SECTION VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 FALL 2016 CONNECTINGThe National Newsletter of Canadian Friends of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem CURIOSITY, CREATIVITY & INNOVATION ANDERSON COOPER & BOB WEIR HEADLINE ALBERT EINSTEIN GALA American journalist and television The gala honoured the four recipients of the personality Anderson Cooper and Grateful Jake Eberts Key of Knowledge Award, which Dead founding member Bob Weir were recognizes leaders who have bettered society two of the high-wattage personalities at through the advancement of knowledge and Toronto’s Second Annual Einstein Gala personal example. This year’s honourees are in May. The star-studded event, held at The Azrieli Foundation, represented by its Chair the Carlu, served as the formal launch and CEO Dr. Naomi Azrieli; composer, television event of The Albert Einstein Foundation writer and director Shuki Levy, co-founder (AEF). It attracted 800 of Saban Entertainment; people and raised nearly AEF International Executive $2 million in support of the “HOW MANY KIDS Committee co-chair Jeff AEF’s “initiatives to nurture ARE OUT THERE Martin, Founder & CEO, future Einsteins,” as CFHU Tribal Planet Legacy; and President & CEO Rami AS WE SPEAK, Apotex Inc., represented by its Kleinmann put it. (Read TOILING IN FIELDS, Chairman, Dr. Barry Sherman. about the AEF‘s various initiatives on page 4.) WITH THE BRAINS Cooper also presented THAT WITH THE the third Next Einstein Cooper, anchor of the competition award to Anderson Cooper news RIGHT SUPPORT Vancouverite Aaron show on CNN, gave a keynote COULD SOLVE THE Friedland, who received address that emphasized the the $10,000 prize for The continuing importance of PROBLEMS OF Walking School Bus digital Einstein’s legacy of curiosity, THE FUTURE?” book-reading program. creativity and innovation, as well as the need to dismantle barriers to In an onstage, sit-down interview with Jeff scientific discovery. Martin, Weir discussed his own creative approach and the importance of science, “How many kids are out there as we speak, technology, mathematics and engineering. toiling in fields, with the brains that with the He then closed out the highly successful right support could solve the problems of evening by playing an hour-long set, much the future?” he asked. to the delight of the Deadheads at the event. 01 Photo Credit: Sarjoun Faour 02 Photo Credit: Sarjoun Faour 01 STAR POWER: (l to r) American journalist and TV personality Anderson Cooper, event co-chairs Sara Gottlieb and Karen Simpson-Radomski, and Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir. 02 EBERTS KEY OF KNOWLEDGE WINNERS: Hebrew University President Menahem Ben-Sasson (l), Anderson Cooper (c) and CFHU National President Rami Kleinmann (r) with the recipients of the Jake Eberts Key of Knowledge Award: (l to r) Dr. Naomi Azrieli, Dr. Barry Sherman, Jeff Martin and Shuki Levy. 03 JAMMING: Bob Weir (r) played an hour-long set with Ottawa-based musician Dan Kanter, best 03 Photo Credit: Sarjoun Faour known as musical director and former lead guitarist for Justin Bieber. 1 A MESSAGE FROM OUR LEADERSHIP IN DIVIDED TIMES, Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University (CFHU) A UNIFYING FORCE facilitates connections through fundraising, research partnerships and academic exchanges. Founded in 1944, CFHU has raised over half a billion dollars, proudly AS WE LOOK BACK ON 2016, WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE bestowing academic scholarships to 50,000 Canadian and WITH PRIDE THE MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF BOTH Israeli students. With communities in Montreal, Ottawa, THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM AND ITS Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver, CANADIAN FRIENDS. CFHU’s efforts enrich lives throughout the world through the academic excellence of the Hebrew University inspired As just one example, Hebrew U has continued to rank by founding father Albert Einstein. highly among universities not only in Israel and the Middle East, but around the world. In the 2016–17 QS World University Rankings, for instance, The Hebrew University NATIONAL OFFICE placed first in Israel and 148th in the world. The 2016 3020 – 3080 Yonge Street, PO Box 65 Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings gave the Toronto, ON M4N 3N1 University its highest marks in 2016, placing it #17 in Asia, Phone: 416.485.8000 • Toll-free: 1-888-HEBREW-U up eight spots. What’s more, the Times’s Global University Website: www.cfhu.org • Facebook: @CdnFriendsHU Employability Ranking ranked Hebrew U graduates the most employable among Israeli universities and 67th most employable in the world. Donations and Tribute Cards: [email protected] Student Inquiries: 416.485.1222 • [email protected] While these accomplishments are cause for celebration General Inquiry: [email protected] and hope, we also need to acknowledge that they have taken place in what has been a tumultuous and often President & CEO bitterly divisive year for politics and international affairs. Rami Kleinmann, [email protected] Executive Vice President Especially in times like these, we look to and take hope from The Hebrew University as a uniting force, one Merle Goldman, [email protected] that builds bridges and encourages exchange between communities, citizens, researchers and countries — Chief Financial Officer all for the betterment of the world. At CFHU, our aim is to help foster and strengthen these relationships. Michael Abrams CA, [email protected] National Director, Communications & Marketing This spirit of unity is evident at IMRIC, which Canadian Governor General the Hon. David Johnston visited Miriam Pilc-Levine, [email protected] just last month on the first-ever state visit by our head of state to Israel. There, Johnston acknowledged “the common ground” between Israel and Canada, and the enabling forces of what he termed “the EASTERN REGION diplomacy of knowledge.” Executive Director Jon Reider, [email protected] • T: 514.932.2133 In fact, throughout this newsletter, you can read about the ways in which The Hebrew University and its Montreal Chapter Canadian Friends continually promote international and intellectual partnerships, whether that’s with a [email protected] multitude of new alliances with Ontario institutions (see page 5) or supporting a group of University of Toronto planning students as they work with The Hebrew University’s Urban Clinic to study “placemaking” OTTAWA CHAPTER initiatives in Toronto and Jerusalem (see page 10). You can see it in our profile of the Shier family, longtime Hebrew University Community Ambassadors CFHU supporters who have fostered ongoing academic exchange and development at The Hebrew Orit & Daniel Tor University (see page 5). You can also see it in the University’s Billy Crystal Program for Peace through [email protected], [email protected] • T: 343.998.3451 the Performing Arts, which brings together Jewish and Arab theatre students to promote a humanistic Facebook @CFHUOttawa • [email protected] society and peaceful co-existence (see page 6). TORONTO CHAPTER The Hebrew University’s potential to unify the world is most evident to us in the exciting work of the Vice President, Development Albert Einstein Foundation (AEF), which in May formally launched an agreement with the Smithsonian Elan Divon, [email protected] • T: 416.485.8000 Institution to create a series of initiatives designed to inspire Einstein’s spirit of change, creativity and Associate Director curiosity for the betterment of the world. With projects like The Dinner of the Century, a STEM (Science, Tamar Kraus, [email protected] • T: 416.485.8000 Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Summit, and Genius, the world’s first 3D printed book, profiling [email protected] 100 of the greatest visionaries of our time, the AEF is a unifying force. Please support future Einsteins at the Hebrew University: make your year-end donation at www.CFHU.org/donate-now. WINNIPEG CHAPTER Hebrew University Community Ambassadors In these divided times, CFHU will continue to act as a unifying force. May the Hanukkah candles light Sigal Kleynerman & Shai Josopov the way forward to a more cohesive world. [email protected], [email protected] T: 204.291.0714 • [email protected] Facebook @CFHUWinnipeg WESTERN REGION MURRAY PALAY RAMI KLEINMANN Executive Director National Chair President & CEO Dina Wachtel, [email protected] • T: 604.257.5133 Vancouver Chapter Facebook @VancouverCFHU • [email protected] Calgary Chapter Facebook @CalgaryCFHU • [email protected] Edmonton Chapter [email protected] • T: 780.444.0809 CONTENTS The Hebrew University of Message from Our Leadership 2 Jerusalem’s Institute for Medical The Edmonton Protocol 3 Research Israel-Canada brings together the best minds from the Biotechnologies & Soldier-Students 3 scientific disciplines. Together, our Albert Einstein Foundation Launches Around the World 4 researchers are creating innovative approaches to meet the challenges Focus on Philanthropy 5 of medicine in the 21st century. Hebrew University Partnerships 5 [email protected] • www.imric.org What’s Happening @ HU 6 CFHU Across Canada 8 CONNECTING NEWSLETTER Students & Alumni 10 Managing editor: Miriam Pilc-Levine Writing and editing: Susan Goldberg, susanlgoldberg.com Board of Governors 11 Graphic design: Metrick System Calendar of Events 11 Printing: Print Dot Com The Diplomacy of Knowledge 12 THE EDMONTON PROTOCOL CFHU HONOURS DIABETES RESEARCHER DR. JAMES SHAPIRO At a gala dinner in June, Edmonton honoured one of its heroes: Dr. James Shapiro, whose groundbreaking work is changing the way we treat and think about diabetes. Dr. Shapiro, of the University of Alberta’s The evening, a joint venture between CFHU Alberta Diabetes Institute, is best known and the Jewish National Fund of Edmonton, for developing and implementing the featured keynote speaker Colonel Adam “Edmonton Protocol.” This technique Susman, the defense attaché of Israel to 01 involves injecting specialized pancreatic Canada. In touching personal tributes, former Photo Credit: Richard Siemens cells, called islet cells, from organ donors Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel and islet into the liver of a diabetic patient in the transplant recipient Sari Uretsky Leung, the 02 hopes that the body will once again Artistic Director of the Aviv Israeli Folk Dance be able to produce its own insulin.