AFHU News Spring 2024
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<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS<br />
Vol. 32 / <strong>Spring</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
KNOWLEDGE<br />
MOVES<br />
US
PAGE 2<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 3<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> National Leadership<br />
Letter from Leadership<br />
PRESIDENT<br />
Pamela Nadler Emmerich<br />
CHAIR OF THE BOARD<br />
Clive Kabatznik<br />
VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD<br />
Richard S. Ziman<br />
VICE PRESIDENTS<br />
Kenneth L. Stein<br />
Ronald M. Zimmerman<br />
HONORARY PRESIDENTS<br />
Stanley M. Bogen<br />
Clive Kabatznik<br />
Marc O. Mayer<br />
George A. Schieren<br />
Daniel I. Schlessinger<br />
Ira Lee Sorkin<br />
NATIONAL CAMPAIGN CHAIR<br />
Herbert L. Sachs<br />
TREASURER<br />
Joshua M. Olshin<br />
ASSISTANT TREASURER<br />
Michael S. Kurtz<br />
HONORARY VICE<br />
PRESIDENTS<br />
Ernest Bogen<br />
Rita Bogen<br />
Michael G. Jesselson<br />
Herbert L. Sachs<br />
Charles A. Stillman<br />
Stanley R. Zax<br />
SECRETARY<br />
I. Steven Edelson<br />
ASSISTANT SECRETARY<br />
Richard D. Weinberg<br />
HONORARY DIRECTORS<br />
Alan Fiske<br />
Brad Karp<br />
Ellen Klersfeld Hechtman<br />
Dr. Steve Rubinow<br />
Lynne Silbert<br />
Robert Snyder<br />
Marla Lerner Tanenbaum<br />
Mark Vidergauz<br />
HONORARY CHAIRS<br />
OF THE BOARD<br />
Stanley M. Bogen<br />
Michael S. Kurtz<br />
Marc O. Mayer<br />
George A. Schieren<br />
Daniel I. Schlessinger<br />
Ira Lee Sorkin<br />
Dear Friend,<br />
Our current issue of <strong>AFHU</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>Spring</strong> <strong>2024</strong>,<br />
arrives during difficult times. The prolonged war<br />
in Israel, the continued captivity of over 130<br />
hostages in Gaza, a movement to boycott Israeli<br />
academic institutions, and unrest on college and<br />
university campuses here in the States seem at<br />
times like insurmountable challenges. Yet, amid<br />
eight of the most difficult months for Israel<br />
and Jewish people in recent memory, we draw<br />
strength and resilience from each other. Despite<br />
immense challenges, and with thanks to those<br />
who contributed so generously to the We Are One<br />
emergency fundraising campaign, classes at the<br />
Hebrew University of Jerusalem have resumed and<br />
groundbreaking research continues.<br />
The continuity of <strong>AFHU</strong>’s mission and the progress<br />
being made by our dynamic Hebrew University<br />
of Jerusalem community is a great source of<br />
pride. 2025 will mark the 100th anniversary for<br />
both the University and our American Friends<br />
organization. As we look forward to marking<br />
this significant milestone, we are reminded of<br />
the many achievements for which the Hebrew<br />
University is acknowledged: the training of public,<br />
scientific, educational, and professional leadership;<br />
the preservation of and research into Jewish,<br />
cultural, spiritual, and intellectual traditions; and<br />
the expansion of the boundaries of knowledge for<br />
the benefit of all humanity.<br />
impact on the University through the years. You will<br />
also find an update on the We Are One campaign<br />
mentioned above, a collective fundraising effort<br />
that is helping to meet the needs of students<br />
and community members affected by the war.<br />
Other topics include: an exploration of the special<br />
relationship between the Hebrew University and<br />
the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) through elite<br />
academic programs such as Havatzalot (military<br />
intelligence), Talpiot (defense technology), and<br />
Tzameret (military medicine); an open letter from<br />
an HU student to her Jewish peers on university<br />
campuses in the US and Europe; an overview of<br />
the impressive awards and accolades recently<br />
bestowed upon HU faculty members as well as<br />
updates on significant research taking place across<br />
HU’s campuses; and a recap of the recent <strong>AFHU</strong><br />
events that have provided opportunities for us to<br />
gather as a community in support and recognition<br />
of our meaningful and important work.<br />
Thank you for your continuing partnership and<br />
support during these unprecedented times.<br />
With best wishes,<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> is honored to play a key role in enabling the<br />
University to pursue its mission. This edition of<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> <strong>News</strong> highlights several individuals whose<br />
transformative philanthropy has made a significant<br />
Joshua W. Rednik<br />
Chief Executive Officer
PAGE 4<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 5<br />
3LETTER FROM ARTHUR<br />
LEADERSHIP<br />
14<br />
FRANCES BRODY<br />
FOUNDATION<br />
28<br />
NEWS & UPDATES<br />
8<br />
GUTTERMAN<br />
20<br />
HEBREW UNIVERISTY<br />
& THE IDF<br />
38<br />
EVENT RECAPS<br />
12<br />
TALIA AGAM<br />
22<br />
WE ARE ONE<br />
CONTENTS
PAGE 6<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 7<br />
SPOTLIGHTS
PAGE 8<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 9<br />
Transforming Tomorrow: The<br />
Philanthropic Impact of Arthur<br />
Gutterman on the Hebrew University<br />
A successful businessman and philanthropist,<br />
Arthur Gutterman is chairman of Jelmar, LLC,<br />
the Chicago-based manufacturer of popular<br />
household cleaning brands CLR and Tarn-X. He<br />
is also a generous benefactor of the Hebrew<br />
University of Jerusalem (HU) and many other<br />
institutions in the U.S. and Israel.<br />
In June 2023, HU bestowed an Honorary<br />
Doctorate upon Mr. Gutterman for his<br />
extraordinary generosity to Israel, to medical<br />
research at the University, and to Holocaust<br />
education. He is a member of the Hebrew<br />
University’s Board of Governors and American<br />
Friends of Hebrew University’s (<strong>AFHU</strong>) National<br />
Board of Directors.<br />
Arthur credits <strong>AFHU</strong> for his entry into<br />
philanthropy; his first gift to the organization<br />
was almost twenty years ago, a small donation in<br />
response to a direct mail solicitation. A few years<br />
later, the daughter of a business associate joined<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong>’s staff and provided frequent updates on<br />
the work taking place at the University.<br />
“We’d have lunch and she’d tell me about the<br />
groundbreaking research happening at HU. Then<br />
she’d politely ask me for a donation. Those ended<br />
up being expensive hamburgers.”<br />
When his wife, Emalie (z”l), passed away, he<br />
wanted to do something special to honor her<br />
memory. In 2010, he established the Emalie<br />
Gutterman Memorial Endowed Fund for Medical<br />
Research in Chronic Pulmonary Disease (COPD),<br />
a research fellowship for the study of rare lung<br />
diseases at HU. That same year, Arthur took nine<br />
members of his family to Israel and visited the<br />
University for the first time. During that visit, he<br />
had the opportunity to meet staff and faculty<br />
members with whom he has developed deep<br />
personal relationships.<br />
“<strong>AFHU</strong> and the University is really a family,” he<br />
said. “They make you feel like you’re part of the<br />
University and you’re not just giving money. There<br />
is a true feeling of partnership, and because of<br />
that, I have a genuine sense of accomplishment.”<br />
HU President Prof. Asher Cohen and HU Rector Prof. Tamir Sheafer<br />
presenting an Honorary Doctorate to Arthur Gutterman<br />
His interest and funding grew to support stem cell<br />
research for kidney disease. Over the years, he<br />
has given generously to Hebrew University’s life<br />
science research as well as capital improvements<br />
to medical research facilities, including the<br />
Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer<br />
Research and the Edmond and Lily Safra Center<br />
for Brain Sciences. In 2016, he established the<br />
Arthur Gutterman Family Chair in Stem Cell<br />
Biology.<br />
Mr. Gutterman is a supporter of other Israeli<br />
universities and hospitals, as well as many<br />
organizations across the United States,<br />
including the American Transplant Association,<br />
Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Boca Raton<br />
Regional Hospital, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial<br />
Museum, and several others. But just as his bond<br />
with HU holds a special place in his heart, so<br />
does the program he rescued at Florida Atlantic<br />
University (FAU).<br />
“I got involved with FAU by accident,” he said.<br />
A longtime resident of Boca Raton, Florida, Arthur<br />
lives just a few miles from FAU. Several years ago,<br />
Emalie had seen an article in the newspaper that<br />
the University was going to shutter the program<br />
that provided K-12 educators with Holocaust<br />
resources and education. Holocaust education is<br />
required in Florida public schools, but when both<br />
the state and the University cut its funding, FAU<br />
could no longer meet the need.<br />
“My wife showed me the article and said I had<br />
to do something. I said, what am I supposed to<br />
do about it? Then she told me ‘I don’t know, but<br />
you’re going to have to do something.’”<br />
Arthur made a few calls and with some initial<br />
support from the Jewish Federation of South<br />
Palm Beach County and others, quickly got<br />
involved in growing the program. He developed<br />
relationships with the program’s director and the<br />
president of FAU and made Hebrew University a<br />
collaborator.<br />
Today, the Arthur and Emalie Gutterman<br />
Family Center for Holocaust and Human Rights<br />
Education at FAU serves hundreds of grade<br />
K-12 teachers with age-appropriate curricula<br />
and resources each year. It also supports FAU<br />
students through professional development<br />
workshops, the Annual Holocaust Summer<br />
Institute for Educators, intensive travel-study<br />
opportunities, and community programs. And<br />
the Gutterman Family Exemplary Holocaust<br />
Educators Award sends seven to eleven<br />
outstanding teachers to Poland and Israel,<br />
including the Hebrew University, every other<br />
year.<br />
L-R: Jamie Gutterman, Arthur Gutterman, Alison Gutterman<br />
“One thing leads to another, and it all started<br />
with American Friends of the Hebrew University.”<br />
Arthur recently established a bequest endowment<br />
for Ph.D. fellowships. Now, he’s also taking<br />
advantage of an <strong>AFHU</strong> program to accelerate<br />
this gift during his lifetime. In a precedent set by<br />
Arthur’s friend and fellow board member Stanley<br />
Bogen, donors who establish an irrevocable<br />
bequest endowment of at least $100,000 can<br />
begin contributing an annual gift of 5% of the<br />
total planned gift, furnishing immediate support<br />
for the University. “It’s a good opportunity; it<br />
essentially allows me to turn a legacy gift—<br />
something I had already planned to do—into a<br />
living bequest. I get to see my philanthropy in<br />
action today, and I know that it will continue to<br />
support the work and people I care deeply about<br />
well into the future. I see it as a win-win.”<br />
In addition to the outstanding personal<br />
relationships Arthur has developed with so many
PAGE 10<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 11<br />
people in the Hebrew University family, he values<br />
HU’s focus on diversity.<br />
“From what I know of other Israeli universities,<br />
HU probably has the most diverse student body<br />
in Israel today. And that is a very important<br />
factor, especially now. For many Arabs and Jews,<br />
the Hebrew University’s campuses are the only<br />
places they intersect. And the opportunities<br />
to learn together, to discover together, to<br />
understand each other, that’s where good things<br />
happen, where the foundation for a secure future<br />
can be built.”<br />
He is very passionate about Israel and about<br />
education.<br />
“Most of my donations go to schools. My father<br />
never got beyond the eighth or ninth grade, but<br />
he always said there are only two things that no<br />
one could ever take away from you. One is your<br />
good name, and the other is a good education. If<br />
you have both, you’ll be successful.”<br />
When he was told by <strong>AFHU</strong> staff that they were<br />
lucky to have him as a partner, he responded, “I<br />
look at it the other way around. I’m lucky to have<br />
you.”<br />
Anna Ravvin<br />
Anna Ravvin’s relationship with the Hebrew<br />
University started when she attended as an<br />
undergraduate and continues as she serves on<br />
the <strong>AFHU</strong> Mid-Atlantic Regional Board. While<br />
Anna enjoyed her time learning at HU, one of the<br />
best things she took away from the University,<br />
other than meeting her husband, is that there is<br />
so much value to be gained from an incredible<br />
world-class education.<br />
Learn more about Anna and her steadfast<br />
connection with Hebrew University in the video<br />
below.<br />
Dr. Jeffrey T. Kuvin Joins <strong>AFHU</strong> as<br />
Northeast Region Board President<br />
American Friends of Hebrew University was delighted to welcome Dr.<br />
Jeffrey T. Kuvin as the new Northeast Region Board President at its<br />
board meeting on January 30, <strong>2024</strong>. Former Board President Neil D.<br />
Grossman announced the new appointment and welcomed Jeff to the<br />
new role. Neil, who held the position for four years, will stay on as a<br />
member of the Board’s Executive Committee.<br />
Ambassador (Ret.) Yossi Gal, Vice President for University<br />
Advancement and External Relations, thanked Neil for his strong<br />
leadership to the University, and Northeast Region Executive Director<br />
Maura Milles presented Neil with a bound reproduction of Albert<br />
Einstein’s 1912 manuscript on the Special Theory of Relativity in<br />
gratitude for his steadfast commitment, ongoing involvement, and<br />
generosity. In assuming his new role, Jeff said, “From generation<br />
to generation (L’dor v’dor). I am thrilled to take on this position to<br />
help further the mission of <strong>AFHU</strong>/HU. I am passionate about Israel,<br />
academics, and the Hebrew University, and look forward to working<br />
hard in this role. Neil did a great job as NE Board President and left<br />
(literally and figuratively) big shoes to fill!”<br />
Jeffrey Kuvin, MD is Senior Vice President of Cardiology and Co-Executive Director of the Cardiovascular Institute<br />
at Northwell Health, Chair of Cardiology at North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical<br />
Center, and the Lorinda and Vincent de Roulet Professor of Medicine and Chair of Cardiology at the Donald<br />
and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Prior to moving to New York in 2020, Dr. Kuvin<br />
was Professor and Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center’s Heart and<br />
Vascular Center and spent many years in progressive roles at Tufts Medical Center and Tufts School of Medicine.<br />
Dr. Kuvin is Chair of the International Advisory Committee of the Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and<br />
Tropical Disease, founded in 1976 by his father, Sanford F. Kuvin (z”l). This committee helps further the Kuvin<br />
Center’s mission of advancing research to promote peace through cooperative science. Dr. Kuvin was Co-Chair<br />
of <strong>AFHU</strong>’s Titans of Global Health held May 2021, which honored Anthony Fauci and raised $1.5M in funds for<br />
the Kuvin Center and American Friends of the Hebrew University.<br />
He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the American College of Cardiology, the Board of Directors of the<br />
Kuvin Foundation, the Board of Governors of Northwell Health Physician Partners, and the National Board of<br />
Regents of American Friends of the Hebrew University.<br />
A graduate of the University of Michigan, Dr. Kuvin holds a bachelor’s degree in Near East and North African<br />
Studies. He was a swimming silver medalist in the 1985 World Maccabiah Games and returned to the 2022 Games<br />
and won 4 medals in the masters swimming competition. He earned his medical degree from Emory University and<br />
completed his medicine residency, chief medicine residency, and cardiology fellowship at Tufts Medical Center.
PAGE 12<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 13<br />
A Personal Letter to My Jewish Peers<br />
on University Campuses Abroad<br />
Talia Agam<br />
This blog appeared in The Times of Israel on March 6, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Talia Agam<br />
Dear college friends and peers abroad,<br />
Since university classes resumed in Israel, I have<br />
been struck by the stark difference between<br />
my campus life experience and yours, especially<br />
given the relentless antisemitism, anti-Israel<br />
demonstrations, and lack of action on the part of<br />
your university administrators,<br />
For me, studying in Israel was more of a given than<br />
for most. I made aliyah four years ago with Garin<br />
Tzabar, and I enlisted in the IDF’s Cooperation<br />
Division, so I was already here. I loved my army<br />
service and was inspired to study international<br />
relations in Israel. The decision to study in Jerusalem<br />
was an easy one - it runs in my family. My parents<br />
met and earned their master’s degrees at Hebrew<br />
U. My older siblings continued the tradition with<br />
semesters abroad. To me, Hebrew University<br />
represents a home filled with history, diversity, and<br />
opportunity.<br />
My reasoning aside, today, as a student at the<br />
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, I am really taken<br />
aback by the contrast between our respective lives<br />
on campus. I live in the Middle East. During a war.<br />
Meanwhile, you are facing so much overseas: Rising<br />
antisemitism, the fear of being Jewish on campus,<br />
and an unrelenting fight for Jewish identity. My<br />
experience here in Jerusalem is so different. My<br />
university is a place that embraces our identity as<br />
Jews, where I’ve never stood out for being Jewish.<br />
That part of my identity is only one aspect - not<br />
the whole - of how I show up on campus.<br />
I empathize with you for the immense pressure<br />
you face as a Jew on campus. You might think that<br />
over here we are immersed daily in “the Middle East<br />
conflict.” But the feeling of studying together with<br />
a strong Jewish population and with professors<br />
more concerned with teaching than using their<br />
platform for hate creates a highly supportive<br />
community. Other factors, such as small classes,<br />
make it easy to form relationships with students<br />
and professors invested in helping us succeed.<br />
Don’t get me wrong; I study with a diverse group<br />
of students. There are plenty of people native to<br />
Jerusalem and from around the world who come<br />
here to study who aren’t Jewish. Yet there is a<br />
mutual understanding here, and supportive and<br />
accommodating staff of religion and of different<br />
views.<br />
It may sound strange, but even with a war going<br />
on, I can’t imagine studying anywhere else. I have<br />
immense pride as a Hebrew University student<br />
at this time. That’s because I’ve witnessed<br />
firsthand the resilience of the people of Israel. I am<br />
constantly inspired by the volunteering, support for<br />
our soldiers, and incredible acts of generosity. The<br />
campus community has accommodated students<br />
and staff serving in the IDF or struggling due to the<br />
situation. The administration, faculty, and students<br />
have rallied together for the betterment of each of<br />
us, individually and collectively.<br />
My own experience here makes me wonder<br />
why more Jewish college students, especially<br />
those in the application process, aren’t seriously<br />
considering studying in Israel. There is a place<br />
where you can enjoy diversity on campus, get a<br />
high-ranking, international-level education, AND<br />
stand up proudly as a Jew without fear.<br />
Moreover, Hebrew University just opened up a new<br />
international Bachelor of Arts program offered fully<br />
in English starting this fall. It’s different (I say better)<br />
than simply spending a semester abroad. At the<br />
top of the list of benefits is definitely studying and<br />
living in Jerusalem, a vibrant, interesting, diverse,<br />
and exciting city. There is an option of living in a<br />
secure student village, just a ten-minute walk from<br />
campus, and the campus is just 15 minutes from<br />
Ben Yehuda, the Shuk, and the rest of downtown<br />
Jerusalem.<br />
You can earn your B.A. in just three years, which<br />
is standard in Israel for most undergraduate<br />
programs. Tuition here is also significantly lower<br />
than at comparable elite universities in America (and<br />
Hebrew University is ranked among the world’s top<br />
100 universities!) In fact, the entire B.A. program<br />
costs less than a year’s tuition at most American<br />
universities. The high level of education, coupled<br />
with many opportunities to gain work experience,<br />
ensures that Hebrew University graduates are<br />
well-equipped for the global job market.<br />
Lower tuition, great city, internships, and a high<br />
ranking for the school are all pluses. But at the end<br />
of the day, isn’t knowing you can be a proud Jew,<br />
an active Jew, a supporter of Israel without any<br />
fear something every one of us should just be able<br />
to expect?<br />
To all my friends and peers who are risking your<br />
physical safety and psychological well-being<br />
simply for being Jewish, I strongly encourage you<br />
to consider joining me here. Studying in Israel is an<br />
investment in yourself. You will be able to thrive<br />
on a campus that is focused on academics, not<br />
advocacy. It may be an academic choice, but it’s<br />
also a life-changing decision that will allow you, as<br />
a Jewish university student, just to be a student.<br />
Talia Agam, originally from Portland, Oregon,<br />
made aliyah and served in the IDF Cooperation<br />
(International) Division. She is studying international<br />
relations and business management at the Hebrew<br />
University of Jerusalem.
PAGE 14<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 15<br />
You Are What You Eat: Food Science,<br />
Nutrition, and Medical Research Funded<br />
by the Frances Brody Foundation<br />
Israel is recognized today as a leader in food<br />
science and agriculture, and that is in no small part<br />
thanks to philanthropists like U.S. supermarket<br />
innovator Herbert Brody (z”), and his wife<br />
Frances (z”l), who have dedicated significant<br />
resources to the innovative work taking place at<br />
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.<br />
As founders of the Herb and Frances Brody<br />
Center for Food Science and Nutrition in 1983,<br />
they provided resources that for decades have<br />
driven Israeli innovation in food research and<br />
development.<br />
Today, the Center fosters a multidisciplinary<br />
research environment that combines biochemical<br />
and medical expertise in nutrition and metabolism,<br />
with an understanding of the chemistry, physics,<br />
microbiology, and technology of food and food<br />
components. The Brody Center’s goal is to develop<br />
more nutritious and sustainable food sources as<br />
well as reduce food insecurity worldwide, not just<br />
in Israel. As the age-old saying goes, “You are what<br />
you eat.”<br />
“The Brody Center is<br />
unique in its combination<br />
of food science, nutrition<br />
research, and education in<br />
a single institute,” explains<br />
Prof. Ido Braslavsky, head<br />
of the Hebrew University<br />
Institute of Biochemistry,<br />
Food Science, and<br />
Nutrition, who leads the<br />
Prof. Ido Braslavsky<br />
interdisciplinary programs<br />
at the Brody Center. “Biochemistry connects<br />
food and nutrition so we can take a close look at<br />
the human body’s metabolic processes. But we<br />
also use food science to develop less perishable<br />
produce and explore alternative food resources<br />
and more nutritious ingredients. Together with<br />
agriculture research that seeks drought-resistant<br />
and high-yield seeds, we focus on feeding a world<br />
facing food insecurity.”<br />
Food safety and security are prominent Brody<br />
Center goals. Approximately 100 Hebrew<br />
University graduate and Ph.D. students, alongside<br />
250 undergraduate students, are pursuing food<br />
science degrees. Approximately 300 students<br />
are enrolled in the nutrition program, widely<br />
considered the best in Israel.<br />
The Brody Center has four major areas of<br />
research expertise: Nutrition and Health,<br />
focused on the effect of diet on gene<br />
expression and metabolism, nutrigenomics<br />
and nutrigenetics; Clinical and Community<br />
Nutrition Interventions, including educational<br />
programming for schoolchildren; Functional<br />
Foods and Nutraceuticals, which focuses on<br />
investigating the therapeutic properties of food<br />
products; and Food Science, Technology, and<br />
Biochemistry, research designed to improve<br />
food quality and safety and develop innovative<br />
technologies for new product development.<br />
In just the past few years, many companies have<br />
been established based on the innovations of<br />
Brody Center researchers. Among them are:<br />
Prevera - Enables safe and healthy food<br />
production by utilizing food protection proteins,<br />
which eliminate harmful preservatives and<br />
reduce food waste.<br />
SavorEat - AI-based 3-D printing technology<br />
creates tasty meatless burgers and other<br />
products cooked by a robotic chef with various<br />
flavors and nutritional content, which will reduce<br />
waste while customizing each person’s culinary<br />
experience.<br />
ChickP - Breakthrough, patented technology<br />
for producing functional, 90% chickpea proteins<br />
that can be used in meat and dairy-like foods,<br />
beverages, pastries, snacks, and cereals.<br />
BetterJuice - Empowers food producers to<br />
introduce more nutrition, creativity, and appeal<br />
into a wide array of natural fruit-based products<br />
by dramatically lowering their natural sugar<br />
content using non-GMO microorganisms to<br />
convert sugars to dietary fibers.<br />
WonderVeggie - A startup seeking to marry<br />
the benefits of fresh vegetables with healthy<br />
probiotics to help reduce the risk of cancer.<br />
Fresh vegetables, food, and nutrition are both<br />
the future of the Brody Center and the legacy of<br />
the Brody family business. As a teenager, founder<br />
Herb Brody lived above the local grocery store in<br />
East Orange, New Jersey. In the early 1950s, he<br />
opened his own store in Scotch Plains, and along<br />
with other mom-and-pop grocers joined the<br />
Wakefern Food cooperative to unify marketing<br />
and purchasing benefits under a single name —<br />
ShopRite.<br />
“My father was a pioneer in the food business<br />
in so many ways,” says his daughter, Susanne<br />
Brody. The ShopRite cooperative was at the<br />
forefront of grocery store innovations. In the<br />
mid-1960s, ShopRite stores pioneered late night<br />
and Sunday hours. With Herb as president,<br />
creative merchandising techniques such as<br />
watermelon contests, carnival games, pony<br />
rides, and 10¢ coupons, along with ShopRite’s<br />
low prices, made food shopping more exciting.<br />
Ultimately, he left with his partners and formed a<br />
new company, expanding his food empire to 160<br />
stores under the Pathmark label.<br />
Having achieved success feeding Americans in<br />
the northeast U.S., he then used his food industry<br />
experience to help the State of Israel. “In 1967,<br />
after the Six Day War, my father attended a world<br />
economic conference in Israel,” recounts Brody.<br />
“At that time, he recognized the need to develop<br />
international distribution for Israeli food and<br />
agricultural products to help Israel’s economy,<br />
so he began importing Israeli food products to<br />
the U.S.”<br />
As Herb began working with his food industry<br />
counterparts in Israel, he became aware of the<br />
agricultural research and innovation underway at<br />
Hebrew University. Together, Herb and Frances<br />
served for many years as board members of<br />
American Friends of the Hebrew University<br />
(<strong>AFHU</strong>). “They established the Brody Center in<br />
1983, but my father unfortunately didn’t live to<br />
see that dream come true,” Susanne explains.<br />
Nevertheless, until her death, Frances and the<br />
Brody family continued to be involved with<br />
Hebrew University supporters in a wide range<br />
of activities, through the Brody Center at the<br />
Hebrew University Rehovot campus and beyond.<br />
Fran’s great passion for children led to the<br />
establishment of the Frances Brody Student Aid<br />
Endowment Fund for Handicapped Students.<br />
The Brody family has also generously supported<br />
several vital Hebrew University programs<br />
including the Krueger Center for Finance, the<br />
Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer<br />
Research, the Rothberg International School,<br />
and the Avraham Harman Memorial Fund.<br />
In the wake of the October 7 th tragedy, the<br />
Brodys have been significant contributors to the<br />
Hebrew University “We Are One” fund to support<br />
students called up to serve in the Israel-Hamas<br />
War. The family is also funding fellowships at<br />
the Faculty of Medicine for the study of breast<br />
cancer and focusing on genetic cancer research.<br />
Contributing to the University is a family affair.<br />
The Brody Family Foundation is overseen by<br />
Herb and Frances’ children: Susanne Brody,<br />
Gordon Keil (the husband of Wendy Brody Keil<br />
z”l), Patti Lehrhoff, and Andrew Brody.<br />
The Brody family legacy at the Hebrew<br />
University has played an important role in the<br />
University’s agricultural research, which has<br />
included supporting breakthroughs such as<br />
the cultivation of seeds for arid climates, drip<br />
irrigation technologies, and the world’s first
PAGE 16<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 17<br />
disease-resistant, vine-ripened tomatoes. Today,<br />
research professors and graduate students<br />
benefiting from Brody Fellowships are working<br />
on groundbreaking projects in both food science<br />
and cancer research. Examples of current<br />
projects include the development of lactosefree<br />
milk using bacteria, and the use of computer<br />
simulations to uncover new genes that might<br />
indicate a predisposition to breast cancer.<br />
The Brody Family Foundation’s contributions<br />
will continue to have an impact for decades<br />
to come. “Our graduates pursue all types of<br />
food science industries and influence nutrition<br />
policies in Israel and worldwide,” Braslavsky<br />
says. “For us, the Brody family’s support is just<br />
like the resilient seeds they helped to develop.<br />
Their generosity germinates startup companies<br />
and breakthrough research and has helped<br />
cultivate many important advances for Israel and<br />
the world.”<br />
Patti and Daniel Lehrhoff<br />
Brody Family B’nai Mitzvah Trip (1991)
PAGE 18<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 19<br />
Charles H. (Corky) Goodman (z”l)<br />
Daniel Kahneman (z”l)<br />
American Friends of the Hebrew University (<strong>AFHU</strong>)<br />
and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU)<br />
are deeply saddened by the passing of business<br />
leader, distinguished humanitarian, and dedicated<br />
philanthropist, Corky Goodman (z”l). An ardent<br />
supporter of Israel and Jewish causes, his decadeslong<br />
devotion to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem<br />
will live on through his patronage.<br />
Mr. Goodman instilled a strong sense of Jewish<br />
affiliation in his children and grandchildren—in 2017,<br />
four generations of the Goodman family celebrated the<br />
dedication of the Suzanne and Charles Goodman Brain<br />
Sciences Building on HU’s Edmond J. Safra campus<br />
in Givat Ram. Mr. Goodman served as Chairman of<br />
HU’s Board of Governors and as a Vice President and<br />
Honorary Board Member with <strong>AFHU</strong>. In 2005, Mr.<br />
Goodman received a Doctor of Philosophy honoris<br />
causa from HU.<br />
In addition to his significant support of the Hebrew<br />
University, Mr. Goodman was a generous donor to<br />
the Jewish Federations of North America, the Jewish<br />
Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, the Jewish Agency for Israel, the United Jewish Appeal, and<br />
Brandeis University. The Goodman family’s philanthropy extends to the Jewish community and<br />
community development, education, arts and culture, medicine, and health care.<br />
Mr. Goodman served as vice chairman of Henry Crown and Company, on the board of General<br />
Dynamics and as an officer of the Arie and Ida Crown Memorial Foundation.<br />
We extend our deepest sympathies to his wife, Margie, children Richard (Kitzia),<br />
Leonard, and Barbara Manilow, grandchildren Daniel, Jordan, and Lily Goodman, Aaron, Jackson, and<br />
Maya Manilow, and to the extended Goodman family. May they be comforted among the mourners<br />
of Zion and Jerusalem.<br />
American Friends of the Hebrew University<br />
(<strong>AFHU</strong>) and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem<br />
(HU) mourn the passing of Prof. Daniel Kahneman,<br />
Nobel laureate, graduate of the Hebrew<br />
University, former lecturer in the Department<br />
of Psychology, fellow in the University’s Center<br />
for the Study of Rationality, and holder of an<br />
honorary doctorate on its behalf.<br />
During his years at HU, Kahneman developed,<br />
together with the late Prof. Amos Tversky, the<br />
Prospect Theory, integrating principles from<br />
psychology into economic science, and laying<br />
the foundations for the discipline of behavioral<br />
economics.<br />
Their new scientific paradigm overturned<br />
previous long-standing theories and concepts,<br />
brought about a revolution in all spheres related<br />
to decision-making, economic and other, and<br />
still informs the policies of governments and<br />
companies globally.<br />
Kahneman was a prolific scholar and influential<br />
author whose book, Thinking, Fast and Slow,<br />
introduced his work to the broader public and<br />
won widespread acclaim.<br />
We extend our deepest sympathies to his partner,<br />
Barbara Tversky, his children, and to the extended<br />
Kahneman family. May they be comforted among<br />
the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
PAGE 20<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 21<br />
From Medicine to Intelligence: How<br />
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s<br />
Unique Partnership with Israel<br />
Defense Forces is Bettering the World<br />
Since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks against<br />
Israel, the students and faculty at the Hebrew<br />
University of Jerusalem have been focused on<br />
their continued mission of making the world a<br />
better place.<br />
Yishai Fraenkel, vice president and director<br />
general of the University says the campus<br />
communities of the 100-year-old institution<br />
are experiencing a range of psychological and<br />
emotional traumas. There are those who have<br />
lost friends or family members or have suffered<br />
physical injury themselves. Still, they strive for a<br />
sense of normalcy.<br />
“We are not stopping. We are not halting or<br />
looking for excuses,” says Fraenkel. “Hebrew<br />
University is one of the most important civilian<br />
institutions in Israel, and we want to continue<br />
offering a world class education and world class<br />
research.”<br />
While their academic offerings cover a broad<br />
spectrum of disciplines from social sciences<br />
to medicine, the University’s partnership with<br />
the Israeli military has resulted in multiple<br />
programs that have been advancing research<br />
and development on a global scale for decades.<br />
“We have three major programs done in<br />
collaboration with the Israeli military: Havatzalot,<br />
Tzameret, and Talpiot,” explains Fraenkel. “These<br />
military programs are very important because<br />
this is an army to protect democracy, which is<br />
very precious.”<br />
Havatzalot: Training future military intelligence<br />
leaders<br />
More than a decade ago, the Military Intelligence<br />
Division established a program to recruit members<br />
of the Israel Defense Forces with the potential<br />
to excel as officers in the field of intelligence.<br />
The program has been at Hebrew University of<br />
Jerusalem since 2019.<br />
“Havatzalot is a three-year program that<br />
allows young students who are also cadets to<br />
complete a double-major bachelor’s degree<br />
with a combination of military studies and one<br />
other science like mathematics, computer<br />
science, economics, and sometimes philosophy,”<br />
says Fraenkel. “They finish their training, and<br />
they serve basically as the backbone of Israeli<br />
intelligence.”<br />
Troops who join the program graduate with the<br />
rank of lieutenant and must join the Military<br />
Intelligence Unit for at least six years.<br />
Tzameret: Elite military medicine that save<br />
slives<br />
Serving as a military doctor is not for the faint of<br />
heart, and admission to the Tzameret program is<br />
highly competitive. Candidates for the program<br />
must meet rigorous cognitive and physical fitness<br />
requirements. While participating in the program,<br />
students are allowed to defer their military service<br />
and later give five years as military doctors in the<br />
IDF.<br />
One of the main objectives of the program is to<br />
increase the number of career military physicians.<br />
The more highly trained doctors in the field, the<br />
better for anyone in need of critical care. The<br />
program is in its tenth year. As of the 2018-2019<br />
academic year, the total number of new military<br />
physicians in training, including those that have<br />
already finished training, exceeds 590.<br />
Like many of their other programs, Tzameret has<br />
a global reach. Up to 20 students in their sixth<br />
year of study are selected to participate in a onemonth<br />
exchange program with other militaryoriented<br />
medical programs around the world.<br />
Talpiot: Cultivating the next generation of<br />
leaders in defense and technology<br />
When you think of Talpiot, think of it as training<br />
people who develop technologies like the Iron<br />
Dome. The Talpiot program is one of the most<br />
prestigious academic and military programs in<br />
Israel, selecting exceptionally talented individuals<br />
from across Israel for training in science,<br />
technology, and leadership.<br />
“Talpiot takes those extremely bright scientific<br />
minds, those who excel in mathematics and<br />
physics so they can apply their talents to the<br />
development of military technology,” says<br />
Fraenkel. “Many graduates of this program go<br />
on to have a successful military career and later<br />
make their way into civilian life as successful<br />
entrepreneurs. They’re idea generators.”<br />
Though these three programs might be the<br />
most well-known, you’ll also find programs like<br />
the Institute for Research in Military Medicine<br />
where research and development in the areas of<br />
post-traumatic stress disorder, combat casualty<br />
trauma, and forensic medicine (or identifying<br />
victims) takes place. Additionally, the six-yearold<br />
Bina Elite Dentistry Reserve Track allows<br />
student-soldiers to maintain rigorous combat<br />
training standards. The Bina cadets serve as<br />
critical dental officers as needed.<br />
Solidarity across an ocean<br />
These programs, Hebrew University and the<br />
wider community are receiving critical support<br />
through the We Are One campaign, a special<br />
initiative organized by American Friends of<br />
Hebrew University along with the international<br />
chapters of the organization.<br />
“First and foremost, the We Are One campaign<br />
shows the solidarity of people throughout the<br />
world,” says Fraenkel. “Secondly, given these<br />
hardships as a university, the campaign makes it<br />
possible for us to continue our mission. We’re not<br />
just pursuing life, but the fullness of its potential.”<br />
Resources from the initiative support a wide<br />
range of immediate community needs from<br />
mental health services and legal assistance to<br />
hosting displaced individuals and funding unique<br />
scholarships for reservists called to duty. The<br />
initiative is also looking at rebuilding the future<br />
with programs promoting mental health, a shared<br />
society between Arabs and Jews, and even<br />
agricultural innovation.<br />
Show your solidarity with the Hebrew<br />
University of Jerusalem by giving to the We<br />
Are One campaign. Learn more here.
PAGE 22<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 23<br />
We Are One<br />
On October 7th, our world changed.<br />
As Israel and her friends continue to grapple<br />
with the evil witnessed on that day, the ensuing<br />
war, and the reverberations of antisemitism<br />
felt around the world, the Hebrew University<br />
of Jerusalem has set a course to prevail in<br />
the face of the current difficulties, and to<br />
continue to build a better and more just future<br />
by advancing knowledge through research and<br />
innovation. The University is continuing to<br />
address the immediate and long-term needs<br />
of its 28,000-person community, and the<br />
wider community, while also pursuing its core<br />
mission—to generate life-changing research<br />
and educate future leaders.<br />
scholarships for the 5,000+ reservists who have<br />
begun rotating out of active duty to resume<br />
their studies, as well as easing their integration<br />
back into courses through academic support,<br />
including group study sessions, tutoring, and<br />
recorded classes.<br />
In a recent letter to faculty members, Hebrew<br />
University Rector Tamir Sheafer stated:<br />
“Due to the terrible massacre on October 7th<br />
and the war that started after it, the semester<br />
began two and a half months late and in a<br />
shortened format of 11 intensive weeks. Over<br />
3,000 male and female students were still<br />
serving in the reserves when the semester<br />
began, and they are slowly returning to campus.<br />
As of today, over a thousand students are still<br />
recruited.<br />
program, which will allow them to complete<br />
the academic year, and in the long term, their<br />
degrees, successfully.<br />
I think we can all be proud of the way we<br />
are handling these challenges so far. The<br />
extraordinary mobilization of both senior and<br />
junior academic staff and the administrative<br />
staff to help students who were drafted into<br />
the reserves and those who were particularly<br />
affected by the war is inspiring.”<br />
[Excerpted from Rector Sheafer’s letter to<br />
faculty dated March 12, <strong>2024</strong>]<br />
REBUILDING THE FUTURE<br />
Hebrew University has added three key<br />
initiatives to We Are One with the goal of<br />
contributing to rebuilding community, restoring<br />
hope, and securing the future of Israel:<br />
to fully realizing human potential. The events<br />
of October 7th, and those that followed, have<br />
badly shaken Israeli society and negatively<br />
impacted the relations between Arabs and<br />
Jews. The University will offer a number of<br />
programs—existing and new—to recommit to<br />
a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment<br />
for all, with the goal of creating a model to<br />
restore shared society throughout Israel.<br />
The We Are One campaign, established on<br />
October 9th, continues to support students<br />
and community members, including those<br />
from southern Israel and returning reservists,<br />
through the provision of mental health services.<br />
Donations to the campaign are supporting<br />
students in distress, providing advocacy<br />
assistance to families of the hostages, and<br />
helping to host school-age children in safe<br />
spaces on its campuses.<br />
In addition, We Are One is funding unique<br />
In a joint effort that included the entire university<br />
community, we built an academic, financial and<br />
emotional support system that is exceptional<br />
in its structure and scope, to help reservists<br />
and their children and spouses, and evacuees<br />
from their homes, successfully complete the<br />
semester.<br />
The second semester will also present us with<br />
many challenges. Many students will be recalled<br />
to reserve duty, and we will again help<br />
them in a targeted manner. Other reservists<br />
have postponed the start of their studies until<br />
the second semester, and in order to allow<br />
them to do so, we will offer a very large number<br />
of “replicated” introductory courses—courses<br />
that were given in the first semester and will be<br />
taught again in the second semester, in a variety<br />
of formats. It is imperative that we establish<br />
a personal relationship with each and every<br />
one of the reservists and the evacuees, and<br />
make sure that they have an appropriate study<br />
Mental Health and Resilience<br />
The University is seeking to establish two<br />
integrated programs that will pursue basic and<br />
translational research, professional development,<br />
and clinical interventions to meet the needs of<br />
children, adolescents, and adults for patientcentered,<br />
comprehensive, coordinated care.<br />
Arabs and Jews: Building a Shared Society<br />
The University perceives diversity as a<br />
condition for academic excellence and essential<br />
Partnership to Strengthen the Southern City<br />
of Ofakim<br />
In 2022, Hebrew University’s Robert H. Smith<br />
Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment<br />
began a partnership with the city of Ofakim,<br />
which was struggling with the loss of its textile<br />
manufacturing base to overseas competitors.<br />
Located in the south of Israel, 15 miles from the<br />
Gaza border in Israel’s agricultural hub, Ofakim<br />
was devastated by the October 7th attacks.<br />
Today, Ofakim’s leaders and University faculty<br />
have recommitted to their shared vision of<br />
restoring academic and economic opportunities<br />
for the city’s residents by advancing agriculturerelated<br />
education, and agri-tech development<br />
and innovation.<br />
Efforts to Support the We Are One Campaign<br />
As of April 1st, HU has raised over six million<br />
dollars in support of We Are One initiatives from<br />
supporters around the world, with American<br />
Friends accounting for half of all donations.
PAGE 24<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 25<br />
United States – 3,000,000 USD (50.5%)<br />
Europe – 1,506,000 USD (25%)<br />
Israel – 591,000 USD (10%)<br />
Latin America – 453,000 USD (7.6%)<br />
UK – 210,000 USD (3.5%)<br />
Canada – 210,000 USD (3.5%)<br />
WE ARE ONE<br />
While there is much work to be done, the Hebrew<br />
University of Jerusalem is committed to serving<br />
Israel by continuing to pursue knowledge,<br />
cultivate leadership and share its discoveries and<br />
achievements with the world. <strong>AFHU</strong> is deeply<br />
grateful for the outpouring of support received<br />
since October 7th, and we hope that you will<br />
continue to support these further initiatives.<br />
It helps to know that you are with us—because<br />
We Are One.<br />
To make a donation, click here.<br />
“American Friends of the Hebrew University will<br />
do everything we can to support our community<br />
members during the war and its aftermath, which<br />
we hope will bring lasting peace,” said Joshua<br />
Rednik, <strong>AFHU</strong>’s CEO. “We are inspired by the<br />
Hebrew University community’s commitment<br />
to volunteering in many capacities in Jerusalem<br />
and throughout Israel. As they serve us, we wish<br />
to serve them through the We Are One fund.”<br />
Hebrew University students, faculty, and staff<br />
mobilized volunteer efforts immediately following<br />
the terrorist attacks on October 7th. As the<br />
diverse, expanding needs of the country became<br />
clear over the ensuing days, the urge to contribute<br />
sparked a wave of volunteerism across Hebrew<br />
University campuses, where students and faculty<br />
came together to provide aid to people affected<br />
by the war. Agriculture students helping farmers,<br />
law students helping evacuees understand their<br />
legal rights, medical students putting their<br />
studies to work in hospitals, and dental students<br />
treating survivors and identifying victims—HU<br />
minds and hearts continue to be applied across<br />
the country.<br />
The Hebrew University<br />
Law Clinics At Work<br />
In Case You Missed It<br />
On Sunday, November 5, the Hebrew University<br />
of Jerusalem hosted a Zoom webinar titled<br />
“Fighting for the Israeli Hostages.” Featured<br />
speakers: Prof. Yuval Shany, the Hersch<br />
Lauterpacht Chair in Public International Law; Dr.<br />
Shiran Reichenberg, Executive Director of the<br />
Clinical Legal Education Center; and Prof. Tomer<br />
Broude, Dean of the Faculty of Law. Click the<br />
image above to view.
PAGE 26<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 27<br />
Charitable Gift Annuity – a<br />
Versatile Strategy for Personal<br />
Investing and Philanthropy<br />
Neal Myerberg<br />
Principal, Myerberg Philanthropic Advisors<br />
For decades, the charitable gift annuity (CGA) has<br />
been a valuable vehicle for individuals who sought<br />
high, lifetime, fixed-rate income accompanied<br />
by tax benefits. Rates, governed by approved<br />
life expectancy tables, enabled individuals to<br />
establish lifetime income plans (for one or two<br />
beneficiaries) in order to assure a predictable<br />
stream of income throughout their retirement<br />
years. The fact that the balance of the annuity<br />
would be paid to the issuing charity at the end of<br />
the lifetime/s of the beneficiary/ies, and not to a<br />
commercial annuity company, added significant<br />
meaning to the CGA for many.<br />
Over the years, many individuals established<br />
multiple CGAs in order to obtain higher fixed<br />
rates at older ages and to build a nest egg of<br />
assured fixed income to help pay for their costs<br />
of living. Often, CGAs became akin to a “lifetime<br />
certificate of deposit” with the additional benefits<br />
of income tax charitable deductions and annual<br />
tax-free income.<br />
The rules were quite clear. The charity would be<br />
qualified in regulated states to issue gift annuities<br />
and would assume the obligation to pay the<br />
annuitants throughout their lifetimes, even if the<br />
annuitants outlived the life expectancy tables.<br />
In highly regulated states such as New York<br />
(where <strong>AFHU</strong> has its principal offices), charities<br />
issuing gift annuities are required to maintain<br />
statutory reserve amounts in segregated trusted<br />
accounts in order to assure that obligations for<br />
payments of annuities are fulfilled.<br />
Here’s how it works<br />
Assume an individual, age 75. The fixed, lifetime<br />
gift annuity rate from the approved tables is 7%.<br />
Assume that the contribution amount for the<br />
gift annuity is $20,000. Therefore, the annual<br />
annuity amount for the individual’s lifetime would<br />
be $1,400, usually payable quarterly. If cash is<br />
used to fund the gift annuity, 67.4% of the annual<br />
annuity amount would be paid to the individual<br />
tax-free for the first 12.4 years (life expectancy).<br />
If the individual outlives life expectancy, the<br />
annuity continues to be paid and is taxed as<br />
ordinary income. In addition, there is an income<br />
tax charitable deduction in the amount of $8,303<br />
which can be used to reduce taxes (if the<br />
individual itemizes) in the year the gift annuity is<br />
established.<br />
Gift annuities may be for one or two lives. The<br />
rates for two life gift annuities are lower than<br />
the rate for the younger person individually since<br />
joint life expectancy is calculated actuarially to be<br />
longer than the life expectancy for the individual<br />
life of either party.<br />
The rate from the gift annuity tables is based on<br />
life/lives to the nearest birthday. Thus, if in the<br />
example above the individual is currently age 75<br />
but will be age 76 in less than six months, the gift<br />
annuity rate would be based on age 76 (7.2%).<br />
Using IRA funds to establish a gift annuity<br />
While IRA withdrawals could always be used to<br />
fund a gift annuity, they would first be subject<br />
to federal (and, sometimes, state) income taxes.<br />
While the income tax charitable deduction and<br />
the high, fixed, lifetime annuity rate would soften<br />
the tax cost of the IRA withdrawal, there wasn’t<br />
much appetite for this strategy.<br />
For years there was debate in the U.S.<br />
Congress about some tax-advantaged use of<br />
IRA withdrawals for gift annuities since they are<br />
charitable in character and benefit the charity<br />
when the annuitant dies. Nothing resulted until<br />
the passage of the Legacy-IRA Act as part of<br />
Secure Act 2.0, effective on and after January<br />
1, 2023.<br />
Beginning on that date, an IRA owner could<br />
establish a gift annuity using IRA funds (most<br />
often funds that would be part of a Required<br />
Minimum Distribution - RMD) to fund a one-life<br />
gift annuity (or for two lives if the other is the<br />
spouse of the IRA owner) without obligation<br />
to pay income tax on the IRA withdrawal. This<br />
vehicle, often called a Qualified Charitable<br />
Distribution (QCD) CGA, has specific rules since<br />
tax-free IRA funds are used to establish it.<br />
For <strong>2024</strong>, the amounts that can be withdrawn<br />
tax-free from an IRA for a QCD CGA cannot<br />
exceed $53,000 and must be applied up to<br />
that limitation in the calendar year. There is no<br />
carryover permitted for unapplied IRA funds to<br />
a subsequent year. If spouses both have IRAs,<br />
they can withdraw up to $106,000 (2 X $53,000)<br />
to either establish individual gift annuities or a joint<br />
and survivor gift annuity.<br />
In exchange for the tax-free withdrawal from the<br />
IRA (thus, a tax-free withdrawal of all or a portion<br />
of the RMD), there is no income tax charitable<br />
deduction (which does not impact those who do<br />
not itemize deductions), and the annual annuity<br />
amount is taxed as ordinary income.<br />
Many individuals made use of this opportunity in<br />
2023 when the maximum amount was $50,000.<br />
Adjusted based on inflation to $53,000, those<br />
who waited until <strong>2024</strong> can take advantage of the<br />
higher allowable amount. It is important to note<br />
that under the current law, the use of one or more<br />
QCD CGAs must occur in one calendar year.<br />
It is evident that more individuals are taking<br />
advantage of the QCD CGA in <strong>2024</strong> now that<br />
there has been a positive experience in 2023 with<br />
this vehicle.<br />
How to proceed<br />
Feel free to ask <strong>AFHU</strong> to provide you with a<br />
confidential calculation of a traditional or QCD gift<br />
annuity. That information can also be shared, if<br />
you wish, by <strong>AFHU</strong> with your professional advisors.<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> will be pleased to provide information to you<br />
without obligation on your part.<br />
Please contact us at plannedgiving@afhu.org<br />
or 212.607.8524.
PAGE 28<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 26 PAGE 29<br />
NEWS & UPDATES
PAGE 30<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 31<br />
Awards & Prizes<br />
Hebrew University Congratulates Professor Avi<br />
Wigderson on Prestigious 2023 Turing Award<br />
Photo credit: Peter Badge<br />
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) extends its<br />
heartfelt congratulations to former faculty member<br />
Prof. Avi Wigderson for being honored with the<br />
esteemed Turing Award—often referred to as the<br />
“Nobel Prize of Computing”—for his groundbreaking<br />
contributions to the field of theoretical computer<br />
science. The Turing Award is presented annually by the<br />
Association for Computing Machinery to individuals<br />
who have made significant contributions of lasting<br />
importance to the field of computer science.<br />
Prof. Wigderson’s research spans various topics within<br />
theoretical computer science, including randomness in<br />
computation, interactive proof systems, and the power<br />
of algebraic methods in algorithm design. His seminal<br />
contributions have profoundly impacted various<br />
areas of computer science, inspiring generations of<br />
researchers and forever shaping the field.<br />
Notably, quite a few of his papers that earned him acclaim were written during his tenure at Hebrew<br />
University, with several of his momentous papers being collaborative efforts with his former colleagues,<br />
HU’s Noam Nisan and Michael Ben-Or. This era marked a dynamic period in theoretical computer<br />
science—with HU emerging as a pivotal hub for computer science—largely due to Prof. Wigderson’s<br />
contributions and presence. Prof. Wigderson was a cherished Hebrew University faculty member for<br />
nearly 15 years. Today, he works as a mathematics professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in<br />
Princeton, New Jersey.<br />
Hebrew University’s Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy<br />
Awarded Prestigious Israel Prize for Investigation of<br />
Hamas Crimes Against Humanity<br />
Photo credit: Martine Hami<br />
Hebrew University of Jerusalem Professor Dr.<br />
Cochav Elkayam-Levy has been awarded the<br />
prestigious Israel Prize, the State’s highest honor,<br />
in the field of Solidarity (Arvut Hadadit) for<br />
her dedication to raising international concern<br />
surrounding crimes committed by Hamas around<br />
the October 7th attacks.<br />
Elkayam-Levy established the “Civil Commission<br />
on October 7th Crimes by Hamas against Women<br />
and Children,” an independent, non-governmental<br />
collaboration of international human rights experts<br />
and women’s rights organizations created to<br />
advocate for and support the investigation of<br />
war crimes committed by Hamas against women<br />
and children during the massacre of October 7th<br />
and the continuous war crimes towards abducted<br />
women and children. The Civil Commission<br />
obtained and distributed credible information and<br />
lent its expertise to relevant bodies in Israel and<br />
internationally.<br />
In the award committee’s deliberations, it was underscored that Dr. Elkayam-Levy’s unwavering<br />
commitment and dedication propelled her to act both nationally and internationally, culminating in<br />
the establishment of a Civil Commission dedicated to promoting human rights and gender equality.<br />
Dr. Elkayam-Levy is the Sophie Davis Fellow on Gender, Conflict Resolution, and Peace at the<br />
Hebrew University Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations. She teaches human rights<br />
law, international law, climate justice, and feminist theories at Hebrew University and at Reichman<br />
University. She is also the founding head of the Dvora Institute for Gender and Sustainability Studies,<br />
a Senior Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, Doctor of Juridical Science and<br />
former Human Rights Scholar of the University of Pennsylvania Law School; former Perry World<br />
House Fellow; A Salzburg Global Fellow for Outstanding Scholars in International Law, Washington<br />
D.C., and a member of the Israeli President’s new Climate Forum.
PAGE 32<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 33<br />
Three Hebrew University Researchers Awarded<br />
Prestigious Research Grants by the European<br />
Research Council<br />
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is thrilled<br />
to announce that three of its esteemed<br />
faculty members, Professor Maren R. Niehoff,<br />
Professor Nathan (Nati) Linial, and Professor<br />
David Kazhdan, have been awarded prestigious<br />
research grants by the European Research<br />
Council (ERC).<br />
Professor Maren R. Niehoff, Max Cooper Chair<br />
of Jewish Thought in the Faculty of Humanities<br />
at HU, has been awarded the grant for her<br />
research on the interface between Judaism<br />
and Greco-Roman culture, with a particular<br />
focus on the influence of Rome. Professor<br />
Nathan Linial, from the Rachel and Selim Benin<br />
School of Computer Science and Engineering,<br />
the Einstein Institute of Mathematics, and the<br />
Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality<br />
at HU, has been awarded a grant for his research<br />
into error-correcting codes. Professor David Kazhdan, from the Einstein Institute of Mathematics<br />
HU, has been honored with a grant for his research on uncovering hidden symmetries across various<br />
mathematical fields and exploring their applications.<br />
ERC grants stand among the most prestigious and competitive research grants offered by the<br />
European Union. They are bestowed upon leading researchers with substantial achievements in their<br />
respective fields over the past decade.<br />
Hebrew University of Jerusalem Celebrates Three Israel<br />
Prize Recipients Among Its Faculty<br />
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is honored<br />
to announce that three of its esteemed faculty<br />
members have been awarded the prestigious<br />
Israel Prize for their outstanding professional<br />
achievements. These recipients, both past<br />
and present faculty members, represent the<br />
University’s commitment to excellence in research,<br />
education, and innovation.<br />
Recipient of the Israel Prize in Psychology, Prof.<br />
Gershon Ben-Shakhar hails from the Department<br />
of Psychology at the Hebrew University, where he<br />
embarked on his academic journey after completing<br />
his doctorate at the Hebrew University. Proficient<br />
in cognitive psychophysiology, his research delved<br />
into various aspects, including the examination<br />
of physiological and behavioral responses to<br />
significant and unexpected stimuli.<br />
Recipient of the Israel Prize in Statistics Research, Prof. Ya’acov Ritov distinguished himself as a full<br />
professor within the Department of Statistics and Data Science at the Hebrew University, where<br />
he earned his doctoral degree. Widely recognized as a leading authority in the field, Prof. Ritov<br />
has made significant contributions to statistical theory, with a particular focus on high-dimensional<br />
models, empiric Bayes methods, and nonparametric and semiparametric models.<br />
Recipient of the Israel Prize in Life Sciences Research, Prof. Hagai Bergman is a neuroscientist and<br />
physician at the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Research and Faculty of Medicine at the<br />
Hebrew University and the Neurosurgery Department of the Hadassah Medical Center. He became<br />
known for his important contribution to the study of Parkinson’s disease and its treatment, using<br />
a neurological and psychiatric treatment method based on electrical stimulation and changing the<br />
activity of brain areas, also known as ‘deep brain stimulation’.
PAGE 34<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 35<br />
First Israeli Scientist, Hebrew University Prof. Haim<br />
Sompolinsky, Awarded Prestigious <strong>2024</strong> Brain Prize<br />
by Lundbeck Foundation<br />
Hebrew University of Jerusalem Prof. Haim Sompolinsky was<br />
named the first Israeli scientist to receive the prestigious<br />
Brain Prize from the Lundbeck Foundation in <strong>2024</strong>, the<br />
world’s largest award given to pioneers in the neuroscience<br />
field.<br />
Prof. Sompolinsky, a physicist and neuroscience researcher at<br />
the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Neuroscience (ELSC)<br />
at the Hebrew University and Professor at the Center for<br />
Brain Science (CBS) at Harvard University will share the<br />
$1,412,066 (1.3 million euros) with Professor Larry Abbott<br />
at Columbia University and Professor Terrence Sejnowski at<br />
the Salk Institute (U.S.).<br />
The Hebrew University Tops ERC Consolidator Grant<br />
Wins for 2023, Garnering Around $12 Million<br />
On November 22, the European Research Council (ERC) declared that six researchers from the Hebrew<br />
University secured grants at the “Consolidator Grant” level. These individual grants, ranging from one and a<br />
half to two million euros each, cumulatively amount to 11.5 million euros (about $12,508,320).<br />
The recipients of the ERC grants from the Hebrew University include Dr. Erez Zohar from the Racah<br />
Institute of Physics, Prof. Yair Furstenberg, who chairs the Department of Talmud and Halacha, Prof. Oren<br />
Ram from the Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Dr. Yonatan Anahory also from the Racah<br />
Institute of Physics, Prof. Katrina Ligett from the Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer Science<br />
and Engineering, who also oversees the Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality at the Hebrew<br />
University, along with Dr. Nicholas Stone, also from the Racah Institute of Physics.<br />
Sompolinsky is renowned for his groundbreaking work in<br />
theoretical and computational neuroscience, particularly<br />
in the study of neural circuit dynamics in the brain. His research has significantly contributed to<br />
our understanding of how neural circuits process and encode information, map the external world,<br />
and participate in learning and memory. Through a combination of theoretical and computational<br />
approaches, his work has elucidated key computational principles underlying brain function.<br />
The Brain Prize, initiated in 2011 and awarded annually by the Lundbeck Foundation, is the largest award<br />
in neuroscience. It recognizes researchers whose work has advanced the field, from fundamental<br />
research to clinical applications. Prof. Sompolinsky’s research not only deepens our knowledge of the<br />
brain’s inner workings but also holds promise for applications in brain-inspired artificial intelligence.
PAGE 36<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 37<br />
Research Updates & <strong>News</strong> from HU<br />
New Method to Assess Water Efficiency<br />
to Increase Chickpea Crop Yields<br />
Natural Psilocybin Mushroom Extract<br />
Might Demonstrate Superior Efficacy<br />
for Psychiatric Disorders Compared to<br />
Chemically Synthesized Version<br />
Plant Lifecycle Insights: Big Data Can<br />
Predict Climate Change Impact<br />
High Adolescent BMI Increases Risk of<br />
Early Chronic Kidney Disease, According<br />
to JAMA Study by Hebrew University<br />
Researchers<br />
A new non-invasive technique for evaluating<br />
chickpea water efficiency, offers farmers a<br />
powerful tool to fine-tune irrigation and potentially<br />
elevate the sustainability of chickpea cultivation.<br />
New Model for Understanding Causes<br />
of Type 1 Diabetes<br />
A new study indicates that natural psilocybin<br />
mushroom extract might be more effective<br />
compared to a chemically synthesized version,<br />
offering more potential applications for treating<br />
conditions such as depression, post-traumatic<br />
stress disorder (PTSD), and schizophrenia.<br />
cCMV Infection: Successful<br />
Implementation of Pooled Saliva Tests<br />
In a recent study, researchers successfully<br />
introduced pooled saliva polymerase chain<br />
reaction (PCR) tests for the universal screening<br />
of congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection.<br />
This new method helps detect and intervene early<br />
in the most common congenital infection, known<br />
for causing hearing loss and developmental issues.<br />
A study published in the journal Nature examines,<br />
for the first time, the lifecycles of plants on a<br />
global scale, via the creation of a unique database<br />
containing huge quantities of data. The study was<br />
led by Dr. Niv DeMalach of the Robert H. Smith<br />
Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment<br />
at the Hebrew University; Prof. Itay Mayrose of<br />
the George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences at<br />
Tel Aviv University; and Dr. Tyler Poppenwimer,<br />
formerly a post-doctoral student at the Hebrew<br />
University and Tel Aviv University and now a<br />
researcher at the FDA.<br />
Mysteries of Mongolian Wall System<br />
Revealed<br />
Adolescent obesity significantly increases the risk<br />
of developing early chronic kidney disease (CKD)<br />
in young adulthood, according to a large cohort<br />
study led by Hebrew University researchers.<br />
The Dead Sea<br />
Scrolls: Shifts and<br />
Transformations<br />
A new model challenges the long-held belief that<br />
Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is caused by viral infection.<br />
Oral Bacteria May Accelerate Pancreatic<br />
Cancer Development<br />
A new study indicates that oral bacteria leading<br />
to periodontal (gum) disease could accelerate<br />
pancreatic cancer development, one of the<br />
deadliest types of cancer.<br />
Veterinary Researchers Highlight<br />
Recurrent Outbreaks of Foot-and-Mouth<br />
Disease (FMD) in the Middle East<br />
A pattern of recurrent Foot-and-Mouth Disease<br />
(FMD), a highly contagious viral infection affecting<br />
hooved animals, continues to persist in Israel and<br />
neighboring areas, despite vaccination efforts,<br />
requiring a more targeted and collaborative<br />
approach to disease management.<br />
Credit: Gideon-Shelach<br />
A new study on a previously overlooked<br />
Mongolian Arc—a monumental wall system in<br />
eastern Mongolia—reveals new insights about the<br />
motives and functionality behind the construction<br />
of this colossal architectural marvel.<br />
Learn more about the history of the Dead Sea<br />
Scrolls through this illuminating and in-depth<br />
interview with Hebrew University professors<br />
Michael Segal and Esther Chazon. Click the<br />
image above to view.
PAGE 38<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 28 PAGE 39<br />
EVENT RECAPS
PAGE 40<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 41<br />
54th Annual George A. Katz Torch of Learning Award<br />
Milbank LLP Chairman Scott A. Edelman and<br />
Prudential Financial General Counsel Ann M.<br />
Kappler received the 54th Annual George<br />
A. Katz Torch of Learning Award (TOL),<br />
presented by American Friends of the Hebrew<br />
University (<strong>AFHU</strong>) in Midtown on Thursday,<br />
May 9th.<br />
At the annual luncheon event, attended by<br />
over 300 guests, <strong>AFHU</strong> President Pamela<br />
Emmerich said, “<strong>AFHU</strong> is proud to honor Ann<br />
Kappler and Scott Edelman, two extraordinarily<br />
accomplished individuals who add luster to<br />
the Torch of Learning Award. Throughout their<br />
careers, they have distinguished themselves<br />
in the legal profession and their community.”<br />
The George A. Katz Torch of Learning Award<br />
is named in memory of the late George Katz<br />
(z”l), founding partner of Wachtell, Lipton,<br />
Rosen & Katz.<br />
As executive vice president, general counsel<br />
L-R: Scott A. Edelman; <strong>AFHU</strong> President Pamela Nadler Emmerich, Ann M. Kappler<br />
and chief compliance officer at Prudential<br />
Financial, Ann M. Kappler is the head of Law, Compliance, Business Ethics, and External Affairs,<br />
leading a global team of over 1,100 employees. She serves on the boards of directors of the Pro<br />
Bono Partnership (treasurer), and the National Health Law Program (chair). She has also actively<br />
served on the boards of the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs,<br />
Appleseed Foundation, and Global Rights and was a longtime member of the board of trustees of<br />
the Lowell School in Washington, D.C., where she served as chair. Ann is a frequent speaker on<br />
topics such as legal and compliance best practices, diversity, and inclusion, and is an advocate for<br />
workplace mental health issues.<br />
Scott A. Edelman is Chairman of Milbank LLP and a member of the firm’s Litigation & Arbitration<br />
Group. He specializes in high-stakes, bet-the-company litigation across several substantive areas of<br />
the law, including securities, commercial, and white-collar crime. Prior to joining Milbank, he served as<br />
an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York from 1990 to 1994. Edelman<br />
started his career at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and is a member of the Board of Directors of the<br />
Legal Aid Society.<br />
Atara Miller, a New York partner in the firm’s Litigation & Arbitration Group and a Member of Milbank’s<br />
Global Executive Committee presented Edelman with his award.<br />
“I am honored and humbled to receive this award, together with my esteemed colleague, Ann<br />
Kappler,” Edelman said. “The Hebrew University of Jerusalem serves a vital role in educating Israel’s<br />
next generation of leading minds. In these uncertain times, the support that American Friends of the<br />
Hebrew University provides to this critical institution is more important than ever.”<br />
In addition, featured speaker, Prof. Tomer Broude Dean of the Hebrew<br />
University Faculty of Law, gave a talk on “October 7th and its Aftermath:<br />
Legal Challenges and Responses.”<br />
Now in its 54th year, the Torch of Learning Award has an illustrious history,<br />
raising awareness and important support for the Hebrew University<br />
Faculty of Law and the mission of its American Friends.<br />
Hebrew University’s Faculty of Law is a dynamic institution where<br />
traditional legal research is conducted along with trailblazing programs in<br />
international law, multidisciplinary studies, and human rights research.<br />
HU law alumni include the majority of Israel’s former Supreme Court<br />
justices (many now faculty members), legislators, attorneys-general,<br />
social activists, and heads of NGOs.<br />
Dean of the Hebrew University Faculty of<br />
Law Prof. Tomer Broude<br />
David Ogden, chair of the WilmerHale Government and Regulatory Litigation Group, presented<br />
Kappler with her award.<br />
“I am so honored to be receiving the prestigious George A. Katz Torch of Learning Award together<br />
with Scott Edelman,” said Kappler. “Hebrew University’s Faculty of Law is the preeminent law<br />
school in Israel, which educates outstanding future global leaders and innovators. I am humbled to<br />
be recognized by an institution that has graduated so many distinguished legal scholars. I thank<br />
American Friends of the Hebrew University and am supportive of their efforts.”<br />
Co-Chairs and Honorees of the 54th Annual Torch of Learning Award
PAGE 42<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 43<br />
Las Vegas Scopus Award<br />
David Z. Chesnoff, Las Vegas philanthropist and<br />
nationally renowned attorney, was honored with the<br />
Las Vegas Scopus Award on January 20, presented by<br />
American Friends of the Hebrew University (<strong>AFHU</strong>).<br />
The event was held at the Encore at Wynn Hotel in<br />
Las Vegas.<br />
The <strong>AFHU</strong> Scopus Award event raised more than $1<br />
million to support student scholarships and the Clinical<br />
Legal Education Center at the Hebrew University of<br />
Jerusalem, Israel’s premier institution of research and<br />
higher learning.<br />
Named for Mount Scopus in Jerusalem, the <strong>AFHU</strong><br />
Scopus Award reflects the University’s highest<br />
ideals of achievement, leadership, and philanthropic<br />
engagement. The Scopus Award is given to individuals<br />
with a legacy dedicated to humanitarian concerns.<br />
At the event, <strong>AFHU</strong> Western Region Board Vice Chair,<br />
Patricia Glaser said, “David has strengthened<br />
David Z. Chesnoff and <strong>AFHU</strong> Western Region Board Vice Chair-<br />
Patricia Glaser<br />
the connection between Las Vegas and the Hebrew University. He is deserving of this award for his<br />
dedication to Israel, his service to the community, and his support of University initiatives.”<br />
Hebrew University President Prof. Asher Cohen and Prof. Tomer<br />
Broude, Dean of the Faculty of Law, paid tribute to Chesnoff at an<br />
exclusive event meet and greet for VIP guests. Alex Yemenidjian,<br />
Chairman of Armenco Capital, LLC presented the Scopus Award to<br />
Chesnoff.<br />
around the country as well as your commitment to Israel have made meaningful contributions to the<br />
lives of so many.”<br />
“David deserves the Scopus Award because he exemplifies everything the award represents,” said<br />
Governor Lombardo. “David brings our community together through his volunteerism, benevolence,<br />
and leadership – there is no one more deserving of this Award.”<br />
“During these dark and challenging times for Israel, American Friends of the Hebrew University is<br />
pleased to pay tribute to David,” said <strong>AFHU</strong> Chief Executive Officer Joshua Rednik. “He has given so<br />
much to Israel and has been a leader in the Nevada Jewish Community. His recent visit to Israel to<br />
serve as a hospital volunteer is just one example of his commitment and of why he is so deserving of<br />
this accolade.”<br />
A leading criminal defense attorney and a partner at Chesnoff & Schonfeld, a top law firm in the<br />
United States, Chesnoff counts Hollywood celebrities and well-known public figures among his clients.<br />
However, he is deeply committed to helping the underdog prevail against a more powerful entity.<br />
“My role is to see that the Constitution is followed and that every one of my defendants receives<br />
the best defense available,” Chesnoff said. “I am humbled to receive this award and that I am being<br />
recognized for having tried to be a good person.”<br />
“I feel honored to be named the <strong>2024</strong> recipient of the <strong>AFHU</strong> Scopus Award,” Chesnoff continued.<br />
“Israel needs us now more than ever and amidst these turbulent times, the Hebrew University of<br />
Jerusalem stands as a beacon of hope, offering students a world-class education and enabling<br />
economic and social mobility for young people from all walks of life.”<br />
Previous Scopus Award recipients include Barbra Streisand, Leonard Bernstein, Bob Hope, Frank<br />
Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, and Elie Wiesel, among others.<br />
Among the local government dignitaries were Nevada Governor Joe<br />
Lombardo, and Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson.<br />
HU Pres. Prof. Asher Cohen<br />
“I think David deserves this award for the many, many ways he<br />
contributes,” Wolfson said in a tribute video. “A lot of people talk the<br />
talk, but David walks the walk. He’s a great humanitarian, and his<br />
contributions have really made a difference.”<br />
Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen sent a video greeting, stating, “We’re here tonight to recognize the work<br />
and dedication of my friend, Scopus Award recipient David Chesnoff. Mazel Tov and congratulations,<br />
David. Your service to the Las Vegas community, support of Jewish philanthropy in Nevada and<br />
L-R: Daniel Schlessinger, Marcy Schlessinger, David Z. Chesnoff<br />
L-R: Sami Freedman, Marilyn Wallace, Joyce Brandman
PAGE 44<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 45<br />
<strong>2024</strong> Palm Beach Scopus Award<br />
American Friends of the Hebrew University<br />
(<strong>AFHU</strong>) presented the <strong>2024</strong> Southeast Region<br />
Scopus Award to philanthropists Lisa and<br />
Michael Rome on Saturday, March 23 at the<br />
Four Seasons, Palm Beach.<br />
The event proceeds will support the Hebrew<br />
University of Jerusalem We Are One emergency<br />
campaign, which provides funds for<br />
psychological counseling services, tutoring,<br />
scholarships, and acute financial relief for<br />
students and faculty impacted by the war.<br />
It will also provide funding for the recently<br />
established Center for Computational Medicine<br />
Michael and Lisa Rome, HU Pres. Prof. Asher Cohen, <strong>AFHU</strong> CEO Joshua Rednik<br />
at the Hebrew University. Computational<br />
Medicine holds the promise to revolutionize healthcare by harnessing the power of big data and<br />
Artificial Intelligence to replace the traditional one-size fits-all model with personalized, data-driven<br />
treatments for cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.<br />
Council of Weill Cornell Medicine and support several community-focused institutions, including UJA<br />
Federation, MorseLife Health System, and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Michael Rome is Chief<br />
Executive Officer of Rome Capital Management of Palm Beach. He is also the managing principal of<br />
Rome Capital Partners, a family office.<br />
“Lisa and I believe that problems in the Middle East can be eased and possibly solved through<br />
education, job creation, and entrepreneurship,” said Michael Rome at the event. “No other institution<br />
has a more forward-looking impact on the next generation of leaders than Hebrew University. We<br />
happily accept the Scopus Award in the hope that we encourage others to see the importance of<br />
advancing this unique center for academic excellence in Israel.”<br />
Among the speakers were Hebrew University President Professor Asher Cohen, who presented the<br />
Scopus Award, as well as Barbara and Richard Rothschild, who offered greeting remarks.<br />
Named for Mount Scopus, where the Hebrew University’s (HU) first cornerstones were laid in<br />
1918, the award has come to symbolize the University’s highest ideals of achievement, leadership,<br />
and philanthropic engagement. The Scopus Award is bestowed upon individuals with a legacy of<br />
humanitarian concerns throughout their lives. Previous Scopus Award recipients include Barbra<br />
Streisand, Leonard Bernstein, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, and Elie Wiesel, among<br />
others.<br />
“We are delighted to honor Lisa and Michael Rome who have been<br />
steadfast supporters of Israel and Hebrew University for so many<br />
years,” said <strong>AFHU</strong> Chief Executive Officer Joshua Rednik. “During<br />
these challenging times, It is important to help Hebrew University<br />
students continue to pursue their studies through the We Are<br />
One campaign and to support future endeavors like the Center for<br />
Computational Medicine, which will advance research and treatment<br />
through AI and personalized medicine.”<br />
Lisa and Michael Rome share a deep commitment to educate the<br />
next generation of leaders on the importance and role the Hebrew<br />
University plays within Israel and around the world. A supporter of<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong>/HU for over 40 years, Michael serves on the International<br />
Advisory Council for ASPER-HUJI Innovate, the University’s center<br />
for young entrepreneurs and innovators. In addition to their generous<br />
support of the Hebrew University, Lisa and Michael sit on the Dean’s<br />
Lisa and Michael Rome<br />
L-R: Richard and Barbara Rothschild, Lisa and Michael Rome
PAGE 46<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 47<br />
<strong>2024</strong> Leaders of Distinction Event<br />
Among the evening’s honorees, Ety Alcalay serves on <strong>AFHU</strong>’s National Board of Directors, <strong>AFHU</strong>’s<br />
Southeast Region Advisory Committee, and Hebrew University’s Board of Governors. She has a<br />
long association with Hebrew University where she earned a B.A. in Russian and Jewish studies<br />
and where she met her husband, David. Ety and David have hosted several Southeast Region <strong>AFHU</strong><br />
events in their home and enjoy engaging donor prospects in the Boca Raton area and beyond.<br />
John and Sherry Bauman have generously provided scholarships for Hebrew University’s students<br />
in need. In 2004, the philanthropic couple was recognized on HU’s Wall of Life and in 2017, John<br />
received an Honorary Fellowship from the Hebrew University. John Bauman is a member of the<br />
Hebrew University Board of Governors, the <strong>AFHU</strong> National Board of Directors, and the Southeast<br />
Region Board. Past positions include membership on <strong>AFHU</strong>’s Northeast Region board, the National<br />
Campaign Committee, and the Real Estate and Financial Services Division. Sherry serves on <strong>AFHU</strong>’s<br />
National Board of Regents.<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> CEO Joshua Rednik and the Leaders of Distinction Honorees<br />
American Friends of the Hebrew University (<strong>AFHU</strong>) held its annual Leaders of Distinction event to<br />
support Israel, fund scholarships at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU), and benefit the We<br />
Are One fund for students, faculty, and family affected by the war and its aftermath.<br />
The event was held at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach on Sunday, March 3rd, and<br />
honored area philanthropists and supporters including Ety Alcalay; Sherry Norris and John Bauman;<br />
Jane and Dr. Peter Feinstein; Rina Frankel; and Annette Pakula. Leaders of Distinction Honorary<br />
Chairs were Tamar and Milton Maltz of Palm Beach Gardens and Cleveland. The evening’s Chairs<br />
were Elaine and Dr. Beno Michel of Palm Beach Gardens and Cleveland.<br />
The event proceeds will provide counseling services, tutoring and scholarship assistance for<br />
students returning to the University after military reserve service, as well as financial relief for<br />
those who have lost their homes and belongings.<br />
“Thousands of Hebrew University students have<br />
been called to active duty in Israel’s defense, so it<br />
is important that the <strong>AFHU</strong> community in Florida<br />
is joining to support Israel’s foremost academic<br />
institution when the needs are so great,” said Dr.<br />
Beno Michel. “We are especially grateful for our<br />
honorees who exemplify the steadfast commitment<br />
to community, education, and the advancement of<br />
knowledge for the betterment of humanity.”<br />
L-R: <strong>AFHU</strong> CEO Joshua Rednik, Beno Michel, Amb. (Ret.) Yossi Gal<br />
Rina Frankel has been a dedicated supporter<br />
of the Hebrew University for many years.<br />
She serves on the <strong>AFHU</strong> Board of Regents.<br />
In 2012, she and her late husband, Samuel<br />
Frankel z”l, established an endowment<br />
fund to provide scholarships for Ethiopian<br />
students at Hebrew University. In addition,<br />
Rina continues the couple’s support for HU<br />
Professor Yaakov (Koby) Nahmias and his<br />
diabetes research. Together with Sam, Rina<br />
is inscribed on Hebrew University’s Wall of<br />
Life in Jerusalem.<br />
L-R: Daniel Schlessinger, Amb. (Ret.) Yossi Gal, Rina Frankel. <strong>AFHU</strong> CEO Joshua Rednik<br />
Jane and Dr. Peter Feinstein currently serve on the <strong>AFHU</strong> National Board of Directors and the<br />
Southeast Region Advisory Board, of which Jane is President. They chaired the 2019 <strong>AFHU</strong> Annual<br />
Leadership Education Forum (ALEF) in Palm Beach and are frequent hosts of <strong>AFHU</strong> annual events<br />
in Frenchman’s Creek.<br />
A member of the Hebrew University’s Board of Governors, Annette Pakula also serves on the<br />
Executive Committee and National Board of <strong>AFHU</strong>. She recently provided funding for significant<br />
equipment in the new Hebrew University Center for Computational Medicine. In 2023, she was<br />
presented with an Honorary Fellowship at the 86th Hebrew University Board of Governors meeting<br />
in Jerusalem.<br />
The evening’s special guest was Ambassador (Ret.) Yossi Gal, Hebrew University Vice President<br />
for Advancement and External Relations, who discussed the situation in Israel and its impact on the<br />
University.
PAGE 48<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 49<br />
An Evening of Community and Solidarity Featuring<br />
Consul General Yinam Cohen<br />
On January 7, <strong>2024</strong>, the <strong>AFHU</strong> Northeast Region hosted an “Evening of Inspiration and Solidarity”<br />
with young professionals and two students from Tzameret, Hebrew University’s elite military medicine<br />
training program at Houston Hall, an iconic NYC beer hall. The Tzameret students spoke about their<br />
experiences, from collecting post-combat data from soldiers to improve military medicine to being on<br />
rotation in New York City and their aspirations for the future. The event was hosted by NE Region<br />
LEAD (Leadership Empowerment and Development) members Sammi Edelson, Spencer Anson, and<br />
Marty Pollack. A special thank you to <strong>AFHU</strong> Northeast Board Member Jeremy Merrin and his wife<br />
Linda Blum for generously underwriting this special evening.<br />
As the preeminent trailblazer in clinical medicine and research, HU’s Faculty of Medicine was selected<br />
by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 2009 to provide essential and specific training for future IDF<br />
physicians. The Tzameret program offers Hebrew University degree candidates the opportunity to<br />
receive specialized training in medicine and infrastructure that equips them to function as triage<br />
military personnel.<br />
L-R: Andy Glick, Bobby Gerber, Carol and Steven Edelson (hosts), Ayelet and Consul General Yinam Cohen, Dan Schlessinger, James Matanky, and Paul Saharack<br />
On Wednesday, January 24, <strong>2024</strong>, <strong>AFHU</strong> Midwest Region Board President and National Board<br />
Secretary, I. Steven Edelson and his wife, Carol, hosted an intimate gathering of friends, colleagues,<br />
and <strong>AFHU</strong> Midwest Board members to hear directly from Yinam Cohen, Consul General of Israel to<br />
the Midwest, to discuss the current war in Israel and its effects across the Midwest.<br />
New Tzameret Commander Dr. Nir Hirshoren Visits the<br />
Southeast Friends<br />
Yinam Cohen is a career diplomat with 16 years of experience in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign<br />
Affairs. He holds an MBA cum laude, as well as a B.Sc. in Computer Science, both from the Hebrew<br />
University of Jerusalem.<br />
NextGen Evening of Inspiration and Solidarity with<br />
Hebrew University’s Tzameret Students<br />
Northeast Region LEAD members pose besides new NextGen connections<br />
L-R: Arnold Kanarick, Dr. Nir Hirshoren, Barbara Rothschild, Hedy Kanarick, HU Student Amb. Elad<br />
Babayof<br />
Ety Alcalay and Dr. Nir Hirshoren<br />
In March <strong>2024</strong>, Dr. Nir Hirshoren, Director of Tzameret Medical Corps, and HU student, Elad Babayof, a<br />
sixth-year student in the Tzameret program, visited South Florida. Dr. Hirshoren and Elad were hosted<br />
by Ety Alcalay, a Southeast Regional Board Member and member of <strong>AFHU</strong>’s Board of Directors, in her<br />
home in Boca Raton, FL. In addition, Hedy and Arnold Kanarick welcomed Dr. Hirshoren and Elad to a<br />
gathering at Frenchman’s Creek Beach and Country Club. Hedy and Arnie serve on <strong>AFHU</strong>’s Southeast<br />
Regional Board, and Arnie is a member of the Board of Regents. Dr. Hirshoren and Elad met with<br />
young professionals for an intimate dinner, arranged by LEAD graduate, Dr Jillian Frieder, and were<br />
keynote speakers at the Palm Beach Scopus Gala, honoring Lisa and Michael Rome.
PAGE 50<br />
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY<br />
<strong>AFHU</strong> NEWS VOL. 32 PAGE 51<br />
Dental Medicine & Israel<br />
On Wednesday, March 20, <strong>2024</strong>, American<br />
Friends of the Hebrew University’s Mid-Atlantic<br />
region hosted a lunch for Professor Avi Zini,<br />
Dean of the Faculty of Dental Medicine. At this<br />
intimate gathering, Dean Zini shared the history<br />
of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and an<br />
update about life on campus during the Israel-<br />
Hamas War. He shared news from the Faculty<br />
of Dental Medicine, the Robert I. Schattner Oral<br />
Health Center, and his hopes for the school as<br />
Hebrew University prepares to celebrate its<br />
100th anniversary in 2025.<br />
Since its founding, the Hebrew University-<br />
Hadassah School of Dental Medicine has devoted<br />
itself to training dentists and dental auxiliary<br />
professionals, providing outstanding dental care<br />
to the community, and engaging in innovative<br />
research. The Robert I. Schattner Oral Health<br />
Center for People with Disabilities will be the<br />
first of its kind in Israel and the Middle East to<br />
provide oral care to the over 1.5 million Israelis<br />
living with disabilities. Under the supervision<br />
of Faculty specialists, dental students in the<br />
undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate<br />
programs will provide care to patients, acquiring<br />
the skills and expertise to treat patients with<br />
disabilities. The Center is poised to transform<br />
oral health care for people with disabilities in<br />
Israel, making it accessible to all.<br />
Mid-Atlantic Region Board and Dean Avi Zini<br />
Western Region Sinai<br />
Temple Series<br />
Guests gathered at Sinai Temple Israel Center to hear from Amb. (Ret.)<br />
Yossi Gal<br />
On February 20, <strong>2024</strong>, American Friends of the<br />
Hebrew University’s Western Region and Sinai<br />
Temple Israel Center in Los Angeles co-hosted<br />
their annual Speaker Series featuring Hebrew<br />
University Vice President for Advancement and<br />
External Relations, Ambassador (Ret.) Yossi Gal.<br />
This free, community event presented leading<br />
Hebrew University faculty and leadership in<br />
a public forum that connected the greater<br />
Los Angeles community to the innovation<br />
and knowledge at the Hebrew University in<br />
Jerusalem. Despite it being a rainy night, 30<br />
guests participated in Ambassador Gal’s lecture<br />
on the “Challenges Facing Israel Since October<br />
7.” He discussed the impact of the war on the<br />
Hebrew University and beyond. Sinai Temple<br />
Rabbi, Erez Sherman, provided a warm welcome<br />
to all attendees and Renae Jacobs-Anson and<br />
Helen Jacobs-Lepor provided Ambassador Gal<br />
with a resounding introduction. Ambassador<br />
Gal took questions from the audience and the<br />
event concluded with attendees socializing over<br />
coffee and dessert.<br />
We Are One Webinar Series<br />
“Gender-Based War Crimes in Hamas’<br />
Massacre in Israel on Oct 7th 2023.” Featured<br />
speaker: Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy. Click the<br />
image above to view.<br />
“The Development of Hamas in Light of its<br />
Relations with Israel and the Palestinian<br />
Authority.” Featured speaker: Abigail Jacobson.<br />
“The Meaning of Holocaust Remembrance<br />
Day: Facing Evil Yesterday and Today.” Featured<br />
speaker: Prof. Moshe Halbertal. Click the image<br />
above to view.<br />
“Shifting Sands: Adapting the Israeli Economy<br />
to a Changing Security Landscape.” Featured<br />
speakers: Prof. Karnit Flug and Prof. Eugene<br />
Kandel. Click the image above to view.<br />
“The Rise and Fall of the Israeli-Palestinian<br />
Peace Process.” Featured speaker: Dr. Lior<br />
Lehrs. Click the image above to view.<br />
“Uncharted Territory: Treating the Trauma<br />
Victims of Hamas.” Featured speakers: Prof.<br />
Asher Ben-Arieh and Prof. Ofrit Shapira-Berman.<br />
Click the image above to view.<br />
Visit Our Website for Upcoming Events!
American Friends of the Hebrew University<br />
Tel. 212.607.8500 | <strong>AFHU</strong>.ORG | info@afhu.org<br />
Northeast Region<br />
T: 212.607.8510<br />
E: northeast@afhu.org<br />
Southeast Region<br />
T: 561.750.8585<br />
E: southeast@afhu.org<br />
Pacific Northwest Region<br />
T: 415.299.8692<br />
E: pacificnorthwest@afhu.org<br />
Mid-Atlantic Region<br />
T: 202.363.4600<br />
E: midatlantic@afhu.org<br />
Midwest Region<br />
T: 312.329.0332<br />
E: midwest@afhu.org<br />
Philadelphia Office<br />
T: 215.330.6722<br />
E: philadelphia@afhu.org<br />
Western Region<br />
T: 310.843.3100<br />
E: western@afhu.org