-,
ON CAMPUS
From Dawn to~; ~. ~4l<and Beyond
;i~~~t~~~;l-::.
Sketch otthe Dal'id Building
The ribbon was cut, the mezuzahaffixed and blessed, and the doorsofficially opened to TAU's Dan DavidClassroom Building, to the visiblesatisfaction of Mr. Dan David,international businessman and DoctorPhilosophiae Honoris Causa of TAU.The Building answers a pressing needfor instructional space at TA U.
TAU President Professor Yoram
Dinstein explained the concept behindthe building, which has already beenused for several months with "smashingsuccess." TAU was "bursting at theseams," he said, having expandedrapidly due chiefly to the massimmigration fro111the former SovietUnion in the early ·1990s. The surge of
Mr. Dan and Mrs. Gahriela Dal'id toge/her with son Arielpose in the IIpper terrace.
students gave rise to anextraordinary shortage ofclassrooms which the
Planning and BudgetingCommittee recognized andwas prepared to help inalleviating.
View otthe DGl'id Building
Mrs. Gahriela Dal'idcuts the rihhon, whileher family (right) andTAU Vice PresidenlCol. (res.) YehielBen-Zl'i look on.
The David Building is "anintensively used classroom cluster in theUniversity," Prof. Dinstein stressed.Belonging to no single Faculty, but tothe University as a whole, its modernfacilities and auditoriums are much
1996 BOARD OF GOVERNORS ISSUE 12
sought after by all the Departments.Classroom assignment in the Building,Dinstcin said, is centrally controlled andcomputerized and "is based on a systemor merit and not on favoritism toward
~ny particular school."Designed by Israeli architect Ofer
Kokler in a contemporary style, theBuilding has three levels with a total'Ioor space of 3,000 square meters. Onhe top two levels are nine classrooms,hree lecture halls and hallway lounges,t11 furnished with comfortable and
lltractive seating. Adjacent to the first
floor entrance is a stone courtyard andgarden. The ground floor has threespacious, beautifully-designedauditoriums.
The aura of the Building reflects thespirit of the donors, Dan and Gabriella,who are "honorary goodwillambassadors of Israel in Rome," saidProf. Dinstein. He presented them with aplaque and referred to them as "greatmachers" at TAU.
Dan David was delighted in having ahand in the "joie de vivre" atmospherethat the sunny Classroom Building
creates with its open terraces andflowers. He stated that all should makesure in the future that dreams be
accomplished and that "no dream shouldremain only a dream."
Guest speaker Prof. Yoser Gorny,Head of the Chaim Weizmann Institutefor Zionist Research at TAU, whomDinstein introduced as "the number one
expert on the implementation of theZionist dream," delivered a lectureentitled "Between Immigration andAliyah: An Historical Perspective.".
Katzir Room MonorsBiotech Pioneer
"Birthday gifts come in many forms,ome which give only fleeting pleasurend others which are of more lastinguration," said Mr. Benno Gitter at theornerstone laying ceremony of the.phraim Katzir Departmental Meeting,oom in the Jack Green Building ofiotechnology.
Friends of Prof. Katzir from around
le world cooperated in e:>tablishing the1eeting Room as a tribute to Prof.atzir on the occasion of his 80th
irthday, Participants in the project wereylvia and Pablo Simko,who initiated.e project; Sally and Lesterntin; Hella and Marianertner; Dame Shirley and.r Leslie Porter; Fanny andng. Wolf Blumenthal; Dr.ime Constantiner; KarlaId David Goldberg; therchie Sherman Charitable'ust; Denise Cauan; andanja Leigh and the lateorris Leigh.
"No gift could be more,ting than this gift ofends, a gift which willcommodate scholarly;cussions in the years tome," said Gilter. Theltzir Meeting Room willJvide a modern f;), ':;!\I for
~e(jl1gs,kL;ures,lrkshops and symposia,
thereby promoting collaboration amongexperts at the University and abroad.
"Modern biotechnology is a diverseand dynamic field," said Prof. Katzir."We need modern biotechnology inagriculture, in medicine, in generalscience, in health care, and in industry.My hope is that this room will provide aplace to meet and to discuss jointprojects which will be of use."
Prof. Ephraim Katzir is the recipientof many distinguished national andinternational titles. Long before Israel'sWar of Independence, he was one of the
13
founders of Israel's scientific armaments
industry. His outstanding scientific andpublic achievements led to his electionas the fourth President of Israel.
Often called "the founding father ofbiotechnology in Israel," Prof. Katzirwas among the first scientists worldwideto realize the importance of thisacademic discipline, and was awardedthe Japan Prize for Biotechnology. Heestabl ished Israel's first Department ofBiotechnology at TAU, which todayboasts over 20 senior staff members.
A "Brief Portrait of Biotechnologyat TAU" was provided by
--.__ Prof. Gerald Cohen,Chairperson of theDepartment. •
Group photo at theconstruction site. withe'ghty-ye "'S-"Olll1gProfEpltrailll Katcir!rlUrtltfrom right.
1996 BOARD OF GOVERNORS iSSUE '
