Israel Active

(Thanks to Janglo) Amendments to Israel’s Consumer Protection Law went into force on 1st Jan, strengthening consumer rights.  They enforce existing laws with short-timescale fines and add new laws to ban undue pressures to make purchases.  You can also now take your own food into cinemas!

For the first time in Israeli political history, a political party led by Haredi women is to run in the March 19th Israeli elections.  The party to be named “Bizchutan” (“in their merit”) will be led by Ruth Kuliak, a social activist who has worked to promote the advancement of women.

Israel’s Economy ministry has awarded NIS 10 million to two organizations, Tsofen and ITworks, for the training and integration of Arab, Druse, and Circassian academics into the hi-tech sector.  It will help narrow the social and economic gaps between population sectors in Israel.

Technically skilled Haredi (ultra-orthodox) women are carving out a new sector in the Israeli entrepreneurial space.  The Jerusalem “hub” of the organization Temech, helps connect them to professional resources, to employment opportunities or to start their own businesses.

Beer-Sheva is one of seven locations worldwide included in the Global Technology Emerging Markets study by Brandeis International and T3 Advisors of emerging, up-and-coming hubs that technology and life sciences companies should consider as they evaluate their global location strategy.

A UK reporter finally realizes that there are Christians in Israel who identify with the Jewish State.  (However, he falsely defines what a Jewish State is.)

Israel has appointed Amira Oron as head of its embassy in Ankara.  Oron has been serving as the head of the Egypt Department at the Foreign Ministry. Israel recently appointed seven new top women foreign diplomats including Einat Shlain, Israel’s ambassador to Jordan.

The Israeli government has donated 300,000 shekels to five Palestinian Arab farmers to upgrade their strawberry facilities.  In addition 30 Palestinian Arab farmers came to Israel to study strawberry cultivation.  Annually, Israel funds 1200 Palestinian Arab farmers to study in Israel.

(Thanks to Michelle) Israel’s Water-Gen is to bring its pioneering air-to-water technology to India, where more than 50% of the urban poor (over 150 million) are not connected to a water supply.

(Thanks to Nevet – ) Israel’s new “Grand Challenges Israel” program is modeled on Grand Challenges Canada. Israel’s Avigdor Lieberman and Canada’s John Baird unveiled ten Israeli innovation projects, addressing cancer, malaria, aquaculture, wheelchairs etc.