Dispatch from Jerusalem

Israel’s Water Crisis

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Almost every winter we cover the topic of drought in Israel. After seven years of drought in a row, it is certainly justified. Israel’s water crisis is looking even worse this winter. November 2010 was the driest in the North in 48 years with some forecasters saying this winter might be the driest of all seven years.

Watchman, Keeper, Guardian, Guard—Shomer

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“On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; all day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves; and give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. The LORD has sworn by Hs right hand and by His strong arm, ‘I will never again give your grain as food for your enemies; nor will foreigners drink your new wine for which you have labored.’” (Isaiah 62:6–8, NASB).

A Revolution in Glasses

 “Spectacles” have been around for at least 700 years, and while they seem to have been doing an adequate job, they have several disadvantages, such as limiting focus, reducing the usable field of view, and color distortion. Ze'ev Zalevsky, a Bar Ilan University professor, is the inventor of a unique system to help improve the eyesight of those suffering from presbyopia, the weakening of the ability to focus on near objects. Rather than make do with the partial solutions available today, he suggests a monofocal lens, which can focus light from between 13 inches away up to the horizon.

Unique Drug Applicator

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Last year, TransPharma Medical, an Israeli specialty pharmaceutical company, completed a successful clinical trial using its new ViaDerm System for the treatment of osteoporosis. However, the system is designed to be used for any number of drug substances and is currently being tested on three. It is very user- friendly and intended for home use.

Innovative Voice Analysis

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Technology has been developed in Israel that can decipher your emotional and physical state within a matter of seconds. It is already being used to transform the world of sales, and future applications might even diagnose physical ailments. The software was developed by Dr. Yoram Levanon, founder and CEO of eXaudios. After analyzing more than 50,000 voices speaking various languages over an 11-year period, he realized that intonation is the key to communication. Whereas he started out using only 12 emotions, the program now has over 400 in its emotional dictionary.

Diagnostics at Your Fingertip

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An Israeli company has developed an innovative new fingertip test that can diagnose sleep apnea at home and heart disease at an earlier stage. The [two] devices, developed by Itamar Medical in Caesarea, are based on Peripheral Arterial Tone (PAT), which monitors the pulses in your fingertips or in the extremities.

Looking to the East

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“Look to the east, young man,” could be the slogan for the coming decade and beyond as the world is increasingly impacted by the influence of China and other Asian nations. From matters of the economy to the military, science to space exploration, even tourism, the East is flexing its muscles, and the countries of the world are taking notice. Certainly not least among them is Israel.

Is Sabotage the Key to Stopping Iran’s Nukes?

{image_1}Having been unable to convince Iran to halt their nuclear program with international criticism, sanctions, and even threats of military action, the world took notice when a computer worm appeared to threaten that otherwise invincible nuclear drive. According to The New York Times, the computer worm, or malware named Stuxnet, targeted several countries, but its impact in Iran was enormous. Around 30,000 computers were affected, including personal computers connected to Iranian nuclear personnel. According to The Washington Post, Stuxnet has the ability to attack industrial control systems—including nuclear ones. Then came the big news: Iran’s IRNA news group reported that the Bushehr nuclear reactor start-up process had been delayed, for weeks at least.

Samaritan Synagogue Discovered

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A third Samaritan synagogue was discovered in Beit She’an, south of the Sea of Galilee. Built at the end of the fifth century AD, it was used until the Muslim conquest in 634. The floor of its rectangular hall (5 x 8 meters, 16 x 26 feet) is covered in a colorful mosaic, in the center of which is a Greek inscription that says, “This is the temple.”

Cameo Found

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Unearthed in the parking lot opposite the City of David, this 2,000-year-old cameo of two layers of semi-precious onyx stone bears the image of Cupid.