Marking the 70th anniversary year of the State of Israel, Bar-Ilan University bestows its highest honor on eight noted recipients who have made important contributions to the Jewish nation, Israeli society, security, education and culture. They include former Director of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) Yoram Cohen; social trailblazer Etgarim-Challenge, which provides life-affirming rehabilitative sports for the disabled; American Jewish leader Malcolm Isaac Hoenlein; the Israel Defense Forces Orchestra; Jewish communal activists Evelyn and Dr. Shmuel Katz; spiritual leader, teacher and social entrepreneur Rabbi Dr. Binyamin (Benny) Lau; Israeli poet Agi Mishol; and Ronnie Stern, President of BIU’s American Friends.
BIU’s 2018 Honorary Doctors pose with senior BIU officials: (sitting l. to r.) Etgarim Founder Yoel Sharon, Dr. Shmuel and Evelyn Katz, BIU President Prof. Arie Zaban, Col. Merav Kirshner, head of the IDF Manpower Directorate, representing the IDF Orchestra, Agi Mishol, and Malcolm Isaac Hoenlein; (standing) Etgarim CEO Avner Balkany, AFBIU President Ronnie Stern, Rabbi Dr. Binyamin (Benny) Lau, Yoram Cohen, and BIU Rector Prof. Miriam Faust
BIU 2018 Honorary Doctorate recipient Malcolm Hoenlein, who figured prominently in the struggle on behalf of Soviet Jewry, stands with human rights activist and former refusenik Natan Sharansky, outgoing Chairman of the Jewish Agency, former Minister and 2018 Israel Prize laureate
Israel Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich with BIU 2018 Honorary Doctorate recipient Yoram Cohen
Dressed for the Honorary Doctoral ceremony, Rabbi Dr. Benny Lau poses with Evelyn and Dr. Shmuel Katz
Etgarim CEO Avner Balkany with Etgarim Founder Yoel Sharon
Etgarim CEO Avner Balkany with MK Karin Elharar, former Director of the BIU Legal Clinics
Ronnie Stern (right) with his mother, BOT Vice Chairman Jane Stern Lebell
Former Israel Supreme Court Justice Edna Arbel with BIU 2018 Honorary Doctorate recipient Agi Mishol
Racheli and Prof. Arie Zaban, BIU 2017 Honorary Doctor Nili Falic, Dr. Shmuel and Evelyn Katz, and Dr. Merav Galili, Vice President for Development
Karin Singer, Head of Global Resource Development, with 2013 Honorary Doctorate recipient Dr. Yehoshua (Selim) Salti, Founding Patron of BIU’s Salti Center for Ladino Studies
Prof. Shlomo Havlin (center), 2018 Israel Prize Laureate in Physics and Chemistry, receives an Award of Distinction from BIU Rector Prof. Miriam Faust (left) and BIU President Prof. Arie Zaban (right)
“Dr.” Malcolm Isaac Hoenlein (center) holds his honorary doctoral “diploma” as Gail Propp, President Zaban, BOT Chairman Michael Jesselson, and Natan Sharansky look on
Israeli Knesset opposition leader Isaac (“Bougie”) Herzog (left) together with Jane Stern Lebell and Rabbi Aviezer Wolfson place the ceremonial hood on the shoulders of Ronnie Stern
Etgarim Founder Yoel Sharon (center) poses with (l. to r.) Ruth Cheshin, BIU President Prof. Arie Zaban, Etgarim CEO Avner Balkany, Oren Almog, third-prize winner in the Blind Sailing International Championship, and Boaz Dotan
The Israel Defense Forces Orchestra stands at attention as Col. Merav Kirshner (center), head of the IDF Manpower Directorate, accepts the Honorary Doctorate on the IDF Orchestra’s behalf. Pictured (l. to r.) are BOT members Dr. Deborah Strassburger and Moshe Podhorzer, President Zaban, and FIDF Chairman Emeritus and BIU 2017 Honorary Doctor Nili Falic
Dina Berniker (right), member of the BOT and Executive Committee, places the ceremonial hood on Agi Mishol (center) as poet Meron Isaacson and CFBIU National President Gabi Weisfeld look on
The IDF Orchestra performs a lively repertoire of Israeli tunes spanning seven decades which give expression to the challenges and joys of the Israel Defense Forces and the state as a whole
BIU’s spectacular 2018 Honorary Doctoral ceremony comes to a close with the rousing rendition of Hatikva played by the IDF Orchestra
