Tel Aviv Diary September 29, 2023

Turmoil on Yom Kippur, Israeli Missiles to Defend Germany, Israeli Tourism to the US to Soar, Economy, Business, and more!

YOM KIPPUR TURMOIL

It was a short week in Israel, and I had originally planned to skip the update. However, events on Yom Kippur convinced me that the update was necessary.

The week started like any other. Large demonstrations took place on Saturday night in Tel Aviv and other cities. Although the turnout seemed slightly lower, the enthusiasm remained strong in this, the 38th week of protests.

Yom Kippur in Tel Aviv is usually a peaceful day, with streets mostly empty, save for children and adults taking advantage of the car-free city to ride bicycles. This year, my neighborhood seemed especially quiet. I mused that perhaps the ongoing construction of the light rail had convinced people to congregate in different parts of the city. However, beneath the surface, the atmosphere was actually far from calm. Less than a mile from my home, chaos erupted in Dizengoff Circle.

Many congregations moved outdoors during COVID-19 when indoor synagogue services were prohibited. In Dizengoff Circle, an organization called Rosh Yehudi sponsored the prayers. They aim to bring religious Jewish practices to non-observant Jews. Their services included a small mechitza (a partition placed to separate men and women during worship). Despite the mechitza, however, many men and women sat together.

This year was different. Months of protests, partly fueled by fears that Orthodox elements in the government might limit women's rights, had led the Tel Aviv municipality to announce that no gender separation would be allowed in public spaces. Rosh Yehudi took the case to the Supreme Court, but the ruling affirmed that Tel Aviv could set its own rules for public spaces.

Defying the court's ruling, on Erev Yom Kippur Rosh Yehudi proceeded with their service, using Israeli flags as a makeshift mechitza. Activists in Tel Aviv were not pleased and disrupted the service, violently removing the mechitza. Both parties were in the wrong: violence should not be an answer and it’s up to the government to enforce the law. However, Rosh Yehudi should have complied with the court order.

The incident highlights the deep fractures in Israeli society. Israel's first overwhelmingly religious government has generated a significant backlash against religious and particularly Orthodox elements. While many religious people are participating in the protest movements—including some of my close friends—the majority of religious communities support this government. The sentiment is that they are imposing their views on the rest of the country. Religious groups have operated in Israel's mostly secular cities for years, with religious girls often working in secular schools as part of National Service. These activities were tolerated, but now the secular world says enough is enough. This incident does not justify the actions of those who deployed violence, but it's important to put them into perspective.

CHETZ (ARROW) 3 TO GERMANY

On Thursday, Defense Minister Galant signed a final agreement at the German Ministry of Defense in Berlin to sell the Chetz 3 anti-ballistic missile system to Germany. The $3 billion deal is the largest in Israel's history, and the historical irony of the event is profound. Less than 80 years after the Holocaust perpetrated by Germany, Galant, the son of a Holocaust survivor, was in Germany to equip them with Israeli weapons to defend themselves against Russian Missiles. Watching the news broadcast of the ceremony with the German Army Orchestra playing HaTikva (Israel’s national anthem) at their military headquarters brought tears to my eyes.

VIOLENCE AMONG ARAB ISRAELIS

Violence persisted this week between Arab Israelis. On Wednesday, a horrifying incident occurred in which a mother and her children were killed. On Thursday, two more individuals were killed, one in the north and another in the south, bringing the total number of Arab Israelis killed this year by other Arabs to 190. The previous government had a comprehensive plan to combat this violence; however, the Netanyahu government canceled the program upon taking office.

TENSIONS ALONG THE GAZA BORDER

The week saw tensions escalate along the Gaza border, characterized by daily marches near the border fence and the release by Gazan terrorists of incendiary balloons into Israel. The tension dissipated on Thursday when Israel permitted Palestinian workers from Gaza to enter the country.

U.S.—ISRAEL VISA ARRANGEMENT

On Thursday, U.S. officials welcomed Israel into the visa-free travel category. Israel became the 41st country to join this program. Israel had to make a number of changes, including introducing biometric passports to join the program. In addition Israel was forced to change the entry process for Palestinian Americans making their entry as simple as any other American. Once the program takes effect, Israelis will simply need to fill out an online form and pay $21 USD, within 48 hours receive approval. The approval is effective for two years. The agreement is expected to boost Israeli tourism to the U.S. significantly. In anticipation, El Al has already announced that it will add an additional daily flight to JFK in June, increasing the total to six daily flights and 33 weekly flights to New York.

HIGH-TECH INVESTING

In the third quarter of 2023, Israeli high-tech firms secured $1.676 billion across 85 deals. While this fundraising volume represents a 14% decline compared to the previous quarter, it indicates stability when measured against the first quarter of the year. The level of investment from foreign investors has likewise stabilized in comparison to recent quarters.

Business

A startup called Digma founded a year ago, has raised $6 million. Digma aims to assist programmers by analyzing "code behavior during runtime" to provide insights all through the writing process, thereby preventing problems from developing later. The company plans to integrate early in the development process, leveraging AI tools alongside CI/CD testing and validation tools. Built on modern observability technologies such as OpenTelemetry and utilizing machine learning, the platform will identify regressions and anomalies to alert developers about potential issues.

Gem Security, an Israeli cyber company specializing in cloud defense, has raised $23 million in a Series A funding round led by GGV Capital, bringing its total funding to $34 million since its founding in 2022. The company focuses on real-time cloud application security, in contrast to traditional solutions. With a team of over 30 employees in Tel Aviv and New York, Gem Security serves various sectors, including finance, energy, and healthcare

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The Israeli startup Senser has developed a platform to minimize system downtimes in organizations. Using eBPF technology and machine learning algorithms it allows for quick problem identification and resolution in cloud and server systems. Founded in 2021 and part of Intel Ignite's 2022 startup accelerator, Senser employs 17 people in Israel. The company recently completed a seed funding round, successfully raising $9.5 million from Eclipse, Amdocs Ventures, and other private investors.

Elbit Systems Ltd. announced this week that it was awarded a contract worth approximately $115 million to supply tank ammunition to a NATO country. The contract will be performed over a period of three years and includes options for further extensions. 

Yehuda (Udi) Vered, General Manager of Elbit Systems Land: "We are honored by the decision of an additional NATO member to arm their tanks with Elbit Systems' innovative 120 mm tank ammunition. The contract provides a strong vote of confidence in our portfolio of advanced munitions."

A PIECE OF HISTORY—THE SIX DAY WAR: PART 2

JUNE 6th, 1967

While the Israeli Army had been very successful during day 1 of the war in eliminating the first line of Egyptian defenses, the Egyptians still had a largely intact army in the Sinai. The Israelis had anticipated a challenging day of fighting. However, for reasons that are disputed to the present day, the order went out to Egyptian forces to retreat toward the canal. That retreat turned the day into a total rout as Israeli forces swiftly advanced with limited opposition. 

On the Jordanian front, Israel made one last plea to King Hussein to stop shelling, a plea he ignored. The order then went out to Israel's troops to capture Jenin on the West Bank and surround the Old City. A paratroop brigade that had been slated to join the fight against the Egyptians was moved to Jerusalem overnight. At 2 A.M, the assault began, with the goal being to reach Mount Scopus. A battle took place to capture the Police Academy and then Ammunition Hill. The battle for Ammunition Hill went on for three hours and was the bloodiest battle of the war. 71 Jordanians and 35 Israelis died.

By the end of the day, the Old City was almost surrounded.

JUNE 7th

In the early hours of the morning of June 7th, the Israeli government debated whether to capture the Old City. The Army first completed the surrounding of the Old City by capturing the Mount of Olives. When the Jordanians could not guarantee a complete ceasefire, the order was given to capture the Old City. At 9:45 A.M., Israeli tanks fired at the Lions Gate, opening the way for troops to move in. They quickly fanned out, capturing the Temple Mount. Commander of the Israeli Paratroops, Motta Gur, radioed the commander of the Central Front General, Uzi Narkiss,- "Har Habayit Beydaeni"- 'The Temple Mount is in our hands.' Shortly thereafter, the first Israeli troops led by the Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren reached the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, which Jews had not been allowed to access for the preceding 19 years.

In the Sinai, Israeli troops continued to advance; they reached the Mitla Pass and then Sharm el Sheik, opening the Straits of Tiran. They approached the Suez Canal.

June 8th

On June 8th, Israeli forces completed their conquest of the West Bank, reaching the Jordan River and blowing up the bridges that spanned it. In Sinai, the Egyptian Army continued its retreat, but the Israeli forces were waiting for them, blocking the Passes. In several hours, they killed thousands of Egyptian soldiers and destroyed hundreds of vehicles. They captured so many prisoners that eventually, the word was given only to hold officers and let everyone else go. Although not originally planned, Israeli forces reached the Suez Canal on the fourth day of the war.

June 9 and 10th

Throughout the war, the Syrians had shelled Israeli settlements, and arguments had taken place about what to do regarding the Syrians. Defense Minister Dayan had opposed an attack, but on the morning of June 9th, he changed his mind and ordered an assault on the Golan Heights. The assault began immediately and was completed by mid-day on June 10th, when a ceasefire went into effect.

In Six Days, the Israeli Army had defeated enemies on three fronts and more than tripled the size of the country. The human cost to Israel was 679 Israeli lives lost and 2563 wounded; some would subsequently die of their wounds.

A TASTE OF TEL AVIV— THE WHISKEY BAR & MUSEUM

A RESTAURANT REVIEW by Marc Schulman

The Whiskey Bar, situated in the historic Sarona district of Tel Aviv, offers a dining experience steeped in both culinary excellence and historical intrigue. Located within a network of underground tunnels constructed by the Templers who established Sarona in 1871, the restaurant serves as a captivating window into the past. Before Israel's Declaration of Independence, these tunnels were utilized by the Haganah, the precursor to the Israel Defense Forces, for arms storage and assembly.

Today, the Whiskey Bar has repurposed this subterranean space into a high-end, Kosher dining establishment renowned for its expansive selection of whiskies. One of the standout features of the restaurant is its curated whisky tasting menu, designed to tantalize the palates of connoisseurs and novices alike.

For those less inclined toward whiskey, the culinary offerings do not disappoint. The menu features a range of savory meat dishes, accompanied by sides that are both fresh and flavorful. Complementing the food and drinks is the impeccable service, attentive without being intrusive, adding another layer of sophistication to the dining experience.

In summary, the Whiskey Bar's distinctive ambiance—imbued with historical significance—and its exceptional food and drink options make it an ideal venue for those seeking a unique and memorable night out.