University Review | 2018

Surprising Research Duos Len Effect 12 TAU benefactor Len Blavatnik believes in providing opportunities for the best and most talented young minds

Cover story: Food Security 14 Unusual pairings The Manna Center Program’s Food Safety and Security Summer Institute of researchers attracts international students from across campus can around the world. yield surprising new directions 6

National Review | 2018 Imperative 18 A pioneering program is helping integrate Ultra-Orthodox students Issued by the Strategic Communications Dept. into university life. Development and Public Affairs Division Tel Aviv University sections Ramat Aviv 6997801 Tel Aviv, Tel: +972 3 6408249 Fax: + 972 3 6407080 2 E-mail: [email protected] www.tau.ac.il TAU global campaign 21 Editor: Louise Shalev Home for Nano 26 TAU’s new Roman Abramovich Contributors: Rava Eleasari, Ruti Ziv, Melanie Tafekman, Building for Nanoscience and David Jozsef, Idit Nirel, Lisa Kramer, Michal Alexander, next big ideas 28 Nanotechnology will raise the Tallie Liberman, Marina Gorbonosov standard of scientific research in Graphic Design: TAU Graphic Design Studio/ Israel. Michal Semo-Kovetz Photography: Michal Roche Ben Ami, Israel Sun, events 31 Chen Galili, Israel Hershkowitz, Samuel Sadoun, Laura Bohler, Erez Harodi, Ouriel Morgenstein Administrative Assistant: David Jozsef digest Printing: Shavit Print 34

newsmakers Follow us! Global TAU 39 TAU Review 2018 Issue

Officers of Tel Aviv University

Prof. Jacob A. Frenkel Chairman of the Board of Governors Dr. Giora Yaron Chairman of the Executive Council Prof. Joseph Klafter President Prof. Yaron Oz Rector Mr. Gady Frank Director-General Prof. Raanan Rein Vice President Prof. Yoav Henis Vice President for Research and Development Mr. Amos Elad Vice President for Resource Development

Mr. Robert Goldberg, Dr. h.c. Michael H. Steinhardt Chairmen Emeriti of the Board of Governors Dame Shirley Porter Deputy Chairperson of the Board of Governors Dear Friends, Mr. Sylvan Adams, Dr. h.c. Marcus Besen, The world’s complex challenges require multifaceted solutions. These Dr. h.c. Josef Buchmann, Dr. h.c. Boaz Dotan, solutions – whether they involve finding a cure for or deciphering Mr. James Dubin, Dr. h.c. Sami Sagol ancient texts – can often no longer be generated by research focused within Vice Chairpersons of the Board of Governors a single academic field. Rather, they are best realized through fertile col- Prof. Eyal Zisser laborations both on and off the campus. Vice Rector In this issue of TAU Review, we look at some exciting new scientific Prof. Aron Shai directions that have resulted from unique pairings of researchers from Pro-Rector different fields. We also describe new frameworks for cross-disciplinary Prof. Zvika Serper Dean of the Yolanda and David Katz dialogue such as the Manna Center Program’s Food Safety and Security Faculty of the Arts Summer Institute, expansion of the Edmond J. Safra Ethics Center, the Prof. Yossi Rosenwaks Roman Abramovich Building for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, the Dean of the Iby and Aladar Fleischman Zimin Institute for Engineering Solutions Advancing Better Lives, and Faculty of Engineering the TAU Impact program for embedding social leadership into the arts, Prof. Michael Krivelevich humanities and sciences curricula. Dean of the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences At Tel Aviv University we are making it a priority to create conditions to Prof. Leo Corry foster a spirit of creativity and . Our $1 billon Global Campaign Dean of the Lester and Sally Entin is providing the resources and infrastructure to make it possible. I’m Faculty of Humanities pleased to report that, as of press time, we’ve almost reached the halfway Prof. Sharon Hannes mark with pledges totaling $485 million. We invite our veteran and new Dean of the Buchmann Faculty of Law supporters to join us on this inspiring shared journey. Prof. Daniel Chamovitz Dean of the George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences Prof. Moshe Zviran Warm regards, Dean of the Coller School of Prof. Ehud Grossman Dean of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine Prof. Tammie Ronen Dean of the Gershon H. Gordon Professor Joseph Klafter Faculty of Social Sciences President, Tel Aviv University Prof. Tova Most Dean of Students 1 Laser Power

A Discovery That Will Make Your Jaw Drop An adult human jawbone complete years old. They also analyzed the re- 200,000 years ago, and that they began with teeth discovered at Israel’s Misliya mains using microCT scans and 3D migrating out of Africa only around cave, one of several prehistoric cave sites virtual models, carried out at digital 100,000 years ago. “But if the fossil located on Mount Carmel, has been laboratories at TAU’s Shmunis Family at Misliya dates to roughly 170,000- dated to 177,000-194,000 years ago. Anthropology Institute, to compare it 190,000 years ago, the entire narrative The TAU finding, recently published with other hominin fossils discovered of the evolution of Homo sapiens must in Science, pushes back the history of in parts of Africa, Europe and Asia. be pushed back by at least 100,000- Homo sapiens migration from Africa The research was supported by the Dan 200,000 years,” says Prof. Hershkovitz, by at least 50,000 years. David Foundation. who suggested that “… while Africa “This discovery – that early mod- The common consensus of anthro- was the origin of our species, some of ern humans were present outside of pologists has been that modern humans our traits must have evolved or been Africa earlier than commonly believed appeared in Africa roughly 160,000- acquired outside of Africa”. — completely changes our view on modern human evolution and dis- persal,” says Prof. Israel Hershkovitz of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Head of the Dan David Center for Human Evolution and Biohistory Research at TAU’s Steinhardt Museum of Natural History. Prof. Hershkovitz Maxilla led the international team of anthro- upper jaw pologists who conducted the study in collaboration with archaeologist Prof. Mina Weinstein-Evron of the University of Haifa. Together, the team applied various dating techniques to determine that the jawbone is at least 170,000 2 TAU Review 2018 Issue

Since their invention in the 1960s, “Our work in the lab focuses both on detection in airports. lasers have been used in medicine, secu- understanding how intense light inter- The High-Intensity Lab was estab- rity, manufacturing and more. Now, in acts with matter to accelerate particles lished thanks to the Zuckerman STEM a landmark for Israeli science, the largest and on using these particles to study Leadership Program, which provides and most powerful laser in Israel has frontier areas like materials science, over $100 million in scholarships and been installed in the lab of Dr. Ishay plasma physics and nuclear physics,” educational activities to researchers Pomerantz of TAU’s Raymond and says Pomerantz. The team will also be and universities participating in the Beverly Sackler School of Physics and attempting to scale down the size and program. Dr. Pomerantz was a 2016- Astronomy. It can fire single pulses at cost of the laser equipment to make it 17 Zuckerman Scholar and a 2016-17 about 1,000 times the nation’s total more readily accessible for cancer re- Blavatnik Young Faculty Recruit. electricity consumption. search in hospitals and for contraband

TAU is Making TLV Smarter

Tel Aviv is a smart city – designated together Donio and her advisor Dr. eral and privacy perceptions regarding for its digital outreach to citizens through Eran Toch of the Fleischman Faculty the internet. Donio’s statistical model smartphone apps, real-time transporta- of Engineering with Prof. Michael analyzed this survey. tion updates and digital bill payment. Birnhack, expert in digital era pri- Donio was awarded the Ethel But do all Tel Aviv citizens enjoy equal vacy, and Prof. Issachar Rosen-Zvi, Friedman Research Prize from the access to services? And do these services local government law specialist, both Tel Aviv municipality for her work, answer the needs of all citizens? of the Buchmann Faculty of Law, as and she will present further findings MSc student Shahaf Donio created well as with Dr. Tali Hatuka, Head of to municipal researchers. Says Donio: a complex statistical model to map the the Laboratory of Contemporary Urban “Tel Aviv wants to drive up digital us- city and pinpoint exactly who is us- Design, Department of Geography & age. We set out to understand how to ing the city’s digital services, where, Human Environment. They developed close technological gaps in the smart and why. Funded by the Blavatnik a survey for Tel Aviv citizens examining city. Coming from the outside, we can Interdisciplinary Cyber Research demographics such as language, age, open their eyes to what they can do to Center at TAU, the project brought education, technology usage in gen- reach that goal.” 3 Each year, in the USA alone, some toxic secretion system and the two million people become infected arsenal of anti-bacterial poisons with bacteria that are resistant to an- it produces. Using genetic engi- tibiotics and 23,000 people die as a neering and synthetic biology, the King David is admired by as direct result of these infections. The team is transferring the secretion one of the Bible’s most fascinating he- US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) system to “friendly” bacteria so roes: the boy who slew Goliath, the forecast that by 2050 drug-resistant they can fight harmful bacteria for leader who united the kingdoms of bacteria will be the leading cause of us. These engineered bacteria will Judah and Israel, the warrior who wrote death in the world. be safe for human consumption. poetry. In addition, Christians believe that the messiah is rooted in the Davidic dynasty, and Muslims venerate him as a divinely chosen king and prophet. Turning Now, through a deeper analysis of how this biblical character was received and understood in different periods by Bacterial Warfare diverse audiences, TAU’s Prof. Meira Polliack seeks greater understand- ing of David’s evolution in Judaism, on Its Head Christianity and Islam and, specifically, Now, Dr. Dor Salomon of TAU’s of the cross-cultural communication Sackler Faculty of Medicine is pioneer- “Our vision is to engineer tailor- about him. Her study focuses on biblical ing a new approach to this scourge by made, anti-bacterial probiotics translations and commentaries on the exploiting the natural tendency of that turn intra-bacterial warfare David saga written in Arabic during bacteria to battle each other. Salomon on its head,” says Salomon. the Middle Ages. explains that many strains of disease- With funding from the “All three great monotheistic reli- causing bacteria secrete toxins that European Research Council gions have core values that go back to attack other bacteria rather than hu- (ERC), Salomon says the team the Torah,” says Polliack, a professor at man cells. “They’re in a constant war is “currently learning more on the Department of Biblical Studies. “We to carve out a new territorial niche for how to control the activity of the are learning more about their shared themselves,” he says. system in the engineered bacte- history by comparing how each related Salomon and his team are battling ria, and searching for new anti- bacteria with their own weapons – a bacterial toxins.”

Using Light to Measure Air Pollution Current air quality measuring de- Yet identifying the chemical makeup vices in Israel cannot distinguish be- of pollutants is essential for improv- tween human-made pollutants such ing health and environmental poli- as industrial toxins, and natural ones cies. Now, TAU air quality expert Dr. such as sand particles from the desert. Alexandra Chudnovsky will install and 4 TAU Review 2018 Issue

Upping the Chances in IVF Treatment Ever since its introduction in 1981, IVF (in vitro fertilization) has helped hundreds of thousands of couples in their quest to conceive. Yet, less than one-third of all IVF cases actually result in a healthy pregnancy. Failure is caused by King David and the Three several factors, most notably the quality of the sperm and/or egg that is selected for use in the treatment. Abrahamic Religions TAU bioengineer Prof. Natan to King David and discussed him.” ful history is emerging of the three Shaked has developed a technol- In Baghdad as well as Cordoba, main Abrahamic religions that must ogy for enhancing the IVF sperm Spain, the Muslim leaders gave protec- not go unheeded. “If we can grasp,” selection process. Until now, tion to meetings called “majalis.” These she says, “at some of these non-violent selecting likely-looking were intellectual encounters between channels of inter-religious activity sperm has been done Jewish, Muslim and Christian sages in from our past, perhaps we can better manually based on which various scriptural and religious fathom how to reinitiate certain forms the judgement of subjects were debated. Inter-religious of dialogue and mutual understanding the attending clini- debate did not necessarily solve tensions, in the present.” cian. Prof. Shaked’s yet knowing about the other’s views, Prof. Polliack and her research asso- technique involves a and respecting them, allowed for a more ciates, Dr. Orly Mizrahi and Dr. Arye state-of-the-art opti- relaxed coexistence, on the whole. Zoref, are supported by a grant from cal imaging system that Polliack believes that a positive, use- the Israel Science Foundation (ISF). provides clinicians with in- formation of a much higher level of accuracy and resolution – and thus removes much of the guesswork from the process. The technology is available in a small, simple and inexpensive device that can be at- tached to a standard clinical mi- run a monitoring station – the first in matic conditions,” says Chudnovsky, croscope. Israel – that can pinpoint both the a new faculty member at the School Ramot, TAU’s technology trans- type and the source of pollutants in of Geosciences, Raymond and Beverly fer arm, is currently commercial- the atmosphere using laser light pulses Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences. “Israel izing the pioneering device, and called LiDAR. sits at ‘air current central’ – a crossroads the Momentum Fund is support- Custom-built according to of air streams transporting pollutants ing its development. Meanwhile, Chudnovsky’s specifications, the LiDAR from the Sahara in Africa as well as Prof. Shaked is planning another machine will vertically map pollution from coastal cities in Europe. Local complementary IVF project – this according to its chemical components. sources of humanmade pollution also time based on enhancing the egg It will scan the atmosphere from heights contribute to the mix. We have EU and embryo selection process fol- of 300m–10km skyward, extending for partners who are eager to integrate our lowing fertilization. a radius of 100–350km across Israel. data into their Eastern Mediterranean “We had to suit the machine to air quality research. TAU will become Israel’s unique geographic and cli- their official LiDAR site.” 5 6 What if What Was Greater Than Two? One-Plus-One enjoyingtheride. directions –andallthewhile,immensely are crossing boundariestocreate newresearch TAU Reviewpresents fourduoswho language,letalonecommonscientificground? researchers from different fieldsfindcommon buzzword. Buthowdoesitreally work?Howdo studiesbefore becamea interdisciplinary Tel Aviv Universityspearheadedinterdisciplinary

By Lisa Kremer of Exact Sciences, was pursuing ade pursuing was Sciences, of Exact Faculty Sackler Beverly and Raymond Physics Experimental in Wolfson of the incumbent Chair student, That ‘find,’” Finkelstein. smiles important out avery to be He turned radar. thea TAU under flying professor actually student was particular this that and learned around “I sniffed graduate. under university typical profile of a the not who did quite fit participant a dig noticed of Archaeology, Institute Nadler Marco and Sonia of the Iron Ages and Bronze the in of Israel Archaeology of Professor the Alkow M. Jacob Valley. Jezreel Finkelstein, green Israel the overlooking Megiddo of excavation It was 1998 at the archaeological 1998 was archaeological at the ... Eli Piasetzky,Eli - - pulled him aside to talk, and so began began so and to talk, aside him pulled Prof. archaeology. in Finkelstein gree studies. for biblical ramifications lasting with of ancient Israel timeline anew dered worldwide, ren publications lay and professional in published findings, The method. radiocarbon the by using times biblical from of remains dating to improve the Piasetzky challenged Finkelstein ancient Israel. in Iron Age the of chronology the mapping was written? texts Biblical early were When later. decades two active still is that partnership a research The archaeological issue of the daythe of issue archaeological The

- TAU Review 2018 Issue

Prof. Eli Piasetzky (left) and Prof. Israel Finkelstein

New technologies based on physics and mathematics reveal the narrative of ancient Israel

“With handwriting we face a prob- lem of subjectivity. Scholars – all of us – come with preconceptions. We can convince ourselves that we see this or that particular letter. The com- puter does not have preconceptions. It Israel Finkelstein & Eli Piasetsky measures length of strokes and angles, Working together since 1998 making numerical comparisons,” says Finkelstein. Piasetsky continues, “One may ask A Match Made in Megiddo why a student of mathematics would be interested in developing tools for handwriting analysis of ancient inscrip- Today, Piasetzky and Finkelstein in ancient Judah. If we determine when tions. But this type of analysis is also continue their quest to reconstruct writing became a tool used by a wide acutely needed today by, say, lawyers, ancient history. As reported by The swathe of society, we can shed light on banks and the police. Furthermore, Times, they are conducting when early Biblical texts were written.” we’re finding solutions for the chal- analyses to help better decipher ink lenges of deciphering ink inscriptions inscriptions on potsherds, known as Algorithms for reading ancient found on uneven clay surfaces with ostraca, which were unearthed at an inscriptions faded markings and missing pieces. If ancient fortress in the deep desert of Finkelstein and Piasetsky have put to- our algorithms can analyze decayed Arad in southern Israel. gether a team of archaeologists, historians, inscriptions, think what they can do “The citadel of Arad stands like a physicists, mathematicians, and computer with modern-day handwriting on flat time capsule: active about 2,600 years scientists to analyze handwriting and de- clean paper surfaces.” ago, it was a relatively short-lived, god- termine just how many hands penned the Finkelstein adds: “Our next step is forsaken outpost, a five-day journey Arad ostraca. To do so, they employ phys- to integrate multispectral imaging at from Jerusalem, populated by maybe 30 ics techniques of multispectral imaging to digs. This could dramatically improve soldiers,” describes Finkelstein. “Who reveal inscriptions and improve readabil- excavation methodologies by determin- inscribed the potsherds found there? ity. Next, they compare handwriting by ing on site if a potsherd is treasure or Who read them? The ostraca teach us using algorithms specially developed by junk. One inscription can change the about government and about literacy the team. way we understand history.” 7 Prof. Yossi Yovel (left) and Prof. Yaniv Assaf

Yaniv Assaf & Yossi Yovel Working together since 2005 After Hours on the MRI MRIs map the neural pathways of the brain – with implications for designing computer networks, road systems and artificial intelligence

It’s a chicken versus egg scenario: of the School of Zoology, George S. with a surprising request. Yovel sought Does behavior build a neural network Wise Faculty of Life Sciences. Yovel to draw on Assaf’s expertise in MRI or does the design of a brain network specializes in bat echolocation – the imaging techniques to scan the brains dictate behavior? It turns out that they location of objects by reflected sound of wild bats. Could the images show both influence each other. – at his Bat Lab of Neuro-Ecology. A how bats’ use of sound rather than vi- “Evolutionary science holds that number of years ago he approached his sion to navigate the world influences the particular behavior drives the brain former MSc advisor, Prof. Yaniv Assaf development of their neural networks? to develop and evolve in a particular of the Department of Neurobiology way. Later, brain networks may drive and Alfredo Federico Strauss Center Imaging wildness behavior,” explains Prof. Yossi Yovel for Computational Neuro-Imaging, “I focus on human brain imaging, so I was amused when Yossi suggested Following a tip from a Harvard professor familiar with their research, the American scanning a bat brain. We were attempt- Museum of Natural History of New York called upon Assaf and Yovel to provide MRI ing something that had never been done scans for the special 2017 exhibition Senses. The Museum used the scans as the before: MRI brain scans of mammals basis for 3D renderings of a human and a dolphin brain to illustrate that “what we who lived in the wild,” says Assaf. perceive is not simply a window into the world around us but a product of our brains.” “Now, five years later, we have The exhibition renderings indeed show that, as in bat brains, the auditory pathway in scanned over 100 species – all expired the dolphin brain is much more developed than in the human brain. of natural causes – including many spe- 8 TAU Review 2018 Issue

cies of bats, of course,” Assaf continues hear about our project at conferences need graduate students to help build with a nod to Yovel. “We use the MRI or by word of mouth, they immediately the collection more quickly. We aim machine after hours so as not to inter- want to see our findings. But we are not to create the only collection of its kind fere with ongoing research, and we have yet ready. We aim to scan 10% of all worldwide – a digital collection of scans found that, yes, bat brain networks have mammals, which means about 500 spe- at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural highly developed aural – rather than cies including those transported from History that can be accessed by scien- visual – networks.” abroad, which will be very costly. We tists around the world.” In Israel, animals found dead in the wild are checked for disease by the na- tional veterinary examiner. He calls the Lihi Adler-Abramovich & Rachel Sarig TAU researchers as soon as he is notified Working together since 2016 of a specimen because scanning is time sensitive, the professors explain. Futuristic Dentistry Meets The brain as a model network What began as a scientific hobby Anthropology has become a scientific first. The scans, which are specially calibrated to show Nanomaterials developed at the Goldschleger the design and function of brain mi- School of Dental Medicine both answer today’s crostructure, pathways and networks, clinical needs and reveal an evolutionary story reveal principles governing the mam- malian brain. “Like the internet and other com- Not every dental school has a joined the Goldschleger School as a puter networks, or road and transporta- resident nanoscientist developing new nanomaterials expert in 2016. tion systems, the brain is a network. The materials for dentistry. Yet using the She presented her work at a meet- brain’s two hemispheres are connected right materials is a huge component ing attended by Dr. Rachel Sarig, an Dr. Rachel Sarig (left) with fibers. Our scans show that mam- of dental care today. Dr. Lihi Adler- orthodontist and anthropologist who and Dr. mals with a greater number of inter- Abramovich of TAU’s Center for obtained her dentistry and graduate or- Lihi Adler- Abramovich hemisphere connecting fibers will have, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology thodontics degrees at the Goldschleger inversely, poorer connectivity within the hemisphere itself and vice-versa,” says Assaf. “This information can influence how networks are constructed.” The true story of the man who in- spired the film Rain Man illustrates this phenomenon: The hemispheres of his brain were completely unconnected. The local network in each hemisphere was so strong that he could perform complex computations within seconds. But the lack of connection between hemispheres affected his function and behavior. We need a mix of both for a functional, strong network. ”While evolutionary scientists are certainly interested in our scans, it is mathematicians and computer scientists working on smart, efficient computer networks and artificial intelligence who are the most excited,” says Assaf. Yovel continues, “When people 9 School and a PhD in Anatomy & the origins of teeth and jaw problems Anthropology at the Sackler Faculty of and the relation of diet to oral health. Medicine. “When I saw what Lihi was “Even though we have better hygiene working on I was transfixed,” recounts and access to medication, dentists to- Sarig, “I have been at TAU my entire day see increased cavities and crowd- academic life. I immediately knew that ing,” says Sarig, who is Curator of the she could help solve the problems I run Physical Anthropology collections at up against as a clinician.” the Steinhardt Museum of Natural Adler-Abramovich develops new ma- History and is affiliated with the Dan terials to improve fillings and crowns; David Center for Human Evolution and Sarig tests them for durability and an- Biohistory Research and the Shmunis tibacterial value. Adler-Abramovich Family Anthropology Institute. “This is probably due to the transition of early humans from hunter-gath- “Our graduate students work erer to farmer, and the dietary chang- with both of us and learn es that came with how to collaborate and how a it. Evolutionary combination of types of expertise medicine helps can create something new.” us recognize such trends, un- derstand today’s pathologies, and expands, “I enjoy finding solutions to develop successful treatment strategies problems, and Rachel is right here so I for crowding, rotation, overbite, miss- can design materials with her clinical ing teeth, cavities, and gum disease.” needs in mind, and tweak and refine them according to her feedback. In my Working side-by-side Laboratory of Bioinspired Materials and Though working together for just Nanotechnology, I also create nanoma- two years, Adler-Abramovich and Sarig terials for medicine, such as hydrogels have joint research plans to keep them to regenerate bone for periodontol- busy for years to come. “We support ogy and orthopedics applications. To each other, we work late hours, our labs Prof. Yoram further understand osteoporosis I use are side-by-side, we share knowledge Dagan (left) a zero-gravity simulator to examine and equipment, we apply for joint re- and Prof. Gil how microgravity on space missions search grants,” says Sarig. “Our gradu- Markovich affects bone mineral density on the ate students work with both of us and cellular level.” learn how to collaborate and how a combination of types of expertise can Evolutionary medicine create something new.” Sarig also mines Adler-Abramovich’s “We have become friends not only nano expertise to investigate the evolu- in work,” Adler-Abramovich continues. tionary processes that have shaped our “We know we will continue working skull and jawbone. The nano-techniques together and have great ideas. Because are used to analyze the microstructure, the School supports practical dental micro-texture, rigidity, morphology, studies as well as scientific research, our and fluoride content of jaws and teeth collaboration is a natural extension of from prehistoric to modern times. the school environment.” Findings contribute to understanding 10 TAU Review 2018 Issue

Gil Markovich & Yoram Dagan Working together since 2014 Clean Room Conversations At the shared laboratories of the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, casual conversation between scientists of different disciplines can lead to scientific breakthroughs

of Chemistry. Prof. Yoram Dagan, invested in the project with a grant Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of reserved solely for projects that have Physics and Astronomy, nods in agree- a good chance to be commercialized ment. Markovich and Dagan were the in Israel. students’ respective PhD advisors and “It all begins, though, with basic quickly saw the benefit of collaborating. science. Basic science is the founda- They seek to find a solution for tion of knowledge. When we discover preventing defects on the surface of new possibilities and new materials, semiconductors – small components applications can grow,” stresses Dagan. that control the electrical current in Markovich and Dagan share a pas- devices such as cellphones and comput- sion for unlocking the secrets of the ers. These defects harm performance. universe: “We are both interested in origins,” says Dagan. “Gil researches Long-term project the interaction of minerals with amino The scientists are using a chemical acids and DNA – the original building rather than physical process to create an blocks of life. I am interested in the electrical insulating thin film the thick- fundamental properties of matter and ness of a single atom. Their invention could improve microelectronics in all the devices we carry in our pockets and have in our homes by making “We are both interested A chemist and a physicist walk into them faster, more efficient and more a clean room. No, this is not the one compact. in origins.” about how many people it takes to “This is a long-term project – an change a light bulb. Nor is it the one idea that may be implementable about two Israelis and three opinions. twenty years down the line. Yet ex- materials. I would not think up chemi- This is a true story about how two doc- ploring this basic physics problem using cal approaches to physical problems by toral students from different fields got nano-chemistry led us to an application myself. Our collaboration is opening up talking and realized that they may be that can be realized today,” says Dagan. new possibilities.” says Dagan. able to use chemistry to solve a nagging Markovich and Dagan have teamed up “This has been a fun ride,” adds problem in physics. with industry experts for guidance in Markovich. “First, Yoram is a nice per- “These students were the best kind applying their technology to improve son. And I never worked on these kinds – curious and open to new ideas and resolution in infrared cameras used for of problems before. We have ideas for different ways of approaching a prob- defense and security installations. The cooperation on chemical ways to create lem,” says Prof. Gil Markovich of the Israel Innovation Authority (formerly new materials for quantum computing. Raymond and Beverly Sackler School the Office of the Chief Scientist) has The future is wide open.” 11 global edge 12 By Rava Eleasari Gelbetz entrepreneurial spirit, which adds an an adds spirit, which entrepreneurial science?” “Israeli you describe would character, how a national has – Israel’s future. contribute to and excel help them will my prize they’re of. capable Hopefully to for show them what harder obviously world from it’s centers, science distance and size small country’s of the because but, minds brilliant you many so have Israel In potential. full their to achieve young, still are they while brightest, the and best for the opportunity the viding award? high-profile this through community R&D Israeli the to express to do you want – USA. the in 2007 in one he established prestigious the cates dupli that award –anational Israel in Awards Blavatnik the to launch when he arrived thropy philan global about his to Len to speak TAUdent films. Review stu and security puter cyber science, development, com drug in innovation and discovery sparked has Initiative If science in different countries countries different in science If Congratulations! What message message What Congratulations! I see my mission, so to speak, as pro as my to so mission, I see speak, N In general Israelis have a certain acertain have Israelis general In ow in its fourth year, the Blavatnik Blavatnik year, the fourth its ow in The LenEffectThe across campus be feltBlavatnik can philanthropist (“Len”) Leonard Theinspiring effect of for Young Scientists had a chance achance had - - - - - fellowship program and I really liked liked Ireally and program fellowship do, because to help a young person with with to person help ayoung do, because Istill and scholarships, various porting by sup Istarted activity. research and educational support to was people other of lives the affect and impact an make one where Icould the place thought society. in advance and me integrate helped definitely Ihad education good the to America Icame When cation. of edu value of the reminded always Iwas and academia worked in parents my Both time. at that philanthropy as much thing no such pretty was there Unionronment Soviet –and –the with? begin to philanthropy – one is University of them. 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Len Blavatnik(right) with TAU President Joseph Klafter - - - - Honorary Doctor and Governor, is a is Governor, and Doctor Honorary their education may not require much not may education require their and cultural institutions. Tate among other Modern, educational the and Hall, Yale, Carnegie Harvard, Tel to Oxford, gifts Aviv University, major made has Foundation Family Blavatnik The philanthropist. and man business British-American Soviet-born me. impresses me. This impress that things few relatively are There results. great showing are trials early into and remission, cancer ting for put led to atherapy US has the in we funded research basic Recent port. sup and grants the all behind idea the you’ve helped happen? make that breakthrough big scientific – difference. a it person makes ayoung but with improve situation, not your much can you’re winner, aNobel Prize already when Because scientists. for young are lives. their in difference huge money, a relatively, make but might How do you feel when you see a youHow when see doyou feel Sir Leonard Blavatnik, a TAU Blavatnik, Leonard Sir that’s –obviously It’s gratifying very whyThat’s awards science also my - - - around the world. “White matter” is is matter” world. the “White around reported cases 1,000 than less with disease, rodegenerative neu agenetic is Matter community. VWM global the of member another to save potential the has Elroy-Stein’sin research advance every and teens, don’t their survive VWM with gency. Most children of a redoubled ur sense with comes us.”have helped families the by efforts of the “It Elroy-Stein. all says proves that phase,” exciting is a very “This activism. and fundraising intensive grassroots through her research accelerated have world.families the The around VWM from who suffer of children families the and Elroy-Stein between marriage childhood. early in appears that disease brain fatal and rare a (VWM), Matter White Vanishing cure for find a to efforts years-long her in strides important made cently re has Sciences of Life Faculty Wise protects nerve fibers. fibers. nerve protects and insulates that tissue fatty myelin, The cell at biologist cell The TAU’sS. George Vanishing White of optimismYet, glimmer the unique of a fruit the is milestone This P rof. rof. Crowdfunding Crowdfunding University scientisttofindcure Activist parents driveTel Aviv Orna Elroy-Stein Orna for devastatingdisease for life Myelin recedes recedes Myelin - is hopeful. hopeful. is Prof. Elroy-Stein Orna - - duced Elroy-Stein Elroy-Stein duced intro VWM discovered who encounterFateful to death. leading collapses, eventually system nervous the stress, additional of aresult As recession. myelin cause injuries flu the or head as such riences expe when normal years, toddler the in more slowly. regenerate and accurately to form less myelin causes mutationa genetic that have People itself. VWM erates with people it but healthy regen in stress, physiological following everyone in other VWM kids, in her office. her office. in kids, VWM other with along of Marisol, apicture keeps mutation.Marisol’s To day, this she O’Brien,Patricia acouple the from and to Thomas Fifteen years ago, the neurologist neurologist the ago, years Fifteen Marisol died in 2008 at the age of age at the 2008 in died Marisol Symptoms usually appear appear Symptoms usually She created a laboratory Shea laboratory created VWM. treating and ing to understand her career to dedicate decided Stein one; Elroy- soon after, ful fate a was meeting That disease. the with agnosed di been had ter Marisol daugh whose area Boston model of VWM using using ofmodel VWM ------benefits for sufferers of VWM. VWM. of for sufferers benefits to therapeutic have likely is which ecule mol drug-like a identified also They drugs. potential test can they which on model lab additional an developed They discoveries. important several for her research. funds raising and disease about the information ing seek to Elroy-Stein worldthe turned around from parents O’Briens, the After memory. Marisol’s up in set tion they afounda Elroy-Stein’s through research O’Briens continue to the fund yet eight, around the world. the around initiatives fundraising help organize to efforts and generously of her time given has of Chicago Skwirut Donna countries. other and Spain UK, the in donors US of and the Cooper Harriet and Richard of Australia, family Saxby donations generous by the through says. down,” she people these “I don’t let stop disease. and the dare of understanding their to further ishly fever working are her team and Stein Elroy-Stein’s made recently team The research has also been supported supported been also has The research developments, Elroy- of these light In TAU Review2018Issue - - - - 13 By Melanie Takefman the families photos from letters and Personal

health and wellness Learning to Feed the World

sustainable planet What do a legal student from Italy, a geneticist from Vietnam and a plant scientist from India have in common? They all study at TAU’s Manna Center Program for Food Safety and Security

Chiaretta Giordano is an Italian at the Summer Institute that she decided suffer from malnutrition, while another doctoral student at TAU who studies the to pursue a PhD in food security law 2 billion are undernourished or suffer legal implications of food security. She at the Zvi Meitar Center for Advanced from an excess of harmful caloric intake thinks that human rights start in the Legal Studies at the TAU Buchmann due to lack of access to healthy food. kitchen. This interest in food brought Faculty of Law. She aims to prove that Against this backdrop, TAU created her to the Manna Center Program’s only by enabling indigenous groups to the Manna Program for Food Safety Food Safety and Security Summer follow and practice their native food and Security, the first of its kind in Institute in 2016 while she was com- cultures can governments guarantee Israel, to address food security “from

By Melanie Takefman By Melanie Takefman pleting a master’s degree in Italy. their full human rights. field to fork.” Leveraging TAU’s in- terdisciplinary research culture, the Research Bearing Fruit Program promotes innovative, poten- In the framework of her doctoral tially high-impact research by forging studies as a Manna Center fellow, ties between professionals and academ- Cameroonian student Japhette Esther ics from different disciplines. In doing Kembou Tsofack joined forces with so, it prepares the next generation of TAU Prof. Eran Bachrach who studies scientists and policymakers to guide tilapia fish. Together, they discovered global food security issues. a virus that was causing disease in tilapia around the world. Tsofack is now Hands-on agricultural training developing diagnostics and vaccines to The Center’s international programs contain the illness. are taking this holistic and pluralis- tic agenda even further. Building on “Although Israel is a little country, Giordano’s research focus is one ex- the success of its 4-week Summer it has connections all over the world. ample of the broad spectrum of topics Institute, the Manna Center and TAU Professors from different countries come encompassed by food security, a pressing International launched the International to give lectures or participate in confer- issue that could potentially affect eve- MSc in Plant Science with Emphasis on ences,” she said. ryone. Around the world, demand for Food Security in 2014. The graduate Giordano connected so much with food is on the rise, while the quantity course is run jointly with the Arava TAU’s global and comprehensive ap- of arable land and agricultural resources International Center for Agriculture proach to food security during her time is declining. Close to 1 billion people Training. Students have the opportunity 14 TAU Review 2018 Issue

Added value Often, the benefits of food security studies at TAU go beyond academics. Thúy Uyên ồH ng Yũ, a graduate student at TAU’s newly formed School The 3rd of Plant Sciences and Food Security, cohort came to TAU on the recommendation included students of her faculty dean in Vietnam. At the from Nigeria, time, she knew nothing about Israel, Uganda, Kenya, except that it was a leader in agricultural Ethiopia, Rwanda and technology. Vietnam Uyên Hồng is now completing her master’s thesis with Prof. Ohad on the intersection of technology and plant development. The international MSc program, she said, helped her learn about herself and how to present her ideas. “In Vietnam, you need to think a lot before you allow yourself to ask a question. Here, you can ask every time.” Uyên Hồng said the combination to study, live and gain work experience trips to sites including an urban farming of academics and practical experience in the Arava desert, Israel’s largest veg- complex and an agricultural research allows students to devise a “future vi- etable exporting region. station in the Negev. sion” for the challenges of food security: The current cohort of MSc students Prof. Nir Ohad, Head of the MSc to look beyond their narrow fields of hails from 10 different countries, in- Program, says they divide the students research and find greater, more strategic cluding Zimbabwe, the Philippines and into multinational groups. Each student solutions. This is the type of thinking Vietnam. The Program even attracted then presents problems they encounter that will contribute to the production a scholar from Indonesia, a country in their country. “This interaction en- of better, safer food and to increased without diplomatic ties to Israel, testa- riches everyone’s knowledge. There is global health, she said. ment to TAU’s unique expertise and nothing like becoming acquainted with Yogendra Kumar Meena, a horti- global reputation. these issues from a first-hand source,” culturalist from India, attended the During the summer, the MSc stu- he said. “Our students also benefit from Summer Institute in 2016 on a schol- dents join their peers in the Summer exposure to Israel’s technological might arship from Israel’s Council of Higher Institute for academic study and field from the source,” he added. Education. It was a “life-changing ex- perience,” he said. Upon arrival, he immediately fell in love with Israel – with its “warm, friendly and passionate people” and the great work ethic and achievements compared to its size. The knowledge that he acquired at TAU will benefit India, an agricultural power- house that has yet to adequately imple- ment new technologies and reforms, he explained. “The international programs’ success is measured by the fact that our gradu-

ates are hired in preferred jobs when Graduate they go home,” said Prof. Ohad. “No Student Thúy Uyên Hồng less important, they become goodwill Yũ ambassadors for Israel.” 15 For Hiyam, taking the course was a particularly powerful experience: “As a social activist in the field of violence against women I’d had contact with victims; this project provided me with an opportunity to meet the victimizers,” she says. “I experienced intense inner conflicts when I found myself empa- thizing with them, but this is exactly the idea – breaking stereotypes and accepting others, as well as listening and working together in a creative pro- cess that can bring about a profound personal, group and social change.” Along with the use of communi- ty theater as a method of enriching prison inmates’ rehabilitation, other projects of TAU Impact include men- toring youth-at-risk, aiding the elderly to realize their rights, TAU students (facing front) advancing equality in and inmates education for minori- at Rimonim Prison ties and initiating en- vironmental projects, Taking among other initia- When TAU master’s tives. Some 10,000 student Hiyam Diab Israeli children, youth, signed up for a com- No Prisoners adults and senior citi- munity theater course, zens benefit from TAU she never imagined A recently-launched initiative maximizes community projects By Idit Nirel By Idit Nirel she’d end up behind Tel Aviv University’s potential to help every year; this num- the bars of a maxi- ber is expected to reach mum security prison. community members in need over 40,000 annually Hiyam was among 13 in the coming years. TAU students leading a theater group at Rimonim prison, one of the community is carried out in collabo- Encouraging involvement 140 social activism projects run by TAU ration with local communities, NGOs In the belief that these programs have just in the last year. This and the other and government agencies. an educational as well as a community projects are all part of TAU Impact, impact, TAU is making TAU Impact the University’s trailblazing program Making a difference in all realms mandatory for all undergraduate stu- designed to embed civic involvement of society dents. “Our initiative instills a culture of into its teaching curriculum. The play written and performed by social engagement across campus and a TAU Impact allows the University Hiyam, her co-students and the pris- sense of civic responsibility among our to harness its resources and know- oners was performed before family students. It encourages them to use their how toward generating tangible social members, prison officials and guards, skills for the benefit of society, not only benefits. The first of its kind in Israel lawyers, judges and even a now but also after they graduate, and and possibly the world, TAU Impact Member. The performances gave voice to become catalysts of positive social teaches social activism through accred- to the prisoners’ hopes to one day be- change in Israel,” says TAU Dean of ited courses that integrate cutting-edge come contributing members of society, Students Prof. Most, Ruth and Allen knowledge with community engage- and provided audiences with a thought- Ziegler Student Services Division. ment projects. This hands-on work in provoking encounter. 16 TAU Review 2018 Issue

Whereas the library of the past was a quiet sanctuary where even the slightest whisper could raise stern re- bukes, today’s academic libraries are evolving into vibrant study hubs with The Ever-Changing areas for group discussion. To meet the needs of today’s students, TAU has University Library undertaken a major renovation of the Sourasky Library aimed at upgrading Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, TAU’s its underused mezzanine level. As a stronger society result, the 550 sq. meter floor, which iconic Elias Sourasky Central Library is features 13 group study rooms and other moving toward interactive group learning facilities, is now in use from morning to night daily. and expanding digital services The facilities are available for use by students, faculty, administrative staff and the general public – not only for study purposes but also for hosting lectures and events. The renovations were funded through the estate of the late TAU benefactor Claire Maratier. Sourasky Library Director Dr. Naama Scheftelowitz: “There are still quiet areas in the library for individual study, but we’re adjusting to the way students prefer to learn today, provid- ing them with attractive spaces to hold discussions and practice skills they learned in class.” Scheftelowitz notes that acoustic insulation in the study rooms ensures that students don’t have to lower their voices as they interact. All group study rooms can be reserved online, along with laptops, electronic dictionaries, flash drives and headsets. “We’re moving with the times and ensuring that the library is no longer passé,” says Scheftelowitz. She notes 1974. It primarily serves the humani- and Noel Werthein Hall and the crea- that the library is continuously intro- ties and arts. tion of an outside ecological pool and a ducing new services – a dedicated app, To keep up with new research direc- “hanging out space” with tables, chairs a WhatsApp service and a chat service. tions, the library offers seminars and and free wifi. “Students can now sit on the train on training in digital humanities, arts Elias Sourasky of Mexico was the their way to campus and request that a and other areas. “We see ourselves as founding donor of the Elias Sourasky section of a book be scanned and sent a laboratory for information technol- Central Library. The family has carried

to them,” says Scheftelowitz. ogy,” “says Scheftelowitz. And how does on the tradition of generosity and in- By Louise Shalev The Elias Sourasky Central Library she envision the library of the future? cludes three generations of TAU Honorary is TAU’s flagship library, serving ap- “We will continue to offer new services Doctors – the late Elias Sourasky (1971), proximately 3,000 students and faculty as the technologies develop,” she says. his son-in-law the late Jaime Constantiner daily. Founded in 1968, it was built She also envisions extending the library (1980) and grandson, TAU Governor Dr. in the brutalist architectural style and outwards as part of a planned project Arturo Constantiner (2004). featured on a special stamp issued in that will include renovation of the Sarita 17 stronger society 18 By David Jozsef expected. “Our professors told in professors “Our us expected. it is encouraged, questions asking is not life, in only her time For first the ofat TAU’s Law. Faculty Buchmann student law asecond-year is children small mother of two and year-old wife why,”know Now, Ester. 31 the explains to toto understand, suppress my desire Ihad that Ilearned grade third “Since of a ‘problem indicative it was child.’ upon, not frowned only was teacher the challenging that age early at an taught Tayar Ester was seminary, aJerusalem in A s an Ultra-Orthodox girl educated educated girl Ultra-Orthodox s an to Graduation: to Application From into Campus Studies Regular Haredi StudentsMainstreaming build professional careers previously unattainable tomost Pioneering TAU initiativeishelpingUltra-OrthodoxJewishstudents classrooms alongside secular students. students. secular alongside classrooms non-segregated in together women learn and men first, programs: study regular into Haredim toproach mainstreaming ap threefold its in unique is program into TelOrthodox Aviv University. The Ultra- the for Integrating The Program Trailblazers: called framework der anew at TAU studying un currently students she says. amazed,” Iwas value. at face anything accept Never questioned. be told you must are everything that ers, think critical be to semester first our Ester is one of 50 fulltime Haredi Haredi one is of 50 fulltime Ester - - - parts when applying to university. when applying They parts counter secular their than challenges greater face seminaries and yeshivas in hurdles Overcoming moment of graduation. moment apply the from to the they students accompanies that assistance into a“one-stop-shop”ized of holistic central are services support other and academic dedicated Third, grounds. back educational individual to meet adapted are criteria acceptance Second, Ultra-Orthodox Israelis educated - - - TAU Review 2018 Issue

life, whether here on campus or any- The obstacles faced by Ultra-Orthodox where else. I try my best to stay focused students are unique and daunting, but, on my work.” as Prof. Most explains, the University Financial pressures are another ob- has been proactive in providing all the stacle which makes higher education a resources necessary for them to succeed. dream for many Haredim wishing to The University will begin a new mar- pursue careers in fields such as engineer- keting campaign targeting the Haredi ing, medicine or law. The Council for community with the goal of attracting Higher Education in Israel has been even more candidates to the Program. From left: supportive of Trailblazers, providing To help cope with the stresses of Program Coordinator partial funding. Various organizations adapting to university life, Program Galia Givoly in Israel and abroad donate additional Coordinator Galia Givoly is the one- with students Ester Tayar funds for student aid. stop, centralized resource for these stu- and Yechiel dents. Rather than spending precious Vaknin A national imperative study time trying to find help, they all The Israeli government has made turn to Galia, the driving force behind integrating Ultra-Orthodox Israelis Trailblazers. With a mother’s devotion, into the workforce a national prior- she sources tutors, arranges psychologi- ity. Although more Haredim are en- cal or career counseling, organizes men- tering the workforce, the jobs tend to toring programs, holds numerous social be lower paying, which keeps them events and helps with finding financing. trapped in a cycle of poverty. As the For Yechiel, between his full-time Israel Democracy Institute notes in its studies, a full-time job, volunteer work 2016 report, A Master Plan for Ultra- as a paramedic for Magen David Adom Orthodox Employment in Israel, “Despite and raising his children, including a the impressive success in getting the 5-year old autistic son, juggling all the Ultra-Orthodox to enter the labor demands is perhaps the greatest test. “I market and increasing employment like the challenge,” he says. “My goal rates among Ultra-Orthodox men and is to learn more, to have a profession. women in recent years, current policies I hope to succeed.” have not been able to extricate the sector Trailblazers has evolved over 3 years from its deep poverty. The salaries of from a pilot project with two students Ultra-Orthodox workers remain low studying law to one with students in and do not provide real economic and many fields, including law, medicine, social security.” dentistry, engineering, business, sociol- have not been taught many of the core The objective is to get them into the ogy and public policy. “TAU sees itself as subjects needed both to successfully ma- higher-paying jobs, which, as the report a microcosm of the wider Israeli society, triculate and to pass the university en- concludes, “…would benefit the Ultra- so it is important for the University to trance exams, particularly English and Orthodox community, Israel’s economy, have all sectors of Israeli society repre- mathematics. Because strictly observant and Israeli society as a whole.” sented.” says Galia. “Haredim should boys and girls are never educated in a The TAU leadership views also have access to the best education mixed classroom environment, fami- Trailblazers as answering a societal need possible.” lies and communities are not readily while also advancing TAU’s policy of Ester says, “When I returned to Tel disposed to the idea. being an all-inclusive academic institu- Aviv University for my second semester, First-year law student Yechiel tion. TAU Dean of Students Prof. Tova I walked in with a big smile on my face. Vaknin, a 34-year-old father of four, Most, who heads the program, says: I knew I was lucky to be here and I acknowledges that the gender integra- “We want the best students studying felt good here, but I didn’t know how tion poses challenges at times. “It is not here; Jews, Arabs, secular, religious and much it had become a part of me. I easy,” he says, “but it’s part of everyday international students are all welcome.” felt at home.” 19 Nacht founded the aMoon Fund, which, under the slogan “Accelerating a Cure,” channels hundreds of mil- lions of dollars into the discovery and alumni development of promising new ideas and ventures in the life sciences. “We focus on initiatives that combat the major killers – especially cancer and cardiovascular disease, alongside those illnesses that incur substantial health- care expenses, such as dementia, high blood pressure and diabetes,” describes Nacht. One of his main partners in this endeavor is Ramot, the technology transfer arm of Tel Aviv University, through which he sponsors selected research efforts within TAU, licensing out the resulting technologies. “Already we have two groundbreaking discover- ies made in TAU laboratories that may ultimately revolutionize the treatment Alumni Profile: of cancer all over the world,” he declares with unmistakable passion. At the same time, recognizing the Marius Nacht shortcomings of Israel’s healthcare eco- system, Nacht established 8400 – the He’s investing in a healthier future Health Network, an NGO that works with medical centers, universities, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of As his father was dying of cancer, away, something inside me changed. I Finance, and other relevant bodies to TAU alumnus and Check Point co- felt a deep urge to do anything I could remedy public healthcare flaws. One of founder Marius Nacht resolved to invest to prevent such suffering.” its main objectives, according to Nacht, in Israeli research that would bring a For Nacht, a highly experienced and is to create a much friendlier environ- cure to others. successful investor and entrepreneur, ment that will encourage investors – The agonizing illness and death of doing “anything he could” meant estab- both private and institutional, local his father changed Nacht’s outlook lishing two new enterprises in health- and international – to back biomedical on life. Nacht, who obtained his MSc care and biomedicine. research in Israel. in Electrical Engineering from TAU “The whole field of healthcare is be- Ultimately, this bold and caring TAU By Michal Alexander By Michal Alexander in 1986 and went on to co-found the coming increasingly technological,” alumnus addresses his call to action pioneering Israeli high-tech company says Nacht. “Its innovations are im- to all friends of Tel Aviv University: Check Point Software Technologies in mensely improving our prospects for “Financial involvement in Israel’s life 1993, was suddenly drawn to a field living long, productive and enjoyable sciences industry is a most worthy aimed at saving lives: the life sciences. lives. And Israelis, with no less than channel for your investments. In fact, “Check Point was the focus of my 1,700 healthcare startups to date, are it’s a priceless opportunity to make a professional career for two decades,” he definitely a powerful engine, a driving meaningful contribution to everything recalls. “I was fascinated by our new force in every aspect of this revolution. we care about: our University, the State technologies in IT security, I worked Our country’s researchers and inventors of Israel, and indeed the future of all hard to extend the company’s global lead the way toward new drugs and humankind. Right at this moment, bril- impact, and I still serve as its Chairman. medical devices, groundbreaking diag- liant Israeli scientists are waiting for our But sitting by my father’s bedside, help- nostics and digital health inventions.” sponsorship – to help them on the road lessly watching this vigorous man waste To support this buzzing activity, to eradicating disease and suffering!” 20 TAU Review 2018 Issue

Be Part of the Next Big Idea TAU Global Campaign

STRONGER SOCIETY Major Boost for Campaign: Dedication of Millie Phillips Student City

In a significant boost to its $1 billion philanthropists of Jewish causes. She The complex was built to increase global fundraising campaign, TAU is is a TAU Honorary Doctor and ar- affordable housing for talented and high naming its Student City complex in dent benefactor, having previously potential Israelis from the periphery. And honor of Millie Phillips of Australia. supported the Millie Phillips Floor at it has paid off, almost doubling the num- The dedication follows a generous gift the Check Point Building, currently ber of dormitory beds at TAU, including by Mrs. Phillips toward the Millie under construction at the heart of the for married graduate students and young Phillips Development Fund, which will campus, and the Millie Phillips Lobby faculty members with families. bring home exceptional young Israeli at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural Offering shops, cafes, gardens, prom- faculty members, award graduate and History, which is slated to open later enades and recreational facilities, the international student scholarships and this year. complex has become an important and bolster the campus’s physical develop- Millie Phillips Student City is the vibrant fixture in the Greater Tel Aviv ment. Mrs. Phillips’ extraordinary gift largest and most ambitious building cultural cityscape. will reinforce TAU’s mission to nurture project in TAU’s history. The 60,000 Based on the tremendous success of new generations of Israeli innovators, sq. m. complex offers residential units Student City, plans are now underway leaders and educators as a means of for over 1,700 students and faculty to construct three more buildings to helping Israel remain strong and com- from Israel and overseas. Dominating provide an additional 800 beds, thereby Millie Phillips petitive in the global arena. the southern section of the campus, increasing the total capacity of the com- Student City Millie Phillips is one of Australia’s it is the University’s most visible plex to 2,500 beds. Complex most prominent businesswomen and landmark.

Millie Phillip’s Big Idea:

“To build up Israel by nurturing new generations of student innovators and leaders.”

21 Change-Makers Club

Rendering of the Lorry I. Lokey Graduate Center

GLOBAL EDGE

TAU Global Campaign TAU Transforming Business Education in Israel The Lorry I. Lokey Graduate Center is an expression of its founder’s devotion to higher education and to Israel

Investing in the “kids of the future” “The Center is designed to create a top US philanthropists and is a member is key to the philanthropy of TAU ben- true and long-lasting community by of the Global Philanthropy Forum. efactor, Lorry I. Lokey of San Francisco. fostering business and educational in- “It is a privilege to give,” says Lokey, As one of the USA’s top philanthropists, teractions,” says Dean of Management who has donated over 700 million dol- Lokey is dedicated to the cause of higher Prof. Moshe Zviran. “It will serve as a lars throughout his lifetime – virtually education in the USA and Israel. His catalyst for a major transformation of 98% of his net worth – with the bulk vision has led to the establishment of business education in Israel.” of it going to educational institutions. the Lorry I. Lokey Graduate Center, a Lokey, a TAU Governor, was the “Without people giving grants, we’d new multi-purpose building that will founder of Business Wire. His chari- never make it.” significantly expand the space and table nature At the cor- activities of TAU’s Coller School of is in his nerstone laying Management. DNA: even for the Center The state-of-the-art Center, which during the in 2014, Lokey was designed by Gottesman-Szmelcman Depression, Lorry Lokey’s said, “What a Architects, will combine innovative his parents thrill to make design, green technology and stunning continued Big Idea: an investment. aesthetics to both meet the School’s to give to or- Those of us long-term needs and help position it ganizations “We want the kids of the future giving grants as an international leader in business they sup- to do better than we did.” want the kids scholarship and research. ported. By of the future Located at the entrance to the cam- his late 20s, Lokey was already giving to do better than we did. Through Tel pus adjacent to the existing Recanati away 10 percent of his income, starting Aviv University, we are just getting bet- Building, the 5,000 sq. m. (54,000 sq. with gifts to his local temple and to ter and better. More than anything, I ft.) Center will have lecture halls, con- Stanford University, where he earned want to see Israel prosper in the global ference rooms, offices and numerous a BA in journalism. business arena, and I am now inviting study areas for small groups or indi- Honored with countless awards, like-minded individuals to join me in vidual study. Lokey is annually ranked among the this endeavor.” 22 TAU Review 2018 Issue

STRONGER SOCIETY Renewed Support for

Edmond J. Safra Ethics Center Dagan, Director of the Center and for- Expanded activity will focus on markets, mer dean of the Buchmann Faculty of Law. “We look forward to strengthening ethics and the law our partnership and to reaching new milestones together.” In an increasingly globalized world, mitment to the Center with a substan- The Center attracts scholars from what ethical codes should people fol- tial gift over the next five years. The the world’s top universities and includes low when engaging in international Center was founded at the Buchmann student exchanges with the Edmond business? Who holds responsibility for Faculty of Law by philanthropist and J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard maintaining ethical standards in the TAU Honorary Doctor Lily Safra and University. The TAU Center also hosts housing and labor markets? the Edmond J. Safra Foundation in four active research groups and regu- These are two examples of the many 2012. The recent donation aims to en- larly organizes local and international questions explored by scholars at TAU’s hance the Center’s international reach conferences. Over the next five years, Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics. and provide additional support for ex- Center researchers will concentrate on Recognizing the broad importance isting programs. the topic, “Markets, Ethics, and the of the study of ethics for Israeli society “We are profoundly grateful to the Law,” from the viewpoint of diverse and the world, the Edmond J. Safra Edmond J. Safra Foundation for their fields such as business administration, Foundation recently reinforced its com- vote of confidence,” said Prof. Hanoch sociology and political philosophy.

The Eva and Les Erdi SUSTAINABLE PLANET Educational Gallery, a state-of-the-art facility for environmental education, Hands-On was inaugurated by mem- bers of the Erdi Foundation, Teaching Facility including the late Les Erdi’s grandson, Gavin Dunhill, Inaugurated at the soon-to-be-opened TAU Steinhardt Museum at Steinhardt of Natural History. The Gallery will introduce the Museum From left: Michael Naftali, JNF; Jeffrey Appel; Philip Zajac, CFO Erdi vibrant world of biodiversity Group; Gavin Dunhill, the Erdis’ grandson; Jeffrey Pinch, Erdi Group; and conservation to 150,000 and Ricky Jeffs, CEO Erdi Group children, youth and adults annually and offer hands-on exploration At the inauguration ceremony Mr. presence of Museum Chair Prof. Tamar of museum artefacts. Jeffrey Pinch, Chairman of the Eva Dayan and Vice President for Resource The Erdi Gallery is situated on the and Les Erdi Humanitarian Charitable Development Amos Elad. first floor of the Museum at the heart Foundation, said, “Les and Eva would Also attending the ceremony were of the visitor experience. It embodies have been really delighted with this Michael Naftali, representative of the Museum’s public mission to deepen initiative. We’re thrilled that so many the JNF in Australia and members understanding and appreciation of the people will be introduced to their lasting of the Erdi Foundation Philip Zajac natural world, while sparking curios- legacy.” A plaque was unveiled acknowl- and Jeffrey Pinch, as well as Museum ity and a spirit of scientific discovery edging the gift on the Museum’s Honor Director Alon Sapan. among people of all ages. Wall and the contract was signed in the 23 serve as an example for all nations,” said Albert Deloro, Foundation President, at the Fund’s signing ceremony. “As its name indicates, the Foundation ‘brings good fortune’ – it turns everything it touches into gold. I hope that it brings good fortune to Tel Aviv University and its scientists, From left: Vice President for Resource Development Amos Elad; TAU President Joseph Klafter; Rebecca Boukhris; Claude Deloro; Albert Deloro; Michel Cicurel; Marc Levy; and Sydney Boukhris as well as to Israel and all humankind,” said Mr. Deloro. The important role HEALTH AND WELLNESS played by French Friends President Prof. François Heilbronn in bringing the University and the Foundation together Advancing Groundbreaking was noted at the ceremony. In his Adelis-supported cancer re- Biomedical Research in Israel search, Dr. Shomron of the Sackler The Adelis Forever Fund is supporting four projects in Faculty of Medicine proposes a new approach. He uses big data to screen the areas of cancer, epigenetics and metabolic disorders women with breast cancer for mutations associated with metastasis, in order to TAU’s Dr. Noam Shomron strives to Adelis Foundation. precisely target and suppress culprit transform breast cancer into a manage- The Adelis Fund for Advancement cells. Preliminary lab results seem ex- able and non-life threatening disease of Scientific and Medical Research was tremely promising. by halting metastasis. His pioneering established at TAU in memory of its Other scientists at TAU receiv- research, together with other projects, founder, André Cohen-Deloro. “My late ing Adelis support are: Prof. Ehud is now receiving a significant boost brother’s goal was to promote research Gazit, Dr. Oded Rechavi and Dr. through the generous support of the and education in Israel, so that it will Johann Elbaz.

STRONGER SOCIETY

TAU Honorary New Miles Nadal Fund Will Doctor Miles Nadal Reward Israel’s Bravest

Over the last years of rocket attacks, versity degrees. The project was estab- videotaped lectures and photocopy- terror attacks and military operations, lished by TAU Governor, benefactor ing vouchers, psychological therapy, the burden of defending the State of and Honorary Doctor, Miles S. Nadal support groups and career counseling Israel has fallen on the shoulders of of Toronto and family, a testament to when necessary. the young men and women serving in their deep commitment to the young The Fund represents another in a combat units – particularly elite ones people who have risked their lives for long line of projects at TAU supported such as Duvdevan. The physical and the Jewish state. by Nadal, an entrepreneur and phi- psychological toll on these brave young The Fund will award 10 partial schol- lanthropist. These include the Miles people is immense. arships per year to TAU undergraduate S. Nadal Institute for Technological Now, the new Miles S. Nadal and and graduate students who performed Entreprenearship and the Miles Family Duvdevan Scholarship Fund their military service in the Duvdevan S. Nadal Home for Technological will ensure that reserve combat sol- unit. Nadal Scholars will be offered Innovation and Entrepreneurship, diers have every chance to fulfil their scholarships for tuition and books, which houses the TAU Ventures startup academic potential and complete uni- academic assistance such as tutoring, incubator. 24 TAU Review 2018 Issue

The year was 1979 during the Islamic in 1948. Yosef took over and expanded sion – philanthropy. He co-founded the Revolution in Iran. As thousands of his father’s business to become one of Maccabee Foundation, Association of Jews fled, many sought help from their the largest importers of raw materials Iranian Doctors in New York, and the trusted friend Yosef Shahery who had for the textile industry. Yet, at the height Iranian Jewish Federation of New York. presciently moved to the United States of his success, after noticing changes He has been recognized with numerous four years earlier. “Working together awards for his decades-long charitable with various Jewish organizations, Yosef endeavors. assisted well over a thousand newly-ar- All four of Yosef and Farang’s chil- Yosef and Farang rived Iranian teenagers who were fearful dren are involved in charities. “Our Shahery of consequences and uncertainties in father inspired us to follow in his foot- Iran. Many had no support, family nor steps and naturally we try to pass this adequate funds to survive,” says Yosef’s on to our own children,” says Shaw. eldest son Shahrokh (Shaw). “He also “We hope the Yosef and Farang Shahery assisted many families and individuals who were afraid of persecution in Iran and sought refuge in the States.” Now, Yosef Shahery is continuing the fam- ily passion for giving. A generous gift from the Yosef and Farang Shahery Foundation, New York, is enabling the establishment of a perpetual fellowship fund for supporting Back row, from left: Frank, Vida, Shahruz and Shaw graduate students at Rendering Shahery; Front row: Farang of the Yosef TAU. To acknowledge and Yosef Shahery and Farang this generosity, the Shahery University is naming Lobby in the GLOBAL EDGE Check Point the spacious and elegant Building computer science lobby at the Check Point Building A Family Passion for Giving in honor of Yosef and Farang Shahery. The Shahery family has long been attached to Israel. The sib- in Iran’s political climate, Yosef elected Lobby will be a source of pride for our lings, Shaw, Vida, Shahruz and Farzad to move to the United States in 1975 children and inspire them to undertake (Frank), say, “Our father has always and brought his family over the fol- similar initiatives in the future.” been a big believer in higher education lowing year. and the family looked at a number of When the Iranian Revolution broke At the heart of the campus universities in Israel before choosing out four years later, not only did Yosef Construction of the 54,000 ft. TAU. With one of the best computer help his fellow countrymen resettle, he Check Point Building is well under- science and technological reputations also launched a monthly Farsi publi- way and is expected to be completed in Israel – and as the country’s largest – cation called Shofar (“Ram’s Horn”) by December 2018. It will be the new we decided the best place to make this so that the newly arrived immigrants home to two TAU units – the Youth pledge would be at Tel Aviv University.” would be well informed and feel more University and the Blavatnik School at home. As the 1980s progressed, Yosef of Computer Science – each of which Honoring a rich, Farsi history took a step back from his business, will have its own wing. The building Yosef Shahery was born in Tehran, which is now run by his sons Shaw will serve thousands of students, faculty Iran, in 1921, and met his wife Farang and Frank, to focus on his true pas- and schoolchildren annually. 25 Rendering of the planned building

GLOBAL EDGE New Home for Nano The Roman Abramovich Building for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology will give TAU a significant edge in the field

Imagine a building that brings to- Center to embark upon this ambitious other academic institutions and from gether an entire community of scientists new building project. Founding donor industry. The first and second floors will working on the nanoscale to experiment Roman Abramovich committed $30 comprise laboratories for specific re- side-by-side. A building where they can million toward the design and construc- searchers. There will also be ample space manipulate the basic building blocks tion of the building, while additional for events, workshops and seminars. of life to develop new cures for cancer supporters have stepped up with major The second floor will house the Sagol and drug delivery systems; methods gifts. Center for Regenerative Biotechnology, for tissue and organ regeneration; more The building will enable the Nano where nanoscientists are already engi- efficient, smaller and faster electronic Center to double its graduate student neering a new generation of bioma- devices; tiny batteries and new materials body from 60 to 120 and will help at- terials that can be used to regenerate for solar energy harvesting; and many tract top young scientists from abroad, diseased organs and body parts such additional inventions that will improve including returning Israeli researchers as the heart, brain, spinal cord, bone, the quality of our lives. and post-docs from leading overseas tendons, cartilage and eyes. This vision will soon be realized institutions. Director of the Center for Nano- through the construction of the Roman The design of the building was se- science and Nanotechnology Prof. Abramovich Building which will be lo- lected through an international archi- Yael Hanein stresses that the building cated on the eastern side of the campus, tectural competition won by Michel aims to be a welcoming space for the adjacent to Beit Hatfutsot – Museum Roman & Associates of France. exchange and circulation of ideas and of the Jewish People. It will house The ground floor of the building will to facilitate synergy between engineers, TAU’s Center for Nanoscience and house the Chaoul Center for Nanoscale physicists, chemists and biologists. In Nanotechnology, established 18 years Systems, a core laboratory with a sophis- addition, the building will contain el- ago, which unites 90 research groups ticated infrastructure and magnification ements of interest to the public. “We from across campus. equipment that will serve some 50 TAU want the facility to have educational Constant growth prompted the teams as well as research groups from value,” she says. 26 TAU Review 2018 Issue

Over the past 30 years, the world has witnessed a substantial drop in the availability of potable water. Today, 884 million people worldwide – one in eight – do not have access to a safe SUSTAINABLE PLANET water supply. The severe water short- age has forced people to turn to any It’s All about water source available, including rivers, streams, lakes and wells that are chroni- Water cally contaminated. As a result, over 2 million people, mostly children, die every year due to polluted water sources. Now, to boost water research and The Institute will support and pro- maceutical compounds found in the solutions, TAU has launched the Moshe mote R&D involving pioneering water water supply. From left: Mirilashvili Institute for Applied Water treatment technologies for drinking Dr. Mirilashvili is a well-known Prof. Dror Studies. The agreement for the new and agricultural purposes. It will also philanthropist, donating to various Avisar, Dr. Michael institute was signed on campus by expand international cooperative ties causes in Israel and Russia, includ- Mirilashvili and TAU Michael Mirilashvili and TAU President between TAU, national water authori- ing the Friends of the IDF, the Moshe Rector Joseph Klafter. TAU Rector Yaron Oz ties and leading research institutions Mirilashvili Center for Research on Yaron Oz moderated the ceremony. around the world, as well as award fel- in the Soviet Union Dr. Mirilashvili noted that the lowships to exceptional TAU graduate at Yad Vashem, ZAKA and other or- Institute was being established in students. ganizations. He serves as President memory of his father, Moshe, and The Institute will be operated in the of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress; spoke about the importance of water framework of the TAU Water Research Vice President of the Russian Jewish to global society and the contribution Center, headed by hydrochemist Prof. Congress and President of the Maccabi of his company, Watergen. Dror Avisar, a world authority on phar- Union in Russia.

performed by Maestro Shlomo Mintz TAU Comes to on violin and members of TAU’s Buchmann-Mehta School of Music. Monaco Guest of Honor at the gala dinner was Mr. Aaron G. Frenkel of Monaco, a businessman and philanthropist who President Joseph Klafter, Rector Yaron was recognized for his contribution to Oz and Vice President for Resource Jewish causes and support of Israel. Development Amos Elad. TAU Governors attending includ- TAU President Joseph Klafter and The event kicked off with a symposi- ed Sami and Tova Sagol; Sylvan and Prince Albert II of um entitled “World Changing Solutions Margaret Adams; and Dafna Meitar- Monaco to Environmental Challenges,” featur- Nechmad, TAU Global Campaign ing panels on smart cities, biodiversity Co-Chair. They were joined by repre- and ecology by speakers from TAU sentatives of TAU Friends Associations Aaron Frenkel and Monegasque institutions. The from France, the UK, Germany, Spain, TAU held a highly successful week- symposium was held in collaboration Canada and Israel, in addition to Mr. end of activities in Monaco under the with the Prince Albert II Foundation, Bernard Fautier, Vice President of the high patronage of its monarch, Prince which is dedicated to the protection Prince Albert II Foundation. Albert II. Some 150 participants en- of the environment and the promo- Prof. Klafter thanked the French joyed academic presentations, a con- tion of sustainable development on a Friends, under the leadership of cert and a gala dinner, as well as tours global scale. President Prof. François Heilbronn, of the French and Italian Riviera. The symposium was followed by a for organizing the event, as well as the The TAU delegation was led by TAU cocktail reception and festive concert Jewish community in Monaco. 27 Celebrating the Next Big Ideas at the 2018 Tel Aviv University Board of Governors Meeting TAU Global Campaign TAU

Zimin Institute for Engineering Yandex Machine Learning Initiative Solutions Advancing Better Lives The founder of Russia’s leading search engine, Dmitry Zimin of the Russian Federation Arkady Volozh, foresees the need for training loves Israel’s startup mentality and believes artificial intelligence experts and is supporting it can be harnessed to raise quality of life for courses in the field for undergraduate students. people around the world.

28 TAU Review 2018 Issue

2018 Tel Aviv University Board of Governors Meeting

Shmunis Family Anthropology Institute American philanthropists Vlad and Sana Shmunis recog- nize the importance of understanding the past as a means of preparing for the future. Their support is providing the state-of-the-art equipment and resources needed to analyze the bones of ancient humans and reveal history’s secrets.

Koret Foundation Tel Aviv University–Bay Area Collaborative Initiative Showcasing Israeli academia while also strengthening its US links, the Koret Foundation is bringing together TAU scientists with colleagues at Stanford and Berkeley for innovative joint research in smart cities and bioinformatics.

29 Chaoul Center for Nanoscale Systems Research at the new Center will reinforce Israeli nano R&D, intensify TAU’s ties with industry, and advance pioneering devices that will directly enhance our lives, health and environment.

Shlomo Shmeltzer Institute for Smart Transportation Family members of the late Shlomo Shmeltzer, founder of one of Israel’s lead- ing car rental companies, are perpetuating his memory through major support for industry-oriented R&D aimed at revolu- tionizing the automobile industry.

The Jacob Frenkel and Mort Genomics Research Unit supported by Zuckerman Institute for Global the Alfredo Federico Strauss Center for Economics Computational Neuro-Imaging Eric Gertler and James Gertler of the US are The advanced equipment at this new unit will sig- dedicating the Jacob Frenkel and Mort Zuckerman nificantly increase the pace of research and discovery in Institute for Global Economics to promote outstand- fields ranging from neurobiology and cancer research to ing scholarship on international financial markets agriculture, archaeology and many more. and economic policy. 30 Top Global Friends Events TAU Review 2018 Issue

Toronto: Future of Start-up Nation From left: Nathan Disenhouse, Chair, Dean of the Coller School of Management CFTAU Ontario & Western Moshe Zviran spoke to alumni, Friends and Canada; Prof. Moshe entrepreneurs at separate gatherings in Zviran; Jay Rosenzweig; Toronto, including an event hosted by Jay Stephen Adler, Executive Rosenzweig at his office, Rosenzweig & Director for Ontario and Company, while Josh Kerbal hosted lunch Western Canada at Extreme Innovations. Guests enjoyed Prof. Zviran’s discussion of the future of the Start-up Nation and the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Israel.

Vienna: Thanking a Loyal Austrian Friend From left: Prof. TAU Austrian Friends, in cooperation with Medical Joseph Klafter and University of Vienna and Semper Constantia Privatbank, Dr. Hannes Androsch hosted a successful fundraising dinner. The funds Credit: Laura Böhler will support joint projects in cancer, epilepsy and schizophrenia research. TAU President Joseph Klafter bestowed the TAU President’s Award upon the outgoing president of Austrian Friends, Dr. Hannes Androsch, for his 15 years of dedicated service to the University as well as his strengthening of ties between Austria Seated from left: and Israel. Prof. Joseph Klafter; Along with Dr. Androsch, speakers included Prof. Prof. Markus Müller Markus Müller, Rector, Medical University of Vienna, Standing from left: and Dr. Bernhard Ramsauer, the incoming president of Prof. Karen Avraham; Austrian Friends. The keynote address was given by Alexander Gertner, General TAU Vice Dean of Medicine Prof. Karen B. Avraham. Secretary of Austrian Friends; Christiane Druml, In a preceding event, an MoU for cooperation between Director of the Josephinum TAU and the Medical University of Vienna was signed by at Medical University of Prof. Klafter and Rector Müller. Vienna

Zurich: World Currencies and the Shekel The Swiss Friends expanded their cooperation with the Switzerland-Israel Chamber of Commerce and Bank Hapoalim, Switzerland, at an event with TAU economist and Chief Economic Advisor to Bank Hapoalim Prof. Leo Leiderman. He lectured and then fielded questions from a group of 150 Swiss businesspeople on the state of the Israeli shekel in relation to the world’s leading currencies. Prof. Leo Leiderman

Frankfurt: Visiting the European Central Bank TAU Honorary Doctor and President of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, hosted a German Friends delegation of donors, Friends and businesspeople, giving his insights into current monetary policies and the challenges facing the European Union. The delegation toured the European Central Bank’s headquarters at a site that was once used to detain thousands From left: Mario of Jews prior to their deportation for Draghi with Uwe extermination in concentration camps. Becker, President of German Friends

31 Top Global Friends Events

Madrid: Talking Diplomacy Spanish Friends of TAU hosted a conference, cocktails and dinner at the Villa Magna Hotel in Madrid, attended by 100 guests from the Jewish community. Speakers included Prof. Yoav Tenembaum of the TAU Diplomacy Studies Program; Daniel Kutner, Israeli Ambassador to Spain; and moderator Felipe Sahagún, a prominent Spanish journalist.

Patricia Nahmad and Isaac Querub, co-presidents of the Spanish Friends, presented the inaugural Maimonides Prize to Padre Ángel, founder and head of the NGO Misioneros de la Paz (Messengers of Peace).

From left: Isaac Querub; Ms. Shirley Kutner; Ambassador Daniel Kutner; Remedios del Rio, TAU Governor and VP Spanish Friends; Dr. Yoav Tenembaum; Astrid Misrahi, TAU Governor; Amos Elad, TAU VP for Resource Development; Patricia Nahmad; Elena Ohayon, TAU Spanish Friend; and Felipe Sahagún

London: Highlighting Israeli Ingenuity In collaboration with UK Israel Business and the Institution of Engineering and Technology, TAU Trust joined the successful Innovate Israel Conference in London, attended by 180 technology and business representatives. TAU Ventures Managing Partner Nimrod Cohen was on hand to highlight TAU’s technology R&D and commercialization process and present TAU student and alumni discoveries.

From left: Hugo Bieber, Chief Executive UK Israel Business; Nimrod Cohen, Managing Partner TAU Ventures; Prof. Joseph Klafter, TAU President; Cara Case, Chief Executive TAU Trust; Amos Elad, TAU Vice President for Resource Development and Public Affairs

Buenos Aires: Economic Perspectives The Argentinean Friends of TAU held its 22nd International Economics Symposium with the participation of renowned economic and political analysts from Argentina and overseas. The annual event was attended by over 1,000 leading businesspeople and professionals from Argentina and Latin America. The theme of the Symposium was “Economic and Financial Overview: National and International Perspectives.” The goal was to analyze the economic and financial situation as well as the socio-political one, both nationally and internationally. Greetings were given by President of the Argentinean Friends Polly Mizrahi de Deutsch.

From left: Claudio Zuchovski, Manager of the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange; Miguel Kiguel, economist; Rodolfo Santangelo, economist and business consultant; Diana Mondino, Director of Institutional Relations, CEMA University; Ricardo Arriazu, economic and financial advisor; and Polly Mizrahi de Deutsch, President Argentinean Friends

São Paulo: Talking Economics Brazilian Friends of TAU hosted Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg of TAU, former Chairman of the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Israeli Council of Higher Education. During his visit, he spoke at several of Brazil’s most prestigious academic and research institutions and participated in a friendly debate From left: Herman Richter, TAU Senior with former Mayor of São Paulo Resource Executive, Latin America and Minister of Education Fernando and Spain; Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg; Haddad. He also met with President Marcos Lederman, Head of the of the Brazilian Central Bank Ilan Center for Public Policy; Eduardo Goldfajn, a former board member of Wurzmann, President, Brazilian Brazilian Friends. Friends

32 TAU Review 2018 Issue

Montreal: Telling the Untold Story Over 200 guests attended the official launch of Sephardi Voices, a CFTAU- initiated project jointly with TAU’s Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies. The event was held at Montreal’s famed Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue. The project gives voice to the oral histories of some of the nearly one million Sephardi Jews who fled their homes in Arab lands in North Africa and the Middle East after the establishment of the State of Israel. Dayan Center Director Prof. Uzi Rabi presented a timely and interesting perspective on the Middle East and the Jews from Arab countries.

From left: Gladys Daoud, Board Member, CFTAU Event Chair and Montreal Chair of the Moshe Dayan Center / Sephardi Voices Project; Claire Dalfen, Past President, CFTAU, Ottawa, Quebec and Atlantic Miami: Upbeat at Canada; Meir Buber, TAU Senior Resource Executive for English Bal Harbour speaking countries; Prof. Uzi Rabi; Professor Henry Green, Executive TAU benefactors Leslie Gelrubin Director, Sephardi Voices, Department of Religious Studies, University Benitah and Harry Benitah opened of Miami; Judge Barbara Seal, CM, National President, CFTAU; Moishe their Bal Harbour home for an evening Shiveck; Sass Peress, Vice President, CFTAU, Ottawa, Quebec and of cocktails, dessert and music. The Atlantic Canada; Sharon J. Fraenkel, Executive Director, CFTAU, Ottawa, AFTAU event featured eight musicians Quebec and Atlantic Canada personally selected by Maestro Zubin Mehta, Honorary President of TAU’s Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, performing Franz Schubert and Alexander Krein. Opening the event were Gelrubin Benitah, AFTAU National Chairman Richard Sincere and AFTAU Board President David A. Hirsch.

From left: Ivonn Goihman, member of Host Committee; Leslie Gelrubin Benitah; Marie France Bloch, member of Host Committee

Marbella: Spearheading Medical Research Spanish Friends of TAU hosted a fundraiser at the Los Monteros Hotel for its scholarship program, aimed at helping young Spaniards to study at TAU. Vice Dean of Medicine Prof. Karen Avraham spoke on groundbreaking research at TAU. Among the more than 60 guests were Francisca Caracuel, Third Vice President of the Provincial Diputation of Málaga and Deputy Mayor of From left: Remedios Del Rio, TAU Governor and Spanish Marbella; Rafael Cohen, Honorary Consul of Friends Vice President; Francisca Caracuel; Prof. Karen Israel in Andalusia; and Patricia Nahmad, Co- Avraham; Patricia Nahmad; Marie Noelle Erize; Ben Nemenyi, President of Spanish Friends. TAU Governor and Spanish Friends Treasurer

New York City: Gala Fetes Steve Tisch TAU Honorary Doctor and benefactor Steve Tisch was honored at a gala ceremony celebrating the achievements of the Steve Tisch School of Film & Television at TAU. The event was held at the IAC Building in New York, and was organized by American Friends of TAU. Gala vice-chairs included entertainment industry luminaries Matthew C. Blank; Len Blavatnik; TAU alumni Ari Folman and Eytan Fox; Allen J. Grubman; Bryan Lourd; Leslie Moonves; Richard Plepler; Haim and Dr. Cheryl Saban; and Chris Silbermann.

From left: Yum Coman-Becker, Steve Tisch School PhD student; Steve Tisch; Yona Rozenkier, Steve Tisch School graduate 33 TAU Meets Pope Francis 50 Years of Dayan Center Impact

Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin speaking at the Dayan Center in November 1994

TAU’s Moshe Dayan Center for It offers innovative research pro- Middle Eastern and African Studies grams, including one that analyzes celebrated 50 years as Israel’s leading social media activity among Arab, think tank on the Middle East. Since Persian and Turkish users. Dayan Pictured: TAU President Joseph its founding, the Center has played Center experts – including its Klafter with His Eminence Pope a major role in research and regional Director Prof. Uzi Rabi – frequently Francis during a TAU-led mission to policy analysis and has been a regular provide in-depth commentary the Vatican to advance intercultural platform for international statesmen, on regional developments in the and inter-religious friendship. including Henry Kissinger, Condo- Israeli and international media, leezza Rice and Yitzhak Rabin. as well as briefings to Israel’s The Center issues numerous pub- policymaking, defense and foreign lications and is home to one of the affairs communities. world’s largest Arabic press archives.

Earth and one of the most environ- mentally severe. Among the attend- ees were experts from around the world who discussed diverse topics including medicinal benefits, biodiver- sity, geophysics, seismology, sociol- ogy, anthropology, disaster mitigation, environmental studies, and more. The three-day summit was held at the Dead Sea Research Institute at Masada, and was a collaboration between the local Tamar Regional Council, the Porter Dead Sea Institute and the Dead Sea and Arava Science Center. Attending were TAU Presi- dent Joseph Klafter and members of Group photo the TAU management; Dov Litvinoff, at the Dead Dead Sea: Lessons from Nature Sea Institute A global scientific summit co-spon- the theme, “Life in Extreme Condi- Mayor of Tamar Regional Council; sored by TAU’s Porter Institute for Life tions – A Lesson from Nature.” The Prof. Mauro Ferrari, Chairman of the under Extreme Conditions, supported conference explored the intersections International Board of Governors of by TAU benefactor Dame Shirley between geological, environmental, the Dead Sea Research Institute; Porter and the Porter Foundation, medical and cultural aspects of this and Edny Raz, Director of the Porter took place in the Dead Sea region on unique region – the lowest point on Foundation in Israel. 34 TAU Review 2018 Issue

Vienna Conference on Anti-Semitism Digital Living 2030 – “An End to Anti-Semitism” was the City Hall hosted by Federal President title of a conference organized by TAU of the Republic of Austria Dr. Alexan- TAU-Stanford in Vienna, in cooperation with the Uni- der Van der Bellen. Dr. Moshe Kantor, versity of Vienna, New York University President of the European Jewish Partnership and the . Congress, TAU Governor and Honor- TAU has joined forces with Stanford TAU expert on anti-Semitism Prof. ary Doctor, and founder of the Kantor University for “Digital Living 2030,” an Dina Porat, Head of the Kantor Center at TAU, a co-sponsor of the exciting program that focuses on future Center for the Study of Contemporary event, spoke passionately of the need challenges of modern existence, including European Jewry at TAU and Chief to “plant seeds that will end anti- the technological, scientific, cyber, health, Historian of Yad Vashem, was one of Semitism.” French philosopher and work and organizational related aspects the main organizers. TAU Honorary Doctor Bernard-Henri that will shape our future lives. The program More than 150 experts from around Lévy was one of the speakers, while will bring together a consortium of some the world attended the event, which Pope Francis conveyed greetings to 50 TAU and Stanford faculty and students. opened with a reception in the Vienna the event. They will work in areas related to data sci- ence and analytics, information systems, operations research, supply chains, trans- portation, security, privacy, control, social media and more. Heading the program at TAU is Prof. Irad Ben-Gal at the Depart- From left: Prof. Dina Porat; Christian Kern, Chairman of the ment of Industrial Engineering. Heading the Social Democratic Party of Austria program at Stanford is Prof. Nick Bambos and former Chancellor of Austria; Dr. Ariel Muzicant, Vice-President at the Department of Management Science of the European Jewish Congress; and Engineering. The project received fund- and Prof. Armin Lange of the University of Vienna ing from Daniel Feldman of the US.

Africa-Israel Forum Launched The Africa-Israel Forum was all co-authors of Making Africa Work: launched at TAU in partnership A Handbook. Former Prime Minister with the Brenthurst Foundation, an of Mozambique Madame Luisa Dias organization that works to strengthen Diogo also participated. Africa’s economic performance. The TAU President Joseph Klafter new framework aims to become the outlined the various areas of TAU ex- premier meeting ground for leading pertise that are of particular relevance business, academic and government to Africa-Israel cooperation, including sity School of Medicine in Zambia figures from the African continent and food security, sustainable develop- through the Zambian Jewish Commu- From left: Israel, in areas where both Israelis ment, renewable energy and smart nity Public Health Program. Prof. Raanan and Africans have shared interests. cities. He also noted TAU’s programs Prof. Klafter thanked TAU Gover- Rein, Eytan Stibbe and The inaugural meeting featured with African countries in medicine, nor Eytan Stibbe, Chairman of Vital Erastus J.O. a round table discussion with the including the TAU Summer Institute of Capital Fund, for his leadership in Mwencha participation of Brenthurst Founda- Advanced Epidemiology and Preven- launching the Forum, as well as TAU tion Director Greg Mills, together with tive Medicine, as well as ongoing Vice President Raanan Rein who co- Olusegun Obasanjo and Dickie Davis, cooperation with Copperbelt Univer- organized the meeting. 35 The TAU-Yeshiva delegation with TAU President University Joseph Klafter Agreement in and Vice President Engineering Raanan Rein TAU has entered into an agree- ment with Yeshiva University (YU), New York that enables YU students to complete their engineering degrees in the framework of TAU’s International BSc Program in Electri- Vice-Presidential Delegation cal Engineering. The agreement A delegation of eight vice presi- achievements to American academic was spearheaded by Prof. Ehud dents from prominent American uni- leaders from top universities and Heyman, Head of the TAU Program, versities attended a four-day summit to discuss areas of future coopera- and will target YU students who at TAU to discuss future international tion.” Among other topics the summit wish to study engineering in Israel, cooperation agreements with TAU. focused on advanced technology whether for making aliya or estab- The universities represented were: for teaching programs and online lishing connections in the Israeli Columbia, Yale, Emory, Maryland, UC courses that will “ensure the univer- high-tech industry. Irvine, Florida International, North- sities of the 21st century meet the western and Notre Dame. TAU Vice needs of today’s young students,” President Raanan Rein, who initiated noted Prof. Rein. The Israel Institute the summit, said, “This was a unique in Washington provided financial as opportunity for TAU to showcase its well as operational support.

From left: Dean of International Relations IIT, Schulich Bombay, Swati Patankar; Director of IIT-Mumbai Leaders Program Prof. Khakhar; Dr. Brian The Schulich Leaders Program at Rosen; and Prof. Michael Gozin of TAU’s Raymond TAU continues to go from strength and Beverly Sackler to strength. The Program, launched School of Chemistry. in 2012 to nurture the next genera- tion of scientific and technological innovators, provides support for stu- dents in STEM disciplines. The pro- gram has expanded from 4 scholar- ship recipients in the first year to 7 Cooperation Agreement each year in 2013 and 2014, and 10 new recipients each year over the with Mumbai Institute past three years. The total number A memorandum of understand- Devang Khakhar, and covers faculty of Schulich Leaders at TAU to date ing (MoU) was signed between TAU exchange and visits of researchers, is 48, of whom 14 have already and the Indian Institute of Technol- joint conferences and symposia, and graduated and 34 are still enrolled. ogy, Mumbai, for cooperation in the joint supervision of research students. The Program is the brainchild of fields of materials science engineer- Dr. Brian Rosen of the Department of Seymour Schulich of Canada. ing and energy sciences. The MoU Materials Science and Engineering, was signed by TAU Rector Yaron Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Oz and Director of IIT-Mumbai, Prof. Engineering, initiated the agreement. 36 TAU Review 2018 Issue

strengthen academic and economic TAU and Konstanz cooperation between Argentina and people Israel. During the visit Michetti and University Mark her delegation heard presentations from TAU professors in the fields 30 Years of , cancer, rare diseases, Anniversary celebrations for 30 urban innovation and sustainability, years of fruitful cooperation between Friendship Award among others. Also attending was TAU and Konstanz University, Ger- to Argentinean Amos Elad, TAU Vice President for many, were held during a three-day Resource Development. conference at TAU on “Movement Vice President Argentinean Vice President Marta and Migration,” supported by the Gabriela Michetti was presented with Humboldt Foundation and funded a TAU Friendship Award during a visit by the German Federal Ministry From left: to the TAU campus. TAU President of Education and Research. Since Prof. Klafter, Joseph Klafter, together with Argen- Vice President 1987, the cooperation agreement has Marta tinean Friends President Polly Mizrahi yielded some 200 joint projects and Gabriela de Deutsch, presented the award in Michetti and over 120 scholarships for exchange Mrs. Polly recognition of Michetti’s close friend- Mizrahi de ship with Israel and her efforts to Deutsch

Mexican Ambassador at TAU Mexican Ambassador Pablo TAU. The ambassador was accompa- Macedo visited TAU and met with key nied by TAU Governor and Honorary researchers whose projects have ties Fellow Guillermo Swerdlin and his Prof. Dan Laor (left) and Prof. Günter Schatz with Mexico, including Prof. Miguel wife, Miriam, and daughter, Dalia. programs, noted TAU Rector Yaron Weil of the BLAVATNIK CENTER for Oz. During the proceedings Kon- Drug Discovery and Prof. Dror Avisar, stanz’s Prof. Günter Schatz and Head of TAU’s Moshe Mirilashvili TAU’s Prof. Dan Laor were awarded Institute for Applied Water Studies. medals of merit for their contribution Macedo also visited the Sverdlin In- to building bridges between the two stitute for Latin American History and institutions over the years. The initial Culture and met with TAU President agreement was made possible by Joseph Klafter and Vice President the late Kurt Lion, TAU benefactor Raanan Rein. The ambassador met and founder of the Lion Foundation with seven international students from for cooperation between Israel and Mexico who shared with him their

Konstanz University. positive experiences of studying at Mexican Ambassador Pablo Macedo (center) with Mexican students at TAU

Joseph Klafter and Vice President and Brazil. The delegation toured Brazilian Minister Raanan Rein and discussed potential TAU’s Porter School of Environmental of Education Visits areas of cooperation between TAU Studies, and met with Porter School Mr. Mendonça Bezerra Filho, Head Prof. Colin Price. An exciting Education Minister of Brazil, visited highlight of the visit was a meeting the TAU campus on a trip to Israel between the Minister and two Brazil- Brazilian Minister sponsored by the Jewish Federation ian students currently studying in TAU Mendonça of Brazil. He was accompanied by International programs whose studies Bezerra Filho receives a Eduardo Wurzmann, Jewish Federa- were made possible through the Bra- gift from TAU tion General Secretary and President zilian Scholarship Fund established President of the TAU Friends of Brazil. During two years ago by the TAU Friends Joseph Klafter the visit he met with TAU President in Brazil. 37 prizes TAU Benefactor Gil Shwed Wins Israel Prize Sackler Biophysics Prize The Raymond and Beverly Sackler International Prize in Biophysics 2017 pioneering role in Israel’s high tech was awarded to Prof. Tuomas P.J. industry for some 25 years, and for Knowles of the University of Cam- promoting leadership and excellence bridge for his work elucidating the among talented youngsters, includ- physical principles of amyloid fiber ing supporting TAU’s Youth University formation that has important ap- and serving as the Chairman of its plications for biology and medicine. Executive Council. He is also the The prize, administered by TAU, was founding donor of the Check Point established by TAU benefactors, the Building on campus, currently under late Dr. Raymond Sackler and his construction, which will house both wife, Beverly. TAU Governor and Honorary Doc- the Youth University and the Blavatnik tor Gil Shwed, co-founder and CEO School of Computer Science. The of cybersecurity company Check Israel Prizes were presented at the Point Software Technologies, has annual Israel Independence Day cel- won the Israel Prize, Israel’s highest ebrations, which this year marked the honor. Shwed was recognized for his State of Israel’s 70th anniversary.

TAU President Joseph Klafter and Prof. Tuomas Knowles High Honor for TAU Cancer Specialist TAU Professor Emeritus Isaac Witz was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Vienna at a ceremony marking the University’s 653th anni- versary. The ceremony was held in the presence of Austrian Federal President Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen. The award recognized Prof. Witz’s life work in cancer research and his contribution to forging academic ties with researchers in Austria, including a cooperation agreement with the Medical University of Vienna and TAU’s Cancer Biology Research Center, which he initiated. Supreme Court Appointment TAU alumna Esther Hayut was appointed Chief Justice of the , Back row, from left: Prof. Heinz W. Engl, Rector of Vienna the third woman to hold the University; Dr. Alexander van post. Hayut is a graduate of der Bellen, Federal President TAU’s Buchmann Faculty of of Austria; Prof. Isaac Witz; Prof. Bernhard Keppler, Dean, Law and has served as Justice Faculty of Chemistry, University on the Supreme Court since of Vienna. Chief Justice of the Front row: Robert A. Shaw, Supreme Court Esther 2003. She is an expert in com- Chemist and honorary Hayut mercial and tort law. doctorate recipient

38 TAU Review 2018 Issue

EMET PRIZE TOP DEFENSE The EMET Prize in the social sciences, PRIZE an annual prize given for excellence in academic and professional achievements The prestigious Israel Ministry of under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Defense Prize was awarded to Prof. (emer.) Prof. Assaf Razin Office, was awarded to Prof. (emer.) Assaf Prof. Emanuel Peled Emanuel Peled of TAU’s Raymond and Razin of TAU’s Eitan Berglas School of Economics. Prof. Beverly Sackler School of Chemistry for creative thinking.

Razin was recognized for his pioneering contribution to the Prof. Peled is a leading world expert in the field of batteries makers understanding of macroeconomic issues impacting on the and fuel cells and developer, among other technologies, economic policies of states and international institutions. of important components of lithium batteries. Peled is Prof. Razin joined the TAU faculty in 1970 after complet- a former Director of TAU’s Wolfson Applied Material ing his PhD in Economics at the University of Chicago. Research Center and Gordon Center of Energy Studies,

At TAU he has served as Chairman of the Department of and was incumbent of the Nathan Cummings Chair of news Economics, Dean of Social Sciences and as Vice Rector, Pure and Applied Electrochemistry. He is a recipient of and has held three research chairs. He has played a major the Electrochemical Society Battery Division Research role in the formation of Israeli economic policies, includ- Award, the Landau Research Award, the International ing serving as Head of the Economic Planning Authority Battery Association’s (IBA) Award and the Israel Chemical in the Ministry of Finance. He has been on the editorial Society Outstanding Scientist Award. He has published boards of several scientific journals and was a Fellow of 177 papers and holds 47 patents and pending patents in the Econometric Society and of the European Economic the fields of batteries and fuel cells. Association. He has authored and co-authored some 150 articles in journals and books.

Gady Frank Appointed Prof. Ilana Eli Appointed Director-General TAU President’s Advisor Mr. Gady Frank has been appointed on Gender Equity as the new Director-General of Tel Aviv Prof. Ilana Eli, former Head of TAU’s University, replacing Mr. Mordechai Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School Kohn who held the position for the past of Dental Medicine, was appointed as ten years. Mr. Frank is an alumnus of Tel Aviv University, Special Advisor to the TAU President on Gender Equity. having completed both his BA in Economics (cum laude) The position involves allocating resources and programs and Communication and MA in Economics (cum laude) to redress imbalances in the representation of females in on campus. From 2006-2009 he served as senior economist various academic fields at the University. A specialist in on the National Economic Council of the Prime Minister’s oral rehabilitation and chronic and acute pain in dental Office. He then held several key positions on the Planning and care, Prof. Eli has been a member of the TAU faculty since Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education 1978. She has served as President of the Israeli Division of (CHE), including as Deputy Director-General for Planning the International Association for Dental Research and as a and Policy from 2009-11; Deputy Director General, Head member of several national and international committees. of Budgeting Division from 2011-13; and Director General of the Planning and Budgetary Committee and the CHE from 2013-2017.

Appointments: Prof. Slava Krilov, Engineering, incumbent cumbent of the Fred and Helen Lessing Chair in Ancient of the Henry and Dina Krongold Chair in Microelectronics History • Prof. Gideon Bohak, Humanities, incumbent of • Prof. Oded Lipschits, Humanities, incumbent of the the Jacob M. Alkow Chair for the History of the Jews in the Austria Chair in Archaeology of the Land of Israel in the Ancient World • Prof. Ronit Sagi-Eisenberg, Medicine, Biblical Period • Prof. Jonathan Price, Humanities, in- incumbent of the Herczeg Memorial Chair of Argentine 39 Friends on Allergy and Related Diseases • Prof. Ronit • Prof. Haim Diamant, Exact Sciences, incumbent of the Satchi-Fainaro, Medicine, incumbent of the Hermann Riwka (Nee Schechter) and Iser Kodesz Chair in Chemical and Kurt Lion Chair in Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies Dynamics • Prof. Peter Bamberger, Management, incumbent • Prof. Shlomo Lipitz, Medicine, incumbent of the Gabriel of the Prof. Simon I. Domberger Chair in Organization and Pinkas Chair for the Prevention and Diagnosis of Congenital Management • Prof. Yaakov Bar, Medicine, incumbent of the Anomalies • Prof. Zvi Fishelson, Medicine, incumbent of the Emma Neiman Chair for Childbirth Research • Prof. Amit Roberts-Guthman Chair in Immunopharmacology • Prof. Gefen, Engineering, incumbent of the Herbert J. Berman Alain Serraf, Medicine, incumbent of the Goldberg Chair Chair in Vascular Bioengineering • Prof. Shai Danziger, in Pediatric Surgery • Prof. Leora Bilsky, Law, incumbent Management, incumbent of the Nathan Galston Chair in of the Benno Gitter Chair for Holocaust and Human Rights High-Tech Marketing.

Honors: 2017 Natalie Zemon David Lectures at Central Tova Milo, Exact Sciences • Joseph O. Hirschfelder Prize European University, Prof. Gadi Algazi, Humanities • for 2017-18 of the Theoretical Chemistry Institute (TCI), Honorary Doctorate of Sciences Po, Prof. Daphne Barak- Prof. Abraham Nitzan, Exact Sciences • 2018 Kadar Family Erez, Law • Juludan Research Prize, Prof. Roy Beck-Barkai, Award for Outstanding Research, Prof. Assaf Pinkus, Arts Exact Sciences • 2017 Sapir Award for Literature, Dr. Michal • Washington Institute 2017 Book Prize Gold Medal, Prof. Ben Naftali, Humanities • 2018 Kadar Family Award for Itamar Rabinovich, Humanities • Blavatnik Award for Young Outstanding Research, Prof. Erez Ben-Yosef, Humanities • Scientists in Israel, Prof. Oded Rechavi, Life Sciences • Alon Fellowship, Dr. Nir Bitansky, Exact Sciences • SIAM Azrieli Faculty Fellowship for 2017-18, Dr. Shlomi Reuveni, Outstanding Paper Prize, Prof. Niv Buchbinder, Exact Exact Sciences • President-elect of the International Union of Sciences • Alon Fellowship, Dr. Yaron Carmi, Medicine Microbiological Societies, Prof. Eliora Ron, Life Sciences • • 2017 Sieratzki Prize for Advances in Neuroscience, Dr. 2018 Kadar Family Award for Outstanding Research, Prof. Nitzan Censor, Social Sciences • Hermann Kümmel Early Dana Ron-Goldreich, Engineering • Fattal Prize for Legal Achievement Award, Dr. Guy Cohen, Exact Sciences • VLDB Research in Procedural Law; Holon Prize for Scholarship 2017 Best Paper Award, Prof. Daniel Deutch & team, on Local Government, Prof. Issachar Rosen-Zvi, Law • Exact Sciences • Rappaport Prize for Biomedical Sciences, Karl August Möbius Fellowship for 2018 honoring life- Prof. Tal Dvir, Life Sciences • Knight of the Science and time achievement, Profs. (emer.) Eugene Rosenberg and Arts of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (RANS), Ilana Zilber-Rosenberg, Medicine • American Academy Prof. Lev Eppelbaum, Exact Sciences • 2016 ACM Paris of Religion, Book Award for Excellence, Textual Studies Kanellakis Theory and Practice Award, Prof. Amos Fiat, Exact category, Dr. Lena Salaymeh, Law • Chair of the Israeli Sciences • European Complement Network (ECN) Medal Speech, Language & Hearing Association, Dr. Osnat Segal, for Lifetime Achievement, Prof. Zvi Fishelson, Medicine Medicine • RECOMB 2017 “Test of Time Award,” Prof. • Jordan Schnitzer Book Award, Philosophy and Jewish Roded Sharan, Exact Sciences • IS&T’s 2018 Charles Thought Category, Prof. Chaim Gans, Law • European E. Ives Journal Award, Dr. Arie Shaus, Exact Sciences • Pressure Ulcer Society’s 2017 Experienced Investigator Award, Elected Member in the American National Academy of Prof. Amit Gefen, Engineering • Gorni Award in Public Education (NAEd), Prof. Yossi Shavit, Social Sciences Law, Prof. Aeyal Gross, Law • 2018 Kadar Family Award • Rosetrees Trust Interdisciplinary Prize 2017, Dr. Eran for Outstanding Research, Prof. Iftach Haitner, Exact Socher, Engineering • Silver Fellow in the ARVO Fellows Sciences • Colgate Award for Excellent Research in the Israeli Class of 2017, Prof. Arieh Solomon, Medicine • Rosetrees Division IADR meeting; Marian Gertner Institute for Medical Trust Interdisciplinary Prize 2017, Dr. Eran Stark, Medicine Nanosystems Excellence Award, Dr. Michael Halperin- • 2017 Binkley-Stephenson Award from the Organization Sternfeld, Medicine • Alon Fellowship, Dr. Roni Ilan, of American Historians, Dr. Yael Sternhell, Humanities • Exact Sciences • 2017 International Collaborative Prevention 2017 SAF Awards Program (Field Discovery Award), Dr. Research Award (SPR), Prof. Moshe Israelashvili, Education Guy Stiebel, Humanities • STOC 2017 Best Paper Award, • Prof. Chaim Ring Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award, Prof. Amnon Ta-Shma, Exact Sciences • Haichen Award Ms. Malka Itzkovitz, Medicine • 2017 HBR McKinsey for best Israeli book on a geopolitical topic for 2017, Prof. Award for co-authored article, Prof. Alexandra Kalev, Alon Tal, Social Sciences • IS&T’s 2018 Charles E. Ives Social Sciences • Foreign Member of the Polish Academy of Journal Award, Prof. Eli Turkel, Exact Sciences • Member Arts and Sciences, Prof. Marek Karliner, Exact Sciences • of the Israeli Young Academy, Prof. Tomer Volansky, Exact Elected IMERA Fellow at the University of Aix-Marseille, Sciences • Honorary Doctorate from the University of Vienna, Prof. Nadine Kuperty-Tsur, Humanities • Landau Prize Prof. (emer.) Isaac Witz, Life Sciences • Zuckerman Faculty for Genetics, Prof. Martin Kupiec, Life Sciences • Alon Scholar, Dr. Omri Wurtzel, Life Sciences • Ministry of Fellowship, Dr. Eliav Lieblich, Law • Mifal Hapais Landau Science, Technology and Space Excellence Post-Doctorate Prize for the Sciences, Prof. Menachem Mautner, Law • Fellowship, Dr. Yoram Zarai, Engineering • Cheshin Prize 2017 VLDB Women in Database Research Award, Prof. for Excellence in Legal Scholarship, Prof. Neta Ziv, Law. 40 Tel Aviv ECUADOR PERU Ketty Grun Roberto Lerner University Liaison Liaison Lay Leadership Ecuadorian Friends of Tel Aviv University Peruvian Friends of Tel Aviv University FRANCE RUSSIA Worldwide Prof. François Heilbronn Viktor Vekselberg President President French Friends of Tel Aviv University (AFAUTA) Russian Friends of Tel Aviv University ARGENTINA Polly Mizrahi de Deutsch President GERMANY SOUTH AFRICA Argentinean Friends of Tel Aviv University Uwe Becker Jonathan Osrin President Chairman German Friends of Tel Aviv University South African Friends of Tel Aviv University AUSTRALIA Dr. Victor Wayne President HONG KONG SPAIN Australian Friends of Tel Aviv University (Victoria) Sharon Ser Patricia Nahmad Chairperson Isaac Querub Andrew Whitten Hong Kong Friends of Tel Aviv University Co-Presidents President Spanish Friends of Tel Aviv University Australian Friends of Tel Aviv University INDIA (New South Wales) Aaron Solomon SWEDEN President Peter Seideman AUSTRIA Indian Friends of Tel Aviv University Swedish Friends of Tel Aviv University Dr. Bernhard Ramsauer President ISRAEL SWITZERLAND Austrian Friends of Tel Aviv University Amnon Dick Patrick Loeb-Meyer Chairman President BRAZIL Israeli Friends of Tel Aviv University Swiss Friends of Tel Aviv University Eduardo Wurzmann President KAZAKHSTAN UK Brazilian Friends of Tel Aviv University Dr. Alexander Machkevitch Richard Anton President Chairman CANADA Kazakhstani Friends of Tel Aviv University The Tel Aviv University Trust Judge Barbara Seal, CM National President Glen Watson MEXICO Chairman, Scottish Group Canadian Friends of Tel Aviv University Jaime Murow Troice The Tel Aviv University Trust President Jeff Wagman Mexican Friends of Tel Aviv University National Chair URUGUAY Canadian Friends of Tel Aviv University Bernardo Faincaig Chair, Ontario and Western Canada NETHERLANDS President Michael Gorin Uruguayan Friends of Tel Aviv University Dr. Michael Tenenbaum President President Dutch Friends of Tel Aviv University Canadian Friends of Tel Aviv University USA Ottawa, Quebec and Atlantic Canada Richard Sincere NORWAY National Chairman Jan Dante Nathan Disenhouse American Friends of Tel Aviv University Chairman Regional Chair Norwegian Friends of Tel Aviv University Canadian Friends of Tel Aviv University Chair, Ontario and Western Canada PANAMA Millie Bettsak President Panamanian Friends of Tel Aviv University Welcome to a place where things aren’t done by the book. 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