The sun is shining,
weather a bit warm by still enjoy the view,
The Old City of Jerusalem, Israel, from the Tayelet.
שבת שלום
middle east current events
20 Years Israel – European Cooperation Celebrated in Jerusalem
Much attention was focused on Paris, France,
which featured a Peace Conference without the main players present.
However, a conference involving the EU in Jerusalem, Israel,
received much less attention and took place
at the Jerusalem Theater.
For 20 years, Israel and Europe have been working
together on science, research, and development
under a program named ISERD,
Israel-Europe Research and Development.
In celebration of 20 years of cooperation
a conference was convened.
The first of three panels was on excellence in science,
and all the participants were women.
The video programs screened between panel presentations
highlighted some of the outstanding and
advanced technologies developed in multiple fields.
If you need a special pump for an experiment,
just make it and use it.
The head of IBM Cyber Security
was on a panel with the Head of Technology of Israel Police.
Many of the discussions sounded like science fiction,
from imagining technology to fuels from waste water and more.
Lars Faaborg-Andersen EU Ambassador to Israel was all smiles.
He often speaks about EU-Israel cooperation.
In Paris it was hard to see,
but whatever they said and did in Paris,
Europeans have been funding projects in Israel for at least 20 years.
Hundreds of researchers and funders gathered,
networked, and talked during the ISERD conference.
Research equipment can be complex and costly.
The EU has a program called Horizon 2020,
which offers billions of Euros to bolster the EU’s
position as a world leader in science.
Europeans want Israeli entrepreneurs to invent
what the EU needs and lacks in areas of development.
The World Economic Forum has named Israel as
second most innovative country in the world after Switzerland.
Israel is opening a new Innovation program next week.
Israeli Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs,
will have more grant opportunities available
for research projects.
The sky is no longer the limit.
Israeli ingenuity is in demand.
Did you see any media coverage anywhere
of the ISERD 20th celebration?
It happened last week in Jerusalem, Israel.
Diplomats make their declarations,
while Israelis are turning amazing ideas into reality.
Music, Lights, Shabbat and Happy Hanukkah
How could I forget?
With a post last week of musical events in Jerusalem, Israel,
I forgot to include the annual Piano Festival
taking place once again at the Jerusalem Theater.
In the ‘what will they do to top last year’ department,
chairs were set up outside in a large tent.
Piano performances will be held over three days,
and piano bars stocked with wines
will help keep visitors warm in the cold nights.
Meanwhile,
inside the theater,
musicians and singers who immigrated to Israel
performed throughout the building.
Some were more interested in the snacks
than the music or art works on display.
With the holidays approaching, visitors are arriving
and decorations are lining the streets.
Chanukkah celebration signs are posted.
Festivals, performances and happenings
will light up the city for Hanuka,
too many events to list.
The lights of Shabbat
will be followed by the lights of Hanuka.
Yes, I spelled חנוכה different ways in English,
but the wishes are the same.
First
שבת שלום
Shabbat Shalom,
then
חנוכה שמח
Happy Hanukkah
And if you want more lights and music
to get in a holiday mood,
here is my favorite video from last year.