Newsroom – Page 24 – Australian Friends of Tel Aviv University

“Stay Close to Them, but Avoid Clinging to Them”

Written by AUFTAU on 9 May 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

During difficult and stressful times, children are particularly reliant on adult presence and support. They need our help to make sense of everything, and to restore their sense of security. We asked Prof. Dorit Aram, from TAU’s The Jaime and Joan Constantiner School of Education, whose area of expertise is adult-child interactions and their implications for early development, what we can do to be there for our children in the best way possible during these testing times. She had several practical tips to share with us all:

How do we explain this type of conflict to our children?

Prof. Aram: “With children who are younger than 3 years old, there’s no need to explain the overall security situation. It is better to focus on what is going on right here, in the moment. With children aged 3-5, you can start to explain that we are engaged in a fight with a country called Gaza. That’s enough. If your child asks why, you can say that we and the Gazans do not agree on where the boarders of our countries should be. They would like to get more of our country and we do not want that to happen. It is like when you want something from your friend and she doesn’t want to give it to you. So you argue.”

“For children aged 5-7, you can add in some historical context and explain that there’s a conflict going on between two peoples about territory. Both those peoples want the same thing, and they need to reach a conclusion, but right now they are stuck and they deal by shooting at each other. For the Hebrew readers among you, there’s a book called “אוזו ומוזו מכפר קאקארוזו” which can be read for the child, but really any good children’s book on conflict between neighbors can be read for the child.”

“In my experience, many parents shy away from talking about the political conflict with their children, but with children from age 5 it is actually good idea to discuss the topic. Because the children observe what’s going on, they are aware. Getting answers can ease their minds. If their parents won’t discuss it, the children will fill the gap with fear and erroneous ideas based on things they overhear. Just be careful not to monsterfy the other side. And do not let them watch the scary news on TV.”

What do we tell our children when they ask why they cannot be in kindergarten during the days?

“Explain that there may be missiles, and that right now the kindergarten teachers are not prepared or able to bring all the children to the shelter. So the children need to stay home for now. But let them know that you hope that it will end soon, so they can return to kindergarten and their friends. Tell them the truth! It is also very important to reassure them that we have the defense forces to protect us. And to remind them that when they are in the shelter, they are safe. And we, the parents, are here for them.”

How do we explain the sirens?

“You can tell children above 3 that, just like there’s Fireman Sam, we also have the defense forces to protect us. And there’s the Iron Dome. Explain to them that the sirens let us know that a missile has now left Gaza and is headed our way, so we need to quickly go to the shelter. The Iron Dome is there to stop the missiles, but we still make sure to go to the shelters where we are completely safe. “

How do we calm our children down if they are anxious?

“Parents as partners need to agree on the logistics of things and stay united and calm in front of the children. Stay close to them, but avoid clinging to them. You need to be calming them down and not the other way around. But be nice to yourself and conscious of your own needs. Speak with other adults if you are feeling anxious and need to talk. These are difficult times for everyone, so make sure that you take care of yourself. Hug your children and spend time with them. Think of things to do that tend to make them calmer – you can read to them, distract them somehow, practice some breathing techniques together (just counting breaths can be powerful), tickle them a bit or crack some jokes (laughter is very soothing), and make the shelter a nice place to hang out in – keep their favorite toys, dolls or teddy bears there. Give them responsibilities, tasks they can take care of, and let them feel in control. Try to maintain your routines as a family, to the extent possible.”

Any questions we should ask our children?

“Some parents hear other parents speak of their children’s questions, and worry because their own children don’t ask questions and that maybe something could be wrong. That’s not a reason to ask, and you should rest assured that your child might, in fact, feel fine. No need to panic.”

How will this situation affect our children in the long run?

“If this situation lasts for only a few days and the parents, meanwhile, manage to ensure that their children have routines in place, then it should be fine. However, we do not know what will be. So, I would say that it depends on the children and their sensitivity and the actions of the parents.”

The Jewish Wars?

Written by AUFTAU on 7 May 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

Last week, Tel Aviv University held an international emergency conference in collaboration with Brandeis University and the World Zionist Organization, under the title: ‘The Jewish Wars?’. The participants, including leading public and academic figures from Israel and the Diaspora, addressed the issues of Israel-Diaspora relations and the future of Jewish identity in light of the escalating crisis in the relations between Israel and world Jewry.

Conference Objectives

According to its organizers, the conference is a first step in a comprehensive academic and research effort to assist in the formulation of a new social contract for the Jewish nation – inside the state of Israel and between Israel and the Diaspora.

Healing the Growing Rift and Redefining Jewish Identity

A range of burning questions were discussed, such as:

The growing rift between Jewish communities and movements in Israel and worldwide – can it be healed and how?
Who is a Jew and who gets to decide this?
Israel and the Jewish Diaspora in the wake of the judicial overhaul
The changing nature of Jewish faith and identity in the 21st century
What can Israel learn from the Diaspora at this time?

The conference was led by two notable researchers from Tel Aviv University: former MK Prof. Yossi Shain, previously Head of The School of Political Science, and Dr. Yoav Fromer, Head of The Center for US Studies.

Partnership between TAU and Brandeis University

The conference is the first initiative of a new partnership between two major academic institutions: Tel Aviv University and Brandeis University – the world’s largest and most important liberal Jewish university, which, like Israel, is currently celebrating its 75th anniversary.

Prominent Participants and Opening Messages

The conference opened with welcoming messages from the President of Israel Isaac Herzog (recorded), TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat, and the President of Brandeis University Prof. Ronald D. Liebowitz.

Prominent participants included: Tova Dorfman, President of the World Zionist Organization; Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur, a leader of liberal French Jewry; Dani Dayan, Chairman of Yad Vashem; Prof. Rabbi Yehudah Mirsky and Prof. Leonard Saxe of Brandeis University; and other leading scholars.

WATCH: Jewish leaders from Israel and the Diaspora convened under the title: “The Jewish Wars?”

Crisis Will Shape Future of the Jewish Nation

“Israel is currently in the midst of one of the greatest crises in its history – a crisis that will impact the entire Jewish nation and shape its future,” proclaimed Prof. Yossi Shain.

“Throughout our history, Jewish wars have always been a time of great distress for our people, and this is also true today. We ask ourselves with deep concern: where is our nation headed?” – Prof. Yossi Shain

“Throughout our history, Jewish wars have always been a time of great distress for our people, and this is also true today. We ask ourselves with deep concern: where is our nation headed?”

“Long ago, at a moment of grave danger to the Jewish people, Queen Esther said to Mordechai: ‘Go, gather together all the Jews’ (Esther 4, 16). Today we also understand that to heal the rifts and find a solution we must gather all the Jews.”

“In this spirit and believing that academia must play a key role in this comprehensive effort, we have chosen to strengthen the ties between Tel Aviv University – which represents the new Israeli spirit – and Brandeis University, the world’s leading Jewish university, named after the first Jewish Justice in the US Supreme Court. This partnership, launched with the blessing of Israel’s President and supported by the Presidents of both universities, is meant to contribute to the formulation of a new social contract between Israel and world Jewry, with an emphasis on the largest and most influential community, the Jews of the US.”

“Diaspora Jewry, contending with a rise in antisemitism and a deterioration in Israel’s standing worldwide, is very worried about the nationalist and religious character of the present Israeli government.” Dr. Yoav Fromer

Understanding Reasons for Crisis, Looking for Solutions

“The relations between Israel and the Jewish Diaspora, especially the Jews living in democratic and liberal Western countries, are currently in deep crisis,” warned Dr. Yoav Fromer. “We are no longer talking about specific issues, as important as they may be, like the Jewish Ancestry Amendment to the Law of Return, or the Women of the Wall.”

“We’re not there anymore.”

“Diaspora Jewry, contending with a rise in antisemitism and a deterioration in Israel’s standing worldwide, is very worried about the nationalist and religious character of the present Israeli government. In addition, many are deeply concerned about the question of ‘Who is a Jew?’ and who has the right to decide this. This is especially critical for American Jews, who belong, for the most part, to Reform or Conservative Judaism. For them this is not merely a theoretical issue: it touches upon the daily lives of many who see themselves as Jews and raise Jewish families, after undergoing conversion that is not Orthodox, and is therefore not recognized in Israel.”

“We Israelis, on our part, must never forget that our ties with our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora are critical for us: they are our greatest allies, offering us generous financial support and defending Israel’s interests in their lands. In this conference we tried to understand the reasons for this deep crisis and began to look for solutions.”

Tel Aviv University Celebrates Long Tradition of Academic Collaboration With Mexico

Written by AUFTAU on 4 May 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

As Israel and Mexico mark 70 years of diplomatic relations, Tel Aviv University (TAU) is hosting its own “Mexico International Week” on campus between May 8-10, in celebration of its longstanding academic relations with Mexican academic institutions.

“During Mexico International Week we celebrate the strong academic relationship between our countries while also promoting understanding.” – Maureen Adiri Meyer

Decades-long Tradition of Academic Collaboration

“We’ve been collaborating with and welcoming students and scholars from Mexico for decades,” says Maureen Adiri Meyer, Director of The Lowy International School at TAU. “During Mexico International Week we celebrate the strong academic relationship between our countries while also promoting understanding .”

The first joint publication between TAU and a Mexican academic institution was published in 1970, and the first academic agreement was signed between TAU and a Mexican university, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, as far back as in 1980.

Today, there are several initiatives supporting academic exchange between the two countries, including a new potential partnership with the Guanajuato state government that would allow local students to attend TAU international programs for free, as well as the Peisach Scholarship Fund for Latin American and Brazilian students.

The Mexico building on TAU campus

“I hope Mexico International Week will spark a curiosity in the participants, prompting them to look beyond the most common images – the food, the beaches and the tequila.” – Paul Frankel

Did you know that TAU has a building named after its collaboration partner? The Mexico Building, which in part houses the Faculty of Arts, was built all the way back in 1964. Donated by members of the Jewish community in Mexico and designed by architects Dan Eitan and Yitzhak Ishar, the building won the Rockach Prize for Architecture.

Legend has it that the building was designed in one night, and the word “Mexico” was scribbled on the architectural sketch. The unofficial reference eventually became the official name of the building, which can be found right in the center of campus.

More than Tacos and Sombreros

During Mexico International Week, participants will get a closer look at the warm and dynamic culture of Mexico, through introductions to traditional food; drinks and dance; lectures on cultural identity and history; discussions on Mexico-Israel relations and more.

The Mexican Embassy will also take part in the festivities, with their own booth on the first day of the event.

Paul Frankel, an MA student with TAU’s Security & Diplomacy program, will be hosting a discussion on Mexican identity and cultural heritage (complete with Mexican sangria!). For Paul, the week of events is an opportunity to build connections between the two countries and peoples, share knowledge and dispel stereotypes: “It has been an incessant curiosity of mine to learn in depth about Mexico,” says Frankel, an Israeli who was born in Mexico and has been working in Mexican museums for several years. “I hope Mexico International Week will spark a curiosity in the participants, prompting them to look beyond the most common images – the food, the beaches and the tequila. While we’re very proud of these elements, there is just so much more to Mexico.”

Andrea Garza (photo: Rafael Ben-Menashe, Tel Aviv University)

“If you compare Tel Avivians with Mexico City residents, people are always cheerful. They love to party, embrace the balagan [/chaos] – and there is the same colorful environment.” – Andrea Garza

Mexico, Israel and the Sabra

Of course, there are many broader connections between Mexico and Israel. Take the sabra, for instance – Israel’s iconic national symbol. Did you know that the famous prickly fruit with the sweet center also happens to be a national symbol in Mexico, appearing on its flag? In fact, the plant was likely first domesticated in Mexico approximately 8,000 years ago and only later made its way to Israel.

“We really are kind of connected,” shares Andrea Garza, a Mexican anthropology MA student who is also involved in running TAU’s Mexico International Week. “If you compare Tel Avivians with Mexico City residents, people are always cheerful. They love to party, embrace the balagan [/chaos] – and there is the same colorful environment.”

Tel Aviv University’s Mexico International Week is open for everyone who would like to join. Learn more and register here.

TAU-Mexico: 5 Facts

150 international students over the past decade
1970 marks the first joint publication between TAU and the Mexican Institute
1 building at TAU named after its collaboration partner, “The Mexico Building”
50+ years for the Mexican friends of Tel Aviv University Association
383 joint publications were co-published by TAU and Mexican universities

International Study Reveals Genetic Link Between Modern Wine Grapes and Ancient Varieties

Written by AUFTAU on 4 May 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

International Study Reveals Genetic Link Between Modern Wine Grapes and Ancient Varieties.

A new study led by the paleogenetic laboratory of the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel Aviv University and the University of Haifa analyzed DNA from ancient local winegrape seeds discovered at archaeological excavations in the Negev. One seed was found to be almost identical to the Syriki variety used today to make high-quality red wine in Greece and Lebanon, while another seed is a relative of the white variety called Be’er, still growing in deserted vineyards in the dunes of Palmachim.

Exported to Europe

The genetic study was led by Dr. Pnina Cohen and Dr. Meirav Meiri of the paleogenetic lab at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel Aviv University. The seeds were found at archaeological excavations led by Prof. Guy Bar-Oz from the School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures at the University of Haifa, in collaboration with researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority. Other participants included researchers from the University of Haifa, the Weizmann Institute, Bar-Ilan University, and research institutions in France, Denmark, and the UK. The paper was published in the leading scientific journal PNAS.

“The findings include large winepresses, jugs in which the exclusive wine, exported to Europe, was stored, and grape seeds preserved for more than a thousand years. This industry gradually declined following the Muslim conquest in the 7th century, since Islam forbids the consumption of wine.” – Prof. Guy Bar-Oz

“Archaeological excavations conducted in the Negev [in Israel] in recent years have revealed a flourishing wine industry from the Byzantine and early Arab periods (around the fourth to ninth centuries A.D.), especially at the sites of Shivta, Haluza, Avdat, and Nizana, which were large, thriving cities at the time,” says Prof. Guy Bar-Oz from the University of Haifa.

“The findings include large winepresses, jugs in which the exclusive wine, exported to Europe, was stored, and grape seeds preserved for more than a thousand years. This industry gradually declined following the Muslim conquest in the 7th century, since Islam forbids the consumption of wine.”

“The cultivation of winegrapes in the Negev was renewed only in modern times, in the state of Israel, mostly since the 1980s. This industry, however, relies mainly on winegrape varieties imported from Europe.”

Avdat Excavation (photo: Tali. Erickson-Gini and Scott Bucking)

Extracting DNA

One especially interesting finding was a large hoard of grape seeds, discovered on the floor of a sealed room at Avdat. The researchers explain that these seeds have been relatively well preserved thanks to protection from climatic phenomena such as extreme temperatures, flooding, or dehydration. To learn more about the seeds, in the hope of discovering which varieties they might belong to, the researchers prepared to extract their DNA in the paleogenetic lab.

The science of paleogenomic uses a range of advanced technologies to analyze ancient genomes, primarily from archaeological findings,” explains Dr. Meiri from the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel Aviv University. “Since the DNA molecule is very sensitive and disintegrates over time, especially under high temperatures, we usually get only small pieces of DNA, often in a poor state of preservation. To protect them we work under special conditions: the paleogenetic lab is an isolated clean laboratory, with positive air pressure that keeps contaminants out, and we enter it in sterilized ‘spacesuits’ familiar to everyone from the COVID pandemic.”

To begin with, the researchers looked for any organic matter remaining in the seeds. For this purpose, they used FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) – a chemical technique applying infrared radiation to produce a light spectrum that identifies the sample’s content. Finding remnants of organic matter in 16 seeds, the researchers went on to extract DNA from these samples.

Ancient local winegrape seeds from Shivta, Israel (photo: Prof. Guy Bar-Oz, The University of Haifa)

Ancient Grapes – Still Around Today

The extracted DNA was sequenced, with an emphasis on about 10,000 genomic sites where variety-specific features are usually found, and the results were compared to databases of modern grapevines from around the world: In 11 samples, the quality of genetic material was too poor to allow any definite conclusions. Three of the remaining samples were identified as generally belonging to local varieties. Finally, the two samples of the highest quality, both from around 900 A.D., were identified as belonging to specific local varieties that still exist today.

The discovery was quite extraordinary:

One seed was found to belong to Syriki, a known Middle Eastern variety with a long history of cultivation in the Southern Levant and Crete, still used today to make high-quality red wine in Greece (where it is known to have arrived from the east) and in Lebanon. Since winegrapes are usually named after their place of origin, it is quite possible that the name Syriki is derived from Nahal Sorek, an important stream in the Judean Hills. Moreover, this variety may even appear in the Bible – in Jacob’s blessing to his son Judah: “He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch (soreka); he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes (Genesis 49, 11); and perhaps also suggested in the giant cluster of grapes brought back by the men sent by Moses to explore the land: “When they reached the Valley of Eshkol (identified by some as Nahal Sorek), they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them” (Numbers 13, 23).
The other high-quality seed was identified as related to Be’er, a white winegrape variety still growing in the sands of Palmachim on Israel’s seashore, in remnants of vineyards probably abandoned in the mid- 20th century. For the first time ever, the researchers were able to use the genome of a grape seed to determine the color of the fruit, discovering that it was in fact a white grape – the oldest botanical specimen of a white variety ever identified. Be’er, a unique local variety, endemic to the land of Israel, is used today by the Barkan winery to make a special white wine of its own.

“The wonderful thing about paleogenetics is that sometimes, tiny items can tell a big story. This is exactly what happened in this study. With just a bit of DNA extracted from two grape seeds we were able to trace continuity in the local wine industry – from the Byzantine period, more than a thousand years ago, to the present day.” – Dr. Meirav Meiri

Tiny Items Tell a Big Story

“The wonderful thing about paleogenetics is that sometimes, tiny items can tell a big story,” says Dr. Meiri. “This is exactly what happened in this study. With just a bit of DNA extracted from two grape seeds we were able to trace continuity in the local wine industry – from the Byzantine period, more than a thousand years ago, to the present day.”

“We believe that our findings are also significant for Israel’s modern wine industry, which has been growing and thriving in recent decades. Today, most varieties grown here have been imported from Europe, so that the local conditions are not optimal for them. Local varieties can be more suitable for the local climate and soil, especially in the desert region of the Negev. Our study opens new paths for restoring and improving ancient local varieties, to create winegrapes that are more suitable for challenging climatic conditions such as high temperatures and little rainfall.”

Tiny items can tell a big story. Ancient winegrape seeds under a Microscope from Avdat (photo: Prof. Guy Bar-Oz, The University of Haifa)

Tel Aviv University Researchers Present New Treatment for Ovarian Cancer

Written by AUFTAU on 30 April 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

Ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, accounting for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. In a study conducted at Tel Aviv University researchers used protein CKAP5 (cytoskeleton-associated protein) for the first time as a therapeutic target for RNA-based nanodrugs. After identifying a genetically unstable mutation resistant to both chemotherapy and immunotherapy in the tissues of ovarian cancer, the researchers targeted these cells with lipid nanoparticles containing RNA for silencing CKAP5 – causing the cells to collapse and achieving an 80% survival rate in animal models.

“The lipid nanoparticles developed by Prof. Peer enabled us for the first time to silence [the CKAP5] protein through targeted delivery of an RNA drug. We proved that CKAP5, a protein responsible for the cell’s stability, can be silenced, and that this procedure collapses and destroys the entire cancer cell.” – Dr. Sushmita Chatterjee

Targeted Delivery of RNA Drug

The breakthrough was achieved by a TAU research team led by Prof. Dan Peer of The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, a global pioneer in the development of RNA-based drugs, Head of the Laboratory of Precision Nanomedicine, and TAU’s VP for R&D; and by Dr. Sushmita Chatterjee, post-doctoral student from India at Prof. Peer’s lab, in collaboration with Prof. David Sprinzak of The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and Prof. Ronen Zaidel-Bar of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine. The study was funded by the Rivkin Foundation for Ovarian Cancer Research and the Shmunis Family Foundation. The results were published in the leading scientific journal Science Advances.

“The protein CKAP5 has never been studied with relation to the fight against cancer, simply because there was no known way to silence it,” explains Dr. Chatterjee. “The lipid nanoparticles developed by Prof. Peer enabled us for the first time to silence this protein through targeted delivery of an RNA drug. We proved that CKAP5, a protein responsible for the cell’s stability, can be silenced, and that this procedure collapses and destroys the entire cancer cell.”

Prof. Dan Peer

“Something Like a Dominoes Game”

At the second stage of the study the researchers tested the new CKAP5-silencing RNA drug on 20 types of cancer. Some cancer cells proved more sensitive than others to this procedure. Cancers displaying high genetic instability, which are usually highly resistant to chemotherapy, were found to be especially sensitive to the silencing of CKAP5.

“As researchers, we are involved in something like a dominoes game: we always look for the one piece in the cancer’s structure that is so important, that if we pull it out the entire cell will collapse. CKAP5 is such a domino piece, and we are already working on more applications (…)” – Prof. Dan Peer

“All cancer cells are genetically unstable,” says Dr. Chatterjee. “Otherwise, they would be healthy, not cancerous. However, there are different levels of genetic instability. We found that cancer cells that are more unstable, are also more affected by damage to CKAP5. Our drug pushed them to their limit, and essentially destroyed their structure. Our idea was to turn the trait of genetic instability into a threat for these cells, by using RNA to silence the flawed protein. We demonstrated for the first time that CKAP5 can be used to kill cancer cells, and then observed the biological mechanism that causes the cancer cells to collapse in the protein’s absence.”

Equipped with these insights, the researchers tested the new drug in an animal model for ovarian cancer, achieving a survival rate of 80%.

“We chose ovarian cancer because it’s a good target,” explains Prof. Peer. “While highly resistant to both chemotherapy and immunotherapy, this type of cancer is very sensitive to the silencing of CKAP5. It should be emphasized that the CKAP5 protein is a new target in the fight against cancer. Targeting cell division is not new, but using RNA to target proteins that make up the cell’s skeleton (cytoskeleton) – this is a new approach and a new target that must be further investigated. As researchers, we are involved in something like a dominoes game: we always look for the one piece in the cancer’s structure that is so important, that if we pull it out the entire cell will collapse. CKAP5 is such a domino piece, and we are already working on more applications, this time in blood cancers.”

Jack Ma joins Tel Aviv University as Visiting Professor

Written by AUFTAU on 27 April 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

Tel Aviv University Halts Studies to Mark Israel’s Memorial Day

Written by AUFTAU on 25 April 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

Israel will mark this year’s Memorial Day beginning this evening (Monday night) when a siren will sound across the country. According to tradition, Tel Aviv University organized a university-wide break in studies for its Yom Hazikaron Memorial Ceremony which was held on campus this afternoon. The ceremony was attended by hundreds of students, University staff and faculty members.

“Even when wars are fought far from the civilian home front, the feeling is always that we are all participating in the war.” – Prof. Ariel Porat

“We Are All Participating in the War”

Prof. Ariel Porat, President of Tel Aviv University, opened the ceremony with a recognition of both the personal and national pain of loss caused by war and terror attacks. “Even when wars are fought far from the civilian home front, the feeling is always that we are all participating in the war…parents, children, siblings and relatives – they all take part in it.”

Prof. Ariel Porat

“Many of us have strong personal memories from wars, accompanied by worries on the one hand, and for most of us, a sense of relief once everything was seemingly over. But there are those who do not get to enjoy any sense of relief. Those who pay the ultimate price. For them, the end of the war only marks the beginning of their pain. They are then faced with the worst of all: the loss of a loved one.”

“In addition to personal bereavement, which is without a doubt the most horrendous of all, we also mourn collectively.”

“One day each year, the bereaved families let everyone else join them. One day a year, the bereaved families allow their fellow citizens to feel that they too are the bereaved.” – Eyal Magini

Eyal Magini

One Day Each Year

Eyal Magini, father of Eytam Magini and Tal Morad, sister of Tomer Morad, two TAU students who were murdered in last year’s terror attack in the heart of Tel Aviv, fondly remembered their loved ones in speeches and expressed the difficulty of the past year without them.

Eyal Magini spoke warmly about his son Eytam, who was abruptly taken from him. He described how the lives of the Magini family were changed forever, as they were left with the pain of knowing that Eytam would never return. Despite this, Eyal finds some comfort on this day, when he says: “One day a year, the bereaved families let their fellow citizens share in their pain and feel that they too are the bereaved. On Memorial Day, everyone wants to try to offer the bereaved families some relief by carrying some of their pain, even throughout the rest of the year. “

Miri Kadmiel

“Each of us have the privilege to do what we can for a better future for Israel and our future generations, for a good, decent, and solidary society.” – Miri Kadmiel

Also speaking at the event was Miri Kadmiel, Chairwoman of the Tel Aviv branch of Yad Lebanim, the organization delegated by Israel to commemorate the memory of fallen Israeli soldiers and to support bereaved families. As a bereaved mother herself, she emphasized the important task of Tel Aviv University’s “talented and highly capable young people to continue to shape the future State of Israel,” saying that “we find ourselves in a very complex and challenging period, with many concerns and apprehensions. Each of us has the privilege to do what we can for a better future for Israel and our future generations, to work towards a society based on mutual respect and solidarity.”

Also speaking at the event were Daniel Zilber, Chairwoman of TAU’s Student Union and event moderator Itzik Ziat. Music by Tel Aviv University’s The Buchmann-Mehta School of Music and sign language translation by Iris Ben Moshe were also featured.

Bats Get “Pregnancy Brain” Too

Written by AUFTAU on 23 April 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

New study finds that pregnancy affects bats’ sensing capabilities.

“Pregnancy brain” – sometimes called “brain fog” or “mommy brain” – refers to a pregnant woman’s forgetfulness during and shortly after pregnancy. And there have indeed been several studies pointing to an impairment of the cognitive abilities of pregnant women. Apparently, the condition does not just affect us humans: a new Tel Aviv University study reveals that bats, too, experience a decline in their ability to hunt and orient in space during pregnancy.

This impairment stems from the fact that they produce about 20 percent fewer calls, the sounds that allow them to orient themselves using echolocation, on top of flying at a slower pace and at a lower altitude. The researchers highlight the fact that, to the best of their knowledge, this is the first evidence of pregnancy affecting mammals’ sensory abilities.

“When a bat makes fewer calls, it gathers less information about the environment, its chance of colliding with objects increases, and its chance of finding food decreases — and this is at a time when the bat needs extra food to sustain the fetus in its womb.” Prof. Yossi Yovel

Affecting Bats’ Safety and Hunting

The study was led by Mor Taub, a research assistant in the laboratory of Prof. Yossi Yovel, head of Tel Aviv University’s Sagol School of Neuroscience and faculty member of the School of Zoology at The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences. The study’s findings were published in the journal BMC Biology.

Mor Taub explains: “At the peak of pregnancy, bats carry about 20 percent more than their normal body weight, and it is clear that this excess weight impacts their flying capacity. In this study, we wanted to check whether and to what extent pregnancy affects bats’ echolocation ability, their sonar.”

“Bats’ sonar is based on the emitting and receiving of strong and frequent sounds in order to map their surroundings. To make these sounds, bats, like us humans, need to transfer high-pressure air from the lungs through the vocal cords, or vocal membranes, which involves many muscles, such as the chest and diaphragm. We wanted to see if the excess weight from pregnancy affects the production of sounds.”

Prof. Yossi Yovel

To this end, Prof. Yovel and his colleagues taught bats to search for and land on a small landing pad in a flight room in the bat laboratory at Tel Aviv University’s Garden for Zoological Research. They recorded the echolocation of two groups: pregnant bats and non-pregnant bats. The researchers found that the rate at which the pregnant bats emitted sounds was significantly lower than that of the control group, with 20% greater intervals between each sound.

Prof. Yovel explains that “bats change the rate of the sounds they make in accordance with the level of difficulty of the task. The average rate is about ten calls per second, but when the bat lands, this rate can increase to 100 calls per second. The pregnant bats produced sounds at a rate of only about seven per second and flew a little slower and lower.”

“Obviously, this slowing down is likely to affect their hunting. When a bat makes fewer calls, it gathers less information about the environment, its chance of colliding with objects increases, and its chance of finding food decreases — and this is at a time when the bat needs extra food to sustain the fetus in its womb. In the second phase of the study, we used a computer simulation to simulate the effect of the decreased rate of calls on the bats’ performance, and indeed, we saw that the slowed rate makes it more difficult for the bats to locate prey.”

“This is the only evidence we found in the professional literature showing that pregnancy affects mammals’ sensory abilities.” – Mor Taub

Preserving the Vulnerable

The bats in the experiment were of the Kuhl’s pipistrelle species, tiny bats that weigh only about six grams (when they are not pregnant). These bats are very common in Israel, and feed mainly on mosquitoes. Despite their weight, bats can live for decades, and their pregnancies are therefore also relatively long, lasting about four months.

Previous studies conducted on other species of bats have shown that during pregnancy, bats tend to change their diets. To date, the assumption was that this change in diet was due to the bats’ difficulty in flying, but the current study raises the possibility that the change may also be due to their sensory difficulty in detecting certain types of prey.

“This is the only evidence we found in the professional literature showing that pregnancy affects mammals’ sensory abilities,” says Mor Taub. “We assume that there are similar cases in other species as well, but this is the first time that researchers have been able to measure and demonstrate the impairment empirically. Beyond the scientific interest, it is important to preserve mammal species in the wild, especially during pregnancy and newborn care, since animals are particularly vulnerable during this period.”

Haredi Jews – The Main Target of Antisemitic Assaults

Written by AUFTAU on 17 April 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

On the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day 2023, The Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University published its 22nd annual Antisemitism Worldwide Report in collaboration with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

Attacking The Most Vulnerable

According to the Report, visibly identifiable Jews, particularly Haredi Jews, are the main victims of antisemitic assaults in the West, including beatings, being spit on, and having objects thrown at them.

The Report examines dozens of assaults reported in New York (the city that recorded the most assaults in the United States), in London (which saw the largest number of attacks in Europe), and several other cities. The comparative study suggests physical attacks on Jews tend to occur in a small number of areas in major urban centers, usually on the street or on public transportation rather than near or in synagogues or Jewish establishments. Most attacks appear not to be premeditated.

“Our research indicates that effective policing, indictments, and educational campaigns in a small number of urban areas in various Western countries can lead to a significant reduction in the number of violent antisemitic attacks.” – Prof. Uriya Shavit

Haredi Jews are the main victims not only because they are easily identifiable as Jews, but also because they are perceived as vulnerable and unlikely to fight back. While the attacks examined in the Report are legally defined as antisemitic hate crimes, the motivations of the perpetrators are not easy to discern and could be driven by a deeply held antisemitism, hatred for Israel, bullying, or a combination of the three.

Prof. Uriya Shavit, Head of the Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University, says “our research indicates that effective policing, indictments, and educational campaigns in a small number of urban areas in various Western countries can lead to a significant reduction in the number of violent antisemitic attacks. The fight against antisemitism must include more practical, measurable, and transparent objectives and fewer declarations and cries of ‘Gevald!’.”

Dr. Carl Yonker, Senior Researcher at the Center, who led the research on the nature of the antisemitic attacks, notes: “It was very disturbing to discover during fieldwork in London that some Haredim regard antisemitism as the inescapable fate of Jews in the diaspora, sometimes even blaming members of their own communities for the situation.”

WATCH: The Annual Report on Antisemitism Worldwide 2022: Haredi Jews – Main Target of Antisemitic Assaults

“Normalization of Crazy Conspirations” in the U.S.

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL): “The data contained in this survey is very troubling. It is alarming to see the significant increase in antisemitic incidents and trends across the US and in several other countries.”

“Equally concerning is that unlike in 2021, there were no specific events which can be linked to a rise in antisemitism, which speaks to the deeply seated nature of Jew Hatred around the world. We are proud to partner with Tel Aviv University on this important annual report which will be used to educate governments and civil society and help push back against antisemitic trends.”

According to the Annual Report, 2022 saw a sharp rise in the number of antisemitic incidents in the United States and other countries, alongside a decline in several countries. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) recorded 3,697 antisemitic incidents in the United States, compared to 2,717 in 2021 – a record year in its own right. The NYPD registered 261 hate crimes against Jews compared to 214 in 2021, the LAPD recorded 86 in 2022 compared to 79 in 2021, and the Chicago Police 38 in 2022 compared to 8 in 2021.

The authors of the Report point to a disturbing trend of the ‘normalization of crazy conspirations’ in public discourse in America. The spreading of antisemitic propaganda by white supremacists in the United States almost tripled compared to 2021, reaching a total of 852 incidents.

Does the Current Wave Run Deeper?

A rise in recorded antisemitic incidents compared to 2021 was also found in several other Western countries, including Belgium, Hungary, Italy, and Australia. In Belgium, 17 antisemitic attacks were recorded in 2022 compared to only 3 in 2021 – the highest number since seven attacks were recorded in 2016.

On the other hand, other countries, including Germany, Austria, France, the UK, Canada, and Argentina, saw a decline in the number of antisemitic incidents compared to 2021. In Germany, 2,649 ‘political crimes with an antisemitic background’ were documented, less than the record of 3,028 reached in 2021, but still significantly higher than the figures for 2020 and 2019. In France, 436 incidents were documented compared to 589 in 2021, 339 in 2020, and 687 in 2019.

Prof. Shavit and Dr. Yonker noted that the record numbers registered in 2021 were attributed to the social tensions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as reactions to Israel’s military operation in Gaza, “Guardian of the Walls.”

“In 2022 it was demonstrated once again that antisemitism does not require any real Jewish presence or direct rivalry with Israel in order to find supporters.” – Antisemitism Worldwide Report for 2022

The data for 2022 alarmingly suggest that the roots of the current wave of antisemitism probably run deeper, especially in the United States.

They point to three intertwining factors:

Intensified social and cultural tensions
Rise of radicalism, both right- and left-wing, at the expense of the political center
Proliferation of ‘echo chambers’ on social media, where conspiracy theories spread as if they were undeniable truths (“A reality in which big companies make big money by spreading big lies must be rectified,” cautions Prof. Shavit.)

Reviewing the situation in Russia, the Report notes troubling antisemitic remarks by officials and intellectuals close to the Putin administration, as well as the cynical distortion of the memory of the Holocaust by the regime. This raises concerns that Russian Jews might become scapegoats for the regime’s military failures in Ukraine. “Fascists are never reliable allies for religious minorities or in the fight for human rights,” notes the Report.

Two of the in-depth essays included in the Report discuss the extreme antisemitic propaganda espoused by the Houthis in Yemen, and two small antisemitic parties that won seats in the upper house of the Japanese Parliament. “In 2022 it was demonstrated once again that antisemitism does not require any real Jewish presence or direct rivalry with Israel in order to find supporters,” notes the Report.

Other essays describe the failed coup of an antisemitic group in Germany, white Christian nationalist antisemitism in the United States, antisemitic tendencies in the Hebrew Israelite movement in the United States, and legal controversies in America regarding hate speech and the First Amendment.

“Soul-searching is required in Israel as well,” says the Head of the Center, Prof. Uriya Shavit. “In recent months, several Jewish Members of Knesset have made chilling racist remarks that would have immediately terminated their careers in any other Western democracy. It is sad that this needs to be said on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, but Jewish racism is no better than any other kind of racism. It must be condemned, banned, and eradicated.”

Read the full report here >>

Drug-Free Alternative for People with Social Anxiety

Written by AUFTAU on 16 April 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

Technology-driven treatment found to be as effective as psychiatric medications.

A new clinical trial conducted at Tel Aviv University has demonstrated an effective technology-driven alternative to psychiatric medications for people with social anxiety. The groundbreaking study found that Gaze-Contingent Music Reward Therapy (GC-MART) is as effective in treating social anxiety disorder as drugs from the SSRI family. The innovative treatment developed at TAU relieved the symptoms of about 50% of the study participants. The researchers hope that this therapy will soon be available as an effective alternative to psychiatric medications.

Affecting 4-12% of the Population

The study was led by Prof. Yair Bar-Haim, Director of the Adler Center for Child Development and Psychopathology, and of the Center for Traumatic Stress and Resilience at Tel Aviv University, together with research students Gal Arad and Omer Azriel from The School of Psychological Sciences at the Gershon H. Gordon Faculty of Social Sciences at Tel Aviv University Other collaborators included the NIH, the Tel Aviv Sourasky (Ichilov) and Sheba Medical Centers, and Prof. Amit Lazarov of TAU. The paper was published in the prestigious American Journal of Psychiatry.

“About 4-12% of the population will develop social anxiety disorder at some stage of their lives. Quite often, people with this disorder avoid social situations – at a heavy interpersonal, professional, and economic price.” Prof. Yair Bar-Haim

Prof. Bar-Haim explains that “about 4-12% of the population will develop social anxiety disorder at some stage of their lives. Quite often, people with this disorder avoid social situations – at a heavy interpersonal, professional, and economic price. At present, psychiatry and psychology offer sufferers two types of treatment: SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) drugs, such as Cipralex, and CBT (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy). CBT requires 12-20 sessions with a qualified clinical psychologist, in which symptoms are relieved through gradual exposure to the cause of anxiety. Thus, while effective, CBT is a complex treatment necessitating the presence of a highly skilled therapist and requiring patients to face their deepest fears, a requirement that often leads to treatment dropout.

“Because CBT is demanding, expensive, and not readily accessible, many patients turn to medication. However, psychiatric drugs like Cipralex have their own drawbacks: first, some patients prefer not to use psychiatric drugs; second, entire populations, such as young children, pregnant women, and individuals with specific diseases, cannot take SSRI drugs; and third, in some cases the drug has certain side effects.”

The research team (left to right): Prof. Yair Bar-Haim Gal Arad and Omer Azriel

Simple and Patient-friendly

Now, researchers from TAU have developed a third option, which is easy-to-use, quick and simple, and apparently no less effective than psychiatric drugs. Moreover, since the treatment is highly patient-friendly, a much lower dropout rate may be expected.

In the clinical trial, 105 Israeli adults with social anxiety disorder were assigned into three groups: one group was treated with SSRI drugs, in this case Cipralex; a second group was treated with GC-MART; and a control group. After ten 30-minute training sessions, about 50% of the patients provided with the new therapy demonstrated significant improvement in their symptoms – a result similar to the outcome reported for patients who took Cipralex.

“With efficacy similar to that of an existing first line drug treatment, the new treatment does not require the patient to take medications regularly. The new treatment is simple and patient friendly.” Prof. Yair Bar-Haim

“The therapy we developed is based on eye-tracking combined with a musical reward,” explains Prof. Bar-Haim. “The patients choose the music they would like to hear – Israeli, classical, hip hop, etc., and is shown a simulation of a crowd on a computer screen. Usually, individuals with social anxiety disorder tend to dwell on scowling or threatening facial expressions, quickly picking them out and unable to look away. Consequently, they often interpret the crowd or social situations as hostile, negative, or critical. People without social anxiety disorder, on the other hand, prefer to focus on positive or neutral faces in a crowd. In the new therapy, the music chosen by the patient provides positive feedback for a normal focus of attention on facial expressions in the crowd presented on the screen. Gradually, through training, patients’ biased attention is normalized, and symptoms recede. All participants in our trial underwent a comprehensive clinical assessment both before and after the treatment and were also asked to report on the symptoms and their severity. Results indicated that the new treatment significantly reduced symptoms of social anxiety, with an efficacy that is similar to that of SSRI drugs.”

“Our findings are encouraging for both therapists and patients. With efficacy similar to that of an existing first line drug treatment, the new treatment does not require the patient to take medications regularly. The new treatment is simple and patient friendly. It does not necessitate the prolonged intervention of a highly skilled psychologist, but rather interaction with social images on a screen, and therefore potentially offers accessible, effective, and convenient treatment for social anxiety disorder,” concludes Prof. Bar-Haim.

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