NEWS ABOUT ISRAEL THAT TOU ARE UNLIKELY TO FIND IN THE MEDIA

·         Archeologists have discovered an ancient synagogue, dating from the fourth and fifth centuries in the Galilee region of northern Israel.  Its well-preserved, mosaic floor depicts the story of Samson, and also what are apparently two female faces as well as Hebrew  inscriptions.

·         Another significant archeological discovery has been the uncovering of 14 clay jugs containing seeds of 3,400  year-old burnt wheat at Tel Hazor in the Upper Galilee.  Tel Hazor National Park is recognized as one of Israel’s most important archeological sites, from the 18^th to the 9^th centuries BCE it was the largest fortified city in the country and had commercial ties with both Babylon and Syria.  The Book of Joshua describes Hazor as the “head’ of several kingdoms that united to fight the Israelites.  In 2005 it was designated a UNESCO World heritage Site.

(Israel Ministry of Tourism)

·         The two-year old Israeli company, Immune Pharmaceuticals, is emerging as a leader in the use of “monoclonal antibodies’ for the treatment of cancer.  They are developing new ways to use these antibodies which are found in drugs such as Herceptin for breast cancer, Remicade to treat auto-immune diseases and Erbitux for head, neck and colorectal cancer.  Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science played a significant role in developing these drugs which are prescribed selectively to patients likely to respond best.  “This is a big step up from the 1990s when everyone with a certain disease got the same drug,” says Dr Daniel Teper, founder and CEO of Immune Pharmaceuticals of Tel Aviv.  The method was developed by a team under the Dean of Hebrew University Pharmacy School, Shimon Benita, who chairs Immune’s scientific advisory board.  The drug has a double targeting mechanism, it goes through vessels into tissue and the antibody gets right into the cell.  It is being said in the medical world that the future of medicine, and specifically the future of treating cancer, is in this targeted missile system.

(For more on this and other medical discoveries, Google “Immune Pharmaceuticals.”)

·         Turning to solar energy, researchers have been trying for the last forty years to develop double-sided solar cells that can capture both direct and reflected sunlight. Israeli startup BSolar showcased their bifacial solar cells at a trade show in Germany. Their cells could produce up to 20% more energy than conventional cells. And although it took a while, Kibbutz Yahel, 60km north of Eilat, has recently become the first solar kibbutz in Israel. Solar panels have been installed on 45 roofs - about 70% of the buildings – to give kibbutzniks full control of their electricity costs.

(With thanks to Michael Ordman’s “Israel Good News letter)

·         Forty-two Israeli children, all of whom have lost a parent who was serving in the Israel Defence Forces, are at present being hosted for three weeks of pure fun by various Jewish communities in North America. They are travelling from Chicago to NYC, Stamford and finally to Toronto.  Nothing can compensate for the loss of a parent  but we wish these young people a wonderful trip and are sure that they will return feeling renewed and better able to cope with life.

·         The world’s largest and most advanced “fortified hospital” was unveiled this week at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. The 2,000 bed underground hospital is designed to keep patients and staff safe dozens of meters below ground even if missiles and rockets are falling above ground – in case the city ever faces the kind of attack it did during the Second Lebanon War.