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Israel Completely Reinvents Sugar... and Headphones. I'm in Shock.

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Nov 17, 2020
2 min

Israel Completely Reinvents Sugar... and Headphones. I'm in Shock.

Two of the greatest problems the world faces are the rising rates of obesity and the fact that the amount of lost Airpods inhabits a collective space larger than Rhode Island. While I am not sure the second fact is true, the global obesity rate has tripled in my lifetime alone and is particularly acute in the US where over 40% of the population has obesity. And people lose their Airpods all the time. Well now Israel may have [partially] solved both of these problems. Forg

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Israel Announces the 2nd-ever Israeli Astronaut to Head to Space

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Nov 17, 2020
2 min

Israel Announces the 2nd-ever Israeli Astronaut to Head to Space

Seventeen years ago Ilan Ramon, of blessed memory, became the first-ever Israeli to go to space. Sadly, Ramon was on the Space Shuttle Columbia which disintegrated upon re-entry to Earth's atmosphere, killing Ramon and the other astronauts on board. Ever since then Israelis have wondered as to who will be next to take that giant leap forward, to infinity and beyond. Now we finally have an answer. At the end of 2021, 18 years after the Columbia tragedy, Eytan Stibbe is exp

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Is Israel Still the "Start-Up Nation?"

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Nov 10, 2020
2 min

Is Israel Still the "Start-Up Nation?"

In 2009, Dan Senor and Saul Singer wrote a book called "Start-Up Nation" about Israel's incredible propensity for creating start-up companies. The book tried to understand the factors which turned tiny Israel into a global tech power, and in doing so, gave a new nickname to the country. Yet a decade and over a dozen billion dollar exits later, two questions arise. Are we still the start-up nation or have we now morphed into something else? And, perhaps more importantly, d

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Visualize the Impossible: An Interactive Online Einstein Experience

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 28, 2020
1 min

Visualize the Impossible: An Interactive Online Einstein Experience

Many of us know Albert Einstein as Time Magazine's Greatest Person of the 20th century, the founder of the theory of relativity, E=mc2, the guy who made the bad hair day cool and the person with the most tongue-wagging swag until Michael Jordan. But did you know that he visited pre-state Israel, was offered to be the country's second president (he and Ben Gurion would have made a great hair pair, but alas he politely declined), was a founder of the Hebrew University of Jerus

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The Cooperation Between Israel and the Gulf is Exploding

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 27, 2020
2 min

The Cooperation Between Israel and the Gulf is Exploding

So much has been happening when it comes to the developing of civil ties and cooperative efforts between Israel and the Persian Gulf that it is hard to keep track. The excitement in both societies is palpable. Fortunately, I am here, as your tour guide of Israel, to let you know about all the incredible things that are already underway... 1) A deal has been signed between Israeli and UAE film schools. https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-uae-film-deal-aims-to-promote-tolerance

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The New Israeli "Tank" has an Xbox Controller, AI & Fighter-Jet Tech

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 26, 2020
2 min

The New Israeli "Tank" has an Xbox Controller, AI & Fighter-Jet Tech

The next generation of armored fighting vehicles is upon us and it looks insane: 2-person crews, fighter-jet type cockpits and helmets based off those for F-35 pilots, artificial intelligence honed playing StarCraft II and Doom, autonomous, semi-autonomous and manual driving modes plus screens, layouts and controllers that would be familiar to anyone playing Fortnite or Call of Duty. It's not a tank. It's something new. It's called the Carmel and it is going to revolutionize

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Israeli COVID-19 Vaccine Gets a Name & Begins Human Trials

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 26, 2020
2 min

Israeli COVID-19 Vaccine Gets a Name & Begins Human Trials

The Israeli-created potential vaccine for COVID-19 finally has a name. Created by the Israel Institute for Biological Research, it is called Brilife. The head of IIBR, Professor Shmuel Shapira, explained that the name includes three things. “Bri” is the first part of "briyut" - the Hebrew word for health, the “il” is the country code for Israel and of course there is the word in English "life." It is pronounced - bree-life. Human trials of the new vaccine are slated to begi

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Israel Hi-Tech Update: An Emmy Win, a Physics' First, a Recycled Car & More

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 25, 2020
2 min

Israel Hi-Tech Update: An Emmy Win, a Physics' First, a Recycled Car & More

Here are some recent cool stories from the world of Israeli hi-tech that you may have missed, courtesy of your tech tour guide of Israel... A car made out of recycled materials - including food waste... https://www.jpost.com/health-science/dutch-students-use-israeli-technology-to-make-recycled-car-646272 An Israeli tech startup just won an Emmy for sound-mixing by creating something used in all music production studios today... https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,73

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Israel is Open Again and Letting in Tourists from 34 Countries

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 21, 2020
3 min

Israel is Open Again and Letting in Tourists from 34 Countries

Israel has emerged now from a second lockdown, which was enacted over the Jewish holidays. While indoor spaces such as museums are still closed, the national parks are now open and more and more places will be opening in the coming weeks. As a tour guide of Israel, I cannot be more excited to get back to work providing incredibly meaningful, memorable and enjoyable experiences here for my clients. At this point, Israel has identified 34 green countries. These are countrie

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Israeli Gaming Company Playtika is Having a $10 Billion IPO

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 20, 2020
2 min

Israeli Gaming Company Playtika is Having a $10 Billion IPO

As a tour guide of Israel who leads an Israel tech tour, I get great pride when startups that I have taken my clients to end up making it big. And it appears that one of them - the Israeli gaming company Playtika - is about to do just that. They are looking to float the company in NY in an IPO (initial public-offering) at a valuation of about $10 billion. You may know Playtika as they are the the sponsor of the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team. Side note, star player Ama'r

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Israeli Wearable Device Predicts Seizures 1-Hour in Advance

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 14, 2020
2 min

Israeli Wearable Device Predicts Seizures 1-Hour in Advance

If you know anyone with epilepsy, you need to make sure they know about this. An incredible new Israeli wearable device can actually predict - with 97% accuracy - upcoming epileptic seizures an hour prior to their occurring. While clinical trials are still being done, this is something that they will definitely want to keep their eyes on. It is called Epiness and was developed by researchers at Israel's Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheva. Epilepsy affects some 50 million p

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The Israeli Security Tech That Every School/Synagogue Must Have

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 13, 2020
2 min

The Israeli Security Tech That Every School/Synagogue Must Have

An amazing piece of Israeli tech is about to revolutionize the ability of first responders to react to active shootings in progress - as well as to alert everyone in the area of where an active shooting is taking place (to help guide people to safety). Meet Gabriel. It's a new piece of Israeli tech that every school, synagogue, Jewish communal building and any other (unfortunately) potential targets - and even soft targets where people gather such as shopping centers, nigh

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An Israeli Student Just Smashed a Nobel Prize Winner's World Record

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 8, 2020
1 min

An Israeli Student Just Smashed a Nobel Prize Winner's World Record

A graduate student at Israel's renowned Technion University, Jacob Kher-Alden, just absolutely smashed the world record in light resonance, held by 2018 Nobel Prize Winner in Physics Arthur Ashkin, who invented the first micro-resonator in the 1970s. I'm going to be honest here. I have no idea what light resonance exactly is, but I do know that it is a pretty cool thing to have a world record. If you want to learn more about this incredible achievement - or about what light

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Israel Covid Update: Airport Testing, Life-Saving Treatments & Masks!

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 7, 2020
1 min

Israel Covid Update: Airport Testing, Life-Saving Treatments & Masks!

There is a ton to catch you up on when it comes to all things Covid-19 related coming out of Israel. This includes life-saving new research, a-Covid testing center at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, Israeli rapid tests being introduced in world airports and the world's best masks being made in Israel. You can even get Israel-themed designs! As your tour guide of Israel, you can bet I'm getting one to rock out with when things open up here for touring again! Israel is Getting A

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Join the Israeli Air Force for a Day and Fly an F-16

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 6, 2020
2 min

Join the Israeli Air Force for a Day and Fly an F-16

Years ago, I served for 6 days in the Israeli Air Force (IAF) as part of my military service. Last month - as a tour guide of Israel - I got a chance to put on the uniform one more time. It's all part of a brand-new experience called The Squadron which includes real F-16 flight simulators - the only ones of their kind in the world available to outsiders. At the Squadron, which is just outside of Tel Aviv, you will dress up in IAF jumpsuits and train with real IAF pilots an

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Forget Electric Cars/Buses: TLV is Getting Electric (Wireless) Roads

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 5, 2020
2 min

Forget Electric Cars/Buses: TLV is Getting Electric (Wireless) Roads

If you have ever been on tour with me - your Israel tour guide - to Tel Aviv, one thing you hopefully remember is that Tel Aviv was founded as a progressive and innovative city. The first modern Hebrew-speaking, Jewish, Zionist city, Tel Aviv has never forgotten its driving mantra. And now Tel Aviv is set to make history yet again... Tel Aviv is enacting a pilot program to introduce electric bus routes to the city - by using electric roads as opposed to just electric buses.

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Israel Archaeology Update: Dating Ruins by Poop & Much More

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 5, 2020
3 min

Israel Archaeology Update: Dating Ruins by Poop & Much More

So many incredible archaeological discoveries were announced in the past month here in Israel. As a tour guide of Israel I cannot wait to see some of these in person - and for you to join me on this adventure! A New Dating Process A new way of dating - in addition to known ones like carbon-dating and using pottery and coins - has been developed by Israeli archaeologists. It might be yucky, but it gets the job done. Basically it uses human and animal waste found in mud-bri

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A Glowing Report on Tourism to Israel... Pre-Covid

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Oct 1, 2020
2 min

A Glowing Report on Tourism to Israel... Pre-Covid

Israel set a record last year with 4.55 million tourists. That was an 11% increase over 2018 which itself was a 42% increase over 2016. Even more amazing is that 94.4% of visitors to Israel reported a good to excellent experience in the country. That's an incredible success rate and I take pride in that, as a tour guide of Israel, I have a small part to play in that. If you are unaware, becoming an Israel tour guide is like getting a master's degree. It is a 2-year course

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The Middle East's Lack of Water is Fueling Wars: It Needs Israel

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Sep 30, 2020
3 min

The Middle East's Lack of Water is Fueling Wars: It Needs Israel

A great article in a newspaper in the United Arab Emirates highlighted the Middle East's lack of water (12 of the 17 most water-stressed countries in the world are there) and its role in igniting civil wars in Syria and Yemen as well as refugee crises - and soon to be economic crises - in the area. Unfortunately it stopped short of giving solutions - and the easiest solution of all, which post-Abraham Accords is staring everyone in the Middle East right in the face - making

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Tour Guide on Tour: High Over Tel Aviv on the TLV Balloon

Kobi Tour Guide of Israel

Sep 21, 2020
3 min

Tour Guide on Tour: High Over Tel Aviv on the TLV Balloon

What do you do when as an Israel tour guide you are tasked with planning an outing in Israel for "people who have gone everywhere and seen everything?" Well - first of all, those people don't actually exist, since despite its size, there is so much to experience here - but I had as my touring crew for the day the closest thing to that: 9 other licensed Israeli tour guides. I quickly realized that I needed to think out of the box and my eyes turned towards the heavens. A q

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