Weekly #Firgun Newsletter - Special Edition #5
Welcome to the new readers of #Firgun. Normally, this is a newsletter filled with positivity, celebrating the movers and shakers in Israeli tech and ventures. But these are not normal times - it's been 34 days since Hamas massacred 1,400 Israeli and took 240 hostages from their homes, including 32 children. We must remember them and do everything we can to #BringThemHome. This week the Islamic Jihad, a separate terror group from Hamas, released a proof of life of two Israeli hostages, including 13 year old Jacbob Yagel
In Judaism, mourners mark two periods after someone's death, the Shiva (7 days after) and 'Shloshim', the 30-day mourning period after burial where the grave is laid and normal activities resume but joyous events are still avoided. November 7th this week felt particularly heavy, and it feels like life has been put on hold.
At the time of writing this newsletter, Israel is target to daily rocket attacks, suicide drones, anti tank weapons and long range ballistic missiles not only from Gaza (where today for example a rocket hit Tel Aviv), but also from Lebanon (Hizbollah shooting at villages in the North), Syria (Iran affiliated militias) and Yemen (Iran-backed Houtis shooting at Israel's south). It's a miracle Israel developed advance defence technologies like Iron Dome and the "Hetz" missiles which save lives daily and prevent an even bigger loss of life.
As the IDF advances in Gaza, something Israel's defence forces always suspected has become fact: Hamas uses hospitals to house their HQs. They use ambulances to travel. A TV crew visited a school in Gaza which is also a rocket factory and weapon stash. Tunnels have been found in mosques, playgrounds, theme park, schools, UNRA buildings etc. Weapons and maps of Israeli towns were also found and documented by journalists in residential homes.
It's also important to note that the IDF is doing more than any other army I know to prevent the loss of innocent civilians. It spreads banners urging people to evacuate, creates secure humanitarian evacuation corridors, calls individuals on their mobile phones to give them hours of warning BEFORE any attack. Imagine trying to fight terrorists where you constantly tell them in advance where you're going to hit. War is hell.
I truly hope that this is not the 'new normal'. Despite the sadness, I continue to see huge solidarity between Israelis (including Israeli Arabs). People are volunteering to help farmers with the harvest, organise food for evacuees from the north and south and doing many small acts of kindness. Love, kindness and mutual respect is how we win. We have to. For the world's sake.
NEW FUNDING ROUNDS
Despite the war the Israeli tech market remains active and kicking. We will not let terror win. I want to send strength and support to Eran Bibi and Ido Neeman , the co-founders of Firefly who lost their co-founder Sefi Genis which was tragically murdered by Hamas at the party on October 7th - may his memory be a blessing and may you succeed in your shared vision.
EXITS
2 Israeli cyber security startups exited this week for a combined $1 billion in acquisitions made by Palo Alto Networks . Last week we celebrated Dig Security (acquired by Palo Alto Networks) and this week I want to give huge props and congrats to Ofer Ben-Noon and team Talon (by Palo Alto Networks) who were acquired for $625M (once again, Zell program FTW!) - this is Ofer's second exit, having previously founded and sold automotive cyber company PlaxidityX (Formerly Argus)
A huge exit ($1.95 billion is rumoured for next week).
NEW FUNDS
There a number of new initiatives to provide emergency funding to Israeli startups at this time.
The latest one is https://circlesofdialogue.com/investors/
RECOMMENDED LINKS
I'll just leave this here
RECOMMENDED VIDEOS
Play Mission Impossible Israel edition
领英推荐
Antisemitism and wokeness on US campuses - check out "Columbia Untisemity", a critical satire on 美国哥伦比亚大学 Pro-Palestine stance
Hillary Clinton on the context for the Israeli Palestinian conflict and why the Palestinians will benefit from the destruction of Hamas
Why Israel is far from an Apartheid state, described by an Israeli Arab citizen
Palantir Technologies CEO Alex Karp powerful statement in support of Israel
Pro-Palestine college students don't know what they are endorsing
An excerpt from The Bright line between good and evil - by Sam Harris
If you're worried that the children of Gaza will be radicalised after the destruction of Hamas, this is a sad reality of how they are taught to hate from age zero under Hamas
To end on a positive note, the diversity of the Jewish and non Jewish Israeli citizens by Eitan Chitayat
That's all for this week. Keep on spreading light, building, creating, loving and celebrating life. Am Israel chai! Shabbat shalom,
Eze Vidra
Advocate for financial empowerment, literacy, and independence. Advisory solutions and problem solving for businesses; risk management, business planning, building brand equity, capital raising and more.
1 年Thank you for sharing all this and putting it all together.