel.htm

Matchmaking week. Tu B’Av, the 15th of Av, is the Jewish Day of Love (this year Aug 8/9). The Jewish Matchmaking Movement has been hosting an online global Matchmaking Week from Aug 4 to Aug 10. Many Israeli “Oct 8 Jews” are “re-connecting to their Judaism and trying to find a partner”.
https://www.jns.org/how-matchmaking-helped-couples-find-love-during-wartime/
https://jewishmatchmaking.com/

UK newspaper “discovers” the Ark of the Covenant. The UK Daily Mail featured Israel’s archaeological discoveries at Shiloh – the site of the Biblical Tabernacle for hundreds of years after the Children of Israel first entered the Land of Israel. (You may need to temporarily disable your ad-blocker to read it.)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article -14963685/Ark-Covenant-mystery-biblical-relic-discovered.html

What Bibi gave Donald. Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu presented President Donald Trump with two deeply symbolic gifts. The first was a mezuzah shaped like a B-2 stealth bomber, crafted from shrapnel from an Iranian missile. The second was a dollar bill, given to Rabbi Chaim Greenberg by the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/trumps-gifts-from-netanyahu-were-deeply-spiritual/

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