Writer: Brian Blum

Brian has been a journalist and high-tech entrepreneur for over 25 years. He combines this expertise for ISRAEL21c as he writes about hot new local startups, pharmaceutical advances, scientific discoveries, culture, the arts and daily life in Israel. He loves hiking the country with his family (and blogging about it). Originally from California, he lives in Jerusalem with his wife and three children.

Iron Dome system intercepts missiles – but not in Jerusalem ChameleonsEye / Shutterstock.com

First siren

When I was growing up in California, I had a terrible fear of being caught in the shower when an earthquake hit. What would I do, stressed my pre-teen self; would I run out into the street stark naked in order to save myself?

Noa Tishby. Photo by Ron Kedmi for Signon

Voicemail for video

Supermodel Noa Tishby helps launch new Israel-based startup, Minit, for bare-bones video sharing via smartphone.

Facebook image. Photo by Annette Shaff/ www.Shutterstock.com

The top 10 Facebook apps from Israel

If you can play games, share referrals, recognize friends and purchase gifts through Facebook, it’s probably thanks to an Israeli startup. ISRAEL21c brings you the top 10 apps.

The CloudOn team. Engineering VP Meir Morgenstern is third from left in top row.

Apple gets the Word

You may be able to ditch your laptop, now that Israel’s CloudOn is bringing the full functionality of Microsoft Office to the iPad.

Apping the Omer

From the second day of Passover until the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, observant Jews perform a ritual called “counting the Omer.” Between those two dates,