Hugs have been scientifically proven to have a calming effect on people, especially those with PTSD, autism or under high stress. Now a new Israeli innovation, BioHug, is offering comfort and stress relief for those who need hugs most. “We’re all familiar with stress, which is associated with lots of health problems,” BioHug CEO Andrew Schiffmiller explained. “For some populations it can be associated with much more severe symptoms – someone with autism under stress may injure …More

An Israeli medical team successfully separated a pair of conjoined twins Wednesday, the first surgery of its kind in the Jewish state. The incredibly rare operation took four hours to complete, after which one of the twins was said to be in critical condition. The second twin never fully developed in utero and had no chance of survival. The unnamed mother gave birth to the twins last week in Nazareth. The procedure was conducted at the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. A team of doctors worked to remove from the …More

In the aftermath of last week's deadly bombing at the Boston Marathon, which left three dead and more than 170 injured, staff at Massachusetts General Hospital praised an Israeli team for its help in prepping local doctors in emergency response. Two years ago, a delegation of Israeli medical professionals traveled to Boston, participating in disaster training culled from the Jewish state's unfortunate experience in dealing with terrorist attacks. “About two years ago in actual fact we asked the Israelis …More

The Chernobyl explosion in 1986 was a catastrophic nuclear disaster. Nearly 27 years later, the effects of the tragedy are still being felt. Chabad’s Children of Chernobyl (CCOC) was set up in 1990, with one simple but crucial goal—find a way to help the children affected. “The Lubavitch Rebbe recognized the need for these children to be saved,” said Rachel Fertel, director of events with CCOC. “There was no organization in place to permanently remove these children.” CCOC …More

In 1960, the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem decided to add a spiritual, creative component to its worship area. A series of stained glass windows were the order of the day, and staff set out to determine which skilled artist was up to the task. Marc Chagall was an easy choice. Arguably the most famous Jewish artist at the time, he had spent decades depicting Jewish life and customs through his many paintings and glassworks. When Chagall met with Hadassah heads in Paris to discuss the commission, his wife …More

Two teens battling the same type of rare cancer have become best friends. While not incredibly surprising on its own, the two boys are garnering some attention for their nationalities: one is Israeli, one is Palestinian. Tal Zilker, 17, of Israel, and Qsuy Imran, 17, of Gaza, are both patients at the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, being treated for bone cancer. The two met in May, when Tal entered the facility and Qsuy was the first person he met. This past Sunday, the center held a Hanukkah party, which …More

An Israeli company has created a non-invasive Alzheimer’s treatment, expected on the market in the US in 2014. Neuronix is a tech company that developed a magnetics treatment to stave off the pain and mental deterioration brought on by Alzheimer’s. The creators say the technique can add months of healthy living to a patient’s lifestyle. "You stimulate the brain on a biological level as well as on a cognitive level," Neuronix CEO Eyal Baror told Reuters. "We see improvement lasting for 9-12 …More

A method of paired studying popular at yeshivas has been blamed on an outbreak of mumps among the Orthodox community. Ninety-seven percent of some 3,500 recent mumps cases in New York and New Jersey were connected to the ultra religious Jewish community. The outbreak was charted between June 2009 to June 2010, with results of a Center for Disease Control study just now published. The research found that "intense exposures, particularly among boys in schools, facilitated transmission and overcame vaccine-induced …More

Two Israeli landmarks were lit up in pink glory last night, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Haifa University and the Naveh Nof residential tower in Bat Yam were cast in hues of magenta, continuing a tradition for the Jewish state. In past years, sites like the old city walls of Jerusalem have lit up to coincide with the month-long awareness campaign. Other buildings around the globe participated as well, including the Empire State Building, Buckingham Palace and the Sydney Opera House. The project …More

The rate of breast cancer in Israeli women is on the rise, according to a new report released today. One in every 7.5 Israeli women is in danger of developing the cancer, down from one in nine, reported the Israeli Disease Control Center. Though the study showed more women diagnosed with the illness, the rate of death has gone down, most likely due to increased awareness and earlier screenings. A disparity was shown between Jewish Israelis and Arab Israelis, however--only one in 14 Arab women in the Jewish …More

US prisoner Alan Gross may be suffering from cancer, according to a review released today. "Gross has a potentially life-threatening medical problem that has not been adequately evaluated to modern medical standards," U.S. radiologist Alan Cohen said in a statement released by Gross' attorney Jared Genser. Gross’ wife Judy originally reported her husband had developed a mass on his shoulder, after her last visit to his Cuban prison. A Cuban doctor deemed the mass as a “hematoma,” stating it …More

An Israeli scientist has developed a breathalyzer technique that may help diagnose lung cancer. Dr. Hossam Haick of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and his team recently published findings from a yearlong study monitoring exhaled breath of 74 test subjects that each carried pulmonary nodules. The breath technique correctly identified 53 subjects whose nodules were malignant, and 19 that were benign. “Current cancer diagnosis techniques are ineffective and impractical,” said Haick. …More