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From the Israeli scientist that brought you crossword puzzles for the blind…bigger and better things for the visually challenged…

Israeli scientists develop ‘virtual cane’

Hebrew University unveils innovation which could significantly improve orientation, mobility of sight-impaired people

Reprinted from ynetnews.com

Yissum Research Development Company Ltd, the technology transfer company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem presented a major new innovation – a virtual cane that will significantly improve the orientation and mobility of sight-impaired people.

The new device can assist blind people in estimating the distance and height of various obstacles. The invention was patented by Yissum, which is now seeking strategic partners for further development.

Dr. Amir Amedi from the Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC) and at Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC) at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and his team recently developed the device to help in spatial navigation for the blind.

Unlike a white stick that can give the blind input from only a meter away, the device can function at a much shorter distance and up to some 10 meters in all directions. Dr. Amedi said the device can also distinguish between smiling and sad faces and can be used for research on how the brain flexibly changes upon receiving input and on brain reorganization in the blind.

Amedi added that the blind user functions like a dolphin or bat, with sonar-type signals reacting to surroundings.

The invention, which was unveiled at the Presidential Conference last week, functions as a virtual flashlight and can replace or augment the classic white cane. The virtual cane emits a focused beam towards surrounding objects, and transmits the information to the user via a gentle vibration, similar to a cell phone vibration.

A Yissum press release noted that the cane incorporates several sensors that estimate the distance between the user and the object it is pointed at. This allows the blind person to assess the height and distance of various objects, reconstruct an accurate image of the surroundings and navigate safely.

The virtual cane is extremely small, easy to carry, accurate, can function for up to 12 hours and is easy to charge. Using the device is highly intuitive and can be learnt within a few minutes.

Yaacov Michlin, CEO of Yissum said, “Dr. Amedi’s promising invention can endow visually impaired people with the freedom to freely navigate in their surroundings without unintentionally bumping into or touching other people and thus has the potential to significantly enhance their quality of life.”

Yissum is a Research Development Company of the Hebrew University and was founded in 1964 to protect and commercialize the Hebrew University’s intellectual property.

Another step designed to make Europe Judenrein (again)…this time, a bit more subtle, but no less effective in terms of the end result…
The ban may have been directed against Muslims, but the Jews will suffer…

Our Creator’s goal, as expressed in the Torah, is for the Jews to live in the Land of Israel.
Once, inheriting Israel was considered a gift…It was a PUNISHMENT for he Jews to have to live in foreign lands, outside of Israel.
Today, the punishment is over…time for the Jews to come home…If we do not get the message on our own, the Master of the Universe sometimes nudges us in the right direction…

Spoiler for my friends, the Dutch Jews: It’s REAL easy to get kosher meat in your REAL home, Israel…Hint, Hint…

Dutch approve ban on animal slaughter

Holland’s parliament votes in favor of move strongly opposed by Muslim and Jewish minorities, but leaves loophole that may let religious butchering continue

Reprinted from ynetnews.com

The Dutch parliament voted on Tuesday to ban ritual slaughter of animals, a move strongly opposed by the country’s Muslim and Jewish minorities, but left a loophole that might let religious butchering continue.

The bill by the small Animal Rights Party, the first such group in Europe to win seats in a national parliament, passed the lower house of parliament by 116 votes to 30. It must be approved by the upper house before becoming law.

It stipulates that livestock must be stunned before being slaughtered, contrary to the Muslim halal and Jewish kosher laws that require animals to be fully conscious.

“This way of killing causes unnecessary pain to animals. Religious freedom cannot be unlimited,” said Marianne Thieme, head of the Animal Rights Party, said before the vote. “For us religious freedom stops where human or animal suffering begins.”

In a rare show of unity, the Netherlands’ Muslim and Jewish communities – numbering about 1 million and 40,000 respectively in a total population of 16 million – have condemned the proposed ban as a violation of their religious freedom.

“The very fact that there is a discussion about this is very painful for the Jewish community,” Netherlands Chief Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs told Reuters.

“Those who survived the (second world) war remember the very first law made by the Germans in Holland was the banning of schechita or the Jewish way of slaughtering animals.”

Uca Octay of Rotterdam’s Islamic University said: “We will have to import halal meat from neighboring countries or find another way to meet the needs of the Muslim population.”

Pain impossible to prove

The law said religious groups could continue ritual slaughter if they proved it was no more painful than stunning, but it was not clear how to do this. The Jewish community has challenged a study on animal pain used to support the ban.

“This is absolutely impossible to prove,” Jacobs said. “You can’t ask the animal how it feels afterwards.”

Britain’s Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks visited the Netherlands last week to lobby against the law, arguing that pre-stunning failed in up to 10 percent of cases and that caused more pain than the swift cutting of the throat by a razor-sharp knife.

Philip Carmel, International Relations Director for the Conference of European Rabbis in Brussels, stressed the upper house of parliament could still reject the law. “We believe the Dutch parliament and people, who have a history of tolerance, will see sense and make the right decision,” he said.

Dutch Muslims, mostly of Turkish and Moroccan origin, have complained they felt stigmatized by the planned ban, debated amid growing support for anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders.

A court cleared Wilders last week of charges of hate speech against Muslims. His Freedom Party has supported the ban.

“There was no reason for passing this law,” said Imam Mahmut of the El Tawheed mosque in Amsterdam. “This is a political decision. Who has the authority to determine whether the way of killing animals is good or not?”

European restrictions

European Union regulations require animals to be stunned before killing but allow exceptions for ritual slaughter, which the European Court of Human Rights has ruled is a religious right. Animal rights activists insist this is inhuman.

Carmel said the European Parliament last week rejected a bid by animal rights advocates to have kosher and halal meat specially labeled as coming from unstunned animals.

Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland ban ritual slaughter. Swiss animal rights groups and far-right politicians have called for a ban on imported halal and kosher meat.

Of the 500 million animals slaughtered annually for food in the Netherlands, only 1.2 million animals are slaughtered according to Muslim or Jewish traditions, Dutch statistics show.

Israel’s economy is growing, jobs are being created, innovation and entrepeneurs flourish in the Jewish State…
If you are Jewish, you might want to consider coming home…the benefits are wide and varied…

High-tech work force rises 2% in 2010

The Central Bureau of Statistics also reported that business output in the sector rose 5.3% last year.

Reprinted from globes.co.il

The increase in GDP (gross domestic product) in the business sector in 2010 did not reflect the rate of growth in the information technology field (IT). Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reported that the GDP in the IT field totaled NIS 73 billion in 2010, up 2% from 2009. This is compared with a rise of 5.3% in the market’s business output sector.

The Central Bureau of Statistics reported that the disappointing increase in 2010 does not accurately reflect the situation. According to statistics from the last decade, the annual increase in the IT sector is estimated at 5%, as compared with an increase in 4% from the business output sector. Export industries totaled $18.8 billion, 27% of all export products and services.

Exports in the IT field decreased significantly compared with 2009, when the proportion of exports was 31%. But apparently it is 2009 that was the exception, since the average export rate in IT from 1997-2010 was 24% of all exports, which means that 2010′s rate of 27% was not bad at all in comparison.

Improved situation

The data reflect economic behavior in the relevant sectors according to the definitions in OECD countries for the IT sector. According to the data, the number of people employed in this sector began growing in 2010, and provided jobs for an additional 7,000 people, an increase of 3%, as compared with a decrease of 2,000 jobs in 2009. In total, about 218,000 people are employed in the IT sector (or 174,000 excluding communication services), about 6.8% of all employees in the market (5.4% excluding communication services).

According to the data, the bulk of the increase in new employees was felt in service related fields such as computing services and start-up companies, which mainly provide pre-sales R&D. The number of employees in this category increased 3,700. This improvement is also reflected regarding salaries, which grew about 2.5% in 2010, and amounted to an average of NIS 243,000 a year. The sectors that stand out are R&D services, communications hardware, and industrial and medical equipment.

We must keep the pressure on these law-breaking useful idiots…
Their true goals must be revealed to the world…They must be stopped, by any means possible…

Shurat HaDin sues Inmarsat for providing satellite services to Gaza flotilla

ISRAELI HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP FILES CIVIL ACTION AGAINST SATELLITE
GIANT INMARSAT OVER HAMAS SHIPS

Reprinted from imra.org.il

(MIAMI, FLORIDA) On Tuesday June 28, 2011, the Israeli human rights group
Shurat HaDin brought a civil action against the UK and US based global
satellite company Inmarsat, alleging that it was providing communication
services to ships used by suspected terror organizations in the Gaza
flotilla planned for the coming days. The lawsuit was filed in Florida
State Court in Miami-Dade County.

The plaintiff in the suit, Michelle Fendel, a resident of the Southern
Israeli town of Sderot, asserts that under U.S. law, Inmarsat and its
officers have aided and abetted terrorism by providing satellite services to
the Gaza-bound ships. The Gaza Strip is controlled by Hamas, an Islamist
movement designated by the US, the UK, Israel and the European Union as a
terrorist group, and is subject to an Israeli naval blockade. Thousands of
Qassam rockets launched by Hamas have landed in the area of Fendel’s home
in Sderot, which borders on Gaza, killing numerous Israeli civilians and
injuring many more.

The complaint alleges that Inmarsat is one of the largest satellite
telecommunications companies in the world and the main provider of maritime
communication services. The Flotilla ships rely upon Inmarsat’s network to
communicate with ports, naval authorities and other vessels and cannot sail
without it.

Andrew J. Sukawaty, Inmarsat’s C.E.O. was also named as a defendant in the
case.

The plaintiff is represented by attorney Isaac Jarosiewicz of Miami,
Florida, Robert Tolchin of New York and Nitsana Darshan-Leitner of Tel Aviv,
Israel.

One year ago, a previous Flotilla bound for Gaza, was intercepted by the
Israeli Navy. There was a violent battle on board the ships between armed
militants and Israeli SEALs, that resulted in numerous deaths and injuries.

Prior to filing the lawsuit, the attorneys for Fendel sent Inmarsat a
warning letter demanding that it discontinue all satellite services to the
boats being utilized to engaged in hostile operations against Israel. The
letter noted that providing services during the upcoming flotilla, Inmarsat
and its corporate officers were in violation of US criminal statutes
prohibiting the provision of material support for acts of violence and
terrorism (18 U.S.C. § 2339A and § 2339B) and the provision of material
support for naval expeditions against U.S. allies (18 U.S.C. § 960 and §
962), and would also be held civilly liable for any damages or harm caused
by participants in the flotilla.

The lawsuit alleges that: “Inmarsat’s provision of satellite communication
services to the Flotilla Ships constitutes a present and on-going danger to
the life, person and property of Plaintiff Michelle Fendel and other
residents of Sderot.”

The attorneys for Fendel are asking the Miami Court to formally declare that
Inmarsat’s provision of satellite communication services to the Flotilla
Ships constitutes a violation of American criminal statutes and endangers
the life of the Sderot residents. In addition, they have asked the Court
to grant a permanent injunction against Inmarsat which would require the
company to immediately and permanently cease the provision of any services
to any of Flotilla Ships.

A rare case of the UK having bigger ones than Israel AND doing the right thing…
Will wonders never cease?

Sheikh Raed Salah arrested in UK

Reprinted from ynetnews.com

Head of the Islamic Movement’s northern branch, Sheikh Raed Salah, was arrested on Tuesday night in the UK, the Al Jazeera news network reported. According to the report, Salah was cuffed and taken to jail.

Salah was invited by Labour Party legislators to a pro-Palestinian event at the British Parliament. The authorities decided last week to prohibit Salah from entering the UK, but he landed at Heathrow Airport in London on Saturday. (Roee Nahmias and Hassan Shaalan)

Their product is windows that protect a building’s occupants from radiation, while generating power at the same time…
Brilliant!…Israeli ingenuity…

Pythagoras Solar Window

GE awards Israeli startup $100,000 ‘Ecomagination’ grant

Pythagoras Solar creates windows that protect against solar radiation and produce useable energy, CEO says.

Reprinted from jpost.com

GE awards Israeli startup $100,000 ‘Ecomagination’ grant
By SHARON UDASIN
06/27/2011 04:33

Pythagoras Solar creates windows that protect against solar radiation and produce useable energy, CEO says.
Talkbacks (1)

An Israeli solar company that employs windows to both block solar radiation and harness energy from the sun has received a $100,000 grant from General Electric and partners’ “Ecomagination” program, the corporation announced this weekend.

The company, called Pythagoras Solar, is one of five firms to win an Innovation Award from the program’s “Powering Your Home” challenge, in which GE invested $63 million this round and also provided sizeable awards to 10 commercial partners in addition to the smaller firms. Currently in its second year, the challenge has now provided a total of $200 million worth of funds to 22 commercial corporations and 10 startups in total, with an aim of “accelerating the global development of clean energy technologies,” the corporation said. A panel of independent judges selected the winners and included Wired Magazine editor Chris Anderson, executives from GE and academics leaders from the field, according to a statement from the company.

“We knew that GE recognized that this technology could have a huge impact on the way buildings are being built,” co-founder and CEO of Pythagoras Solar, Golan Fink, told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.

“This is the part of the award that we are most happy about and feel good about the validation and feedback we have.” Pythagoras, established by Golan Fink and partner Dr.

Itay Baruchi in 2007, employs a technology called “Building Integrated Photovoltaics,” which aims to achieve “netzero buildings” in terms of energy consumption.

“The windows themselves include a combination of optical devices and solar cells,” Fink explained. “The unique thing about this combination is that the optical device manipulates sunlight so that instead of getting into the room, the direct radiation is used for generating clean solar energy. It produces energy and also shades the room.” While the company currently has five pilots running – three in the United States and two in Israel – the most longrunning trial has been going on now for six months at the Sears Tower in Chicago, Illinois, according to Fink.

“The Sears Tower itself is looking at the project as part of retrofitting the building,” he said. “Even though Chicago is not the best place for concentrated solar energy, it still suffers from getting too much heat.

“We are looking for this to be the greenest building in the US,” he continued.

They wanted to evaluate this technology because of its unique combination of solar power generation and energy efficiency.” Pythagoras is also in the process of evaluating several potential projects in China, Fink added.

“There is a lot of construction happening in China, and they are not on the forefront of energy efficiency,” he said.

“There are some projects there that are moving more and more toward the green construction industry.” While the company is currently in the process of developing a type of window that would be more appropriate for residential locations, Fink said that the current models – which will hit commercial markets in the US by the end of this year – are better suited for larger buildings at the moment.

“It’s more relevant for buildings with significant amount of glass,” he said, noting, however, that the building need not be as tall as the Sears Tower.

“The current product is less applicable for residential windows because you need a large surface of glass to make this economical.” Fink added that the company hopes to move to marketing larger volumes of installations by next year.

In addition to Pythagoras Solar, the other four startup winners this year were British firm E.quinox for its renewable energy in developing countries, as well as American companies PlotWatt for its smart meter analysis, Suntulit for its climate control systems and Xergy for its green refrigeration systems, according to GE.

GE’s decision to include the Israeli firm among its winners comes just shortly after the corporation opened a multidisciplinary research and development center in Israel, where it will host local projects in medical technologies, clean energy and water – with the hopes of advancing technology by partnering with Israeli companies and academics, the corporation said.

The government of Israel is considering releasing from Israeli jails scores of arab terrorists…terrorists that have already murdered hundreds of innocent Jews…

Gilad Shalit

Our hearts are torn over the pain and suffering already endured by Gilad Shalit and his loved ones, after being held in captivity in Gaza for five years by heartless, inhumane palestinian terrorists. We MUST do everything possible to obtain his release…NOW.

Jewish law and Jewish morality places the redeeming of Jewish captives amongst the highest priorities of any Jewish community…but not at any price. We are required to be certain that the redeeming of one precious life does not become the cause of later, even greater LOSS of life…

It is the responsibility of the government of Israel to do everything in its power to obtain the immediate release of Gilad Shalit. It is also the responsibility of the government of Israel to protect and defend the lives of the rest of Israel’s citizens. The government must not only think about Shalit today, but must consider tomorrow, the DAY AFTER his release…What is likely to happen?

This nightmarish “day after” scenario posited by my friend Dr. Aaron Lerner at IMRA seems all too likely to occur, should the government decide to free arab terrorists of the most dangerous variety in return for the release of Gilad Shalit…

Observation: The day after release of Shalit in huge trade

The following is a reasonable prediction of what will happen after Gilad
Shalit is released in a huge trade:

Reprinted from imra.org.il Dr. Aaron Lerner

1. Every terrorist group and even freelancers make absolutely every
effort to grab someone to replace Shalit.

2. The country is on high alert due to intelligence reports of plans to
kidnap another soldier.

3. Many of the attempts are foiled.

4. Thursday is a nightmare for both soldiers and their families as
soldiers make their way home for the weekend from their bases. Ditto for
Sunday as soldier return. In both instances the roads are clogged with the
cars of parents who opted to transport their children themselves rather than
rely on public transportation.

5. Within a relatively short period, a soldier is dragged off the streets
of Israel but the terrorists kill the soldier because they find that they
are unable to hide him.

6. Ultimately one of the kidnappings succeeds when a soldier dragged off
the streets reaches Gaza after being smuggled out to Egypt – all this before
it is even certain that a soldier is actually missing.

7. The IDF carries out various attacks but since Israeli intelligence is
clueless as to where the soldier is being held and since Israel wants to
avoid condemnation at this time for a massive operation, most efforts to
gain the release of the captured soldier are diplomatic and via PR.

8. The country is depressed, frustrated and there are articles in the
paper that many families with children slated to enter the IDF are seeking
ways to keep their kids out of the army.

9. There are calls to meet the demands of the terrorists to gain the
release of the new kidnapped soldier.

10. Some former senior defense-intelligence officials issue a call to
release all terrorists now being held by Israel once they have been
interrogated for information so that there is no longer any reason for the
terrorists to kidnap Israelis.

11. Under the banner “Peace Now: For the safety of our soldiers” former
senior defense-intelligence officials issue a call for Israel to make every
and any conciliation required to reach a final status agreement with the
Palestinians.

The above series of events might not transpire, but the odds that they do
are magnitudes greater than optimistic scenarios.

The former senior defense-intelligence officials who assert that Israel
knows how to deal with security threats are correct. There will be security
alerts, etc. but none of these activities will stop the kidnapping from
taking place with every terrorist group and even freelancers making
absolutely every effort to grab someone to replace Shalit.

Now that’s not to say that the recommendation of the former senior
defense-intelligence officials who are pushing for Israel to carry out the
trade aren’t right.
Its just that they should have the intellectual honesty to concede where we
may find ourselves after the deal.

Attacks on the proposed ban to criminalize Jewish ritual circumcision (brit milah) in San Francisco, California, USA spread to the legal and federal legislative fronts…

Radio Show/Podcast!!!

Listen to the show…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

But the King of the Zulus has requested (and received) Israeli aid in achieving his goal of circumcising 2.5 million adult Zulu males in the next 5 years…Purpose…To prevent the spread of AIDS in Africa…

And now, a serious move in The Netherlands to ban kosher meat, while the European Union attacks Judaism through labeling (again)…

Shakira

Also…Special coverage of the “Presidential Conference: Facing Tomorrow” in Israel…

Shakira debunks her alleged anti-Israel bias…

Shakira

But an album in Arabic?…Really?

Sarah Silverman

Sarah Silverman manages to restrain herself, while proposing a peace plan of her own…

Amos Oz, Daniel Kurtzer, Jimmy Wales, Tony Blair and others…

Plus…Israel…World leader in social networking, a daughter named “Like”…

All this and more on “The Marty Roberts Show”…

Listen to the show…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Maybe yes…maybe no. At best, we could certainly do better, considering the importance of the mission…

This article, by my good friend David Sinigaglia, presents valuable insights for those Jews contemplating aliyah/immigration to Israel, as well as lots of food for thought for those of us fortunate enough to already be “living the dream”, making our homes here, where we belong…in Eretz Yisrael…

Your comments and discussion are more than welcome…

WELCOME TO ISRAEL!

By David Sinigaglia

Our mission is to fulfill our vision: to cause the State of Israel to become the home of most of the Jewish People.

To date, the State of Israel has a population of ca. 6.3 million Jews, while the Diaspora holds 9 million Jewish residents (amongst whom are 1.5 million Israelis).

Our national mission, to bring our brethren to the Jewish Homeland, is not going well, despite all our many attempts to do so. Though Israel welcomes Jewish refugees, Holocaust survivors and other Jews drawn by their belief in God, those still considering the possibility of making aliyah (choosing to live in Israel) remain quite hesitant. Many of these potential immigrants (olim) even purchase significant properties when visiting, yet decide not to live here. If they were to join us, they would strengthen our security and enhance our economy.

Jews residing in the Diaspora do not usually feel that they belong to their place of residence, though it is hard for them to admit it, especially when their families may have been there for generations. The situation is different for Israelis residing abroad, who generally admit feeling alien where they live, because they naturally belong in the Land of Israel.

Our brethren in the Diaspora lack a sense of belongingness and responsibility due to the geographical distance between themselves and Israel, and also due to differences in the culture from where they reside.

Nonetheless, living in the Diaspora (when there is no physical threat) has certain economic rewards, often surpassing those possible in Israel, and offers the peace-of-mind of the “guest”. This does not mean that our brethren are not concerned about the situation in Israel, nor that they do not express these concerns, but their concern and care dwindles with the geographical distance…

No doubt that, despite the State of Israel’s small size, it causes a great stir amongst our brethren abroad, but they choose to support what best serves their interests from a safe distance, where they need not take responsibility for the outcomes. Make no mistake, though they care, they choose to live a life of tranquility—not one of pressure. This changes when they come to visit Israel, especially when they come to settle as olim.

Visitors reaching Israel for the first time, testify that they immediately “feel at home” once they have gotten off the plane and that this sensation is accompanied by feelings of ownership and belongingness. No doubt this is also quite satisfying, but it is overshadowed by other things not to their liking. These visitors undergo a process of comparison between their prior expectations and what they actually experience during their stay. The evaluation of the outcome depends on the size of their expectations, as opposed to the striking reality they face. What they feel is first internalized and then followed by a process of confirmation, depending on the answer to the question—Is what I see and hear the norm or are these merely unusual incidents?

150 assorted cultures (galuiyot)

Another difficult process undergone by the visitor is a direct result of his/her comprehension of the common denominator between us—we are all Jews. Despite this fact, our guest may feel some discomfort among us, because he/she will still find it hard to identify with the strange Israeli surroundings. This difficulty stems from the multitude of cultures we have gladly absorbed. We must understand our visitors’ inability to easily recognize his/her identity when surrounded by unfamiliar cultures. Our visitors must internalize their various ongoing emotions throughout their stay, until they are either accepted or forgotten.
This process causes our guests to ask themselves where they belong, which greatly effects the decisions they make—on the one hand. In the Diaspora, they feel different, in Israel they feel a sense of belonging, but they find it hard to identify with the surroundings. Not knowing Hebrew makes this even harder. However, those who often visit Israel know what to expect and it is their frustrated expectations that keep them based in the Diaspora. The case for Israelis that live abroad (yordim) visiting Israel is different; Israel is entirely familiar and holds no new expectations. Nonetheless, yordim-visitors are always comparing the goings-on in Israel to the Diaspora, strengthening their reasons for choosing to reside abroad and forcing them to justify their return to the Diaspora after their trip.

There is no doubt that Israeli culture, which has been forming over the years, is an amalgamation of all the cultures from which the immigrants came from, and places in which the yordim currently reside. Israeli culture has integrated some 150 different cultures brought to the Homeland by returning Diaspora Jewry. It would be wrong to say that Israeli culture today has taken its final form, because it is still undergoing transformation and it has not yet fully coalesced. It is being affected from many directions; some claim that there is a significant Middle Eastern influence, but this is not true. Certainly the Anglo-Saxons and Europeans here are very influential in fashioning Israeli culture.

It is not a surprise that most of the visiting Israeli yordim do not choose to remain, but return to the Diaspora, because this is the very reason they left and reside abroad, in different cultures. Those yordim know and feel that Diaspora culture is foreign to them, yet they still prefer it to current Israeli culture, which they had a hand in fashioning.

The burden of responsibility

Add to the cultural differences existing between Israel and the Diaspora one more significant factor—the acceptance of responsibility. Diaspora Jews do not bear the burden of responsibility for actions of their governments. The Jewish minority in the Diaspora always feels that it is the government who dictate the guidelines, and that the Jewish community has little or no influence on policy matters. However, in Israel, Israeli citizens have significant responsibility, manifested when determining the form of government, the kind of election process (direct, by parties, etc.), in matters of national security, regarding issues of religion and state, medical services, education and more.

The emotional process experienced by those Jews not presently living in Israel, whether they are visiting yordim or Diaspora Jews, is both complex and ambivalent. On the one hand, the visitor feels he/she has finally reached “home”; on the other hand, “home” is far away. Most of the “Children of Israel” know that, even if they have not been asked directly, He has commanded them to make aliyah and to reside in His land—the Land of Israel (Eretz Yisra’el). The Jewish People accepted the commandment to “act and hear” [Exodus 24:7]—our legacy, whether a Jew is a believer or not. This is not easy for those not living in Israel and feels even worse for those attempting to escape from admitting it.

Many Diaspora Jews are troubled by the fact that they are subconsciously aware that they were not “consulted” before being commanded to make Israel their home. This is not a simple test of faith, because were it not for that Biblical injunction, Jews would not have been persecuted in the Diaspora and our People would never have established the Jewish Homeland in the Land of Israel. Therefore, it is possible to understand (though not to accept) the reasons behind the ongoing Jewish criticism of Israel, as being part of the Jewish character. Remember that, even in Biblical times, ten of the twelve “emissaries” sent to spy on the Promised Land did not want to enter and live in Israel …

There are those who claim that Israel’s situation, existing surrounded by enemies, has affected Israeli culture. Clearly, the constant threat to the State’s existence has great influence on the state of mind of Israelis. It is hard to point to any particular culture negatively affected. To the contrary, adversity has made us stronger. The I.D.F. gives Israelis a sense of security and pride, and the nation always pulls together when threatened. In fact, it is the polarity between observant Jews and secular Jews that has had the greatest impact on the presiding atmosphere. It was said in times of old: “Your destroyers and those who laid you waste will go forth from you” [Isaiah 49:17]. Indeed, we have witnessed serious situations caused by our own lack of support for one another. Since we know who our external enemies are, their influence on Israeli culture is relatively insignificant; our culture is primarily derived and shaped by internal forces.

Size is another factor influencing the formation of our culture. Our nation is one of the smallest amongst the nations of the world, making us feel like a “baby brother” who should mind his older siblings. One concrete expression of this sentiment is the endless infiltration of foreign terminology into daily, spoken Hebrew—supposedly letting us feel more “international”. Stores with English names have sprouted like mushrooms all across the country; this is meant to convey the feeling they are offer everything “not Israeli”. The trend today is to give newborns foreign names, indicating a lack of trust in the Hebrew language and low self-confidence. By choosing to say: Ahlan! (an Arabic greeting) and Yallah, bye! (a mixed Arabic & English parting phrase), Israelis denigrate our marvelous, ancient language.

“You can take the Jews out of the Diaspora, but it’s hard to get the Diaspora out of the Jews.”

Why have I written all this? In order that we may fulfill our mission. We must get all our brethren in the Diaspora to want to come and participate with us in the building of our common Homeland, for the glory of the Jewish People in the Jewish State of Israel. The real challenge, even before we convince our brethren to make aliyah, is for those of us living in Israel to reach a state of rest and security. However, in order to attain such a supreme state of mind, we must first sense that this is our “chosen land” and that we truly have no other. Only then will we be able to honestly recommend to others to come and share our wonderful country.

Sadly, a large portion of the Israeli population does not feel this way and even has contrary beliefs. A significant number of Israeli citizens would prefer to live abroad if they could do so. This fact is evident in the manner in which returning Israelis are received. They hear questions such as: “Why did you come back?” “Wasn’t it good there?” Such comments are typical and frequently heard. This, instead of a gracious reception: “Welcome home!” In regard to olim, Israelis are a bit more cautious, yet they warn the newcomers of intimidating absorption problems they will encounter.

A lack of consideration for our fellowmen/women

This social problem is not related to the matter of national security, nor to the economic situation, since most olim now come from wealthy countries, and are professionals with prior occupational experience; most of those who have already settled in are making a decent living and successfully supporting their families. The problem begins and ends with the fact that those who come to visit, who are considering aliyah, are unable to identify with Israeli the culture they are experiencing.

There is a rampant lack of healthy interpersonal relations, a deficit of brotherly love and mutual respect, and too much egotism. These are manifested in virtually all areas of life: in the way people speak, by the littering, by irresponsible driving behavior, in the way people shove into elevators, by the poor service offered by government clerks, especially those who deal with new arrivals, by the bad service given by waiters and waitresses in restaurants, hotel receptionists, medical personnel, etc. Guests in Israel come in contact with this bad behavior from the moment they reach passport control in the airport, when the official does not even glance at the person whose passport he/she is stamping—never mind a smile and word of welcome …

Even when visiting Israeli synagogues, this lack of genuine welcoming spirit can be felt, especially when compared to the warm welcome received by newcomers to any synagogue in the Diaspora. The (unjustified) reason for this is that the Diaspora synagogue also serves as a Jewish social/community center, where Jews go to meet their brethren. Here, in Israel, we are overwhelmingly all Jewish, even in the supermarket, so it is erroneously presumed that there is no need to radiate warmth and to joyfully welcome guests in the synagogue.

Most Diaspora Jews currently reside either in European countries or in the Americas. The cultures to which they are exposed differ radically from Israeli culture. If we wish to draw them here, we must first mend our ways and change our behavior. We should do this not only to promote aliyah, but because our present behavior is unseemly. We should begin by changing the behavior of government agencies and all the red-tape encountered during attempts to get business permits or building permits for a new home.. How must a newcomer or a returning Israeli feel after being shunted around from one government office to another, not to mention the generally disappointing reception.

Israelis who reside in the Diaspora hope to succeed economically, but are also taking the opportunity to escape the very cultural environment they helped to create. We have heard, over and over again, that many Israelis prefer to take their vacations abroad, where they are less likely to run into their fellow Israelis, or, at least, so they say. The facts indicate otherwise, because those same vacationers feel more secure and are later pleased when they encounter their countrymen/women during their travels. So from what are they really running? Israelis go because they actually prefer the way they are treated by foreigners, rather than the disgusting way they themselves and other Israelis usually treat each other.

It is true that the economies of the large wealthy countries, supported by 3/4 billion citizens, are larger than the Israeli economy and always will be. Therefore, the supposed “revelation” that it is easier to make a decent living abroad is questionable. However, with all the challenges before us, if we could only increase the Jewish population of Israel from six to nine million, our economy would grow significantly stronger, as would our national security and proprietorship in our Homeland.

Every delay in beginning our mission engenders more dangers. We know that the rate of growth of the Jewish population in Israel is small in relation to the rate of growth of the non-Jewish population. It is possible that in 30-40 years the Jewish State will no longer exist, as long as we remain a democracy. It is not realistic to compete economically with other countries, and we certainly cannot compete with the relative growth of the global economy, but we can and must strengthen our country—so we do not collapse socially and economically.

A large threat hanging over us is the brain-drain, the migration of Israeli minds to the Diaspora. Meanwhile, the rate of aliyah is decreasing from year to year, because we have failed in our mission to bring our brethren here.

The “product” that will captivate the customers’ hearts

Thus far, our mission has failed because the methods were faulty. Over the years, we tried to push our brethren to come, rather than drawing them here; this was our tactical error. No one likes to be pushed, but everyone likes to be enticed. We invest massive sums in promotional public relations and send many ambassadors and consuls to improve our image and convince Jews to come. Meanwhile, many Israelis live abroad (yordim), without attaining the economic success they had sought in the Diaspora, and so they malign Israel to justify their residence abroad. What chance of success does this give the Israeli emissaries?
(There was an increase in 2009, but only because the economic situation was worse elsewhere. Especially, there was an increase in “returning”
Israelis for the first time in over ten years.

The thing that most damages the image of Israel in the eyes of Diaspora Jews (and others) is our own poor social behavior. The most significant investment we can make is right here in Israel (not in the Diaspora)—we must change our behavior (for our own good) and the image we convey of our behavior (for all our sakes). This does not mean that we should imitate them to find favor in their eyes, because Israeli culture has many virtues of its own. But since we are the “product” and they are the “customers”, to make them “buy” us, the “product” must be built and packaged in manner attractive to the eye, ear and heart of the “customers”. This can be done at no cost, but solely by means of changing our way of thinking and behaving in our country. This does not suggest that Diaspora Jews are better human beings than we are, but if we want them to fall in love with us and our country, we must better understand what is preventing them from having such feelings.

It is clear that the State of Israel will continue to welcome Jewish refugees from anti-Semitic lands, from all the surviving tribes of Israel. However, potential olim from developed countries and Israeli yordim who sought economic advancement abroad require a different approach; we must learn how to best bring them here. In the capitalistic world in which we live, the formula proposed herein is easy—a no cost solution that will provide a flourishing economy for residents of Israel.

The recipe for success

So, how do we start to fulfill our mission? First, we must begin treating ourselves and others decently, properly, politely and respectfully; only then do we give credence to the saying: “I have loved my neighbor as myself” [paraphrasing Leviticus 19:18]. Who would want to be like me, while my behavior is inappropriate? Let us make Israel the cleanest country in the world, one in which the citizens radiate love and good fellowship, peaceful ways and friendship. In this manner, we can draw our brethren to us from the Diaspora, to join us in building our Land, as it is written [Hosea 11:4]: “I led them with chains of human kindness and bonds of love.” Underneath our tough “shells”, the citizens of Israel are warm-hearted. We must receive our guests with love, thank all those who invest in building our economy and see to their proper return on investment.

The decision is ours, that of the residents of Israel, to act immediately to realize our vision. I know and believe in all that our People have accomplished during the 60 years of the State of Israel’s existence, supported by the achievements of the Diaspora Zionists and the early settlers (halutsim), is unique in the world. There is no other nation that can point to such accomplishments. Nonetheless, our mission is not to brag about our past actions, but to bring about Jewish population growth in Israel from other countries. (Again, we will always gladly absorb Jewish refugees seeking a safe-haven from those countries where they feel threatened.)

We need not demean our past achievements, but we must view this entire process as an ongoing means of enhancing our “existence” and our “survival”, both in the world and in the Land of Israel. The rate of assimilation of our brethren abroad rises every year and is currently over 55%. Thus, the suggested, self-sustaining action can also save our People, not just our Homeland.

“May the salvation of Israel come from Zion, when the Lord restores His People; Jacob shall rejoice and Israel shall be glad.” [Psalms 14:7]

The Author

David Sinigaglia, was born in Florence, Italy, and made aliyah to Israel in 1935. He was raised and educated in Israel and England, served in Israeli wars and also spent many years in the Diaspora.

David has founded companies and factories in Israel and abroad, managed companies and factories in Europe and the United States, and has been responsible for the livelihoods of thousands of employees. Sinigaglia and his wife returned to Israel from Las Vegas, and built their home in Meitar, in the Negev, with the intention of helping their brethren realize the vision of returning the Jews to Zion.

Today, he is encouraging financiers and investors to support Negev development. David is also involved in business consulting to promote local companies, based on his wealth of international experience.

Sinigaglia has resided alternately in Israel and abroad, seeing Israel from near and far. All that he has presented here, he has experienced personally—physically, spiritually and emotionally. His feelings and those of countless friends and acquaintances brought about his vision and the method for its realization.

“It is not my intention to preach to my Israeli brethren, but to present them with a hopeful solution to a problem recognized by all of us.”

david@sinigaglia.com david@hanegev.com

Don’t they have something more important to worry about, like maybe saving Greece or Spain from economic collapse?

Ramat Shlomo, Jerusalem

Besides, haven’t the French learned yet that Israel’s building of homes, communities, or even cities has NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with peace or the lack thereof in the Middle East?

But I DO hate to see those Frenchmen so deeply concerned over anything…

France deeply concerned over Israeli settlements

France is deeply concerned about Israel’s authorization for the expansion of 2,000 settlement homes built on occupied Palestinian land in east Jerusalem, the Foreign Ministry said Monday

Reprinted from dailystar.com

“Our position is constant: Settlement building is illegal in the eyes of international law, in the West Bank as well as in East Jerusalem,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero.

Jerusalem’s municipal council Sunday approved the expansion of 2,000 homes in the settlement district of Ramat Shlomo, allowing each home to add a room. The Ramat Shlomo neighborhood lies in an area of Arab East Jerusalem, which Israel captured during the 1967 war and later annexed in a move not recognized by the international community.

France called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to resume peace talks based on proposals made by French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe when he visited the region earlier this month.

“We call on the parties to resume negotiations based on principles contained in the French initiative … and to refrain from unilateral gestures,” Valero said.

An Israeli-developed cell-based product for treating the scourge of pulmonary hypertension will be hitting the market…

…and adding to the already VERY long list of lives saved by Israel…

Pluristem soars on agreement with United Therapeutics

United Therapeutics will use Pluristem’s PLacental eXpanded cells to develop and commercialize a treatment for pulmonary hypertension

Reprinted from globes.co.il

Pluristem Therapeutics Ltd. (Nasdaq:PSTI; DAX: PJT: PLTR) has signed an exclusive out-license agreement with United Therapeutics Corporation (Nasdaq: UTHR) for the use of Pluristem’s PLacental eXpanded (PLX) cells to develop and commercialize a cell-based product for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension (PH). United Therapeutics will receive exclusive worldwide licensing rights for the development and commercialization of the future product for treating PH patients. Pluristem will retain its intellectual property – the PLX cells – and all manufacturing rights. It will participate in the pre-clinical and clinical trial activities and provide the commercial grade product.

United Therapeutics will pay Pluristem an initial $7 million and milestone and other payments for a total of $55 million. Pluristem will also be reimbursed for costs of development and clinical activities. United Therapeutics will bear all the costs of conducting the clinical trials for this indication. Following commercialization, United Therapeutics will purchase commercial supplies from Pluristem at a specified margin over Pluristem’s cost, and it will also pay Pluristem specified royalties as a percentage from its gross profits generated from the developed product.

“This is an important milestone for our company, as it exemplifies our belief that Pluristem’s PLX cells are a platform technology that can be used for the treatment of numerous diseases. This agreement is in line with our strategy of being a state of the art cell manufacturer while maintaining all the production and Intellectual Property rights for future product candidates,” said Pluristem chairman and CEO Zami Aberman.

United Therapeutics president and CEO Roger Jeffs said, “Our mission to help patients suffering from pulmonary hypertension has led us to seek companies exhibiting innovative approaches and cutting edge technology, with whom we could partner for developing new therapies. Pluristem’s impressive results of their current clinical trials, their strong intellectual property and unique manufacturing capabilities, convinced us to select Pluristem as our partner in developing an important cell therapy for treating PH. We are excited to enter into this partnership and to work alongside Pluristem in advancing this exciting platform.”

Surrounded by so many enemies and military threats, Israel has no choice but to be good at defending herself…

…and Israel’s military know-how is on display and for sale in Paris…

Israel’s show of force in Paris

A NIS 6 million pavilion will support Israel’s defense exports effort at the Paris Air Show

Reprinted from globes.co.il

For weeks, it has been impossible to ignore the superlatives being heaped by the heads of Israel’s defense companies on the business potential of the Paris Air Show, which will open next week and will attract some 400,000 visitors from all over the world. As they attempt to stand out among the multi-national giants and make an impression, the Israeli companies that will exhibit there will reveal everything that they are allowed to reveal: from new concepts in land warfare and innovative systems for active defense of armored vehicles, to advanced missile systems; spy and communications satellites; sophisticated radars; UAVs that do everything except make the coffee. The list is long, long enough to explain how it is that a country like Israel sells the world defense systems to the tune of $7.2 billion annually, and is up there with the leading countries in the sector, the US, Russia, France, and the UK.

A NIS 6 million pavilion

A defense power like Israel needs suitable accommodation. The Israel Export Institute rose to the occasion, and paid out generously: more than NIS 6 million has been invested in setting up the Israeli pavilion at Le Bourget. It took five weeks to construct, with 40 people working six days a week. The pavilion has an area of 1,000 square meters, and it is made of 60 tons of metal and glass.

Most of the attention this year will be on the Iron Dome rocket interceptor system, and the Trophy system for intercepting anti-tank missiles, both developed by Rafael. Iron Dome, which will shortly be offered for export, will be exhibited bearing the halo of success from its interception of a Grad rocket fired from Gaza just days after it was deployed in the south of Israel. Alongside it will be exhibited a missile interception still under development, Magic Wand (also known as David’s Sling). According Ministry of Defense director general Udi Shani, “Exhibiting the systems, after the impressive success of Iron Dome, represents potential for another growth engine for Israeli defense exports.”

Elbit seizes territory

Public company Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE: ESLT) also has something new to offer at the show. It intends to unveil an innovative concept for seizing territory, enabling a military force to control an area remotely, using a package of products from the company. A multimedia presentation produced for the show will illustrate the systems’ capabilities through an imaginary scenario in which special forces are sent on a dangerous rescue operation in the heart of an urban area, involving a landing via assault helicopter.

Apart from the impressive presentation, Elbit will unveil for the first time, in full size, its advanced C-Music pod carried in the hold of a civilian aircraft and designed to protect it from shoulder-launched missiles. The system, the first of its kind in the world, is based on a laser that disrupts the missile’s flight. Aircraft of Israeli airlines are due to be equipped with the system.

Elbit will also exhibit its Targo pilot’s helmet, which is mainly used for training, and is accompanies the mission from planning through to debriefing.

IAI goes it alone

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will exhibit its products in its own pavilion, where it will set up a “missile farm” in which it will display the launch battery of its Barak-8 air defense system, together with the missile itself, as well as the ground-to-ground missile interceptors Arrow 2 and Arrow 3, the latter still in development. Alongside them will be its Jumper and Lora artillery missiles.

IAI will also unveil its MLGB laser-guided bomb, which is adaptable to various types of aircraft, and homes onto its target using laser or GPS. IAI says that the weapon’s high accuracy and its lightweight warhead make it suitable for strikes in populated areas, diminishing the risk to civilians and nearby structures.

IMI’s rocket

Israel Military Industries (IMI) will not have its own pavilion, but will open a deals room attended by CEO Avi Felder, and will exhibit some of its systems for export in the Israel pavilion, among them the Refaim urban warfare system, and the Delilah air-to-ground missile, and IMI’s rocket trajectory correction system, which facilitates accurate strikes on targets deep n enemy territory and the destruction of rocket launchers, artillery, and radar installations. These two systems have been in use with the IDF for several years, and proved their effectiveness in the Second Lebanon War, when they made possible accurate hits on Hizbullah targets and on trucks transporting weapons for it in South Lebanon.

Israel Export Institute CEO Avi Hefetz says that 15 Israeli defense companies will exhibit over the six days of the Paris Air Show. “The Israel Export Institute will place its emphasis on the less well known companies, to help them arrange focused business meetings, because the big companies are already known to the market. However, deals do not come to fruition at one exhibition, large as it might be. It takes a long time before a deal is finalized, but an exhibition like this is an excellent opportunity for sowing the seeds of future deals.”

Stinky breath…more politely known as “Halitosis”, or “Bad Breath”

When the “start-up nation” smells a bad smell…we find an innovative way to fix it…

Here, in Israel, we know how to make a pile of poop smell like roses…

A lollipop to banish bad breath

Israeli startup Breezy has developed a patented mint candy to keep breath fresh for up to four hours, with the help of microcapsules that gently clean the tongue

Reprinted from Israel21c

With some 50% of people suffering halitosis, Breezy CEO Hillel Lerman anticipates a lot of interest in his product.

Those old mouthwash commercials had it right: Bad breath, as clichéd as it sounds, really is a big problem. If it weren’t, there wouldn’t be quite so many products on drugstore shelves to combat it. The only problem is that most of them don’t work.

“There are toothpastes, mouthwashes, candies and gums you can buy to treat bad breath, but all they do is mask the problem for a few minutes,” claims Hillel Lerman, the CEO of Israeli startup Breezy. “There is no solution that treats the root of the problem – except ours.”

That solution is Breezy’s Like lollipop, a sugar-free candy confection that removes the bacteria that causes bad breath. The best part is that its effects last for more than four hours.

This probably sounds like a claim you’ve heard before, but if you look closely at the ads for the plethora of breath-freshening products for sale, you won’t find any that claim to keep your breath fresh for one hour, much less four.

“They can’t make such claims, because the best they can give you is 20 minutes or so,” Lerman says. “That’s because they just mask the problem, instead of removing the bacteria that cause bad breath, keeping breath fresh and clean.”

The efficacy of the lollipop against halitosis was shown in a series of clinical trials on 75 individuals at the Hillel Yafe May Medical Center in Israel.

That’s the main difference between Breezy’s solution and major brands of mouthwashes that give you a boost of fresh breath but cannot prevent the quick return of halitosis, which is caused by bacteria. Once the mouthwash has dissipated, the bacteria reasserts itself, and bad breath soon follows.

Breezy’s Like candy overcomes that issue, according to Lerman, with slow-release microcapsules filled with safe, all-natural active agents that battle halitosis. The hard microcapsules assist in gently scraping the tongue to remove the food particles and bacteria that cause unpleasant odor. When the capsules open, they release the active ingredients, which continue to act against the germs for hours.

Tasty bacteria buster

“Our Like candy offers triple protection,” says Lerman. “The candy’s microcapsules scrub; the mint in the candy freshens; and the active agents combat bacteria. Like also acts as an on-the-go tongue scraper that facilitates scraping around and at the back of the tongue – a prime area for bacteria buildup – with significantly less gag reflex.”

Like is just an example of what Breezy can do; the lollipop is merely one iteration of an anti-halitosis platform the company is developing.

“We have several patents which cover the concept and the use of microcapsules for a scraping therapeutic effect,” Lerman says. Potential products will work against smoker’s breath, dry mouth (xerostomia), oral fungus (candida/thrush), and canker sores (mouth ulcer/aphtous stomatitis).

“The Like product is ready for the market, and we are finalizing funding for packaging and marketing,” Lerman says, adding that the company is in advanced talks with a European group for distribution and marketing of Breezy technology.

Along with Lerman, the Breezy team consists of co-founders Shimon Harpaz and Dr. Shlomo Barak. Harpaz has a business background, having worked with several other startups in the past, while Barak is a top Israeli dentist and maxillofacial surgeon.

The company was founded in 2007 with the backing of Lenny Sackstein, founder of Carmit Confectionery, one of Israel’s largest candy-makers. Breezy has its offices at the Trendlines Group’s Mofet B’Yehuda Venture Accelerator near Jerusalem. Trendlines is currently the main investor in the company.

“This is something the world has definitely been waiting for,” says Lerman. “With halitosis affecting approximately 50 percent of the adult population worldwide, consumers spend billions of dollars on products to make their breath smell clean and fresh. Finally, there is a product that consumers can really rely on to get rid of their bad breath. We expect a lot of people to like Like.”

Obama has been the most hostile US president in History to America’s best ally, Israel. His policies literally threaten the existence of the Jewish State and the lives of its inhabitants…

Jews almost universally supported Obama in the last elections with their votes AND huge amounts of their money. He needs the votes and the cash of American Jews more than ever now, after proving to be a pretty awful president on all fronts.

The “tactical disagreements” that Obama spoke about in his address to Jewish campaign donors ARE NOT transcended by Obama’s empty, “feel-good” pro-Israel words. They threaten the existence of the Jewish state and millions of Jewish-Israeli lives…

My friends, the American Jews…it is time to stand up and be counted…You have an obligation to Israel (AND to America) to remove your support AND your dollars from the Barak Obama camp…

Obama: Israel, US stalwart allies

American president tells potential Jewish donors to presidential campaign Jerusalem-DC relations transcend ‘tactical disagreements’

Reprinted from Ynetnews.com

WASHINGTON – US President Barack Obama spoke Monday at a fundraiser for potential Jewish donors to his 2010 presidential campaign and assured then that Jerusalem and Washington’s relations were unshakable.

“One inviolable principle will be that the United States and Israel will always be stalwart allies and friends, that that bond isn’t breakable and that Israel’s security will always be at the top tier of considerations in terms of how America manages its foreign policy – because it’s the right thing to do, because Israel is our closest ally and friend, it is a robust democracy, it shares our values and it shares our principles,” Obama said to roaring applause.

Speaking of the regional changes sweeping the Middle East, Obama stressed that, “Both the United States and Israel are going to have to look at this new landscape with fresh eyes. It’s not going to be sufficient for us just to keep on doing the same things we’ve been doing and expect somehow that things are going to work themselves out.

“We’re going to have to be creative and we’re going to have to be engaged. We’re going to have to look for opportunities where the best impulses in the Middle East come to the fore and the worst impulses are weakened.”

Such achievements, he continued, would have to be carved from a position of strength: “This is why my administration has done more to promote Israel’s security, its qualitative military edge, its defense capabilities than any administration over the last 25 years. And we have made that commitment consistently.

“But it also means that we’ve got to engage diplomatically… there are going to be moments over the course of the next six months or the next 12 months or the next 24 months in which there may be tactical disagreements in terms of how we approach these difficult problems.

“But the broader vision, is one in which Israel is a secure Jewish state,” Obama stressed. “One where it is able to live in peace with its neighbors, where kids can get on the bus or go to bed at night and not have to worry about missiles landing on them, where commerce and interactions between peoples in the region is occurring in a normal fashion, where the hopes and dreams of the original travelers to Israel, the original settlers in Israel, that those hopes and dreams that date back a millennium, that those hopes are realized. That will remain our North Star. That will remain our goal.”

Obama told the crowd that he was “absolutely confident” the goal could be achieved, reiterating that it was “going to require some hard work.”

“It going to require that not only this administration employs all of its creative powers to try to bring about peace in the region, but it’s also going to require all of you as engaged citizens of the United States who are friends of Israel making sure that you are giving us suggestions, you are in an honest dialogue with us, that you’re helping to shape how both Americans and Israelis think about the opportunities and challenges.”

“My hope,” he concluded, “Is that through the kind of conversations that we’re having here tonight, that we’re going to be able to, together, craft the kind of strategy that not only leads to a strong America, but also leads to a strong Israel.”

In Israel, we LIVE the dream…every day
Alternative energy sources are on-line in Israel, not being dreamed about and planned in commitee…

65% of our drinking water will be coming from desalinized seawater within 3 years…

Practical electric cars go on sale in Israel this summer…

Israel plans expansion of solar power

Israel is planning an expansion of its solar-generated electricity with preparations to bring the first of more than 40 new solar plants onto the grid this summer.

Reprinted from jweekly.com

Arava Power is building the plants, including a $30 million, 20-acre Ketura Sun solar field in Israel’s scorching Negev desert, which will begin providing electricity to some 1,000 residents this summer.

Israel is pushing to become a world leader in alternative energy, with the government backing cutting-edge technologies and setting a goal to have 10 percent of its electricity generated by alternative means by 2020.

Right now, Israel depends almost entirely on imported coal and natural gas for its energy