spring 2009 WORLD ORT TIMES Get Smart Creche course Fine start World ORT helps to How ORT South Africa Major international launch 1,000 Smart is building bridges prize for ORT classes in Israel. between rich and poor. Uruguay film student. Page 5 Page 3 Page 4 World ORT’s Giving ORT students leaders a tiny advantage confident Once a kingdom could be lost for want of One such step was the bringing South Africa, Lithuania, Russia, the Czech about future a nail; soon a country could collapse for together of leading academics from the Republic, Mexico, Argentina, USA, France the lack of something infinitesimal thanks USA, Israel and United Kingdom to ORT and Ukraine, who in turn will share what World ORT is in good shape and well to the mind boggling breakthroughs House, London for the seventh annual they learned with peers and pupils. placed to negotiate the challenges ahead associated with nanotechnology, the new World ORT Hatter Technology Seminar – World ORT Past President Sir Maurice – and its mission is more important now field of research which deals with Nanotechnology and Material Science: Hatter told participants: “ORT prides itself than ever. structures more than 250 times smaller From Research to Classroom. They shared on giving its students an education that These positive and determined views than the width of a human hair. So, true to their formidable knowledge of the will help them to achieve success in a were expressed by World ORT lay leaders its tradition of assimilating the latest engineering of functional systems at the constantly changing world. To accomplish as they emerged from the organisation's scientific and technological developments molecular level – where technology is now, this we have to constantly innovate, both first Board of Representatives meeting into its curricula, World ORT is taking how it is expected to develop, what in the subjects that we teach and the under the governing structure adopted at steps to ensure that its students can coming generations will need to know to methods we use to teach them. The last year's General Assembly. exploit the potential career opportunities be able to ride the wave and how to teach Hatter Seminars provide our leading After three days of intensive in this increasingly important sphere of it to them – with 18 science and teaching staff with the opportunity to look discussions, presentations and inquiry and industry. technology teachers from Israel, Italy, networking in Mexico City no-one was Continued on page 2 under any illusions about the challenges ahead. But there was a palpable sense of optimism. "We have an organisation that's safe and sound both financially and programmatically," said World ORT President Dr Jean de Gunzburg. "We have lay leaders and professionals who know exactly what the situation is and what to do about it in a prudent way. We are looking forward to a stronger organisation that is more focused and that will be better able to serve its children with education." An example of World ORT’s responsible managerial approach is the organisation’s decision to work on 75 per cent of its budget this year. The situation will be reviewed in June: depending on income, World ORT may then revert to operating on full budget. The Board of Representatives, which is chaired by the President of World ORT, meets once a year and provides a forum for the discussion of major policy items; it approves the strategic plan and the Director General's annual programme and can change World ORT by-laws. World ORT Treasurer, Judy Menikoff joined Dr de Gunzburg in appreciating the spirit of the meetings as well as the quality of the content in the Board of Representatives' sessions and in those of the Board of Trustees which preceded them. Bright young things: Jodi Shapiro, Nestor Gonzalez, ageing “the growth and success of the next generation "This experience has fulfilled the Courtney Skrdla, Whitney Willis, Kasey Kirby, Beau LeMire, initiative is imperative to the survival of ORT America”. expectations we had when we Chris Sablan, Dianeh O'Farrill were among those enjoying His Co-Chair, Deena Eberly, urged delegates at the Annual restructured the constitution and by- the ORT America Next Generation launch party at a Beverly Meeting “to reach out to your children, grandchildren, laws," Mrs Menikoff said. "The discussions Hills mansion. Co-Chair of ORT California’s Next nieces, nephews, whomever you think could continue your were on point and we have had more Generation, Scott Schonfeld, told the ORT America Annual passion for ORT into the next generation”. time for meaningful discussions, on Meeting that with the lay leadership of Jewish charities Continued on back page Giving ORT High hopes for expanding students a tiny advantage ORT Lipson programme Continued from page 1 closely at important emerging topics and The Lipson family, which underwrites the to begin the process of absorbing them annual bringing of ORT students to into our curriculum.” America, hopes to see the highly successful Among the invited experts was Dr Boris programme expand into a multi-national Berenfeld, Director of the International project. Centre at the Concord Consortium. For Dan Lipson, whose late father Nathan, a nearly 20 years, Dr Berenfeld has focused former American ORT National Vice on the use of technology to enhance President, founded the programme seven students’ learning in collaborative science years ago, said he would like to see it projects and on the development of new replicated across the United States and in generations of learning materials in physics, different countries. chemistry and biology that utilise atomic “When my father came up with this idea, and molecular computational models. what he envisioned was a network; he “It is my deep conviction that in the wanted to have not only American cities same way in the 1980s we were talking hosting kids but cities across the world about Information and Communication doing it, so you would have a hub system in Technology (ICT) literacy now it’s high which major cities would be connected to time to talk about molecular and atomic ORT programmes through the students,” literacy to prepare new generations of Mr Lipson said. “We would also really like students in nanoscience,” Dr Berenfeld to see other ORT America chapters do said. “By 2020 we will need a large number something similar. The idea is to take the of ‘nanoworkers’.” existing model and expand it because it It is estimated that more than 800 spreads the word of the organisation and nanotech products are already publicly all the good it stands for.” available. And nanotechnology has the So far, the ORT Lipson International potential to create many new materials and Studies Programme has focused mainly on devices with applications in medicine, bringing Israeli teenagers to Atlanta where electronics, energy production, textiles, they have attended local Jewish day defence and even computing. schools. They are hosted by local families Dr Berenfeld, who was one of several (many of whom go on to become ORT top academics involved in re-establishing America lay leaders) and open a window ORT in Russia in the late 1980s, said ORT onto Israeli life for their American peers was well placed to spearhead knowledge while they themselves improve their of nanotechnology in high schools. English, enhance their leadership skills, ORT students from Kiryat Yam with Joan “ORT has experience in bringing cutting and learn about American life. The Year 8 Lipson and, inset, Dan Lipson. edge technologies to different places since students also commit themselves to using the 1900s whether it was electricity and their improved language skills to help experience for everyone – students, later electronics and high tech. So it’s schoolmates back in Israel with their families, schools and communities,” Mr natural for ORT to enter the English studies. Lipson said. “The interactions and nanotechnology field,” he said. Earlier this year, a group of eight friendships which develop between local Among the challenges of teaching students from two schools in Kiryat Yam students and the Israelis are life changing.” stronger affinity with Israel,” Mr Lipson nanotechnology is the need to attract the and Haifa which benefit from World ORT’s Mr Lipson would also like to see those life- said. “The thing is to bring over ORT brightest students and the need to develop Kadima Mada programme stirred up changing connections made with a wider students to local high schools that are not a new curriculum which is able to tremendous local interest during their range of young Jews to counter the growing Jewish, but which have many Jewish incorporate the diversity of disciplines month in Atlanta. rift between American Jewry and Israel. students. Then you can create an affinity which feed into this field of research, “Their presence here was a fantastic “Kids in Jewish day schools have a which probably didn’t exist.” which generally deals with structures smaller than 100 nanometres, where a nanometre is one-billionth of a metre – approximately the width of three atoms. “Why should students choose to study Teaching values amid diversity nanotechnology? Telling them it’s important won’t suffice; you have to ORT’s reputation as a force for good has was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 engage them through involving them in received a further boost with ORT Mexico’s with Nelson Mandela for his role in hands-on exploration, you have to give second annual education conference, dismantling apartheid, placed the ORT them tools to answer their own questions, which this year attracted Nobel Prize Mexico conference into a global context. you have to motivate them,” Dr Berenfeld winners Frederik de Klerk and Lech Walesa "One of the inescapable implications of said.