www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com
Psalm 29:11
“The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.”
You probably can imagine the elation in Israel now that the 20 living Gaza hostages have finally come Home. Although the war with Hamas terrorists is not yet over, many Israeli soldiers are also able to return Home to their families. Reservists are back Home, re-focusing on their goals to build a better world for everyone. Michael Ordman
POSITIVE NEWS IN A WAR
Hostages released. After 738 days, all living Gaza hostages are back in Israel. A timeline and videos and photos of some of the emotional reunions. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/416200
https://www.jns.org/israel-set-to-redeem-hostages-in-first-phase-of-trump-peace-plan/
https://www.jns.org/watch-israelis-gather-at-hostage-square-to-celebrate-return/
Giving thanks. US President Donald Trump had a tumultuous welcome when he spoke at the Israeli Knesset (parliament). His first words were, “We gather on a day of profound joy, of soaring hope, of renewed faith, and above all, a day to give our deepest thanks to the almighty God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPAkvSgxDWY
Bereaved father seeds “honoring” startups. After Izhar Shay lost his son on 7 Oct 2023, he launched “Next October” to support early-stage businesses that agree to commemorate one of the approximately 2,000 people, killed on 7 Oct and in the ensuing war, in perpetuity. In two years, the project has enlisted 450 startups.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/bereaved-by-october-7-an-entrepreneur-seeds-startups-with-memorials-to-those-lost/ https://www.nextoctober.org/ https://www.nextoctober.org/ourstartups
Seeds of renewal. More about the 3-year initiative to rehabilitate and redesign 32 early childhood educational centers of excellence for ages 3–6 across the Gaza Envelope and northern Israel. (See here previously)
https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/philanthropys-role-in-rebuilding-early-childhood-education-in-israel/
Maintaining Mankai production. Israel is the only country in the world where the superfood Mankai (see here previously) is grown commercially. So it was vital that the man managing the Mankai at Kibbutz Be’eri returned two days after the Hamas 7 Oct 2023 invasion. Otherwise it might have disappeared from the world.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/skur8qytll
Hummus in Damascus. Israelis used to speak about the day when we’d be eating hummus in Damascus as a longed-for era of peace. We’re now eating kosher hummus in Damascus, says Mendy Chitrik, the Safed-born rabbi of Turkey’s Ashkenazi community and the chairman of the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/48-surreal-hours-in-damascus-an-israeli-reporters-travelogue-from-an-enemy-capital/
PM Prize to Mossad operatives. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Prize has been awarded to the Mossad operatives involved in the “beepers” attack against Hezbollah, and the 12-day Operation Rising Lion war against Iran. https://www.jns.org/netanyahu-barnea-award-mossad-operatives-pm-prize/
Zikim Beach reopens. The IDF is reopening to the public, Zikim Beach, located near the Gaza border, on Oct. 16, marking the first time the area has been accessible since the start of the war two years ago. The IDF views the opening of the beach as an additional step in the rehabilitation of the area.
https://www.jns.org/idf-reopens-zikim-beach-for-first-time-since-oct-7/
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Combat medicine advances. Wounded Israeli soldiers are surviving serious injuries that would have been impossible just a few years ago. E.g., drones parachuting temperature-controlled whole blood units into the battlefield; or a portable device that separates oxygen from the air and uses it to ventilate wounded soldiers.
https://www.kosu.org/world-news/2025-09-18/how-israels-combat-medicine-has-changed
Why the immune system ignores food. (TY David Fieldstone) I missed this discovery in May by scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute. They identified that ROR-gamma-T cells trigger a chain reaction of four types of immune cells, which stop the body’s attacking cells (CD8 cells) from responding to food proteins.
https://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il/life-sciences/food-friend-not-foe-%E2%80%93-new-study-explains-why
https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-856867
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09173-x
Oxygenating patients during lung transplants. (TY Atid EDI) Israel’s Inspira Technologies (see here previously) announced that a top U.S. hospital has expanded its clinical use of the INSPIRA ART100 system to lung transplantation procedures, one of the most demanding applications in advanced respiratory care.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/09/02/3142763/0/en/Top-U-S-Honor-Roll-Hospital-Expands-Use-of-INSPIRA-ART100-System-to-Lung-Transplant-Procedures.html
Restoring vision in a shingles-blinded eye. (TY Atid EDI) Israel’s CorNeat Vision (see here previously) has implanted its KPro artificial cornea to restore perfect vision in a patient blinded by corneal scarring from the Shingles virus. In addition, the eye, once deformed by shingles, now looks remarkably natural and healthy.
https://www.prnewswire.com/il/news-releases/corneat-visions-artificial-cornea-restores-perfect-2020-vision-in-shingles-blinded-eye-302543974.html
Partnering to diagnose Huntington’s. (TY Atid EDI) Israel’s NeuraLight has partnered with New York’s CHDI Foundation to build one of the largest eye movement datasets for Huntington’s Disease. It will support CHDI’s work to develop sensitive, trial-ready tools with the potential to develop HD therapies.
https://neuralight.ai/neuralight-and-chdi-foundation-collaborate-to-develop-precision-eye-movement-biomarkers-for-huntingtons-disease/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
The largest US flag ever hoisted in Israel. The largest American flag ever flown in Israel has been raised in the Binyamin Regional Council in a gesture of gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump. Measuring 26×36 feet, the red and blue striped flag is visible to passengers on planes landing at Ben Gurion International Airport.
https://www.jns.org/ahead-of-trump-visit-largest-us-flag-ever-flown-in-israel-hoisted-in-judea-samaria/
International Jerusalem march. Thousands, from 70 countries, gathered in Sacher Park for the International Jerusalem March, hosted by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) during the Sukkot holiday. The ICEJ represents millions of Christians around the world who support Israel.
https://www.jns.org/the-international-jerusalem-march-brings-joy-and-friendship-to-the-capital/
Tourism to Tajikistan launched. Israel’s Tourism Minister Haim Katz made the first official visit by an Israeli Cabinet member to the Muslim state of Tajikistan. There he signed the first bilateral tourism accord with Tajikistani Committee for Tourism Development Chairman Jumakhonzoda Jamshed Jurakhon.
https://www.jns.org/israel-and-tajikistan-sign-tourism-agreement-in-landmark-visit/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Powering Intel’s AI laptop revival. Intel has unveiled its first 18A-based processors, developed in Israel. They will form the basis for Panther Lake, a new Israeli-developed family of 900 AI models that will support real-time translation, image recognition, and much more, while maintaining strict user privacy.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hkwnfmhpex
Israel’s largest AI cloud. Israel’s Vast Data (see here previously) has entered a strategic partnership with Israel’s Shonfeld Data Services (SDS) to power what is being described as Israel’s most advanced sovereign AI infrastructure. It will be built on Vast’s AI Operating System.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/uz6dlauqi
National AI HQ. Israel has appointed Brig. Gen. (res.) Erez Askal to head its newly established National Artificial Intelligence Headquarters. It will oversee the creation and execution of Israel’s AI strategy, focusing on innovation, regulation, infrastructure and research while bolstering Israel’s international standing in the field.
https://www.jns.org/netanyahu-appoints-general-to-lead-national-ai-initiative/
More cool data centers. Israel’s ZutaCore has established another cool partnership (see here for previous one) this time with Taiwan’s Compal. The integrated server and cooling solution aims to “revolutionize data center efficiency, reliability, and sustainability”. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zutacore-and-compal-transform-ai-data-center-cooling-at-yotta-2025-302548739.html
Mapping Israel’s semiconductor industry. Israel’s startup ecosystem is punching far above its weight in the global semiconductor race. With $5.5 billion raised collectively, 70 startups are positioning Israel as a key player in next-generation chips and AI models.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/r1yxvtznel
https://www.earthandbeyond.ventures/deeptech-explained-semiconductors
Better desalination membranes. Researchers at Israel’s Technion Institute, and at University of Texas Austin, have mapped the nano-properties of desalination membranes in their wet state – never achieved before. The information will help design membranes that will desalinate seawater more efficiently, using less energy.
https://phys.org/news/2025-08-desalination-characterizing-membranes-dry-states.html
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.5c01190
Scaling up green hydrogen production. (TY Nevet) Israel’s Technion is part of an international team that has determined how to scale up decoupled water electrolysis (DWE, see here previously) – a technique that produces green hydrogen without carbon emissions or expensive hardware.
https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/green-hydrogen-industrial-scale-affordable-dwe/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44359-025-00061-1
Automating the greenhouse. (TY Atid EDI) Israel’s GrowDirector has developed a modular greenhouse automation system to reduce input costs, water, electricity, fertilizers, and labor. Farmers can track crop details, schedule planting, spraying, receive reminders, analyze and refine protocols to avoid repeating mistakes.
https://growdirector.com/
Seeing through the layers. Latest progress of Israeli archaeologists in the City of David, using muon particle detectors to map ancient sites underground without digging (see here previously). Jerusalem’s historic layers are revealed, from the Iron Age / First Temple period through the Roman era and into the Early Islamic period.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/breaking-ground-without-digging-in-first-archaeologists-x-ray-jerusalems-underground/
A better defense. (TY Atid EDI) Israel’s Ministry of Defense has bought dozens of EdgeUAV systems from Israel’s Axon Vision (see here previously) to detect nearby air threats (e.g. drones). The systems analyze and classify data collected by cameras mounted on armored combat vehicles or stationary installations.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-idf-using-axon-visions-ai-to-combat-drones-1001489208
Securing entrance to arenas. Barclays Center in New York has selected the advanced artificial intelligence software from Israel’s SeeTrue to detect prohibited items at visitor checkpoints. The system enables faster throughput, reducing long lines at entry points, while providing detection across a wide range of threats.
https://seetrue.ai/seetrue-to-deliver-faster-and-safer-entry-for-barclays-center-fans-with-ai-powered-security-screening/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Optimistic economic indicators. The Israeli Shekel rose strongly on the news that Israel and Hamas have signed the first phase of the plan to end the war in Gaza. The Israeli stock market also rose with the TA-35, TA-90, and TA-125 closing at record highs. The construction index soared, and the risk level fell sharply.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hjagmxr6lx
Nobel Prize for Economics. Dutch-born, Israeli raised, US Professor Joel Mokyr has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics together with two other economists, for showing how useful knowledge, mechanical competence and institutions conducive to technological progress has led to sustained economic growth.
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/article-870390
https://www.jns.org/tel-aviv-university-economist-among-3-nobel-prize-laureates/
$0.5 billion for Israeli startups. Israel’s Glilot Capital Partners has raised $500 million to invest in Israeli cyber and AI software startups. The fresh capital was raised mainly from large financial institutions in the US and Europe. Glilot says it “we deeply believe in the Israeli ecosystem.”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-glilot-partners-raises-500m-to-back-young-cyber-and-ai-software-startups/
Gas pipeline to Egypt. The partners that own the Leviathan reservoir off the Israeli coast have inked a $610 million deal with state-owned pipeline operator Israel Natural Gas Lines to build a 40-mile pipeline to export natural gas to Egypt. When complete in 2028 it will deliver 600 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/leviathan-partners-ink-610m-deal-for-new-pipeline-to-boost-gas-exports-to-egypt/
El Al in top 25. El Al earned a five-star APEX rating for the fifth consecutive year and, for the first time, entered the global top 25 airlines for in-flight passenger experience based on millions of traveler reviews. Fewer than 7% – around 40 airlines—earned a five-star rating. https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/r13p9rgsgl
Swiss & Delta are back. Swiss International Air Lines has resumed flights to Israel with a daily non-stop return service from Zurich to Tel Aviv Ben-Gurion International Airport. Delta Airlines resumed daily flights from JFK to Tel Aviv on 1st Sep. https://www.jns.org/swiss-air-resumes-flights-to-tel-aviv/
https://news.delta.com/delta-resumes-tel-aviv-service-jfk-sept-1
$1.2 billion aero engine parts deal. Israel’s Bet Shemesh Engines (see here previously) has won a $1.2 billion 15-year contract to supply critical jet engine components to one of the world’s leading aircraft engine makers. Only a few weeks ago Norway’s sovereign wealth fund divested its 2% stake in Bet Shemesh Engines.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-bet-shemesh-engines-inks-1-2b-deal-to-produce-parts-for-global-aviation-giant/
Botanical-enhanced functional soft drinks. Israel’s SolvEat (see here previously) has partnered with Israel’s Central Bottling Company subsidiary Gat Foods, to develop functional beverages infused with SolvEat patented natural herbal formulations. They will target metabolic support, blood sugar control, and more.
https://www.prnewswire.com/il/news-releases/solveat-and-cbc-join-to-create-botanical-enhanced-functional-soft-drinks-302550555.html
Using AI to sell industrial machinery. Israel’s Corbel aims to replace manual quoting and PDF-based workflows with AI-driven intelligence for the trillion-dollar manufacturing sector. Corbel is targeting one of manufacturing’s most persistent bottlenecks: outdated sales and quoting systems.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/h1axzfaplg https://corbelpay.com/
Exits, takeovers, and mergers to 19th Oct 25. Israel’s CropX has acquired Israeli Crop Supply Intelligence Company Acclym. US insurance giant Penn-America Group (part of Global Indemnity Group) is acquiring Israeli insurance agency Sayata. LevelBlue (formerly AT&T Cybersecurity) has acquired Israel’s Cybereason. Israel’s Pentera acquired Israel’s DevOcean for $30 million. Amazon’s Annapurna Labs has acquired the entire core engineering team of Israel’s NeuroBlade.
Startup investment – to 19th Oct 25: Deel raised $300 million (valuation $17.3 billion) Sensi.ai raised $45 million; Sola Security raised $35 million; Prisma Photonics raised $30 million; OneLayer raised $28 million; Omnix Medical raised $25 million; Second Nature raised $22 million; Siddhi Capital has invested $9-12 million in Israel’s Fresh Start foodtech incubator. Corbel raised $6.7 million; ARGU AI raised $2 million.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT,
An Ethiopian Israeli restaurant in Harlem. Beejhy Barhany was born in Ethiopia and grew up in Israel. She has opened Tsion Cafe – a kosher, vegan cafe in Harlem, New York. She describes it as a place of Pan-African love and Black Israeli pride. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/at-this-harlem-chefs-table-the-rosh-hashana-menu-is-full-of-ethiopian-spices-180987378/
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/720855/gursha-by-beejhy-barhany-with-elisa-ung/
US Ambassadors rock Jerusalem. (TY INN) US Ambassadors Mike Huckabee and Daniel Friedman wowed the crowd at the United Hatzalah Sukkot concert, playing “Sweet Home Yerushalayim”. Great new lyrics.
https://www.jns.org/huckabee-friedman-perform-sweet-home-yerushalayim-in-jerusalem/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh6Z6Hk3cAk
Acrobatic dolphins. Some 15 dolphins, including mothers and calves, gave an acrobatic display off the Israeli coast near Haifa. They performed for over an hour to a team of Haifa University marine scientists conducting an exploration project, 10 miles from the shore. It was the most exciting display ever seen by the scientists.
https://www.jns.org/dolphin-pod-puts-on-acrobatic-display-off-haifa-shore/
Golden gymnast. Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat won gold in the floor exercise at the Challenge Cup in Paris. With one Olympic gold and one silver, Dolgopyat is Israel’s most successful Olympian. He also holds a World Championship title. https://www.jns.org/this-week-in-israeli-sports-2/
First NHL goal by an Israeli. Israeli American hockey player Zeev Buium scored his first NHL goal on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets; Buium, a defenseman for the Minnesota Wild, is believed to be the first Israeli hockey player to ever score a goal in the US National Hockey League.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6709728/2025/10/12/wild-blue-jackets-zeev-buium-nhl-goal/
https://x.com/THEREALJEW613/status/1977206806108905773?s=08
Gold paralympic swimmer. (TY Yanky) Paralympic swimming champion Ami Dadaon (see here previously) claimed his first world title in the 50m breaststroke SB3 in Singapore, setting a new Israeli record of 48.17 seconds. In the 2024 World Championships in Paris, Ami won 4 gold medals.
https://www.ynetnews.com/sport/article/h1eltqajel
THE JEWISH STATE
Ancient Jewish synagogue unearthed in the Golan. Another historical Jewish link to the Land – in the Golan Heights recaptured by Israel in the 1967 Six-day War. Excavations at the Yahudiya Nature Reserve revealed lintels and basalt columns of a 1,500-year-old synagogue – the 26th discovered in the Golan.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/10/05/ancient-underground-synagogue-discovered-in-golan/
A home in Israel. Reminder – Marina Shear, wife of Newsletter subscriber Glen, can help any reader wishing to make Aliyah or purchase a property in Israel. She has teams of English-speaking lawyers, mortgage brokers, builders, property managers, inspectors and designers. Read her guide and see her website for more details.
https://marinashear.com/ https://marinashear.com/2025-guide/
Delayed passengers break into song. After a 4-hour delay on a Delta Airlines flight from New York to Tel Aviv, two musicians led passengers in singing “Adon HaSelichot” and then “Am Yisrael Chai”.
https://www.jns.org/hold-passengers-on-delayed-delta-flight-to-israel-break-into-song/
Exciting times in Jerusalem. During Sukkot, Jerusalem was full of hope for the release of the hostages. The schools were on vacation so families were enjoying holiday activities.
https://rjstreets.com/2025/10/12/exciting-times-in-jerusalem-on-chol-hamoed-sukkot/
50,000 Jews celebrate Sukkot in Hebron. 50% more worshippers than last year visited Judaism’s second-holiest site during the first days of Tabernacles. The Cave of the Patriarchs was bought by Abraham more than 3,000 years ago. and is the burial place of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and matriarchs Sarah, Rabecca and Leah.
https://www.jns.org/nearly-50000-jews-celebrate-sukkot-in-hebron/
On Simchat Torah we dance. Israelis are determined to dance, even overcoming physical and spiritual barriers. And on the second anniversary of the Hamas invasion, the IDF danced at the Nova festival site.
https://worldisraelnews.com/wounded-idf-soldiers-joyfully-celebrate-simchat-torah-despite-injuries/
https://www.jns.org/how-an-oct-7-amputee-refuses-to-stop-dancing-this-simchat-torah/
https://www.jns.org/idf-soldiers-dance-with-torah-at-nova-festival-massacre-site/
