Israel 2020 by Diplomacy&Commerce magazine

Israel - 2020 -

ISRAEL & SERBIA

STRONG FRIENDSHIP AT ALL LEVELS

E XCUSE ME WHERE IS THE MUSEUM?

With more than 200 museums, Israel has the highest number of museums per capita in the world.

CRAZY ABOUT ICE CREA

The average Israeli eats about 10 liters of ice cream per year, compared to 6.2 liters per capita in Italy, home of gelato. You can buy hummus-flavored ice cream in a shop in Jaffa.

A MUSEUM UNDER THE SEA

Israel is home to the only underwater museum in the world. In Caesarea, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re able to dive through the underwater ruins of the ancient city. It is about a 1-hour drive from downtown Tel Aviv.

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FLOATING ON WATER

DROP OF LIFE

Water-saving drip irrigation was invented in Israel. Drip irrigation has the highest water efficiency rate in agriculture, reaching a 70 to 80% rate, versus open irrigation, which achieves 40%.

The Dead Sea is the lowest place on Earth. Its surface and shores are 430.5 metres below sea level, Earth's lowest elevation on land. It is 304 m deep, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world.

SMALL COUNTRY

Israel is the 100th smallest country in the world, just ahead of El Salvador. You can run through it from W to E in two hours and from N to S in 9 days. It is roughly half the size of Lake Michigan.

LETTERS TO GOD

ADE IN M ISRAEL

The cell phone was developed in Israel. From voice components developed for combat systems, an Israeli company called Efrat Systems created voicemail.

The letters to God department of the Israeli postal service receives each year more than 1,000 letters to God. The letters are opened once every few months, folded and, in a ceremony overseen by a senior rabbi, squeezed into the cracks of the Western Wall, in Jerusalem's Old City.

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INTERVIEW

STRONG FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SERBIA AT ALL LEVELS H.E. ALONA FISHER-KAMM Ambassador of Israel to Serbia

In the last two years, a lot has been done in creating a favourable environment for investments in start-ups, operations of VC funds and putting creative industries on the map of Serbian economic strengths and opportunities. Economic relations have been growing steadily together with the Israeli investments here and we hope to see emerging joint ventures and cooperation in the years to come 4

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n this special edition dedicated to Israeli-Serbian overall relations, we spoke with H.E. Alona Fisher-Kamm, Israeli Ambassador, who is at the end of her mandate in Serbia. She spoke about relations and friendship of the two countries. “I am leaving Serbia with mixed feelings. Parts of my heart and soul are staying here. What made Serbia so special for me are the people, their openness and kindness as well as their deep feeling of friendship and solidarity with Israel. Another impression is the similarity between the peoples. These conditions have facilitated my task here and served as basis for the enhancement of the relations in all areas: politics, economy, culture, public diplomacy etc” pointed out Mrs. Fisher-Kamm.

You have spent four full years in Serbia. With what impressions are you leaving our country? Relations between Serbia and Israel have been built gradually along the years but in the last years this progress has been accelerated. In 2018 we had the first ever visit of our President Reuven Rivlin in Serbia. President Vučić participated in the global forum that marked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz death camp accompanying the visit with the yellow flag on the balcony of the President building. Serbia adopted the Law of the Memorial site in Staro Sajmište and implemented the Law on property restitution and compensation. We celebrated together the 25th anniversary of the renewal of our diplomatic relations in 2017, with a series of political, academic and cultural activities and opened a Center for Hebrew language and civilizations at the University of Belgrade in 2019. Economic relations have been growing steadily together with the Israeli investments here. Israeli tourists found in Serbia an interesting destination. A moment of real emotion for me was the lighting of the most iconic sites of Belgrade in blue and white to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the State of Israel. And again, what makes Serbia so special are the people.

What were the biggest challenges you faced during your diplomatic mission in Belgrade? I have the impression that Serbia, like Israel is a country of contradictions. It is a country that does not stop surprising you. In addition, Serbia I arrived to four years ago is different in many aspects from the one I am leaving. Maybe the EU accession process has brought not only tangible and economic changes but also psychological ones. It is very easy to fall in love with Serbia but more difficult to acquire a deep understanding of what motivates people here, what their sensitivities are and what kind of historical wounds they carry.

RECENTLY, WE HAVE SIGNED A PROTOCOL ON COOPERATION BETWEEN MASHAV-ISRAELI AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE SERBIAN MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE Serbia like Israel attaches a lot of importance to its history. History is present everywhere and it would be hard to analyse and evaluate many decisions and policies taken here without taking it into consideration. What was the hardest thing to endure during the state of emergency and how did you communicate with the community? Did Israeli companies ask for help and if they did, of what kind? Uncertainty was probably the hardest part of the pandemic. It was hard to take any professional or personal decisions under so many question marks. Personally, the impossibility to join my family in Israel and the fact that I could not meet them for months were a real challenge. As Ambassador, I felt I was responsible for the health

and well being of the employees and their families and of the Israeli community here. Many of the Israelis here are part of the business community and had to decide whether to join the families in Israel or to stay to run the business here. Some of the Israeli companies have been here in very challenging moments in the history of Serbia and yet did not leave. In spite of their present concerns regarding the potential negative consequences of COVID19, they are all continuing the development of their investments here. The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, participated in the annual AIPAC conference in early March. What made the strongest impression on you from that visit? President Vučić’ speech in AIPAC is a tangible and symbolic expression of the excellent relations that prevail today between Serbia, Israel and the Jewish people. By declaring the intention of Serbia to open an official office in Jerusalem, President has joined a list of friendly countries that understand that this move does not undermine peace. On the contrary, it sends a message that time has come to recognize reality and work together to advance peace between Israel and the Palestinians through direct negotiations. The event took place only a month after the visit of President Vučić in Israel and the presentation of the yellow star flag on the balcony of the President’s residence. The speech followed the adoption of Staro sajmište law after long years of endless debates and was followed by the adoption of the international working definition of antisemitism by the Serbian Parliament and the lighting of Belgrade in blue and white to mark Israel’s 72nd anniversary. One can appreciate the speech even more when you look at it in this broader perspective of mutual efforts to enhance the relations. In February this year, you opened our Innovation Talk conference, at which successful Israeli innovators spoke. What can Serbia learn from Israel and how can Israel help us in that regard?

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During the last Innovation Talk conference, we had an important visit of managing partners of the Israeli Pitango Venture Capital fund. Pitango is one of the first VC funds founded in Israel and among the leading till today. One of the Managing Partners is the son of the former Israeli President Peres. Chemi Peres and his partner came to explore the market, to understand the potential and to assist the government with how to create state supported local VC funds. This visit has levelled up our existing cooperation in the area of innovation. For me, first important thing to be learned from the Israeli experience is that a country doesn’t have to be rich or big in order to develop an efficient ecosystem for innovation. On the contrary, the best innovation and inventions come out of necessity! Israel is a medium sized country with limited internal market and no natural resources. It lives under very special geopolitical conditions that restraint the possibility to develop economic relations with its neighbours. This is why Israel has created an export-oriented economy based on services and put an emphasis on human resources as the driving force. DNA of Israeli entrepreneurship is specific. The military service in Israel enables young men and women to learn about various technologies. In addition, they are able to create a network during their service that is continued later in civilian life. As for the culture of taking risks, that is something we foster from childhood many would say. This is also reflected in ‘’hutzpah’’ attitude of daring to question the given facts and reality as such. Israeli model is well known but every country has its specifics and model should be adjusted with considerations to each country’s needs, strengths and weaknesses. Our Embassy is an active participant and contributor to Serbian startup ecosystem from the very beginning. As such, we are one of the benchmark countries to look upon. We collaborate closely with different stakeholders: governmental, local and private alike. In the last two years, a lot has been done in creating a favourable environ-

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SOLIDARITY AND FEELING OF COMMON DESTINY IS AN IMPORTANT LAYER IN THE RELATIONS BETWEEN SERBIA AND ISRAEL ment for investments in startups, operations of VC funds and putting creative industries on the map of Serbian economic strengths and opportunities. These are the sectors wherein Israeli companies are particularly strong in and we hope to see emerging joint ventures and cooperation in the years to come. Serbia and Israel have strong cooperation in all segments. What more can be done to boost economic and cultural cooperation, as well as the cooperation in other segments? Embassy invests a lot of efforts in boosting economic cooperation and trade along with enhancing cultural ties. The embassy takes part in various music and dance festivals by bringing Israeli performers. We organize a film week

in all main cities in the country wherein the newest Israeli achievements are being presented. Beside, we actively cooperate with publishing houses in translating Israeli literature. Our Embassy is keen on expanding activities beyond Belgrade. In this regards we organize Days of Israel in different cities where the local audience enjoys Israeli culture, arts and lifestyle. We intend to keep this trend and to bring Israeli culture across the country in cooperation with municipalities and other stakeholders. One of the most important sectors of our bilateral economic cooperation in the last few years is tourism! Since 2016, after launching low cost flights to Belgrade by the 2 Israeli air- carriers, we marked a dramatic growth in numbers of Israeli tourists in Serbia. In this regards 2018 was a record year with more than 40 000 Israelis that visited Serbia. We hope this trend will remain and expand to other beautiful sites and regions of the country. On the commercial side, the level of trade has a steady growth by 15% on annual basis, despite of non-existing free trade agreement. One of the challenges for boosting the economic cooperation lies in the lack of awareness on opportunities from both sides together with compatibility and struc-

gest windfarms in the country, Kovačica. Israeli Enlight Energy is one of the investment partners. The embassy will keep on investing efforts in engaging businesses from both countries in the mentioned areas, through bilateral conferences, forums, mentoring programs and similar activities. Our countries are bound by a common past and are strongly opposing the current trends of revisionism, especially bearing in mind the sacrifices that the Serbian and Israeli people had to bear throughout history. How bilateral relations can be further improved in this matter?

ture of the two economies. In addition, we have to strengthen the legal framework to enable businesses to work together much easier. Among achievements in this area, we had an Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation, which came into power at the beginning of this year. In addition, in the area of agriculture, recently we have signed a Protocol on cooperation between Mashav - Israeli Agency for International Cooperation and Development and the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture. We have a vivid cooperation in agriculture, which evolves over the years. Our embassy took part at Novi Sad Agriculture fair during the last 3 years with national booth presenting Israeli technologies through their local companies. Serbia had a national booth at Israfood fair last November presenting

ISRAEL HAS CREATED AN EXPORT-ORIENTED ECONOMY BASED ON SERVICES AND PUT AN EMPHASIS ON HUMAN RESOURCES AS THE DRIVING FORCE its rich processed and fresh fruits and vegetables portfolio. Economic areas, which hold a special focus for us, beside agriculture, are IT, water treatment and water management as well as renewables. Last year, we inaugurated one of the big-

This solidarity and feeling of common destiny is an important layer in the relations between Serbia and Israel. Of course, it is not enough but it serves as a solid ground for deepening the friendship. The long years Jewish presence here has created connections and figures. David Albala, Rabbi Yehuda Alkalai or Theodor Herzl who played an important role in our history, are all originated from Serbia. The International Day of Holocaust Remembrance is marked here in different ways and institutions and the message of Never Again is relevant for everybody. Antisemitism is like litmus paper of the society. It reflects its own weaknesses and undermines its own democratic values. During my mandate here, I witnessed so many activities to remember Holocaust on the one hand and to fight antisemitism on the other hand. Unfortunately, this is not the situation in many other countries where antisemitism is raising its head again, together with historical revisionism and relativism and Holocaust denial. 

HOME IS WHERE YOUR HEART IS What memories from Serbia are you going to carry with you? Do you promise to come back since you will always be a very dear guest at our events? — I’m flattered. Such statements almost make me cry as it is hard for me to leave Serbia and to leave behind so many friends and colleagues. I hope I could give Serbia as much love, kindness and generosity as I got here during these beautiful years. As we say, Home is where your heart is. No doubt, I will be happy to come back to this place that became my second home.

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CORPORATE

THE BIGGEST INNOVATION POTENTIALS

We have recently launched a large new products development program for the next 5 years. We hope to launch some of those solutions very soon ILAN LEVANON

CEO at ADAMA SRB doo

ith the proximity of our Serbian expertise, knowhow, similar business practices, culture and language (in most cases…), we will make Serbia a regional hub and grow our business significantly.

Like all industries, agriculture is certainly one of the most affected by the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the world. What is your view of the situation and how did you manage to adjust your business in a short time? — Demand for food is basic so food production – agriculture – must continue. However, we have seen profound changes in global agriculture patterns: 40% reduction in wine consumptions (restaurants, bars, hotels…) which directly affects growers, restriction on grains and fresh produce exports, shifting back from globalization to localization, shortage of farm labour, disrupted supply chains and broken logistic routs due to closed borders, to name a few. We in ADAMA have reacted immediately by ensuring the safety of our people while remaining fully committed to our customer’s needs. Our teams have used their utmost creativity and commitment and ensured continues service to our customers, in spite the almost impossible environment. We have shifted our marketing into the digital space, reaching out to our customers and communities. In spite the fact that the pandemic

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period covered the peak of our selling season, we have managed to perform as per our plans. Does Adama bring technology and innovation in the field of agriculture? What is currently in focus? — By now, the AgroChemical industry has managed to provide a solution to almost any crop protection problem exists. Authorities increase their pressure on the industry to reduce the use of chemicals and farmers demand simple, quality and economical solutions. This business environment dictates a different innovative approach than the old-fashion new molecule development. This includes sophisticated de-

SOLUTION

By now, the AgroChemical industry has managed to provide a solution to almost any crop protection problem exists livery systems that can bring the same result with only a fraction of the active ingredient, formulation and packaging Ideas from other industries, etc. One of the biggest innovation potentials seems to be on coupling agriculture practices with high-tech. This is a very wide area that includes the use of advanced digital sensing technologies, individualizing every single plant rather than the whole field, or the use of drones and other digital vehicles to optimize the

use of traditional field operations such as herbicide spraying, field monitoring for water and nutrients deficiencies, etc. ADAMA, being an Israeli based company within the famous “start-up nation”, is deeply involved in all those future directions through a new and exciting R&D collaborations. Slogan Listen.Learn.Deliver. sounds like a strong motivational message you send, do you think it can be applied in everyday life? — I love this slogan especially because of the word “Listen”. Delivering is about execution, learning is a process, but Listening is an art. So the first and most critical step in this chain, is a true objective listening to the farmers, consumers, customers, understand their pain points, difficulties, listening to our people as well … than take what we have heard, proposing tailor-made solutions and finally – execute and deliver! I can testify that acquiring this amazingly simple human ability to stay still and fully listen, has positively affected my everyday life quality Can you tell us about the plans in Serbia? What are the future steps? — We have recently expanded our territory from Serbia and Bosnia to Croatia, Slovenia, N. Macedonia and Albania. With the proximity of our Serbian expertise, know-how, similar business practices, culture and language (in most cases…), we will make Serbia a regional hub and grow our business significantly. ADAMA has recently launched a large new products development program for the next 5 years. We hope to launch some of those solutions very soon. 

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COOPERATION

HOPE FOR THE CONTINUOUS STEADY RISING TREND The economic impact of the coronavirusrelated crisis is something the whole world is faced with but the Israeli economy is technologically driven and it has so far proved resilient to economic crises he decline in economic activity caused by COVID-19 is something that we will all face and be forced to deal with in the coming period. The Israeli economy is technologically driven and has so far proved resilient to economic crises. This gives us hope that the recovery will be faster,” said H.E. Alona Fisher Kamm, Ambassador of Israel to Serbia and Montenegro, in an interview for Nova Ekonomija. The level of overall Israeli investments reached around 1 billion EUR over the years after the democratic changes in the year 2000 when most of the Israeli investors came to Serbia. The focus of investors was and still is the real estate sector which made Israel one of the top investors here. Apart from that, many Israeli IT, agriculture technology, fashion and jewellery companies are represented here by local Serbian companies. Significant investment boost from Israel is present in the manufacturing niche such as Strauss Adriatic acquisition of Doncafe and

“T

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Foundry of Precise Castings – LPO Ada in ownership of Bet Shemesh Engines,” said H.E. Alona Fisher Kamm, Ambassador of Israel in Serbia and Montenegro, in 2016, when she started her tenure in Serbia. Four years later, during the first four months of 2020, the total

ISRAELI COMPANIES COME HERE MORE OFTEN AND ARE INVOLVED MAINLY IN BUILDING AND REALESTATE PROJECTS value of the external trade amounted to 28.8 billion USD, with Serbia exporting 16.3 billion USD worth of goods to Israel. Also, bilateral and economic cooperation is very good. The Serbian export is 17.3% higher in relation to the same period last year,

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while the value of imports 12.5 billion USD (a decrease of 28.0%). Serbia has recorded a surplus in the amount of 3.8 million USD in trading with Israel. The export to import ratio for the mentioned period stood at 130.4%. Serbia mostly exported the following products to Israel (value in billion USD) - cigarettes containing tobacco 3.7 bln USD (+ 68.3%), new pneumatic tires for cars 2.1 bln USD (+ 54.3%), parts of turbojet or turboprop engines 1.4 bln USD (+ 133.2%), live lamb (up to one year age), bred for the non-EU countries, 1.3 bln USD (+ 83.3%), dog and cat food 0.8 bln USD (-20.3%), etc. The first five export products represent 57.1% of Serbian exports to Israel. Serbia mostly imported the following products to Israel in the observed period (value in billion USD) – goods unclassified in the customs tariff - goods in storage 5.8 bln USD (-15.3%), herbicides for plant protection 0.8 bln USD (+ 120.6%), tiles for cermet tools 0.4 bln USD (-16.5%) and other products. The first three imported

products account for 56.0% of total imports from Israel. The most important exporters in the first four months of 2020 were: Philip Morris Operations (22.8%), Tigar Tires (13.9%), LPO Ada (13.5%), Sinterfuse (6.4%), Farmina Pet Foods (5.3%), BEL QISTAS (5.1%), Bov's Export (4.3%), Monster Energy SER (3.9%), Laki doo, Arilje (2.6%), Gorenje, Valjevo (2.4%), Sojaprotein, Bečej (2.0%) and others, while the biggest importers were - Vlatacom Institute Belgrade (43.3%), Adama Srb (11.7%), Iscar Tools Belgrade (3.7%), YUMCO ad, Vranje (2.6%), Sinterfuse (2.2%), Virginia doo, Belgrade (2.0%) and others. The bilateral economic cooperation between Israel and Serbia is strongly supported by the Commercial Department of the Embassy of Israel in Belgrade. It is under the auspices and assistance of this department that the main promotion of trade & business between Israel and Serbia takes place. The department organises numerous interesting and useful networking events each year and provides services to create, support and boost strategic alliances, partnerships and joint ventures between businesses from Israel, as well as to encourage and facilitate investments from Serbia and Montenegro in Israel and Israeli companies. Companies that are interested in cooperating with Israel and vice versa often contact the Department to get the information relating to various aspects of the business from a comprehensive database from various business sectors of both Israeli and Serbian business community. In recent years, the Economic Department’s activities have encouraged and facili-

tate investments in the following sectors and fields such as Agriculture and Agro-Technology, Food Industry, Telecommunication, Software, Finance and Bio-Technology. The Economic Department actively encourages business people from Serbia to be part of business delegations and attend trade fairs, exhibitions and other events taking place in Israel through direct mail-

THE BILATERAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SERBIA IS STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY THE COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT OF THE EMBASSY OF ISRAEL IN BELGRADE ing, press releases and personal contacts, promoting Israeli business and trade by outreaching business people and organizations from Serbia and informing them of commercial opportunities in Israel. Israeli companies come here more often and are involved mainly in building and real-estate projects. In 2019, the value of external trade amounted to 83.9 billion USD, of which Serbian exports amounted to 38.9 bln USD (an increase of 20.2% compared to 2018) and imports to 45.0 bln USD (an increase of 11.4%). Serbia recorded a 6.1-bln-USD deficit in trading with Israel while the

export to import ratio stood at 86.4%. Serbia mostly exported the following products to Israel (value in billion USD) in 2019 - cigarettes containing tobacco 6.6 bln USD (+ 84.1%), new pneumatic tires for cars 4.3 bln USD (+ 92.9%), other nickel products 3.4 bln USD (+ 6.7%), parts of turbojet or turboprop engines 2.5 bln USD (+ 21.0%), dog and cat food 2.3 bln USD (-11.0%), etc. The first five export products represent 49.1% of Serbian exports to Israel. Serbia mostly imported the following products to Israel (value in billion USD) in 2019 - goods unclassified in the customs tariff - goods in storage 20.4 bln USD (+ 2.6%), medicines for retail 2.8 (+ 380.0%), printing machines 1.4 bln USD, other ADP machines, delivered as systems 1.3 bln USD (+ 900.0%), tiles for cermet tools 1.1 bln USD (-1.4%) and other products. The top five imported products account for 60.0% of total imports from Israel. The most important exporters in 2019 were - Philip Morris Operations (17.1%), LPO Ada (15.5%), Tigar Tires (12.0%), Sinterfuse (6.3%), Farmina pet foods (6.2%), Bov's Export (3.6%), Bel Qistas (3.4%), PC Center, Belgrade (3.3%) and others, while the biggest importers in 2019 were Vlatacom Institute Belgrade (40.9%), Actavis, Belgrade (6.3%), Fortuna Digital, Belgrade (4.3%), Iscar Tools Belgrade (3.6%), Adama SRB (3.1%), Telegroup (2.9%), Professional Printing Solutions, Belgrade (2.3%), Sinterfuse (1.8%), Unicom-Telecom (1.4%) and others.  Data provided by the Serbian Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications, Sector for Bilateral Economic Cooperation.

EXTERNAL TRADE During the first four months of 2020, the total value of the external trade amounted to 28.8 billion USD, with Serbia exporting 16.3 billion USD worth of goods to Israel. 11 ISRAEL 2020

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INNOVATIONS

THOU SHALT INNOVATE! AVI JORISCH Innovation Expert

Israel is secular, prophetic, diverse READ THIS ON WEB

vi Jorisch is an Israeli writer and an expert in innovation. He carefully drew the sketch of how Israel and the Jews in general became the motor engine for the innovation in the world. The book has not yet been translated into Serbian language, but we had an opportunity to talk to the author, who explained us why Israel became a “Startup Nation”. The critics say that: “Thou Shalt Innovate profiles wondrous Israeli innovations that are collectively changing the lives of billions of people around the world and explores why Israeli innovators of all faiths feel compelled to make the world better. This is the story of how Israelis are helping to feed the hungry, cure the sick, protect the defenseless, and make the desert bloom. Israel is playing a disproportionate role in helping solve some of the world’s biggest challenges by tapping into the nation’s soul: the spirit of tikkun olam the Jewish concept of repairing the world.” Fair enough. But what does Avi have to say himself?

WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPLES OF ISRAELI INNOVATION? Israel is a leading superpower in innovations because it is based upon three basic principles: it is secular, it is prophetic and it is diverse. Its secularity is in the foundation of the State of Israel, and it allows everyone to be as religious or non-religious as they want, not imposing any strict rules. The

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other thing is “prophetic”: Israel has a long history of prophets who gave much to the world: Abraham, Moses, St John the Baptist, Jesus. Lot of these people shaped the main religions in the world today: Christianity and Islam. It means that the great thoughts that changed the world were usually coming from Israel. We are used to changing the world for better, making it a better place.

THE ISRAELI EXPERIENCE IN WATER MANAGEMENT AND BIOTECH IS HERE TO HELP THE WORLD AND RESHAPE IT INTO A BETTER PLACE WHAT ARE THE MAIN AREAS OF INNOVATION NOWADAYS? Israel has made up 5 major water innovations, among which we must emphasise desalination technique, waste water refinement and drip irrigation. It enabled us to irrigate the vast surfaces of desert or arid areas, and to be the leading power in water supply, although we experienced the water shortages some 10 to 15 years ago. Of course, the people feel it repulsive to drink the recycled wate water but we use it for other purposes. Also, there

is a so called “GPS for brain” designed by Arab-Israeli company called Aplha Omega. It helps the brain to cope with the Parkinson’s disease.

WHAT WILL THE FUTURE BRING? We must understand that we are facing the great makeover of the world between 2020 and 2030. In the 2045, all the people will be cured from banal things with the help of devices: it is estimated that all the people on the planet will be partly human, partly machines. By 2090 there will be no more diseases. We will use pill cameras to diagnose the illnesses. But we will face serious challenges: by 2025 much of the world will have problems with water, by 2030 some 40-50% of American cities will have troubles with water supply. Countries like Egypt and Iran will have even more serious obstacles. Therefore it is essential to innovate. And the Israeli experience is here to help the world and reshape it into a better place. 

CORPORATE

WELLPORT – PORT OF GOOD LIFE IN NEW BELGRADE Nothing can replace the peace of mind in one's own home. A safe port which is your anchor after a day full of challenges is priceless. Wellport, the first condominium in New Belgrade, offers all this and much more to its residents

he highest level of safety, comfort, modern design, premium quality materials, but also location, are the reasons why Wellport stands out in the real estate market. This modern residential complex has a reception and professional security who monitors 24/7 all entries and exits. In addition, the entire complex, as well as the underground garages, have video surveillance and access is possible only with a card. That is why the first condominium in New Belgrade is the first choice of those for whom safety comes first. Inside the complex there is a private park and green areas, which can be used only by the residents. Recreation, children's playground, pet walks, relaxation in your own peaceful oasis… the choice is unlimited for those who have decided to anchor in Wellport, a safe port built by the renowned Israeli company Shikun & Binui Group. The first condominium in New Belgrade is located at a very attractive location. Tenants have at their disposal more than 20 primary and 8 secondary schools, and there are also numerous cultural institutions, among which the Museum of Contemporary Art stands out, as well as bars, restaurants and ca-

fes. This location is especially convenient for business people, because there are offices and branches of many local and international companies situated throughout New Belgrade. Also, it only takes a few minutes’ drive to the international airport "Nikola Tesla". Wellport residents have everything at their fingertips - Belgrade rivers, bike paths, shopping malls, health facilities…

REASONS

The highest level of safety, comfort, modern design, premium quality materials, but also location, are the reasons why Wellport stands out in the real estate market It is quite clear why there is such a great interest in this residential complex that even waiting lists are being made for the next phase. Wellport will feature 500 apartments, from studios to four-bedroom penthouses, equipped to meet the needs of tenants with most distinctive taste. In addition to premium

quality construction with an emphasis on natural materials, careful selection of equipment which is in line with the latest technology and energy efficiency requirements, apartments will also be prepared for the implementation of the Smart House system. It is a state-ofthe-art system that remotely controls blinds, water heaters, underfloor heating, air conditioning, calorimeter, lighting… Entrance to the underground garage is available only through license plate reader, and tenants with electric cars can chose parking spaces equipped for charging. The future has already arrived in Wellport and is waiting for new residents. This summer special benefits are available for apartment purchase and furnishing - visit the show room and sales office, located at the same address as this modern residential complex, at 1 Tadije Sondermajera Street and chose your perfect apartment. You will be welcomed by the experts from the leading real estate consultancy in Serbia, CBS International, part of the Cushman & Wakefield Group, which is exclusive sales representative of Wellport apartments. Make your dream come true - live at a perfect location, in an oasis of safety and harmony. 

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ECONOMY

ISRAEL – THE ECONOMIC MIRACLE In many aspects Israel’s short but dramatic history has created a combination of economic, social, demographic and political circumstances that can hardly be compared with any other country hen describing the economy of Israel, journalists and policymakers in several countries frequently quote a book from 2009 by Dan Senor and Saul Singer called “Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle”. It is recommended as The guide for promoting entrepreneurship and the book that examines how Israel, at that time of book publishing, a 60-year-old nation with a population of 7.1 million (Israel had 9.1 million inhabitants in 2019 and the State of Israel celebrated 70 years of existence in 2018), was able to reach such

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economic growth that "at the start of 2009, some 63 Israeli companies were listed on the NASDAQ, more than those of any other foreign country. How is it that Israel—a country surrounded by enemies, in a constant state of war since its founding, with no natural resources—produces more start-up companies than large, peaceful and stable nations like Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada, and the United Kingdom? The Economist notes that Israel now has more high-tech start-ups and a larger venture capital industry per capita than any other country in the world.

TWO MAJOR FACTORS FOR ISRAEL'S ECONOMIC GROWTH The authors of the Start-up Nation explained in 2009 that a major factor for Israel's economic growth can be found in the culture of the Israel Defense Forces, in which service is mandatory for most young Israelis. The authors believe that IDF service provides potential entrepreneurs with the opportunities to develop a wide array of skills and contacts. They also believe that IDF service provides experience exerting responsibility in a relatively un-hierarchical environment where creativity and intelligence are highly valued. The second important role in Israel's economic growth, according to Dan Senor and Saul Singer is played by the immigrants: "Immigrants are not averse to start from scratch. They are

THE ECONOMY OF ISRAEL IS A HIGHLY ADVANCED FREE-MARKET, PRIMARILY KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY

risk-takers. A nation of immigrants is a nation of entrepreneurs. 9 out of 10 Jewish Israelis today are immigrants or descendants of immigrants the first or second generation. “

THE KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY The economy of Israel is a highly advanced free-market, primarily knowledge-based economy. Israel is constantly ranked as "Very Highly Developed" allowing the country to enjoy a higher standard of living than many Western countries. The prosperity of Israel's advanced economy allows the country to have a sophisticated welfare state, a modern infrastructure and a high-technology sector competitively compared with Silicon Valley. The country's major economic sectors are high-technology and industrial manufacturing; the Israeli diamond industry is one of the best in the world for diamond cutting and polishing, amounting to 23.2% of all exports. Relatively poor in natural resources, Israel depends on imports of petroleum, raw materials, wheat, motor vehicles, uncut diamonds and production inputs, though the country's nearly total reliance on energy imports may change in the future with recent discoveries of natural gas reserves off its coast on the one hand and the leading role of the Israeli solar energy industry on the other. FROM AN ENERGY-DEPENDENT COUNTRY INTO AN ENERGY SUPPLIER In 2019 the Greek energy producer Energean has discovered a further significant natural gas reserve off Israel’s

coast. According to those estimates, discovery in the Karish North exploration field contains between 28 to 42 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas. Until large discoveries of natural gas were made off Israel’s coastline in recent years, few perceived the historically natural resource-poor Israel to be a significant source of energy. This perception started to change with the discovery of the Noa gas field off the shores of Ashkelon in 1999. The discovery of more major natural gas fields in Israel since 2009, including Tamar and Leviathan, has transformed the Jewish

THE ISRAELI DIAMOND INDUSTRY IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD FOR DIAMOND CUTTING AND POLISHING, AMOUNTING TO 23.2% OF ALL EXPORTS state from an energy-dependent country into an energy supplier, both domestically and abroad. The use of solar energy began in Israel in the 1950s. By 1967 around 5% of water of households was solar heated and 50,000 solar heaters had been sold. With the 1970s oil crisis, Harry Zvi Tabor developed the prototype of the solar water heater now used in over 90% of Israeli homes. There are over 1.3 million solar water heaters installed because of mandatory solar water heating regulations. Solar technology in Israel has ad-

vanced to the point where it is almost cost-competitive with fossil fuels. The high solar potential of the Negev Desert has encouraged an internationally renowned solar research and development industry. Israel's objective is to produce 10% of the country's energy from renewable sources by 2020.

"INNOVATION NATION" In the past, Israel was referred to as the "Land of Milk and Honey," but in 21st century, it is referred to as "Innovation Nation". Global rankings of the top innovation ecosystems in the world consistently find Israel to be one of the world's top locations for entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. Indeed, Israel's self-proclaimed "Startup Nation" title often comes as a surprise due to the country's small size, relatively young economy and culturally diverse population. Yet anyone who knows a thing or two about Israel knows that the country itself is a kind of "startup" endeavor that takes risks, constantly seeks improvement and knows that innovation and creativity will pave the way forward. Israeli innovation has come a long way since its first "entrepreneurs" met on the Kibbutz. From impressive progress in computing technology, to efficient agritech solutions and on to life-saving medical feats, Israel's list of contributions to human innovation is protracted when considering with its small size. Its immigrant population, go-getter "chutzpah" * attitude, and wealth of opportunities to acquire important analytical and technological skills are factors that have helped foster an impressive ecosystem of innovation. 

VERY HIGHLY DEVELOPED Israel is constantly ranked as "Very Highly Developed" allowing the country to enjoy a higher standard of living than many Western countries 15 ISRAEL 2020

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HEALTH

ISRAELI INNOVATION IN THE TIME OF PANDEMIC

The Israeli health technology ecosystem is something people in Israel are very proud and it has a special significance in situations like this Pandemic one sraeli Ambassador to Serbia Alona Fischer Kam said that Israel is especially proud of its "health technology ecosystem", which has a special significance in the new situation and adds to the technology that the economy also relies on, which gives it resilience to crises. "Israel is one of the countries that was among the first to introduce harsh measures. The borders were closed in early March for foreigners, mostly tourists. The decline in economic activity is something that we will all face and be forced to deal with in the coming period. The Israeli economy is technologically driven and has so far proved resilient to economic crises. This gives us hope that the recovery will be faster. The Israeli health technology eco-

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ISRAEL 2020

system is something we are proud of and which has a special significance in this situation and is of great help. The health technology ecosystem consists of healthcare institutions, startups and technology companies, multinational companies, investors, governments and universities, with 643 startups and more than 5,000 mem-

ISRAEL IS ONE OF THE COUNTRIES THAT WAS AMONG THE FIRST TO INTRODUCE HARSH MEASURES

bers. A large number of them are currently working on the development of various applications and products that help fight the corona virus. Some of these innovations relate to speeding up diagnostics through the application of special diagnostic kits, disease risk assessment, non-invasive skin scanners, telemedicine programs where online contact between a patient in home isolation and a doctor in a hospital is enabled. Several institutes, such as the Israeli Institute for Biological Research and the Migal Galilee Research Institute, are working to develop a vaccine. "There are startups that have developed special materials sensitive to the corona virus that protect health workers by alarming in case of contact of the virus with the mask," said Fischer Kam. ď&#x201A;Ł

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erbian company TIM Co. was established in 1993, as a company engaged in the service of medical equipment. Since year 2000, company begins to represent foreign manufacturers of medical equipment and just to mention some of them with whom we have outstanding cooperation over the past years: HOLOGIC (USA), KAVO (Germany), CODONICS (USA), PLANILUX (Germany), and BARCO (Belgium). From the second half of 2013, Tim Co. established a new department which is responsible for the placement of digital X-ray systems for use in various industrial and security applications. TIM Co. made exclusive contracts for representing the following companies in the field of industrial and security applications: TELEDYNE ICM (Belgium), Nikon Metrology Europe N.V. (Japan) and VisiConsult (USA). Especially, we would like to emphasize very successful cooperation with the next three Israeli companies which represent the

world's top in the field of security and safety equipment: - NOVO DR (Israel), leading designer, developer and manufacturer of cutting edge portable digital X-ray systems. NOVO DR produce flat panel-based radiography inspection systems for the Security, NDT and Science and Art sectors. - ApolloShield (Israel) Anti-Drone Systems Developed by ex-military experts, ApolloShield is a world leader in detecting and blocking drone intrusions, as well as tracking down and arresting unauthorized drone operators. For government and civilian use, Apol-

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loShield provides advanced BF drone blocking technology, unique legal and safe choice for proactive directors of security who want to do more than just detect drone intrusions. - Laser Detection Systems LDS (Israel), a world-leading developer of stand-off laser-based trace detection technology, Laser Detect Systems (LDS) commercializes ultra-sophisticated, reliable and advanced laser spectrometry-based trace detection technology for homeland security, law enforcement, military and environmental safety application. Various tasks were set for TIM Co., and TIM Co. was always big enough to handle them successfully, and small enough to perform them better than anyone else. TIM Co. will continue to serve as a reliable partner of the leading world-renowned producers of industrial and security applications, as well as security and safety equipment, as well as to successfully continue to perform all tasks and goals. 

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MEDICINE

by Vanja Kovačev

THE FIRST ISRAELI VACCINE AGAINST THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS For the past four years, a team of MIGAL scientists located in the Galilee has been developing a vaccine against infectious bronchitis virus

ccording to the Jerusalem Post text from April 7th Israeli scientists were on the cusp of developing the first vaccine against the novel coronavirus. The info was announced by the now previous Science and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis. Back then, the information announced was that If all goes as planned, the vaccine could be ready within a few weeks and available in 90

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ISRAEL 2020

WE DECIDED TO CHOOSE CORONAVIRUS AS A MODEL FOR OUR SYSTEM JUST AS A PROOF OF CONCEPT FOR OUR TECHNOLOGY

days, according to a release. Previous minister Akunis made his statement at the end of February 2020. “Congratulations to MIGAL - The Galilee Research Institute on this exciting breakthrough,” Akunis said. “I am confident there will be further rapid progress, enabling us to provide a needed response to the grave global COVID-19 threat,” Akunis said, referring to the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. For the past four years, a team of

MIGAL scientists located in the Galilee has been developing a vaccine against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), which causes a bronchial disease affecting poultry. The effectiveness of the vaccine has been proven in preclinical trials carried out at the Veterinary Institute. “Our basic concept was to develop the technology and not specifically a vaccine for this kind or that kind of virus,” said Dr. Chen Katz, MIGAL’s biotechnology group leader. “The scientific framework for the vaccine is based on a new protein expression vector, which forms and secretes a chimeric soluble protein that delivers the viral antigen into mucosal tissues by self-activated endocytosis, causing the body to form antibodies against the virus.” Endocytosis is a cellular process in which substances are brought into a cell by surrounding the material with cell membrane, forming a vesicle containing the ingested material. In preclinical trials, the team demonstrated that the oral vaccination induces high levels of specific anti-IBV antibodies, Katz said. “Let’s call it pure luck,” he said. “We

decided to choose coronavirus as a model for our system just as a proof of concept for our technology.” But after scientists sequenced the DNA of the novel coronavirus causing the current worldwide outbreak, the MIGAL researchers examined it and found that the poultry coronavi-

GIVEN THE URGENT GLOBAL NEED FOR A HUMAN CORONAVIRUS VACCINE, WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ACCELERATE DEVELOPMENT rus has high genetic similarity to the human one, and that it uses the same infection mechanism, which increases the likelihood of achieving an effective human vaccine in a very short period of time, Katz said. “All we need to do is adjust the sys-

tem to the new sequence,” he said. “We are in the middle of this process, and hopefully in a few weeks we will have the vaccine in our hands. Yes, in a few weeks, if it all works, we would have a vaccine to prevent coronavirus.” MIGAL would be responsible for developing the new vaccine, but it would then have to go through a regulatory process, including clinical trials and large-scale production, Katz said. Akunis said he has instructed his ministry’s director-general to fast-track all approval processes with the goal of bringing the human vaccine to market as quickly as possible. “Given the urgent global need for a human coronavirus vaccine, we are doing everything we can to accelerate development,” MIGAL CEO David Zigdon said. The vaccine could “achieve safety approval in 90 days,” he said. It will be an oral vaccine, making it particularly accessible to the general public, Zigdon said. “We are currently in intensive discussions with potential partners that can help accelerate the in-human trials phase and expedite completion of final-product development and regulatory activities,” he said. 

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TRADITION

by Vanja Kovačev

THE LAND OF CREATION AND TRADITIONS

The culture of this country follows the rhythm of pilgrim’s footsteps that eco from ancient history to today, depicting the diversity people who live in Israel in so many shapes and forms READ THIS ON WEB

Yad Vashem

srael is a country of a strong cultural mix scented with Mediterranean cultural spices and history, heritage and religion pilgrimage admiration and pursuit for the facts and proofs. This culture reflects Jewish culture, Jewish history in the diaspora, the ideology of the Zionist movement that developed in the late 19th century, as well as the history and traditions of the Arab Israeli population and ethnic mi-

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ISRAEL 2020

ISRAEL IS THE COUNTRY WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF MUSEUMS PER CAPITA IN THE WORLD WITH MORE THAN 200 MUSEUMS

norities that live in Israel, among them Druze, Circassians, Armenians and others. The roots of the culture of Israel developed long before modern Israel's independence in 1948 and traces back to ancient Israel; c. 1000 BCE. The names Land of Israel and Children of Israel have historically been used to refer to the biblical Kingdom of Israel and the entire Jewish people respectively. The area is also known as

the Holy Land, being holy for all Abrahamic religions including Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Bahá'í Faith. Israel is the birthplace of the Jewish culture and its culture encompasses the foundations of many Jewish cultural characteristics, including philosophy, literature, poetry, art, mythology, folklore, mysticism and festivals; as well as Judaism, which was also fundamental to the creation of Christianity and Islam. The most important Jewish holidays are: Shabbat - Friday evening through Saturday is a time to relax and reflect while recharging for the next week. Rosh Hashanah, literally meaning "head of the year" is the Jewish New Year. The biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah, literally "day of shouting or blasting". It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days specified by Leviticus 23:23–32 that occur in the early autumn of the Northern Hemisphere. Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews tradi-

tionally observe this holy day with an approximate 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue service. Sukkot, commonly called the Feast of Tabernacles or in some translations the Festival of Shelters, and known also as the Feast of Ingathering, is a biblical Jewish holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh month, Tishrei. Simchat Torah or Simhat Torah is a Jewish holiday that celebrates and marks the conclusion of the annual

THE ROOTS OF THE CULTURE OF ISRAEL DEVELOPED LONG BEFORE MODERN ISRAEL'S INDEPENDENCE IN 1948 AND TRACES BACK TO ANCIENT ISRAEL; C. 1000 BCE

cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. Hanukkah is a Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. It is also known as the Festival of Lights. Tu BiShvat is a Jewish holiday occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. It is also called Rosh HaShanah La'Ilanot, literally “New Year of the Trees”. In contemporary Israel, the day is celebrated as an ecological awareness day and trees are planted in celebration. Purim is a Jewish holiday which commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, an Achaemenid Persian Empire official who was planning to kill all the Jews, as recounted in the Book of Esther. Haman was the royal vizier to King Ahasuerus and he planned to kill all the Jews in the empire. Israel is the country with the highest number of museums per capita in the world with more than 200 museums. Here are the 10 top museums:

Israel Museum, Jerusalem

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ISRAEL MUSEUM The largest cultural institution in the country. Recently renovated and reorganized, its major feature is the Shrine of the Book, a massive domed structure built as a showcase for the Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient manuscripts.

TEL AVIV MUSEUM OF ART

Founded in 1932 it's one of Israel's leading art and culture institutions. The tour of the museum offers many displays of art, architecture and design.

MUSEUM OF ART Established in the 1930s in a temporary wooden structure in a kibbutz. In 1948, it moved into a permanent building to become Israel's first museum. The structure is a fine example of Israeli Modernism, heralded for its beauty and simplicity. The museum highlights Israeli art and has amassed more than 16,000 permanent pieces since opening.

DESIGN MUSEUM HOLON

Located in Holon, a 20-minute drive from Tel Aviv. This is a museum that hosts industrial, fashion, textile and jewellery design weeks, exhibitions and events. Designed by London-based Israeli architect and designer Ron Arad, the building itself is considered a work of art, with its flowing steel strips painted in various shades of red.

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ISRAEL 2020

YAD VASHEM The Holocaust Museum, which commemorates the millions of Jews who perished as a result of Nazi persecution in World War II. The 45,000-square-foot museum attracts more than a million visitors a year from all over the world. The main building is a concrete triangle chiselled into the side of a mountain. Once inside, visitors follow a route taking in multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary presentations that document what the museum calls "the story of the Shoah from a unique Jewish perspective, emphasizing the experiences of the individual victims through original artifacts, survivor testimonies and personal possessions.

MM EL-FAHEM ART U GALLERY In 1996 a group of residents and artists decided to enrich Umm el-Fahem (a northern Arab-Israeli city with one of the highest unemployment rates in the country) with a high-quality gallery showcasing contemporary Arab and Palestinian art. The gallery rapidly evolved into a vivid cultural center, connecting Arabs and Jews with art and culture. In 2007 the municipality granted the gallery land, where the current museum was erected.

MUSEUM ON THE SEAM The most provocative museum in Israel. The exhibitions are aimed at raising controversial social questions regarding national, ethnic or economic differences. The museum refers to itself as a "socio-political museum," and displays unflinching exhibitions taking on various political concerns. In addition to the exhibits, the museum offers dramatic views of the city and a pleasant cafe on its roof.

HE MUSEUM FOR T ISLAMIC ART Located next to the Israeli president's official residence and contains one of the most impressive archives of Islamic art in the world. Permanent exhibitions are displayed in chronological and geographical order, showing various periods of Islamic art. The museum is also known for its vast collection of antique watches, which became famous in 1983 when professional burglar Naaman Diller managed to steal 100 watches valued at $204 million from the exhibition. Diller stashed his haul in safety deposit boxes around the world. They were recovered only after his death in 2004 when his widow confessed to police.

HE NEGEV MUSEUM T OF ART

Contemporary Israeli art and hosts a range of live summer concerts in its courtyard. Located in the old town of Beer Sheva, also known as "the capital of the desert," the museum building was constructed during the Ottoman period at the beginning of the 20th century. Thanks to a recent renovation, its original splendour has been restored.

MADATECH Haifa - museum of science, technology and space is lodged in what used to be the Israel Institute of Technology. The Madatech features numerous permanent and temporary science-themed exhibitions, all handson and interactive. ď&#x201A;Ł Bibliography Ahituv, N. (n.d.). 10 of Israel's best museums. Retrieved 7 3, 2020, from CNN

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ISRAEL 2020

Focus

MUSIC

by Vanja Kovačev

FROM HAVA NAGILA TO KUTIMAN

When most of us think about music from Israel we tend to think of Hava Nagila first. Music from this beautiful Mediterranean sun touched country is so much more than only that

READ THIS ON WEB Idan Raichel

sraeli music was always influenced by the music from other parts of the world – leading Israeli musicians have diverse and fascinating backgrounds. Mixing Western pop and rock with the original style of Israeli folk music and Oriental Jewish music, particularly Yemenite, Greek and Andalusian-Moroccan, creates together the original and unique sound of Israeli music today. When we “listen back” into the 80's, the magic and orientally seductive voice of Ofra Haza and her Im Nin'Alu (If The Doors Are Locked) still lingers on in our ears. Ofra grew up in a Yemenite family in a poor area of Tel Aviv. Her music is inspired by Hebrew culture and her Yemenite heritage, making her a pioneer among modern Israeli musicians. If we look at the Israeli musical scene nowadays it is Idan Raichel who is known for his fusion of global sounds and electronic giant Infected Mushroom which is an Israeli musical duo formed in Haifa in 1996 by producers Erez Eisen and Amit Duvdevani. We should also mention folk-rock singer

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ISRAEL 2020

Asaf Avidan and rock artist Aviv Geffen, who illustrate the variety of musical richness of Israeli music famous also outside of Israel’s borders. Regarded as one of the most influential Israeli musicians of all time, Arik Einstein and his song Ani Ve'ata is often referred to as “the voice of Israel.” In his prolific career, he recorded over 500 songs and 34 albums. During his

IF WE LOOK AT THE ISRAELI MUSICAL SCENE NOWADAYS IT IS IDAN RAICHEL WHO IS KNOWN FOR HIS FUSION OF GLOBAL SOUNDS

career, he collaborated with many other Israeli musicians and bands. Then there is Shlomo Artzi's musical style which is mostly folk rock. Throughout his career he sold over 1.5 million

albums and became one of Israel’s most popular singers. In 1975, he was selected to represent Israel in the Eurovision song contest. After participating as a contestant on a TV show for singers, a singer called Omer Adam quickly gained popularity. His style brings the traditional ‘Mizrachi’ style together with Western pop. His song “Tel Aviv” became an anthem for the Pride festival in 2013. You must have heard about Balkan Beat Box who became one of the few internationally popular Israeli musicians. The band members, Tamir Muskat, Ori Kaplan, and Tomer Yosef met in New York and formed their sound by bringing together different musical styles. Their music is influenced by Middle Eastern and Southeastern Europe (Balkan) sounds, as well as punk, klezmer, reggae, and electronic music. Artists like Lola Marsh, Esther Rada, Sarit Hadad and A-Wa should be mentioned too in this musical journey to Israel but also 2018 Eurovision song “Toy” by Netta Barzilai who won the attention of European audiences with its eccentric lyrics and funky beat.

AND THEN COMES KUTIMAN If you do not know about him, now is the time to “get acquainted” with Ophir Kutiel professionally known as Kutiman, an Israeli musician, composer, producer and animator. In 2009, Kutiman released "Thru You," an online music video project, featuring a mixture of samples of YouTube videos, and the video project received more than 10 million views in around two weeks. Time Magazine named it one of the "50 Best Inventions of 2009". Because of the success of Thru You, in October 2010, Kutiman was invited by YouTube to perform at the "YouTube Play" grand opening at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City. On July 2nd 2020 during an evening called “Yaffo Night “ the fund raising and cultural event co-organized by The Embassy of Israel in Belgrade and Terminal Music & arts Festival a film “Presenting Princess Shaw” was screened and Kutiman visited Bel-

ON SEPTEMBER 22nd, 2016, PRESENTING PRINCESS SHAW WON THE ISRAELI ACADEMY AWARD (KNOWN AS THE OPHIR AWARDS) FOR "BEST DOCUMENTARY" grade “virtually”. The film is a true story of Samantha Montgomery aka Princess Shaw, an aspiring musician, and artist from New Orleans who Kutiman discovered. The film made a splash at film festivals around the globe and received outstanding reviews from New York Times, Rotten Tomatoes, and Rolling Stone. On September 22nd, 2016, Presenting Princess Shaw won the Israeli Academy Award (known as the Ophir Awards) for "Best Documentary." The cultural assortment of Israel is impossible to describe in short so while we wait for the Covid 19 threat to disappear and allow us to travel to the Land of creation again, feel free to dive in to Israel’s musical on line reverie. 

CULTURE

by Vanja Kovačev

A BLEND OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY Everybody who visited Israel knows that its culture is a potpourri of cultures he reason for this is counties Mediterranean location which provides the best of the fascinating mix of Eastern and Western influences but also the fact that many Jews have immigrated to Israel and brought with them their cultures and traditions from all around the world: Russia, Poland, Brazil, Ethiopia, Morocco, Iraq and Yemen just to mention few of the places that Israelis originate from. Imagine the multifaceted musical and art uniqueness, variety of cuisines, different folk celebrations both when it comes to religious rituals to contemporary customs practiced by the Jews but also the Israel’s Arab both Muslim and Christian population and other ethnic minorities who significantly contribute to the cultural diver-

sity colouring the Israeli culture sky with versatile nuances.

HOSPITALITY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF ISRAELI CULTURE Israelis are - whether they are Jewish, Muslim, Christian or Druze, warm and hospitable people. Also, very knowledgeable, serious but open minded, curious – especially Telavivian. So European but with a certain Israeli spark in their eyes. Hard to explain - need to experience yourself. If you are planning to explore Daliat El Carmel, Israel’s largest Druze village you will greeted with hospitality and sweets and a purchased carpet under your arm at a bargain price. On the other hand, if you ask to experience a Shabbat dinner it would be an honour for a Jewish Israeli to welcome you wholeheartedly. 

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READ THIS ON WEB

TOURISM

by Vanja KovaÄ?ev

TIME MACHINE EXPERIENCE TOURISM

If you want to surprise yourself and experience one of a kind feeling choose Israel because it is so much more than just a pilgrimage destination 26

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anna experience a melange of ancient history and the Sunkissed Mediterranean breeze - Israel will unexpectedly wrap you in to that mixed feeling as soon as you land to Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. Israel offers a plethora of historical and religious sites, beach resorts, natural sites, archaeological tourism, heritage tourism, adventure tourism and ecotourism.

TEL AVIV - ONE OF THE WORLD'S TEN BEST BEACH CITIES Upon landing dive into Tel Aviv first because it is so surprisingly European with Miami charm. Imagine that! With 2.3 million tourist visits in

2013 Tel Aviv is Israel's second-largest city and a cosmopolitan, cultural and financial global city. Tel Aviv exhibits also a UNESCO world heritage area of Bauhaus architecture. In 2010, National Geographic ranked Tel Aviv as one of the world's ten best beach cities.The nearby historical city of Jaffa is an amazing experience for tourists because it is so close to Tel Aviv yet the walk in Jaffa streets will take you back in to the past just few minutes away from the Telavivian modern and vibrant Miami feeling. It is here you will experience a first, priceless leap from now to history, but get ready there is more of that in Israel. Jaffa provides an old-world style respite from the modern thrum of Tel Aviv next door.

IT IS FIRST IN TEL AVIV AND JAFFA THAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE A FIRST, PRICELESS “LEAP FROM NOW TO BACK IN HISTORY” BUT GET READY - THERE IS MUCH MORE OF THAT “TIME MACHINE TRAVELLING” FEELING IN ISRAEL

Tel Aviv is called the "city that never sleeps" by the locals because of its vibrant nightlife scene. Tel Aviv was named "the gay capital of the Middle East" by the Out magazine and it is famous by its Pride that has become one of the biggest events of the year in Tel Aviv. Visitors from all over Israel and the world come out in full force to celebrate. The city lights up in colour and energy, proving its reputation as the Gay Capital of the Middle East and perhaps even one of the Gay Capitals of the World. Tel Aviv Gay Pride Week takes place every June, with a surge of gay-friendly events taking place across the city, culminating on the Friday with the famed pride parade.

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Photo: Oliver Kavčić

To continue the exploration of Israel, for example, make Jerusalem, the eternal city, the holiest of all your next stop. Take the tour of the four quarters and “inhale” the magic tales of the fascinating citadel of Jerusalem’s Old City, holy to Jews, to Christians and to Muslims. Jerusalem is the most-visited city with 3.5 million tourist arrivals annually. One of the oldest cities in the world and it hosts many historical, archaeological, religious and other attractions. Masada is a site not to be missed on any trip to Israel. It means fortress in Hebrew is an ancient fortification in the Southern District of Israel situated on top of an isolated rock plateau, similar to a mesa which is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge or hill, which is bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and stands distinctly above a surrounding plain. It is located on the eastern edge of the Judaean Desert, overlooking the Dead Sea. Herod the Great built two palaces for himself on the mountain and fortified Masada between 37 and 31 BCE. According to Josephus, the siege of Masada by Roman troops from 73 to 74 CE, at the end of the First Jewish–Roman War, ended in the mass suicide of the 960 Sicarii rebels who were hiding there. Most archaeologists have estimated the siege lasted between four and seven months and the story goes that the rebels were hiding in the fortress and were doing okay until the food stock lasted and until they were able to resist the Ro-

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man attacks but when they realised that they will be defeated the rebels first killed their wives and then their children and then committed suicide themselves not to captured by the Romans. The story might give you creeps but it is very powerful message of the resistance the amazing cable car ride from the bottom of the rock to the top, will prepare you for this heart-rending saga and the breath-taking view that awaits at the top of the plateau.

AFTER TWO THOUSAND YEARS, THE SACRIFICE MADE ON MASADA REMAINS A HEARTFELT REMINDER OF THE COMMITMENT AND EXORBITANT COST FREEDOM OFTEN REQUIRES Haifa is a lovely northern city and its main highlight is the Baha'i Gardens, which tumble down the hillside towards the sea in a series of immaculate green terraces. Haifa is the perfect base to explore the north of Israel: for example, the city of Akko wrapped up in Crusader history which has a mellow harbour full of colourful, bob-

bing fishing boats, a vibrant bazaar crammed with spice, produce and interesting artisan products. One of the must -visits in Akko is the restaurant Uri Buri widely considered one of the finest fish restaurants in Israel famous for sea food and the unique persona, Head chef, Uri Jeremias, a legendary figure in Israel’s culinary scene. The word Uri is for owner Uri Jeremias, while the Buri is for fish. Uri Buri is located on a spot in Akko overlooking the Mediterranean and inside of a stone Ottoman-era building. It serves fresh fish and creative seafood dishes along with over 100 different kinds of fine Israeli wine. While in this part of the country visit also Mount Carmel and Caesarea who are right on the doorstep of Haifa. Make sure that your Israel journey includes the trip to the Dead Sea where you can take some time to relax in the muds and float in these special waters which have puzzled mankind for thousands of years. Remember - The Dead Sea is a bizarre natural wonder where you can't sink. And just to mention the unforgettable tours in the Negev Desert that will take you far from the beaten track, into the depths of this magical landscape which is full of the unexpected. Life time memories will be created during a hike in Timna Park and the Red Canyon, two of the region’s most beautiful areas or on a Jeep tour through the sand dunes including the stargaze experience in the clear night sky. 

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