Mr. Eytan Stibbe, a former Israeli fighter pilot and a longstanding supporter of the University, will take part in a national and educational mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2021. The announcement was made by representatives of the Ramon Foundation together with President Reuven Rivlin, during a special event that was attended by Science and Technology Minister Izhar Shay, Tal Ramon, son of Ilan and Rona Ramon (z"l), and Deputy General manager of the Space Division at Israel Aerospace Industries. Speaking at the event, Mr. Stibbe noted, "ISS has produced a kind of fellowship between astronauts around the world, which is extremely vital, particularly at this time as the world deals together with the COVID-19 crisis." Stibbe, a close friend and colleague of the late Ilan Ramon who died aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003, vowed to continue to realize his friend's dream. The University of Haifa community bids him a safe flight and an amazing adventure ahead. 

The highlight of the November Board of Governors meeting was a fascinating discussion led by Prof. Richard Horton, Editor and Chief of The Lancet journal for nearly 25 years. Horton shared his candid overview on the economic, social and political impact of the Coronavirus – explaining that the deadly virus was really a "syndemic" (a set of interlinked health problems), rather than a pandemic. Horton stressed that governments need to pay more attention to their public health systems, reduce economic inequalities and invest in higher education research and development. Addressing the introduction of new vaccines, he cautioned that they won’t be a “magic bullet”, but will be an important tool in managing the spread of the virus. The discussion was moderated by Prof. Alfred Tauber, Chairman Emeritus of the University of Haifa’s Board of Governors, and featured in both local and international media outlets including The Jewish Press and Israel Science Magazine. VIEW A RECORDING OF PROF. HORTON’S LECTURE HERE
Prof. Richard Horton will receive an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Haifa at the 2021 Board of Governors Meeting in March. VIEW PROF. HORTON’S BIO

With generous support from the Tami Foundation (Steinmetz family), the Office of the Dean of Students recently launched the campus-wide Social Mobility Initiative. The flagship program provides students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds with a comprehensive package of financial, academic, and social support services throughout their studies. “We had an overwhelming response from students for this new program,” noted the Dean of Students Prof. Jenny Kruman. Members of the 30 student pilot group represent the full spectrum of Israeli society – Israeli born Jews, new immigrants from Ethiopia, and Arab students from different religious groups. “All of them are first-generation university students from peripheral towns in their first academic year. It is also interesting to note that this diverse group of students are pursuing a wide range of degrees from computer science, law, education, social welfare and the health sciences.” Prof. Roni Strier, Academic Chair of the program and Dr. Adi Sapir of the Faculty of Education will lead a research team to assess the impact of the program on students’ academic achievements and later into their inclusion and integration in the Israeli workforce. In addition, the initiative plans to set-up a Knesset lobby group that will advocate to establish these types of programs throughout the country.

Dr. Hadas Okon-Singer

An international study led by Dr. Hadas Okon-Singer, Head of the Cognition Emotion Interaction Lab, set out to identify whether the sense of anxiety experienced by arachnophobes (individuals with an extreme fear of spiders) can be reduced if their level of certainty increased. “The findings show that as certainty rises – even if it is certainty about something we perceive as negative such as fear of spiders – anxiety falls,” explains Dr. Okon-Singer. She further suggests that growing awareness of the importance of the sense of certainty is now being reflected in other fields. “In the current context, the Coronavirus epidemic has significantly increased the sense of uncertainty. It is possible that if we can increase the feeling of certainty, the sense of anxiety among the public could be moderated." The study, conducted in cooperation with a team of researchers from Belgium and Switzerland, was published in the journal Behavior Research and Therapy. READ MORE

Co-director of the dig, Barak Tzin, looks at the newly discovered stone etching. 

An archaeological dig in the Golan Heights found ruins of the area’s oldest known fortified settlement that date back to between the 11th and 9th centuries B.C.E.  The dig’s co-director, Barak Tzin of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology and Israel Antiquities Authority, explains that they knew they were on to something very important after unearthing rare rock etchings on a large basalt stone showing two figures with raised arms and a statuette of a woman holding a musical instrument that looks like a drum. “The fort, which covered more than a quarter of an acre, is built of basalt borders and has walls measuring almost five feet thick,” noted Tzin. Researchers surmise that based on pottery shards and physical evidence, the newly discovered structure appears to date to the time of the biblical King David and may have been part of the enigmatic Aramean Kingdom of Geshur. READ MORE

Dr. Shani Stern | Credit: Nitzan Zohar

A team of researchers led by Dr. Shani Stern, head of the Precision Disease Modeling Lab at the Sagol Department of Neurobiology, created a large computer simulation to study different scenarios for easing COVID-19 lockdown measures. Applying their virtual model of a 50,000 person community to five lockdown easing scenarios, the team found that strict age separation could dramatically reduce COVID-19 related mortality rates. The age-based socializing approach would allow people over 55 to meet in ‘micro-environments’, but would severely restrict contact with younger age groups. Because social connections are extremely important to the elderly, “until a cure or a vaccine is found, these schemes for age separation will help decrease the total death toll,” the team wrote.  The study, published in Open Biology, was featured in the Daily Mail.  MORE ON DR. STERN’S LAB  

Credit: Elad Sarig; Oded Kimhi; Noa Yafe

In the spring of 2019, Prof. Aya Ben Ron of the School of the Arts introduced a new project that challenges the way in which art can act and react in the face of social ills in society. Since its debut at the Venice Biennale, the project, which receives support from the Leon Charney Resolution Center and the University of Haifa, has welcomed over 180,000 visitors. “Learning from the structure and practice of hospitals, health maintenance organizations and healing resorts, FHX provides a space in which silent voices can be heard and social injustices can be seen,” explains Prof. Ben Ron. BOOK AN ONLINE VISIT HERE | MORE ON THE PROJECT HERE

Over 100 participants joined the new online poetry reading series with leading writers from the United States and Canada. Featured writers at the most recently held event were poet and choreographer Aisha Sasha John and author Brandon Brown. The meeting included a reading, Q&A, as well as an “open microphone” encouraging audience members to perform an original piece, organized by students from the Department. Dr. Jennifer Lewin and Dr. Yosefa Raz, who are in charge of the project, informed participants that the next meeting will feature Peter Cole from Yale University and John Burt from Brandeis University. Graduate students from the University of Haifa will have an opportunity to read with their graduate students – bringing together Haifa, Yale, and Brandeis students.

The series is open to the public. CLICK HERE TO PRE-REGISTER

It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (1948-2020). Rabbi Sacks - one of the leading Jewish figures of this era - was a teacher, theologian, philosopher, prolific author and a source of inspiration to Jews, Christians and Muslims around the world. In 1996, the University of Haifa conferred upon him an honorary doctorate “in appreciation of his spiritual leadership and long-standing contribution to the advancement of the Jewish community in Britain.” A rabbi in the Modern Orthodox tradition, Rabbi Sacks was best known for his steadfast commitment to achieving oneness and unity in our divided world. He was a staunch defender of the State of Israel, publically critical of the rise of anti-Semitism in the UK and around the globe, and a strong advocate for the compatibility of religion and science. “Science takes things apart to see how they work. Religion puts things together to see what they mean. Both are vital.” May his memory be a lasting blessing.

The University of Haifa community mourns the loss of Prof. Emeritus Nathan Zach (1930-2020), cherished Israeli poet and faculty member at the Department of Hebrew & Comparative Literature for several decades. In 1995, he was awarded the Israel Prize for Hebrew Poetry in recognition of his outstanding contributions to modern Hebrew poetry. His award-winning works (poetry, prose, essays and translations), lectures, cultural and political discourse and public appearances have enriched the lives of countless students and the Israeli public at large. May his memory be a lasting blessing.