JCT Perspective 2017
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JCT Perspective Rosh Hashanah 5778 September 2017 Vol. 21 Cyber Security – The New High-Tech Frontier PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Chazal’s rationale for reading the curses at the end of Jerusalem College of Technology – Sefer Devarim before Rosh Hashanah is: Tichle Shana Lev Academic Center Ve’Klaloteha; Ta’chel Shana U’birchoteha – may the curses of the current year come to an end and may they be President replaced by the New Year’s blessings. The assumption Prof. Chaim Sukenik that what is new will necessarily be a blessing does not Rabbinic Head always work out, but there is an undeniable excitement Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon that accompanies innovation. Taking on new challenges Rector and dealing with new opportunities is part of what Prof. Kenneth Hochberg keeps both individuals and organizations vibrant. General Director This issue of Perspective touches on some of our new programs: Yosef Zeira • New Masters degrees: M.Sc. in Electro-optics and M.S.N. in Nursing; Vice President • New Certificate programs in Cyber-Technology and Health Informatics; Stuart Hershkowitz • A Magen David Adom-certified program for paramedics; Editor • New Entrepreneurship Centers on both the Lev and Tal campuses. Rosalind Elbaum These innovative educational activities are happening alongside construction Copy Editor projects that will create new facilities including two new floors on top of Geraldine Leifer the Israel Henry Beren Science and Torah Institute, the new Tannenbaum Content Writer Dormitory and most exciting, the Tal Campus. Maayan Sarig What next? What is our vision for JCT and wherein lie the challenges? Staff Ronit Kullok Firstly, we hope to preserve the “brand” and continue delivering high quality Design & Production undergraduate and graduate student degrees in hi-tech engineering, Hagit Bodenstein - Swissa management and health science. The clearest diagnostic for our success will Printing House be the success of our students. Old City Press Ltd. We expect to continue adding Master’s degree programs so as to provide new research and training opportunities for our faculty and students. This growth is It is important to note that the views of the essential and we intend to do it while fully preserving the unique character of JCT. writers and the claims of the advertisers do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the College, We are proud of our outreach to populations who have had limited involvement nor are they to be seen as an endorsement by with academia (e.g. Ethiopians and Haredim); we must find a way to attract these the College. JCT Perspective reserves the right to edit accepted manuscripts as appropriate. students, providing terms with which they will be comfortable, while preserving the rigor of our academic offerings. Jerusalem College of Technology – Lev Academic Center We will continue to expand our degree programs for English speakers Department of Development (currently a B.A. in business and a B.Sc. in computer science). The caution here and External Affairs is not to grow too fast and not to compromise our ability to give each student P.O.Box 16031, Jerusalem 9116001 the individual supervision they deserve. Tel: 972-2-6751269 I invite you all to come and see for yourselves the exciting events that are Fax:972-2-6751190 unfolding here in Jerusalem. Email: [email protected] Website: www.jct.ac.il/en Please accept my best wishes for a New Year filled with good health and happiness for you and your families. Copyright 2017, JCT Perspective Material in this publication may not be Shana Tova, reprinted without the prior consent of JCT Perspective. Volume 21 Printed in Israel Prof. Chaim Sukenik, President 2 COMMENTARY During its almost fifty years of challenges of the public health sector. JCT has, therefore, existence, the growth of the Jerusalem established a joint program with the University of Toronto for College of Technology (JCT) – Lev Health Informatics. This will allow our Computer Department Academic Center in many ways reflects to cooperate with our Life and Health Sciences Faculty to the growth of the State of Israel. It solve major health issues facing Israel today. has taken an active role in helping One of the most formidable challenges facing Israel today to meet many of the challenges is the rate of employment among Haredim with more than facing Israel and it has risen up to 60% of Haredim living below the poverty line and only 50% meet these challenges in a myriad of of Haredi men being gainfully employed. Israel faces an ways, in a pursuit of awareness and social responsibility. JCT existential threat if solutions are not found. In Israel’s Start Up has constantly been a partner in bringing about the huge Nation, there is a shortage of 10,000 engineers, with Haredim advances that we see today in the State of Israel. comprising a small percentage of hi-tech employees. With regard to empowering women, JCT continues to lead JCT has accepted the challenge and has become the leading the way. According to data compiled by the Council for institution in Israel for academic hi-tech education geared Higher Education at the request of the Haaretz economic to Haredim. With 2,000 Haredi students studying at JCT, daily, TheMarker, JCT was recently ranked first among all we are instrumental in helping Haredim attain quality and Israel’s higher education institutions in the integration of respectable employment in the hi-tech world. We have women who are studying computer science. 20% of all become the leading voice in Israel in the media regarding women in Israel who are studying computer science are Haredim in academia. studying at JCT. Furthermore women make up 53% of the computer science students at JCT. This is substantially In order to ensure that JCT continues to do its best to help higher than at any other institution in Israel. meet the many challenges facing the State of Israel today, we rely on your continued support. Cyber security is one of the more urgent and important issues facing the world today. Israel is one of the leaders in Wishing you and your family a Shana Tova, this area and JCT has a disproportionate number of alumni working in the defense industry cyber units. Many of the large multi-national companies have complained Stuart Hershkowitz that Israeli academic institutions do not teach cyber studies Vice President in the manner needed by industry. Therefore, JCT co-created its Cyber Elite Program, which will allow JCT students and alumni to be placed in some of the top companies with the Contents proper tools to meet cyber challenges. President’s Message 2 Commentary 3 Israel continues to face serious challenges in properly Smart Home on Shabbat 4 absorbing young Ethiopians into the workplace, in general and in the hi-tech sector, in particular. Cyber Security 6 Tal Campus 10 Our Ethiopian program, now in its twentieth year, established Visits and Events 12 a track record of excellence. Many of our graduates have Awards and Achievements 15 attained top engineering jobs in the army and our program continues to grow. Graduates in the News 16 Research 18 The health services industry in Israel suffers from a severe Entrepreneurship 19 shortage of qualified professionals. JCT has stepped up to the challenge by expanding its Life and Health Sciences New Programs in the Spotlight 20 Faculty for both men and women and it now has one of JCT Global 21 Israel’s largest and best nursing programs. Gendered Engineering 22 Israel has issues in mining big data necessary to solve the Recent Dedications 23 3 D’VAR TORAH Smart Home on Shabbat: The Ideal - or a Panic Button for Shabbat Observers? by Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon At the Jerusalem College of Technology – Lev Academic much more to say on this topic, but we will not do so here.) Center, much emphasis is placed on learning Torah as well There are some inventions that can be problematic on as academic studies and many shiurim and colloquiums Shabbat, the most prominent of which are motion detectors. are held on these subjects throughout the year. During this These create the possibility that movement in certain rooms year’s Torah and Science Conference, I spoke about the use will turn on lights or air-conditioners (this technology is of a Smart Home on Shabbat; the following is a summary of currently used on many street lights). If movement is not that shiur: detected in the room, the lights and air-conditioners will When new technology is co-created, the Jewish world may shut off within several minutes. worry and become concerned about its consequences. In Air-conditioning: The air-conditioning can change the most instances, however, technology does not go against temperature according to the body heat of those within halacha (Jewish law); in fact, it can even have a positive impact the room, the air coming into the room when opening on the halachic sphere. Further to these considerations, a door, etc. (this exists in many houses today, with units other practical and educational aspects should be given that have “inverter” technology). In addition to these, the some thought by each individual family who wishes to take more advanced the house, the more it will be attuned to advantage of various Smart gadgets, since under certain the movements of its occupants. It will not always operate circumstances, some aspects of the Smart Home can even accordingly, but it will note every move and each opening be useful for keeping halacha. of a window. It may even use the occurrences within the To a certain extent, most homes today are Smart Homes, but house to calculate scenarios in which appliances should be the “Smart” aspect of the home is increasing and expanding operating.