Making Jerusalem a Sustainable City

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I personally coordinate a Center for Sustainability in the Ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Romema. Most people would say that is quite unique because that population typically gets a bad rap when it comes to environmental friendliness and that is because the families are large, on average 7.7 children per household and they use a lot of ‘one-time-use’ dishware, therefore producing a large amount of non-recyclable waste.

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A Sustainable Path to Rebuilding Gaza: Opportunity for Collaboration and Peace

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Given the likelihood of a buffer zone along Gaza’s border, an innovative approach could be to transform this space into a greenbelt. Many cities worldwide have successfully implemented green zones that serve as ecological buffers while also benefiting urban populations. A well-planned greenbelt could provide environmental benefits, support agriculture, and even serve as a shared space between Gazans and Israelis—turning a divisive border into an area of mutual sustainability.

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Microplastics have invaded our brains

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A recent study in Nature by toxicologist Matthew Campen at the University of New Mexico found that human brain tissue contains significant amounts of microplastics. By dissolving brain tissue samples, Campen’s team was able to isolate up to 10 grams of microplastics per brain—about the weight of a crayon.

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Tel Aviv’s mayor Huldai is taking smart phones from schools – his irony in education

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Waldorf schools, created by Austria's Rudolph Steiner, are the fastest-growing school system in Israel because of their focus on arts and crafts and their avoidance of technology in the classroom. It’s ironic that Huldai is being praised for pushing a tech-free school environment while his administration shattered a community that has been practicing this philosophy for over a decade.

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Using drones to know if whales are pregnant

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New research published in Scientific Reports, describes a first-of-its-kind method of accurately detecting different pregnancy stages in killer whales using drone images. Understanding the reproductive success of whales is an important way of monitoring how vulnerable different populations are to threats such as vessel disturbance and food scarcity. 

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The Orange Economy: How Religion and AI Are Shaping Innovation

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Looking toward the future faith, creativity and technology will often intersect. The pathway from “prophet” to “profit” will not always be clear. However, creativity, at times fueled by faith, will help spur greater creativity where-in new technologies will allow the visionaries of the future to unlock new possibilities for collaboration, innovation, and mutual understanding more quickly than ever.

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