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.

RAYS OF LIGHT

We hadn’t realized the depressing effects of spending hours daily on ‘hasbara’ work until we escaped last month, for a week’s holiday in Crete where we did not even see a computer or newspaper for the entire time that we were there.  The daily reading of anti-Israel articles and more and more about BDS (Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions) is not good for the morale although the many positive aspects about life in Israel that we try to stress in our articles, are rays of light in an often gloomy world. 

A WEEK IN CRETE

Sometimes people can also be rays of light as were many of the Cretans we met in our hotel and in the local shops and restaurants.    They were almost all special in their genuine desire to give not only service but also pleasure to their visitors.  Exploring small mountain villages together with Norma & Leon Pinnick who joined us for the week, we met many of these kind and dignified people. One encounter especially stands out in our minds, we went in search of cold drinks on a scorching-hot morning, high in the mountains, to a tiny taverna, probably normally only frequented by the locals.  The wonderful view over a valley and mountains in the distance having tempted us to go into what was little more than a shack with four tables and a huge window overlooking the view.  The only people in sight were an elderly couple who were obviously the owners and who were happy to supply our order but the old man also insisted on showing off his garden produce to us and keeping us entertained.  First he went into the garden and picked some ripe apricots which he washed and cut up for us, followed by mint and aromatic herbs for us to smell after which,  he brought a jug of homemade  raki for the men to try.  Finally he came back from the garden carrying a baby goat, saying, “Him good boy,” and placed him in Lola’s arms.  The goat seemed to enjoy being cuddled as much as Lola enjoyed cuddling him.

KINDNESS FROM JEWS AND ARABS

A few days after our return home we were all set to go out for a busy morning of errands when the car refused to start, a neighbor kindly and courteously gave up his time to get us started with our jump-leads and concerned for us, made us promise that we would go straight to a garage which we immediately did.  At our garage, a small but very efficient one in the little Arab village of Beit Safafa adjacent to Gilo, from where a new battery had been purchased very recently, we received speedy and courteous service from Kamal, one of the four brothers who own the garage and all of whom are dedicated to keeping our ancient car on the road for as long as possible.  The battery was replaced with a new one very speedily and we were assured that as it had been under guarantee there was nothing to pay and with good wishes and warm handshakes we were sent on our way.   The warmth with which we were treated made up for the annoyance of the messed up morning.

KNESSET MEETING

Maybe another ray of light should be the assurance that we received from the British Ambassador to Israel at a meeting yesterday at the Knesset that there is virtually no increase in anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic attacks in the U.K. and that we and other ‘hasbara’ groups are far too concerned about the situation.  This assurance followed our various presentations citing horrendous incidents on university campuses and elsewhere and incitement to violence from extreme Islamic groups.  According to the Ambassador this situation is exaggerated, barely exists and we are all worrying unnecessarily which is indeed cheering news.  It did, however, lead us to wonder why all Jewish schools, synagogues etc. in the U.K. have to be heavily guarded these days but unfortunately time did not allow that question to be asked.  I only wish that we had not all left the meeting feeling so skeptical.