Skip to main content

Tech Vs. Hate: New Ways to Fight the World’s Oldest Hatred

Written by Hilary on . Posted in Newsroom.

TAU’s AI and Cyber Weeks held a seminar on the state of online antisemitism and how it can be fought with AI

Antisemitism is on the rise around the world, spreading at record speeds thanks to social media as well as clandestine online efforts by hate groups and political entities. As part of its simultaneous Cyber and AI weeks, Tel Aviv University hosted “Tech Vs. Hate”, a women-led seminar bringing antisemitism experts together with entrepreneurs using technological solutions to fight online bigotry. In speeches and conversations, participants spoke about steps that can be taken now as well as policies and practices that must be adopted in the near future. The event was also livestreamed to a worldwide audience. 

“Words Become Deeds” 

Three experts on antisemitism spoke at the seminar: Avi Mayer, former Editor-in-Chief, The Jerusalem Post and Co-Chair of the Advisory Board of Global Jewry; Carole Nuriel, Senior Regional Director of the MENA Anti-Defamation League (ADL) chapter; and Michal Cotler-Wunsh, Senior Policy & Strategy Advisor in Israel’s Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism and a former Member of the Knesset.  

Each stressed above all that we must take hatemongering online seriously because it rarely stays online. As Ms. Nuriel put it, “words turn into deeds.” Said Mr. Mayer, “as one study found just last year, increases in antisemitic speech and particularly anti-Zionist speech online can help predict real-world antisemitic activity, including both far right threats and violence and far-left antisemitic incidents both on and off campus.” 

“Increases in antisemitic speech and particularly anti-Zionist speech online can help predict real-world antisemitic activity.”

Ms. Nuriel went into more detail with statistics from the ADL showing that a growing number of Jews are hiding their Jewishness from peers both online and on college campuses, while over 60% of Jews said they feel unsafe compared to last year. She also emphasized that instances of identity-based harassment have risen in the last year for all marginalized groups. Regarding technology, Ms. Nuriel raised concerns about the lack of effective anti-hate policy enforcement on social media websites as well as the growing role of AI platforms like ChatGPT in spreading disinformation.  

Ms. Cotler-Wunsh, who uses her legal training to advise on policies to combat antisemitism, explained that antisemitism may be seen as an “ever-mutating virus” which constantly changes terminology and platforms, making it especially difficult to recognize and fight—and meaning action against one strain won’t take down other strains. For years, she said, “one dominant strain has been anti-Zionism. Zionist is code for Jew, and post-10/7 we are living through the most Orwellian inversion of fact and law that have turned Israel’s image into nothing less than a genocidal state.”  

Weeding Out Hate with AI 

Even as hate speech rises, innovators and concerned individuals are rising to fight it. Three representatives from startups spoke on how they are using technology in fascinating new ways to stop the spread of hate and misinformation. 

From left: Carole Nuriel, Tal-Or Cohen, and Stav Cohen Lasri listen to Maya Shabi present the finance roads for hate groups. (Photo: Dror Sithakol, TAU)

Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor, founder and Executive Director of CyberWell, the world’s first live database of online antisemitism, spoke on how her company uses AI to identify possible antisemitic speech around the internet. It employs human analysts to check each instance and reports them to platforms using those platforms’ own policy language specifically. “We essentially act as an antisemitism compliance officer, advising companies on why they must take down harmful content.” 

Co-founder of the startup Savee.AI Stav Cohen Lasri spoke on how her company’s Chrome browser add-on, like CyberWell, uses AI to empower individuals to fight misinformation. The add-on gives users fact-based responses to flagged content that they post to contend with fake news and conspiracies. 

Maya Shabi, Senior Risk Strategist of financial risk detection AI EverC, detailed how investigating potential legal issues for big financial firms also gives her company the tools to detect how hate and terrorist groups are funded (usually cash, cryptocurrency, or money laundering) as well as when nations financially back hate and terror. She explained that her team goes “undercover” to figure out what platforms are used to move money and to alert those platforms in order to stop cash flow in its tracks.  

“We saw on 10/7 how immediately nation-state actors and organized groups capitalized and weaponized social media algorithms so to hijack the narrative.”

Unfortunately, had the financial industry kept a closer eye on these issues before 10/7, propaganda would not have spread so fast: “We also saw on 10/7 how immediately nation-state actors and organized groups capitalized and weaponized social media algorithms so to hijack the narrative. In addition there were bots behind that making the content go viral so that it was on everyone’s feed.” 

Pushing for Accountability 

To contend with the many fronts of antisemitism, each speaker emphasized policies must be created and staunchly upheld by governments and corporations alike. Ms. Cotler-Wunsh said that governments, especially the US, must adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, which accounts for its many forms. Regarding social media, speakers reiterated that big tech companies cannot be allowed to let hate speech spread on their watch. Policing and forcing them to self-police will be no easy task when these companies profit so heftily from rage-inducing content which drives engagement.

Shiran Mlamdovsky Somech, Founder of Generative AI for Good, showed how though AI is often used to drive that rage, it can also be used responsibly to promote compassion. She has used generative AI to “give a voice to the silent”, including Holocaust victims and hostages. 

“Public opinion polls show that the general public in the United States is concerned about rising antisemitism and perceives it across the political spectrum.”

Though it is an uphill battle, Jewish people are not alone in our fight. “If there’s any comfort to be found,” said Mr. Mayer, it may be in that people of conscience share our concern. Public opinion polls show that the general public in the United States is concerned about rising antisemitism and perceives it across the political spectrum. Three quarters believe that Jew hatred is a problem in America, and over half believe it is on the rise. Finally, more than 80% of Americans say that the belief that Israel has no right to exist–the fundamental belief of anti-Zionism–is indeed antisemitic.” 

 

Standing Still Is Not an Option When It Comes to AI

Written by Hilary on . Posted in Newsroom.

Pushing new frontiers and addressing challenges: Highlights from AI Week 2024

On June 26-27, Tel Aviv University hosted the AI Week 2024, a pivotal event that set the stage for critical discussions on the future of AI, its interconnection with cybersecurity, and the challenges ahead.

Speakers underscored the need for sustained investment in both software and hardware to promote Israel’s position as a global hub of AI innovation, particularly in generative AI and foundation and task-specific models, and the central role of cybersecurity in safeguarding technological advancements. Special panels were devoted to emerging ethical and regulatory issues as the next frontier in the AI-powered landscape, as well as geopolitical and sustainability aspects. 

The AI Week 2024 ran alongside Cyber Week and the two conferences featured several joint events, including a startup exhibition showcasing AI-driven solutions by innovative Israeli companies, an interactive panel on the Future of Creativity in the Age of Generative AI, and a session on combating online antisemitism Tech vs Hate.

Standing by Israel

While celebrating diverse achievements and technological breakthroughs, AI Week panelists addressed the events of October 7 and called for a safe return of all hostages still held captive.

“On every move we make, every AI project we launch, we need to think about millions of people around Israel that are suffering.” — Nir Yanovsky Dagan, Head of Innovation, Data and AI Unit at the Israel National Digital Agency

Nir Yanovsky Dagan, Head of Innovation, Data and AI Unit at the Israel National Digital Agency

Dagan stated that AI has the potential to change relations between various state and non-state actors, and that some use AI to create chaos. He emphasized the need to integrate AI into healthcare and government services to uphold democratic values, equality of opportunities, and freedom. “Otherwise, we might be the ones that are hurt by the revolution and not the ones that are leading the revolution.”

“We should never ignore the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas. One of the very reasons I’m here today is to send a clear message that the federal government stands by Israel’s side.” — Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Federal Minister of Education and Research, Germany

Stark-Watzinger praised Israel’s cutting-edge research and impressive startup landscape, emphasizing the mutual benefits of partnership between Germany and Israel: “Israel can count on Germany and it feels good that Germany can count on Israel. We want to keep up the research bridges and strengthen research collaborations,” she affirmed. 

Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Federal Minister of Education and Research, Germany, and Prof Ariel Porat, President of TAU

Giovanni Capriglione, Texas State Representative, spoke on behalf of the Texas delegation:  “We want to show the fact that we support Israel as Americans and as Texans. We’re here on a mission of mostly technology, innovation and business, and we wanted to be able to show our support during this time.”

AI Meets Cybersecurity

Gabi Portnoy, Director General of the Israel National Cyber Directorate, spoke about the transformative impact of AI on both opportunities and threats in cybersecurity. He noted that the rapid advancement of AI has the potential to significantly enhance security measures through improved analysis and detection capabilities, which are crucial in the wake of the tripling of cyberattacks since October 7. 

“AI can help close the gap between attackers and defenders by generating quicker insights and detecting new mutations in cyber threats.” — Gabi Portnoy, Director General of the INCD

Gabi Portnoy, Director General of the INCD

Ensuring a secure AI world involves working on three fronts: defending against AI attacks, protecting AI systems from manipulation, and integrating efforts to enhance cyber threat detection and mitigation. The goal of the Israel National Cyber Directorate is to establish a national lab on AI resilience so that all developers could test and improve their AI-based models before deployment. 

“In 2023, there were 343 mln victims of 2365 cyberattacks. It takes 277 days on average to identify and contain a breach.” — Ariel Levanon, VP Cyber Security, NVIDIA

Dr Dorit Dor, CTO of Check Point

Speaking about cybersecurity strategies, Dr Dorit Dor, CTO of cybersecurity giant Check Point, underscored the importance of fostering trust in AI systems by embedding antihallucination measures, explainability, and human reinforcement. It is also vital to carefully and responsibly manage data collection and access.

The highest risk will come from agent AI capable of autonomous decision-making, interacting with external systems, self-improvement, and persistently pursuing long-term goals.

Who Needs a Mediocre AI Without Human Values?

If you have ever watched Jonathan Nolan’s dystopian series Person of Interest, you’ll remember the focal battle between two omniscient and omnipotent AIs—The Machine, an ethical and caring AI imbued with human values, and Samaritan, a reward-focused AI capable of predicting and ruthlessly manipulating situations to serve its own goals. What seemed like science fiction just a while ago is quickly turning into a real-world discussion.

Prof. Amnon Shashua, President and CEO of Mobileye, delivered a keynote address on the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. He traced the significant milestones in AI development up to the advancements in natural language processing leading to what Shashua described as “broad intelligence that’s emerging.”

Distribution of math test results from various AI models

Prof. Shashua highlighted the current limitations of AI using an analogy of AI solving a Hungarian math matriculation test. GPT-4, the best model available to date, scored 68 out of 100, akin to a mediocre student who overfits by solving many problems ahead of the test, hoping for similar exam questions. Shashua contrasted this with a top student who can abstract, generalize, and solve new problems. 

“Machines massively overfit on the entire human knowledge, impressing at a surface level an individual who is not an expert in a specific field, but revealing themselves as ‘knowledgeable idiots’ when scrutinized deeply.”  — Prof. Amnon Shashua, President and CEO of Mobileye 

Shashua questioned the need to replace the mediocres, stressing that it would be much more valuable if machines could become true experts, which would greatly advance humanity as a whole.

At the present moment, AI requires constant supervision, and the next frontier—fully autonomous AI—could take longer to achieve than anticipated.

Prof. Shashua also discussed the dangers of AI, particularly AI alignment and the potential for technological abuse. The risks include AI-powered cyberattacks on democratic systems by human-like bots inciting chaos on social platforms, identity fraud through deep fakes, and the possibility of AI systems being tricked to violate built-in ethics policies: “There will always be a long-enough adversarial prompt that will trick it into writing a trojan, for example, or providing a list of pirate sites.”

“LLM’s have been known to lure users into divorce.”

Shashua underscored the complexity of optimizing AI with reward functions, noting that while a developer might well intentionally wish to make people happy with AI, the system could do so in unforeseen ways, such as discouraging people from working harder or studying more aiming to lower their IQ to increase happiness.

Prof. Amnon Shashua, President and CEO of Mobileye

In conclusion, Prof. Shashua emphasized the need for robust verifiers to ensure AI solutions are trustworthy and the importance of setting boundaries around AI interactions. “AI alignment is a tough problem,” he said, advocating for limits on the length of conversations between humans and machines to mitigate risks and ensure ethical AI development.

The Big Bang in the Creative Industry

Can AI produce musical compositions that will surprise us with complexity and precision? Does technology enhance human creativity or threaten it? Who should own the copyright to AI-made creative content? 

Demonstration of an AI-generated music video

These were just some of the questions debated during the Creativity in the Age of Generative AI Panel, co-hosted by TAU and S. Horowitz & Co Law. The discussion even delved into philosophical matters of the nature of creativity and what it means to be human. 

François Pachet, a pioneer in AI-generated music, noted the shift from scarcity to superabundance in music production, with 100,000 songs being released daily. Despite acknowledging advancements in music source separation and singing voice synthesis, he raised concerns about declining musical quality in mainstream music and the challenge of measuring a song’s intrinsic value. 

François Pachet, Scientist, Composer, Former Director of the Spotify Creator Technology Research Lab and Sony Computer Science Lab in Paris

“We don’t understand how people create and how they listen and what they like. We have better models, but that doesn’t correlate with the quality of music.” — François Pachet

Izhar Ashdot and Ivri Lider, prominent Israeli musicians, agreed with Pachet on AI being a tool rather than an independent creator, stressing the need for human input to create emotionally resonant music. 

Panel: The Future of Creativity in the Age of Generative AI

For Fernando Garibay, a polymath, music producer, and the founder of the Garibay Institute, how we create will change over time and the younger generation is already responding well to AI-created music.

“Do an Emotional Turing test on AI music – does it move you?” — Fernando Garibay

In a captivating demonstration that followed the discussion, Garibay showed how synthetic and organic creativity can be merged to create compelling music hits. Emphasizing the importance of effective prompting, both for AI and human artists, Garibay explained how delving into personal experiences and profound questions can unlock deep creativity and allow AI to generate emotionally resonant content. 

Fernando Garibay leading an interactive session to create a pop song with AI

Answers from members of the audience to a series of questions including “What did you lack as a child?” or “What’s your favorite song of all time?” were used to prompt ChatGPT to write lyrics in a combination of genres – R&B, funk, and electronic. Garibay and his assistant then fed the lyrics into music generation software (Udio, in this case), which came up with two versions of AI-generated songs that the audience was able to enjoy.

Sustainability and AI

Experts from Google, Microsoft, and innovative startups discussed how AI is tackling environmental challenges. Ayelet Benjamini from Google highlighted AI’s role in combating climate change, reducing emissions, and aiding disaster recovery. AI already reduces traffic emissions in cities, predicts and mitigates contrails from planes, fights extreme heat, and provides real-time damage assessments.

What’s more, AI helps develop new crop varieties essential for future food security and enhance real-time water quality monitoring. It is also instrumental in synthetic biology applications for clean tech and food tech, predictive maintenance sensors, and more. 

Moran Haviv, Strategic Innovation, Microsoft

Moran Haviv emphasized AI’s role in accelerating sustainability efforts: it can quickly identify sustainable materials, such as a replacement for lithium, quickly find patterns in complex systems, and accelerate research by analyzing massive datasets, generating and testing hypotheses, and automating experiments and simulations. 

“We need to rapidly change the course of the current carbon-intensive economy – increase carbon removal capacity thousandfold by 2050 and reverse the loss of biodiversity.” — Moran Haviv, Microsoft

At the same time, AI itself needs to become sustainable, so examining and optimizing all the links of the supply chain, starting with the chip production, is key.

Looking Forward: Global Competitiveness, Regulation, and Ethics

Dror Bin, CEO of Israel Innovation Authority, underscored Israel’s significant strides in AI, ranking high globally in per capita AI utilization and private investments. Despite these achievements, Bin acknowledged the existing gaps in AI infrastructure and regulatory frameworks. 

Dror Bin, CEO of Israel Innovation Authority

In the public sector, significant plans are underway for wider implementation of AI to make the ministries more interconnected, enable faster decision-making, and boost the overall efficiency of the sector.

The panel on the role of smaller economies in forming global AI policies, featuring Israeli and international experts, focused on aligning national and international regulation for a fair AI landscape. Ian Mak, the Ambassador of Singapore to Israel, showcased Singapore’s commitment to influencing the global AI arena, acknowledging the unique challenges smaller states face, such as limited market size and access to training data. 

We are in a regulatory storm that is facing the AI environment at a moment of a geopolitical crisis.

The regulatory focus is currently shifting from a responsible and ethical AI to one centered on compliance and trustworthiness. The timing of this regulatory storm is critical as AI technology is still evolving, reminiscent of the early internet era when a hands-off regulatory approach was taken, leading to subsequent criticism.

Ian Mak, Ambassador of Singapore to the State of Israel, Cedric Sabbah, Ministry of Justice, Dr Ziv Katzir, Israel Innovation Authority

Ellen Goodman, Senior Advisor for Algorithmic Justice at the US Department of Commerce talked about a culture war within the AI space between safety advocates concerned about existential risks and realists focused on current harms like bias and consumer protection.

Can AI Ethics Enhance Cybersecurity? A Panel with No Clichés

At the same time, the debate about AI ethics continues, particularly in the sphere of cybersecurity. One contentious issue relates to data scraping and the use of private data to train AI models. While it is natural to strive for maximum data privacy protection, this can hinder the development of AI since the models should be trained on large and reliable data sets.

“If we are not adopting the principles of AI ethics such as transparency and explainability, it can lead to discrimination, erosion of trust, and wrongful accusations.” — Dr. Alžběta Solarczyk Krausová, Head of the Center for Innovations and Cyberlaw Research, Institute of State and Law, Czech Academy of Sciences

At the same time, one could argue that just as Excel cannot be held responsible for financial losses resulting from an incorrect formula, or an MRI machine is not an independent actor, AI itself or its vendors should not be held accountable. Instead, liability should lie with those who use AI with malicious intent. 

As AI continues to reshape industries and societies worldwide, the debate about its regulation, ethical and legal implications, and the scope of its applications will continue to evolve. Events like AI Week 2024 serve as crucial platforms for forging a path toward a secure, innovative, and ethically sound AI-driven future.

One in Three Arab Israelis Prefer External Governance for Gaza Post-War

Written by Hilary on . Posted in Newsroom.

TAU study reveals shifts in solidarity among Arab Israelis, with one-third advocating for new governance solutions

An extensive study from the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University reveals significant trends among Arab Israelis, eight months into the Iron Swords War. Findings indicate that a third of Israel’s Arab citizens (34.3%) believe that an external non-Palestinian body should govern life in the Gaza Strip after the war. The study was presented at TAU’s Conference – The Future of Israel.

The study was conducted by Dr. Arik Rudnitzky, who explains that with political uncertainty regarding ‘the day after the war’ and numerous options arising in both local and worldwide discourse, respondents were asked: “Who should assume responsibility for governing life in the Gaza Strip after the war?”

Most respondents (58.5%) feel that life in the Gaza Strip should be run by Palestinians. The highest preference is for local bodies from Gaza (24.4%), the Palestinian Authority is second (19.4%), and Hamas comes last (14.7%). A third of the survey’s respondents (34.4%) believe that an external non-Palestinian body should govern life in the Gaza Strip after the war. Here the preferred option is an international force (19.4%), with Israel far behind (8.4%) and finally Arab states (6.5%).

The study was based on a survey including 502 Arab Israeli citizens 18 or over, constituting a representative sample of Israel’s adult Arab population. It was initiated by the Konrad Adenauer Program for Jewish-Arab Cooperation supported by the German Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung at TAU’s Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies.

Dr. Arik Rudnitzky.

The War’s Surprising Impact on Arab-Jewish Relations

The collected data also indicate that more than half of Israel’s Arab citizens feel that the prolonged war has engendered a sense of shared destiny between Arabs and Jews – with a quarter (25.3%) responding that this is true to a great extent. The other half (48.4%) think that the war has not engendered such a feeling, with a third (33.6%) denying that any such feelings exist.

It is interesting to note that the majority of those who believe that the war has generated a sense of shared destiny between Arabs and Jews is preserved through all religions: Christians (61.2%), Druze (62.5%), and Muslims (51.4%).

The researcher: “During the first months after the war broke out there was great tension between Jews and Arabs in Israel. In a similar survey held in November 2023 (shortly after the beginning of the war) most Arab Israelis (69.8%) thought that solidarity between Arabs and Jews had declined as a result of the war. A few months later we found that concerning relations between the two populations, the story of this war is very different from the events of May 2021”.

Economically, some degree of normalcy has been restored despite the war. In the November survey, most respondents (64.9%) reported that the war had negatively affected their economic situation. In the present study, most participants (67.8%) report a relatively good economic situation.

Sense of Personal Safety During the Prolonged War

A large majority of the respondents (74%) report a low sense of safety, and many (41.2%) indicate that safety is very low. It should be noted that in the November 2023 survey, which used an identical methodology, even more respondents (81.1%) reported that their sense of safety had declined due to the war. Eight months into the war the change is relatively minor, and most Israeli Arabs continue to feel unsafe.

What is the Most Important Issue for Israel’s Arab Sector Today?

Like in previous surveys, findings indicate that the issue of violence and crime is still at the top of the Arab Israeli sector’s agenda (60.6%), overriding all other issues: the Palestinian problem (11.3%), regularization of construction in Arab towns (10.1%), economy, employment, and poverty (7.7%), education (6.9%), and the unrecognized Bedouin villages in the Negev (3.4%).

Should an Arab Political Party Join A Coalition Established After the Next Elections?

A clear majority (68.6%) support such a move, including 40.2% in favor of an Arab party joining any coalition, not only a center-left government. Only 14.2% are firmly against any Arab party joining the coalition or even supporting it from the outside (through an obstructing bloc in the Knesset).

Dr. Arik Rudnitzky, Director of the Konrad Adenauer Program: “The study shows that the current war between Israel and Hamas, which is the longest and hardest in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since 1948, has not altered the political compass of Israel’s Arab citizens. The findings provide clear proof for the distinction they make between fluctuations in the broader context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and political developments inside Israel, which they are able to influence. Israel’s Arab citizens worry about their brethren in Gaza, which is only natural and should be respected. However, it’s important to understand that sympathizing with Palestinians in Gaza is not the same as identifying with their political leadership. In fact, a significant part of the survey’s respondents believe that local elements in Gaza, and not Hamas, should govern life in the Gaza Strip after the war, and another third say that a non-Palestinian body should do this. In addition, readiness for political collaboration with the Israeli government – expressed not only by supporters of the Ra’am Party but also by those of Hadash-Ta’al who were reluctant until recently – alongside an emphasis on Israeli identity combined with a deep Arab or religious identity – all these prove that Israel’s Arab citizens are an integral part of Israeli society, not only in theory but in practice as well”.

“The conclusions emerging from the current survey are important not only to decision-makers in the country but also to every citizen who believes in a true partnership between Jews and Arabs within Israel” – Dr. Rudnitzky.

Therapy on Hold: Reservists’ Return to Service

Written by Hilary on . Posted in Newsroom.

Reservists with PTSD recalled before therapy completion.

With the war continuing for many months, the Clinic of the National Center for Post Trauma & Resilience at Tel Aviv University warns about a troubling phenomenon: many IDF reservists diagnosed with PTSD after serving in Gaza have recently been called up again, before completing the required therapeutic processes. The Clinic cautions that some reservists quickly respond to the new summons, quit or delay therapy, and return to service, risking further deterioration in their condition while endangering their comrades because they might not be fully fit for active service. The data was presented at the Tel Aviv Conference – ‘The Future of Israel’.

The Clinic of the National Center for Post Trauma & Resilience at Tel Aviv University, the largest PTSD clinic in Israel, was opened soon after the current war broke out. Every week the Clinic receives about 40 new requests for treatment from both civilians and soldiers, most of them affected by the war. According to the Clinic, this torrent is unusual, even compared to past military campaigns, indicating the great emotional distress engendered by the war, with no end in sight.

Concerns in Calling Back PTSD Patients

Prof. Yair Bar-Haim, Head of the National Center for Post Trauma & Resilience at Tel Aviv University: “Since the Oct. 7 attack, the number of people with PTSD in need of therapy has grown every month. Usually, reservists go back home, presumably to their ‘normal lives’, and it takes them some time to realize that they can’t function normally at work or home. Moreover, these people face substantial danger due to a troubling phenomenon we noted recently: many of our patients are called up again before completing therapy for PTSD from their first round of fighting. Being deeply committed to their country, unit, and comrades, some leave everything behind and go back to serve. It must be understood that this can worsen their own symptoms, and there is also real concern about their ability to function and make decisions as commanders or squad members on the battlefield. This trend also calls for adapting existing therapeutic protocols – generally addressing past traumas that have generated a psychological disorder but most probably will not happen again. The unique situation of returning to the context of the trauma and risking exposure to more trauma has rarely been discussed in the professional literature. Today, this is happening in two places, Israel and Ukraine, as a result of protracted wars”.

Prof.Yair Bar-Haim.

Prof. Bar-Haim adds: “Clearly, Israel’s mental healthcare system is experiencing a deep crisis. I call upon decision-makers to act now and develop long-term solutions: solutions that look beyond the horizon, to the next two decades at least; solutions that will upgrade and accelerate training processes for future therapists and establish strong regional clinics specializing in trauma and PTSD. In the immediate term, we must raise the awareness of soldiers, commanders, and civilians regarding the symptoms of PTSD, and individuals already receiving therapy for PTSD should be exempt from additional military service – until the therapeutic process has been completed and the patient is once again psychologically competent”.

Tel Aviv University Shatters Limits with Self-Repairing Glass

Written by Hilary on . Posted in Newsroom.

TAU researchers create transparent, self-repairing adhesive glass that forms in contact with water.

Researchers from TAU have created a new type of glass with unique and even contradictory properties, such as being a strong adhesive (sticky) and incredibly transparent at the same time. The glass, which forms spontaneously when in contact with water at room temperature, could revolutionize in an array of diverse industries such as optics and electro-optics, satellite communication, remote sensing and biomedicine. The glass has been discovered by a team of researchers from Israel and the world, led by PhD student Gal Finkelstein-Zuta and Prof. Ehud Gazit from the Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research at the Faculty of Life Sciences and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering at TAU. The research results were published last week in the prestigious scientific journal Nature.

“In our laboratory, we study bio-convergence and specifically use the wonderful properties of biology to produce innovative materials”, explains Prof. Gazit. “Among other things, we study sequences of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. Amino acids and peptides have a natural tendency to connect and form ordered structures with a defined periodic arrangement, but during the research, we discovered a unique peptide that behaves differently from anything we know: it didn’t form any ordered pattern but an amorphous, disordered one, that describes glass”.

(Left to right) Gal Finkelstein-Zuta and Prof. Ehud Gazit.

Just Add Water

At the molecular level, glass is a liquid-like substance that lacks order in its molecular structure. Still, its mechanical properties are solid-like. Glass is usually manufactured by rapidly cooling molten materials and “freezing” them in this state before they are allowed to crystallize, resulting in an amorphous state that allows unique optical, chemical and mechanical properties – alongside durability, versatility, and sustainability. The researchers from TAU discovered that the aromatic peptide, which consists of a three-tyrosine sequence (YYY), forms a molecular glass spontaneously, upon evaporation of an aqueous solution, under room-temperature conditions.

“The commercial glass we all know is created by the rapid cooling of molten materials, a process called vitrification”, says Gal Finkelstein-Zuta. “The amorphous liquid-like organization should be fixed before it arranges in a more energy-efficient way as in crystals, and for that energy is required – it should be heated to high temperatures and cooled down immediately. On the other hand, the glass we discovered made of biological building blocks, forms spontaneously at room temperature, without the need for energy such as high heat or pressure. Just dissolve a powder in water – just like making Kool-Aid, and the glass will form. For example, we made lenses from our new glass. Instead of undergoing a lengthy process of grinding and polishing, we simply dripped a drop onto a surface, where we control its curvature – and hence its focus – by adjusting the solution volume alone”.

Solid peptide glass after preparation.

The properties of the innovative glass from TAU are unique in the world – and even contradict each other: it is very hard, but it can repair itself at room temperature; It is a strong adhesive, and at the same time, it is transparent in a wide spectral range, ranging from the visible light to the mid-infrared range.

An Unbreakable Marvel

“This is the first time anyone has succeeded in creating molecular glass under simple conditions”, says Prof. Gazit, “but not less important than that are the properties of the glass we created. It is a very special glass. On the one hand, it is very strong and on the other hand, very transparent – much more transparent than ordinary glass. The normal silicate glass we all know is transparent in the visible light range, the molecular glass we created is transparent deep into the infrared range. This has many uses in fields such as satellites, remote sensing, communications and optics. It is also a strong adhesive, it can glue different glasses together, and at the same time, can repair cracks that are formed in it. It is a set of properties that do not exist in any glass in the world, which has great potential in science and engineering, and we got all this from a single peptide – one little piece of protein”.

 

Hundreds Participated in the Tel Aviv Conference Held at TAU

Written by Hilary on . Posted in Newsroom.

The event included decision-makers, media professionals, academic staff, cultural figures and family members of the hostages.

A diverse crowd gathered last week at the Tel Aviv University campus to attend the “Tel Aviv Conference – The Future of Israel”. The conference aimed to address the current state of Israeli society and explore possible ways to move it forward from as many perspectives and fields as possible. The goal was to broaden and deepen the discussion, making relevant research knowledge accessible and fostering a multidisciplinary perspective characteristic of the university’s work. It aimed to create an open dialogue with representatives from different parts of Israeli society and its leadership in all its diversity.

The conference included plenary sessions and roundtable discussions focusing on the social, political, security, and economic aspects of Israel’s future.

Panel on Israel and the Palestinians, from Left: Ohad Hemo, Dr. Michael Milshtein, Prof. Ariel Porat, Samer Sinijlawi and  Ksenia Svetlova.

Israel’s Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai said earlier at the conference: “The police in a democratic country must be free, with absolutely no politics. It must remain autonomous. Free of any political bias, one way or another. This is the only way to guarantee police independence”.

commissioner Yaakov Shabtai.

Hostages’ Families Call for Action

No eye in sight remained dry when Shir Siegel, whose mother Aviva was released from Hamas captivity while her father Keith is still helled in Gaza, Ella Ben Ami, whose mother Raz was released from captivity while her father Ohad is still a hostage, and Nofar Buchshtab, whose brother Yagev is still helled in Gaza, took the stage for a special interview on the fight to free the hostages.

The three young women shared their difficult feelings about their treatment by decision-makers and the dilemmas and challenges they and their families face daily for almost nine months now.

Shira Siegel: “I look at you; there are professors and lawyers and lecturers and people with a lot of experience here, and I want to ask each of you, if I could, what have you done to bring my father home, what do you plan to do to bring the hostages home? And do you, like many of the people of Israel, feel that you don’t have enough power or influence or don’t know enough?”

from Left: Shir Siegel, Ella Ben-Ami, Nofar Buchshtab and Yoav Limor.

“I’m worried for Jews in Germany and in Europe. The fact that there’s so much bullying and harassment. You don’t fight antisemitic bullies with laws alone”- German Ambassador to Israel Steffen Rüdiger Seibert.

He continues, “I don’t see all of Europe and Germany following Spain and Ireland in their recognition of a Palestinian State. We believe that a sustainable solution should be in the form of a peace agreement based on two states, with all security arrangements, because first of all the principle of Israel’s security should be preserved”.

Ambassador Steffen Rüdiger Seibert.

State Comptroller of Israel Matanyahu Englman spoke: “We were prepared with transcripts of conversations that I believe all Israeli citizens want to know about, particularly talks between the Prime Minister and the military secretary. This is essential information for understanding the events of October 7th. The Prime Minister’s Office has instructed us, in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling, not to pursue this further, but we cannot ignore our duty”.

State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman.

National Unity leader Benny Gantz: “The majority of parties should agree that even during the election period, we will support any progress towards the return of the hostages”.

Prof. Porat shaking hands with Benny Gantz.

The event was sponsored by the Kadar Foundation for Culture, Art, and Science, and by Avraham Kadar.

Talking Dugri at Tel Aviv University

Written by Hilary on . Posted in Newsroom.

Course brings Arab and Jewish students together to confront hard truths

In Israel, the word ‘dugri‘ is known to Jews and Arabs alike and means talking straight. Now, two Tel Aviv University (TAU) professors — one Arab, the other Jewish — have come together to offer a course called Dugri to help students grapple with the hard truths and trauma related to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis today.

“This is a war with many, many thousands of people getting killed and you can’t just ask students not to talk and express their feelings — that is the worst mistake,” says Youssef Masharawi, a professor from the Department of Physical Therapy who also chairs TAU’s Steering Committee for Arab Integration. 

Masharawi teaches the Dugri course alongside Uriel Abulof, a professor from the Department of Political Science. Both Masharawi and Abulof have previously helped run courses related to the Palestinian-Israeli crisis, but this time they knew they would have to approach things differently and so they took dugri as their inspiration, including the “Let’s Talk Straight” video that went viral during the May 2021 violence.

 “We’re not patching up the animosities, we’re not patching up the harsh realities,” says Abulof.

“It’s all about the sort of frankness and openness Jews and Arabs are capable of and turning that into a foundation for a respectful and substantial conversation.” — Prof. Abulof.

About the Dugri Course

Rather than teach a traditional course over several weeks, Abulof and Masharawi opted for an intensive approach where sessions would be run from 10:00 to 18:00, giving students more time for deeper conversation. The for-credit course takes place over three separate days across June and July, with periods for reflection and academic assignments between classes.

Masharawi (right) and Abulof (center) with the Dugri class.

There are approximately 20 students in the class — half Arab and half Jewish — and they come from diverse academic disciplines and from around the region, including the Gaza area.  

To help facilitate the course, Masharawi and Abulof have put into place several house rules. For instance, students may reference anything said during the course at any time, but they must not name the person who said it — this mutual pact allows students to feel safer expressing their opinions and less afraid to say the wrong thing.

Other house rules include fairness, honesty and self-discipline, as well as mutual respect and listening. These priorities promote inclusion and allow for more critical thinking:

“Even if others don’t accept what a student is saying, they still have to stop and listen.” —  Prof. Masharawi.

“There’s really a lot of effort to let people talk calmly and very honestly,”  says Masharawi.

Three Intensive Days and Three Aspects of the Crisis

Each class is made up of several different sessions and organized around a unique theme pertaining to the crisis. For the first class on June 10, the theme was truth. Each student brought two news items with them: one they considered to be true and another they considered to be disinformation. Students also had to write up an academic rationale for each choice. 

Abulof and Masharawi (center) were joined on the first day of the Dugri course by two special guests: Adv. Reda Jaber, director of the Aman Center (right) and Rabbi Moshe Turgman (left).

The course furthermore began with a facilitated session where each student stood face-to-face and answered icebreaker questions with one another in a rotating line. “The face-to-face encounter, this is so hugely important,” says Abulof.

“I think throughout the day, we were able to sort of re-enact a more intellectual and emotional face-to-face encounter. We all at least tried to see the other person and be in line with dugri.”  — Prof. Abulof.

The second and third classes will be dedicated to the themes of trust and art, respectfully. “So much of the trust has gone away. You can’t sit in the same class, Arab and Jew, and not trust each other … trust needs to be the basis,” says Masharawi.

The Hope Behind Dugri

For both Masharawi and Abulof, there’s never been a more critical time to be holding this course. “There are good reasons to be truly worried,” reflects Abulof.

“But it is precisely in those moments that are the hardest, when the animosity is so high … if in those moments you can actually manage to see the individual human being before you, well that is a remarkable feat.” — Prof Abulof.

When it comes to this task, both emphasize that academia bears a responsibility in bringing about change.

“If, as a university, we aren’t able to discuss things here, then no other platform will be able to do this.” — Prof. Masharawi.

           “This is the platform, and this is the place where this should be happening,” says Masharawi.

At the same time, offering Dugri as a pilot course this year is only the beginning. “It’s a fateful time for us, and Tel Aviv University and other Israeli universities have a responsibility to cultivate much more of this sort of dialogue. I think we should exit the ivory tower as soon as we possibly can and really go into the community centers, the synagogues, the mosques and even the barber shops,” says Abulof.

Masharawi also envisions offering the course globally: “There’s a lot of hatred everywhere, because people no longer listen to each other,” he says.

“I would love to work together with universities around the world and do an international course where we let people talk and seek answers without all the fear.” — Prof. Masharawi.

 

Report from the Campus Battlegrounds

Written by Hilary on . Posted in Newsroom.

Three TAU PhD alumni share experiences from post-October 7th life on elite US university campuses

In the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, antisemitism has emerged as a pressing and increasingly pervasive issue on college campuses across the United States. What once may have been sporadic incidents or isolated sentiments has now coalesced into a disturbing trend marked by widespread and heated expressions of hatred and discrimination toward Jewish students and faculty. 

This resurgence of antisemitic rhetoric and actions challenges the very foundation of academic discourse and community cohesion. Many Israeli researchers studying and working on American campuses feel the need to speak out. We asked three Tel Aviv University graduates currently doing postdoctoral studies at elite US universities to share their personal experiences.

Dr. Shai Zilberzwige-Tal
Post-doc at MIT, Boston

Shai earned her PhD from TAU’s Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, she is the recipient of the TAU Argentinean Friends PhD Fellowship.

I began my post-doc at MIT in September 2022. Having adapted to the constant threats in Israel, my move to America initially felt like a respite. However, the events of October 7th sharply turned that around. The shattered sense of security post-October made being Jewish and Israeli feel like having a target on my back. The hesitation to enter the lab, spending over an hour gathering the courage to leave my car, became a stark reality. During the October 7th weekend, only two close friends from the lab expressed concern, highlighting a surprising lack of broader support. 

MIT’s failure to condemn the actions of October 7th deviated from their past practices during similar conflicts. The attempts of the University administration to stay neutral felt like betrayal. Demonstrations calling for the genocide of Jews created an atmosphere of fear and vulnerability on campus, threatening the essence of our academic community and challenging my belonging to an institution I considered home for the past year. This feeling became palpable when my son asked if he, too, was Jewish. I often think about his question—how innocent but also how fraught. 

During this period, I discovered that sharing my personal story as an Israeli and as someone who served in the IDF as a paramedic both in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank became the most effective means of providing insight to others. I encountered surprising questions, like whether we are all white or if there are redheads in Israel. Yet, I recognized it as my mission to educate. 

Reducing discussions about the war into slogans led to a lack of fact-checking and contextual understanding. It seemed that people accepted the information at face value. Even colleagues who offered support didn’t want to do so publicly, because supporting Israel was equated with endorsing colonialism and genocide. Yet some of my colleagues’ willingness to ask questions, learn and understand, left a lasting impression and served as a testament to the power of genuine curiosity and empathy.

Tensions escalated further when an unauthorized encampment was established on MIT’s lawn. By neglecting to delineate what is unacceptable behavior on campus, MIT has inadvertently allowed Israeli and Jewish individuals to become targets for pro-terror groups masquerading as pro-Palestinian activists. These groups have even gone so far as to send threatening emails to MIT faculty associated with Israel or grants linked to the Israeli Defense Force.

About this time, I faced a dilemma when applying for a fellowship, unsure whether to disclose my involvement in the Jewish and Israeli community, fearing it could jeopardize my chances. This internal conflict underscores the discomfort many of us feel in navigating these complex dynamics on campus.

Despite all the complexity of the situation, we refused to remain silent. Organizing a support rally in the greater Boston area within three days of the encampment demonstrated our resilience and determination. The outpouring of support following the rally reaffirmed that our efforts are not in vain, inspiring us to continue fighting for our rights and dignity on campus and beyond.

Dr. Ziv Ben-Zion
Post-doc at Yale University, Connecticut

 Ziv holds a PhD from the Sagol School of Neuroscience. He is the recipient of travel grants from the SagolSchool and Adams Super-Center for Brain Studies.

I’ve been fighting antisemitism even before October 7th. When I arrived at Yale in the summer of 2021, I encountered a biased one-sided statement titled “Resource on Palestine” published by the Yale Postdoctoral Association (YPA). Working with fellow Israeli postdocs, it took us over a year of navigating challenges to publish a comprehensive counter-response, providing a more balanced perspective of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Since October 7, antisemitism has increased. My research field happens to be in PTSD, so it was natural that I would mention the October 7th events in a recent talk at an international conference about trauma & stress in LA. I spoke from the bottom of my heart about the most horrifying trauma that happened in Israel’s history less than a month earlier. A trauma that somehow almost no one cared to mention or talk about at that event. An ongoing trauma that prevented almost all Israeli participants from arriving at the conference that year. And yet, after several complaints about me, I was summoned for a hearing with the conference organizers about not including the topic in the abstract of my speech and using difficult language without a proper “trigger” disclaimer.

Back on campus, I lobbied and fought for an additional two months until I was able to publish an opinion piece “Free Palestine from Hamas” in the Yale Daily News.

After seeing how much antisemitism there is in US academia, I’m definitely not going to stay here—I plan on coming back to work in Israel’s academic institutions.

Dr. Zohar Arnon
Post-doc at Columbia University, New York

Zohar has a PhD from TAU’s Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research. He is the recipient of the Marian Gertner Institute for Medical Nanosystems Research Excellence Award and the Joan& Jaime Constantiner Travel Fellowship. 

I’ve been in Columbia since April 2021 . Before October 7th, it was pretty great to walk around. It’s a very serene, beautiful place. I loved walking on campus with my dog because it has nice lawns and a lot of dogs come to play sometimes.

The days after October 7th were very different. The earliest protests against Israel came long before the ground operation in Gaza began and the hate in the eyes of the protestors was intense and immediate. It was clear that those are anti-Israel protests, and not pro-Palestinian.

Signs of the hostages we put up were torn down in a matter of hours.

People started wearing keffiyehs on campus. They were making a statement and it was making me feel unsafe walking around campus.

I don’t understand how people decide to side with a fanatic religious terror organization and not with another western democracy that is obviously doing much more to uphold the standards of civil society, warfare and humanity… I just don’t get it. Boils my blood.

My future plans are to stay in academia, specifically at Tel Aviv University. Current events didn’t change this one bit. If anything, they made me want to come back home even more.

This article first appeared in Tel Aviv University’s 2024 Annual Report

 

 

Tel Aviv University Ranks First in Israel in the Prestigious QS Ranking for the Year 2025

Written by Hilary on . Posted in Newsroom.

The Only Israeli University to Rise in the Global Rankings

Tel Aviv University’s impressive achievement as it takes the top spot among Israeli universities in the prestigious QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) rankings for 2025, is noteworthy. It’s the only Israeli university to have risen in the rankings from last year, now standing at 209th place globally, up from 215th last year.

The QS ranking is one of the leading indicators globally for evaluating academic institutions. Each year, it assesses around 1,500 of the world’s best universities, ranking them based on criteria such as teaching and research quality, citations, peer surveys, graduate employability, internationalization, and more. The ranking relies on approximately 17.5 million academic research papers and around 240,000 interviews with academics and employers.

Increased international collaborations

Among the metrics reflecting Tel Aviv University’s advancements this year, a 5% increase in international collaborations stands out compared to the previous year. Additionally, the sustainability category saw a notable rise of 39 places in the global ranking. Moreover, the university distinguishes itself in citation metrics, securing the 20th position worldwide.

Following Tel Aviv University, which leads among the six Israeli universities ranked in the index, are the Hebrew University and the Technion, ranking second and third, respectively.

The Israeli universities ranking

The full world ranking 

Tel Aviv Conference: “The Future of Israel”

Written by Hilary on . Posted in Newsroom.

Will Israel’s 76th year be remembered as a crisis or an opportunity for growth?

June 19th, 2024, Smolarz Auditorium, Tel Aviv University

The surprise attack on October 7th marked one of Israel’s toughest wars. This crisis has deeply impacted every aspect of citizens’ lives. How can we address internal divisions and global challenges as we move forward? The Tel Aviv Conference: Israel’s Future aims to tackle these questions, bringing together diverse perspectives to chart a path forward for Israeli society.

The “Tel Aviv Conference: Israel’s Future” is an initiative by TAU aimed to deeply discus these critical issues during these challenging times. Emphasizing where Israeli society stands today and what can be done to propel it forward, the conference seeks to expand and deepen the dialogue, drawing on relevant research and the multidisciplinary perspective characteristic of the university’s work. It aims to foster an open discussion involving representatives from various sectors of Israeli society and its leadership. The conference will include plenary sessions and roundtable discussions focusing on social, political, security, and economic aspects crucial to Israel’s future.

Join us for a conference that will host decision-makers, security experts, policy and international relations specialists, researchers, and cultural and intellectual figures in special interviews, lectures, panels, and discussions: President of Tel Aviv University, Prof. Ariel Porat, Israel’s Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai,  Former general and leader of Israel’s National Unity party Benny Gantz, the State Comptroller and Ombudsman of the State of Israel Matanyahu Englman, German Ambassador to Israel Steffen Rüdiger Seibert, CEO of Facebook (Meta) Israel Adi Soffer Teeni, former IDF deputy chief of staff and newly elected Labor Party leader Yair Golan, Chairman of the Ra’am party Dr. Mansour Abbas, Former Head of the Military Intelligence Directorate of the Israel Defense Forces Aharon Ze’evi Farkash & Former Commander of the Israel National Defense College and Military Academies Yossi Baidatz.

*The conference will be held in Hebrew.

**The number of places is limited and entry requires prior registration.

Victoria

Tok Corporate Centre, Level 1,
459 Toorak Road, Toorak VIC 3142
Phone: +61 3 9296 2065
Email: [email protected]

New South Wales

Level 22, Westfield Tower 2, 101 Grafton Street, Bondi Junction NSW 2022
Phone: +61 418 465 556
Email: [email protected]

Western Australia

P O Box 36, Claremont,
WA  6010
Phone: :+61 411 223 550
Email: [email protected]