Good News, Israel

Compliments of Anglo Raannana Real Estate

Quote for the Week

“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.”

(Albert Einstein 1879-1955. [Perhaps Israel is the exception to this rule. Read any issue of GN and form your own opinion])

· There aren’t that many ladies around who have had heart transplants, still fewer have had transplants and then had babies and even fewer, five worldwide to be exact, have had twins. Well, we have a proud new mother and her two daughters, one weighing in at 1.5 and the other at 2 kilos [3.3 and 4.4lbs respectively] right here in Israel and mother and babies are doing well. Of the four previous instances two were in the US, one was in France and another in Italy. The major problem facing the doctors is determining the balance of immune-suppressant drugs taken by the mother – enough to protect her heart from rejection but not enough to harm the babies. The doctors did what they had to, the mother did what she had to and the babies are doing what they have to. What a team! The result? Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov, yet another medical miracle performed here and that’s GN.

· The first nonstop aliyah group flight from Los Angeles landed at Ben-Gurion International Airport this week bringing 62 new immigrants, mostly from California. The immigration assistance group Nefesh B’Nefesh said it expects about 5,000 North American and British Jews to move to Israel in 2010, a new record for western immigration. This week alone, 1,000 newcomers on 23 flights from all over the world are scheduled to arrive, including 550 people from France, 101 from Britain, 54 from South Africa and eight from Australia. Bien Venue and Welcome to them all.

· Big Shopping Centers and their American partners, Kimco Realty Corporation have made their third joint purchase of shopping centers in the US. The two companies bought the full rights of an asset portfolio of five open shopping centers in California and Nevada for $30 million. Big’s share of the deal is $15 million. The two firms have bought a total of 22 shopping centers in the US of A.

· Army service for folk with special needs? If you’re talking about the IDF the answer is a resounding yes! A group has just completed the first part of their course where they went through the usual training process, from wearing the uniform and performing field training, to a trek of over two kilometers and even a shooting range exercise in which each participant fired 10 bullets while in a lying position. And at the completion of the course there was a ceremony where they experienced the true spirit of the military, with the symbols, the flag and the weapon. It wasn’t easy, army service never is but there aren’t many soldiers more determined than these young men and women, to prove that they can do it. What an army! What great human beings!

· Teva had an extremely good second quarter, in fact it was a record for any quarter in the Company’s history and we’ll satisfy ourselves with three figures to prove the point, and here they are: sales of multiple sclerosis treatment Copaxone rose to $773 million, contributing to net sales of $3.8 billion. Net profit rose 32% over the corresponding quarter, to $981 million. What more can we say? What more needs to be said?!

· Shahar Peer made an auspicious start to her U.S. Open series campaign yesterday [new coach and all] when she bested Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova at the WTA Bank of the West Classic in California. Shahar, Israel’s top tennis player ceded the first set but came right back to win the match against the former world number five by a score of 0-6, 6-4, 6-3.

· IT services company Ness Technologies Ltd. has won a $12.2 million deal to deliver a dispatching system for Czech electricity utility CEZ Distribution A.S. Ness will consolidate five systems into a single distribution network management system, which will enable Smart Grid projects and other services.

· Israel’s national basketball team extended its winning streak to four out of four last night, beating Belgium 69-64 in an exhibition match. That’s a record that couldn’t be bettered and augurs well for when the team has to get down to serious business as the competition gets going officially.

· And now for something that we do frequently and well. Helping others where help is needed. A week or two ago Israel sent five specialists from Sheba Medical Center for 10 days to the Federal Republic of the Congo to tend hundreds of people seriously burnt in a tanker explosion. They were the first plastic surgeons to arrive and they immediately got to work in the very basic facilities available. The Israelis have extensive knowledge and experience in the treatment of burns and were able to meet the challenges presented by the extent and severity of the injuries.

· And it’s not only in the medical field. We haven’t abandoned Haiti and have agreed to send a group of police officers there to help to maintain the peace following January’s earthquake. The 14 law enforcers will assist the United Nations Stabilization Mission operating in the area.

· Moldova has been plagued by heavy rains causing thousands to lose their homes and Israel responded to a request by Moldova’s Prime Minister Vladimir Filat to send tents and blankets to provide much needed temporary shelter for the flood victims.

· If you have any doubts that China – or India, or Asia generally – is where it’s at then you aren’t on the same page as a growing number of Israeli companies and Celano Communications Inc. is one of them. They will provide Shanghai Telecom with FiberHome’s optical gateway that gives fast broadband access capability and triple-play – that’s data, voice and High Definition TV services to the uninitiated folk like us at GN -. Market sources estimate the revenue from the deal at $50 million as well as generating tens of millions in the coming years. Sounds good to us.

· Only in Israel. Bar and Bat Mitzvah tourism! Anyone passing by the Western Wall courtyard on Mondays and Thursdays can’t help but notice the festivities for the ‘new’ young men and women from all over the world. Kotel Rabbi Rabinovitch tells us that 200-300 youngsters at a time might be celebrating this joyous occasion on any Monday or Thursday and that means an increase of hundreds, and even thousands of percent over previous years. What better place, what better GN?

· Exports of electronic components, communications and scientific equipment, avionics, and pharmaceuticals grew 7% in the second quarter. The current quarter’s growth was led by overseas sales of pharmaceuticals that increased by a whopping 37% in this time period.

· Short but really sweet and we quote, “We think the Bank of Israel has emerged from the crisis [and we all know which one they’re referring to] as one of the most credible central banks in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.” Unquote. Sez who? Says top Citibank analyst David Lubin that’s who. [He could have made it shorter and sweeter without losing credibility by simply saying ‘in the world’ but it sounds pretty good even as it is.]