Internationally recognized for his pioneering research into Tourette syndrome, BIU neurophysiologist Prof. Izhar Bar-Gad has uncovered the mechanism that determines the timing of tics associated with the disorder that affects millions of children and adults, an important step toward understanding and, hopefully, also controlling the involuntary head jerking, rapid blinking, "barking" and even cursing and rib punching, which exacerbate their daily lives.

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After an ancient clay jug found in the biblical Sha'arayim — where David fought Goliath — was painstakingly pieced together, a noted BIU Bible scholar sheds light on the inscription "Eshbaal son of Beda." Prof. Emeritus Moshe Garsiel, an authority on King David's history, believes the mysterious persona was the Sha'arayim fortress commander and co-founder of an elite military unit in the Kingdom of Judah.

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Competing in wheelchair tennis at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, BIU alumnus Itai Erenlib and teammate Shraga Weinberg just barely missed out on a bronze medal in the men's Quad Doubles after falling in a third-set tie-breaker with the British team. But the near win itself is a cause for celebration as it attests to Erenlib's tenacious efforts to overcome a life-changing injury incurred while serving as an IDF officer in the Paratroopers' Special Forces.

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What is the significance of the Fast of Gedaliah, which we mark on the day following Rosh Hashana? How is this fast different from the others? Sharing her insights is Dr. Tova Ganzel, Director of the Midrasha at the Jesselson Institute for Advanced Torah Studies, which empowers women to play an influential role in the evolving Jewish world.

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