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The opening event of the year of the Circle of Friends of the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation for 2026, directed by Yona Bartel, was held at the impressive Microsoft campus in Herzliya Pituach, Israel.
Together with Hemi Peres, the center's chairman, Campus CEO Michal Bauman opened with a dazzling overview before Eran Yariv, head of artificial intelligence, Adi Mor-Biran, Director of The Garage Israel, Middle East, Africa and India, revealed groundbreaking innovation underway.
The Circle of Friends took a tour of the amazing building and learned about the latest developments in the field of AI. Among the participants: the Padani family, Michal Forer, Galia Albin, the Oren family, Reuven and Michaela Schiff, Brigadier General Nissim Barda, Baruch Shekalim–Director of the Aerospace Industry, Dalia Neeman, Dana Margalit, Hedva Tzadikariou and more. Yona Bartel reminded the audience that this year marks the tenth anniversary of Peres' passing and that it will be full of special events, including the naming of a square in his name in Paris, with the main state event being on September 8th in the Greatest of the Nations section of the House of Lords in London. The visit was at the Microsoft Israel Research and Development campus in Herzliya.
Michal Braverman-Blumenstik, CEO of Microsoft Israel R&D and CTO of the Global Security Division gave a lecture titled: “The Next Generation of AI: What Will Collaboration Between Humans and AI Agents Look Like?” She also presented Microsoft's Innovation Leadership Model to the Friends of the Peace Prize Circle. During the talk, she said: “Innovation is not a one-time event, but a culture. In the age of AI, when we give people the space to experiment, the smart tools, and the trust to dare – we don’t just develop products, we shape the future.”
Eran Yariv, Director of the Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Group at Microsoft Israel, also gave a special lecture on the history of artificial intelligence from its inception 70 years ago and the evolution of large language models: from automatic completion to deep thinking
The Microsoft Herzliya, Israel, building is the only dog-friendly Microsoft building in the world; it also has a swimming pool and an ecological garden
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Photos by Silvia G. Golan
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International Mediterranean Tourism Market (IMTM) is Israel's flagship Tourism marketplace and one of the leading exhibitions in the Eastern Mediterranean. It galvanizes the Israeli Tourism industry and consolidates it under one single roof connecting global destinations with one of the world's most travel savvy markets. IMTM is where the Israeli market meets the world - an event not to be missed!
IMTIM is the largest tourism exhibition in the Middle East and this year will feature impressive pavilions, B2B meetings, professional conferences and an agent programme that will bring hundreds of decision makers from around the globe to Israel.
After two complex years in Israel, the tourism industry is marking a historic turning point namely the significant presence of global airlines and a huge jump compared to last year especially in the number of visitors and exhibitors from abroad making IMTM 2026 the largest and most significant event since the start of the last war on the 7th of October 2023. This year will mark the 32nd year since its inception and will open on Tuesday, the 3rd of February till the 4th of February 2026 at the EXPO in Tel Aviv. Despite the challenges war confronts the tourism industry with, this year's exhibition is presenting a large presence of countries, participants and senior officials from around the world as part of their willingness to create business with Israel.
Popular airlines such as Etihad which is Abu Dhabi's national airline, Aegean Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines will participate. Budget airlines such as Sky Express and Air Europa will also have representation. Countries including Greece, Georgia, The People's Republic of China , Canada, U.S.A., India, The Republic of China, Vietnam, Slovakia, Hungary, Zambia, Cyprus, Romania and Azerbaijan secured their places months before the official registration opened. A variety of Israeli airlines such as EL AL, Israir, Arkia alongside local authorities and municipalities such as Tel Aviv, Rehovot, Rosh Hanikra, Ashdod, Modi'in, Maccabim, Reut, Jerusalem, Zichron Yaakov, Petach Tikva, Pardes Hanna Binyamina, the Dead Sea, Netanya.
This year there was a high demand in visitor registration in the field of pilgrimage tourism which very much is expected to shape the industry in the forthcoming year, marking the recovery and growth of local and international markets. Mr. Eyal Shmueli, I.T.N. 's publisher stated that Israel is enjoying an increase in the participation of countries in this year's expo which is a milestone in Israel's return to international tourism after a challenging period without inbound tourism and airlines that cancelled flights. We are entering renewed growth as IMTM is a bridge for tourism between Israel and the world.
About IMTM
IMTM is Israel’s flagship tourism marketplace and one of the leading international tourism exhibitions in the Eastern Mediterranean. It brings the industry together under one roof and connects global destinations with one of the world’s most travel-savvy audiences. IMTM is where the Israeli market meets the world - the one event not to be missed.
IMTM is Israel’s flagship tourism marketplace and one of the leading international tourism exhibitions in the Eastern Mediterranean. It brings the industry together under one roof and connects global destinations with one of the world’s most travel-savvy audiences. IMTM is where the Israeli market meets the world - the one event not to be missed.
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- Written by Michael Jankelowitz Liaison to International Media. 39th World Zionist Congress.
The 39th World Zionist Congress has overwhelmingly elected the new leadership of the World Zionist Organization: Rabbi Doron Perez and Yaakov Hagoel were chosen to serve as chairmen of the Zionist Executive, each for half a term.
After an election process that lasted about a year across the world and in Israel, the leadership of the World Zionist Organization (WZO) was elected. By a large majority of 480 votes in favor, 14 against, and 5 abstentions, Rabbi Doron Perez and Yaakov Hagoel were elected as chairmen of the executive, each serving for half a term. Dr. Yizhar Hess was elected as deputy and acting chairman.
Rabbi Doron Perez, 55, was born in South Africa. He is the chairman of the World Mizrachi Movement, a member of the WZO Executive, head of the Department for Spiritual Services in the Diaspora, and a member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel.
He lost his son, IDF hero Captain Daniel Perez z”l, in the “Swords of Iron” War. Daniel was killed and abducted to Gaza, and his body was brought to burial in recent weeks.
Yaakov Hagoel, 54, was born in Israel. He currently serves as chairman of the World Zionist Organization. Previously, he was deputy chairman of the Zionist Executive, head of the Department for Israel and Combating Antisemitism, and Chairman of the World Betar Movement. He also served as acting chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel between 2021 and 2022.
The elections in the diaspora for the World Zionist Congress reached a record number of votes, with approximately 265,000 Jews expressing their commitment to the future of the Jewish People, the State of Israel, and the strengthening of Israel- Diaspora relations.
The World Zionist Congress is considered the supreme legislative and decision-making body of the World Zionist Organization — a kind of "global Jewish parliament.” It serves as the central platform for setting the movement’s policies, strengthening the bond between Israel and the Diaspora, and promoting Zionist values in the 21st century.
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Photo credit — Yaakov Hagoel: Oz Schechter
Photo credit — Rabbi Doron Perez: Courtesy
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With a $1 Million Investment, the Technion Inaugurates a VLSI Laboratory for Chip Design
The laboratory, operating at the Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was upgraded with the support of Apple, Intel, and NVIDIA
The Technion inaugurated the renovated VLSI Laboratory at the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The field of VLSI (Very Large-Scale Integration) - the creation of complex, multi-component integrated circuits—lies at the core of the development of advanced chips.
The laboratory was upgraded through an investment of approximately $1 million from Apple, Intel, and NVIDIA. The upgrade included renovation of the facilities, the addition of personnel, and the renewal of equipment. The inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan, Faculty Dean Prof. Shahar Kvatinsky, the VLSI Laboratory’s Academic Director Prof. Ran Ginosar, and senior executives from the three companies - all Technion alumni: Tamir Azarzar, Senior Vice President of Chip Design at NVIDIA; Karin Eibschitz Segal, CEO of Intel Israel and Corporate Vice President at Intel; and Rony Friedman, GM of Apple Israel.
Over the years, the Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering has trained the scientific and technological leadership that has made a decisive contribution to establishing Israel’s status as a “Startup Nation” and as a global center for chip development. The faculty’s researchers and alumni have played a leading role in the evolution of the semiconductor industry and continue to do so in the development of chips and computing architectures for the era of artificial intelligence. The combination of deep foundational knowledge, mathematical excellence, creativity, and engineering innovation gives the faculty’s graduates - who integrate into and lead Israel’s high-tech industry - a sustained competitive advantage at the forefront of global technology.
The VLSI Laboratory focuses on the development of advanced computing architectures and large-scale integrated systems, including in-memory computing, hardware acceleration of artificial intelligence, hardware security, and highly energy-efficient systems. The companies’ investment in the laboratory reflects a deep commitment to training the next generation of VLSI engineers in Israel. This partnership between academia and industry is designed to provide students with practical knowledge at the cutting edge of technology and to ensure a strong pipeline of engineers who will lead chip development in the years ahead.
The inauguration of the laboratory marks a strategic step in deepening the connection between advanced academic research, education, and Israeli and global industry, and in strengthening the Technion’s position as a leading force in shaping the fields of microelectronics and computational hardware in Israel and worldwide.
- From left to right: Tamir Azarzar, Senior Vice President of Chip Design at NVIDIA; outgoing Dean Prof. Idit Keidar; Rony Friedman, GM of Apple Israel; Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan; Karin Eibschitz Segal, CEO of Intel Israel and Corporate Vice President at Intel; incoming Dean of the Faculty Prof. Shahar Kvatinsky; and Technion Senior Executive Vice President Prof. Danny Raz
Photo credit: Sharon Tzur, Technion Spokesperson’s Office
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A year and a half after its opening as part of the rapid response operation to receive war wounded, The Hadassah Women's Organization and Hadassah management officially inaugurated the new state-of-the-art rehabilitation center in Israel this evening.
The Gandel Rehabilitation Centre at Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital began receiving wounded from the war known as "Iron Swords" a year and a half ago, and hundreds of victims of the fighting and difficult events in the south and north of the country have been rehabilitated there.
This week, the center was officially opened in a moving ceremony attended by rehabilitated soldiers, the President of the State, the Prime Minister, the President of the Hadassah Women's Organization, the Chairman of the Hadassah Board of Directors, and the medical center's management and staff.
The center, whose construction was primarily funded by the Gendel family, originally from Australia, features a therapeutic pool with a modular floor that adapts to patients' needs, state-of-the-art patient lifts, computerized systems for measuring range of motion, and an advanced gait analysis laboratory.
The Gendel Rehabilitation Center at Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital was inaugurated this week, on Monday, October 27, in a moving ceremony that marked the official opening of this extensive complex, one of the largest and most advanced in the Middle East, following the rehabilitation of more than 2,050 patients.
The inauguration event, spearheaded by the Hadassah Women's Organization (Hadassah, the Zionist Women's Organization of America), the medical center's management, and its board of directors, was attended by the President of the State of Israel, Yitzhak Herzog, and the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, survivors of the War of the Iron Swords, donors, friends of the Hadassah Medical Center and its staff, as well as Ethel Fainstein, director of HI Mexico and Latin America for over 25 years, whose work was crucial to this achievement. Representatives and directors of Diariojudío Mexico and international newspapers, such as Silvia Golan, were also present.
The event took place a year and a half after the rehabilitation departments opened in January 2024. Construction of the center, which was still underway when the war broke out, was accelerated to quickly treat the numerous wounded, given the severe shortage of rehabilitation beds in the State of Israel.
These days, Hadassah decided to take a break from her intense work toexpress its gratitude to everyone who participated in the creation of the center.
To date, more than 2,050 wounded individuals have been rehabilitated at the new rehabilitation center, over 350 of whom were injured in the war. All of them received treatment in the areas of orthopedics, neurology, modular hydrotherapy pools, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy, utilizing the most advanced robotic technologies and smart devices in the field of rehabilitation. They were supported by a large team of professional and experienced therapists: nurses, doctors, occupational therapists, nutritionists, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers, and speech therapists.
During the event, the stories of several patients from the center were shared. With great determination and the support of the professional teams, they recovered from their injuries through remarkable rehabilitation and continued to strive with every step and movement to reintegrate into their lives.
The "Avenue of Renaissance" was unveiled to the participants at the ceremony on Mount Scopus. This project, which has been developing for years since the decision was made to establish the new rehabilitation center, includes the footprints of IDF Chiefs of Staff and senior security officials from throughout the years, along with the footprints of those wounded in Israel's wars. Each Chief of Staff chose a soldier whose story deeply moved them, and together they symbolically imprinted their footprints, representing rebirth and the shared path to recovery.
The new center opened its doors thanks to a major fundraising campaign conducted by the Hadassah Women's Organization and Hadassah International. This national project originated with Dalia Itzik, Chairwoman of the Hadassah Board of Trustees and former Speaker of the Knesset, and was funded by the State of Israel. The center was named Gendel in honor of John and Pauline Gendel of Melbourne, Australia, who run the Gendel Foundation and are considered the center's largest donors in recent years. They made a multimillion-dollar donation—the largest the foundation has ever made to projects worldwide—which they dedicated to its creation.
President Yitzhak Herzog said: "The Gendel Rehabilitation Center offers the essential gift to every human being: hope. Hope to heal the soul and strengthen the body, hope for independence, hope to dream again, hope to achieve and realize their dreams.
During this long war, Michal and I visited countless wounded. Time and again, we saw helicopters land one after another, sometimes almost without pause, bringing heroes in olive-green uniforms, heroes bearing the Hadassah logo. And here we saw how, in an instant, Hadassah medical teams transformed into elite units fighting for the lives of combatants. Here at Hadassah, skilled hands, generational experience, unwavering determination, and boundless wisdom joined forces with the finest professionals and the most loyal messengers of the healthcare system in the State of Israel.Dear friends, with your own hands, you are rebuilding the State and society in Israel." May the work of rebuilding that begins here bring healing and recovery to each of us, and to all of us together
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “Hadassah Women’s World Organization, Dalia Itzik, Chair of the Hadassah Board of Trustees, Prof. Yoram Weiss, Director General of Hadassah Medical Center. Thank you for everything you do for Hadassah patients, with patience and discretion. I want to tell you: you are extraordinary. You have excellent doctors and you do magnificent work.
I came here at the beginning of the war, about two years ago, with a congressman from Florida. We toured the wards of the wounded, and it was very difficult. I have seen terrible things on the battlefield, but seeing these young heroes who had lost limbs and suffered serious injuries was moving. Seeing their courage, their indescribable hope… I had to hold back my emotions; it was a great inspiration to me.
Here at Hadassah, I have witnessed a level of medical commitment, meticulous care by the medical teams that is unparalleled in the world. The doctors here are the best professionals. The rehabilitation center that is…” “This building is much more than just a rehabilitation center.” This building, what we see here, is a building of hope and of the new world of tomorrow, and that is what I saw in the eyes of the wounded soldiers. I want to thank everyone at Hadassah for their work helping the wounded reintegrate into life.
Ms. Carol Ann Schwartz, President of the Hadassah Women’s World Organization: “We joined the national mission and inaugurated the Gandel Rehabilitation Center ahead of schedule, driven by a sense of calling to treat and rehabilitate the wounded. The mission we joined is far from over. Many of those being rehabilitated face physical and mental challenges daily, and their struggle has lasted for months and even years. We are committed to continuing to support and assist them every step of the way.” The generosity that made the creation of the center possible reflects the trust and determination of Hadassah Women’s Organization members and supporters worldwide in Hadassah’s activities and mission. We will continue working for the heroes and heroines who risked their lives, in the long rehabilitation process they are undergoing, and for all people in Israel who need medical care and rehabilitation.
Ms. Dalia Itzik, Chairwoman of the Hadassah Board of Directors, stated: “Immediately after October 7, we all understood the magnitude of the situation and mobilized to bring forward the emergency opening of the rehabilitation center by a year and a half. Since then, thousands of people have received treatment at the center, including hundreds of soldiers and war victims.” Investment in infrastructure and equipment, along with intensive fundraising efforts, has made it possible—thanks to the extraordinary generosity of many people in Israel and around the world—to establish the most advanced rehabilitation system in the Middle East, for the benefit of those heroes and heroines who deserve to reintegrate into life stronger than ever. Hadassah Medical Center is a beacon of wisdom and knowledge, with exceptional teams and cutting-edge technologies. They all work together at the Gandel Rehabilitation Center at Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital and lead the field of rehabilitation in the State of Israel, for both soldiers and civilians.”
Professor Yoram Weiss, Director General of Hadassah Medical Center, stated: “For over a year and a half, the teams at the Gandel Rehabilitation Center at Hadassah Mount Scopus have demonstrated their remarkable capacity for recovery and emotional and psychological support, with unwavering professionalism, humanity, and compassion. Every soldier or civilian who enters our rehabilitation system makes us their ally, and our Hadassah staff are by their side every step of the way, at every moment, and with every achievement, no matter how great. The Gandel Rehabilitation Center at Hadassah Mount Scopus impresses everyone not only with its appearance and size but also with the essence and soul it embodies. It puts into practice the principles of mutual guarantee and Zionism, core values of Hadassah, and enables those undergoing rehabilitation to begin a new life strengthened and prepared for various challenges, accompanied on their return home with the same spirit of victory and determination.”Diplomacy.co.il congratulates The Hadassah Women's Organization and Hadassah management for this remarcable achievementand everyone involved in this momental project in realizing the most modern Rehabilitative Centre in the Middle East
Photos Silvia G. GolanMore pics at Facebook: Israel Diplo / Diplomacy Israel / Silvia G.Golan
