Israel-is-Incredible — Episode #1 – from Nov 14, 2025

I started this in Substack in November 2025 to provide a counter-narrative to all the anti-Israel nonsense out there.  Every week I will offer up more ways that Israel contributes to the world in outsized ways.  I might run out of items in 30 years!  I hope you enjoy this little smile about Israel.

Tikkun Olam – “Healing the World”

• In a world first, Israel is now pumping desalinated sea water into the depleted Sea of Galilee. The groundbreaking project will channel 0.5 centimetres (about 0.2 inches) of water every month until Lake Knesset is back to normal levels. This is the first attempt anywhere in the world to top up a freshwater lake with processed seawater. The lake is at 700 ft below sea level only 13 inches below the very risky “red line” at which point the ecosystem is damaged. This process will eventually be exported to other arid climes and drought areas. Notably, Iran is suffering from terrible a 6-year drought, and they are now asking the population of Tehran to evacuate – 10 million people!

• Israel’s largest ever public works project is going out for bidding. Still many years away, the $41B Tel Aviv Metro underground will have 90 miles of tunnel and 100 underground stations connecting TA from North to South (to alleviate the choking traffic congestion). The bidding phase is now just starting but it is expected that this system will open 8 months ahead of the Eglinton Subway line in Toronto.

Start-up Nation: This week… Climate and Ecology

• Apollo Power manufactures amazing flexible, ultra-lightweight, and exceptionally durable solar panels engineered to fit commercial rooftops with load limits, curved surfaces, and large-scale structures. None of these can properly use traditional solar panels. They also provide vehicle manufacturers with panels that generate electricity from the roof, hood, trunk lid, and solar power awnings for RVs & Caravans. https://apollo-power.com/to-apollos-solutions/
• Desert Hydroponics – Israel uses high-tech hydroponics extensively in its desert regions to grow a variety of crops by cultivating plants in nutrient-rich solutions instead of soil. This is a key part of Israel’s “desert agriculture revolution” and helps overcome challenges like arid land and water scarcity by recycling water and allowing for greater crop yields in smaller spaces. Hydroponics monitored by apps can produce significantly more crops in the same amount of space compared to soil-based farming. For example, up to 40,000 lettuce plants can be grown in the area where only 8,000 to 9,000 would grow in soil. Israel’s success has made it a leader in desert agriculture, and it shares its expertise with other water-scarce regions around the world. To learn more… Israel – Desert Hydroponics
• Tipa makes Biodegradable Plastic – Most flexible packaging still follows the outdated make-take-dispose model. Even if sent for recycling, only 3% of plastic packaging is recycled due to food contamination or because of multiple layers. TIPA offers a true circular solution: their packaging turns into compost within 6-12 months, just like organic waste. To learn more…https://tipa-corp.com/

Diplomacy and Politics:

• Israel and Estonia mark a historic milestone of “bilateral relations” with the opening of the Israeli Embassy in Tallinn. Estonia opened its Embassy in Israel in 2009. Said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, “…For us, it means a lot, because being a very small country as we are, it is important to have a full-scale embassy here”. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar brought a sizable business delegation to Estonia where they are holding a joint economic seminar in the fields of information and communications technology, defense and cyber. “We will continue to strengthen Israel’s relations with nations around the world, and we are especially happy to be in Estonia given the special connection between our two countries.”

• President Herzog was recently on a historic first-ever visit to Zambia to address humanitarian suffering in Africa. He says, “We are worried and disturbed by the terrible disasters taking place in other parts of Africa. We hope the international community will focus on the pains in Africa at least as much as their obsession with the State of Israel” and … “the connection between Zion and Zambia is so natural”. The President of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema replied “This moment is especially meaningful, marking the return of the Israeli Embassy to Zambia. To the people of Israel – you are most welcome in Zambia”. Earlier this month, a delegation of 30 senior African Christian leaders from 10 countries across the continent visited Israel on a religious and political mission – an amazing expression of faith-based diplomacy.

• Eric Adams, the outgoing Mayor of NYC is in Israel today, Nov 14^th for a 4-day visit to religious sites and discuss efforts to combat antisemitism in NYC and across the world. In his remaining 7 weeks, he notably would NOT arrest Netanyahu if he came to NYC but rather host him (along with 11 security guards between them) for Christmas / Hanukah shopping and night-clubbing.

“Justice Is Served”:

• Due to decades of biased “journalism”, its pathological hatred of Israel, its deep connection to Al-Jazeera, and creating a fake video of Trump’s Jan 6^th speech, BBCs Top executive, and Head of News abruptly resigned under scandal. Trump is now suing BBC for $1B. Somehow that got their attention. A Trump spokesperson said, “President Trump will continue to hold accountable those who traffic in lies, deception, and fake news”. The remaining BBC staffers, in a state of despair, wrote that the BBC is now going through hell – “we have 23,000 employees and now 2 are richly packaged out with taxpayer money – this is genocide!”

Sports and Culture:

Israel is a world power in Judo!

• A month ago, Israeli judoka Izhak Ashpiz, 18, won the gold medal at the Judo Grand Prix in Peru.
• In May, Israeli Inbar Lanir, 23, won the gold medal in the under 78-kilo weight class at the World Judo Championships in Doha, Qatar. The International Judo Federation called Lanir’s final victory over France’s Audrey Tcheumeo a “shocker” because Tcheumeo holds 36 medals — the most of any French judoka in history.
• In 2024, at the Paris Olympics, Israel’s judo team (11-members) won a bronze team medal after a successful mixed-team final against the Russians.
• Judoku @peter.paltchik retires from the sport as just one of 6 Israelis to win multiple Olympic medals.

In his remarkable book “The Israel Test”…

Author George Gilder argues: Israel’s sudden rise as a world capitalist and technological power stems in part from the Jewish “culture of mind” and in part from Judaism itself, which, “perhaps more than any other religion, favors capitalist activity and provides a rigorous moral framework for it. If Israel is destroyed,” he says, “capitalist Europe will likely die as well, and America, as the epitome of productive and creative capitalism spurred by Jews, will be in jeopardy.” He sites centuries of history showing the startling decline of many nations and economies after their ethnic cleansing of Jews. A fascinating read. The Israel Test Book at Amazon

I hope you enjoyed this bi-weekly summary and will pass it along to others to give them a moment of joy … or improved understanding.