Rehovot Mall Deal: Shurka-Rabonovitch Threaten To Sue Amot

Leading text: "Shurka-Rabonovitch threaten to sue Amot over Rehovot Mall dealAmot exercised its right of first refusal on Nitsba's stake in the mall, and sold it to Azorim Properties for NIS 215 million. The deal for the sale of 50% of the Rehovot Mall has run into complications. The Shurka-Rabinovitch consortium that conducted negotiations to buy 50% of the mall from Nitsba Holdings, plans to sue the Azorim Investment, Development and Construction (TASE:AZRM) board. Amot, which owns 50% of the mall, exercised its right of first refusal on Nitsba's share, bought it, and sold it to Azorim Properties for NIS 215 million. During the negotiations that took place in December 2004 between Nitsba and the Shurka-Rabinovitch consortium for the sale of Nitsba's stake in the mall, Amot declared that it intended to exercise its right of first refusal, and then to sell the 50% stake to Azorim Properties. According to sources close to the deal, Amot Investments intends to sell Azorim Properties its own stake in the mall too, so that Azorim Properties will have 100% ownership. The Shurka-Rabivovitch consortium has announced that it intends to sue those involved in the deal, including the directors of Amot, for fraud and tort..."

Source: Guy Yamin. Shurka-Rabonovitch threaten to sue Amot over Rehovot Mall deal. Globes Online (26 Jan 2005) [FullText].

Earlier article: Elazar Levin. Pal-Kal ceiling incident scares Rabinovitch group off Rehovot Mall deal. The banks are thought to be hesitant to provide financial coverage. Globes Online (27 Dec 2004) [FullText]

Rehovot woman sues food store for age discrimination

Excerpt: "A 50-year-old Rehovot woman filed suit yesterday in the city's Labor Court against a food store that allegedly refused to hire her as a cashier because of her age. Raisa Kogan, who has experience as a food store cashier, was sent by the Rehovot Employment Bureau for an interview at Delicious Center, a supermarket catering to customers from the former Soviet Union. However, she was told at the end of the interview, "the age is unsuitable. I asked for up to age 35." "The consideration of age is humiliating and damaging to human dignity," attorney Adir Leshem, representing Kogan for the Na'amat women's organization, wrote."

Source: Ruth Sinai. Haaretz News in Brief: Rehovot woman sues food store for age discrimination. Haaretz Online Edition (24 January 2005) [FullText].

A senior police officer killed himself in Rehovot

"A senior police officer in the Central District shot and killed himself Friday in his office at police headquarters in Rehovot. A police officer found the body of Superintendent Yosi Cohen and alerted Magen David Adom paramedics, but they were unable to revive him. The policeman's friends said they were shocked by his suicide. Some police officers said that Cohen didn't leave a note explaining why he took his own life, but they believe the suicide had to do with a personal crisis."

Source: Yuval Azulay. Top police officer commits suicide. Ha'aretzDaily (22 Jan 2005) [FullText]

Rehovot Researchers Have Discovered A Readily-Available Substance Contained In The Poplar Tree Which Can Be Used To Combat Cancer

"The researchers, from Jerusalem's Hebrew University, have successfully identified and isolated a new protein from the poplar tree with special structural and qualitative characteristics. These can be used in the future development of nanocapsules, enabling drug delivery to cancer cells. Called SP-1, the protein has a nanometric, 'bagel-shaped' structure, which is extremely stable. It has been found to be capable of surviving contact with enzymes that break down proteins or exposure to extreme conditions such as boiling, excessive acidity, salinity, organic solvents or detergent solutions. Because the protein is obtained from plant tissue, it can be produced in large quantities, making it highly available for medicinal or other applications. The research was conducted at the university's Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences in Rehovot by Prof. Arie Altman, head of the faculty's Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, and Prof. Oded Shoseyov. Also participating were Dr. Wangxia Wang, Dr. Dan Pelah, and the scientists of Fulcrum SP Ltd. - Dr. Amnon Wolf, Dr. Ira Marton and Dr. Yonatan Puny.Professors Altman and Shoseyov told Globes that the SP-1 protein serves to assist in creating a properly folded and functioning structure of other proteins within the plant?s cells. The SP-1 also has the ability to assemble itself into a structure composed of 12 identical units, making it exceptionally resistant to extreme conditions. These qualities are rarely found among proteins, and make the SP-1 a promising candidate for a multiplicity of uses in developing medicinal applications in the rapidly growing field of nanobiotechnology."

Source: Fighting Cancer With a Tree. IsraelNN.com (6 January 2005 / 25 Tevet 5765) [FullText]

Rehovot Scientists Develop A New Approach for Directing Treatment to Metastasized Prostate Cancer

"When prostate cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer death among men, spreads in the body, it most often goes to the bone where it is particularly difficult to treat. Metastasis to the bone is implicated in over 70% of prostate cancer deaths. Prof. Zelig Eshhar, Head of the Immunology Department at the Weizmann Institute of Science, has now shown how a treatment that works on cancer in the prostate can be redirected to the bones.

The treatment, which was developed in Eshhar?s lab a number of years ago, is based on cells that have been engineered to combine two different types of weapons used by the immune system to fight invaders. Antibodies are best at recognizing foreign or altered molecules such as antigens on the outer walls of bacteria, viruses or cancer cells. T cells are better at killing unwanted cells, but not as adept at identification, especially of tricky cancer cells that may already have developed methods of evading detection by the immune system. By attaching an antibody-based structure designed to recognize specific cancer cells directly to a T cell receptor, Eshhar produced custom-modified cells, dubbed T bodies, which are proficient at both finding and killing cancer cells.

However, getting T bodies into the bone to treat metastasized cancer was another story. The cancer in this case is likely to be spread throughout the bone, in hard to reach places. When Eshhar?s research team first injected T bodies into immunodeficient mice in which human prostate cancer developed in the leg bones, they saw no real improvement, indicating to them that the cells were not getting to the cancer in significant enough quantities to have an effect.

To address the problem, the Rehovot's Weizmann team, which included Dr. Jehonathan Pinthus of Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, ?preconditioned? the mice using one of two strategies already in use in some forms of cancer therapy: low doses of radiation or a specific chemotherapy drug. Both treatments cause some disruption in the bone marrow, the intended target of the T bodies. In response, the bone marrow sends out a chemical distress signal to the immune system. This signal not only alerts immune cells such as T cells to the danger, but assists them in homing in on the problem area and in passing through barriers that might otherwise prevent them from getting into the bone marrow tissue.

Mice treated with either therapy 24 hours prior to being injected with T bodies showed a significant drop in the tumor marker, PSA (an indicator of cancer levels), a reduction in the tumor load and prolonged survival. Because the method holds promise for treating disseminated cancers that are resistant to other forms of therapy, Eshhar hopes to move it into clinical trials in the near future.

Prof. Zelig Eshhar's research is supported by the M.D. Moross Institute for Cancer Research and the Crown Endowment Fund for Immunological Research. Prof. Eshhar is the incumbent of the Marshall & Renette Ezralow Professorial Chair of Chemical & Cellular Immunology. "

Source: Getting Cancer Therapy into the Bones. Weizmann Institute scientists develop a new approach for directing treatment to metastasized prostate cancer in the bones (22 December 2004) [FullText]

Service Disruptions in Kaplan Hospital near Rehovot

"Due to workers' meetings, administrative staff announced earlier that there will be service interruptions in Rehovot's Kaplan Hospital. Workers are meeting following two physical assaults against hospital staff during the weekend and demanding the hiring of additional security personnel."

Source: Service Disruptions in Kaplan Hospital. (IsraelNN.com (11 January 20'05 / 1 Shevat 5765) [FullText]

Kaplan Hospital Clinical Research Confirms That "Jaffa Sweetie" Lowers Cholesterol

"People who eat the Israeli-developed "pomelit" fruit - a cross between a grapefruit and a pomelo - can greatly lower their chances of heart disease or blocked arteries. Research conducted by a Hebrew University scientist shows that those who regularly eat, or drink the juice of, the unique Israeli citrus are able to lower their blood cholesterol and increase their antioxidant activity. Dr. Shela Gorinstein of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products at Hebrew University's Jerusalem School of Pharmacy published her research on the pomelit in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

To test the benefits of the fruit, 72 patients at Kaplan Hospital in Rehovot suffering from hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) were given daily supplements of the juice for 30 days. All of the patients had recently undergone bypass surgery.

The results showed a substantial decrease of LDL ('bad') blood cholesterol and an increase in blood antioxidant activity in patients who were given medium and large portions of the juice, compared with those who did not receive any. Patients who consumed the most juice showed great increase in blood albumin and a decrease in blood fibrinogen levels. These are factors that enhance anticoagulant activity, which in turn can prevent heart diseases. The researcher concludes her findings with a recommendation that hypercholesterolic patients add juice of the pomelit - known also by its commercial name, the "Jaffa Sweetie" - to their daily diets for protection against heart disease."

Source: "Jaffa Sweetie" Lowers Cholesterol. IsraelNN.Com (1 December 2004 / 18 Kislev 5765) [FullText]

Four Israelis Have Been Confirmed Dead In The Tsunami Disaster

"Four Israelis have been confirmed dead in the tsunami disaster. In addition to the previously identified victims Hemda Cohen and Sharon Haliel, two more have been added to the list of confirmed dead: Zohar Aloni, 24, from Rehovot, and Esther Levy, 58, from Raanana. Three of the four will be buried in Israel today. Of the five Israelis who remained missing as of last night, two were located safe and sound this morning.

Many volunteer organizations in Israel are banding together to collect donations of goods, funds and other aid for the tsunami-stricken areas. The National Council for Volunteerism, with the cooperation of other organizations including Magen David Adom, the Kibbutz Movement and Latet (To Give), will send a shipment of tons of humanitarian aid and food in the coming days...

The government of Sri Lanka, the island country south of India whose death toll is nearing 30,000, sent a letter of thanks to Israel for its help. The Sri Lankan ambassador in the United Nations, sent a letter to his Israeli counterpart Danny Gillerman denying that his country had refused Israeli help for political reasons. "The Sri Lankan government and people," he wrote, "greatly appreciate the help that Israel granted us in this time of distress, in the form of food, medical equipment and rescue forces." He explained that the reason his government asked Israel to "temporarily delay the arrival of the 150-man team" was because the tsunami had destroyed the country's ability to host foreigners, including hotels, and had closed off the vicinity of the airport. "The Sri Lankan authorities are interested in leaving the door open for the arrival of additional Israeli experts when necessary," the ambassador wrote."

Source: Israel Tsunami Disaster VictimIsraeli Teams Bring Number of Missing Down to 3 (2 January 2005 / 21 Tevet 5765) [FullText]