Hazan S. (2006) 'An overview of e-content in Israel' in E-content: Voices from the Ground, Peter A. Bruck and Osama Manzar, Digital Empowerment Foundation World Summit Award, New Dehli.
Israel: Fact File
Susan Hazan,
Israel WSA Coordinator
wsa-israel@icnm.net
http://www.isoc.org.il/wsa
The small, Middle-Eastern
country, Israel, is internationally recognized for its entrepreneurial
spirit, and its strong R&D tradition, and is proud of its high-tech
industry, which represents over 50% of the nation’s industrial
production and total exports. With a population of a mere 6,800,000,
Israel has an unusually large percentage of qualified scientists
and engineers, and outside of Silicon Valley, has the highest concentration
of start-ups in the world. This brief overview of e-Content in Israel
introduces a flourishing hi-tech industry with a global reach, describes
the journey through the eight sectors of the WSA process in Israel,
and concludes with a section of 'Facts and Figures' that foreground
Israel's impressive, e-Content innovation and hi-tech initiatives.
“Thanks
to quality education, Israel is one of the most advanced countries
in the world ... Israel is advancing in high-tech even more than
other developed countries.”
Bill Gates, CEO Microsoft, World Economic Forum, Davos, January
2000
In this overview I have tried to bring you a snapshot of Israel's
high-tech tradition, a tradition that has enabled e-Content to flourish
across all sectors of society and – due to a combination of
locale-specific factors – to be able to advance at breakneck
speed.
1: 5 Best practices across the sectors
* Unless otherwise indicated, all sites in this list are in published
English in addition to Hebrew, and/or other languages – there
is an English link on each homepage.
E-Learning
• HOP: The Official Hebrew Website of Hop! (The Israeli Pre-school
Channel ages 1-7) – in Hebrew but intrinsically graphically-driven
- http://www.hop.co.il
• Making Waves: An English Learning Environment - http://waves.galim.org.il
• Biosearch
- online learning resource for teachers, teaching assistants and
researchers in the fields of Life Sciences, Health Sciences, Pharmacology
and Agricultural Sciences - http://biosearch.huji.ac.il
• The Open University of Israel - http://www-e.openu.ac.il
• Wikipedia in Hebrew - http://he.wikipedia.org/wiki
E-Governance
• Ministry of the Environment - http://www.sviva.gov.il
• Ministry of Justice: Search Judiciary judgments according
to judge, party or counsel -http://elyon1.court.gov.il/eng/verdict/framesetSrch.html
• The Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute
- http://www.export.gov.il
• Israel Defense Force official site - http://www1.idf.il
• Israel's Nature and Parks Authority - http://www.parks.org.il
E-Business
• Checkpoint: worldwide leader in securing the Internet -
http://www.checkpoint.com
• Green Tech: the environmental division of the Mofet B'Yehuda
Technological and Business Incubator - http://www.greentech.co.il
• Amdocs: Customer care, billing and order management systems
for telecommunications carriers and Internet services providers
- www.amdocs.com
• Barkan Wine Cellars - http://www.barkan-winery.co.il
• Yad Mordechai Kibbutz apiary: supplier of 200 different
beehive products - http://www.israelhoney.com
E-Culture
• Albert Einstein Online Archive: Einstein’s scientific
and non-scientific manuscripts, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- http://alberteinstein.info
• Dinur, The Jewish History Resource Center: an index all
the Jewish resources on the web http://www.dinur.org
• My Holyland: dedicated to Christians who support Israel
- http://www.my-holyland.com
• Digital Art Lab, Holon: advancing and promoting New-Media
art in Israel -http://www.digitalartlab.org.il
• The Israel Museum, Jerusalem: gatekeepers of 500,000 objects
of fine art, archaeology, ethnography and Judaica, representing
the history of world culture from nearly one million years ago to
today - http://www.imj.org.il
E-Entertainment
• Mayumana: Spectacular drummers who bang in perfect synchronicity
on anything from garbage pails to the floor - http://www.mayumana.co.il
• MSN Multi player Games Platform: Java-driven game world,
includes: sheshbesh, four in a row, droughts, forums, download MSN,
(in Hebrew) - http://zone.msn.co.il
• Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company - http://www.kcdc.co.il
• Celebwatch: Track your favourite celebratory and receive
up to date information as to their whereabouts over your cell phone
(Hebrew only) - http://www.celeb.co.il
• Jerusalem Cinematheque: Israel Film Archive - http://www.jer-cin.org.il
E-Science
• Israel Science and Technology: comprehensive, national database
and directory of science and technology related sites in Israel
- http://www.science.co.il
• The Israel Space Agency: - Middle East Interactive Data
Archive (ISA-MEIDA) is the Israeli NASA node - http://nasa.proj.ac.il
• Israel Social Sciences Data Center (ISDC): a major infrastructure
for quantitative research of Israeli social and economic issues
- http://isdc.huji.ac.il
• Biological Industries: A product line for cytogenetics,
as well as to many/other novel products for cell culture and molecular
biology - http://www.bioind.com
• Physicaplus: Online Magazine of the Israel Physical Society
(IPS) - http://physicaplus.org.il
E-Health
• The Israeli Physician's Guide Web Site - http://www.medicine.co.il
• Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. a global Pharmaceutical
company specializing in the development, production and marketing
of generic and proprietary branded pharmaceuticals as well as active
pharmaceutical ingredients - http://www.tevapharm.com
• Empowerment for mental health consumers: (In Hebrew only)
- http://www.voices.org.il
• Elcap - Early Lung Cancer Action Program (please register)
- http://elcap.rainland.co.il
• Israel Medical Association Journal (IMAJ) - http://www.ima.org.il/imaj
E-Inclusion
• Living Together: Young people in Israel describe, in their
own words and photographs, how they feel about those who are different
from them - http://www.imj.org.il/youthwing/livingtogether
• Yad Sarah: the largest voluntary organization in Israel,
provides a spectrum of free or nominal cost services designed to
make life easier for sick, disabled and elderly people and their
families - http://www.yadsarah.org
• Nagish: Universal online accessibility in Israel (Hebrew
only) - http://www.nagish.org.il
• Addwise: a consulting company specializing in information
architecture and usability testing - http://www.addwise.com/htmls/inf_arc.htm
• Maths together: a learning experience with parents and children
(In Hebrew) - http://www.pc.galim.org.il
2: The 8 best practices nominated for the WSA global contests
E-health - Kav-Or, Distance Learning and Virtual Playground for
Children in Hospital http://www.kavor.org.il
Concept: Kav-Or (Light Line), provides distance-learning services,
enrichment, and online computer connections between sick children
and teachers, education professionals, family and friends, as well
as to offer games and activities aimed at reducing stress and anxiety.
Hospitalization involves fears and pains but today, thanks to Kav-Or,
children in hospitals can find some comfort in their computer "friend".
Using a computer helps children put their anxieties aside and channel
their energies into learning and into fulfilling creative activities.
See Kav-Or's goals <http://www.kavor.org.il/kavor/internet/p_about/mission_en.html>.
Kav-Or offers its services to hospitalized children from all sectors
of Israel's society - native and new immigrant alike, whether religious
or secular, regardless of religion or ethnicity - many of Kav-Or's
children are, in fact, are from lesser privileged populations and
many of them may not have access to the Internet, or even to a computer
in their own homes.
Language: Hebrew, Arabic and Russian
Producer: Riki Segal Cohen, Pedagogical Coordinator and Web Manager,
Kav-Or Designers, Mincy Catcom, Ltd. http://www.catom.com.
Judges comments: We are all concerned about our own health, and
probably even more concerned with our children's health. From the
moment a family seeks information about their medial procedures,
to the hospital intake and throughout the treatment, Kav-Or provides
both on-site and online solutions that offer continuity, fun and
connectivity. The jury was unanimous in their decision to award
Kav-Or the first prize in the e-health category and recognize their
commitment to their goals of excellence in health education.
We are all concerned about our own health and even more about our
children's health. From the moment a family seeks information about
medical problems or surgical procedures, right up to the hospital
admission and throughout the treatment – Kav-Or is there at
all times.
E-Entertainment
– Yaarena http://www.yaarena.co.il
Concept: As well as providing comprehensive information about visiting
the Yaarena Rainforest in Herzelia, this site offers a delightful,
interactive introduction to rainforest animals for children of all
ages. Online activities include; a description of rainforest creatures,
entertaining trivia information about the animals, photos and videos,
webcams, and an online forum. Children who love animals can create
their own web site and invite their friends to browse, play games
and share a rich source of educational activities about rainforest
creatures both great and small.
Language: Hebrew
Producers: MAX. Interactive Group http://www.max.co.il/interactive.html
Judges comments: Through their innovative approach to entertainment
Yoram Granat and their creative team at MAX Interactive have realised
their client's goals to provide a playful and entertaining learning
resource, both in the Yaarena rainforest in Israel and in their
online environment. The Yaarena product serves to increase awareness
on biodiversity and the conservation of rainforest animals through
a portal that enables children of all ages to explore rainforest
life in meaningful and creative ways. These kinds of activities
are welcome for animal lovers of all ages. Not everyone enjoys formal
learning, and accessing information in this fun way offers a stimulating
and entertaining space that extends to the home, school - or even
into the middle of a rainforest!
Yaarena is a
4000 sq ft attraction park that simulates a rainforest and includes
14 interactive stations located at the park for children and families
to access while visiting. These stations also assist the guides
to present background movies and information about rainforest creatures
to local visitors. In addition to walking among the hundreds of
free-flying birds, butterflies, snakes, mammals, insects and fish
- children experience the rainforest's conditions; such as humidity,
storms and vegetation, and track the life cycle of numerous animals
who have made their home in the forest.
E-government
- Israel's Goverment Portal FirstGov http://www.gov.il
Concept: A government
portal that links to comprehensive resources and public services,
including directories, news and information. Launched June 2005,
Gov.il is swiftly becoming Israel's one-stop index of government
departments and units, and Israeli embassies worldwide. Information
available includes; court rulings, legislature in the Knesset, (Parliament)
ordinances and regulations, the courts, political parties. The site
provides information about schools, health and environment, and
offers a full range of governmental publications: statistics, tenders,
press releases etc. tax calculation tools, tender applications.
In addition to all the information now available in one portal,
Gov.il links to the pertinent forms that can be downloaded as well
as facilitating online payments – all without leaving the
privacy of the home.
Languages: Hebrew, (Arabic and English documentation; full development
planned for the future).
Judges comments: Although the portal was launched at the time of
judging, the jury voted for the innovative government portal as
their own, one-stop web site for government services. Judges already
had stories to swap about the forms they had downloaded, and the
payments they had made and they felt confident that the choice of
this was welcome innovation for the government to communicate with
its citizens and for citizens to access services from their offices,
schools and homes.
E-science -
Migrating Birds Know No Boundaries http://www.birds.org.il
Concept: Perhaps in a wish to be able fly like a bird, this prize-winning
web site reminds us that migrating birds know no boundaries. Israel's
unique location at the junction of three continents, Europe, Asia
and Africa, highlights these extraordinary phenomena with some 500
million migrating birds cross its skies twice a year.
Migrating Birds provides real time information through birds fitted
with satellite transmitters, pictures from the Latrun radar, and
links to on-line cameras focused on secluded nests. The information-rich
portal publishes annual the autumn soaring bird migration survey
through an interactive map, information on Israel's ringing stations
and a comprehensive resource for the thousands of birds who make
Israel their temporary home.
Language: Hebrew, English, Russian, and some Amharic.
Producers: Yossi Leshem, Director, The International Center for
the Study of Bird Migration, Latrun and the Tel-Aviv University
& Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.
Judges comments: The judges particularly enjoyed the contribution
by the bird loving public. Not only do students and individuals
contribute their art work photographs and presentations to make
this site both rich and dynamic, but several families had also agreed
to post a web cam on their window sills, where birds were nesting.
This prize-winning web site reminds us that migrating birds know
no boundaries, bringing people of diverse backgrounds together,
towards the common goal of protecting their shared natural resources.
Israel's unique location at the junction of three continents, Europe,
Asia and Africa, makes it a site for extraordinary phenomena with
some 500 million migrating birds crossing its skies twice a year.
This represents one of the most concentrated migration bottlenecks
in the world.
The multi-disciplinary site brings cutting-edge technology into
the classroom and home allowing people from the region (Israel,
Jordan, and Palestine), and around the world to learn about the
natural treasures that they all share. The high-tech environment
enables students to study and track migrating birds using satellite
telemetry, radars, ringing (banding) and field observations, and
understand the environmental factors influencing migration. Highlights
include real time data of individual bird movements fitted with
satellite transmitters, large-radius radar images, and video cams
of nesting birds. The portal publishes research results from the
annual Autumn Soaring Bird Migration Survey; data from Israel’s
ringing stations, and the conservation of rare species such as cranes,
Lesser Kestrel, and Houbara Bustard.
E-inclusion - Web-based Accessibility Guide in Israel http://www.aisrael.org
Concept: Founded in 1999, Access Israel, is a non-profit organization
dedicated to making Israel an accessible place for all. The concept
of "accessibility for all" means that every disabled person
should participate in society as an equal, dignified, and independent
Israeli citizen; in practice, "accessibility for all"
means that all public places and services must be accessible to
every citizen.
Language: Hebrew, English
Producers: Boaz Ahad Ha'am, Project Manager, Access Israel
Judges comments: The judges were impressed with the dedicated and
methodological reach of the information available to the disabled
in Israel. Access Israel is an impressive example of a creative
and professional application, which gathers and disseminates critical
information effectively. The creative use of the web-based platform
allows for the data-base of information to be regularly updated
and effortlessly disseminated. The information covers public transport,
government offices and public services around the country, providing
critical information to those who need it before they leave home.
The website also provides a public forum that voices the concerns
of the community, and keeps up with pertinent information in the
media. Their virtual community serves both the able and disabled,
and provides a meeting place for discussion on issues that affect
the whole community. In addition, the regularly updated online information
on universal standards has become a reliable resource for professional
accessibility counselors; specialists who need to know legal standards,
court cases, and other pertinent information concerning accessibility.
In short, Aisrael has become a one-stop online resource for a community
that believes in universal access for all.
E-business
Elem Flag of Hope http://www.tlt.co.il TLT - Teichman Leshem Technologies
Concept: Some
396,003 lights have been lit so far. At the time of writing 264,144
white lights have been lit and 131,859 blue. Donate 5 shekels by
calling *6789 on your cell phone and pressing 5 or *6789 for 10
shekels when you press 10. Your charity will go to youth in distress
in Israel. Elem Youth in Distress in Israel is a non profit organization
that helps runaway, homeless and neglected Jewish and Arab youth
in distress.
The Flag of Hope project, developed by TLT is an innovative, cross-media
solution that allows you to be able to donate to an important cause
from the motorway, while shopping or on the way to the cinema. By
merely dialing four numbers on the cell phone, everyone can light
up the massive blue and white flag near the power station in Hadera
and make a donation. The small sum grows incrementally as does the
flag, and both can be tracked at the Ynet web site at <http://my.ynet.co.il/elem>.
Language: Hebrew
Producers: Ofer Leshem, Teichman Leshem Technologies
Judges comments: A unanimous decision. Through an innovative proprietary
solution, Teichman Leshem Technologies have produced a stunning
interface that encourages everyone to support distressed youth in
Israel. No one can possibly miss the massive flag that glows blue
and white from the Mediterranean highway and records the latest
donation in real time. This project was selected not only for its
progressive, cross-media enterprise but for its contribution towards
an important cause that has been illuminated through technological
innovation.
Some 396,003 lights have been lit so far. At the time of writing
264,144 white lights have been lit and 131,859 blue. Donate 5 shekels
by calling *6789 on your cell phone and pressing 5 or *6789 for
10 shekels when you press 10. Your charity will go to youth in distress
in Israel. The glowing flag, the size of an Olympic soccer stadium
(40 meter high, 100 meter wide) is composed of composed over 540,000
light bulbs. Each bulb has been lit by a member of the public by
making a modest donation through a SMS message. TLT Interactive
developed the project, executed and operated the backend SMS technology,
handled the incoming sms messages, the billing system, the message
monitoring as well as the bulb lighting apparatus. All the complex
processes and the overall orchestration are fully digitized in all
aspects and results in a stunning, high-profile display of public
support.
Elem Youth in
Distress in Israel is a non profit organization that helps runaway,
homeless and neglected Jewish and Arab youth in distress. The Flag
of Hope project, developed by TLT Interactive is an innovative,
cross-media solution that allows the public to donate to an important
cause driving on the motorway, shopping at the mall or on the way
to the cinema. By merely pressing four numbers on the cell phone,
everyone can light a bulb on the massive blue and white flag on
the highway near the power station in Hadera and make a donation
via sms.
Elem, Flag of
Hope represents an innovative integrated system that encouraged
the community to support children in distress. Substituting traditional
"door to door" or "face to face" fund raising
with SMS messaging, the thousands of bulbs in the illuminated flag
represent not only impressive community solidarity reflected in
real time but also a creative and enterprising use of evolving technologies.
Each bulb was lit by a member of the public by making a modest donation
through a SMS message and resulted in a stunning, high-profile display
of public support.
E-learning - The Design Process http://www.ort.org.il/edesign
Concept: A technological problem is first of all a question - a
question that, once answered, will end a problematic or an undesirable
situation.
This online learning environment defines the technological problem
in a way that will allow users to discover several alternative solutions.
Users are encouraged to 'name the problem', 'identify the need'
and to consequently 'establish the requirements'. Led through a
series of easy to follow steps, users are guided through examples
and specific exercises to seek the solution to their problem for
themselves.
Following the matrix of research, brainstorming, construction and
evaluation, users learn to solve day to day technological problems
learning for example that 'a technological problem is a question
beginning with ‘How’ or, ‘In what way’.
Language: Hebrew, Spanish, English and Russian
Producers: Mr. Dov Kipperman, Curriculum Developer, ORT Israel <http://www.ort.org/asp/page.asp>
Judges comments: The design process is applied in this online architecture
to offer new insights to solving problems in creative ways. The
judges were particularly impressed how highly sophisticated processes
can be presented which such coherence. This quad-lingual project
reaches out to the global community and walks them through the various
stages of problem in an innovative way step by step illustrated
by clear and concise processes and examples.
The environment is well structured in the four languages but the
jury's main argument for choosing 'The Design Process' is its relevance
for information society. The proactive stance that this product
takes works to ease the crucial digital divide between readers and
writers, consumers and producers. To participate actively in the
information society users need to understand the process of producing
goods, ideas, content. The site provides copious opportunities for
the online learner to critically envision all the steps involved.
E-Culture -
Ancient Maps of Jerusalem http://jnul.huji.ac.il/dl/maps/jer
The Jewish National & University Library (Shapell Family Digitization
Project, Eran Laor Cartographic Collection) and The Hebrew University
of Jerusalem, Dept. of Geography, Historic Cities Project.
Concept: Jerusalem, the holy city of Judaism, Christianity and Islam,
has been the focus of numerous volumes of history, chronicles, biblical
exegeses, and itineraries. Many of these works include maps and
views of the city itself. These pictorial items increased in number
continuously with the development of printing methods since the
17th century. Before the advent of print, maps of Jerusalem and
other manuscripts of the city were often inscribed on vellum, or
more rarely created as wall or floor mosaics. Since the first printed
map of Jerusalem appeared in the late 15th century until the beginning
of the nineteenth century, when maps began to be based on accurate
surveys, more than 300 maps of Jerusalem were designed and printed.
Ancient Maps of Jerusalem present an archive of beautiful maps that
can be accessed by gallery, by persons and by date. In addition
the digital images may be investigated using an online magnifying
glass and fine details become visible.
Language: English
Producer: Prof. Elhanan Adler, Deputy Director for Information Technology,
Jewish National Library
Judges comments: The sophisticated design of the Ancient Map web
site does not distract in any way from the beauty and intricate
detail of the maps themselves; the focus of this product. It is
unusual to find such a rich resource online and this web site delights
the eye of both scholar and layman alike. The ability to investigate
the maps over the web browser with a magnifying glass allows each
and everyone to become a researcher. Instead of being stored ways
in closed drawers this web site allows the precious historical artifacts
to be accessed not only in the city of Jerusalem but also to reach
the four corners of the world for all to enjoy.
Jerusalem, the holy city of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, has
been the focus of numerous volumes of history, chronicles, biblical
exegeses, and itineraries. From the four corners of the world, followers
of the three monotheistic religions have imagined the holy city,
merging the spiritual with the material, the symbolic and utopian.
Imagining Jerusalem over the centuries have often resulted in a
pictorial representation including maps and views of the city itself.
The Eran Laor Cartographic Collection is one of the worldwide most
important collections of maps of Jerusalem. The Ancient Maps of
Jerusalem web site publishes almost 300 maps of the holy city from
early mapmaking to 1900. The online collection includes maps in
Latin, several European languages as well as Hebrew maps. The descriptions,
contextual information and navigation on the site are in English.
3: The WSA Processes
in Israel
The eight WSA
Israel contests were held in collaboration with the Israel Internet
Society and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Our team of esteemed
judges came from academy, the private sector and industry and included
several ministerial representatives. The E-business contest was
coordinated by Sigal Horesh, Executive – Software Industry,
The Israel Export & International Cooperation Institute, and
the e-Science category by Dr. Husam Masalha, Environment Desk, Ministry
of Science and Technology. As we had many applications form the
e-Learning sector we were delighted to have two eminent judges for
the contest, Rimon Levy and Benjamin Feinstein - e-Learning, MOACH
(Israel association for Computers and education).
From left to right, Shaula Haitner, Nava Gilad,
Susan Hazan, Nadav Schriebman, Revital Hermnon,
Muchon Zer Aviv, Rimon Levy, and Roi Rosenblit
Nadav Schriebman coordinated the e-Government contest, and Revital
Hermon, Internet Manager, Ministry of Health focused on her sector,
e-Health. While we did find some overlap across the two sectors,
Muchon Zer Aviv took over responsibility for - e-Entertainment and
Dov Winer, Coordinator of MINERVA in Israel took over the e-Culture
contest, which singularly received the largest number of applicants
across the eight categories. With our jury's special emphasis on
e-Inclusion we turned to two authorities in the area; Nava Gilad
and Gila Gertel Hasson from ISOC-IL. The Israel Internet Association
Task Groups e-Inclusion, with Gila also representing Nagish, Israel,
a NGO that focuses on universal inclusion over the Internet.
Shaula Haitner, ISOC-ILand was an especially supportive member of
our jury. Shaula's eye for creativity and excellence of presentation,
made her an invaluable member of our jury, and we are appreciative
of her vitality and support at all stages; including the production,
and management of the WSA Israel website. Last but not least, we
welcomed the contributions from Roi Rosenblit and Morav Raphael,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whose insights often kept us all on
track during the many weeks of organisational and operative stages
of the contests.
After months of organisation, two intense face to face meeting,
and endless e-mail correspondence, we were delighted to announce
or winners on the ISOC-Israel website http://www.isoc.org.il/wsa,
and wished all of our eight winners success in the upcoming global
contest. While we wished that we could have included many more in
this list, and as difficult as it was to make these selections,
we are confident, in the end, we did make the right choices. I have
singled out one particular prize winner, as I feel that this remarkable
project represents a highly innovative and exemplary model of holistic
health care, which illustrates how electronic networks and e-Content
can be creatively deployed to extend institutional mandates. The
Kav-Or model, in my opinion, is one that could inspire similar networks
in health care systems in other parts of the world, which firmly
establishes, not only the networking and sharing of professional
resources, but also creates a community of young people who, by
virtue of their hospital stay, deserve special attention, at perhaps
the most difficult time in their lives.
4. e-Content
Israel - its true meaning and practical implication
E-Content in
Israel permeates all walks of life. With the unusually high penetration
of broadband, and mobile technology (see facts and figures), Israelis
tend to stay tuned in to the news (often on an hourly basis), to
their preferred music (now available through mobile phones), to
their favourite television program (over 100 channels to choose
from), and, of course, to each other (via the high penetration of
land lines and mobile telephony; over VoIP services on cable infrastructure
through the HOT channel; and over SMS, ICQ, and MSM). This is partly
due to the security situation, but also very much because of the
strong sense of community in Israel. In keeping with global developments,
e-Content is needs to be interoperable in order to respond to the
convergence of radio, television, mobile phones and the Internet.
Although we are consuming our news, entertainment and information
more and more over a range of different platforms, at the same time
we are consuming identical content, remixed, and adapted, for example.
News items, advertising, and music clips move from broadcast quality
video, to Internet as Flash, and are downscaled even further for
mobile-phone as MP4 for distribution over 3G networks. Emerging
scenarios are often about intertextuality and cross-media production
rather developing content for a single, dedicated platform.
At the same
time, e-Content has become global – as everyone scrambles
to watch the latest movie, as it is released on the same day on
the silver screen, or to anticipate the upcoming episode of Friends
on the myriad online discussions; so e-Content is becoming intrinsically
intertextual, globally accessibly, and essentially ubiquitous. Israelis
therefore can simultaneously remain connected to many different
global networks – consuming, and producing content in Hebrew
English, Arabic, Russian, Spanish and French. This means that content
developers tend to keep an eye on markets, not only in Israel, but
also in the global community, but for the Hebrew and Arabic speaking
communities in Israel, the e-Content developers have specific concerns.
As well as switching languages as we surf, read, communicate or
produce our content, all platforms are required to render right-to-left
support for Hebrew and Arabic. Operating systems – in computing
environments, portable music players, PDA's, and mobile phones –
all need to take this into consideration, and content developers
need to develop their products accordingly.
5. The current status of e-Content in Israel across industry
The terms 'hi-tech'
and 'Israel' are almost synonymous. Many initiatives developed in
Israel became international success stories. The first peer-to-peer
communication application on the Internet was the popular program
ICQ, which was developed in 1996 by the Israel-based company, Mirabilis,
ICQ was acquired by America Online, Inc. in June 1998, for $287
Million, and continues to lead the field in instant messaging. Many
other Israel companies have produced world class applications, and
their names are household words. Scitex Corporation Ltd. is a world
leader and develops, and manufactures visual information communications
products for the graphic arts. Orca delivers interactive service
applications including video on-demand, broadcast and IPG, multi-channel
(TV, PC and wireless). Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. is
the worldwide leader in securing the Internet, and the market leader
in the worldwide enterprise firewall, personal firewall and VPN
markets. In addition, companies, such as RAD Data Communications,
Comverse Technology, Inc., Amdocs and Elbit, with headquarters located
in Israel, have considerable reach across global markets. For a
comprehensive directory of Israeli companies see http://www.science.co.il/Companies.asp.
6: e-Content
and intertextuality
If I were to
try to prioritise the sectors that are taking the lead in developing
e-Content in Israel, I would be unable to truly separate the intertextual
nature of both the content and the platform. When gathering the
proposals for the 8 WSA national contents, we found that many of
the producers, in fact, sent in their products in more than one
category. During the judging process, we often found that delegating
a specific product, to a single category turned out to be arbitrary,
and although we realised that a working framework was clearly needed
in order to manage the overall process, we found that the categories
overlapped more often than not. Therefore, I find it difficult to
recommend one sector over another, in that we received excellent
proposals from all categories, and that no single category emerged
as more engaging, or more creative than any other.
7: e-Content
Production
Both in my own
practice in the field, and through the experience of coordinating
the 8 national contests, I would argue that the synergetic connections
across the different sectors, is precisely what makes Israel's hi-tech
track record is so impressive. While the incubation stages of many
projects may have been inspired, and in part developed by the army
and government initiatives, the cross-over into the public sector;
into academia and commerce - is exactly what have made the Israeli
experience so successful.
8/9: The development
of e-Content in Israel and the major initiatives
When media researchers
seek historical routes to Israel's hi-tech success story, they inevitably
point to the source of this success – the army. The Israeli
Defense Force's commitment to innovation, and its continuous maximization
of the resources at its disposal, is indicative of the high quality
of technological innovation in Israel today. Compulsory service
means that everyone is inducted into the army. Those with a propensity
for technology are drafted into the elite computer unit, and as
these highly-skilled engineers moved into the different industries
afterwards – to optics, telecommunications, and medical sectors,
for example – these skills are transferred to the civilian
sector. Drawn by this steady stream of human resources, world-class
companies like Intel, Motorola, IBM and Microsoft set up facilities
in Israel in the 1990s, which, with this vital input amongst several
factors, soon developed as the world's largest concentration of
start ups outside of Silicon Valley.
The success
story of army-trained engineers is evident in some of the world's
leading products and technologies: voice mail, billing systems,
internet security, instant messaging, ingestible video cameras,
and generic pharmaceuticals. This inevitably leads to quality e-Content
and as the WSA winner, 'Migrating Birds' demonstrates (see below),
satellites, for example, can also be mobilized to track, other kinds
of air-born phenomena – in this case flocks of geese, cranes,
lesser kestrels and houbara bustards.
10. Developing
e-Content and the Jerusalem Declaration
The Jerusalem
Declaration on Digitization of Science and Cultural Heritage was
adopted at the conclusion of the Jerusalem EVA/MINERVA Conference
held in October 2004, under the auspices of the scientific and cultural
statutory institutions in Israel http://www.minervaisrael.org.il//s183.html.
The declaration built upon the Charter of Parma, and stressed the
Dutch Presidency and MINERVA's NRG call: "to strategically
integrate [the coordination of digital heritage] with its economic
sectors of reference (such as culture, education, tourism, technology,
research…) their policies and programs, their policy-drivers
(institutions, industries, users, general public). The Minerva Project
is coordinated in Israel by the Ministry of Science and Technology
and the Jewish Agency for Israel (eJewish.info). The Conference
called on the Israeli government to develop a national policy for
the digitization of scientific and cultural heritage, a recommendation
that builds upon the sophisticated communication and technological
infrastructures already in place, and to integrate the combined
efforts of its statutory institutions, cultural heritage sector,
ICT educational programs, broadcasting industry, eGovernment sector,
and the ICT industry.
In December
2004, the Jerusalem Declaration was presented to M.K. Michael Eitan
coordinator of the Internet and Information Technologies Committee
in the Knesset (Israel Parliament). The six-point declaration called
for the development of a concerted policy for the digitization of
Israel's cultural assets, their long term preservation, and their
re-incorporation into the contemporary life of worldwide Jewry,
as living evidence of its multi-cultural, and pluralistic facets.
The declaration calls for the preservation of cultural diversity,
giving voice to the historical and contemporary creativity of Arab,
Druze, Islamic and Christian cultures, and recognizes the tangible
and intangible heritage of all of Israel's communities. The declaration
was approved by the committee, and represents a critical step towards
the development of a comprehensive policy on the digitization of
scientific and cultural content.
11/12. e-Content
development, ICT infrastructure and facilities; penetration, acceptance
and policies
The telecom
market in Israel has exhibited impressive growth over recent years,
with digital, multi-channel, cable television reaching 75 per cent
of Israeli households, and an impressive 95 per cent of the population
using mobile telephone technology. Mobile computing is incrementally
becoming more and more ubiquitous. WiFi access, for example, is
now available in hospitals, cafes, hotels, and in many other public
places in most of the main cities, including umbrella coverage of
the whole of downtown Jerusalem. This WiFi-friendly atmosphere welcomes
citizens and tourists alike, to linger in a café on a shady
sidewalk, and pull out a laptop, to set up office, or to simply
hook up to friends while enjoying an espresso.
The number of Internet users has also doubled over the previous
two years to reach 2.7 million in May 2004, representing 55 per
cent of the households now connected to the Internet and 75% of
businesses. Young people (12 to 17 years old) doubled the mean amount
of time they spend surfing the Internet per week since 2002, while
the share of time applied to other media went down (TGI, February
2005). Even the number of domain names in Israel had risen in 2004,
with the Israel Internet Society reporting a growth of 14 per cent
in comparison to 2003, with some 56,899 new domains registered in
Israel (Winer, 2004). Basically, Israelis love innovation, and surround
themselves with the technology that allows them stay connected.
With this dynamic infrastructure in place, scientific research and
dissemination, popular entertainment and culture now flourish; e-learning
extends its traditional educational mandate across electronic networks;
and commerce is enabled to develop and extend into new markets –
both locally and internationally.
13. The future
of e-Content development in Israel
As a media researcher, I would refrain from taking a futuristic
perspective; a position I feel would be more speculative than useful.
Out of respect for the research tradition, we can only look behind
us; analyse the developments and demonstrate the trends. From this
perspective, however, Israel's future e-Content development does
look promising. It is based on a thriving ICT framework; it draws
on consecutive generations of army trained engineers and specialists;
its culture is rich and varied; and the hybridity of the multi-ethnicity
of its community portents a vital cultural potential.
14. Israel's
5 pillars of e-Content Development
• An entrepreneurial
spirit
• A commitment to innovation
• The continuous maximization of the resources at our disposal
• A high concentration of local start-ups, and international
facilities located in Israel
• Strong R&D that builds upon a high percentage of highly
qualified scientists and engineers
15. Cross-media
and intertextuality
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affair's website, keeping informed
of events in Israel, in the Middle East and around the world, is
very important to Israelis. Listening to hourly radio bulletins,
viewing television news broadcasts and reading at least one daily
newspaper are part of most Israelis' daily routine.
Newspapers - Israel's commitment to freedom of the press applies
to all communications media, with only security matters subject
to military censorship. Seven daily newspapers in Hebrew are published,
in addition to several in Russian and French and two in English
- the long-established Jerusalem Post (formerly Palestine Post),
and an English edition of Ha'aretz, the country's leading newspaper,
in cooperation with the Herald Tribune - as well as more than 1,000
periodicals, many of which are magazines for special interest groups.
Radio - Kol Israel (Voice of Israel) operates eight radio networks
which offer programming in 17 languages, ranging from light entertainment
and popular music to academic lectures, panel discussions and classical
music, each geared to a different audience, from children to seniors,
from newcomers to veteran Israelis. Galei Tzahal (the Israel Defense
Force's official station) broadcasts around the clock, featuring
news and music as well as programs of special interest to soldiers.
Multilingual, short-wave transmissions for listeners abroad provide
a constant and reliable source of information about Israel, the
Middle East and Jewish affairs.
Television - Television began in Israel in 1967; today two state-run
channels offer educational information and entertainment programming
in Hebrew, Arabic and English. One local commercial channel, inaugurated
in 1994, is divided among private producers, with certain hours
reserved daily for educational programs. Cable television, funded
by monthly subscription fees, is now available in most of the country,
making it possible to receive dozens of American, European and Asian
networks, sports, and children's features, movies and documentaries
on a wide range of topics http://www.mfa.gov.il.
Internet – There are currently 17 portals in English, Hebrew
and Russian and 10 Internet Providers (IP's). Several sophisticated
Hebrew-language portals and more than 60,000 web pages also contribute
to ubiquitous Internet use in Israel. The country's strong tradition
of academic inquiry and research has placed Israel on the global
research network for the NGI (Next Generation Internet), linking
Israel to the world's seekers of scientific and industrial knowledge
through StarTap (Chicago) to the U.S.-Internet 2 Network, through
the Point of Presence (London) to the EU GEANT Network and to Q-Med
(Mediterranean consortium Quantum extension) http://www.moc.gov.il/new/english/index.html.
With all these platforms to choose from, Israeli's tend to consume
the different media concurrently – both the traditional print,
and the electronic, and especially now that convergence is blurring
the borders between what were once discrete areas. We listen to
news over the airwaves from radio stations, broadcast over cable
tv., or listen to the very same broadcasts, and the same news reports,
disseminated across mobile telephones and websites. The key here
is fully interoperable e-Content production; content which may be
launched concurrently from the different platforms. Whether we read
the newspaper online or in print, on the train while commuting to
work, we keep our eyes open for our favorite reporter or editor,
and turn to any media that brings them to us, wherever, and whenever
we need it. In the fast-paced life of most Israelis, the more we
can consume on the go makes better use of our precious time. On
the other hand, however, when the weekend draws near, Israelis are
just as likely to take home a couple of kilos of broadsheets to
idle away their leisure time, or snuggle up with a newly published
book in a comfy corner.
Making this journey over recent months has been both enjoyable and
fascinating, and I was lucky to have been joined by some of the
brightest professionals in the field. I would like to thank all
the judges and participants, therefore, whose devotion, inspiration
and very hard work came together, with many, many cups of coffee
- to make this journey possible.
Israel Connected - Facts and Figures 2004/5
Population of
Israel (MC)
Population ~
6.8 million
Households ~ 1.9 million
Average family ~ 3.6 persons
Population Breakdown (CBS)
Total 6,869,500
Male 3,392,600
Female 3,477,000
0-14 1,947,500
15-24 1,124,400
25-35 1,045,200
35-44 800,600
45-54 748,600
55-65 521,400
65+ 681,800
Population by
Religion (DW)
Jews 76.5% (5,165,000)
Moslems 15.9% (1,072,000)
Christians 2.1% (142,000)
Druze 1.6% (110,000)
Main Cities
(MFA)
Jerusalem, Israel's capital (population 675,000), has stood at the
center of the Jewish people’s national and spiritual life
since King David made it the capital of his kingdom some 3000 years
ago. Today it is a flourishing, vibrant metropolis, the seat of
the government and Israel’s largest city.
Tel Aviv-Yafo (population 360,000), which was founded in 1909 as
the first Jewish city in modern times, is today the center of the
country’s industrial, commercial, financial and cultural life.
Haifa (population 272,000), a known coastal town since ancient times,
is a major Mediterranean port and the industrial and commercial
center of northern Israel.
Be’er Sheva (population 180,000), named in the Bible as an
encampment of the
patriarchs, is today the largest urban center in the south. It provides
administrative, economic, health, education and cultural services
for the entire southern region.
Total Number of Internet connections (MC)
43% broadband
to households
55% internet to households
75% internet to businesses
Total Number
of Telephone lines (MC)
95% phone lines
to households
Total number
of Mobile connections/users (MC)
95% mobile per
100 inhabitants
Total number
of household with TV/cable TV (MC)
72% digital
multi channel tv
75% households to cable tv
Total Number
of PC installations (IC)
Adult Population
No computer at home 26%
One computer at home 56%
Two or more computers at home 18%
Number of PC
installations - Youth (12-18) (IC)
No computer
at home 7%
One computer at home 71%
Two or more computers at home 22%
Israel Online
(ISTH)
17 portals in
English, Hebrew and Russian
10 Internet Providers (IP's)
Total numbers
of universities (ISTH)
There are 60 universities and colleges in Israel
Percentage of
educated population (IC)
(Sampling 1,230
interviewed)
Completed high school 35%
Academic 35%
Exports by Industry
Group, 2004 (IAEI)
Comm. &
Telecomm 20%
Components 15%
Industrial equipment and Medical systems 19%
Defense Systems 19.0%
Software 27%
Amos 2 Satellite
– Civilian Telecommunications Satellite (UO)
Launched December
2003
Geostationary orbit at 4o West (co-located with AMOS 1)
11 active transponders & 3 backup transponders, 72 MHz bandwidth
each
High power - planned for DTH TV distribution,
two-way Internet services and broadband VSAT networks
3 spot beams: Middle East - supporting up to 11 transponders
Europe - supporting up to 6 transponders
US East coast - supporting up to 8 transponders
Designed, manufactured and controlled by Israel Aircraft Industries
Owned & operated by Spacecom Ltd.
High-Tech Characteristics in Israel (UH)
Strengths: •
Entrepreneurial Spirit
• Highly Qualified Scientists & Engineers
• Proven Track Record
Engines: •
Government Support (R&D, Investment)
• Venture Capital
Results: •
Strong R&D
• New Technologies and Applications
• Numerous New Start-ups
• International Involvement (Acquisitions & Subsidiaries)
Israel-Europe
R&D, (ISERD)
World highest
per-capita science graduates and scientific workforce: 140 per 10,000
• R&D spending of 4.2% - among the world highest
• High-tech is over 50% of industrial production and export
• Civilian spin-offs of defence technologies
• Global JV’s takeovers and international alliances
World class
center for R&D
• 4.2 % of GDP
• Government funding
• Up to 50% R&D funding, special schemes for start-ups
• Highest concentration of start-ups outside Silicon Valley
Sources
(IC) Digital
Availability and the Digital Gap, 2005
Itzik Cohen, Senior Deputy to the Accountant-General at the Finance
Ministry
http://www.maor.gov.il/docs/digital/digital1.doc (in Hebrew)
(MC) Ministry
of Communications
http://www.moc.gov.il
(DW) Dov Winer,
Israel Country Report, MINERVA 2004: the National Representatives
Group: coordination mechanisms for digitisation policies and programmes
2004)
http://www.minervaeurope.org/publications/globalreport/globalrep2004.htm
(ISTH) Israel
Hanukoglu, Ph.D. Editor, Israel Science and Technology Homepage
http://www.science.co.il
(IAEI) Israel
Electronics & Software Industries, 2004
http://www.moc.gov.il/new/documents/lect_2.6.04.pdf
(MFA) Ministry
of Foreigh Affairs
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/facts%20about%20israel/israel%20in%20brief/
(UO) Uri Olenik,
Director General, Ministry of Communications, 2004
http://www.moc.gov.il/new/documents/lect_2.6.04.pdf
(CBS) Central
Bureau of Statistics
http://www1.cbs.gov.il
(UH) Uri Har, (2005) Director General, IAEI
Israel Association of Electronics & Information Industries
www.soft-outsourcing.com/presentations/har.ppt
http://www.iaei.org.il
(ISERD) National
Contact Point (NCP) for the European Union's Framework Program for
R&D
http://www.iserd.org.il/presentations/isrelpresentationFP6/whyisrael_files/frame.htm
Susan Hazan, Israel WSA Coordinator
wsa-israel@icnm.net
http://www.isoc.org.il/wsa
Hazan is a Digital Media Analyst, her focus is on museum/culture
and she is currently curator of New Media, and Head of the Internet
Office at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Her Masters, and PhD research
at Goldsmiths College, University of London in Media and Communications
focuses on electronic architectures in the contemporary museum.
Hazan has published substantially on New Media, and has been a visiting
lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London and taught Web Design,
Critical E-Museology, and Digital Media, with an emphasis on the
correlation between cultural theory and contemporary practice. In
October 2004, Hazan organized, and co-chaired the first Jerusalem
Conference on the Digitization of Cultural Heritage, EVA, with the
MINERVA Network in Israel which focused on the digitization of cultural
and scientific content.
Hazan is currently developing a comprehensive exhibition of digital
art at the Israel Museum setting up a dialogue of the encyclopaedic,
permanent collections across the museum campus with art born digital
http://www.imj.org.il. Hazan is the representative of EVA in Israel
http://www.eva-conferences.com, has been a member of the annual
Museums and the Web Conference Program Committee since 2001, is
currently on the ISEA Interactive City Jury, InterSociety for Electronic
Arts Symposium to be held in San Jose, California, USA in August
2006, a member of the program committee for Virtual Systems and
MultiMedia to Europe (VSMM2005), and a member of the Selection Committee
of From the "Art on the Net" the latest project at "netarts.org"
http://www.netarts.org/committee_members_sh.html.
In November 2005, the second Jerusalem Conference on the Digitization
of Cultural Heritage will serve as a stage for a gala event, and
an opportunity to recognize the WSA prize winners, and thank all
the judges.
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