Dispatch from Jerusalem

Rock of Ages

{image_1}One of the hymns sung by Christians that has been dearly loved for over 200 years is “Rock of Ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee…” What most Christians don’t know is that Judaism also has a song called “Rock of Ages.” In Hebrew, it is Ma’oz Tzur (literally, “mighty stronghold”), thought to be composed by a man named Mordechai in Europe in the 13th century during the Crusades because the first letters of the first five stanzas form an acrostic spelling his name.

Remembering God’s Faithfulness

{image_1}In his book Mein Kampf, Adolph Hitler claimed that he would be doing the work of the Lord by ridding the world of the Jewish people. Only a few short years later, he was ruling Germany with an iron fist, conquering Europe, and attempting to make good on his threat to make the world judenrein. And he was only one of many leaders throughout history who unwittingly went to battle with the God of the Universe by attempting to destroy His chosen people.

A Smarter Inhaler for Asthmatic Kids

{image_1}An Israeli father was so determined to find a better way to deliver his young son’s asthma medication that he started a new company to do it. The result is the Inspiromatic—a device that mechanical engineer Nimrod Kaufmann dreamed up with Dr. Guy Steuer.

Putting a “Nose Plug” on Bugs

{image_1}An Israeli company has developed a natural, non-toxic bug repellent that masks the smell of plants and flowers—and possibly even people. It’s like putting a nose plug on bugs so they can’t smell or detect a potential host. EdenShield is developing the product into a spray coating for greenhouse covers.

Just Think It, and the Computer Will Say It

{image_1}Imagine that you cannot talk. You know what you want to say, but your speaking muscles are paralyzed. Technion researcher Ariel Tankus has spent two years working on a complex brain-machine interface that could give the power of speech to people unable to express themselves.

A Celebration of Water Technology

{image_1}This summer, Tel Aviv celebrated a “water war” in which participants were invited to come to the fountain area in front of city hall and let out their frustrations or pent-up emotions by being drenched from head to toe by a variety of water guns, buckets, and almost any other type of water container. The water in the fountain is, according to the municipality, not fit for drinking. This fact was meant to assuage the critics who say that the water extravaganza was a waste of precious water resources.

Japan Seeks Clean-tech Experts

{image_1}Japan is seeking Israeli experts to help in the rehabilitation efforts of Fukushima. The city was destroyed last year following a strong earthquake that triggered a massive tsunami, which, in turn, caused a local nuclear reactor meltdown. The Japanese company heading the rehabilitation efforts has sent a delegation to confer with Israeli experts and look for local entrepreneurs willing to take on the daunting task.

South African Christians Stand Up for Israel

{image_1}Twenty-five hundred Christians from all parts of the Church took to the streets of Pretoria and Cape Town in support of Israel. Memorandums relating to the announcement that special labeling would be required for products from “the Occupied Palestinian Territories” were given to the offices of the Department of Trade and Industry in Pretoria.

Threatened on Every Side

By Missile Fire

{image_1}Yadlin, commenting on possible future confrontations with Israel's enemies, admitted that missiles would strike the Gush Dan area (central Israel): “A few more [would strike] than the number that hit in 1991 [during the Gulf War], but today we have the Arrow [anti-missile interception system], better intelligence, and a better Air Force. A large number of the rockets will be stopped, but some of them will indeed hit Gush Dan, and for this, we have to be prepared.

The Levy Report: Settlements Are Legal

{image_1}A special commission named this year by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has submitted some clear-cut conclusions regarding the legality of the so-called “Israeli settlements”. The three-member committee, informally known as the Levy Commission—headed by former Supreme Court Justice Edmond Levy, along with former Foreign Ministry Legal Advisor Alan Baker, and former Deputy President of the Tel-Aviv District Court Tehiya Shapira—determined that these settlements are perfectly legal within the standards of international law.