Tel Aviv Diary September 1, 2023

Four Terror Attacks in One Day, Hapless Government Ministers, Protests Continue, Israel is the Most Expensive Country in the World, A Review of Golda and more.

GOVERNMENT BLUNDERS

The government ministers appear to be competing to determine who can be the most incompetent, or alternatively, who is able to inflict the greatest amount of damage to the country. Two weeks ago, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich froze funds designated for Arab-Israeli communities. Just last week, National Security Minister Ben-Gvir stated that “he and his wife and children have more of a right to travel on West Bank roads than Palestinians”.

This week presented, without question, the most glaring blunder. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eli Cohen, took part in a covert meeting with the Foreign Minister of Libya. In an attempt to publicly show off this sign of progress, Cohen prematurely broadcast the occurrence of the meeting, which led to the Libyan Foreign Minister's resignation, forcing her to flee Libya. One must wonder who will be willing to conduct confidential meetings with Israeli envoys in the future. Eli Cohen, seemingly ill-equipped for his role, holds the position for only a year. Then, the supposedly suave and British-trained (said in jest) Yisrael Katz is planned to take over. This rotating approach to leadership has been a hallmark Netanyahu’s administration. No concern as to the suitability of someone for the job, just satisfying his internal political needs in the Likud.

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However, Smotrich is not yet out of contention to win the medal for the most significant missteps. Earlier this week, Smotrich announced his decision to resume funding for Arab municipalities. However, he introduced a novel idea, i.e., ranking municipalities based on the risk of allocated funds being misappropriated due to corruption. The hiccup? This suggestion was reviewed extensively and deemed unfeasible in a detailed report issued one year ago by professionals from various organizations, including the police.

ANTI-JUDICIAL REFORM PROTESTS

Although the Knesset is out on recess until after the holidays, and the courts have closed for August, neither the government nor the demonstrators have ceased their activities. Last Saturday night, the weekly demonstrations continued. Attendance was somewhat diminished, likely because many Israelis vacation during the latter half of August

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LEVINE PUSHES FORWARD

Meanwhile, at the behest of Justice Minister Levin, the government voted to establish a Committee of Inquiry to investigate unauthorized police use of wiretapping equipment. This decision is puzzling, since an investigation had already been conducted, revealing only a few instances of misuse. What's more alarming, Levin did not exclude ongoing trial cases from this inquiry, notably the Netanyahu case. The head of the committee, an outspoken critic of the trial against the Prime Minister, has openly expressed skepticism, and stated unequivocally that he distrusts mainstream media reports.

FOUR TERROR ATTACKS IN 24 HOURS

On Wednesday, a Palestinian targeted a group of soldiers near Hebron, using a vehicle as a weapon. One soldier suffered minor injuries. Later that same evening, a 14-year-old from East Jerusalem assaulted a man on Jerusalem's light rail. A nearby Border Police officer intervened, resulting in the teen's death. Later on Wednesday night an IED detonated near an army vehicle safeguarding Jewish worshippers at Joseph's Tomb in Shechem (Nablus). Under the agreement with the Palestinians when we removed our troops from Shechem, it was guaranteed that this site would remain accessible to Jewish worshippers. However, Joseph's Tomb has historically been a contentious site. I personally recall (as far back as 1975, during my basic training) performing guard duty there and having stones hurled at me by local youths.

The most severe attack this week occurred when a 41-year-old Palestinian, who possesses a work permit to enter Israel, drove a truck into a group of soldiers stationed at a food stand near the Maccabee checkpoint, just after entering Israel proper. This attack resulted in the death of Cpl. Maksym Molchanov, 20, who moved to Israel from Ukraine in 2017, and the injury of three additional soldiers.

Cpl. Maksym Molchanov who just recently saved a 13 year olds life by donating bone marrow

The assailant fled, but was halted at another checkpoint where guards, already alerted to the earlier attack, shot him.

There's no doubt that we're experiencing a surge in terror activities. While many commentators and government officials quickly point fingers at the incitement by entities like Hamas and Iran, it's only part of the narrative. The enduring situation in the West Bank, combined with the actions of the current government, creates an environment where individuals decide to sacrifice their lives for a fleeting moment of perceived "glory".

CENTRAL ISRAEL’S FIRST LIGHT RAIL

I had anticipated writing a glowing review of our maiden journey on Israel’s new light rail line in Tel Aviv — an inauguration we've eagerly awaited for quite some time. Years ago, when it seemed the line would soon be operational, I promised our cousin in Petah Tikvah (located at one end of the Red line) that we'd visit for dinner as soon as the light rail opened. And so, the day came, and off we went.

Descending deep underground via escalators I've passed numerous times before, we reached the station at Begin Street, at the bottom of Shaul Hamelech. While the station was clean, its design struck me as peculiar. Passengers enter from one side and must traverse halfway down a rather long corridor to access the controlled portion of the station. Then, oddly enough, it is necessary to retrace your steps to take the final set of escalators to the train platform.

Promptly on schedule, our train arrived. It was busy, but not overly congested. The journey began underground, passing through Ramat Gan and B’nei Brak, before emerging to ground level as we approached Petah Tikvah. We disembarked right on cue, where my cousin awaited. However, due to what appears to be an oversight in planning, there's no convenient waiting area for vehicles nearby, so he had been forced to circle the block.

For our return trip, we hoped for smooth sailing, especially given the work we needed to wrap up later that evening. Yet, about two-thirds of the way back, the train lurched to an abrupt stop. The conductor promptly stated the obvious—that we'd unexpectedly halted. Minutes later, he informed us that an electrical system failure was to blame, but assured us we'd resume our journey shortly.

 

After a fifteen minute delay, the train gingerly approached the next station, where we were instructed to disembark. Without further explanation or assistance, we found our way to the street and hailed a taxi home from Ramat Gan. Thus concluded my inaugural experience with the light rail. This was the first serious malfunction of the light rail in its two weeks of operation. The problem was fixed by mid morning the next day. Given the circumstances, I believe I'll postpone my next ride for some time.

IT’S OFFICIAL: ISRAEL DEEMED MOST EXPENSIVE COUNTRY IN OECD

It comes as no surprise to anyone living in Tel Aviv that Israel is an expensive place to live.  However the OECD confirmed that fact with a recent report, which indicates that for the year 2022, Israel has taken the top spot with the highest cost of living among all OECD member nations. Since 2004, Israel has seen a consistent rise in its cost of living in comparison to other OECD nations. This means that the average Israeli is feeling more economic strain each year, especially when wages don't match the increase in living costs.

To further contextualize this, it's noteworthy that nations such as Switzerland and Iceland, which closely follow Israel in the ranking, are substantially wealthier in terms of GDP per capita. Specifically, in 2022:

• Israel's cost of living was reported to be 38% higher than the OECD average.

• Switzerland, known for its high living standards and expenses, was 37% higher than the average.

• Iceland was 32% above the average.

• The United States, the world's largest economy, had a cost of living 25% higher than the average.

Historically, there have been countries with even greater deviations from the OECD average. For instance, Iceland was 62% above the average in 2007, and Switzerland was 50% above in 2015. However, these gaps have reduced over time.

The continual rise in Israel's cost of living compared to the OECD average, coupled with historical data, paints a concerning picture for the nation's economic landscape. This issue is multifaceted, influenced by factors like housing market inflation and changes in exports, and requires intricate policy measures to address such a crisis.

BUSINESS

Cyber GRC Automation, a solution by Saifago (also known as Cypago), aims to streamline cyber solutions in the market. This system allows organizations to automatically ensure their cyber plan's compliance with various standards. As risks to customer data increase, implementing and monitoring controls becomes more complex. Thanks to Cypago, Security managers can now focus on making data-driven decisions. Arik Solomon, Cypago co-founder highlights that organizations are dedicating significant resources to manual tasks, risking non-compliance and eroding client trust. Cypago, which raised $13 million from leading investors, was founded in 2020 by Solomon and Yahav Peri. The company employs 25 individuals across Israel and the US, mainly operating in the American market

Cypago Founders

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The Israeli start-up QuantHealth, specializing in software for clinical drug trial efficiency, has raised $15 million. This round was spearheaded by Pitango HealthTech and Bertelsmann's health investment fund. Founded in 2020 by Or Inbar and Arnon Horvitz, the company has a team of 24, with most stationed in Israel. Before this, they had amassed $5 million, with their last funding disclosed in June 2022.

Intuition Robotics recently secured $25 million in funding, with contributions from Woven Capital, Toyota's growth fund, and others, bringing their total to $83 million. This Israeli-based firm, founded in 2016, has developed a robot named ElliQ, designed to help alleviate loneliness in the elderly. The robot, purchasable in the U.S. through the ElliQ website, involves a $250 one-time fee and a monthly charge between $30 to $40. Research equates the health risks of chronic loneliness to smoking 15 cigarettes daily, prompting health officials in the U.S. to seek solutions. Consequently, several U.S. governmental organizations, including regions like New York and Broward County in Florida, have adopted ElliQ for their senior citizens. Dor Skuler, CEO of Intuition Robotics, emphasized the transformative potential of technology and AI in enhancing seniors' lives, noting the recent AI advancements that make ElliQ's interactions more contextual and personalized.

Tel Aviv-based AI21 Labs, which develops text-generating AI tools, raised a $155M Series-C at a $1.4B valuation, bringing its total raised to $283M. The Series-C financing round was led by the San Francisco-based venture capital firm Walden Catalyst, Israeli VC Pitango, Thailand’s SCB10X, European venture firm b2venture, Samsung Next, and AI21’s co-founder Prof. Amnon Shashua, who is also the co-founder of Mobileye (an Intel company).

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT— “GOLDA”

A MOVIE REVIEW

I hesitantly decided to view the powerful new historical drama "Golda" in movie theaters. It was only the second film I've seen in theaters since the pandemic began (the first being “Oppenheimer.") I'm glad I saw both. The two films share some similarities: both are biographies and utilize investigative hearings as narrative devices. "Oppenheimer" chronicles J. Robert Oppenheimer’s  entire life, touching on significant ethical and historical dilemmas about using the atomic bomb, as well as, the postwar treatment of individuals in America with even remote ties to the Communist Party. 

In contrast, “Golda” is considerably more focused, as the film does not cover Golda Meir's entire life. Instead, the movie narrative is set during the Yom Kippur War, providing a compelling account of the war from Golda's perspective. It's not about the soldiers on the Golan Heights, or the pilot who risked everything; it is a riveting account of war from the standpoint of a leader who bore immense responsibility.

The Yom Kippur War affected me profoundly. Although I wasn’t in Israel, I worked for the Jewish Agency and closely collaborated with the Israeli consulate. While I was a college student in New York, my Israeli friends were in the army. Sadly, one of them did not return from the war. The following summer, I attended the heart-wrenching reinterment ceremonies as Israeli soldiers were moved from temporary to permanent graves in hastily expanded military cemeteries.

In the film, Golda grapples with the death of so many young soldiers. In a poignant scene, Gold is at the military headquarters during the launch of the initial counter-offensive. She hears the anguished cries of soldiers in tanks under attack … one pleads he doesn't want to die, another calls for his mother. I found myself crying profusely as I watched the scene.

Golda with General Ariel Sharon During the Yom Kipper War

 

I’ve seen other films on the Yom Kippur war, including the acclaimed series “Valley of Tears” (in Hebrew, "שעת נעילה" or “Sha'at Ne'ilah") on Kan Broadcasting. While that series was commendable, I wasn’t prepared for the emotional impact this movie would have on me. I have a few small historical gripes with the film, like an inaccurately depicted plane, but overall, it’s both historically faithful and utterly captivating. Each week, during demonstrations on Kaplan Street, I observe a significant number of Yom Kippur war veterans. )Many wear t-shirts with the slogan— “Combat soldiers of Kippur ’73 fight for the character of the country”) This week, I’ll view them with renewed respect, reflecting on the tremendous sacrifices they made for their nation.

A TASTE OF TEL AVIV— SAMANTHA’S

A RESTAURANT REVIEW, by Tali Schulman

Today, we're visiting Samantha’s—a truly special place in Shuk Hacarmel. Situated on Haim Havshush street, just a few steps away from the Shuk, Samantha’s offers incredible cocktails in a perfectly friendly and laid-back environment that was missing from the neighborhood. The cocktails, including their unique take on a margarita called La Bruja, made with fresh fruit juice, are both delicious and refreshing. Additionally, their special partnership with Frua winery (they’re the only place in the country that carries their bottles!) offers an array of stunning wine options. However, the true enchantment emanates from the owners—a couple and their close mutual friend. They bring forth a particularly warm atmosphere, likely due to their hands-on approach in building the place from the ground up (literally) leaving their distinct impression on every aspect of it. So, the next time you pass through the Shuk, be sure to stop by and experience their beverages. There's no doubt that they will entice you to return for more

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Samantha’s 38 Hayim Havshush St. (052)366-6068

For more Tel Aviv restaurant recommendations, you can find me on Instagram @talischulman where I save all my food adventures in my highlights!