CNBC on Israeli Biz Model: 'It Just Works'

"Dan Senor, co-author of 'Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle,' discusses with CNBC how Israel has managed to become a leader in business innovation."

Israel: Getting Beyond 'Exhaustion' & 'Puppy Love'

An elderly man taking a break on his morning walk, leans against the security barrier in Jerusalem's southern Gilo neighborhood. The several mile long concrete wall protects residents in the facing apartments from gunfire from Arab Beit Jala (see in in the distance), adjacent to Bethlehem. This barrier is not the same as the disputed "Security Barrier," that snakes roughly along the 1967 cease fire line in parts of Judea and Samaria, also known as "West Bank," but was erected for similar reasons: to stop bullets from reaching civilians and schools (in this photo, there's one directly behind the camera) More on this story here. (Photo: Dave Bender, All Rights Reserved)

A powerful pairing - or pairing off - of opinions about the Jewish State:

In "How I’m Losing My Love For Israel," Jay Michaelson, writing in The Forward admits:

"To paraphrase a recent Jewish organizational tagline, I’ve “hugged and wrestled with Israel” for 20 years now. At first, it was all embrace: Zionist songs and culture nourished me like mother’s milk, and on my first trip to Israel I kissed the tarmac at Ben Gurion, as did the other USY (United Synagogue Youth) kids.

"Eventually, the wrestling came to the fore, particularly as I became more conscious of Palestinians, settlements and religious-secular divides. In 2002, I wrote about being “a leftist and a Zionist” and how difficult it was to maintain those dual political identities. And for several years, I’ve argued for a more nuanced approach to Israel advocacy and education than the hail of falafel balls and the bludgeon of Taglit-Birthright.

"But lately I’ve noticed that I’m becoming a candidate for advocacy myself. I’ve loved Israel for decades, lived there for three years, and studied in detail the subtleties of its society and conflicts. And so it is with the sadness that accompanies the end of any affair that I notice my love is starting to wane."

Daniel Gordis replies:

"The truth is, you and I agree about a lot. We’re both worried about some of what’s happening to Israeli society. We’re both tired of all the equivocating (though probably for different reasons). We’d both love some real leadership around here. We’d both like peace. And we’re both exhausted."

"Maybe it’s time we all moved beyond puppy love and ventured into something more mature, a sort of love that knows that the object of our love cannot, and should not, remain unchanged year after year, decade after decade."

Very worth reading.

Israel 'Powering an Alternative Roadside Attraction'

Illustration courtesy of Innowwattech

Read my first story for Mother Nature Network:

Innowattech is touting what they call, “parasitic energy harvesting,” a system that exploits the motion of vehicles rolling over sturdy, flexible pads buried beneath the roadway. Company officials say their technology also works on airport runways, railway tracks and pedestrian sidewalks.

The company says their patented piezoelectric generators produce “energy from weight, motion, vibration and temperature changes.”

Hey! I Got Mail! (Israeli Martial Arts Video)

One of the biggest comment draws on my YouTube video collection page is a clip, which I titled: "Hebrew Hammer Meets His Match."

It's about a group of religious martial arts aficionados practicing, "Abir," apparently a Yemenite take on the well-known "Krav Maga" fighting style.

There are many, and mostly fascinating comments about the video by those in the know about martial arts, all discussing - some arguing - over fine points of technique, what's similar or different from other styles and schools, and so forth. I often join in, and it's fun and informative as you can read there... and then there's the hate mail:

"AliHolland87 heeft een reactie geplaatst op 'Hebrew Hammer' meets his match:

'Death) the Zionist entity, we will kill you all"

I get these sort pretty often, usually after violent events between Israelis and their neighbors.

Most are frighteningly imbecilic, some just frightening, a few nauseating, and then there are the ones like this: Just plain murderous. Just to remind me about other kinds of martial fan clubs.

It's good though, in a twisted way: it reminds me what we're all up against, and to be alert. The wave is coming this way.

A'jad = Catskills connection? Not So Fast...

Serious media buzzkill this morning, as the UK's The Guardian, scotches a rumored Jewish background for Iranian leader, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Ah well, at least we still have the Supremes - all of them:

Spot the differences:


More Iran-related posts here.