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As the number of coronavirus cases dramatically increased, Israeli ministers voted to impose a full, nationwide lockdown next week, ahead of the fall holiday period. The lockdown will take place in three stages, according to a statement from the Health Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office. The specific dates for each stage have not been announced, however reports in Hebrew media indicate the first stage will begin shortly before the onset of Rosh Hashanah, on September 18; the second phase around October 1; and the last phase two weeks later, around October 15. The decision to impose a lockdown comes at a time when Israel has seen a record number of new cases for two straight days. According to the health ministry, 4,038 new cases were diagnosed on Thursday, bringing the total to 33,920 active cases. No additional deaths were reported since Thursday night, keeping the cumulative death toll at 1,077 since the start of the pandemic.
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that "another country" may join Israel and the United Arab Emirates for their formal normalization signing ceremony at the White House next week. Trump did not elaborate or specify which countries might attend the Tuesday ceremony, but sources expect that Bahrain's Crown Prince may be on his way to DC as well. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his delegation are expected to depart for the signing from Tel Aviv, on Sunday.
In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, in partnership with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) in the US, have determined how to rescue functional and structural connectivity, and reduce cognitive impairments of brain diseases with drug treatment. The researchers, Professor Itamar Kahn of the Technion’s Rappaport Faculty of Medicine in Israel, and Professor Nancy Ratner of CCHMC, claimed that such a breakthrough demonstrates a potential new treatment for cognitive damages in the brain's white matter—an area associated with the central nervous system. This study emphasizes the role of abnormal white matter in brain disorders, and suggests a potential targeted therapy for neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) abnormalities.
The safety, health, and well-being of all community members is a priority for the Jewish Federation. Like many of you, we are closely monitoring the evolution of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. This page has been developed to help our community stay informed and provide the resources needed to maintain a sense of connection. As more resources are curated, this page will be continually updated.
Shabbat Shalom,
Jackie Congedo, Director, JCRC
P.S. If you or a friend would like to get our own, up-to-the-minute Israel Update, you can sign up here; when asked for "interests" click "weekly Israel Update."
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