Newsletter No. 8, June 2017 Board of Trustees Issue
BIU's 2017 Honorary Doctorate Ceremony
Bar-Ilan University awards its highest honor to nine esteemed recipients, including the Rishon LeZion and Jerusalem’s Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar, French philosopher and humanitarian Bernard-Henri Lévy, national sports icon and goodwill ambassador Tal Brody, and the national emergency medical service Magen David Adom, who – together with their fellow honorees – have made far-reaching contributions to Israeli society, the Jewish nation, science, technology, education and culture.
Other noted 2017 honorary doctoral recipients include Nobel Prize Laureate in Chemistry Prof. Avram Hershko; pioneer of complexity-based cryptography Prof. Shafi (Shafrira) Goldwasser; Israeli actress Dvora (Halter) Kedar; Friends of the IDF Chairman Emeritus Nily Falic; and philanthropist Dr. David Dangoor, who has worked to further education, art and the study of monotheism.
BIU’s 2017 Honorary Doctors pose with senior university officials (from l. to r.): BIU Rector Prof. Miriam Faust, Dvora (Halter) Kedar, Nily Falic, Prof. Shafi (Shafrira) Goldwasser, Dr. David Dangoor, Bernard-Henri Lévy, Prof. Avram Hershko, Tal Brody, Magen David Adom Director General Eli Bin, Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar, BIU President Rabbi Prof. Daniel Hershkowitz, and BIU President-Elect Prof. Arie Zaban
The Rishon LeZion, Jerusalem Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar (center) is hooded by Bar-Ilan trustees Alan Zekelman and Dr. David Jeselsohn (back), and Isaac Dabah
New Honorary Doctor Nily Falic warmly embraces BIU IDF students from the Maltek program on campus, who surprise her on stage to the traditional tune of the IDF march and salute her for her dedication to the welfare of their fellow comrades-in-arms
Our newest “Dr.” Tal Brody (center), flanked by all-time Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball stars Mickey Berkowitz and Aulcie Perry, poses with (from l. to r.) Deputy Minister Dr. Michael Oren, Attorney Shimon Mizrahi, chairman of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club, BIU President Rabbi Prof. Daniel Hershkowitz, and AFBIU President Ronnie Stern
Israeli singer Koby Aflalo enriches the evening with his passionate performance
The Board of Trustees unanimously elected Prof. Arie Zaban as Bar-Ilan University's next President. Prof. Zaban will assume the presidency in October 2017 when outgoing President Rabbi Prof. Daniel Hershkowitz completes his term of office. Veteran BIU trustees Jane Stern Lebell and Romie Tager were elected Vice Chairpersons of the Board of Trustees.
BIU presents Presidential medals to leading philanthropists from around the world and Alumni Achievement Awards to university graduates who are making a significant contribution to Israeli society, culture and life.
Focusing on topics ranging from the Vessels of the Holy Temple to Pseudo Deterministic Algorithms, and from the Genius of Judaism to a colorful career in Israeli theater, BIU's 2017 Honorary Doctors spoke on subjects close to their heart while Magen David Adom sponsored a campus-wide Health Awareness Day
This year's BOT meetings featured the Fifth Anniversary of the Azrieli School of Medicine, a Model UN simulation by BIUMUN delegates, and an off-campus visit to ContinUSE Biometrics, a promising start-up founded by BIU Engineering Professor Zeev Zalevsky.
More than 150 Katz student scholars and alumni unite with their patrons, Drs. Mordecai D. and Monique C. Katz. Nissim and Mira Dahan meet with the Dahan Sephardic Student Scholars and a moving tribute is held for the late Rachel, Haron and Ely Dahan z"l. Gabriella Nasch dedicates an important gift and the Tagers present their annual prize in Jewish legal research.
Addressing the topic of "Jewish Values in the Modern World," three prominent Israeli scholars provide fresh insights into bridging the gap between our rich, two-millennia-old Jewish heritage and contemporary challenges during a panel discussion featuring Rabbi Dr. Benjamin (Benny) Lau, Rabbanit Dr. Pnina Neuwirth and Midrasha Director Dr. Tova Ganzel. The panel was moderated by British Friends Chairman Romie Tager QC.
An essential partner in Bar-Ilan University’s development, American Friends of Bar-Ilan University provides vital philanthropic support for one of the fastest growing institutions of higher education in Israel.