Dear Friends, Supporters, Parents, and Alumni,
Please enjoy our February newsletter below. Reichman University's faculty and students are getting more and more publicity for the cutting-edge research and discoveries developed on our campus in Herzliya.
As normal life seems to be approaching, many parents are able to come to campus for the first time in years. We are thrilled to welcome all of you and please let us know when you are visiting!
Time is going by so fast. Hard to believe the spring semester will be starting soon and Passover is around the corner!
Warmest Wishes,
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Leslie Skyba
Executive Director
American Friends of Reichman University |
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Recently, Omer Adam, a popular Israeli singer, composed a song called “Kakdila.” Many Israelis interpreted this song as an insult to the character of Israelis of Russian origin. Yet, the many wonderful contributions of Russian aliyah to the State of Israel are well known. Their economic, cultural, and demographic impact on the country and to Israel, the “start-up nation,” has been profound. Indeed, this controversy led me to travel down memory lane on a personal and nostalgic journey. What I experienced on this journey refutes everything this song implies. |
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Forty-three years ago, I was an aliyah emissary of the Jewish Agency for Israel, based in the office of the consulate general in Boston. I was approached by the Prime Minister’s Office and the Nativ Organization to travel on a mission to the Former Soviet Union to visit Jewish activists and refuseniks. In 1979, there were, of course, no diplomatic relations between Israel and the Soviet Union. My partner on this mission was Mark Sokoll, then-regional director of the American Zionist Youth foundation for New England campuses, and later served as the president and CEO of JCC Greater Boston. Our mission included visits to Moscow, Leningrad, Tashkent, Bukhara, and Samarkand. |
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Prof. Varda Liberman appointed New Provost
of Reichman University
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Prof. Varda Liberman has been appointed as Reichman University’s new provost. The appointment was approved unanimously by the Higher Academic Committee and approved by the university’s board, following the recommendation of the university’s president, Prof. Rafi Melnick, and a search committee. Prof. Lieberman will replace Prof. Rafi Melnick, who was recently elected as president. |
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Prof. Lieberman, who holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from Tel Aviv University, is a renowned scholar in the international research community. Her research deals with biases and failures in thinking and decision-making processes.
As an expert in the field, she provides consulting and delivers lectures and workshops to the management of many of Israel’s leading businesses and organizations, including the legal, health, and defense establishments, high-tech companies, banks, investment firms, and startups.
Prof. Lieberman joined the university in its early days and became one of its leaders. Over the years, Prof. Lieberman has held a variety of managerial positions. Among other things, she established the math and statistics curricula within the various schools at the university, as well as the preparatory and assessment courses in these fields. She also initiated, built, and leads the MBA in Healthcare Innovation, a first-of-its-kind program in Israel, in collaboration with Global Patient Services at Sheba Medical Center-Tel Hashomer. This unique program has gained a prestigious reputation. |
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The Israeli lab where you can hear sights and feel sounds
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The BCT lab’s founding director, Prof. Amir Amedi, is a computational neuroscientist, a pioneer in multisensory research and a world expert on neuroplasticity, brain imaging and brain rehab.
Amedi’s list of accomplishments and awards is long. Very long. Suffice it to say he was named in 2015 as a Genius 100 Visionary along with several Nobel laureates. Fun fact: He’s also a tenor saxophonist with a group called the Jazz Banditos.
Neuroscientists traditionally studied each sense separately, Wald explains. Amedi was among the first to understand that all meaningful experiences are multisensory.
“There are a lot of connections between the senses. In our lab, we look at those connections and how we can create portals between the senses and even reprogram our senses.” |
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Arrows, an Israeli Start-Up by Reichman University Alums, Provides Visual Prompts to People with Autism and Social Anxiety Disorder
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Arrows, a real-time “personal assistant” feedback system, incorporated into augmented reality glasses, is designed to improve conversations and social interactions for individuals with communication challenges due to autism and social anxiety disorder. Feedback is projected onto the glasses only when needed with a minimum distraction to the field of view.
Arrows founder Eran Dvir has a background in visual communication and studied advanced interaction techniques at Reichman University’s MA in Human Computer Interaction (HCI). “I have a 16 year old daughter with Autism. It was through the HCI program that I had a light bolt moment where I realized that with my background in visual communications design, I could create an Augmented Reality app that would help her communicate more effectively with the aid of simple visual cues”. |
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| Example of AR visual cues |
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Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri provide stark reminder
of need for Data privacy awareness
By: Dov Greenbaum
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January 28th is officially Data Privacy Day in Israel, Europe, North America, and Nigeria. The day commemorates the signing of Convention 108 in 1981, arguably the entire final week of January. Notably, the US Congressional resolution which created their first Privacy Day in 2008 didn’t bother to mention the Europeans who were the first to promote it through the Council of Europe, years earlier. |
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In the case of Alexa, the device employs AI tools such as natural language processing (NLP) to both understand the questions and requests posed by one of the millions of human customers, as well as providing the underlying AI with the ability to read and process online resources to answer the queries posed by said human. |
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RRIS Student wants to use Diplomacy to Change
Diaspora Jewry's View of Israel
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“Diplomacy is one of the most important tools in today’s world: These are the words spoken by 25-year-old Mawa Eyov, whose ambition is to join the Foreign Ministry and become an ambassador representing the State of Israel.
Nina Zuck, ESRA’s chair of projects, introduced the Magazine to Eyov, a recent recruit to ESRA’s Students Build a Community (SBC) project, where she mentors four youngsters aged between 11 and 12 – three of Ethiopian origin and one whose family originates from Morocco. SBC operates in areas of severe deprivation where ESRA offers carefully chosen students the opportunity to live rent-free in exchange for mentoring the kids on the block. |
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| Mawa Eyov dreams of becoming an ambassador.
(Photo Credit: Courtesy Mawa Eyov) |
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Save the Date: Sunday, February 20, 2022
Reichman University Upcoming Virtual Information Session(s)
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We have a general virtual session taking place with Jonathan Davis, Head of the RRIS, and Vice President of External Relations taking place on Sunday, February 20th, 2022 to learn more about Reichman University firsthand.
US Times: 10:00 AM PST – 11:00 AM MDT – 12:00 PM CST – 1:00 PM EST
This session is geared towards prospective students and parents. The virtual session will enable students and parents who want to learn more about the RRIS International School and the various degrees offered. Registrars will be participating LIVE during the session to interact with applicants and answer questions.
*The Zoom Registration Link will be shared in the confirmation e-mail of your RSVP, and also re-shared one day prior to the session. |
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Save the Dates: March 6-13, 2022
Upcoming March Mini Series BA Virtual Information Session(s)
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We have a series of upcoming mini series Virtual Information Session(s) with the Heads of the RRIS Undergraduate degrees we offer at Reichman University (IDC Herzliya). This is a great opportunity for you and your parents to learn more directly from our heads of the programs about the BA degrees and ask any specific questions you may have LIVE. These sessions are degree focused, to learn more about the various degrees we offer.
Dates: March 6-13, 2022
US Times:
19:00/7:00 PM Israel Time - 9:00 AM PST – 10:00 AM MDT – 11:00 AM CST - 12:00 PM EST
20:30/8:30 PM Israel Time - 10:30 AM PST – 11:30 AM MDT – 12:30 PM CST - 1:30 PM EST
21:00/9:00 PM Israel Time - 11:00 AM PST – 12:00 PM MDT – 1:00 PM CST - 2:00 PM EST
Where: Online via Zoom
RSVP REQUIRED
(you may select more than one session to attend to learn more about the various undergraduate degrees we offer)
*The Zoom Link will be shared with those that RSVP and one day prior to the session
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RRIS Students of the Month: ASL Fellows
Noah Weiss, Allison Graub, & Jeremy Gerstein
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The Anna Sobol Levy Foundation provides fellowships to students who are already college graduates and have a background in security, and now came to Israel to pursue one of RU's Government MAs.
Read below what they've got to tell about their time here in Israel and at the RU!
Hi, my name is Noah Weiss, and I'm an Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at Reichman University. I was born and raised in New Jersey, and I recently graduated from the University of Michigan with a BS in Earth and Environmental Sciences. I'm currently enrolled at Reichman earning a Masters in Government, Conflict Studies and Diplomacy. I've been in Israel for just over three months now, and I'm loving it! I'm living in Tel Aviv and taking every opportunity to explore the country as much as I can, making great friends and learning so much along the way. After this year is over, I'll head back to the United States, where I'll commission as a US Naval Officer and attend Naval Flight School to begin my career. I can't wait to see what lies ahead during the rest of my time here!"
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| Noah Weiss, Allison Graub and Jeremy Gerstein
ASL Fellows, MA Government
Reichman University RRIS |
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"My name is Allison Graub, and I am currently an Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at Reichman University. Last year I graduated from the University of Delaware with a BA in Political Science, Arabic, and history. I have a background in private security and intelligence, and am currently getting my masters in Counterterrorism and Homeland Security. I have loved living in Israel so far, and getting to explore the country with my classmates.
Following the fellowship, I hope to return to the United States and begin a career in the national security sector. I am looking forward to what the rest of this year has to bring!"
"My name is Jeremy Gerstein and I'm from Indianapolis, Indiana. I graduated from the US Naval Academy with a Bachelor's of Science in Ocean engineering and Arabic. As an ASL Fellow I'm studying for an MA in Government specializing in diplomacy and conflict resolution. After graduating from RU, I will attend Navy Nuclear Power School and then serve aboard US submarines.
I'm loving life in Israel. Outside of school I spend most of my time playing beach volleyball, cooking with friends, and volunteering at an NGO called Pesia's Kitchen."
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Save the Date: May 31, 2022
Reichman University Class of 2021 Graduation
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