Good Israel News

Good Israel News #38 [February 22, 2026]

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:18:27 GMT

Diaspora News

‘You are Jew hunting’: Sheffield erupts over pro-Palestinian door-knocking campaign
Tensions have flared in Sheffield following a controversial pro-Palestinian door-knocking campaign that local residents described as highly intimidating. Critics of the initiative strongly condemned the aggressive tactics as targeted harassment, referring to the community effort as “Jew hunting” rather than legitimate political activism.

News of the Weird & Unexpected

Court orders street beggar to pay ex-wife 666,000 shekel settlement
An Israeli family court has ordered a man who begged on the streets to pay his ex-wife a divorce settlement of roughly 666,000 shekels after discovering his hidden wealth. The ruling exposed that the seemingly impoverished man had secretly amassed significant assets in his private account while publicly projecting a life of complete destitution.

Affairs of State & Domestic Economics

Airlines rush to fill Israel vacuum left by Ryanair
Several international airlines are swiftly moving to capture the market share left open after Ryanair suspended its flight operations in Israel. This scramble to fill the void highlights the high demand for air travel to and from the region despite ongoing security complexities.

History & Science

Yoni Netanyahu statue to be unveiled at Entebbe Airport, Uganda army chief says
Uganda is set to honor the legacy of Yoni Netanyahu with a newly unveiled statue at Entebbe Airport, the exact site of the historic 1976 hostage rescue mission. The formal announcement by the Ugandan army chief underscores the enduring diplomatic and historical ties forged by the legendary military operation.

Culture, Arts, Entertainment, & Sport

‘Babe, I’m going to be the Christian Dior of sex’: the Israeli founder turning lube into luxury
An innovative Israeli entrepreneur is redefining the intimate wellness market by elevating personal lubricants into a high end luxury experience. By branding her product line with a boutique aesthetic, she aims to become the “Christian Dior of sex” and completely change how consumers approach sexual care.

Military & Miltech

Religious female tank soldier slams rabbis’ letter: ‘Look what women did on Oct. 7’
A religious female tank soldier has publicly pushed back against a letter from conservative rabbis opposing the combat integration of women in the military. She pointed directly to the heroic actions of female soldiers during the October 7 attacks as undeniable proof of their vital role and capabilities on the front lines.

Tech & Tech Business

Israeli drone operating system company Xtend will enter the Nasdaq at $1.5B
The Israeli drone operating system developer Xtend is preparing to make its public market debut on the Nasdaq with an impressive valuation of $1.5 billion. This major financial milestone highlights the growing global appetite for advanced aviation technologies and autonomous defense solutions.

Good Israel News #37 [February 16, 2026]

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 19:04:29 GMT

NB: It’s been busy, some super interesting articles this week (10 days), don’t let the sheer quantity make it be ‘too much.’ Take a break if needed and come back to make sure you get all the Jewsiness from all the things.

News of the Weird

Rare sighting in the north: A Honey Badger caught on camera

A field worker in northern Israel snapped a mystery creature that even his veteran farmer boss couldn’t identify—until rangers confirmed it was one of the country’s rarest predators: a honey badger, essentially a short, furry tank with teeth. Once hunted and poisoned by beekeepers and now on the verge of disappearing from Israel, the fearless animal is so tough it’s been known to take on lions, prompting ecologists to celebrate the sighting while warning the public to admire it from a very safe distance.

Diaspora News

WJC President joins calls for removal of UN rapporteur Albanese

World Jewish Congress president Ronald Lauder is turning up the heat on the UN, urging that special rapporteur Francesca Albanese be shown the door for what he calls conspiratorial, antisemitic and “extremist” rhetoric masquerading as human rights work. His demand comes as France, Germany and Austria also push for her resignation after she labeled Israel the “common enemy of humanity,” a remark she now insists was misquoted, even as her long trail of incendiary comments about Israel and “the Jewish lobby” is dragged back into the spotlight.

Affairs of State & Domestic Economics

Doctors Without Borders halts operations at Gaza hospital after sightings of armed men, weapons

Doctors Without Borders has slammed the brakes on all non‑critical work at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital after masked gunmen, suspected weapons transfers and patient interrogations turned the wards into something closer to a war movie set than a medical facility. Citing a pattern of intimidation and arrests inside hospitals since the ceasefire, MSF says it warned authorities that clinics must remain neutral ground—just as Israel moves to kick the group out of Gaza entirely over its refusal to hand over staff lists and allegations some employees are tied to terror groups.

History & Science

How a machzor survived over six centuries and Nazi attacks to make it to Israel

In 1272, a scribe in Würzburg spent a year hand‑crafting a massive, illuminated machzor that would spend centuries in Worms, outliving Crusaders, rabbinic dynasties and finally the Nazis, whose Kristallnacht flames missed it only because the manuscripts were stored in a separate archive. When the Gestapo later dumped those archives in a basement, a brave German archivist quietly smuggled the books—this machzor included—into a cathedral tower, where they survived Allied bombing before ultimately making their way to the National Library in Jerusalem. Today the prayer book’s odyssey eerily mirrors that of the author’s own rabbinic in‑laws, whose family fled Germany and eventually made aliyah, turning a medieval manuscript into a symbol of Jewish endurance across 750 turbulent years.

Education

Following years of legal battles, Chief Rabbinate opens rabbinical tests to women

After years of courtroom ping‑pong, Israel’s Chief Rabbinate has finally opened its famously grueling halachic exams to women, bowing to a High Court ruling that called the old men‑only policy discriminatory. For trailblazers like Rabbanit Sarah Segal‑Katz—already ordained abroad but barred from even applying to jobs like ritual bath supervisor without Rabbinate tests—it’s a chance to turn decades of Torah study into state‑recognized credentials, salary benefits, and a not‑so‑subtle message that laws about women’s bodies shouldn’t be tested exclusively by men. Traditionalists are muttering about “only the worthy” getting official certificates, but rights groups are hailing a “historic” crack in one of Israel’s most stubborn rabbinic glass ceilings.

Culture, Arts, Entertainment, & Sport

Watch: LeBron James expresses desire to visit Israel, praises Avdija’s All-Star season

LeBron James just gave Israeli hoops fans a Valentine, calling Deni Avdija an “exceptional” player and saying he’d believed all along the Wizards forward was All‑Star material. Speaking before the All‑Star Game, the 41‑year‑old Lakers legend said he hopes his Israeli fans have followed his career, that he inspires them “to be better in life,” and that one day he’ll finally make it to a country he’s only ever heard “nothing but great things” about.

Military & Miltech

Israel Aerospace Industries delivers 350th fighter jet wings for F-35 to Lockheed Martin

Israel Aerospace Industries just bolted its 350th pair of wings onto the global F‑35 program, underscoring how deeply Israeli hardware is stitched into the stealth jet fleets of a dozen countries. The composite wings—built with advanced fiber‑placement tech and destined for up to 800 units worth over $2 billion—sit on planes that have already flown more than a million hours, including the Israeli F‑35s that reportedly hit Iran’s nuclear program in 2025 and, officials hint, might be called on for an encore.

Tech & Tech Business

“It’s hard to find an Apple product without an Israeli touch”

Apple’s Israel chief Rony Friedman says Israeli teams have fingerprints all over Apple’s lineup—chips, cameras, storage, AirPods, and even the company’s first in‑house cellular modem, the C1. He points to deep work on connectivity and on‑device AI, arguing the goal is simple: more performance, less battery drain, and “AI that feels like part of the operating system,” not a separate gadget. The latest proof point is Apple’s reported acquisition of Israeli startup Q.ai, set to fold into Apple’s local R&D hubs in Jerusalem, Herzliya, and Haifa.

Good Israel News #36 [February 6, 2026]

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 01:41:34 GMT

Before we dive in - a new Substack y’all may enjoy - Above the Scroll. They’ll “be a landing page for reported stories you need to know concerning antisemitism in New York City and beyond. If you’re tired of scrolling, this substack will be a reprieve from the endless news cycle on your social media feed.” So go get at it.

And now…

News of the Weird

The shocking truth about Israeli McDonald’s that’s making Americans jealous

American tourists are landing in Israel and losing their minds… over McDonald’s. Between the blue kosher arches, cheese-less burgers, corn sticks and “Pitzutz” ice cream that feels more Parisian patisserie than food court, they’re discovering a fast-food universe that makes their own McFlurries seem depressingly basic. Yes, the bill can hit $70, but for many — especially kosher-keeping diaspora Jews — Israeli McDonald’s is the ultimate guilty-pleasure pilgrimage: familiar junk food, just upgraded and Mediterranean-ified.

Diaspora News

British tourists expelled from India over anti-Israel stickers with swastikas

A group of British tourists managed to turn a vacation in India into a diplomatic disaster by plastering anti-Israel stickers with swastikas in public areas, prompting local outrage. Indian authorities swiftly revoked their visas and put them on the next plane home (probably without a Kosher meal), making it very clear that hate symbols and imported political extremism are not welcome imports.

Senate probes Mamdani over scrapping NYC antisemitism, anti-BDS orders

Affairs of State & Domestic Economics

A new international airport is slated to be built in the Negev

After 20 years: Israel to reopen airstrip near Lebanese border

Israel is busy sketching new flight paths into its future, laying down one runway in the deep south and dusting off another in the far north. A 7-billion-shekel international airport at Ziklag in the Negev is slated to handle up to 10 million passengers a year and serve as a long-awaited “second Ben-Gurion,” while the long-dormant Kiryat Shmona airstrip near the Lebanese border is being revived to boost tourism, business, and emergency readiness for the Galilee. Together, the projects turn airports into political statements: the periphery isn’t just on the map anymore—it’s on the departure board.

History & Science

Last survivor of Hungarian underground seeks ‘recognition of Jewish rescuers’

On the cusp of his 100th birthday, David Gur – the last surviving member of Hungary’s Jewish underground – is still fighting, this time not Nazis but bureaucracy. After forging documents, smuggling thousands of Jews to safety, and helping set up dozens of children’s homes during the Holocaust, he is leading a push to amend Israel’s Holocaust remembrance law so that Jewish rescuers who risked their lives for fellow Jews are finally honored alongside the Righteous Among the Nations. His story, now being revived with AI-powered testimony projects and backed by historians, activists, and even Israel’s president, is a quiet rebuke to the myth that Jews “went like sheep to the slaughter” and a reminder that Jewish heroism also came in the form of forged papers, hidden routes, and stubborn moral courage.

Education

Israeli researchers at TAU find noninvasive brain stimulation eases PTSD symptoms

Tel Aviv University researchers have found that a few sessions of precisely targeted, noninvasive brain zaps can dial down the intrusive memories that haunt people with PTSD. By reactivating traumatic memories and then using customized transcranial magnetic stimulation on brain regions linked to the hippocampus, patients in a small pilot study saw sharp drops in flashbacks and measurable changes in brain connectivity. It’s early days and the trial was tiny, but in a country reeling from October 7 and its aftermath, the prospect of easing trauma without drugs or surgery is generating very real hope.

Culture, Arts, Entertainment, & Sport

Cool Runnings, Israel-style: the unbelievable story of the Israeli bobsled team

Israel now has its own real-life “Cool Runnings”: a ragtag bobsled team led by kippah-wearing visionary AJ Edelman, who turned a wartime promise in an Israeli bomb shelter into a 12-year quest to get a blue-and-white sled onto the Olympic ice. Built from ex-rugby players, former track stars and a Druze athlete making community history, the team scraped together sponsors, trained in subzero conditions, and even races with a Bible verse on a six-figure sled bought by an anonymous donor. When they finally qualified for Milan-Cortina 2026, it wasn’t just a sports story—it was a very Israeli cocktail of chutzpah, engineering, faith, and sheer refusal to take “impossible” for an answer.

Military & Miltech

Vietnam to produce Rafael Spike missiles locally in $250 million deal

Vietnam just inked a $250 million deal that will let it build Israel’s Spike “Firefly” missiles at home, complete with tech transfer and a new local factory. The loitering, drone-like Firefly — already battle-tested by the IDF in Gaza and capable of hunting targets up to 40 km away — gives Hanoi a serious precision punch as tensions simmer in the South China Sea. It’s also the latest chapter in a quietly booming Israel–Vietnam defense bromance that now spans missiles, satellites, and air-defense systems.

Tech & Tech Business

Nvidia CEO: ‘The implications of building AI infrastructure in Israel are profound’

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is betting big on Israel’s AI future, calling the “Israel-1” supercomputer his company is building in the north an “AI factory” that could spin off startups, supercharge universities, and pump serious economic life into a battered region. He warns that Israel is currently lagging badly in AI infrastructure, energy capacity, and talent, but argues that building serious data-center muscle is now as fundamental as having electricity or the internet. In other words: wire up the Negev and Galilee with GPUs today, and tomorrow’s unicorns, research breakthroughs, and export industries will come rushing downstream.

Good Israel News #35 [January 31, 2026]

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:45:01 GMT

News of the Weird (Unexpected)

Prominent UK activist arrested at London protest for ‘Globalize the intifada’ sign

A prominent British activist was arrested during a London protest after displaying a sign reading “Globalize the intifada,” which authorities determined crossed the line into incitement. The arrest highlights growing tensions between free speech protections and hate speech regulations in the UK, particularly regarding language perceived as calling for violence against Israelis. Police action underscores the increasingly fraught debate over how democracies should balance expression rights with protection from inflammatory rhetoric.

Diaspora News

Chicago adopts IHRA definition of antisemitism in unanimous council vote

Chicago’s city council unanimously approved the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, a significant step in standardizing how the city identifies and combats antisemitic speech and discrimination. The definition includes examples such as denying Israel’s right to exist and applying double standards to Israeli conduct that would be accepted from other nations. This move positions Chicago among a growing number of cities and institutions nationwide establishing clearer frameworks for recognizing and addressing antisemitism in their communities.

Affairs of State & Domestic Economics

Moody’s raises Israel outlook from negative to stable

Moody’s Investors Service upgraded Israel’s economic outlook from negative to stable, reflecting improved confidence in the country’s economic trajectory and fiscal management despite ongoing regional challenges. The upgrade signals that the ratings agency believes Israel has stabilized its economy and demonstrated capacity to weather geopolitical pressures. This positive reassessment could have implications for Israel’s borrowing costs and foreign investment climate as the country continues navigating its economic recovery.

30 meters underground: Inside Tel Aviv’s green line light rail project

History & Science

From secret satellites to civilian services: Israel’s space industry reinvents itself

Israel’s space sector is undergoing a significant transformation as it transitions from classified military and intelligence satellite programs to developing civilian space applications and commercial ventures. The shift reflects Israel’s broader strategic pivot to leverage its aerospace expertise for dual-use technologies, scientific research, and international partnerships in the growing commercial space economy. This evolution positions Israel to compete globally in emerging space markets while maintaining its technological edge in surveillance and defense capabilities.

What really determines how long we live? Israeli study delivers a surprise

Education

Boeing and Ben-Gurion University launch aviation cybersecurity research center in Israel

Boeing and Ben-Gurion University have established a new research center dedicated to aviation cybersecurity, combining the aerospace company’s industry expertise with academic research capabilities to address emerging threats in airspace systems. The collaboration aims to develop advanced defense mechanisms against cyberattacks targeting civilian and military aviation infrastructure. This partnership exemplifies the growing recognition that cybersecurity in aviation requires dedicated research initiatives at the intersection of industry and higher education.

Military & Miltech

With IDF hurting for manpower, children of foreign workers step up fight to enlist

The Israeli military is experiencing significant manpower shortages, leading children of foreign workers to increasingly push for their right to serve in the IDF despite legal and bureaucratic barriers to non-citizen enlistment. These young people, who have grown up in Israel, see military service as a pathway to full civic participation and national belonging in a society where such service carries profound cultural significance. Their efforts highlight the tension between Israel’s traditional citizenship requirements for military service and the demographic realities of a population that includes substantial numbers of foreign workers’ families.

Tech & Tech Business

Mitzpe Ramon launches Space City campus with Nvidia partnership

The Negev town of Mitzpe Ramon has launched a “Space City” innovation campus in partnership with Nvidia, positioning itself as a hub for advanced technology development and research in fields like artificial intelligence, robotics, and space technology. The initiative aims to attract tech companies and talent to Israel’s periphery while building on the region’s existing strengths in aerospace and technology sectors. This project represents a strategic effort to decentralize Israel’s tech ecosystem and stimulate economic development in outlying areas beyond the traditional concentration in Tel Aviv and the coastal plains.

Good Israel News #34 [January 27, 2026]

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 00:14:23 GMT

News of the Weird, and Not-Good

Laffa challenge ends in hospital

A social media influencer known as “Pit Cream” was hospitalized after participating in an extreme eating challenge at a restaurant in Kiryat Ata, where he consumed a five-meter-long laffa filled with shawarma during a live TikTok broadcast. Medical staff evacuated him from the venue, with doctors determining his condition was mild but requiring further testing due to the excessive amount of food consumed. The incident highlights the growing risks associated with viral food challenges promoted on social media platforms.

Diaspora News

Argentine Jew prays in Damascus synagogue closed for 30 years amid Syria’s political shift

Following Syria’s recent political transformation, an Argentine Jewish visitor was able to pray in a Damascus synagogue that had remained closed for three decades, marking a symbolic moment in Syrian Jewish history. The reopening reflects the shifting political landscape in Syria and the potential normalization of Jewish religious life in the country. This development comes as international observers monitor Syria’s new political direction and its implications for minority communities.

Affairs of State & Domestic Economics

Shekel nears 30-year strongest against US dollar

Israel’s shekel has appreciated to near its strongest level in 30 years against the US dollar, reflecting broader shifts in global currency markets and investor sentiment toward the Israeli economy. The currency strength indicates confidence in Israel’s economic fundamentals and financial stability despite regional geopolitical challenges. This appreciation has significant implications for Israeli exporters, importers, and the broader competitiveness of the economy in international markets.

History & Science

Marking a global first, Israel’s new Sea Turtle Rescue Center comes out of its shell

Israel has opened a groundbreaking National Sea Turtle Rescue Center in Alexander Stream National Park, a NIS 30 million facility that houses the world’s only breeding program for green sea turtles and provides emergency medical care for injured marine reptiles. The center, directed by turtle ecologist Yaniv Levy who founded a predecessor rescue operation 27 years ago, will conduct cutting-edge research on endangered Mediterranean sea turtle populations through 20 ongoing research projects. Opening to the public in February, the facility represents a major advancement in marine conservation and turtle rehabilitation efforts.

Education

Columbia set to appoint Jewish professor as new President

Columbia University is poised to appoint a Jewish professor to the position of university president, marking a significant leadership transition at one of America’s most prestigious institutions. The appointment reflects the university’s commitment to inclusive leadership and represents a meaningful moment for Jewish representation in higher education administration. This selection comes during a period of heightened attention to campus issues related to antisemitism and academic freedom.

After captivity, Noa Argamani returns to campus and to her future in tech

Culture, Arts, Entertainment, & Sport

Tamara Cohen’s ancestors were expelled from Spain, now she’s bringing bagels to Madrid

A Jewish entrepreneur from the diaspora is bringing bagels to Madrid, connecting her family’s historical legacy of expulsion from Spain during the Spanish Inquisition with a modern culinary venture that celebrates Jewish cultural identity. By establishing a bagel business in the Spanish capital, Cohen symbolically reclaims a Jewish presence in a city where her ancestors were once forced to flee. Her initiative represents a contemporary expression of diaspora resilience and cultural continuity.

Military & Miltech

‘I’m a steel pipe, Hamas made me into a rocket’

A new video released by Eylon Levy, former Israeli state spokesperson and current host of the "EylOn The Record" podcast, uses anthropomorphic everyday objects to illustrate how Hamas systematically repurposes civilian infrastructure and humanitarian supplies for military purposes. The 40-second video features items like steel water pipes, oxygen tanks, fertilizer, and tent poles narrating their intended peaceful uses before being diverted by Hamas for warfare against Israel. The video concludes with a call to prevent Gaza from becoming "a launchpad for jihad against Israelis again," underscoring the Israeli narrative about Hamas's diversion of civilian resources for military operations.

Tech & Tech Business

27 years after their first exit, cyber founders behind Memco return with $37M Series A to tackle phishing and account takeovers

Israeli cybersecurity founders are launching a new venture with $37 million in Series A funding to address phishing attacks and account takeovers, returning to the Israeli tech ecosystem nearly three decades after their previous successful exit. The funding round underscores continued investor confidence in Israeli cybersecurity talent and the persistent market demand for solutions targeting account security threats. The new startup builds on the founders’ deep experience and track record of building and scaling successful security companies.

IDF Reporting: Body of Final Hostage Ran Gvili has been found & identified.

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:10:31 GMT

More details at the Times of Israel liveblog.

Good Israel News #33 [January 22, 2026]

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:12:59 GMT

Diaspora News

Australia passes toughest hate crime laws in country’s history, despite significant opposition

Australia’s Albanese government has passed sweeping federal hate crime legislation following the December 2025 Bondi Beach antisemitic terrorist attack. The Combatting Antisemitism, Hate, and Extremism Bill increases penalties for hate crimes, expands prohibited hate symbols offenses, and enables the government to ban extremist organizations, though critics argue the broad ministerial powers and vague definitions risk conflating legitimate protest with hate speech.

Cyclist completes 47-hour trek to write ‘Never Again’ around Auschwitz

Affairs of State & Domestic Economics

After years of prohibition: Jews can enter Temple Mount with prayer sheets

Israel Police have reversed decades of prohibition by allowing Jewish visitors to carry prayer sheets while visiting the Temple Mount, marking a significant policy shift after years of arrests for quiet prayer. The change reflects growing Jewish visitation to the site, with numbers climbing from 48,205 in 2022 to 54,677 in the first ten months of 2025, accelerated by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s policies since 2023.

History & Science

Israeli hospital’s ‘groundbreaking’ studies could lessen treatments, reduce prostate cancer risks

Two groundbreaking studies at Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus could reduce prostate cancer radiation treatment from multiple weeks down to just two doses without compromising effectiveness or increasing side effects. Led by Dr. Elisha Fredman, the research aims to dramatically improve the quality of life for prostate cancer patients both in Israel and globally by making treatment more efficient and tailored to individual patients.

Education

Hungarian university to operate medical school in Eilat

Israel’s Council of Higher Education has approved a pre-clinical medicine program in Eilat developed with Hungary’s University of Debrecen and Ben-Gurion University, aiming to strengthen healthcare in the southern city while reducing the need for Israeli students to study medicine abroad. Mayor Eli Lankri hailed the decision as a turning point for addressing Eilat’s healthcare challenges and creating opportunities for local youth and diaspora students.

Israel approves University of Kiryat Shmona, first new Galilee university in decades

Culture, Arts, Entertainment, & Sport

Israeli film ‘Where to?’ to compete in Berlin International Film Festival

Director Assaf Machnes’ debut feature “Where To?” will compete in the Perspectives section of the prestigious 76th Berlinale (February 12-22), featuring a German-Israeli co-production depicting a bond between a Palestinian Uber driver and a young Israeli over Berlin nights. The film marks Machnes’ return to the festival where his screenplay won an award in the co-production program following his 2021 participation in the Screenwriters’ Incubator.

Military & Miltech

Greece announces cooperation agreement with Israel on anti-drone systems, cybersecurity

Greece and Israel have agreed to cooperate on anti-drone systems and cybersecurity, with Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias and Israeli counterpart Israel Katz discussing strategies to combat drone swarms and intercept cyber threats during meetings in Athens. This expansion of the longstanding Greece-Israel-Cyprus security partnership comes as Greece undertakes a 25-28 billion euro military modernization program featuring Israeli systems including Barak MX, David’s Sling, and Spyder air-defense platforms alongside 20 F-35 fighter jets.

Tech & Tech Business

Good Israel News #32 [January 19, 2026]

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:23:51 GMT

News of the Unexpected

Larry Ellison once renamed a superyacht because its name spelled backwards was ‘I’m a Nazi’

Oracle founder Larry Ellison, a major pro-Israel donor, purchased a 191-foot superyacht in 1999 called Izanami—the name of a Shinto deity—only to discover it read “I’m a Nazi” backwards. When local newspapers pointed out the unfortunate palindrome, Ellison chose to rename the boat Ronin rather than explain Shintoism to reporters, eventually selling it. The incident resurfaced this week amid scrutiny of Ellison’s recent media acquisitions with his son David, whose Paramount-Skydance Corporation appointed pro-Israel advocate Bari Weiss as CBS News editor-in-chief.

And in the realm of saying the quiet part out loud: Nick Fuentes: My problem with Trump ‘is that he is not Hitler’

Affairs of State & Domestic Economics

“Most countries and institutions continue to seek Israeli technology”

Despite recent geopolitical tensions, Israel’s deep tech sector continues to attract global interest, with Israeli companies having raised over $28 billion since 2019—more than one-third of all high-tech funding in the country. Investors recognize Israel’s leading position in AI, medical devices, cybersecurity, biotech, and other critical technologies, with the country exceeding OECD peers in R&D investment as a percentage of GDP. The sector’s resilience is driven by a vibrant entrepreneurial culture, government support through innovation incubators, and the nation’s concentration of highly skilled talent.

History & Science

‘Is there a doctor on board?’: Israeli doctor couple saves passenger’s life on flight from Germany

A 64-year-old passenger on a Lufthansa flight from Germany to Israel suffered a cardiac emergency mid-flight and was rescued by an Israeli doctor couple who provided immediate emergency care until the aircraft landed. The dramatic incident highlights the humanitarian efforts of medical professionals who act instinctively to save lives in crisis situations, regardless of nationality or circumstances.

Culture, Arts, Entertainment, & Sport

Alex Bregman, who drew a Jewish star on his cap after October 7, inks $175M deal with the Cubs

Jewish baseball star Alex Bregman signed a five-year, $175 million contract with the Chicago Cubs, making it the second-largest deal ever for a Jewish ballplayer. Bregman, who demonstrated solidarity with Israel by drawing a Star of David on his cap following October 7, 2023, opted out of his Boston Red Sox contract to secure the lucrative long-term deal with Chicago. His career represents the fulfillment of four generations of Jewish baseball ambitions, as his father has described it.

Military & Miltech

NATO taps Israeli defense tech to rearm Europe

NATO nations are increasingly relying on Israeli defense technology, particularly Rafael’s Trophy active protection system, as European countries accelerate rearmament in response to regional security threats. The integration of Israeli-developed systems into NATO’s defensive infrastructure reflects growing international recognition of Israel’s military innovation and technological sophistication.

Tech & Tech Business

Beyond teaching and daycare: ultra-Orthodox women carve a new path into Israel’s tech elite

Ultra-Orthodox women are breaking traditional barriers by entering Israel’s competitive tech sector, creating new professional pathways beyond conventional roles in education and childcare. This shift represents a significant demographic and cultural transformation within the ultra-Orthodox community, demonstrating growing participation in Israel’s high-tech economy.

Good Israel News #31 [January 17, 2026]

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 22:00:19 GMT

News of the Unexpected

Unique incident: Soldiers transfer a herd of goats from Syria to Judea and Samaria
IDF soldiers from the Golan Brigade transferred approximately 250 goats from Syria to breeding farms in Judea and Samaria during an operational activity two weeks ago. Following the incident, the team commander was removed from his post, the company commander was reprimanded, and the entire team was suspended from operational duties. The Ministry of Agriculture is now working to locate the unvaccinated and unmarked herd, raising concerns about potential health risks.

Affairs of State & Domestic Economics

Female rabbaniyot join revolution to protect sexual abuse victims

A group of rabbaniyot has completed a pioneering training program called "Female Rabbaniyot Creating a Protected Community," initiated by the Sexual Abuse Beit Din established by Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu. The multi-week course equipped participants with rabbinic and professional tools to guide sexual abuse cases in their communities, covering perpetrator patterns, victim impact, mandatory reporting laws, and state assistance resources. The initiative aims to empower female religious leaders to accompany victims through healing processes, sending a clear message that abuse will not be met with silence and that perpetrators who hide behind religious authority will be held accountable.

Diaspora News

London Mayor Sadiq Khan backs police arrests over ‘globalize the intifada’ chants
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has endorsed the Metropolitan Police’s arrests of individuals using the phrase “globalize the intifada,” stating that such language creates heightened fear among Jewish communities. In a Sky News interview, Khan emphasized that the issue extends beyond causing offense, noting that Jewish residents are becoming scared to enter city centers. He urged protesters to find alternative ways to express their views about Gaza and the West Bank without using language that intimidates Jewish neighbors.

History & Science

Surprise in the north: Rare bird spotted after 3 years
A wallcreeper, one of the most striking and rare birds to appear in Israel, was observed at Arbel National Park for the first time in three years. The sighting was documented by longtime park employee Sarit Dahan, who described it as a very exciting moment after 15 years of working at the site. The wallcreeper, native to Europe’s cliffs, winters in Israel during January and February, finding prey along vertical rock faces.

Culture, Arts, Entertainment, & Sport

Billionaire John Paulson adds $19 million donation to Hebrew University’s tech campus
Billionaire John Paulson’s family foundation is donating an additional $19 million to Hebrew University, bringing its total contribution to $46 million for expanding the STEM research and teaching complex on the Edmond Safra Campus in Givat Ram. The funding will support applied physics labs and electrical engineering facilities, building on a 2023 donation that funded the Paulson Bar-El Building for Computer Science and Engineering. Paulson noted that educating students at Hebrew University costs roughly 10% of comparable Ivy League institutions, making it an efficient investment in Israel’s next generation of technological leaders.

Military & Miltech

Forum Dvorah demands clear support for women in combat as IDF gender debate escalates
The Forum Dvorah NGO has called on Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir to publicly affirm their support for female combat soldiers amid escalating debates about women’s roles in the military. The demand follows recent incidents including dozens of Golani Brigade soldiers walking out in protest during a ceremony featuring female singers, and public statements from political figures opposing women’s military service. Forum Dvorah argues that attacks on women in combat roles represent a cynical political tactic to deflect attention from the haredi draft exemption crisis, noting that women already comprise 20% of IDF combat soldiers and served heroically during the October 7 attacks.

Tech & Tech Business

Just eight months old, cyber startup Novee raises $51.5 million in Seed and Series A funding
Novee, an Israeli cybersecurity startup founded just eight months ago, has secured $51.5 million in combined Seed and Series A funding to develop AI-driven defense solutions against AI-powered cyberattacks. The company emerged from stealth mode with backing from prominent investors including Sequoia Capital, Cyberstarts, and angel investors like CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz. Novee’s platform focuses on protecting enterprises from sophisticated AI-generated threats, positioning itself as a next-generation cybersecurity provider in an increasingly AI-dominated threat landscape.

Good Israel News #30 [January 12, 2026]

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 22:03:20 GMT

Affairs of State & Domestic Economics

First since recognition: official Somaliland delegation to visit Israel

A civilian delegation from Somaliland is visiting Israel for the first time since Israel’s formal recognition of the self-declared African state, marking a historic symbolic step in their relationship. The visit, organized by Sharaka and scheduled for late November, includes prominent figures from Somaliland’s civil society, academia, media, and technology sectors who will participate in educational programs about Israeli government, innovation, and Holocaust education. MASHAV, Israel’s development agency, has also prepared an action plan to provide training and technical assistance to Somaliland in water technology and other sectors where Israeli expertise is in demand.

Also:

Israel’s sovereign wealth fund accumulates NIS 8.8b

Diaspora News

US court rejects Mamdani’s attempt to block real-estate deal involving Israeli-owned company

Apparently Israel’s favorite new U.S. mayor is having trouble in his own city. Such a shame ().

A US bankruptcy court rejected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's (or as I’ve heard him referred to: Metumdani) attempt to block a $451 million real estate transaction involving Israeli company Summit Properties' US branch, which includes over 5,000 apartments across 90 buildings in Brooklyn. The city had argued that Summit lacked the resources and commitment to rehabilitate the deteriorating properties, citing over 780 open violations in Summit's existing New York holdings, but the judge allowed the bidding process to continue. The ruling represents a significant setback for Mamdani, who had made tenant protection a cornerstone of his platform and personally promised residents of one of the buildings that the city would intervene on their behalf.

History & Science

Israel can lead medical AI revolution internationally, says MIT professor

MIT computer scientist Prof. Regina Barzilay argues that Israel’s combination of technological expertise and innovation drive positions it as a global leader in integrating artificial intelligence into healthcare. Israel’s unique healthcare system structure—where providers and payers operate under the same organizational roof—enables faster innovation, more effective data use, and easier testing and scaling of AI tools compared to other countries. Barzilay, one of the world’s leading figures in medical AI, emphasized that while adoption of advanced AI tools faces challenges related to proving meaningful changes in patient outcomes, Israeli companies are particularly well-positioned to demonstrate this impact.

Don’t forget:

Culture, Arts, Entertainment, & Sport

New Israeli craft beers tell stories of war, recovery, and creativity

Apparently the IL beer scene isn’t all Goldstar. Israeli craft breweries have launched several new beers in recent months despite ongoing challenges from the Israel-Hamas War, including manpower shortages and reduced demand, with each beer carrying unique stories about its brewer and ingredients. Notable releases include “The Surfer Dude” from Shevet Brewstillery (an American Light Lager brewed with corn), “Zigi” from BeerBazaar Brewery (a Hazy IPA with tropical fruit flavors), and the “Shomron” line created by a former special forces soldier whose psychologist suggested brewing as therapy. Collaborative efforts between breweries have also produced special releases like “Sloth & Lion,” a Sour Imperial Stout created between Schnitt and Shapiro breweries using fresh cherries and blueberries aged in brandy barrels.

Lots of Culture news lately:

Military & Miltech

Religious girls are claiming their place in the IDF while religious leaders are playing catch-up

A high school principal leading a state-religious educational institution argues that religious teenage girls are increasingly eager to enlist in the IDF and no longer wait for approval from religious authorities, forcing the religious community’s spiritual and political leadership to adapt to this reality. The writer emphasizes that military service strengthens rather than threatens religious identity, with young women finding themselves praying with greater depth and holding fast to faith with increased responsibility while serving in roles spanning education, technology, intelligence, and combat. Rather than debating whether religious girls should serve, the author contends that the focus should shift to ensuring they reach roles best suited to them and building a generation of women who are both Torah scholars and engaged citizens.

Tech & Tech Business

Israel Railways, Exodigo unveil AI system to map underground infrastructure at Las Vegas tech exhibition

Israel Railways and startup Exodigo have unveiled an AI-powered remote sensing system designed to map underground infrastructure along railway corridors, technology they are showcasing at the CES exhibition in Las Vegas to save time and costs while minimizing passenger disruptions. The collaboration involved adapting Exodigo’s mapping platform for installation on railcars to create a multi-dimensional visual model that provides Israel Railways teams with accurate, high-quality information about existing underground infrastructure through a centralized data source. Exodigo was selected through a competitive innovation tender that also included Israeli and international competitors, following a successful pilot program along a railway corridor.

Also in Tech (And how is this all in the last few days? Is this a post-CES hangover?)

Good Israel News #29 [January 8, 2026]

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 01:05:19 GMT

Some oddball news this time around: Arkia-JetBlue partnership, Gal Gadot in a new role, Yehoram Gaon GETS MARRIED, the need for sleep, and Bank of America covers Israel’s banks!

Don’t forget, we’re also at Spotify & iTunes (and, of course, above).

Affairs of State & Domestic Economics

Israeli financial markets are demonstrating remarkable resilience. Bank Hapoalim completes $2 billion overseas bond sale in largest such offering by an Israeli bank, securing roughly $7 billion in orders from institutional investors globally. This appetite carries through to government borrowing, where Israel completes $6 billion public offering, returns to pre-war spread levels, generating $36 billion in demand from over 300 investors across 30 countries. Notably, Gulf investment funds participated substantially in the offering, with senior managers requesting allocations before final terms were announced, signaling genuine confidence in Israeli assets.

Bank of America initiates ‘buy’ on top four Israeli banks, citing post-war momentum, with analyst David Taranto citing strong balance sheets, excess capital, and attractive valuations. Meanwhile, El Al to pay first dividend since 2017, marking a symbolic return to normalcy for the flag carrier.

Diaspora News

Jewish moderate Menin confirmed as NYC speaker, a potential counterweight to Mamdani. Julie Menin, daughter of Holocaust survivors, became New York City’s first Jewish speaker in a unanimous confirmation. She emphasized the historic nature of having the city’s first Muslim mayor and first Jewish speaker serve simultaneously, calling for interfaith cooperation to unite the city across religious lines.

History & Science

Israeli study traces need for sleep over millions of years of evolution. Bar-Ilan researchers discovered sleep dates back over 500 million years, with jellyfish and sea anemones sleeping approximately eight hours daily and exhibiting “sleep rebound” after deprivation. The Nature Communications findings suggest genome protection represents sleep’s original evolutionary purpose, carrying implications for slowing cognitive decline in conditions like Alzheimer’s.

Hadassah Medical Center ranks among world’s leading hospitals for scientific research, placing among the global top 200 institutions by Nature Index for publication volume, citations, and engagement. “Grandpa, look what we found” Huckabee family uncovers ancient coins in West Bank caves. US Ambassador Mike Huckabee’s family discovered ancient coins and pottery dating to the second century CE in caves near Modi’in, reinforcing historical evidence of Jewish presence during the Bar-Kochba Revolt.

Culture, Arts, Entertainment, & Sport

Gal Gadot lands high-profile new role. The actress will star and produce an adaptation of Janet Evanovich’s “Recovery Agent” novels for Skydance. Maccabi Haifa wins north soccer derby against Hapoel Haifa 2-0, with goals from Eitan Azoulay and Guy Melamed securing bragging rights after a previous 5-1 defeat to the same opponent. And, at the fab age of 86, Yehoram Gaon marries his long-time partner.

Travel & Tourism

Israel’s Arkia forges deal with JetBlue on flight connections in US. Arkia’s seven weekly nonstop flights from Tel Aviv to JFK connect with JetBlue’s network across the continental US and into Latin America and the Caribbean. Lifeguard shortage forces Tel Aviv to open free certification course, addressing decades of insufficient beachfront safety staffing.

Military & Miltech

Lots to cover, so we’ll go on fully automatic mode…Elbit expands US production with Sigma howitzer. Israel Aerospace unveils border protection system, integrating autonomous sensors, reconnaissance drones, attack drones, and robotic platforms under AI-driven command. Israeli start-up reshapes safety and security technology to avoid tragedy at public events, with dotSAGA providing command centers real-time visibility through a buttonless mesh network independent of cellular towers. Morocco deploys IAI’s Barak air defense system, the $500 million deal reflecting Israel’s expanding regional defense partnerships. Elbit has break through on advanced defense for ground vehicles with sale to Sweden, securing a $150 million contract for integration into NATO CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicles.

Tech & Tech Business

Kicking off, time zones away Hong Kong mandates remote tower crane controls after 9,000 km demo by Israeli firm Skyline, with operators in Hong Kong successfully controlling equipment in Israel from 9,000 kilometers away.

And…OMG…so much tech in this issue!!

And that’s it, for now! See you some time this weekend with our next update!!

Good Israel News #28 [January 6, 2026]

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 01:11:54 GMT

Aaaaaannnddd…Part II of our catch-up (not Stranger Things, sorry). Don’t forget, we’re also at Spotify & iTunes (and, of course, above).

Israel’s technology sector is experiencing an unprecedented period of growth, driven by major corporate acquisitions, venture capital inflows, and deepening investment commitments from global tech leaders. The momentum reflects a combination of talent migration from defense sectors, accelerating AI adoption, and sustained foreign investor interest despite regional geopolitical challenges.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently praised Israel’s technological prowess, declaring “it’s pretty magical in Israel” while highlighting the country’s central role in developing the company’s most advanced chips. Huang noted that four out of six components in Nvidia’s latest Rubin AI platform, including the BlueField-4 DPU and three networking components, were developed in Israel. Nvidia’s presence in Israel, spanning roughly 3,000 employees at its Yokneam headquarters (part of its 5,000-person Israeli workforce), is being significantly expanded. The company recently advanced plans to expand its operations in Yokneam while simultaneously developing a massive 160,000-square-meter campus in Kiryat Tivon expected to employ around 10,000 workers. Intel’s Israeli teams, meanwhile, played a leading role in developing the Core Ultra Series 3 processor with an 18A process technology, delivering up to 27 hours of battery life and 60% improvements in multitasking performance.

The venture capital landscape is experiencing historic momentum. Israeli startups raised over $1.6 billion in December alone, the strongest funding month since 2022, with cybersecurity and AI leading the charge. Hetz Ventures closed a $140 million fourth fund with assets under management reaching nearly $500 million, while Striker Venture Partners committed up to half of its $165 million fund to Israeli cyber and AI startups. A new quantum-focused fund, Qbeat Ventures, secured $20 million to invest in quantum startups, signaling diversification beyond traditional sectors. These funding rounds underscore a broader pattern: foreign institutional holdings surged to $19.2 billion by the end of Q3 2025, up from $11.2 billion at year-end 2024, with foreign direct investment reaching $10.2 billion in the first half of 2025.

Major exits and acquisitions are reshaping the landscape. Cisco is in advanced negotiations to acquire cybersecurity company Axonius for $2 billion, while Palo Alto Networks is in talks to acquire one-year-old Israeli startup Koi for $400 million. AppsFlyer, the mobile attribution platform, is nearing a $2 billion sale to Apollo Global Management and Fortissimo Capital. Papaya Global, the global payroll unicorn, is in talks for sale at a $3.5-$4.5 billion valuation, while Zendesk has acquired Israeli AI company Unleash for an estimated $40-50 million. Mobileye, the autonomous driving company, acquired robotics startup Mentee Robotics for $900 million, signaling a strategic pivot toward “physical AI” and humanoid robots. StoreDot, the fast-charging battery developer, agreed to go public via a SPAC merger valuing it at $800 million.

In cybersecurity specifically, momentum continues to accelerate. Spirit, a three-month-old cyber startup, raised $50 million at a $400 million valuation, joining Cyera in raising $400 million at a $9 billion valuation. The sector’s robustness reflects broader confidence: Israeli tech leaders in New York opened trading at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, highlighting the deepening ties between the cities, with nearly 500 Israeli startups now operating in New York. More broadly, the TA-125 index surged 51% in 2025 as foreign investors poured billions into Israeli stocks, outpacing global markets including the S&P 500.

Defense and dual-use technologies are experiencing surge demand. Israel Aerospace Industries approved a record $242 million dividend to the state from its record $500 million in 2024 profits, with Germany approving a $3.1 billion deal for IAI’s Arrow 3 missiles. NextVision, a drone-camera supplier, posted $168 million in 2025 revenues—a 46% increase from 2024—with an order backlog now exceeding $223 million. Elbit Systems secured $150 million in new European aircraft defense contracts, while IAI unveiled a new autonomous border defense system integrating drones, sensors, and robotics. Supporting infrastructure is also expanding: Nebius signed a major data center agreement with Mega Or for 80 megawatts across two Israeli sites, positioning Israel as a critical hub for AI computing. Azrieli announced a €1 billion investment in a Norwegian data center campus, signaling how Israeli capital is expanding regional AI infrastructure.

The next wave of Israeli innovation is emerging from an unexpected pipeline. AnD Ventures is identifying “ex-combat commanders” as undervalued founders compared to traditional Unit 8200 veterans, highlighting how operational leaders from Israel’s military are launching high-potential ventures. This shift signals a maturing ecosystem moving beyond a single talent pipeline while maintaining the operational discipline that has historically characterized Israeli entrepreneurship.

Good Israel News #27 [January 5, 2026]

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 23:41:41 GMT

Welcome back & Happy New Year!! Sorry for the major gap, Boxing Day to New Year’s events took over where I thought they wouldn’t. Lots to catch-up on (so much, in-fact, that tech & business will be sent out tomorrow). In the meanwhile, don’t forget the podcast at Spotify & iTunes (and, of course, above).

Diaspora Politics & Events

Jewish communities across the diaspora are reinforcing security infrastructure and deepening ties to Israel following renewed threats. Victoria, Australia allocated nearly AU$2 million for community security following the Bondi Beach attack, with the bulk funding community security operations, summer camps, and elderly care services, while Sydney’s NYE celebration featured menorah projections and a minute of silence honoring the 15 victims of the terror attack. The Aliyah Ministry closed 2025 with 21,900 new immigrants, with notable growth from France and the UK, particularly among young adults aged 18–35, reflecting sustained global interest despite regional security challenges.

Israel is simultaneously expanding diplomatic outreach to strengthen international relationships and counter institutional antisemitism. Foreign Minister Sa’ar congratulated Honduras’ President-elect and pledged strengthened bilateral ties, signaling efforts to rebuild relationships with Central American allies, while Georgetown University removed UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese from its scholars list following documented antisemitic rhetoric, marking renewed institutional accountability for those trafficking in antisemitism.

Affairs of State

Israel’s domestic governance spans economic management, criminal justice oversight, and strategic geopolitical positioning. The Bank of Israel lowered interest rates to 4% citing falling inflation, with the Consumer Price Index declining 0.5% in November and annual inflation at 2.4%, while the government compromised on electric vehicle tax proposals balancing environmental and fiscal concerns. On the criminal justice front, the Nazareth Magistrate’s Court issued a sweeping gag order in a 30-year-old murder case after Hebrew media reported a dramatic breakthrough, with publication restrictions valid until January 25.

Israel’s diplomatic initiatives are creating both opportunities and friction with international partners. Taiwan welcomed Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as an independent state, with Prime Minister Netanyahu signing a mutual declaration pledging cooperation in agriculture, health, technology, and economics, while the European Union criticized the move, reaffirming Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as essential for regional stability. Palestinian Authority Chairman Abbas opposed the Israel-Somaliland agreement, condemning it as destabilizing and threatening to Palestinian interests, while Netanyahu and Elon Musk discussed advancing AI cooperation in a pragmatic technology partnership, and a British Muslim woman drew backlash for posting positive comments about Ben-Gurion Airport security, illustrating polarized international reactions to any positive Israeli portrayal.

Arts, Entertainment & Media

Israeli cultural institutions are navigating geopolitical tensions while expanding global reach and innovation. Israel leads Eurovision 2026 betting odds despite country boycotts protesting over Gaza conduct, reflecting strong international confidence in the Israeli entry amid political tensions, while a Tel Aviv gallery’s “Roll of Destiny” exhibit explores how Jewish knowledge engages with role-playing games, with game nights already sold out reflecting audience hunger for participatory cultural experiences.

Streaming expansion and retrospective cultural analysis are shaping Israel’s media landscape. HBO Max is launching in Israel this month, expanding the platform’s global footprint with locally adapted content, while Dr. Alan Price’s 1988 futurist predictions about Israel in 2025 proved remarkably accurate regarding consumer technology, smart homes, and Israeli technological ascendance, though he could not have foreseen the political and security challenges that would define recent years.

Military & Miltech

Israel’s defense sector is consolidating technological leadership and expanding international military partnerships at unprecedented scale. The IDF destroyed a Hamas rocket launcher in northern Gaza prepared for firing in violation of the ceasefire, demonstrating continued security vigilance, while Israel’s newly operational “Or Eitan” laser interception system represents the world’s first fielded laser defense capability for neutralizing rockets, mortars, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The Pentagon announced an $8.6 billion Boeing contract for 25 new F-15IA fighter jets with an option for 25 additional aircraft, with deliveries beginning in 2031, while India approved procurement of 1,000 Rafael SPICE air-to-surface missiles as part of an $8.7 billion defense package, cementing India as Israel’s largest defense customer.

European defense procurement and technological innovation underscore Israel’s growing military influence. Germany will equip 200 armored personnel carriers with Rafael’s Spike missiles, expanding Rafael’s footprint within NATO, while Elbit Systems secured a €150 million European aircraft protection deal and Colombia integrated IAI’s Barak air defense system despite anti-Israel political leadership. The Israeli Air Force unveiled a new rapid-response unit to prevent October 7-style ground invasions with automatic-action helicopter protocols, combat helicopters successfully intercepted infiltrating drones crossing the Egyptian border for the first time, and Netanyahu announced NIS 350 billion ($108 billion) investment over the next decade to build an independent Israeli munitions industry and reduce dependence on foreign weapons suppliers.

Irony, Humor & Satire

Israeli civic actors deployed unconventional cultural messaging and media actions reflecting broader societal divisions. A Chabad truck played the Hasidic song “Hinei Ma Tov” past Zohran Mamdani’s cabinet announcement press conference, creating an absurdist moment of political theater through coordinated religious “song-bombing,” while iPhone 17 Pro purchases soared across Gaza amid “limited” humanitarian aid, highlighting the peculiar disconnect between materiel scarcity and luxury electronics demand. The IDF spokesman lost his subscription to Haaretz following a government decision to sever all advertising ties with the newspaper over editorials challenging Israel’s legitimacy, reflecting escalating tensions between the Israeli government and domestic media critical of military operations.

Travel

Israeli airlines and tourism officials are expanding regional connectivity and attracting international visitors. Arkia launched direct flights between Tel Aviv and Hanoi, establishing the first direct air link between Israel and Vietnam and opening new commercial and tourism opportunities, while the Philippine Ambassador aims to increase Israeli tourist arrivals to 35,000 annually through promotion of a proposed direct flight between Tel Aviv and Manila, doubling current numbers despite absent direct service. With 40,000 Filipino nationals residing in Israel and 50,000 Filipinos traveling to Israel annually, the infrastructure exists for robust two-way travel, with the Ambassador confident in achieving concrete outcomes by Q3 2026.

Israel demonstrated humanitarian soft power following a devastating European tragedy. President Herzog offered Israeli assistance to Switzerland following a ski resort fire that killed approximately 40 partygoers and injured 115 in Crans-Montana on New Year’s Eve, citing Israel’s expertise in treating severe burn victims and identifying remains developed through experience since October 7, with the ZAKA international rescue organization dispatching a team to assist.

Sport

Israeli athletes are achieving success across global professional competitions and Olympic pursuits. Israeli soccer star Manor Solomon shined in his Italian debut following his transfer to an Italian club despite initial local controversy, while Deni Avdija recorded a triple-double on his 25th birthday with 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in the Portland Trail Blazers’ road victory, strengthening his All-Star Game bid with seventh-place ranking in Western Conference fan voting. Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Bayern Munich 82-72 on the road, maintaining first place in Euroleague with a 13-5 record through dominant defensive execution and balanced scoring across multiple players.

Israeli winter sports representation is expanding with unconventional Olympic participation. Hungarian-born veterinarian Attila Mihaly Kertesz qualified as Israel’s first-ever Olympic cross-country skier for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in February 2026 at age 37 after only six years of competitive training, achieving the milestone after a decade-long struggle to obtain Israeli citizenship complicated by COVID-19 and the October 7 attacks, with his journey mirroring athletic perseverance in self-funding his $140,000 training investment with realistic expectations of Olympic participation itself as the achievement.

Science

Israeli scientific institutions are advancing fundamental knowledge across molecular biology, archaeology, and immunology. Weizmann Institute researchers discovered that hyperthermophiles dynamically modify their RNA molecules to adapt to extreme temperature environments, contradicting prior assumptions about fixed ribosomal processes, with the breakthrough potentially revolutionizing RNA-based medical technologies, vaccines, diagnostics, and gene-editing tools. Tel Aviv University researchers uncovered how melanoma cells paralyze immune system response through release of tiny extracellular vesicles that neutralize tumor-attacking immune cells, opening therapeutic avenues for restoring immune functionality against cancer, while rare Byzantine-era gold coins and a delicate ring bearing the image of Emperor Heraclius were discovered at the Judean Desert’s Hyrcania site, illuminating Christian religious presence and monastic activity during the Byzantine period.

Archaeological discoveries from the ancient world continue revealing religious and cultural history. Seven-thousand-year-old pottery was unearthed at the Noah’s Ark site in Turkey near Mount Ararat, suggesting human habitation during the Chalcolithic period between 5500-3000 BC and intensifying speculation about the site’s authenticity, with discoveries prompting calls for protective measures and restrictions on stone removal given ongoing damage from looting and degradation.

Real Estate

Israeli real estate development is expanding residential supply while repurposing underutilized urban properties. Acro won the tender for the historic Tel Aviv power station site, marking significant urban regeneration, while Jerusalem received approval for a new power plant addressing the capital’s long-term energy and development needs, and bids totaling NIS 1.35 billion won tenders to build homes on the Herzliya airport site, converting underutilized property into residential housing in a high-demand coastal area. Developers will build 450 homes on Tel Aviv’s Kibbutzim College campus, transforming institutional property into residential units amid persistent housing shortages.

International capital and long-term diaspora investment are reshaping Jerusalem and Tel Aviv’s property markets. Brooklyn-based OP Jerusalem purchased 200 luxury apartments under construction near Mahane Yehuda for approximately NIS 1 billion ($270 million), with roughly 70% already sold to diaspora Sephardic buyers, aiming to create a cultural hub attracting permanent residents and holiday-goers to Jerusalem’s vibrant neighborhood, while Hagag is in talks to sell the premium Rothschild Boulevard lot to Aviv Group, representing one of Tel Aviv’s most valuable development opportunities and reflecting intense competition for prime central locations among major developers.

Good Israel News #26 [December 23, 2025]

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:34:35 GMT

Not much news happening this week, but let’s see what’s what:

Affairs of State

For our favorite D&D players – defense & diamonds that is – it appears the US is set to ease tariffs on defense and diamond imports from Israel.

Diaspora

For our frigid friends in the north it seems Iceland’s small Jewish community had a festive Hanukkah lighting, notwithstanding growing tensions. Slightly further to the south (and in the category of “About (insert expletive) Time” the BBC is to review Middle East coverage after admitting Gaza war errors, and still further south, France’s human rights envoy has declared ‘From the river to the sea’ chant as antisemitic, and really in the ‘too late’ realm and really further south an Australian state to ban ‘Globalize the intifada’ chant.

Travel

Speaking of airlines reopening routes, Wizz Air (stop laughing) plans an Eilat-Budapest route, from March in case you want to go from sunburn (or does that just happen to me the minute you see Eilat?) to spätzle.

Military

Lebanese security officials believe that Israel’s Mossad abducted a former senior military officer, Ahmad Shukr, in the Beqaa Valley, suspecting he possesses information about Israeli Air Force navigator Ron Arad, who disappeared in Lebanon in 1986. (Did they think we forgot?!) The alleged abduction comes as the IDF revealed details of a Shayetet 13 naval operation that captured Imad Amahz, a key operative in Hezbollah’s covert maritime network that operated under direct oversight from Hassan Nasrallah, disrupting the organization’s plans to use commercial vessels for operations against Israel and international targets.

Meanwhile, Rafael’s underwater surveillance unit DSIT is preparing for an IPO on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, seeking to raise approximately NIS 50 million at a valuation of NIS 200-250 million to advance its underwater detection and tracking systems designed to protect strategic maritime assets from submarine and diver threats.

Science

Israeli researchers and medical innovators are advancing treatments for some of medicine’s most challenging conditions. A Weizmann Institute immunologist, Prof. Yifat Merbl, was recognized by Nature as one of the top ten science shapers of 2025 for discovering a new hidden immune mechanism as a “peptide detective,” while researchers from Hebrew University of Jerusalem discovered a tiny RNA molecule called PreS that enables bacteria-eating viruses to destroy antibiotic-resistant bacteria, potentially offering new tools to combat superbugs that kill over a million people globally each year.

On the clinical side, a bone marrow bank founded by families of fallen soldiers has saved its first lives by providing critical transplants for cancer patients, and Syremis Therapeutics, led by Teva Pharmaceuticals veterans, raised $165 million in Series A funding to develop new treatments for schizophrenia and severe psychiatric disorders, addressing conditions that affect over 20 million people worldwide with high relapse rates and limited effective options.

Tech & Tech Deals

Israel’s tech and defense sectors are experiencing unprecedented momentum. Zendesk acquired the Israeli AI company Unleash for an estimated $40-50 million, establishing a development center in the country, while Wiz’s historic $32 billion acquisition by Google shattered records as the largest Israeli tech exit ever, followed months later by CyberArk’s $25 billion sale to Palo Alto Networks, underscoring the dominance of Israeli cybersecurity firms globally.

On the capital markets side, the defense simulator maker Bagira is targeting an $800 million IPO on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange as the defense sector surges, while Rafael, maker of the Iron Dome and Iron Beam air defense systems, is moving closer to a possible IPO after government preliminary discussions.

The broader defense industry is capitalizing on geopolitical demand, as Israeli weapons companies are stepping into an expanded global role with record exports estimated at $14.8 billion in 2024, driven by Germany’s $10 billion in purchases over two years and expanded sales to European and regional allies. Meanwhile, an influx of roughly 10,000 Nvidia workers and 30,000 family members expected to relocate to a rural valley in northern Israel is poised to trigger the country’s largest regional realignment in years, with significant implications for local real estate markets and economic development across communities from Kiryat Tivon to Haifa.

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Good Israel News #25 [December 18, 2025]

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:32:52 GMT

And away we gooooo… Don’t forget, you can also listen the subtle tones of our AI on our podcast at Spotify & iTunes or right below:

The Last Few Days in Good Israel News

Affairs of State

The Middle East continues to be shaped by complex diplomatic and military dynamics. In the ultimate Uno Reverse card U.S. Secretary of State announced sanctions against International Criminal Court judges investigating Israel, asserting that such individuals had engaged in efforts to prosecute Israeli nationals without the nation’s consent, marking a significant escalation in tensions between Washington and the international court system.

Meanwhile, concrete cooperation between nations demonstrates resilience: Taiwan’s humanitarian mission marked six months of partnership with IsraAID, visiting kibbutzim affected by October 7 to observe recovery programs including therapy sessions and community activation initiatives that bring residents back into collective spaces. Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that Israel had finalized what he called the largest natural gas export deal in the country’s history, estimating the transaction’s value at approximately $34 billion, with roughly $18 billion expected to flow into state coffers.

The financial pressures facing militant groups have also shifted (oh no ).

According to reports, Hamas faces mounting difficulties in sustaining its operational capacity, as Israeli Defense Forces continue targeting financial infrastructure throughout Gaza. And for something extra weird and terrifying

, that article’s headline includes the phrase “terrorists’ salaries.”

Military & Miltech

Germany’s security posture is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Berlin approved a second $3.1 billion purchase of Israel’s Arrow 3 missile defense system, expanding its ballistic missile protection capabilities as European security concerns deepen amid Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine, now entering its fourth year. This represents Germany’s continued reliance on Israeli technology to shore up its defense infrastructure against evolving threats from the east.

Not to be outdone Britain has adopted a comparable approach to its own vulnerabilities, with the country’s Chief of Defense Staff announcing development of a “Super Dome” air defense system modeled on Israel’s proven technology (NB: Just buy it from us you cheapskates!!), designed to intercept Russian missiles and drones using a combination of fighter aircraft, ground-based systems, and swarms of defensive drones. Recognizing the strategic importance of regional coordination, Greece, Israel, and Cyprus are collaborating on a joint military force that will strengthen Mediterranean security, pooling resources and expertise to address emerging challenges in one of the world’s most contested waterways.

If you forgot to get anyone a ~~Channukah Hannukah Chanukach~~ Holiday Gift, send this - it’ll do instead.

News from the Diaspora

International responses to antisemitic incidents are intensifying across multiple jurisdictions. In the United Kingdom, police arrested individuals for chanting slogans inciting violence against Jews, marking a dramatic shift in enforcement.

Perhaps qualifying for the World’s Most Unexpected Lawsuit: The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law filed a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission alleging that Guinness World Records had deceptively hidden its ban on Israeli submissions since November 2023, continuing to market itself as documenting “world” records while excluding an entire nation from consideration, a contradiction the group argues violates consumer protection statutes.

In Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned what she described as a resurgence of “the old evil” at a Hanukkah ceremony, pointing to swastikas on Jewish homes and synagogues being vandalized, acknowledging that many Jewish residents no longer feel safe practicing their faith openly in public spaces.

Science

Archaeological work in Israel continues yielding remarkable discoveries. A nearly-completed salvage excavation in the Jezreel Valley ahead of highway construction uncovered a 2,700-year-old tomb containing cremated remains, elaborate jewelry, vessels decorated with motifs never before seen in the Levant, and a cylinder seal that researchers believe belonged to a high-ranking Assyrian official, offering unprecedented insights into the empire’s colonial administration and trade networks spanning from Mesopotamia to the Aegean. The combination of cremation and inhumation practices in a single burial mirrors patterns known from Phoenician sites but represents a unique phenomenon for the wider Assyrian empire, suggesting the deceased wielded exceptional authority warranting extraordinary funeral rites.

And on this side of the common era Modern technology is accelerating archaeological discovery: researchers employing Israeli artificial intelligence and drone imagery can now rapidly map sites that previously appeared as scattered stones on the surface, revealing organized spatial layouts and reducing research timelines substantially. In medical advancement, an Israeli surgical team accomplished an unprecedented feat when doctors removed what they described as the largest facial tumor ever found on a fetus, demonstrating capabilities in prenatal intervention that push the boundaries of fetal medicine.

Economy & Business

Israel’s economic performance has attracted significant international investor attention. The country ranked third globally in The Economist’s 2025 economy rankings, trailing only Portugal and Ireland, with performance driven by a resilient stock market and recovery following October’s ceasefire with Hamas.

As well, European budget carrier Wizz Air (stop laughing) is establishing operational bases (plural) in Israel, opening a primary hub at Ben-Gurion Airport and a secondary facility at Ramon Airport in the Negev, signaling confidence in the country’s tourism and transportation markets despite ongoing security concerns.

Consumer & Lifestyle

Addressing rising food costs ahead of Passover celebrations, Economy Minister Nir Barkat announced efforts to reduce matzah prices through regulatory action (talk about unrisen bread!!), with a joint committee recommending a 26.16 percent reduction in flour costs based on lower wheat prices and production efficiencies at the sole authorized producer. The move reflects government commitment to preventing excessive profiteering on essential holiday foods as the public prepares for spring festivities.

The winter season, though brief in Israel’s Mediterranean climate, influences romantic behaviors significantly: OkCupid data reveals that colder temperatures push singles indoors and intensify feelings of loneliness, driving heightened desire for connection during the season’s darker months. Have Israelis not known about cuffing season until now?

Buckle Up: Technology & Startups

The technology sector continues demonstrating robust capital activity and innovation velocity. Zendesk acquired Unleash, an Israeli artificial intelligence search startup, in a transaction estimated in the tens of millions of dollars, integrating its permission-aware retrieval-augmented generation technology into collaboration platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams to enable secure, accurate employee self-service. Dell Technologies completed a $120 million all-cash acquisition of Dataloop, an Israeli company specializing in data management and labeling for artificial intelligence model training, bolstering Dell’s position in enterprise AI infrastructure. Israeli cybersecurity firm Cyera tripled its valuation in less than a year, raising $400 million at a $9 billion enterprise valuation in a round led by Blackstone, reflecting investor confidence in its data security platform that helps organizations protect sensitive information in the age of widespread artificial intelligence deployment.

Vega, a two-year-old cybersecurity startup founded by Unit 8200 veterans, raised $120 million at a $700 million valuation, with its real-time threat identification capabilities resonating strongly among Fortune 500 clients tired of traditional security information and event management systems. CatAmmon, a deep-tech startup addressing the hydrogen energy transition, emerged from an unexpected source when an academic breakthrough in ammonia catalysts sparked during a card game, recently securing $1.85 million in seed funding to develop catalysts that reduce both the temperature and cost of hydrogen production and storage. TuneMe, a digital mental health startup leveraging voice analysis to deliver personalized neuroacoustic therapy for stress and sleep disorders, launched commercially on app platforms and attracted $900,000 in pre-seed investment from the Israel Innovation Authority and health-focused venture firms.

Hebrew University researchers and their American counterparts unveiled a previously unknown mechanism by which bacteriophages employ small RNA molecules to infiltrate bacterial cells, a discovery with implications for combating antibiotic resistance through biological manipulation.

Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang declared Israel has become the company’s “second home,” officially announcing plans to build a massive “spaceship-style” campus in Kiryat Tivon spanning 90 dunams and designed to accommodate more than 10,000 employees by 2031. The facility, purchased from the state for approximately $28 million, represents the first time a major international technology company has established an Israeli mega-campus on owned land rather than leased premises, and will be the largest technology campus in the country. The company is simultaneously advancing a $1.5 billion server farm project in the Mevo Carmel industrial zone in partnership with real estate firm Mega Or, positioning Israel as a critical hub for Nvidia’s artificial intelligence infrastructure and development operations globally.

If you forgot to get anyone a ~~Channukah Hannukah Chanukach~~ Holiday Gift, send this - it’ll do instead.

Good Israel News #24 [December 16, 2025]

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 22:37:03 GMT

Editor’s Ink:

It’s been a helluva few days. There’s much to be said, and much has already been said, so I won’t contribute any more, but I guess that’s why I started this page, so here we are with the Good Israel News for Tuesday Dec 16, 2025.
Not included in this round-up is a note that Eurovision won’t ban Palestinian flags or drown out booing in the 2026 competition.

I really couldn’t possibly care less about Eurovision (like, I almost actively dislike it) - and neither does the rest of the world (including Europe - and yes, I have stats to back up this claim). But I am a petty mfer and so if 5 countries want to bow out and the EBU wants to make sure the viewing audience hears all the boos (ie sacrificing a good broadcast to make a point when they were voted down by their members state broadcasters) I’ll do all I can to make sure every nation has to come to Israel in 2027 for the contest (and those 5 countries can stf down for two years in a row - not that many of them have made the finals ever in the last 10 years).

While new Eurovision rules prohibit governments and broadcasters from actively engaging in promotional campaigns - there doesn’t appear to be anything prohibiting private individuals from doing that. So - as we get closer a) I’ll be sharing info on how to vote and b) organizing anyone interested in subsidizing voting. If you’d like to contribute to this (b) item - lmk!!
Oh - and Tech & Tech Business has been moved to the bottom - it’s always our biggest section and not everyone needs to luxuriate in all the deals.

Diaspora Politics & Events

Pro-Israel candidate Kast, son of Nazi official, wins Chilean presidential elections. Controversial right-wing candidate José Antonio Kast has won Chile’s presidential election despite his family’s Nazi past. Kast, who has expressed strong support for Israel, represents a significant political shift for Chile and signals growing international backing for pro-Israel positions across the political spectrum.

Affairs of State

Israel’s economic trajectory shows marked improvement, with rising Israeli exports approaching pre-war peak levels as the Economy Ministry predicts $160 billion in total exports, and inflation continuing to fall, indicating economic resilience despite ongoing security challenges.

On the diplomatic front, CENTCOM is hosting Doha talks to advance a Gaza stabilization force following previous delays. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu laid the cornerstone for a new Dimona ⚛️ neighborhood as part of efforts to revive the Negev region, signaling renewed investment in southern Israeli development.

Arts, Entertainment & Media

Actress Sydney Sweeney made a glamorous appearance at a Hollywood premiere wearing an Israeli designer dress, showcasing Israeli fashion design on the international stage and highlighting the global appeal of Israeli creative talent.

Business

Foreign investment is pouring into Israeli stocks, reflecting growing international confidence in the Israeli market. Additionally, Israeli venture capitalists Tom Livne and Eyal Waldman are raising $200 million for a SPAC, indicating continued momentum in the Israeli capital markets.

Military & Miltech

Israeli defense technology is playing a key role in Greece’s military modernization, demonstrating the global demand for Israeli defense innovations. Defense tech partnerships forged during the war are putting Israeli startups on the front lines, with young innovators collaborating closely with established defense contractors.

The UAE is reportedly behind Elbit’s record $2.3 billion defense deal, highlighting expanding defense partnerships in the region and underscoring the strategic value of Israeli military technology.

Old Science

Archaeology continues to reveal Israel’s rich historical layers. A rare Hasmonean lamp and Second Temple stylus were discovered near Jerusalem during Hanukkah, while an ancient lead menorah pendant has shed light on Jewish presence in Byzantine Jerusalem, providing tangible evidence of Jewish life in the region across different historical periods.

In paleontology, new Israeli fossil research shows that some winged dinosaurs lost their ability to fly over time, challenging conventional understanding of dinosaur evolution and suggesting that species adapted to become ground-dwelling creatures.

New Science

Israeli scientists are advancing climate solutions, with research demonstrating that artificial rock weathering can remove CO2 from the atmosphere, offering a potentially scalable method for carbon capture. In medical innovation, an Israeli firm has received FDA approval to begin clinical trials for a chronic corneal edema treatment, and Alpha Tau Medical is seeing strong market response as it begins brain cancer trials, signaling promising advances in both ophthalmological and oncological therapies.

Sport

Tel Aviv defeated Villeurbanne in the first Euroleague game held in Israel since 2023, marking a significant return to international basketball competition and demonstrating Israel’s capacity to host major sporting events.

Tech & Tech Business

Israeli technology achieved a banner 2025, with tech exits soaring to $59 billion, driven largely by major acquisitions including the $7 billion ServiceNow deal for cybersecurity firm Armis and a substantial windfall for early Armis investors. The venture capital landscape remains robust, with Viola Ventures raising $250 million to back Israel’s next wave of tech innovation.

Major tech infrastructure players are placing significant bets on Israel’s ecosystem. Nvidia is nearing a decision on a mega-campus following state approval, while data center giant Crusoe is eyeing the market, and Starlink selected Israeli chipmaker Xsight for its V3 satellite network. On the startup front, Next Vision announced a record-breaking drone camera deal, while emerging companies are raising strong funding rounds: cloud security platform Echo secured $35 million in Series A and Talpiot alumni-founded Dux raised $9 million for AI-accelerated cyber risk solutions. Meanwhile, Poolside AI is targeting Israel’s defense sector, and an Israeli startup is pioneering cheap green hydrogen through advanced electrolysis.

The sector continues to attract top talent and global partnerships, with Tenable appointing Vlad Korsunsky as CTO and Managing Director of Tenable Israel and Empathy expanding to the UK with new CFO Noa Zabar. Broader trends point to emerging opportunities in AI hiring—with companies actively recruiting and offering competitive compensation—and quantum computing, where a small Israeli town has become central to the global race.

Good Israel News #23, Part 2 [December 14, 2025]

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 13:00:22 GMT

All tech in this issue - lots to cover over the last few days

Israel has officially joined the U.S.-led Pax Silica Initiative, a grandiose effort to secure global AI supply chains by uniting leading technology nations. The irony? The initiative is named after “Pax” (peace) and “Silica” (semiconductors), as if slapping Latin on it makes it sound less like a tech-driven arms race. Meanwhile, the startup funding bonanza continues unabated: Omri Casspi, the former NBA player turned venture capitalist, has closed a $100 million Opportunity Fund to double down on Israeli tech, because basketball stardom and managing venture capital are so closely related. Israeli startup Port just raised $100 million at an $800 million valuation to power “agentic engineering.”

The human-interest angle is impossible to ignore: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently met with Avinatan Or, an engineer who survived 738 days of Hamas captivity, at Nvidia’s Silicon Valley headquarters. According to Or’s partner Noa Argamani, the company kept his desk untouched and held daily vigils, proving that even in the cutthroat world of tech, some gestures of solidarity still matter. Cutting to the other side of the spectrum, Palo Alto Networks researchers have exposed Hamas-linked hackers deploying sophisticated new malware across Middle Eastern governments.

On the investment front, the funding flood shows no signs of stopping: BlackRock is in talks to invest in creative-tech firm Artlist, adding yet another major asset manager’s name to the list of deep-pocketed institutions betting on Israeli tech. Meanwhile Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, fresh from heading Israel’s hostage recovery efforts, is launching Elements VC to focus on energy and infrastructure startups. The quantum computing boom is real, with Israeli startups hitting $500 million in funding in 2025, and Quantum Art just raised $100 million in Series A with dreams of achieving quantum advantage by 2027.

The venture funding parade continues with Monday.com alumni launching Shapes with a $15 million Series A for an AI-powered HR platform, and Israeli startup Deel signing Arsenal FC as its Official HR Platform Partner. Dell is in talks to acquire Israeli data-infrastructure startup Dataloop, continuing the great tech consolidation of our era. Two-year-old Israeli startup Decart is quietly stress-testing Amazon’s AI future with real-time video generation running four times faster on Amazon’s Trainium chips than on Nvidia GPUs, potentially signaling a seismic shift in the AI hardware landscape.

Smaller but no less ambitious startups are raising serious capital: Hud raised $21 million for real-time production visibility sensors built for the AI coding era, Medida quietly raised $4 million and is already generating $3 million in annual revenue by turning smartphone scans into millimeter-accurate renovation measurements, and Safebooks emerged with $15 million in Seed funding to automate the messiest part of corporate finance. Israeli M&A activity in 2025 tells its own story: outpost24 acquired cyber startup Infinipoint and opened a new Israeli R&D hub, while the full list of Israeli startup exits and acquisitions reads like a masterclass in how to turn a scrappy startup into piles of NIS.

Good Israel News #23, Part 1 [December 13, 2025]

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 02:35:11 GMT

Diaspora Politics & Events

Birthright Israel is gearing up for what promises to be another bumper season of young Jews descending upon the Holy Land to deepen their identity and strengthen their resilience with thousands of strangers, with 10,000 visitors expected this winter. Meanwhile, American finance directors are being treated to a tour where they’ll hear all about Israel’s extraordinary resilience amid war, security challenges, and economic headwinds.

Affairs of State

In what can only be described as exciting news for energy nerds everywhere, Israel is poised to finally ink its long-awaited $35 billion gas export deal with Egypt, with sources breathlessly insisting it’ll happen “in days,” a timeline we’ve all learned to take with a grain of salt. On the diplomatic front, things are getting spicy: Ghana and Israel are engaged in a tit-for-tat deportation spectacle that reads like a diplomatic chess match played by petulant toddlers, complete with threats to match deportations one-for-one. Not to be outdone, Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister allegedly snuck into Israel for secret meetings, raising eyebrows about potential defense cooperation because nothing says “transparent diplomacy” like clandestine visits nobody’s supposed to talk about.

Arts, Entertainment & Media

Nas Daily is launching an Instagram video series promising to help viewers get to know Israel through bite-sized clips about daily life and landmarks, which is either a brilliant use of social media or something else. Meanwhile, Taylor Swift has been condemned for the crime of mentioning Israel in her documentary. In cheerier news, Israel is somehow already the early betting favorite for Eurovision 2026, banking on its proven track record. And just when you thought the media landscape couldn’t get more interesting, Bari Weiss has tapped Tony Dokoupil for the CBS News anchor chair, selecting someone who actually defended Israel on-air, a refreshing departure from the usual diplomatic fence-sitting.

Business

In what sounds vaguely like a description of every major infrastructure project ever, Bank Hapoalim is leading a whopping NIS 5 billion financing round for Israel’s Kesem power plant, presumably to keep the lights on while everyone argues about renewable energy.

Military & Miltech

The Israeli Navy and U.S. 5th Fleet completed their five-day military exercise “Intrinsic Defender,” which sounds like it could be either an actual tactical drill or a really aggressive video game tournament—the details are suitably vague.

Ex-IDF air defense chief Ran Kochav can barely contain his amazement that Israel’s Arrow-3 system is now protecting Germany, insisting it “defies imagination after the Holocaust.” Rafael is delivering its Spyder air defense system to Georgia, a platform capable of engaging threats up to 80 kilometers away in all weather conditions, which either sounds incredibly impressive or like an arms dealer’s brochure. Brigitte Gabriel, a Lebanese woman who survived her country’s civil war and credits Israeli doctors for saving her life, has become an unlikely champion of Israeli-Lebanese alliance, despite Lebanon’s current political climate making such friendships rather dangerous. And in what might be the most unexpected vindication of the year, Amnesty International has finally concluded that Hamas committed crimes against humanity, only two-plus years after October 7, making this their fashionably late entry into the “obvious conclusion” sweepstakes.

Sport

Israeli soccer sensation Talia Sommer has become the first Israeli player to sign with the NWSL, joining Gotham FC, because apparently even the premier women’s soccer league needs to expand its international recruitment and might as well tap into Israeli talent while they’re at it.

Old Science

In a discovery perfectly timed for Hanukkah, archaeologists have unearthed evidence of a battlefield near Jerusalem where Judah Maccabee’s forces battled the Greek Seleucid army.

Good Israel News #22 [December 10, 2025]

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 01:00:59 GMT

Photo by Brian Kostiuk on Unsplash

Technology

Israeli technology companies are experiencing substantial investor confidence. Quantum computing firm Quantum Art closed a $100 million Series A funding round to advance its trapped-ion quantum systems, bringing total funding to $124 million and accelerating its path toward commercializing multi-core architectures with thousands of qubits. In the hospitality technology space, AI-powered guest management platform Duve secured $60 million in Series B funding to expand globally and strengthen its platform that consolidates all stages of the hotel guest journey,

The broader defense-tech sector demonstrated exceptional momentum, with Israeli defense-tech startups attracting over $1 billion in financing during 2025, surpassing all previous years combined and representing a dramatic increase from $150 million in 2024, with companies becoming Israel’s first defense-tech unicorns. Meanwhile, a merger between Matrix and Magic saw both companies’ stocks surge significantly, with Matrix climbing approximately 69% and Magic jumping 91% since the merger agreement was announced in March, with the all-stock deal expected to close in January 2026.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Business & Economics

Israel’s macroeconomic indicators show mixed signals regarding foreign investment. The Treasury highlighted a strong 35% year-over-year increase in foreign direct investment for the first half of 2025 according to OECD figures totaling $10.2 billion, which ministry officials attribute to growing international confidence in the Israeli economy; however, the Ministry of Finance’s own database measuring announced deals tells a different story, showing a 15% decline in foreign investment transactions and a 17% drop in transaction numbers during the same period, suggesting weakening investment sentiment despite positive cash flows that may reflect older deals coming to fruition.

The Israeli shekel has reached a three-year peak against the US dollar, driven by multiple factors including diplomatic talks between Israel, the US, and Qatar, while broader market gains have also contributed to overall stock market strength. Meanwhile, Israel’s Navitas announced a major commitment to invest $1.17 billion in the Falklands oil field, representing significant Israeli capital deployment in international energy infrastructure.

Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

Energy & Environment

Israel is undergoing a major energy transition focused on sustainability and cost reduction. The Energy and Infrastructure Ministry unveiled a comprehensive plan to phase out the country’s ubiquitous rooftop solar water heaters—which have been mandatory since the 1980s and currently serve about 85% of households—in favor of photovoltaic panels coupled with heat pumps that are 2.5 to 4 times more energy efficient, with regulations for new non-residential buildings and single-family homes taking effect immediately and proposals for multistory residential buildings under public consultation. The proposed system would save households NIS 500-1,500 annually while requiring an additional NIS 4,500 investment per apartment that would pay for itself within several years, and is projected to reduce peak-hour electricity demand by approximately 1,050 megawatts while generating up to NIS 3.3 billion in economic benefits by 2050, cementing Israel’s commitment to expanding residential renewable energy capacity and reducing household energy costs amid climate and cost-of-living reduction goals.

Photo by Winston Chen on Unsplash

Defense & Security

Israel’s defense capabilities and international security partnerships remain prominent. Israeli advanced weapons systems have become critical force multipliers in regional conflicts, with Israeli-manufactured equipment including ATMOS 155mm self-propelled howitzers providing Thai military forces with devastating long-range firepower and superior targeting capabilities in border disputes with Cambodia, sharply contrasting with Cambodia’s outdated Soviet-era equipment and leaving the region’s military landscape significantly imbalanced. Iran’s state broadcaster admitted that false reports about shooting down Israeli F-35 aircraft severely damaged the credibility of Iranian media, with the head of Iran’s broadcasting corporation conceding that fabricated claims about military victories undermined public trust in state news sources.

In the US legislative arena, the House of Representatives redirected $50 million in Israel-related defense funding from short-range rocket interception to ballistic missile defense in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, reducing Iron Dome funding from $110 million to $60 million while allocating $100 million to Arrow 3 systems designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside Earth’s atmosphere, reflecting shifting threat assessments toward Iranian and Houthi ballistic missile capabilities.

Senator Fetterman stated he was the only Democrat ready to support bombing Iran’s nuclear sites, reflecting hardline positions within Democratic ranks on Iran policy. On the diplomatic front, Israel and Bolivia formally renewed diplomatic relations after a 16-year absence, with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Bolivian Foreign Minister Fernando Armayo signing a Joint Communiqué that establishes a framework for full diplomatic relations, exchange of ambassadors, and cooperation in agriculture, security, water management, health, and counter-terrorism efforts.

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

Sports & Culture

Israeli cultural and sporting achievements are gaining international prominence. The Israeli film industry is making a significant global comeback at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival, with director Moshe Rosenthal’s Independence and films produced by Israeli company SIPUR set to compete despite calls for boycotts of Israeli cultural exports, demonstrating resilience and continued international engagement in the entertainment industry.

European basketball’s top competitions are returning to Israel beginning December 1, 2025, marking the first major international sports competition to resume in the country since the October 2023 Hamas attack and subsequent Gaza war, with Israeli teams including six-time champions Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv returning home after playing at neutral European venues for over two years, signaling gradual normalization and the potential for sports to foster peace and community cohesion. The Israeli Football Association has introduced stricter penalties for racist offenses, addressing persistent discrimination issues within the sport, particularly regarding the treatment of Arab and Palestinian players and supporters.

Photo by SpaceX on Unsplash

Science & Space

Israel is expanding its space ambitions through international partnerships. Jerusalem has signed a significant deal with NASA anchoring joint projects until 2035, designed to expand already close cooperation on flagship space initiatives and positioning Israel to achieve a historic milestone with the planned deployment of the first Israeli woman in space, representing a major advancement in the nation’s scientific capabilities and international space cooperation.

Photo by Unseen Studio on Unsplash

Society & Education

Israeli society is addressing critical social issues while strengthening international relationships. California State University, Los Angeles is investigating a professor after video evidence emerged showing coaching students to oppose California’s antisemitism bill, with the investigation highlighting ongoing tensions around Israel-related academic discourse on campuses and allegations that some statements contained antisemitic tropes regarding AIPAC’s political influence and Israeli government actions. Switzerland has adopted its first-ever national strategy against racism and antisemitism, establishing comprehensive frameworks aimed at improving identification of discrimination, protecting affected communities, and strengthening institutional prevention efforts at the governmental level. Additionally, Israeli President Isaac Herzog was awarded an honorary doctorate at Yeshiva University, recognizing his leadership and commitment to strengthening ties between Israel and the Jewish diaspora.

Good Israel News #21 [December 8, 2026]

Nathan Burgess (PRCog) — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 18:01:45 GMT

New feature: Infographic of some of today’s top stories:

And now, the news:

Tucker, we assume | Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

Seriously Unserious & Serious: Politics & International Relations

U.S. podcaster Tucker Carlson has devised what might be history’s most counterintuitive strategy for proving financial independence from Qatar: buying a home there. During an interview with the Qatari Prime Minister, Carlson announced his Doha real estate purchase as a definitive rebuttal to accusations that he’s been paid off by the Qatari government—logic so airtight that one wonders why more people don’t demonstrate their freedom from financial entanglements by transferring wealth directly to the very entity bankrolling them. Carlson insisted he’s “never taken anything” from Qatar but is “now giving money to Qatar” to make a statement about his American independence, a nuance apparently lost on skeptics who’ve noted his increasingly radical positions, including hosting Holocaust revisionists and conducting softball interviews with Hitler-admiring figures.

Meanwhile, South African King Misuzulu offered a far more straightforward, 4-letter-worded commentary on Israel policy, casually dismissing his government’s stance with a spectacularly colorful epithet. In Jerusalem, Israeli police conducted a property seizure operation at UNRWA headquarters and concluded their enforcement action by hoisting a large Israeli flag over the building’s roof, transforming administrative procedure into performance art.

The new barrier, we assume | Photo by Emmanuel Ikwuegbu on Unsplash

Hopefully Better-Than-Alexa Smartwall & More: Security & Defense

Israel’s security architecture is evolving rapidly across multiple fronts, blending cutting-edge technology with traditional infrastructure expansion. The Defense Ministry launched construction of a new “smart” security barrier along the eastern border, a NIS 5.5 billion project spanning roughly 80 kilometers that integrates physical fencing with advanced sensor arrays, radars, and IT systems designed to combat arms smuggling and counter threats from Iran’s proxies.

Israeli startup InfiniDome has become a leader in GPS protection technology for military platforms, with its systems having already seen action during recent regional conflicts. Meanwhile, the IDF has witnessed a notable surge in military enlistment from Israel’s minority communities, including Druze, Bedouins, and Arab Christians, a development partly catalyzed by recent regional tensions. These parallel developments underscore Israel’s multifaceted approach to contemporary security challenges.

Maybe some ZIM containers in there. Definitely some Apple products | Photo by Venti Views on Unsplash

Shipping & Apples: Business & Tech

Israel’s influence in global technology corridors faces potential disruption as key executives weigh their futures. Apple is bracing for the possible departure of Johny Srouji, the Israeli senior vice president who spearheaded the company’s shift from Intel processors to its proprietary M-series chips, with CEO Tim Cook reportedly offering substantial compensation to retain him. The Israeli shipping giant ZIM faces a pivotal shareholder vote regarding acquisition offers, including one controversial bid from Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd with Saudi and Qatari shareholders, prompting concerns from ZIM’s workers’ union about national security implications. Meanwhile, 29-year-old Luana Lopes Lara, a former Bolshoi ballet dancer turned fintech entrepreneur, has become the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire after her prediction market platform Kalshi reached an $11 billion valuation, surpassing Taylor Swift in the process.

English language class, we assume | Photo by Martino Pietropoli on Unsplash

Midair Fashion & B-Ball: Culture, Entertainment, & Sports

Israeli basketball star Deni Avdija has become his country’s all-time leading NBA scorer, emerging as a bona fide league superstar for the Portland Trail Blazers with an average of 26.2 points per game. Israeli airline Israir brought an unexpected dose of levity to routine air travel by hosting an impromptu fashion show at 30,000 feet during a Rome flight, transforming cabin service into an unconventional venue for presenting new designs. Additionally, Anglo immigrants to Israel are stepping up to address the nation’s English language gap through innovative teacher training programs, combining practical education needs with integration initiatives for English-speaking newcomers.

Bestest Archeologist, we assume | Photo by Daniele Trifance on Unsplash

Israel Underground: Archaeology & History

Jerusalem’s ancient past continues yielding dramatic revelations about the city’s complex history of construction and destruction. A remarkable section of fortification wall more than 40 meters long has been uncovered at the Tower of David complex, with archaeological evidence suggesting it dates to around 140-134 BCE during the Hasmonean period. Evidence suggests the massive wall was deliberately dismantled and buried beneath King Herod’s palace roughly a century later, possibly as a symbolic political statement to Jerusalem’s Jewish population—literally burying the Hasmonean dynasty’s architectural legacy. Israeli authorities have recovered dozens of Byzantine and Crusader-era artifacts from a looted site in the West Bank, representing ongoing efforts to protect archaeological heritage from illicit excavation.