the robotics future · 2017. 1. 18. · greater new york region 1001 avenue of the americas, 19th...

THEROBOTICSFUTUREDEVELOPING

ALTERNATIVE ENERGIES

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AMERICAN ASSOCIATES BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV1001 Avenue of the Americas, 19th FloorNew York, NY 100181-800-962-2248 • [email protected] www.aabgu.org

PresidentLLOYD GOLDMAN, NY

Executive Vice PresidentDORON KRAKOW

Immediate Past PresidentALEXANDER M. GOREN, NY

Vice PresidentsRUTH FLINKMAN-MARANDY, CASTANLEY D. GINSBURG, PABILLY JOEL, FLERNEST SCHELLER, JR., PAFREDERICK SIEGMUND, NYJESSICA SILLINS, NYALTON I. SUTNICK, PAWAYNE WOODMAN, PATONI YOUNG, DE

TreasurerIRA INGERMAN, PA

Assistant TreasurerJACOB DAYAN, CA

SecretaryBEN GUEFEN, TX

Regional Offices:

GREAT LAKES REGION 5250 Old Orchard Road, Suite 300Skokie, IL 60077 • (847) 983-3630

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GREATER NEW YORK REGION1001 Avenue of the Americas, 19th FloorNew York, NY 10018 • (646) 452-3703

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MID-ATLANTIC REGION261 Old York Road, #417A, P.O. Box 1128 Jenkintown, PA 19046 • (215) 884-4510

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Editor-in-Chief: RONNI STRONGINEditor and Writer: NATALIE CANAVORRegional News Editor: SISSY BLOCKBGU Photographer: DANI MACHLISGraphic Design: RD DESIGN

Send comments to: [email protected]

DREAMING THE POSSIBLEBY LLOYD GOLDMAN AABGU PRESIDENT

Fueling the world with renewable energy. Creating robotsthat make us safer, healthier and more productive: Science fiction? Impossible dreams? Today, BGU researchers are working intensively in both areas, targeted by the University for their global importance and because BGU has built solid foundations in these areas of research. This issue highlights the two subjects indepth, yet still showcases only a fraction of the fascinating work under way. BGU’s work on alternative fuels and energy sources began, astonishingly, three decades ago. Learn now about the progress four of the University’sresearchers and their teams are making toward the most tantalizing of hopes: creating hydrogen fuel by splitting water; harnessing the sun; building storagesystems to hold naturally produced energy; and making nuclear fission safe and secure. Not to mention how energy from yeast and cyborg snails is beingchanneled—and where these experiments may lead. Our story on robotics delves into four research paths that are moving us into newly imagined ways to diagnose and treat disease, greet travelers, help paralyzed people move, assist the elderly, pick crops, and much more. Throughthe new ABC Center for Robotics, BGU sets the stage for unusual collaborationsgeared to fast track progress. Meet four researchers who are building robots thatvariously crawl like insects, listen to what we say, interact responsively with humanbeings, and may eventually swim through the bloodstream to deliver therapies. BGU works to foster more immediate and personal dreams, too, especially for young people who face disadvantages. I know you’ll be happy to read about the new support center for students with disabilities, and how it’s creatinga better reality for these members of the BGU community right now.

IN THIS ISSUE

News Briefs Assisting BGU During the War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Fulfilling the Dream .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Stakeholders in Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

First Person Our Trip to The Balkans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Donor Impact Donna Weiss Lam and Rochelle Handy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Toni and Stuart B.z"l Young .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Education and Research The Future of Robotics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Developing Alternative Energies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Helping the Local Community The Jusidman Science Center for Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 New Support Center for Students with Disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Regional News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Recognizing our Donors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

ON THE COVER: Prof. Boaz Rafaely on the right with researchers Jonathan Sheaffer (left) and VladimirTourbabin and Nao, a talking, walking and dancing robot by Aldebaran Robotics. The research team willwork to improve Nao’s hearing and interaction with humans. Photo by: Dani Machlis/BGU

DURING OPERATION Protective Edge this summer, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev was forced to close itscampus to students for more than six weeks due to heavy missile strikes from Gaza. As many as 2,000students, faculty and staff weredeployed both in and around theGaza Strip. Exams were canceled andmany students lost the opportunity toearn needed income over the summer. In response, American Associates,Ben-Gurion University of the Negev(AABGU) established a “WartimeAssistance for Students” fund to helpthose serving in combat, volunteeringin the community and otherwiseaffected by the war and unable towork. Established at the request of the University’s president, the fund is now providing special scholarshipassistance as the fall semester begins. “BGU students serve in combat units in larger numbers than any otherIsraeli university,” explains DoronKrakow, executive vice president ofAABGU. “We wanted to make sure thatthese students do not return in direstraits considering all that they have

already had to bear putting their liveson the line to keep Israel safe.” While the University remained opento administrators, researchers and faculty, their work was compromisedby the periodic sirens and movementback and forth to the shelters,

as well as their unrelenting concernsabout siblings, fathers and friendscalled to active duty. During the daily influx of rockets,one BGU professor said, “BGU is safeand well sheltered, but the problem isen route—I several times had to lie onthe road with my hands over my headas the only protection…everyone is

very tense and the nonstop running in and out of shelters cannot be sustained for long.” Typical of the community spirit atBGU, hundreds of students stayed inBeer-Sheva to volunteer, providingsupport and assistance to people inneed throughout the city and the surrounding communities. And, theUniversity set up a special day careprogram on campus to provide extrasupport for faculty and staff withoutother recourse. “In times like this,” says Krakow,“we need to shore up our support for Israel and we need to let our student-soldiers know that we havetheir backs. We are honored to provide the extra scholarship funds to these students and grateful for the support of our friends throughout the UnitedStates who helped make this possible.” The $1 million has been forwardedto BGU. However, AABGU has beeninformed that the need has exceededthis amount. You can help by makinga donation online at www.aabgu.org/wartime-assistance-fund n

“BGU students serve in combat units in larger numbers than any otherIsraeli university.”

— DORON KRAKOW

Top Photo: VIP seats were provided to IDF soldiers during a concert at BGU's Board ofGovernors Meeting in May.

AABGU PROVIDES $1MILLION TO UNIVERSITY FOR STUDENTS AFFECTED BY WAR

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NEWS BRIEFS

NEWS BRIEFS

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BOARD OF GOVERNORSMEETINGA LARGER-THAN-EVER Americandelegation and friends from aroundthe world converged on Beer-Shevafor Ben-Gurion University’s 44th Boardof Governors Meeting in May 2014. The four-day annual open housekicked off with a private welcomereception for the American delegationwith BGU administration, faculty andstaff on the balcony of the AlonBuilding for High-Tech. Overlooking the University’s MarcusFamily Campus, this vantage pointoffers a great view of Beer-Sheva’sAdvanced Technologies Park (ATP)across the train tracks from campus. The ATP’s first building, of sixteento be built, is home to NessTechnologies, EMC Israel, OracleIsrael, Deutsche Telekom, and HewlettPackard. IBM has taken up residence in the Alon Building and will join theATP at a later date. With the IDF’s strategic intelligenceunits moving to a high-technologycampus steps away from the ATP andBGU’s campus, there is a distinct feel-ing that Ben-Gurion’s vision for Israel’sNegev region is finally being realized. “There is a tremendous sense ofmomentum—of the Negev now

being at the forefront ofIsrael’s development—and this in no small degree is happening because of BGU’sleadership role in the region,”said BGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi, who was confirmed for her third term at the opening plenary. The opening plenary alsoincluded the election of new governors, includingAABGU community membersDr. Rhoda Baruch, StanleyGinsburg, Ira Ingerman, Max Javit, Douglas Krupp, and Holly Ullman. The morning’s session wascapped off by the presentationof the Ben-Gurion LeadershipAward to then-Israeli PresidentShimon Peres. “BGU is one of the greatesttriumphs of Jewish history and it’s just the beginning,” said President Peres. Always an opportunity to learn fromBGU faculty, researchers and guestspeakers, this year’s program featuredseveral lectures on the impact of theongoing political situation on theIsraeli people:• Prof. Golan Shahar, of BGU’sDepartment of Psychology, shared hisresearch on how exposure to terrorismaffects the mental health of teens inIsrael’s Negev region. He estimates

that 50 percent of Israeli children inthe western Negev have some form ofPTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).• Ethan Bronner, former Jerusalembureau chief for The New YorkTimes, spoke about the long-termimplications of the lack of contact

FULFILLINGTHE DREAM

Top: Israel’s then-President Shimon Peresaccepts the Ben-Gurion Leadership Award fromBGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi and AlexGoren, chairman of BGU’s board of governors.

Bottom: Rachel and Max Javit were welcomedinto the Ben-Gurion Society.

between Israelis and Palestinians. He observed that the ability for thetwo peoples to view one another as human beings is decreasing asopportunities for interaction decline.

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURETHE BOARD OF GOVERNORS featured the dedication of two new MarcusFamily Campus buildings:• The Guzik Family Building forBiotechnology Engineering. Thanks to a significant donation from NahumGuzik, a Silicon Valley inventor, entrepreneur and philanthropist, thebuilding is already under construction. It will house the Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology; the new Center for Regenerative Medicine, Cellular Therapy and Stem CellResearch; and a number of much needed laboratories.• The Lorry I. Lokey ChemistryBuilding. “The Lorry I. Lokey Buildingwill be the most modern and 'green'chemistry building in Israel, equippedwith the latest energy-saving systemsand all the necessary infrastructure to carry out the most advancedresearch,” said Prof. N. GabrielLemcoff, head of BGU’s Department

of Chemistry.

A longtime contributor to higher edu-cation in Israel, Lokey resides in SanFrancisco and was the founder andowner of Business Wire until he sold itto Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway. “It is tremendously important todevelop great minds and great institutions [in Israel]. Education in mybook is number one,” said Lokey at thebuilding’s cornerstone-laying ceremony.

CONNECTING WITH STUDENTSBOARD OF GOVERNORS participants got a chance to get to know BGU students over lunch in the ZlotowskiStudent Center. “I am amazed how immediately the students and supporters just ‘click.’ This connection is at the heartof what makes BGU so unique,” said Avi Benalal, head of BGU’sStudent Association. The event was sponsored byAmericans Ricki and Zvi Alon, Helenand Jack R Bershad, Dvora Ezralow,Vicki and Lloyd Goldman, Arline and Ben Guefen, Maribeth and Steven Lerner, and Aileen Whitman. An auction, co-hosted by Board of Governors Vice Chair Carol Saal,helped raise funds for student programs.

NEWS BRIEFS

1. AABGU’s immediate past director of theNorthwest Region, Daphna Noily; BGU PresidentProf. Rivka Carmi; Lorry Lokey and JoanneHarrington at the cornerstone-laying ceremonyof the Lorry I. Lokey Chemistry Building. 2. AABGU President Lloyd Goldman acceptsPillar’s award for the Joyce and IrvingGoldman Family Foundation from BGUPresident Prof. Rivka Carmi. 3. The American Associates Village dedicationshowcased beautiful desert buildings, apart-ments, courtyards, and more, made possibleby generous donors from the United States.

Left Photo: Brothers Jim (left) and SteveBreslauer enjoy a laugh with a trio of DavidBen-Gurion impersonators at the dinnerreception preceding the President’s Pillars inaugural ceremony.

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Nahum Guzik (center) receives an honorarydoctorate from BGU President Prof. RivkaCarmi and Rector Prof. Zvi HaCohen.

Concert pianist Evgeny Kissin, recipient ofan honorary doctorate, performed a privateconcert for delegates from around theworld and IDF soldiers.

INAUGURATINGTHE PRESIDENT’SPILLARSTHE PRESIDENT’S PILLARS, a new society recognizing donors who contribute $5 million or more to theUniversity, was inaugurated with a unique and inspirational ceremony. Nine of the 21 American Pillarseither attended the ceremony or wererepresented by family members,including: Arnold Bengis; Norbert and Hannah Blechner z”l; the Joyceand Irving Goldman FamilyFoundation; the Goldstein-Goren family; Nahum Guzik; Lorry I. Lokey;Ellen Marcus; the Breslauer brothers of the Samuel and Helene SorefFoundation; and Roy J. Zuckerberg. “I feel as I imagine many of you dothat we have gotten far more from ourinvolvement with the University thanthe sum total of what we have given,”said Alex Goren, a Pillar and chairmanof the Board of Governors.

HONORARYDOCTORATESTWO LONGTIME members of theAABGU community received presti-gious honorary doctoral degrees.• Jim Breslauer of Long Beach,California, was recognized for spear-heading the funding and developmentof Israel’s new Advanced TechnologiesPark (ATP) in Beer-Sheva. “This is my chance to make a difference for the University, for theState of Israel and for the hundreds, if not thousands of people who willone day work there,” said Breslauer.• Nahum Guzik was recognized forhis outstanding number of inventionsand patents that has enhanced tech-nology, for his role as a philanthropicactivist in the Northern CaliforniaJewish community, and for his commitment to higher education and research in Israel and the Negev. “The way I see it, I’m happy tofund causes to help Israel. I donatebecause BGU is great, not me,” said Guzik.

“OPEN HOUSE”AT SEDE BOQERJUST THREE YEARS ago, the Americandelegation to the Board of Governorsgathered to lay the cornerstone for the American Associates Village atSede Boqer. Now the Village is home to 36graduate students who are studying at the Albert Katz International Schoolfor Desert Studies, the academic arm of the Jacob Blaustein Institutesfor Desert Research, and the Israel Studies International Program. The first two phases of theAmerican Associates Village were dedicated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and an “open house” tourof several apartments hosted by thestudents who live there. The complex will expand availablehousing for as many as 150 additionalinternational students. This will allow50 percent more students to study at the Sede Boqer campus, facilitatinggrowth of the two international graduate programs. n

IN ISRAEL’S latest war, its people’s army faced off againstHamas, a terrorist Islamic fundamentalist movement dedicated to Israel’s destruction. Hamas is also an arm ofthe growing international threat of Islamic fundamentalismthat is raging across the Middle East—a threat no longerconfined to that part of the world. Beyond the conflict itself, Israel’s efforts to safeguard its people from Hamas’ network of terror tunnels and itsarsenal of short- and medium-range rockets and missiles,elicited reactionary responses from critics of Israel acrossWestern Europe. It was there that anti-Israel rallies, often reeking of the stench of anti-Semitism, broughttogether elements of the local populations reflecting not only the usual voices of protest, but also significant representation from the neo-fascist right and extreme left. Together, they found common cause in their attackson Israel, striking fear in the hearts of local Jews who were compelled to seek refuge or go into hiding. Here at home such protests were more muted, but incities across the country anti-Israel rallies and events were commonplace. American Jews have generally responded with vocal support, powerful demonstrations of solidarity and proactive engagement with our elected leaders to under-score America’s steadfast support for Israel and for theforces of freedom and democracy. While most of us havebeen taken by surprise by the nature and extent of theproblem overseas, having now been confronted, none can afford to ignore it. As supporters of Ben-Gurion University of the Negevand of the State of Israel, we give expression to our passionate commitment to Israel’s development andprosperity through our philanthropy, among other avenues. We take great satisfaction in Israel’s achievements, itsprogress and its growth. Our chests swell with pride over Israel’s contributions to technological advances, its breakthroughs in the

treatment of illness and disease, its remarkable dedicationto liberal values, to equal rights and to freedom of choice. And we never fail to remind those around us of Israel’srapid response to calls for assistance from around theworld following disasters, both manmade and natural,wherever they may take place. Israel’s accomplishments are, in some small way, ouraccomplishments. And we feel proud. And Israel’s losses,its tragedies, also belong to us. We mourn together withIsrael over the horrors inflicted on the victims of terror and the casualties among Israel’s sons and daughters whofall in her defense. This is a reflection of kinship. But there is more to itthan that. What happens in Israel and what happens toIsraelis mean more to us as American Jews than a simplesense of fraternity. Our future, our safety and security, our link both to the past and to what is yet to come for the Jewish people are inextricably tied to Israel’s long-termsafety, security and prosperity. We are stakeholders. What happens to Israel has implications not only for us,but for our children, our children’s children, and for countless generations yet to come. Israel’s latest war and the world’s response to it is areminder of our need to view our stake in her future as anactive one. The future we desire for our people cannot betaken for granted. It must be secured through our actions.And we must trasmit the importance of our stake to thosewho will inherit it. Ben-Gurion University proudly embraces its role as theengine for developing the Negev. Through AABGU, wehelp provide the fuel. And with the region’s developmentand the continuing and expanding fulfillment of DavidBen-Gurion’s vision to “make the desert bloom,” weenhance the long-term safety and security of the State ofIsrael and its people, strengthening our stake in Israel’sfuture with every step. n

ISRAEL: WE ARE ALLSTAKEHOLDERSBY DORON KRAKOWEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

NEWS BRIEFS

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FIRST PERSON

THERE ARE ENDLESS adjectives we can ascribe to this extraordinary trip:enlightening, educational, wondrous,and exploratory are a few that come to mind. Our first stop was Sarajevo, the capital and largest city in Bosnia andHerzegovina. The striking setting ofthe city was unique. Surrounded onall sides by verdant, dramaticallyascending mountains, we realized that they were both a blessing and a curse during the three-year BalkanWar that began in 1992. We werestruck by the glaring evidence of the ravages of war on the buildingswe passed on our way into town. Bosnia and Herzegovina was thehardest hit and the toll on the population was enormous. Amidst the tragedy of the recenthistory, we found a small but vibrant,proud and committed Jewish commu-nity. We spent Shabbat together and celebrated a Shabbat service in their beautiful synagogue and community center, where we ate andwere entertained by the voices of their fabulous choir. It was inspiring to see how determined this small community of 1,100 is to maintaintheir commitment to Judaism underongoing difficult circumstances.

We learned that the city's enormouspride rested in owning and protectingthe Sarajevo Haggadah for centuriesthrough the many periods of turmoil in that region. It was explained that itwas under four layers of securitydesigned to ensure that no one personcould walk away with it. BGU’s Prof.Katrin Kogman-Appel, an expert in thehaggadah’s illuminations, accompaniedus into the National Museum whichhas been shuttered for a year due tolack of funds and political wrangling.Because of the extreme security, wewere able to enter the “holy of holies,”but allowed to only see a replica, disappointing but understandable. We had the good fortune to beaccompanied throughout our trip by Dr. Eliezer Papo, head of theSephardic Studies Research Institute atBGU, a brilliant and talented academicas well as an exciting human being.He regaled us non-stop with stories ofhis earliest days as a resident ofSarajevo, and each day of the 11-daytrip, he continued to be informal andaccessible to the group. His energyinfused the participants to the pointthat we all felt like “Eli Papo groupies.” Our second stop was Dubrovnik,Croatia. Surrounded by centuries-old

city walls and situated on the turquoisewaters of the Adriatic, the setting isone of the most beautiful in the world.The Jewish community, numberingabout 100 members, maintains a smallbut intimate and handsome synagoguethat can be found up a flight of stairson a narrow street off the city’s mainpromenade. We thoroughly enjoyedour resident tour guide, a lovely youngman who had made aliyah and thendecided to return to his homeland andwork to keep the small Jewish community alive. We all admired hisperseverance, courage and charm. After a quick trip to Montenegro,we traveled to Split, Croatia and touredthe imposing Palace of Diocletian, one of the last Roman emperors. We think we can speak for all theparticipants who joined AABGU onthis tour that it was a not-to-be-missedtrip, masterfully organized and intense-ly educational. The collegiality amongthe members was memorable and theknowledge of the accompanying BGUfaculty simply stunning. We consider ourselves well-traveledand yet we would not miss anAABGU-led tour. If you want to experience an extraordinary trip andlearning adventure, join us onAABGU’s next tour in 2016. n

Carol and Harry Saal from Palo Alto, California chaired AABGU’s “East Meets West: A Journey through the Jewish Balkans” in May 2014. Here are the highlights of the sold-out tour.

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BY CAROL AND HARRY SAAL

OUR TRIP TO THE BALKANS

DONOR IMPACT

FOR SISTERS Donna Weiss Lam (sitting)and Rochelle Handy, supporting BGU is a family affair. Enthusiasm for Ben-Gurion Universitybegan with their parents, Anita andHenry Weiss z”l. As Donna tells it,about eleven years ago, her father’saccountant told him that his business—owning and managing affordable hous-ing in the Los Angeles area—was doingvery nicely. And he would do well tothink about a charitable donationbecause his finances would allow for it. “Never could you see a more excitedman!” Donna recalls. “His two life passions were real estate andIsrael.” Until then, her fatherhad been a loyal, but modest,contributor to AABGU for 15 years. “Immediately, hewent to a building in LA that houses Jewish charities andfound AABGU. He believedIsrael’s future was in the Negevand he was so in synch withBGU and its vision.” Henry Weiss learned thatfunding for nanotechnology wasthen the University’s biggestneed. “He was interested in science and this resonatedwith him on many levels. It was a needed, cutting-edgeproject he could be part of,” Donna says. “He believednanotech and high-tech would help put BGU on the map—and we already see that happening.” In 2006, the Henry and Anita Weiss Family Building forAdvanced Research and the Weiss Family Laboratory forNanoscale Systems were dedicated on the Marcus FamilyCampus. Donna and her husband, Cantor Nathan Lam,and Rochelle and her husband, Bill Handy, then becameinvolved in the University and AABGU. “AABGU did a fabulous job of sharing everything withus and making it a family affair,” Rochelle says. “Wheneversomeone from the University spoke at a meeting, everyonewas invited and it was always inspiring. It was a wonderfulway to work with your family and keep the dialoguegoing. The more we found out about BGU the prouder we felt to be associated with it. You see so much progress,so many things they do for Israel and the world.” At the same time as the dedication, BGU surprisedHenry, surrounded by his family, with an honorary doctorate. “The University was so much more than weexpected. It was awe inspiring,” Rochelle says. “It’s stillyoung and growing, so we’re proud to be involved.

It gives our family the opportunity togrow with the University.”Henry and Anita later pledged

additional funding for nanotechnology,but the trip for the dedication wasHenry’s last to Israel and the memoriesare particularly special to the family.The younger generation is assuming

the mantel. In 2011, Donna joinedAABGU’s board of directors. The following year so did Bill Handy,Rochelle’s husband. Donna’s son,Michael, became an AABGU Zin Fellowthis past year. Rochelle’s son, Alex,hopes to join the young leadership

development program. “We’re carrying on Henry

and Anita’s dream and the next generation is quite secure,as well,” Donna says. “Youcan’t coerce or orchestrateyoung people’s interest.Children learn what they live.The truth of what they see justresonates and it’s exciting tobe part of watching somethingimportant grow.”Donna, Rochelle and

their brother, Jeffrey, partner to run the real estate business founded by their father. The sisters each manage one of the two offices in the Los Angeles area and Jeffrey deals with issues in the field.“We’re trying to grow the business, too, as a legacy for the family,” Donna notes. “We’re very much engaged in carrying on the two passions of our father’s life.” The family contributions were recognized with a specialceremony on campus inaugurating the new President’sPillars this past May. Seeing her parents’ names on the pillars was a revelation for Donna. “It was a momentwhere we really understood the magnitude of what ourfamily has done. And that we’re part of that. It took my breath away and made the importance very concrete.Things can be bigger than you ever imagine and have a resonating effect.” Donna feels a special mission in participating on theAABGU board. “I want to find ways to share BGU and let more people know about it.” This past summer, she and her husband led a group to Israel and took 40 people to BGU. “Most of them said it was the highlight of their trip. They were so proud to see where the future of the country lies. And we wereall blown away by the demonstrations of what you can dowith nanotech!” n

DONNA WEISS LAM AND ROCHELLE HANDYLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

IT’S ALL IN THEFAMILY

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TONI YOUNG became acquainted withSouthern Israel about 15 years ago.She was instrumental in creating apartnership between Arad, a Negevdevelopment town, and her homestate of Delaware. “The first time I sawArad I fell in love with it,” she says. Established in 1962, Arad was aplanned community intended tobecome the gateway to the Negev.However, it failed to attract the largepopulation envisioned. Stuart, of blessed memory, wasdrawn in by Toni’s enthusiasm andbecame equally engaged. “It’s such a beautiful, expansive place. It still has such potential. Anything we cando to give it a boost, we’re interestedin,” said Stuart, just a few weeksbefore his untimely passing. The region’s issues became an abiding passion for the Youngs and they actively participated in the NegevCoalition when it was estab-lished in 2006. “On my tripsto Israel, I saw that the enginedriving the Negev was BGU,”Toni recounts. “It’s a magnet.And it’s uniquely important—created not just to provide a great education, but to helpdevelop the Negev. “So our interests in education, cultural development and the Negev all came together.” Stuart was at that time still engaged in his legal practice,and Toni became active in AABGU. She joined the board in 2011. This September, she was elected a vice president. Toni appreciates that while BGU excels in the sciences,it is equally committed to the liberal arts. “Literature is awonderful way to understand people and if more peopleknew the literature, they would understand Israel better.” Recently, an intriguing idea emerged. “The Universitywas looking for a place for a community literature program and knew of our involvement with Arad and that we wanted to bring people there to see what a wonderful community it is. And Amos Oz [renownedIsraeli author and BGU professor emeritus] lived in Araduntil recently and often describes how the desert inspires him. So there was a wonderful confluence.” The Amos Oz Literature and Cultural Initiative was born.With the Youngs’ generous support, an annual conferenceon literature and culture with a special creative writingseminar will be held in Arad. The multi-year program willenrich the community’s engagement with literature and

culture by offering opportunities forthe area’s young people, and provid-ing a forum for faculty and studentsto connect with the town and region.A seminar series will encourage resi-dents’ interest in literature and fosterconnections with the University.BGU will also award an Amos

Oz Prize for outstanding writing toboth students of Hebrew literature at the University and to promisingyoung writers from Arad’s localschools. BGU’s Department ofHebrew Literature and Heksherim:The Research Institute for the Studyof Jewish and Israeli Literature andCulture will implement the programs.Toni is committed to a daunting

array of good causes reflecting herinterests in the arts, history, educa-tion, and Israel. Stuart was, as well.

He served as a member of theboard of governors of BezalelAcademy of Art and Design in Jerusalem, and as chairmanof the Delaware State ArtsCouncil and the DelawareCollege of Art and Design.

Toni serves on boardsthat include the DelawareHistorical Society, GoucherCollege, Sheatufim (the IsraelCenter for Civil Society), and

American Friends of NATAL (Israel Trauma Center forVictims of Terror and War). She has also served as a vicechair of United Jewish Communities, and was the firstwoman president of the Jewish Federation of Delaware. Toni, a historian and author, is now writing a new bookthat will be more personal than her previous work. Theseinclude Becoming American, Remaining Jewish: The Storyof Wilmington Delaware's First Jewish Community and The Grand Experience: A History of the Grand Opera House. The Youngs have always been passionate about philanthropy. Toni believes that “society can’t pay for allthe important things that need to be done. You have tocontribute and volunteer. It doesn’t have to be on a major level. On trips I lead, I like to show people what a difference even a small gift can make.” Stuart agreed. “When you have a passion and ask people to contribute, they hear you, understand and getinvolved. But it’s always best to see what giving produces:to see how a child’s life is changed, to see a building and what’s inside.” Stuart B. Young will be sorely missed. May his memorybring blessings to Toni and all who mourn his loss. n

TONI AND STUART B. z”l YOUNGWILMINGTON, DELAWARE

A PASSIONATEENGAGEMENT WITH

THE NEGEV

1 0 I M P A C T | F a l l 2 0 1 4

DONOR IMPACT

I M P A C T | F a l l 2 0 1 4 1 1

ROBOTS ARE RAPIDLY COMING closer to playing integral roles in our lives.In less than 10 years, they may monitor our health, treat disease, find the lost, assume major defenseroles, allow paralyzed people to move,take care of crops, make and bring us our morning coffee, and help withchildren, the elderly and the infirm. But before these dazzling possibil-ities are achieved, a host of problemsranging from basic science to practicalapplications remain to be solved.Useful robots need to see, hear, understand, analyze, and respond.They must be able to move and speakin a natural manner and manipulateobjects. They must learn, adapt tochanging situations and interface com-fortably and intuitively with humans. Most challenging of all, they mustbe reliable and inexpensive. Research institutions worldwide are working on the huge array of scientific and practical challenges. And because Ben-Gurion University of the Negev had a strong core competency in robotics research, three years ago, BGU leaders chose

robotics as a key research focus. With support from the Leona M. andHarold B. Helmsley Charitable Trust,the Agricultural, Biological andCognitive (ABC) Robotics Center was established.

Already leaders of robotics research in Israel, BGU scientists andadministrators envisioned a center of excellence in an important scientificrealm. They saw in robotics a specialopportunity for Israel: The small country might once again take theworld by storm as it did in the 1980s,when it shot to the forefront in electronics and computer science.

An Unconventional Plan

“We had to think it through,” saysProf. Yael Edan, ABC Center’s directorand member of the Department ofIndustrial Engineering and Management.“We knew we had already accom-plished specific advances in agricultural,biological and cognitive robotics. We assembled a committee of leadingresearchers from across campus—from psychology, computer science, neuroscience, engineering, and more—to look at research trends and set goals.” The group decided to recruit severalnew faculty members to strengthencapabilities in cognitive sciences andbiomedical research. New critical equip-ment was purchased and a guidingimperative to foster new collaborationswas established. Robotics’ complexitycalls for interdisciplinary research. The Center brings together seniorand junior researchers from disciplines

THE ABC CENTERINSPIRESINTERDISCIPLINARYROBOTICS RESEARCH

“We assembled a committee ofleading researchers from acrosscampus to look at researchtrends and set goals.. .We wantthe teams to spark new ideasand research directions.”

— PROF. YAEL EDAN

Top Photo: This robot was inspired by animalmovement. The goal: improved ability to traverse varied terrain.

EDUCATION AND RESEARCH


as different asbiopsychology andcomputer science, engineering andneuroscience. “We want the teams tospark new ideas and research direc-tions,” Edan explains. To accomplish this, ABC offers support to new startup projects thatinclude faculty from different disciplines who have never workedtogether. In order to ensure a sustain-able program, each group is obligedto compete for grant funding fromagencies such as the Israel ScienceFoundation, the U.S.-Israel BinationalScience Foundation and the EU’sHorizon 2020. “We then moved to a bottom-upprocedure and asked researchers tocome up with new ideas—not moreof the same—and form new groups,”Edan says. “They met and wrote proposals. We invited a steering committee of prestigious roboticsresearchers from around the world to come hear their ideas and givefeedback. They were very impressed.” In some cases, competitive outsidefunding has already been obtained forvarious projects that include engineers,psychologists, linguists, biologists,educators, and medical personnel.

“I hope we’re setting a model inacademics,” Edan says. “It’s exciting to see how things start to evolve.Some of our older, very prominentresearchers are involved despite theiroverload. Young researchers are flourishing with strong support, whichwill be critical to them and the field.” After intense planning and recruit-ment, the Center launched in April2014 and work on projects intensifiedwith the fall semester arrival of Ph.D.and postdoctoral students, many

of whom were recruited for specific labs. A sampling ofnew projects follows.

MEETING OF THEMINDS—ROBOT ANDHUMANDr. Oren Shriki is among three new faculty members.

Like many robotics specialists his background is unusual. He studiedphysics and obtained a Ph.D. in computational neuroscience. He taught physics, brain sciences and robotics to talented high school students and worked for a time inindustry. But the pull of researchbrought him back to academiaand he found BGU an idealplace to pursue his own interests and find collaborators. “Something veryunique about BGU is that it combines everything on onecampus—the socialsciences, the exactsciences, engineer-ing, psychology, a hospital.” Dr. Shriki is principal investigator of theComputationalPsychiatry Lab inthe Department ofCognitive and BrainSciences. He studiesthe neurobiology

of mental illness, and applying hisexpertise to robotics, focuses onbrain-computer interface (BCI). “It’s about finding the best solutionsfor the brain to communicate naturallywith computers,” he explains. “Theaim is to have our intentions readfrom the brain activity and transferredto certain devices. Impaired peoplewith ‘locked-in’ conditions like ALS,or who are recovering from stroke,could gain the ability to communicatewith and control devices in a naturalway. At the same time we can alsolearn much about the brain, how itrepresents information and how itlearns new skills.” In collaboration with cognitive neuroscientist and fellow-new-recruit Dr. Lior Shmuelof, who runs the Brain and Action Lab, Shriki is beginning to gain new insights intoBCI. “We want to develop newapproaches to read intentions fromthe brain and better understand thelearning processes involved. “Computers can learn to read humansubjects via different algorithms, andcan be trained to improve the readout.At the same time, the subject can be trained to provide for a better readout by


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Dr. Oren Shriki controls alego-robot with his mindusing his EEG cap.

modifying his or her own brain activity—controlling the brainwaves to some extent—to make it easy for the computer. It’s a mutual learning process.” In one set of experiments, a subject’s brain activity is analyzed inreal time as he sends commands tocontrol a device, such as a roboticarm. The activity is detected by anEEG (electroencephalogram) system,which precisely measures the brain’selectrical activity by electrodesattached to the scalp. The team aims to construct a“closed-loop” learning system inwhich the human and robotic learning systems support each other.This setup will serve to explore the relative contributions of humanand machine learning and examinehow to optimize the mutual learning process.

Shriki is also enthusiasticabout robots’ potential to be useful in everyday life. “Howcan you tell a robot to bringyou a glass of water, have therobot ask which glass to selectand communicate your choice?

How can the robotlearn your preference?Can the robot identifyyour mood and actappropriately?” Inanother ABC study,together with investiga-tors from human factorsengineering, computerscience and psychology, Shriki explores aspectsof human-robot interaction to addresssuch questions. “This is what I loveabout robotics,” hesays. “You must makesomething that actuallyworks. And this leadsto breakthroughs.”

UNDERSTANDING HOW WELEARN AND MOVEDr. Lior Shmuelof is based in theDepartment of Cognitive and BrainSciences. He is a motor control specialist with a background in biol-ogy, psychology and neurobiology. Dr. Shmuelof was drawn to BGU by its established strength in motor control and motor skill learning and the new ABC Center.

“The ABC Center makes us sittogether and think about workingtogether. I’m collaborating in a fewdifferent exciting directions.” With Dr. Oren Shriki, he studies thebrain patterns of human movementin closely calibrated experiments.“We’re still at the beginning of understanding how we control verybasic movement,” he observes. As in many areas of robotics research,scientists work to better understandhuman minds and bodies so theknowledge can be applied to robots. One set of investigations uses a newly purchased split-tread treadmill; each side moves at a different speed, requiring the user tolearn how to walk in a different way.The brain patterns involved in thiskind of learning can be examined

with fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging). “We’re asking how brain connec-tivity changes after what is learnedon the split-tread perturbation. Howdo different ways of learning, suchas learning from errors and learningfrom rewards, affect the way thatsomeone executes and retains amovement after a stroke? How canwe improve the retention and thegeneralization of what we learn?

Prof. Yael Edan, ABC Center director (left in orange shirt), and research students with vineyard sprayer enhanced by autonomous navigation.

Ph.D student Efi Vitzrabin with a robot that detects the ripeness of crops,such as a pepper, and picks it from the plant without damaging the crop.

I M P A C T | F a l l 2 0 1 4 13



A student monitors a robotic workstation in BGU's Integrated Manufacturing

Technologies Lab.

On the split-tread treadmill, a persongradually learns to move his legs atdifferent speeds. But when he walkson regular ground, what he learnedis erased and he has to re-learn it in the lab.” Contrary to expectation, however,Shmuelof was recently surprised to find that right after using thetreadmill, some echoremained in the subject’s neuro cir-cuitry. “Now we canask better questionsabout what changestake place in thebrain after learning.” The researchapplies both to devising better rehabstrategies and to robotics, a newfield for Shmuelof.More insight into how people learn, he believes, can lead to new learning models, better human-computer interfaces, and stable walking—for both humans and robots.

ROBOTS THAT CRAWL EVERYWHEREDr. David Zarrouk shares that he was one of those kids who broke hismechanical toys to figure out howthey work and then build somethingelse from the parts. With degrees inmechanical engineering specializing

in robotics, today he doesmuch the same thing ashead of the Bio Inspiredand Medical RoboticsLaboratory in BGU’sDepartment of MechanicalEngineering.

“The ABC Centercame just at the righttime for me,” he says.“It’s my dream job. I canwork on both kinds ofrobotics I’m interestedin—‘outdoor’ robots and medical robotics. It takes a lot of collabo-

ration and ABC helps us find the people to collaborate with.” He works with computer scientists,biomedical engineers, biologists,other robot researchers, and medical

specialists at Soroka UniversityMedical Center. To create outdoor robots that “cango anywhere,” Dr. Zarrouk says, “I first define the problem. I try to thinkof my own solution and compare it to what others did.” The work includesmechanical design, modeling, simula-tion, and experiments. “I try to buildrobots more intelligently—meaninglighter, simpler, more efficient.”

“Bio-inspiredrobotics” involve takingfrom life what’s useful.This was the genesis of his

STAR (sprawl tuned autonomousrobot), which mimics the cockroachin terms of number of legs and abilityto flatten. But unlike the cockroach’slegs, STAR’s rotate. An ultra-high resolution 3D printeris one of the new tools that radicallyspeeds up experiments. “Designtakes a long time but you can makea prototype very quickly,” Zarrouksays. “And you can make lots of revisions very fast.” At BGU, Zarrouk is pushing furtherahead on his earlier work at UCBerkeley, making small, lightweightrobots that can be used for searchand rescue, agriculture, excavation,defense, nature exploration, andmore: “For search and rescue missionsyou can send hundreds of smallrobots out in a large area to findsomeone quickly, and if they’re cheapits not so bad if some don’t comeback—one-time use is okay.”


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Dr. Lior Shmuelof

Dr. David Zarrouk and his STAR—Sprawl Tuned Autonomous Robot. Inspired by the cockroach, it's a fast, stable robot only 11 centimeters tall.


Most robots are remotely controlledand can act independently only for short periods of time and in specific locations. In Zarrouk’sview, this situation will persist. But new, small, intelligent controllers,and very small sensors that enablerobots to see, will make it possible to build ever-smaller and more capable robots. One goal for medical robotics is to produce minimally invasive robotsthat can go through the biologicalvessels without causing harm. “To have them travel inside the body,crawling or pushed by a manipulatorthrough three to four millimetervessels—I think we can do that. We’re developing new mechanismsand are in the early proof of conceptstage, asking: Is this a good idea? Will it work? Then we might startbuilding something real to use withanimals, then humans. So give it five to 10 years.” Robot building is anything but routine, Zarrouk says. “I try to buildnovel mechanisms and the results areoften surprising. I often hear that aconcept won’t work and I should trysomething else. But I don’t give upgracefully.” A recent source of prideis a “single actuator” robot able toturn, despite having only onemotor—a feat generally thought tobe mechanically impossible. Zarrouk has a vision. “I hope tohelp change people’s lives—helpthem when they’re in trouble, makelife much easier with medical robotsthat can see diseases, deliver drugs,do biopsies. It they’re simple and do no harm, doctors will use them.” He is happy to be in a position to contribute. “BGU is an excellent place forme. And it’s doing an excellent job promoting robotics here at theUniversity and in Israel. We can collaborate and expand upon eachother’s skills. The people are very,very good here—we have a great team.”

BUILDING EARS FOR ROBOTSProf. Boaz Rafaely directs theAcoustics Lab in the Department ofElectrical and Computer Engineeringand is deputy dean of the Faculty of Engineering Sciences. A few yearsago he realized that the acousticsresearch he and his colleagues undertake applies to robotics.

Together with Dr. Patrick Naylorfrom Imperial College, London, he conceived a project to improvethe hearing ability of robots. ABC enabled them to spearhead a team of international experts, and the group obtained funding forEARS (Embodied Audition for RobotS) with a highly competitive EU grant. “In robotics, the main focus seems to be onmotion and vision, but audition lagsbehind,” Rafaelyexplains. “We want todevelop betteraudition forrobots socommunicationis possible andnatural underreal conditions.”

The challenges are familiar to people who depend on hearing aids.The presence of many people, noiseand reverberation make it hard tohear and interpret sound. “Hearing is the first step in communication.We have to solve those problems and integrate hearing into the robot’soverall action: moving its head, looking at the person and starting an interaction.” Rafaely’s group focuses on sensing.The research includes microphonedesign and arrangement; signal processing; incorporation of movement and environment scanning;calibration between cameras andmicrophones; and connecting these to all tasks. They will be using a robot named Nao (pronounced“Now,” he is pictured on the cover),created by Aldebaran Robotics.Concrete results are anticipated withinthe three years of the grant period,and because the team includes a leading robot manufacturer, resultsmay quickly translate to application. The intended prototype: a meet-and-greet robot for lobbies. n

To learn more about BGU’srobotic research, visitwww.aabgu.org/robotics

This student works to improve human-robot collaboration andautonomous mobilitycontrol.

“I hope to help changepeople’s lives—help themwhen they’re in trouble,make life much easier with medical robots.”

— DR. DAVID ZARROUK

I M P A C T | F a l l 2 0 1 4 15


THE BGU ENERGY INITIATIVE:

LEADING THE WAY IN ALTERNATIVE ENERGYRESEARCH

1 6 I M P A C T | F a l l 2 0 1 4

THE WORLD’S USE OF FOSSIL fuels is not going away any time soon. But everyone knows that this limitedand unclean resource must be replacedor supplemented in the future. Whatthat future looks like depends on thenew technologies being developed,and may, in fact, include a variety of alternative energies. At Ben-Gurion University of theNegev, dozens of labs are examiningall sorts of alternatives: solar, biofuels,wind, nuclear, hydrogen, thermal, and more. BGU's strength in thesefields has garnished many prestigiousgovernment and industry grants. The work ranges from designingalternative fuels and sources of electricity to conservation strategies,energy policy and building for desertclimates. Some avenues, such as solarenergy, have been explored at theUniversity since the early 1980s.Others became possible far morerecently with equipment, materials andprocesses that were scarcely imagineda decade ago, and by the recruitmentof expert scientists in those fields. This special section of Impact

introduces some of the faculty mem-bers who are working on the energy future. Only a sampling is represented,and all the researchers stress the collaborative nature of their workthrough partnerships at BGU andaround the world. Much of the research moves forwardincrementally. But breakthroughs canoccur sooner than expected becausetoday, experiments can be done

much faster with new methods and instrumentation. In many areas, practical applications may precede scientific understanding. When newmaterials are invented or analyzed, for example, the mechanics may beaccomplished and the researchersthen try to understand the basic science of why a process worked.

To its strengths in cross-disciplinarycollaboration, the University adds amix of experienced investigators andhighly committed new ones to its energy initiative, plus another specialelement: “We’re BGU, so we bringbasic research as well as applied technology to the table,” says Prof.Moti Herskowitz, who formerly headedBGU’s Research and DevelopmentAuthority, and is himself developing ahydrogen-based alternative fuel processthat he says will revolutionize the jetfuel industry in five to 10 years. “We’re very optimistic and verypractical.”

CHASING THE SUN:ADVANCING SOLARENERGY CAPABILITIES“We started at the real ground floor,”Prof. Eugene Katz recalls in talkingabout solar energy research at BGU20 years ago. “We worked out ofshacks in a terribly dusty environmentwithout a clean room or good airconditioning.” The Israeli government establishedthe Ben-Gurion National Solar Centeras a testing lab in 1985, but in 1991 itbecame part of BGU's Jacob Blaustein

Top Photo: Concentrating solar collectors designedby the Solar Energy Center’s staff for a Californiastart-up company.

“We’re BGU, so we bringbasic research as well as applied technology to the table.”

— PROF. MOTI HERSKOWITZ

Institutes for Desert Research. TheSede Boqer site offers a dry climate,clear skies and open space in the center of the Negev arid zone, andhas proved to be an optimal locationfor solar experiments. Impressiveprogress was achieved in solar technology, including the design of more efficient solar panels. Today, the Solar Energy Center andBGU’s Alexandre Yersin Department of Solar Energy and EnvironmentalPhysics occupy a brand new two-storybuilding with well-equipped labs, anexpanded staff and modern equipmentthat facilitates more sophisticatedresearch in basic and applied science.And, it possesses an unusual featurethat extends the Center’s establishedrole as a test site for new materials. “We have the unique capability ofbringing sunlight into the lab and concentrating it to the most extremelevels nature allows,” says Prof. Daniel

Feuermann, a mechanical engineerspecializing in optics who heads theCenter and the Alexandre YersinDepartment. “So we do a number ofprojects where light needs to bemanipulated or modified, such asevaluating materials for solar industries.And the system also enables us to do

basic research to try to make newmaterials that never existed in nature.” Prof. Feuermann works on a numberof projects with Prof. Eugene Katz, a physicist with a background in semi-conductors. One major collaborativeeffort is to study photovoltaic conver-sion under very high concentration ofsunlight. “We look at photovoltaics[solar cells] to see how they work, tostudy their properties,” Feuermannsays. “They are delicate special thingsand the detailed physics happening in them is not well understood. To improve their efficiency we need tounderstand exactly the physical phe-nomena occurring during irradiation.” Another research effort is to improvethe stability of organic photovoltaiccells (OPV). These devices convertsolar energy to electricity using carbonnanomaterials in combination withconducting polymers, rather than silicon, upon which solar panels arecustomarily based. Katz collaborates on this with Dr. Iris Visoly-Fisher, one of the Center’s newest members. “Recently, considerable progress has been achieved in improving the efficiency of OPV,” says Katz, “whichcan make solar energy very cheap andeasy to manufacture. OPV productiondoesn’t need expensive semiconductortechnologies and you can just printyour solar device or, in the future, buy a bottle of OPV dye and make ityourself. The main problem is that thematerial is not stable. We investigatethe mechanisms of degradation and try to understand them.” The silicon-based solar cells, nowcommonly used to convert light toelectricity, have a lifespan of 25 years.When the team began working withOPV cells they lasted only a few days.“Now we can keep them working for a year or two and have raised their

efficiency to 11 percent [six to sevenpercent is required to produce electrici-ty economically],” says Feuermann. Katz and Visoly-Fisher representIsrael in “StableNextSol,” a highlyinterdisciplinary European network of academic and industry researchers collaborating to develop more stableOPVs that reach lifetimes longer than 20 years.

Channeling the sun to create new materialsA growing focus for the Center isdeveloping novel materials. “The best way to create nanoparti-cles, extremely small pieces of solidmaterial that are a few to tens ofnanometers in diameter with differentunique shapes, is with very high concentrations of solar energy and athigh temperatures,” Feuermann says. “We have that unusual capability.” The lab houses a solar furnace thatuses a heliostat—a mirror device—tochannel sunlight coming directly intothe building. An optical system concentrates it up to 30,000 times the normal intensity of direct solarradiation with a highly uniform quality. “We produce these interestingnanostructures as part of our basicscience research. We won’t know the applications until later.”

Prof. Eugene Katz with organic photovoltaic cells(OPV) printed on plastic, with a large paraboloidalsolar dish in the background. He is a member of the National Solar Energy Center, the YersinDepartment and the Ilse Katz Institute for NanoscaleScience and Technology. He participates in two EUgroups developing OPV cells.


I M P A C T | F a l l 2 0 1 4 17

Prof. Jeffrey Gordon with a high-temperature,high-concentration solar furnace for the synthesisof novel nano-materials


The solar furnace also makes theCenter especially attractive for measur-ing solar devices and testing materialsunder concentrated sunlight for companies and research institutions all over the world. Another problem the Center addresses is the loss of heat that occurswhen solar heat absorbers radiate the energy back out during conver-sion of solar energy to electricity.Collaboratively with two other Israeliuniversities, the lab is working toreduce this loss through selectivecoatings that are excellent at absorb-ing solar radiation, and significantlyreduce the thermal losses. Much of the Center’s research is doneby computer simulation. “A theory andsome equations to solve analytically ornumerically—these are the basic tools,”Feuermann explains. “We sit there andthink. We take the basic laws of physicsand try to apply them to radiation.” Feuermann and Katz are both optimistic about the future of solarenergy. “There’s no alternative,” Katzsays. “We use more and more electricpower and there are the clean planet problems. Wind and water arelimited. The sun is not, so it’s logicalto develop solar power.”

Solar energy challenges

But they are realistic aboutthe obstacles. One is

the supply anddemand

factor. The enormous amount of fossil fuel coming now to the surface undermines interest in developing solarenergy—as has happened periodicallysince the 1980s. Cheap products fromChina have reduced the incentive tocommercialize solar panels in Israeland the United States in the past, andthreaten to do so again. “For me, the future is a strong moti-vation for this research,” Feuermannsays. “Even if for 100 years we don’tfeel the problems—the need for more fuel to produce electricity and theeffects of climate warming—fossil fuelis finite and will become more andmore expensive while the environ-ment is irreversibly damaged.” The second very significant chal-lenge is technical; a good and eco-nomical system for storing solar energydoes not yet exist. “We are very nearthe goal of efficient solar cells thatproduce electricity at reasonable costper kilowatt hour,” Katz says. “Thebottleneck is that you need very goodelectric storage. Batteries now are stillexpensive, and not stable or efficient.” Feuermann observes that solarinstallations in the U.S., England,Germany and other countries aregrowing, “but at a certain point, youcan’t feed too much energy into thegrid without the storage capacity.Renewable energy can’t support more than about 10 percent of theelectrical supply without that.” Other scientists at the Center,notably Prof. Emeritus David Faiman,are working on the storage challenge.Faiman believes that if that can be

resolved, Israel could get 90 per-cent of its power from solar

energy. Feuermann saysbasic physics research

may contributesome answers.

He finds hiswork

with

nanomaterials especially exciting. “Fifteen years ago I wouldn’t havethought of working on nanotech-nology. But in basic science you startwith one thing and end up withanother. We let ourselves be guidedby the experiments we do. We trythings and they work; then we have to understand why.”

DESIGNINGTOMORROW’SNUCLEAR ENERGYRESOURCESDr. Erez Gilad’s career as a specialist in nuclear reactor physics wasn’tplanned: “It just happened.” He studiedphysics at BGU as an undergraduateand continued for Ph.D. studies, inves-tigating complex ecological systems.During his postdoctoral studies, Giladdiscovered the world of complex networks, and at the University ofLondon, researched the spreading ofviruses and rumors on social networks. He moved on to work as a seniorphysicist at the Israel Atomic EnergyCommission (IAEC), but after fiveyears, realized he missed doing pureacademic research. Believing that thebest place for this is in a university,he competed for a position at BGU.Since March of 2014, he has led theUniversity’s nuclear energy researchgroup and specializes in the physicsof nuclear reactors—perhaps the ultimate complex system. Along with his research, Giladteaches graduate level courses in theDepartments of Nuclear and EnergyEngineering, and beginning thissemester, heads a new nuclear scienceand engineering track for advancedstudents in the Departments ofMechanical and Chemical Engineering.This will accelerate the recruitment oftalented graduate students to supportBGU’s nuclear reactor physics andengineering research.


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Prof. Daniel Feuermann (right) and Prof. Jeffrey Gordon collaborated on developing the optics for the solar collector shown.

The basic nuclear fissionchain reaction process issimple, Gilad explains. A reactor core is loadedwith a large amount of fissile material, like uraniumor plutonium (in the formof fuel rods). When a neutron (a subatomic particle) is introduced intothe reactor core, it hits afissile atom, splitting itsnucleus into two lighterfragments. During thisprocess, an additional twoor three neutrons are released, whichin turn induce additional fissions, andso on. The amount of fissile materialrequired to self-sustain such a chainreaction is defined as the critical mass. “But the faster the neutron travels,the less chance it has to split anotheratom. This isn’t an intuitive behaviorbut it is how nature works,” Giladsays. So most nuclear reactors employthe basic neutron lifecycle, where fastand energetic neutrons are producedthrough fission, then are slowed downby a moderator, such as water orgraphite. “It is the physical character-istics of this chain reaction that westudy,” he says. “A single fission generates a smallamount of energy— just enough tolight a standard 40W lightbulb for apicosecond (10-12 second), but somany are happening and the densityof atoms is so high that it can generatea great deal of energy. The energystored in a single cubic centimeter ofU235 can supply the energy demandsof an average person in the UnitedStates for more than five years. This is a unique characteristic of nuclearenergy that we exploit for electricity. “A self-sustained fission chain reaction is achieved through a delicatebalance between the production and loss of neutrons. This balancedepends on many physical propertiesof the reactor core, which affect theneutrons’ interactions with matter and eventually the neutron populationin the core. We always aim to makethis chain reaction more predictable,

controllable and safe.” If more fuel is added to the core,more neutrons will be produced thanlost, and consequently the neutronpopulation will grow exponentially.This state is called a supercritical state,which is how a reactor starts up andis potentially dangerous. On the otherhand, if neutron absorbing materials,such as boron or hafnium, are introduced into the reactor core, more

neutrons are lost than produced andthe neutron population will decayexponentially. This state is called asubcritical state, which is how a reactor is shut down. “A supercritical state is usually triggered by a human decision or anaccident,” Gilad explains. “We focusmainly on safety-related studies.” The goal of safety design is toensure that small perturbations to thereactor core when in critical state aresuppressed and the chain reactionremains under control. “This isachieved by the existence of negative

feedbacks,” Gilad says. “When designing a core, we think of themost probable and potentially devastating scenarios that can perturbthe core and make sure that theappropriate negative feedback effectsare triggered, such as restoring thereactor core to critical state orenabling it to be shut down safely.This has been a key issue since thenuclear energy era began.” It’s even more important with thenewest designs of “future reactors,”some of which have already beenbuilt. These “fast reactors” or “breed-ers” use different materials like plutonium, or a mix of uranium andplutonium, and do not incorporatemoderators. They have a number ofadvantages, including the ability toproduce more fuel than they consumeand thus minimize radioactive waste.However, some negative feedbacks aremuch more difficult to achieve inthese designs, which may compromisetheir safety. To mitigate this, somedesigns become highly complex. “Our study looks at the physicsgoverning the neutron population inthe core. What exactly happens whenthe energy spectrum of neutrons in the core is changed? The physics of the process is not very well understood. The engineering solutionsare very expensive and complicated.We largely use mathematical modelingto understand the reactions.” While such problems can besolved, Gilad believes, “the biggest



“The energy stored in a singlecubic centimeter of U235 cansupply the energy demands of an average person in theUnited States for more thanfive years.”

— DR. EREZ GILAD

I M P A C T | F a l l 2 0 1 4 1 9

Geometric representations of reactor core configurations showing the spatial distribution of thermal neutron flux, in cold shades, and the relative fission rate (power) distribution in hot shades. Bright and dark colors indicate high and low values, respectively.

problem is public relations.”Twentieth century accidents at ThreeMile Island and then Chernobylbrought nuclear energy developmentto a halt in the U.S. and elsewhere.More recently, new and safer designspromoted a “nuclear renaissance” until Japan’s Fukushima events of2011 unfolded, in the wake of anearthquake and tsunami. Despite the worst-case scenario,Gilad believes this “ancient” plant—designed, built and licensed in thelate 1960s and poorly maintained bythe utility—exhibited impressiveresilience in terms of nuclear powerplant safety: the reactors shut down,the melted fuel was contained and theestimated exposure of evacuees islikely to be below detectable levels. Given today’s focus on cutting carbon emissions, Gilad is sure that“nuclear energy has a big future.There’s always a price to generatingenergy, whatever the source. Greatefforts are continuously made by theinternational community to meet thescientific and operational challengesof radioactive waste management, and the state-of-the-art technology in this field is clean, safe, reliable, and mature.” France currently derives more than70 percent of its electricity fromnuclear energy, Belgium, Slovakia and Hungary 50 percent, Ukraine andSweden more than 40 percent, Korea,Finland and Switzerland 30 percent. Gilad sees interest reviving in theUnited States and UnitedKingdom. But publicdistaste has left anunfortunate legacy.“There’s a verysevere shortage of qualified engineersand scientists.

All over theworld, thenuclear energyindustry genera-tion of 1960s-1970s is retiring,leaving hugeknowledge gaps.For example,the U.S. nolonger has theknowledge andcapability to manufacture pressurevessels, which are currently manufac-tured in Korea, Japan and China.”

WORKING FOR AHYDROGEN-FUELEDBREAKTHROUGHProf. Eli Korin heads the Departmentof Chemical Engineering and partnerswith his colleague, Prof. ArmandBettelheim, to research electrochemi-cal energy conversion pertaining tothe photoelectochemical production of hydrogen from water and its use in fuel cells. Animating this unassuming descrip-tion is a high-stakes goal: to split waterto yield hydrogen for fuel. Researchersall over the world are working on thescience and technologies to achievethis, because, Korin explains, it repre-sents the best hope for a future basedon renewable energy. “Hydrogen is the most environmen-tally friendly fuel. With every otherfuel you get undesirable componentslike carbon dioxide and poisonousmaterials, but hydrogen onlyleaves water. There are a lot ofproblems to solve, however,before we’re able to manufac-ture huge quantities of cleanand inexpensive energy andstore it for use when needed.”The photoelectrochemical

process, also known as artifi-cial photosynthesis, mimics thenatural one whereby plants

convert light intochemical energy.

Artificial photosynthesis converts solarenergy intohydrogen bysplitting waterinto hydrogenand oxygen,using simpleprinciples ofsemiconductorelectrochemistry.

“We are using the porous structureof iron foams,” Korin says, “whichpermits light penetration, and coatingthem with iron oxide as a catalyticlayer to exploit them as photoanodes. “The catalysts we’re developing arebased on biomimetic molecules calledmetalloporphyrins. These interestingsynthetic molecules have similar struc-tural properties to hemoglobin, whichtransfers oxygen within living organ-isms. We expect that the incorporation

of these molecules in the porous sub-strates is an important step towarddeveloping simple, inexpensive, andlarge-scale hydrogen generationdevices.” A similar approach is beingadopted by the team in order to purifywastewater from organic contaminants. Korin and Bettelheim envision asystem in which hydrogen is pro-duced by the photoelectrochemicalprocess and transferred as a fuel to afuel cell. However, given the currentstate of fuel cell technology, wide-spread commercialization of these

Dr. Erez Gilad


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Prof. Armand Bettelheim Prof. Eli Korin

An image from a scanning electron microscope of macroporous iron foam, which Prof. Korin'steam treats with heat. This material may be usedto create anodes for a process that splits waterinto hydrogen and oxygen.


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devices remains elusive. The team isworking to improve the cells. Fuel cells operate with a continu-ous supply of hydrogen to the anode,where it is oxidized, while oxygen(either pure or from air) is fed to the cathode where it is reduced. An electrolyte polymer membrane sandwiched between the two sideschannels protons from the anode to the cathode. The cells provide efficient electrochemical energy conversion with only environmentallybenign water emission. The most important problem withthese cells is high cost. Currently, thecatalyst material used for both the anodeand cathode is platinum, which isincreasingly expensive. Moreover, sincethis catalyst is supported by carbon, stability issues arise because the carboncorrodes and platinum is poisened by impurities. Together with collectingplatinum particles, this corrosion canproduce poisonous substances. Korin’s group is experimenting with a process that incorporates non-precious metal catalysts into conductive substrates, using simplepreparation procedures followed by a thermal treatment. The result is an inexpensive, porous, foam-like catalytic fuel cell electrode. The lab is currently testing its performance. The fuel cell’s polymer membranealso offers room for improvement,Korin says. The usual membrane,Nafion, is commercially produced andhas very good mechanical properties.“But it cannot be used at high temperatures because its conductivitydepends on its water content. If thetemperature goes up, water evapo-rates and activity goes down, makingthis a major disadvantage.” Korin’s team is investigating a newkind of membrane. Its conductivitydoes not depend on water, but is basedon ionic liquid. However, he notes, its mechanical properties must beimproved compared to the currentlyavailable Nafion membrane. Thegroup is experimenting with variousadditives to accomplish this. Other recent projects the group is

involved in are the electrochemicalconversion of natural gas into liquidmethanol fuel and the capture ofozone-depleting carbon dioxide andits electrochemical reduction into useful fuels. The basic research Korin’s lab isdeveloping promises applications forboth big system energy production,like electrical stations, and smallerscale needs such as car engines. Theteam has collected impressive publica-tion credits, grants and patents for itswork thus far, but Korin doesn’t under-estimate the obstacles to creating, storing and using renewable energy. “Twenty years ago it was predictedthat fuel cells would be widely commercialized ‘soon,’ but it hasn’thappened,” he observes. “We have a long way to go in the science andthe technology routes in order toachieve that.”

ELECTRIFYING YEASTAND SNAILS FORMICRO POWERProf. Lital Alfonta came to BGU eightyears ago with a personal vision: tocombine her Ph.D. and postdoctoralwork in bioelectronic chemistry andsynthetic biotechnology. Many of her

lab’s current projects, focusing onhow to control the electrochemistry of microorganisms, depend on thisunusual combination of skills. The research may sound highlyacademic, but the long-range goalsare practical: first, to create fuel cellsmade of bacteria or yeast that willremediate pollution or treat waste inhighly efficient ways, and second, tocreate biofuel cells for implant in the

body that operate on the glucose ofthe blood system. Some experiments start with baker’syeast. “Instead of using it for baking,we genetically engineer the yeast cellsto become electro-active. We forcethem to transfer electrons from oneside to the other by plugging in engi-neered enzymes that are displayed on

An array of biofuel cells using baker's yeast to generate electricity

“We want to see if we can produce electricity from glucose levels in theblood. If so, a pacemaker could be self-fueled.”

— PROF. LITAL ALFONTA


the yeast surface. We were the firstteam in the world to show that E coliand yeast can be modified to do this.” The biggest challenge, Alfontaexplains, is “wiring” the yeast or bacteria cells to electrodes. This isachieved by the incorporation ofamino acids that aren’t natural to the microorganism into the protein at a specific site. “It’s a system for hacking into the genetic code andencoding an unnatural trait not selected by evolution.” Electrified bacteria cells may have a future in various environmentalapplications; for example, they mightserve as catalysts for the energysource in devices to treat pollutedwater and domestic and industrialwaste. When the basic science isaccomplished and the system is optimized, working with environ-mental and electrical engineers willbe the next step, Alfonta says. Another application the lab workson is even more futuristic: micro-scalebiofuel cells for implantation in thehuman body. “We want to see if wecan produce electricity—and enoughof it—from glucose levels in theblood. If so, a pacemaker or glucose-sensing device could be self-fueled by glucose to produce that energy.” To prove the concept, she hasworked with Prof. Evgeny Katz of

Clarkson Universityin New York to make “living batteries” of snails,and more recently,clams. Biocatalytic electrodes areimplanted and electrical power,physiologically produced by glucose in theblood, is extractedand measured. “It worked verynicely,” Alfontasays. “And the snailwas fine, and sowere the clams—they were returned

to the stream they were taken from.” Applications to monitor the

environment and keep it secure areenvisioned. Long-range prospects for using small creatures to produce sustainable electric micropower may

move us toward the cyborgs of science fiction—creatures that are partanimal, part machine, Alfonta notes. Incorporating unnatural amino acidsinto protein is also a key interest forthe pharmaceutical industry, and it

offers an important new research tool,as well. “It’s the only technique thatallows you to modify proteins in avery specific way so you can introducenew functions,” Alfonta says. “One of my missions is to makethe technique more robust and moreaccessible. I’ve helped many teams inIsrael use the tool, and in the future, I hope to build a kit that researcherscan buy with the unnatural aminoacid they choose for use in their ownlabs. We’re working on that.” Alfonta collaborates with researchersin the United States and Israel, as wellas China, Germany and the CzechRepublic. A favorite collaborator fromBGU’s Department of Chemistry isProf. Michael Meijler—he also happensto be her husband. “There’s a lot ofsynergy in our work and when weoverlap, we’re happy to collaborate.His lab helps me solve my syntheticchemistry problems.” Alfonta observes that her lab’s work serves basic science well. “We’re creating something that is completelynew and has useful functions, but we don’t yet understand the electrontransfer mechanisms. We engineer our systems in a way that will give us better insights into the natural systems.” She thoroughly enjoys these experiments. “It’s so exciting! I can’tstop working on it!”

Prof. Lital Alfonta is a member ofBGU’s Department of Life Sciencesand is affiliated with the Departmentof Chemistry, the Edmond J. SafraCenter for the Study and Engineeringof Functional Biopolymers, the IlseKatz Institute for Nanoscale Scienceand Technology, and the NationalInstitute for Biotechnology in theNegev. She holds the Elaine S. andAlvin W. Wene Career DevelopmentChair in Biotechnology Engineering,and this year was named one ofIsrael’s 50 most influential women by Globes, Israel’s oldest daily financial newspaper. n

To learn more about BGU's EnergyInitiative, visit www.aabgu.org/energy

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This snail is producing electricity through amethod that may one day power small electron-ics. The snail was unharmed by the experiment.

Prof. Lital Alfonta and her husband and sometimes research partner, Prof. Michael Meijler, make beautiful chemistry together.

MANY YOUNG PEOPLE of SouthernIsrael face a number of obstacles inachieving the kind of education that leads to a good future. Especiallyin science and math, schools in the region often lack the basics. Well-equipped laboratories are scarce and so are qualified teachers. For Bedouin students, the chal-lenges are even greater. “They don’tspeak Hebrew well, and their socio-economic state is the lowest in Israel,” says Rachel Knoll. “Manylive in shacks without electricity or running water.” Another problem is a difference ineducational experience. “Their schoolsare more traditional—children learnto listen and respect the authority of what they’re told rather than thinkindependently.” Knoll directs an ambitious new ini-tiative—The Jusidman Science Center

for Youth—dedicated to remediatingthe periphery’s lack of technical andscience education andintroducing students tothe pleasures and possi-bilities of academia. The Center is a jointventure between theUniversity, the RashiFoundation, KerenDaniel (the Jusidmanfamily foundation), theMinistry of Education,and the municipality ofBeer-Sheva. It will soonoccupy its own new building onBGU’s Marcus Family Campus, but already operates a number of programs on University grounds. The goal is to provide opportunitiesfor bright teenage students, interestthem in higher education, and ultimately increase the number of science students. Beyondoffering the best path toupward mobility,

this effort is considered critical toIsrael. The country sees an alarming

trend away from interest in technical education. Establishing the

Jusidman Center is timelygiven the planned reloca-tion of the Israel DefenseForce’s technology units tothe Negev. Skilled employ-ees will be needed, andjob opportunities will bereal for those who qualify.“We look for the best

students and give themchallenging programs they can advancein,” Knoll says. These include:Science Days: Seventh to 12th graderscome to BGU to learn about universi-ty life and spend time in the labs.The Marie Curie Program: Outstandingchemistry students spend Fridayslearning about the Negev’s chemicalindustry and build both technical andleadership skills.

HELPING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

Rachel Knoll

Bedouin and Jewish teens participate together inthe Center's DaVinci Program. Pictured here arephotography club students with their instructor.

I M P A C T | F a l l 2 0 1 4 23


THE JUSIDMAN SCIENCECENTER FOR YOUTH

In three years, they can complete the first year toward a degree.• Euler Progam: Students skilled inmathematics at the middle schoollevel are given advanced instruction.• Future Scientists and Inventors:Promising eighth graders enjoy a full day of study, one day per week, in physics, math, chemistry, and computers.• Robotics: Seventh to 8th graders are exposed to programming, engineering and physics, and develop skills for teamwork and problem solving.• DaVinci Progam: Seventh to 9thgraders are invited to choose from a number of courses given one afternoon weekly, ranging from photography to Java programming,puzzles, chemistry, and physics in motion. Of the Negev’s 550,000 residents,about 180,000 are Bedouin. Thougheligible for all programs, in manycases Bedouin students are not prepared. “Future Scientists is a veryprestigious program that aims toencourage the new generation ofIsraeli scientists,” Knoll says.

“We pick students one by onethrough a series of tests. Last year we didn’t include Bedouins becausethey couldn’t pass the tests. So wedecided it was our ambition to include them the next year.” To accomplish this, 12 students weregiven two intensive weeks of pre-academic training with a special lec-turer following up to reinforce learning.Mentors were supplied to translate the material during the test. ThreeBedouins succeeded in passing the test. “We plan a special course in Hebrewlanguage for them. We absolutelyintend to give special attention to helping Bedouins. If you want tostrengthen the population you have to create these programs. “It’s very important to them. We see how dedicated they are. Theyconcentrate so hard, not to lose aword of the lectures.” The DaVinci Program, named forthe Renaissance master of all arts, is already a success with youngBedouins. Of the 170 students in theprogram, 60 are Bedouins from Rahat,the largest Bedouin town in Israel andclose neighbor to BGU. Enthusiasticdoctoral students lecture in science,math, photography, and more. “They teach from their own knowledge and experience,” Knollsays. “We don’t give them writtenprograms. DaVinci is a real success,especially since the Jewish and Arabstudents do things together. Thisbreaks barriers and builds bridges to real cooperation.” Knoll finds that the opportunitiesare even more important to the girlsthan the boys. “They concentratemore and do all the lessons—sit in the first row and write down everything. The girls in the Arabgroup are very interested in scienceand math—and very successful at it.”However, the programs earmarked forthe gifted draw more boys. “Usuallythe girls think they’re not goodenough even though the reality showsthis not to be true,” Knoll believes. An overriding program goal is to

transform all the young Bedouins into more active learners. “We wantthem to be more critical, not takeeverything as correct,” Knoll explains.“We really work on that with thosewho come from a more conservative,traditional society. It takes time tobreak this barrier, but we see a lot of success.” One example is a Bedouin boywho took the robotics course, entereda competition with his team and won first place. “He was so proudand excited! We made him a captainat the end of the year and gave him a party. He took the pictureshome and hung them above his bed. When I asked him to mentor the younger students next year hecouldn’t believe it: ‘Really? Are youserious! I can be there?’” Knoll welcomes a future with many such moments. “I believe that if you believe inyoung people, they will have a great future. You have to give them opportunities to grow. When you givethem the right conditions they willgrow—and the sky is the limit.” n


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"Future engineers" in the Center's robotics program at a competition

Seeking to recruit girls into engineering fields, an all-female group built this "girl power" basketball-playing robot and entered it in a national competition.

FOR OSAMA ABUGANEM, BGU’s brandnew Support Center for Students withDisabilities is a place “where you can’tfeel alone. You feel you are with manyfriends—other people like me, andgood people you can ask for any helpyou need.” Twenty-four year oldOsama, who has learning disabilities, isstudying for a master’s in social workafter completing his bachelor’s at BGU. For Merav Yosef-Solomon, chief of administration in the Office ofthe Dean of Students, the Centerembodies a dream five years in themaking. “We recognized thatmany BGU students have disabilities and weren’t gettingthe help they needed.” So when the NationalInsurance Institute of Israelappealed to the universitiesto establish support centers five years agoand offered funding, shemade sure that BGUanswered the appeal.And as of one year agothe University became thefirst in Israel to house such a center. Individuals with physical,mental, emotional, or learn-ing disabilities are all served.The idea is right in line withthe University’s pioneeringspirit, Yosef-Solomonobserves, and also its abilityto pursue a valuable goal overan extended period of time. In addition to building the

program, government budgeting hadto be dealt with and experienced specialists had to be recruited. “This is a project that fits us like aglove,” says BGU President Prof. RivkaCarmi. “To be the first in Israel with such an initiative is extremelyimportant and aligns with our missionto meet community needs—in thiscase we are providing true equalopportunity to a segment of our own BGU community.” The Center offers extensive, sustained support. The staff of sevenincludes psychologists, a social worker and a specialist on learningprocesses. Students also work at the Center, but not as volunteers,Yosef-Solomon stresses. “We select

excellent students and we payand train them.”

Students are paired withcoordinators for ongoingguidance. The coordinatorshelp their charges createpersonalized learning plans and promote their academic, social and lifeskills. Each student isadvised on selecting the rightclasses, and coordinatorskeep in close contact withfaculty to prevent problemsfrom developing. Yosef-Solomon estimates

that at least 2,000 students

can benefit from the Center’s help. Last November—the first month it was open—200 had already visited.Getting the word out is a major challenge. “We want every man andwoman on campus to know there is a Center like this and that it is herefor them,” she says. Like Osama, Yosef-Solomonbelieves the Center’s overriding valueis in giving the disabled population a community. “I think this is the firsttime that disabled students on ourcampus can feel like everyone else,and not be isolated,” she says. “A student who is blind or deaf, orwho has cerebral palsy, may have no friends on campus.” To address that typical situation, theCenter is designed to help the disabledmix with other students. “One of ourgoals is for other students to recognizethem, become their friends, understandand be more patient with them—andwe want the University staff to do thatas well.” She organizes meetings withthe academic departments to explain the difficulties disabled students face and how they can be supported. The Center’s location in the Zlotowski

Student Center on the Marcus FamilyCampus intrinsically promotes the goal of more mixing. “We provide aquiet place to study so even students without disabilities want to come. The technology room is a specialdraw, and they can use it if they’rewith a member. So now our disabledstudents have a special place and caninvite others to join them!” n

Osama Abuganem is both a clientand employee of the SupportCenter. He works as a part-timeconsultant for its career center.

BGU OPENS ISRAEL’S FIRST SUPPORT CENTERFOR STUDENTS WITHDISABILITIES

Merav Yosef-Solomon


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Larry Goodman, Honorary ChairSteven Franklin, Director(847) [email protected]

EXPLORING THE JEWISH BALKANS The Great Lakes Region was well represented on AABGU’s extraordinaryEast Meets West: Journey Through theJewish Balkans tour in May. Theregion’s contingent included Alan andMarcia Cahn, Ernie and Judith Simonand Allen Lapporte travelling with hisbrother, Seymour.

BGU’S ANNUAL BOARD OF GOVERNORS Mort and Arline Doblin and RichardGoldstein joined Regional DirectorSteven Franklin in the Negev for BGU’s44th Board of Governors Meeting. Several individuals from the GreatLakes Region were recognized amongBGU’s most loyal supporters at a beautiful ceremony on campus. Jerry and Gene Hankin’s names wereadded to the Founders Wall. ThomasPick and the Paul and Pearl CaslowFoundation were added to the NegevSociety Wall. The name of Stephan Sharf (ofblessed memory), which was inscribedshortly before his passing, was on display in the Living Legacy Garden.This garden honors those who make a planned gift during their lifetime toAABGU for the University. A highlight of the event was theinauguration of the President’s Pillars,recognizing the University’s most mag-nanimous supporters, who have givengifts of $5 million dollars or more.Their names are now inscribed on thestone pillars that traverse the KreitmanPlaza in the heart of campus. Great Lakes Pillar Larry Goodmanwas unable to be in Beer-Sheva for theinduction ceremony. On a visit to theU.S. shortly after the meeting, BGUPresident Prof. Rivka Carmi presented

Larry with his Pillar’s award in the presence of his granddaughters, LindseyLopatin and Michele Lopatin Taylor.

LOCAL MILESTONES AND EVENTS June marked the first anniversary ofBGU’s water research collaborationwith the University of Chicago (UC)and UC’s affiliate Argonne NationalLaboratory. To mark the occasion, UC PresidentRobert Zimmer hosted a reception inProf. Carmi’s honor at his residencewith Ernie and Judith Simon, andRachel Goodman Sturges and RushSturges in attendance. An initial fivepromising joint research projects are

advancing as part of the collaboration. The Great Lakes Region is anticipat-ing more visits by BGU researchersand faculty this year. You’re invited toattend these interesting and informa-tive local events.

GOING TO ISRAEL? VISIT BGU A number of supporters from theGreat Lakes Region have recently visited the BGU campus while inIsrael on family trips or for businesspurposes. If you’re planning a trip toIsrael, contact the regional office toarrange a campus tour and meetingswith faculty and researchers.

REGIONAL NEWS

GREAT LAKES

1. Alan Cahn, Marcia Cahn, Ernie Simon, JudithSimon, and Allen Lapporte on AABGU’s East MeetsWest: Journey Through the Jewish Balkans tour2. BGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi recently metwith renowned industrialist, philanthropist andAABGU supporter Lester Crown (left). Lester’s son,Steve, and Crown Family Foundation representa-tives also attended. 3. BGU President Prof. RivkaCarmi presents Pillar's award to Larry Goodmanin the company of his granddaughters.

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GREATER FLORIDAADVISORY COMMITTEERichard N. Bernstein, Robert Colton, Alan Hurst, Max Javit, Billy Joel,Edward Kaplan, Jan Liff, Joel Reinstein, Lyon Roth, Marty WeinbergElise Dolgow,DirectorReva Feldman, Associate Director(561) [email protected]

UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF DAVID BEN-GURION’S ARCHIVESThe Greater Florida Region recentlyhosted Dr. Paula Kabalo, director of the Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism. A cocktail reception was hosted by Richard N. Bernstein, nationalboard member, and GreenbergTraurig in Miami. Dr. Kabalo also met with ArthurJaffe, founder of the Arthur and Mata Jaffe Center for Book Arts atFlorida Atlantic University in BocaRaton. Jaffe knew David Ben-Gurionat the time of the founding of theState of Israel.

CELEBRATING ISRAEL AT COMMUNITY EVENTS BGU master’s students in Israel studies,Shani and Nir Boneh, spoke at “YouAre Israel Day” at ongregation OhevShalom in Orlando. Shani and Nir serve as shlichim(Israel emissaries) at the JewishFederation of the Palm Beaches. Their passion for BGU shined as they spoke about the growth of theNegev and the University’s high-tech innovations. In attendance were longtime supporters Norman andMegan Rubenstein who recently visited BGU with their family.

The region also participated inPalm Beach County’s IsraelIndependence Day celebration at City Place.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS AND SPECIAL BGU VISITSThe Greater Florida Region was wellrepresented at BGU’s 44th Board ofGovernors Meeting in May. Attendeesincluded Billy and Sandra Joel, Maxand Rachel Javit, Joel Reinstein, andLenny Roth.

Also in May, Rich Bernstein had theunique experience of spending theday conducting research at the DavidBen-Gurion Archives in Sede Boqer,as well as visiting BGU’s MarcusFamily Campus in Beer-Sheva. Al and Phylis Newman, Herb Siegeland Sydelle Sonkin enjoyed visitingBGU for the first time in June. Many exciting events are plannedfor the winter season. The regionalleadership invites you to join them at one or more of these opportunities.

1. Norman Lipoff and Dr. Paula Kabalo at the law offices of Greenberg Traurig in Miami 2. Billy Joel,Jerry Herman, Sylvia Herman and Sandra Joel with BGU students (in green t-shirts) during the Boardof Governors 3. Prof. Alon Friedman, chair of BGU’s Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Sol Freedman,Dorothy Levy, Ray Rothstein at The Chesterfield in Palm Beach 4. Al and Phylis Newman (left) of Palm Beach County visited BGU for the first time in June. They are pictured here with (left to right)Maya Panker, Ethiopian aliyah students coordinator; Avi Shbahat, student in the Department ofGeography and Environmental Development; Merav Yosef-Solomon, chief of administration in the Dean of Students Office. 5. Norman Rubenstein with BGU graduate students Nir and Shani Boneh celebrating Israel Day in Orlando

REGIONAL NEWS

GREATERFLORIDA

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Lite Sabin, ChairKevin M. Leopold Executive Director –NortheastJay Leipzig Senior Philanthropic AdvisorDiane RomirowskyMajor Gifts DirectorDana Ben-Benyamin Program Manager(646) 452-3703 [email protected]

AN UNFORGETABLE EXPERIENCE IN THE BALKANSIn May, several members of the GreaterNew York Region joined fellow ABGUfriends and supporters from around thecountry on East Meets West: JourneyThrough the Jewish Balkans. The tourwas led by BGU’s Dr. Eliezer “Eli” Papo,a Sarajevo native and non-residentrabbi of the Jewish community ofBosnia and Herzegovina. Gail Billig, from Englewood, NewJersey, knew this was an experienceshe couldn’t pass up. She recalled thetime several years ago when, on alate night flight back from Israel, she looked out her window and sawthe illuminated lights of the Balkansbelow, and thought to herself that she knew nothing about that part of the world. When Billig learned aboutAABGU’s trip to the Jewish Balkans,she jumped at the chance to join. “It was the perfect time to experiencethe history of the region, with theupcoming commemoration of the100th anniversary of the beginning of WWI,” she says. “It was an opportunity to learnabout the past and current Jewishcommunities under the guidance ofthe wonderful Dr. Eliezer Papo andthe very professional organization ofthe trip by AABGU’s Gabe Most [vice

president for programs and events]. “I was struck and heartened by the significant interaction between thevarious religious communities and the ease with which Muslims,Christians and Jews seem to live andcommunicate together,” says Billig. The group visited a variety of historic sites and was treated to exclusive access to view the famousSarajevo Hagaddah at the NationalMuseum of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Trip participant Evelyn Kenvin, ofManhattan, adds, “The AABGU trip tothe Balkans provided a unique andexciting lesson in history. Highlightsincluded the corner in Sarajevo whereWWI began; the fascinating history ofthe Sephardic community in theBalkans; and an introduction to theethnic issues that have dictated somuch of the history of the area.” Jay Leipzig, AABGU’s senior philanthropic advisor, summed up the experience by saying, “Perhapsthe best part of our journey was the people with whom we travelled.

There was warmth, sharing laughterand singing. Many dates were set for getting together once we returnedto New York.”

STRONG CONTINGENT AT BOARD OF GOVERNORSThe Greater New York Region wasproudly represented at this year’sBoard of Governors Meeting at BGUby several influential and instrumentalmembers of the local AABGU com-munity. One of the highlights was theinauguration of the President’s Pillars,honoring those who have contributed$5 million or more to the University. Arnold M. Bengis, Mark Blechnerand Jane Bressler, Lloyd Goldman,Alex Goren, and Roy J. Zuckerbergwere recognized at the moving dedication ceremony on campus. A gala dinner celebrating thePresident’s Pillars, at the breathtakingBeresheet Hotel in Mitzpe Ramon,featured a performance by Israelientertainer Yehoram Gaon.

GREATER NEW YORK

1. Gail Billig of New Jerseyand Allan Lapporte ofChicago enjoy a lightmoment during a bus stop on AABGU’s Journeythrough the Jewish Balkans.

2. National Board MemberCarol Kimmel (right) andSusan Stock in Sarajevo

3. Roy J. Zuckerberg, chairman emeritus of BGU’s board of governors, accepts Pillar’s award fromProf. Rivka Carmi.

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Stephen Breslauer and Arline Guefen, ChairsEllen Marcus, Austin ChairDeborah K. Bergeron, Director(713) [email protected]

BREAKTHROUGH DIABETES TREATMENT IN SAN ANTONIOThe Greater Texas Region visited San Antonio this spring with Dr. EliLewis, director of BGU’s Clinical Islet Laboratory. Dr. Lewis had the opportunity tomeet Zach Heffernan, an 11-year-oldboy, who received the breakthroughtype 1 diabetes treatment developedby his team. The treatment uses Alpha 1Antitrypsin (AAT), an anti-inflammatorydrug generally used to treat emphysema. In clinical trials, AAT has shown promise in reducing insulin dependence in type 1 diabetes patients, and, in some cases, eliminating the need for insulin injections. Thanks to Dr. Lewis’s treatment,Zach went from receiving more thannine shots a day to virtually none in less than eight weeks. Zach’s mother, Dana Green, first learnedabout the treatment when researching type 1 diabetes online shortly afterZach was diagnosed. Dr. Lewis says it will most likely be two years before AAT would beapproved by the FDA for widespreaduse for diabetes treatment. The Heffernan-Green family hassince become the first major donor to AABGU from San Antonio.Dana looks forward to helping theorganization connect to more supporters in the area.”

GREATER TEXAS AT THE BOARD OF GOVERNORSThe Greater Texas Region was wellrepresented at the 44th Annual Boardof Governors Meeting, led by regionalchairs Stephen Breslauer and ArlineGuefen, joined by Ben Guefen. One of the highlights was the inauguration of the President’s Pillars,honoring those who have contributed$5 million or more to the University. Greater Texas Pillars included theSamuel and Helene Soref Foundationrepresented by Ben, Stephen and JimBreslauer, and Lottie and Howard(z”l) Marcus represented by EllenMarcus, Austin chair. The names of those being recog-nized were inscribed on the pillared

walkway that traverses the centralquad of the Marcus Family Campus. Another exciting event was thededication of the American AssociatesVillage at Sede Boqer, an internationalstudent housing complex, whichincludes the Soref-Breslauer TexasFoundation Building and the Edith & Robert Zinn and Nan Zinn HaarBuilding. After the dedication, the AABGUgroup toured several apartmentswhere they were graciously hosted bystudent residents, many of whom aremarried with children.

GREATER TEXAS

1. Dr. Eli Lewis with Dana Green, Zack Heffernan and Claire Heffernan in San Antonio 2. The Samuels-Levy family, of Houston’s Jewish Herald-Voice, accepts the AABGU David Ben-Gurion Leadership Award,designed by internationally recognized glass sculptor Bill Meeks. 3. Ellen Marcus accepts the Pillar’saward from BGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi 4. David Bergeron and Regional Director Deborah Bergeronin front of the newly dedicated Edith & Robert Zinn and Nan Zinn Haar Building in the AmericanAssociates Village at Sede Boqer

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REGIONAL NEWS

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Jack R Bershad, Regional ChairMarla and Dr. Robert ZipkinPhiladelphia Chapter ChairsClaire Winick, DirectorSeth Bloom, Associate Director(215) 884-4510 [email protected]

MURRAY H. SHUSTERMAN CONTRIBUTES TO BGU’S SECURITY Longtime donor Murray H.Shusterman, an AABGU nationalboard member and BGU governor,made a significant contribution overthe summer that will enable the construction of a much neededenclosed and secure gate for theentrance of BGU’s Marcus FamilyCampus in Beer-Sheva. A prominent attorney and educator,Shusterman may be the lay leadermost closely associated with BGU in the Philadelphia community. The Murray H. Shusterman Gateand security structure will encompass6,400 square feet, featuring an updated security detection and alert system. It will have two covered and barrier-equipped lanes for the inspection and movement of vehiculartraffic. The Shusterman Gate will also have an air-conditioned, modernlobby/entrance hall and an attractivepassageway for pedestrians.

NEW PITTSBURGH CHAPTERAttorney Jeffrey Letwin, of the lawfirm Schnader, Harrison, Segal andLewis LLP, was named the chapter’sfirst chair. AABGU looks forward tomaking new friends in Pittsburgh.

EVENTS AROUND THE REGION• Dr. Eli Lewis visited the region forthe first time this spring. New friendswere made and new funds wereraised for his research to develop a cure for type 1 diabetes.

A reception was held with Dr.Lewis in the Princeton area, a first forAABGU, hosted by Laurie and DanielBershad, children of Helen andRegional Chair Jack Bershad. Dr. Lewis spoke at the home of Dr. Eydie Rudman and her husband,Howard Levin. He also spoke at aregional board of directors luncheonhosted by Jack Bershad, and at theWatermark retirement community. • With Main Line Reform Temple, the region hosted Gil Hoffman, chiefpolitical correspondent and analystwith The Jerusalem Post, for an IsraelIndependence Day event.• Past Philadelphia Chapter Chair Ann Waldman and fiancé Robert Wolf hosted Prof. Eilon Adar, director ofBGU’s Zuckerberg Institute for WaterResearch, in their home shortly afterdiscovering that Prof. Adar and Robertare cousins.• The Philadelphia Chapter joinedIsrael Bonds and Saks Fifth Avenuefor “Giving is Always in Fashion,” a reception and fashion show.• AABGU’s booth was proudly on display at the community’s Israel 66 event.• BGU’s Center for Women’s HealthStudies and Promotion leaders, Dr.Dorit Segal-Engelchin and Prof. JulieCwikel, reported on their programsthat enrich the lives of women andtheir families at a “Women of Vision”committee luncheon and a receptionhosted by Sylvia Brodsky.• Over 40 leaders gathered at thehome of Susan Weikers Balaban andDr. Donald Balaban to thank Connieand Sam Katz for an outstanding termas Philadelphia chairs and to welcomeMarla and Dr. Rob Zipkin as their successors.• At a “Shalom Luncheon,” AABGUbid farewell to Prof. Amos Drory andwelcomed Prof. Steven Rosen to theposition of BGU’s vice president forexternal affairs.

MID-ATLANTIC

1. Newly appointed Philadelphia Chapter Chairs,Dr. Robert and Marla Zipkin, participated inPhiladelphia’s community-wide Israel 66 celebration 2. Murray H. Shusterman with BGUPresident Prof. Rivka Carmi 3. Jeff Letwin,Pittsburgh Chapter chair, and his wife Roberta,with David and Meryl Ainsman 4. Seth Bloomjoined the Mid-Atlantic Region as associate director. Seth brings some 25 years of experiencein the areas of fundraising, strategic planning,marketing, and leadership development.

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Max Schechner, PresidentKevin M. LeopoldExecutive Director – NortheastJay Leipzig Senior Philanthropic AdvisorDiane Romirowsky Major Gifts OfficerDana Ben-Benyamin Program Manager

(646) [email protected]

EXAMINING BGU’S SOLUTIONS TO WATER SCARCITY The New England Region returned to the Temple Emanuel community in Newton for a fabulous program co-sponsored by the temple’s IsraelAction Committee and various co-chairs, including the temple’sBrotherhood and CJP Israel Advocacy. The evening’s speaker was Prof. Eilon Adar, director of BGU’sZuckerberg Institute for Water Researchat the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, located on theUniversity’s Sede Boqer Campus. Prof. Adar is a highly regarded expertin arid zone hydrology and MiddleEast water issues, serving as one ofIsrael’s leading water consultants in its1994 peace treaty with Jordan. He delivered an impassionedoverview to over 150 guests about thewater-related issues facing the regionand solutions Israel has implementedto overcome these challenges. One of the most important pointsProf. Adar shared was that there is cooperation among Israeli scientists and their counterparts from surrounding countries aroundwater resources, which may not be common knowledge. “In a region where all major water sources, rivers, streams, andgroundwater aquifers cross inter-national boundaries, water scarcitycan be used as a catalyst for regional cooperation,” says Adar.

NEW ENGLAND NEWS FROM THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS BGU’s international family of friendsand supporters came together in Mayto celebrate many exciting develop-ments at the University. During the opening plenary session,Douglas Krupp was formally wel-comed as a new member of the Boardof Governors, proudly continuing thelegacy of his parents, Bernice andPhilip Krupp z”l. Also part of the meeting events, students from the Avram and Stella

Goldstein-Goren Department ofBiotechnology Engineering, who competed last fall in the prestigiousInternational Genetic EngineeringMachine (iGEM) competition at MIT, showcased their impressiveresearch for BGU’s friends fromaround the world. The students explained the significance and potential of theirresearch that uses a self-destructingmechanism in “good” bacteria thatreleases antibiotics to treat patients.

NEW ENGLAND

Above: Northeast ExecutiveDirector Kevin Leopold and Major Gifts DirectorDiane Romirowsky present alimited edition lithographsigned by Prime MinisterDavid Ben-Gurion to DebbieDeBotton and Louise Wolfe.

Right: Prof. Eilon Adar with Debbie DeBotton and Louise Wolfe

REGIONAL NEWS

REGIONAL NEWS

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Judith Alterman, DirectorDaphna NoilySenior Philanthropic Advisor(415) [email protected]

TOP HONORS FOR NORTHWEST DONORSNorthwest Region supporters received much-deserved honors atBGU’s 44th Board of GovernorsMeeting in May. Nahum Guzik, founder of GuzikTechnical Enterprises of MountainView, was awarded an honorary doctorate from BGU for his outstand-ing leadership in Silicon Valley in the field of mechanical engineering,and for his magnanimous generosityto BGU. He was also honored at the dedication of the Guzik FamilyBuilding for BiotechnologyEngineering, which is now under construction. Guzik was accompaniedby his niece, Kira Makagon ofHillsborough, an entrepreneur whowas visiting BGU for the first time. Donning hardhats and radiantsmiles, Lorry Lokey of Atherton andhis partner, Joanne Harrington, placed the cornerstone for the newLorry I. Lokey Chemistry Building,which will be equipped to take BGU to the forefront of advancedchemistry research in Israel. Both Guzik and Lokey were induct-ed into the President’s Pillars, whichrecognizes donors who have con-tributed $5 million or more to BGU.Also honored as President’s Pillarswere Daniel E. Koshland, Jr. z”l andthe Helen and Sanford Diller FamilyFoundation. At the dedication of the AmericanAssociates Village at Sede Boqer, Harryand Carol Saal, Coby and Riki Dayanand Steve and Sonny Hurst saw firsthand how, with their support, an

essential graduate student housingcomplex has become a reality. In Beer-Sheva, the Dayans were recognized as their names wereunveiled on the Negev Society Wall at the Tamar level.

TAPPING INTO A DEEP WELL OF WATER EXPERTISESherry Morse and John Maccabee have long been passionate advocates

in their community for sustainablefood, farming and water. When they heard that Prof. EilonAdar, director of BGU’s ZuckerbergInstitute for Water Research at theJacob Blaustein Institutes for DesertResearch, would be visiting the BayArea, they gathered a group of like-minded friends and associates tomeet him at their Kensington home. Prof. Adar spoke on a very timely topic: “Overcoming WaterScarcity: What California Can Learnfrom Israel.”

NORTHWEST

1. Coby and Riki Dayan proudly point out their names on the Negev Society Tamar Wall 2. Harry andCarol Saal dedicate their garden and courtyard at the American Associates Village at Sede Boqer withBGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi 3. Nahum Guzik and his niece, Kira Makagon (sitting in the car), withstudents of the BG Racing Team and their Formula One racecar 4. Sherry Morse and John Maccabee

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Ruth Flinkman-MarandyCampaign ChairPhilip Gomperts, DirectorAndrew Hoffer, Associate Director(310) [email protected]

REMEMBERING DR. HOWARD W. MARCUSThe Southwest Region is deeply saddened by the loss of Dr. HowardMarcus, a mensch and visionary philanthropist. Together with his wife,Lottie Blumlein Marcus, Howard madea significant impact on Israel’s Negevregion through his magnanimous support of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The Marcus Family Campus inBeer-Sheva reflects Howard’s commit-ment to the University and the fulfillment of David Ben-Gurion’svision to build a world-class institu-tion of education and research in theNegev. The legacy he leaves to BGUsignifies the largest individual gift ever given to an Israeli university and will make a dramatic impact onthe University's development andgrowth for many years to come. Understanding the benefits, both to Israel and the world, of producingwater for drinking, agriculture, aquaculture, and the battle againstdesertification, the Marcuses havebeen steadfast in their support ofBGU’s Jacob Blaustein Institutes forDesert Research, endowing globalbreakthroughs in water research andscience. In 2004, Howard and Lottiewere awarded honorary doctoraldegrees in recognition of their pioneer-ing spirit, exceptional generosity and dedication to higher education. They were also recognized atBGU’s 44th Board of GovernorsMeeting at the inauguration of thePresident’s Pillars, and were repre-sented at the ceremony by their

daughter, Ellen Marcus. Howard will be sorely missed.

JIM BRESLAUER RECEIVES AN HONORARY DOCTORATE Jim Breslauer of Long Beach wasawarded an honorary doctoral degree from BGU for personallyspearheading the funding and development of Israel’s new 16-building Advanced TechnologiesPark (ATP) in Beer-Sheva. “Fifteen years ago, BGU PresidentAvishay Braverman [currently a member of Knesset] asked me to be part of developing a new industrial park next to BGU,”says Breslauer. “I worked with the partners anddevelopers, and provided initial funding. This is my chance to make a difference for the University, for theState of Israel and for the hundreds, if not thousands, of people who will one day work there.”

At the ceremony, BGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi lauded Jim, sayingthat “he is a man of great foresight, a committed partner in making theNegev bloom, who understands thearea’s need for sustainable engines of economic growth and took thelead from the outset in promoting the building of the AdvancedTechnologies Park that is turning the Negev into a thriving region forthe benefit of its residents and theState of Israel as a whole.”

BGU’S DIABETES EXPERT VISITS THE SOUTHWESTA number of families who have young children with type 1 diabetesmet with BGU’s Dr. Eli Lewis. Theylearned about his new breakthroughresearch that could offer hope inreversing the disease in recently diagnosed patients. Dr. Lewis alsospoke at meetings with local BGUsupporters.

REGIONAL NEWS

SOUTHWEST

1. Lottie and Howard z”l Marcusat BGU for the naming of theMarcus Family Campus in Beer-Sheva.2. Andrew Hoffer joined theSouthwest Region as associatedirector. Andrew brings some 20 years of experience in securing major gifts, as well asorganizing capital campaignsand special events for a broadrange of education, healthcareand social service organizations.3. Jim Breslauer receives hishonorary doctorate from BGUPresident Prof. Rivka Carmi and Rector Prof. Zvi HaCohen.

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Edie and Art HesselWashington D.C. Chapter ChairsKeren M. Waranch, DirectorDavid K. Speer, Development [email protected]

DR. ELI LEWIS SHARES GOOD NEWSWITH GOOD FRIENDSBGU’s diabetes expert Dr. Eli Lewis,director of BGU’s Clinical IsletLaboratory, has a growing fan club inthe Washington/Baltimore region.Dr. Lewis gave presentations at thehomes of Emile Bendit in Baltimoreand Nancy Greenspan in Bethesda.After the Bethesda presentation,Nancy Greenspan’s daughter, Sarah,an accomplished opera singer withtype 1 diabetes, sang two arias in Dr.Lewis’s honor. He also spoke to agroup of physicians and medical personnel at the Washington NationalsDiabetes Care Complex at Children’sNational Medical Center.

REMEMBERING A BALTIMORE HEROProf. Tuvia Friling is a senior researcherat BGU’s Ben-Gurion Research Institutefor the Study of Israel and Zionismand the official biographer of Baltimorenative Dr. Joseph Schwartz. Dr. Schwartz was head of theAmerican Jewish Joint DistributionCommittee in Europe in 1941 on theeve of the “Final Solution.” From hisoffice in Lisbon, Portugal, Schwartzdirected a rescue and relief effort thatplayed a key role in saving tens ofthousands of lives. Prof. Friling talked about the importance and challenges of writing a biography and shared details about

the unique experiences of Dr. Schwartzwith funders of the biography.

SARAJEVO AND BEER-SHEVAEight participants from the Washington/Baltimore Region joined AABGU travelers from around the country forEast Meets West: A Journey throughthe Jewish Balkans in May. The grouptoured a stunningly beautiful region of the world, while learning about thearea’s history, the importance of theSarajevo Hagaddah, and today’sJewish communities in Dubrovnik,Sarajevo and Split. They also learnedof the Jews’ devastating losses duringthe Holocaust and viewed evidence of the 1992-1995 war. Ira and Marcia Wagner and DavaBerkman, accompanied by Develop-ment Associate David Speer, represent-ed the region at BGU’s 44th Board ofGovernors Meeting in Israel. In addition, Dr. Linda Birnbaum of ChapelHill, North Carolina, director of theNational Institute of EnvironmentalHealth Sciences of the NationalInstitutes of Health, received an hon-orary doctorate from BGU.

DR. SAMUEL HALPERIN z”lThe Washington/Baltimore Region lost a dear friend in May. Dr. SamuelHalperin, a regional and national boardmember, passionately believed in BGU’smission to develop the Negev. Samalso played an active role in nurturingthe leadership skills of young people,both professionally and through hisinvestment in AABGU’s Zin FellowsLeadership Development Program. He referred many people to AABGUand understood the importance ofinspiring them to become involved. Our thoughts and prayers are withhis widow, Marlene, his children,Deena and Elan, and his six grandchil-dren. May they be comforted amongthe mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

1. Regional Director Keren Waranch; Dr. Eli Lewis;Nancy Greenspan, and her daughter, Sarah 2. Dr. Sam Halperin z”l with BGU President Prof.Rivka Carmi in August 2010 3. Schwartz biography supporter Jim Blum withbiographer Prof. Tuvia Friling

For information about what's happening in your area, please visit: www.aabgu.org/getinvolved.For information about giving opportunities or planned gifts, such as charitable gift annuities and bequests, contact your regional office or visit www.aabgu.org/plannedgiving.

WASHINGTON/BALTIMORE

REGIONAL NEWS

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PRESIDENT’S PILLARS ($5 MILLION+)

Arnold M. BengisJacob and Hilda Blaustein FoundationNorbert and Hannah BlechnerThe Helen Diller Family FoundationRuth Flinkman-Marandy and Behrouz Marandy Guilford and Diane GlazerThe Joyce and Irving Goldman Family FoundationGoldstein-Goren FamilyLillian and Larry Goodman FoundationsThe Guzik Family Foundation Helmsley Charitable TrustHarold Irving Korn, M.D. and May Elting Korn Daniel E. Koshland, Jr. Lorry I. Lokey Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel FoundationDr. Howard W. and Lottie R. MarcusMarco and Louise MitraniEric F. and Lore RossThe Skirball FoundationSamuel and Helene Soref Foundation Zoltan TomanAnita and Henry WeissRoy J. Zuckerberg Family Foundation

BEN-GURION SOCIETY ($1 MILLION+)

Goldstein-Goren FamilyRachel and Max Javit, Boca Raton, FLElias and Frances Margolin, San Diego, CA

NEGEV SOCIETY TAMAR ($500,000+)

Coby and Riki Dayan Family, Los Altos Hills, CAMelvin S. and Lolita E. Goldstein, New York, NYMarlene and Samuel Halperin, Washington, DCWalter and Vera Obermeyer, San Francisco, CARaphael and Shelley Rothstein, Palm Beach, FLRobert Sillins Family Foundation, NY

NEGEV SOCIETY ARAVA ($250,000+)

Jack and Florence Berlin, Laguna Hills, CAGertrude and Louis Feil FamilyBen Goldgur, Rohnert Park, CA Naomi, Ehud, Orly and Talia Houminer in memory of Sharon HouminerDavid and Laura Merage, Engelwood, COMilton Orchin, Cincinnati, OH

Dorothy and Moses Passer, Washington, DCThomas Pick, Northfield, ILCarole and Marcus Weinstein, Richmond, VA

NEGEV SOCIETY ESHKOL ($100,000+)

The Alvin Blum Family, Baltimore, MDPaul and Pearl Caslow Foundation, Glenview, ILAhuva and Frank Dye, Potomac, MDMoses Feldman Family Foundation, Conshohocken, PAEstate of Simon and Ethel Flegg Carl and Caroline Freeman, Anaheim, CASandra Gold, Chicago, ILMyron Goldware, Mission Viejo, CAThe Bernard F. Graham Charitable Foundations The Irwin Herberman Trust, North Hollywood, CACarl and Virginia Pearlstein Family Foundation, CA Martine Rothblatt, Satellite Beach, FLSidney Schulman, Long Beach, CAMarilyn and Jerome Senter, Hartsdale, NYMarcia and Ira Wagner, Bethesda, MDToni and Stuart B. Young, DE

FOUNDERS ($50,000 +)

Henry and Mathilde Albers, Oakland, CAHerb K. Bennett, Dallas, TXPhyllis and George Brindis, Boca Raton, FLMerle Cahn, Sun City, AZThe Arthur E. Conn Trust, Miami, FL Gertrude and Louis Feil FamilyThe Felzen Family, New York, NYEstate of Simon and Ethel Flegg Harold and Helen Fischler, Ontario, CACarl and Caroline Freeman, Anaheim, CASandra Gold, Chicago, ILBen Goldgur, Rohnert Park, CA Myron Goldware, Mission Viejo, CAThe Bernard F. Graham Charitable Foundations Gene and Jerome Hankin, Northbrook, ILThe Irwin Herberman Trust, North Hollywood, CATobee and Leonard Kaplan, Greensboro, NCElias and Frances Margolin, San Diego, CADorothy S. Millstein, Brookline, MAThe Manfred and Hilda Namm FamilyDorothy and Moses Passer, Washington, DCMartine Rothblatt, Satellite Beach, FL

Sidney Schulman, Long Beach, CAMarilyn and Jerome Senter, Hartsdale, NYLucy Fisher and Douglas Wick, Los Angeles, CAIn Loving Memory of my parents Ilona and Gyula Kürti Susanne VamosJerome H. Wenig, Boca Raton, FL

LIVING LEGACY SOCIETY(DESIGNATED A PLANNED GIFT)

Martha Alden, San Diego, CA Herb K. Bennett, Dallas, TXGeorge and Phyllis Brindis, Boca Raton, FLMargaret and Hyman Danowitz, Ft. Walton Beach, FL Michael and Judith Dorf, Tucson, AZJean and Melvin Edelman, Boynton Beach, FLLionel Fendell, Boynton Beach, FLRonald and Florence J. Forfar, Davis, FLLucille Goldberg, Boynton Beach, FLIn memory of Prof. Elisheva Axelrad GoldsteinNahum GuzikHarriet and Mervin Hartman, Boynton Beach, FLChava and Melach Holden, Melville, NYShirley Hotto, Woodside, NYEva Hubschman, Phoenix, AZMelissa and David Hurst, MEIris and Melvin Katzman, Boynton Beach, FLDeborah and Steven KleinmanEdith and Murray Leibowitz, Charlottesville, VAGreg Lipscomb, Austin, TX The Manfred and Hilda Namm FamilyGary Phillips, New York, NYThomas Pick, Northfield, ILMarian and Sheldon Sacks, Silver Spring, MDLois Shapiro, Boynton Beach, FLStephan Sharf, Bloomfield Hills, MIThe Joseph and Beverly Shore Foundation, Los Angeles, CA Shirley Adelson Siegel, New York, NYAron Szulman, Pittsburgh, PASusanne and Endre Vamos, New York, NYRobert and Doris F. Weisberg, New York, NYJerome H. Wenig, Boca Raton, FL Mona Zeehandelaar, Haverford, PA

I M P A C T | F a l l 2 0 1 4 35

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORTAABGU congratulates our philanthropic partners who joined BGU’s most prestigious societies this year.* Their names were inscribed on recognition walls on the Marcus Family Campus andunveiled at special ceremonies during the 44th Board of Governors Meeting in May 2014.

*Contributions from spring 2013 through spring 2014

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It also supports exceptional education for Israel’s young people, and forges pioneering research in medicine, renewable energies, water resource management, desert agriculture, and more.

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