Simon Griver
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Articles by Simon Griver
Kinneret remains low even after wet January
The Environment and Climate Change portal is produced in cooperation with the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The Jerusalem Post maintains all editorial decisions related to the content. The Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) has ended January 2026 still below the bottom red line despite heavier-than-average annual rainfall so far this fall/winter, the Kinneret Authority reported on Sunday.
Kinneret remains low even after wet January
The Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) has ended January 2026 still below the bottom red line despite heavier than average annual rainfall so far this fall/winter, the Kinneret Authority reports. The lake is currently, 4.43 meters from its maximum level of 208.80 meters below sea level, according to the Kinneret Authority, and 23 centimeters below the bottom red line, beyond which water is not pumped out.
Kinneret still below bottom red line despite heavy rains
The Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) has ended 2025 below the bottom red line despite heavier than average annual rainfall so far this fall/winter, the Kinneret Authority reports. Much of the heaviest rain has been in the center and south of the country.
UBS: Israel rises in global wealth rankings
Average wealth per adult in Israel rose 7.8% in real terms in 2024, the Swiss bank reports. Israel was ranked 17th in the UBS 2025 Global Wealth Report with average wealth of $284,000 per adult in 2024, up 7.8% in real terms, measured in local currency, from 2023 when Israel was ranked 18th. The Swiss bank said that median wealth in Israel in 2024 grew by over 12%, while median wealth skyrocketed 30%, the fifth highest performance in 2024 in the UBS sample of 56 countries.
Late December rains boost Kinneret
Last month was set to be one of the driest Decembers on record until the torrential rain of the past few days. Now, the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) is filling up fast. The lake has risen 10 centimeters over the past five days and is ending 2024, 2.485 meters from its maximum level of 208.80 meters below sea level, according to the Kinneret Authority. There would still need to be much more heavy rain over the next four months for the Kinneret to reach its maximum level this year.
Jerusalem western entrance tunnel opens
The Shazar Tunnel at the western entrance of Jerusalem was opened on the eve of the Sukkot holiday. The 730-meter tunnel extends from the Bridge of Chords at the city entrance, beneath the new business district that is being built, to the junction of Agrippas Street and Ben Zvi Street. The tunnel replaces the former above ground road, which was closed over four years ago.
Israel's population 9.8m on eve of 5784
The population will exceed 10 million in 2024, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports. Israel's population grew by 2%, or 194,000 over the past year to 9.795 million, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports. At the current rate of growth, the population will reach 10 million next year, exceed 15 million in 2048, and exceed 20 million in 2065.
Energean begins Israel's first crude oil exports
Energean plc (LSE: ENOG; TASE: ENOG) announced today that Israel had joined the crude oil exporters club, when the company began exporting hydrocarbon liquids from the Karish offshore field. Utilizing the liquids storage and offloading capability of the floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) Energean Power, the liquids are being offloaded in a controlled manner and sold on various global markets.
Mobileye share price doubles in just over 3 months
On Friday the company's share price closed up 1.33% on Wall Street at $42.78, giving a market cap of $34.306 billion. Intel Corp. Israeli self-driving cars and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) unit Mobileye Global Inc. (Nasdaq: MBLY) has seen its share price double in just over three months. The Jerusalem-based company completed its flotation on October 25, 2022 at $21 per share and a market cap of $17 billion.
easyJet Demonstrates Post-Covid Travel Uncertainty
Jun. 6—Post-Covid staffing problems have become the stock response in the travel industry to the logistical nightmare of international travel. The tourism industry, dormant for two years, is struggling to wake up. It is a worldwide problem. The UK has been especially badly hit with easyJet and British Airways canceling hundreds of flights during the platinum jubilee holiday over the past week.
easyJet demonstates post-Covid travel uncertainty
During a recent vacation in the UK, easyJet and its strategic partner Europcar, demonstrated the disastrously unreliable level of service that currently prevails. Post-Covid staffing problems have become the stock response in the travel industry to the logistical nightmare of international travel. The tourism industry, dormant for two years, is struggling to wake up. It is a worldwide problem.
Bank of Israel forex purchases dwindle to zero
Bank of Israel intervention on the foreign currency market is likely to remain negligible over the coming weeks as the Russia-Ukraine war weakens the shekel. As the shekel weakens against the dollar, the Bank of Israel stopped purchasing foreign currency last month. Israel’s foreign exchange reserves at the end of February 2022 stood at $207.065 billion, a decrease of $1.692 billion from their level at the end of the previous month, the Bank of Israel reports.
Shekel soars after strong growth data
The easing of tensions in the Russia-Ukraine confrontation and the stronger than expected Israel growth figures have boosted the shekel. The shekel is strengthening sharply today against the dollar and against the euro after the Central Bureau of Statistics announced higher than expected growth figures for 2021. In afternoon inter-bank trading, the shekel exchange rate is down 1.31% against the dollar at NIS 3.183/$ and down 0.93% against the euro at NIS 3.624/€.
Has the cybersecurity bubble burst?
In October Check Point CEO Gil Shwed warned of a bubble in the cybersecurity sector, recent market falls seem to have vindicated his cautious approach. Last October Check Point Software Technologies (Nasdaq: CHKP) CEO Gil Shwed told "Bloomberg" that there was a bubble in the cybersecurity sector and that he was in no rush to acquire startups with the $4 billion in cash at his disposal.
Israel becomes unicorn nation
As IPOs outstrip acquisitions and unicorns abound, it's time for Israel to drop the startup nation moniker. Buried among the many figures in yesterday's IVC-Meitar report on fund raising by Israeli tech companies in the first nine months of 2021 was something that indicates a profound change in the country's startup eco-system. For the first time ever, money raised in initial public offerings (IPOs) on stock markets outstripped the amount raised in exits through acquisitions.
Microsoft Israel to double R&D workforce
The US tech giant is hiring 2,500 more people and opening five new centers in Israel. Microsoft has announced that it will more than double its number of R&D employees in Israel from 2,000 to 4,500 over the next four years. The company added that hundreds of open positions are currently being filled, from senior engineers to interns.
Israel's population 9.4m on eve of 5782
The country's population grew by 1.6% over the past year, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports. Israel's population grew by 1.6% over the past year to 9.391 million, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports. 6.943 million (74%) of Israel's citizens are Jewish, 1.982 million (21%) Arabs and 466,000 (5%) others including Russian-speaking immigrants who are not Jewish. 48,000 Israelis died in 5781 including 5,800 Israelis who died of Covid-19 over the past 11.5 months since Rosh Hashana last year.
Cautious optimism in Israel that boosters work
As Israelis over 40 began getting their third jabs today, the number of serious Covid cases is falling, even though overall new infections are still rising. There is cautious optimism in Israel that the booster campaign, in which older Israelis are being given a third Pfizer Covid vaccine dose, is proving effective against the Delta variant, as the number of serious Covid cases is falling, even though overall new infections are still rising.
Israel's vaccination drive losing momentum
Only 59,000 Israelis received their first jab yesterday, even though vaccinations are open to all who are 16 or over. Israel's world-beating vaccination drive is losing momentum. According to the Ministry of Health, 3,541,000 Israelis have been inoculated against Covid-19, including 2,157,100 who have had both doses of the vaccine.
Israel will not achieve herd immunity against Covid-19
Israel's impressive vaccine rollout will probably not be enough to beat the virus. So what next? Despite the stunning success of Israel's Covid-19 vaccine rollout, it is rapidly becoming clear that the country cannot reach herd immunity. To date Israel has vaccinated 3.2 million people - 34% of the population of 9,300,000 including 1.8 million who have already had their second Pfizer dose.
Cloud seeding halted as Kinneret rose 27 cm in January
Despite a drier than average January, the level of the Kinneret is now just 85 centimeters below its maximum level. The Israel Water Authority and Mekorot have announced that they have halted cloud seeding due to the high level of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). Since the 1950s Israel has been sending aircraft into the clouds in northern Israel to inject silver iodide and thus increase precipitation.
Shekel losses resume after gloomy Fed comments
Hapoalim senior analyst Nadav Ophir: Mutations risks were not taken into account by investors and mass vaccinations abroad are taking longer than expected. The shekel is weakening today against the dollar and against the euro. In late morning inter-bank trading, the shekel-dollar exchange rate was up 0.96% against the dollar at NIS 3.295/$ and the shekel-euro rate was up 0.88% at NIS 3.989/€.
Israel's Covid-19 R number falls below 1
For the first time since October, the basic reproduction number has fallen below one, the point at which new virus cases should shrink. For the first time since October, Israel's Covid-19 R (basic reproduction and growth) number has fallen below 1, the point at which new virus cases should fall, the Ministry of Health reports. The number of new daily coronavirus cases also supports cautious optimism that Israel has passed the peak of the pandemic's third wave.
Kinneret less than 1 meter from maximum level
The fact that last winter the Kinneret did not reach its current level until late February, also promises that the lake should reach its maximum level this year. The heavy rains over the past week have seen the level of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) rise by 16 centimeters to 209.795 meters below sea level, just 99.5 centimeters from its maximum level. The Israel Water Authority announced this morning that the level of the Kinneret has risen six centimeters over the previous 24 hours.
Bank of Israel magic weakens shekel
Announcing foreign currency purchases in advance has worked wonders but the forces strengthening the shekel remain the same. The Bank of Israel Monetary Committee's announcement on Thursday that it would buy $30 billion in foreign currency in 2021 was a marvelous piece of magic. It did the trick, working immediate wonders, as the shekel-dollar exchange rate, which had been set at NIS 3.116/$ just before the announcement was released, rose 3.691% to be set on Friday at 3.231/$.
Israeli gaming co Playtika holds Nasdaq IPO at $11b valuation
The Herzliya-based company raised nearly $1.9 billion at $27 per share, above the planned range of $22-24 per share. Israeli mobile gaming company Playtika has held its initial public offering (IPO) on Nasdaq. The Herzliya-based company raised nearly $1.9 billion at $27 per share, above the planned range of $22-24 per share. Playtika said that the offering consisted of 18,518,500 shares of common stock offered by Playtika and 50,981,500 shares of common stock offered by an existing stockholder.
Israel's foreign exchange reserves jumped $47b in 2020
The Bank of Israel bought over $20 billion in foreign currency in 2020, but the shekel still strengthened by 7% against the dollar. Israel’s foreign exchange reserves rose over $47 billion in 2020, the Bank of Israel reports. This included foreign currency purchases of more than $20 billion and a revaluation that increased the reserves by the balance.
Israel becomes the world's guinea pig
All eyes will be on Israel to see not only if the jabs work but also if the country can use its success to come smoothly out of lockdown. The swift rollout of Israel's Covid-19 vaccination campaign has impressed the world. As of Wednesday, Israel had vaccinated nearly 1.6 million people, according to the Ministry of Health, 17.5% of the population, easily outstripping the rest of the world with the UAE in second place, having vaccinated 8.35% of its population and Bahrain in third place (4%).
Israel's Covid-19 vaccination enigma
There is no mystery as to how Israel has already managed to vaccinate 1.25 million people, but it is unclear how it received so many Pfizer vaccine doses so quickly. There are straightforward explanations as to how Israel has managed to vaccinate 1.25 million people in a little over two weeks - 13.5% of the population including 52% of people aged over 60.
Israel's population 9.3m on eve of 2021
The country's population grew by 1.7% over the past year, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports. Israel's population grew by 1.7% over the past year to 9.291 million, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports. 6.870 million (73.9%) of Israel's citizens are Jewish, 1.956 million (21.1%) Arabs and 465,000 (5%) others including Russian-speaking immigrants who are not Jewish. 84% of the population growth in 2020 was attributable to births and 16% to immigration.
SolarWinds breach boosts Israeli cybersecurity stocks
The share prices of Israel's two largest publicly traded cybersecurity companies have risen sharply over the past week. The serious breach, when hackers installed malware on the SolarWinds Orion computer network tool, compromising US government agencies, and other recent high profile cyberattacks, has demonstrated the inadequacy of cybersecurity in many organizations worldwide. The global cybersecurity industry has benefitted as enterprises rush to bolster their virtual defenses.
New curbs inevitable in Israel as Covid-19 caseload jumps
With the R infection rate at 1.32, all stores are likely to be ordered closed in the next few days. The introduction of new restrictions to disrupt the spread of Covid-19 now seems inevitable as Israel's third virus wave gains momentum. 2,802 people tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday, the Ministry of Health reports, down slightly from 2,891 on Tuesday but up over 50% up from 1,828 last Wednesday.
Sotheby's asking $258m for Caesarea mansion
The Sotheby's international realty website is advertising a Caesarea 'Royal Style Mansion' for sale for $258,318,757. The Sotheby's international realty website is advertising a Caesarea 'Royal Style Mansion' for sale for $258,318,757 (NIS 845,244,804). The four bedroom, five bathroom property is on a 3 acre lot and has 69,000 square feet of interiors.
Israel transforms into scale-up nation
For the past decade Israel has been known as startup nation, but with less early stage startups and more growth tech companies and unicorns, the emphasis is changing. In the 2020s, the times are clearly changing in Israel, as startup nation becomes scale-up nation. The new emphasis has been growing in recent years with dozens of Israeli unicorns emerging (private companies with a valuation of more than $1 billion) and at least seven with a valuation of more than $2 billion.
Shekel gains to strongest against dollar since 2008
The Israeli currency is trading at its strongest rate against the dollar since July 2008 and has returned to its strong trading levels before the second lockdown. The shekel is strengthening today against the dollar and stable against the euro. In evening futures trading the shekel-dollar exchange rate is down 0.12% at NIS 3.357/$ and up 0.11% against the euro at NIS 3.996/€.
El Al restarts Tel Aviv - US, European routes
With Ben Gurion airport set to reopen to outward bound Israelis, El Al has announced the restart of a range of routes between Tel Aviv and destinations in North America and Europe. With Ben Gurion airport set to reopen to outward bound Israelis, El Al has announced the restart of a range of routes between Tel Aviv and destinations in North America and Europe.
Jerusalem Mayor opens new Road 1 interchange
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion opened the Ramat Shlomo interchange on Road 1 in Jerusalem at the end of last week. The NIS 130 million project of the Ministry of Transport the Jerusalem Municipality was implemented by the Moriah Jerusalem Development Corporation. The project included widening the Yigal Yadin Boulevard section of Road 1, which links Ramot to French Hill, to three lanes. Ramat Shlomo is an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood on the Shuafat ridge in the northeast of the city.
Nano-X to unveil scan device at Chicago radiology meet
Despite attacks from short-seller investigative investment firms, the Israeli company's share price is more than double its IPO value in August. Israeli medical device company Nano-X Imaging Ltd. (Nasdaq: NNOX) saw its share price jump 56.20% on Friday after it announced that it will be presenting a live demonstration of its Nano-X medical imaging system at the Radiology Society of North America 2020 meeting in Chicago starting November 29.
Israel lockdown officially extended beyond holidays
As nearly 9,000 people tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday, a new record, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees restrictions being extended for many more months. Israel's national lockdown has been officially extended beyond the holidays. Last night the cabinet approved regulations by phone, after the new law on the matter was enacted by the Knesset. Under the regulations approved, the lockdown will now extend until October 14, the Wednesday following Simchat Torah.
Shekel loses sharply on new lockdown restrictions
The OECD sees Israel's economy shrinking 6% this year and only growing 2.9% in 2021. The shekel is weakening today against the dollar and against the euro. In afternoon inter-bank trading the shekel-dollar exchange rate is up 0.90% at NIS 3.476/$ and up 0.32% against the euro at NIS 4.048/€. Yesterday, the Bank of Israel set the shekel 0.116% higher from Tuesday at NIS 3.445 /$, and the representative shekel-euro rate was set 0.257% down at NIS 4.035/€.
Shekel at weakest for 3-months against dollar
The Israeli currency is weakened by the lockdown and concerns that the government will further curb restrictions in the private business sector. The shekel is weakening today against the dollar and against the euro. In morning inter-bank trading the shekel-dollar exchange rate is up 0.74% at NIS 3.468/$ and up 0.28% against the euro at NIS 4.069/€.
Shekel loses against dollar after dovish Fed remarks
The dollar is stronger on world forex markets after US Fed chair Jerome Powell spoke of more fiscal support and presented improved forecasts. The shekel is weakening today against the dollar and strengthening against the euro. In afternoon inter-bank trading the shekel-dollar exchange rate is up 0.38% at NIS 3.424/$ and down 0.30% against the euro at NIS 4.039/€.
JFrog jumps nearly 50% on first day of trading
CNBC pundit Jim Cramer said JFrog is a terrific company with a great story but insists the share price is 'exorbitant' and gives him vertigo. Despite the falls on Wall Street yesterday, Israeli automated software updating company JFrog Ltd. (Nasdaq: FROG) had a memorable trading debut. The company's share price rose 47.25% on its first day of trading to close at $64.79, giving a market cap of $5.75 billion.
Shekel rallies after early September losses
The shekel is fighting back after strongly losing ground from NIS 3.353/$ to NIS 3.438/$ in the first 11 days of September. The shekel is strengthening today against the dollar and against the euro. In afternoon inter-bank trading the shekel-dollar exchange rate is down 0.31% at NIS 3.4113/$ and down 0.44% against the euro at NIS 4.0525/€. Yesterday, the Bank of Israel set the shekel 0.378% down from Monday at NIS 3.422/$, and the representative shekel-euro rate was set 0.230% lower at NIS 4.071/€.
Israel's cabinet approves three-week lockdown
The extended lockdown begins Friday at 2pm and ends October 10. During that time people will be restricted to within 500 meters of their homes. Israel's cabinet approved a longer than expected lockdown today. On Thursday the coronavirus cabinet recommended a two-week lockdown but the cabinet has extended that to three weeks from the eve of the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashana) on Friday at 2pm until the end of the Simchat Torah holiday on October 10.
Lockdown plan sends shekel reeling
In afternoon futures trading today, the shekel was trading at its weakest against the dollar in three months. The shekel is weakening today against the dollar and against the euro after the coronavirus cabinet announced a three-stage plan last night to halt the spread of Covid-19, which includes a two-week lockdown. In afternoon inter-bank trading the shekel-dollar exchange rate is up 0.74% at NIS 3.463/$ and up 0.79% against the euro at NIS 4.101/€.
Shekel weakens amid growing Covid-19 alarm
Amid rising coronavirus infections in Israel, there is increased concern that Israel may go into lockdown over the Jewish holidays. The shekel is weakening today against the dollar and against the euro. In afternoon inter-bank trading the shekel-dollar exchange rate is up 0.41% at NIS 3.406/$ and up 0.17% against the euro at NIS 4.006/€. Yesterday, the Bank of Israel set the shekel 0.414% up from Monday at NIS 3.392/$, and the representative shekel-euro rate was set 0.125% higher at NIS 3.999/€.
BoI bought $2.5b foreign currency in August as shekel gained
Israel's foreign currency reserves have reached a record $161.7 billion but the shekel remains at its strongest for 12 years against the dollar. Israel's foreign currency reserves have reached a record $161.688 billion but the shekel remains at its strongest for 12 years against the dollar. Israel's foreign currency reserves increased by $4.025 billion in August, the Bank of Israel reports, and the reserves now represent 40.6% of GDP.
Virgin Atlantic restarts London - Tel Aviv flights
Virgin Atlantic Photo: Shutterstock
Remarkable shekel-dollar stability suggests BoI intervention
For the past two weeks the shekel-dollar rate has traded within the incredibly narrow range of NIS 3.40/$ and NIS 3.41/$. The shekel is stable today against the dollar and against the euro. In late morning inter-bank trading the shekel-dollar exchange rate was up 0.02% at NIS 3.4007/$ and up 0.07% against the euro at NIS 4.007/€. Yesterday, the Bank of Israel set the shekel 0.059% down from Monday at NIS 3.400/$, and the representative shekel-euro rate was set 0.293% lower at NIS 4.017/€.
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