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Tag: Tel Aviv University

Standing Alongside Our Students: President Herzog’s TAU Visit

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President Herzog’s Recent Visit Highlighted Our Strong Support and Fostering Environment for Students.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog and his wife, Michal Herzog, visited Tel Aviv University yesterday (03/06/24), meeting returning reservist students, international students and leading researchers. The pair – both alumni of TAU’s Buchmann Faculty of Law, were accompanied by the University’s President, Prof. Ariel Porat, and senior University management.  

Returning Reservists on TAU’s Support Sytem

The visit included a meeting and discussion with the reservist students about their experiences, challenges, and assistance with returning to studies. All the students, who have returned to their studies from up to 140 days in IDF reserve duty, spoke of difficulties in readjusting to civilian life: “One week you’re in Khan Younis, and the next week you’re in the classroom – it’s hard to find the inner quiet and concentration to sit still and do the work,” said one.   With that, the students acknowledged the goodwill, accommodations, and academic and financial support given by the University to students transitioning from army service to coursework and exams. For example, one student said he was moved by the fact that the first three calls he received on the morning of Oct. 7 to see if he was OK were from professors and counselors at the University; and another student said that the tuition grants TAU allocated to all reservists significantly helped with his financial hardship.   President Herzog’s thanked the reservist students for their brave service and asked them to now try and return to normal life, developing their brains and talent, getting their degrees and changing the world.   President Herzog and The First Lady, Michal Herzog, Shaking hands with TAU students.   The Herzogs then met with TAU Lowy International School students, many of whom are part of the student task force battling anti-Israel disinformation on social media.   Additionally, the President and his wife toured the lab of Dr. Tali Ilovitsh, who develops innovative ultrasound technology that destroys cancer cells without surgical intervention, and the lab of Prof. Ben Maoz, who develops “organ-on-a-chip” technologies for regenerative medicine and drug testing. Both labs are in TAU’s Samueli Engineering Building at The Fleischman Faculty of Engineering.   The President and the First Lady visiting Dr. Ilovitsh’s lab.   President Isaac Herzog and Michal Herzog’s visit to Tel Aviv University showcased the profound support for students at TAU, bridging the gap between military service and academic pursuits. Their interaction underscored TAU’s commitment to empowering students to overcome their challenges and thrive. Together, they symbolized the enduring partnership between education and national service, inspiring a brighter future for all.

Tree Planting Ceremony Honoring October 7th Victims: A Symbol of Remembrance and Hope

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At Tel Aviv University Campus, a Planting Ceremony Commemorated the Fallen of the October 7th War while Expressing Hope for the Safe Return of All Captives.

In a solemn yet hopeful ceremony held at Tel Aviv University, students, faculty and members of the community gathered to plant the Avenue of Remembrance and Hope to honor the memory of the victims of the tragic events of October 7th. The occasion marked not only a remembrance of the lives lost but also a testament to the resilience and hope that persists in the face of adversity. The ceremony commenced with the planting of trees and yellow flowers (the color associated with the return of the captives) along the university’s grounds, symbolizing hope and commemorating those who have lost their lives during the events of October 7th and in hope for the safe return of all captives to peace. Each tree represented a life lost, a loved one mourned, and a hope for a brighter future. The planting ceremony held in the Gilman Building courtyard included the participation of Professor Ariel Porat, President of TAU, Daniel Zilber, Chairman of the Student Union, and Miriam and Aharon Haber, the bereaved parents of First Sergeant (Res.) Zechariah Pesach Haber, a doctoral student and guide at The School of Plant Sciences and Food Security at The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, and Stav Levi, a student of architecture at the The David and Yolanda Katz Faculty of the Arts, whose partner, Idan Shtivi, was abducted in Gaza. The campus community came together to plant trees and flowers and tie yellow ribbons for the return of all captives.
“We hope that the planting of the boulevard will serve as a reminder to the university community, faculty and students, of your ability to help fulfill the versatile dreams of those who have fallen in all fields of knowledge, thus ensuring the continuity of their achievements and dreams”, said Prof. Porat.
“It’s hard to believe that in a little while, five months will have passed since October 7th, a day that will forever be remembered as a terrible disaster for the State of Israel and the Jewish people”, Prof. Porat continued. “The terrible thing that happened that we feel both as a nation, as a country and individually is a pain that does not pass with time, it only grows during this period. If there is a need for a painful reminder, we receive it every day. We all hope for the return of the captives and the recovery of the wounded, and the cessation of soldiers dying in battle. This grove is dedicated to the murdered and fallen, but it also contains a certain sign of hope for the return of the captives”. As Prof. Porat planted the first tree in the avenue, a solemn atmosphere took hold, carrying with it a firm commitment to never forget the sacrifices made. Miriam Haber shared her son’s, Zechariah Pesach’s, pursuits. Zechariah Pesach (RIP) had fallen in battle in Gaza on January 16th. Zechariah fell at the age of 32 and was a very dedicated husband and father to three young children. “The main thing about his fall is a heavy personal loss to his family and friends, but not only that. Zechariah’s choice in the field of plant health and his research topic – Wheat Cultivation Under Stress Conditions, stemmed from his deep love for the land of Israel, the ground of Israel, and all humanity. He chose to help with food security due to the difficult climate changes affecting the earth. We are convinced that his colleagues at TAU will continue to fulfill his scientific dreams”, said Miriam, moving the audience present at the ceremony, with the planting of a tree in memory of her son.   Miriam Haber speaking to campus members.
“The only way we will have resilience, as a nation and as a healthy society, will only be possible if the captives return home. I believe in light, in hope, in life, and all the hope and faith that together we will be able to fix what can still be fixed,” said Stav Levi, whose partner, Idan Shtivi, is captive in Gaza.
Stav asked to continue doing everything possible for the return of the captives. “Yesterday was Municipal Election Day, and it was an upsetting and chilling day for me, because since October 7th, the basic and existential choice for life itself has been taken from me. What choice does my Idan have now and other 133 citizens with him? They do not know if they will survive in the next minute. Idan, imprisoned in Gaza for 145 days by monsters, is afraid for his life and captured in abyssal fear. Will he receive food or water today? Or will he have to survive without? When will he be able to perform a basic action like speaking again, after being allowed only to whisper for 145 days? The only important choice here today is the choice of citizens who are currently abandoned in Gaza, the choice to fulfill the most basic and moral obligation of a state to its citizens”. Our hearts are always with the families of the fallen and the captives, and we all hope that they will all soon return to us in peace.

Tel Aviv University’s New Academic Integration Tracks Welcome Olim

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TAU partners with Israel Student Authority to launch new degree options for recent immigrants.

Since the beginning of the October 7 war, there has been a noticeable surge in citizenship requests and Aliyah to Israel, particularly from France and the United States, but not exclusively. Responding to this growing trend, Tel Aviv University (TAU) is introducing new academic integration tracks in collaboration with Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration. These tracks offer a unique opportunity for new Olim to start studying in English or French and eventually graduate in Hebrew.
Professor Milette Shamir, Vice President International of TAU: “Discovering the overwhelming interest in moving to Israel, during my recent travels abroad, has left me truly astonished.  It’s heartening to see how many young people are eager to make aliya at this challenging moment in Israel’s history.  The new Integration Tracks could not have come at a better time.”
In the upcoming year, TAU will introduce two English tracks and one in French offered through the Lowy International School. Students opting for English can choose between a BA in Liberal Arts and Management and an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. For French speakers, there’s the option to apply to the Programme de Licence en Sciences Sociales, Politiques et Économiques with a choice of five fields of study that include Economics, Political Science, Communication, Anthropology & Sociology, and Labor Studies. Currently, it is the only French-taught program in Social Sciences in Israel.

Hebrew Classes, Networking Opportunities, And More

These programs provide newly arrived immigrants with a valuable opportunity for soft integration into Israeli society and the educational system. The academic integration track includes fully-funded Hebrew learning, with intensive language courses during semester breaks and additional Hebrew classes throughout the semesters. Before transferring to the Hebrew track, students take the Yael exam to assess their Hebrew proficiency. Students in the English undergraduate track have an option of studying Hebrew for two years, while those in the French track will have a shorter, yet more intensive year-long Hebrew course as their academic workload will be lighter – with only five subject courses in their first year of studies.   Additionally, students have the opportunity to work part-time, acquiring valuable local work experience. Daria Gurskaia, a second-year student in the BA in Liberal Arts and Management who made Aliyah in 2023, highlights, “In my current job, I get to apply the knowledge and skills we’ve learned in the classroom. Our program effectively prepares us for the job market, and working part-time during my studies will surely help me build my career.”
“Students will be able to immerse themselves in the local community while studying alongside Israelis, making them more eligible for jobs in Israel upon graduation.”—Louise Hyatt, the program coordinator for BA in Liberal Arts and Management.
MA in TESOL graduates will receive an Israeli teaching certificate upon completing the full two-year program, enabling them to find employment in schools or colleges in Israel. In addition to a strong theoretical foundation, the curriculum includes practical training.
“Our students teach English classes either in local schools or through the TAU’s Center for Language Excellence,”—Kate Klementieva, TESOL program coordinator.
MA TESOL students find immense value in this practical component of the program. For Elli Kichik, a TESOL student participant, the practicum is a standout feature: “I can watch a real experienced teacher at work, and also teach myself.” She is confident that the TESOL degree will unlock numerous opportunities for her in the future: “I’m already applying the skills acquired during the course in my current teaching practice.”

Beyond Academics: Comprehensive Assistance System

Making Aliyah is a significant decision, and TAU, in collaboration with the Israel Student Authority, offers extensive support. Admitted students will receive support from a designated Olim student counselor on campus throughout their studies, addressing academic, scholarship, and other concerns.   Additionally, Olim students have access to psychological guidance, provided either by a social worker or through a psychological support framework subsidized by the Israel Student Authority. The tracks also come with partial or full funding for eligible students, and housing support grants are available to new Olim.

Student Spotlight

Noa Joffe, originally from Germany, made Aliyah in 2021 to connect with her Israeli and Jewish roots. Reflecting on her decision, she shares, “Life in Israel is hard, but the experience is worth it. The multiculturalism and diversity here have taught me many things about life and helped me develop myself.” Noa Joffe, Olah from Germany
“One can learn about Israel by coming here for a vacation, but one will really benefit from it only if one takes the jump to the unknown and engages with the challenge of studying in a new country. For me, it was the best decision I could have taken.”
Joffe emphasizes that studying at Tel Aviv University reinforced her decision: “It is a big challenge, but the reward of making it is the greatest feeling.”

How to Enroll?

The tracks are open to new Olim who made Aliyah less than 3 years ago. The maximum age for undergraduate applicants is 27 years old, while for the graduate program, the cutoff is at 35 years old.
What is particularly important, undergraduate applicants are exempt from submitting psychometric test results, a requirement for Israeli applicants.
To check your eligibility, you can contact the English or French-speaking coordinator at the Israel Student Authority. Explore new academic horizons, embrace cultural diversity, and contribute to Israel’s future by joining TAU’s integration tracks. To discover more about opportunities for Olim at Tel Aviv University, please visit the dedicated webpage.

Open Day at Tel Aviv University

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Thanks to the Thousands of Curious and Effervescent Individuals who Came to Ask the Right Questions on Open Day.

Newcomers on Campus

On Friday, February 23, Tel Aviv University hosted its open day for undergraduate and graduate degrees on campus, attracting thousands of interested individuals who came to learn about admission conditions and registration process, meet with the academic and administrative staff and converse with veteran students from various fields of study that intrigued them.

This year, amid the war and for the first time in academia in Israel, Tel Aviv University presented special conditions for reservists and discharged soldiers recruited for an extended period and those from war-afflicted areas, offering admission routes to all study programs without psychometric testing, to enable their success.

The visitors participated in experiential tours during the open day among the faculties’ buildings and study departments, providing insight into various fields of study and glimpses into different laboratories. The first 200 registrants for studies on Open Day received a surprise—a pair of Saucony running shoes as a gift.

Among the most popular meetings were familiarization with Tel Aviv University’s innovative teaching methods, including experiencing virtual reality and workshops at the Consultation Center for choosing a profession and study path to students’ success. In addition, prospective students came to learn how to study a whole semester at leading universities abroad as part of the student exchange program and participated in a workshop at the campus Entrepreneurship Center, where they learned how to pursue their dream of a start-up even during their degree.

Exploring new horizons (Photo: Shlomi Mizrahi)

International Experience at TAU

The Lowy International School showcased Tel Aviv University’s extensive selection of English-taught degree programs. With over 20 graduate and four undergraduate offerings, the School presented a diverse array of academic options spanning various fields, including the newly launched MSc programs in Biomedical and Environmental Engineering.

Of particular interest to the Open Day visitors was the innovative academic track designed for Olim, enabling them to start their studies in English or French while simultaneously learning Hebrew. Prospective students also had the chance to explore the campus during a guided tour conducted in English by the outreach manager, Mr. David Ryan.

The Lowy International School’s team at the Open Day

Meanwhile, Israeli students seized the opportunity to learn more about student exchange possibilities available at TAU, leveraging over 70 exchange agreements with universities worldwide. They gained insights into the necessary steps for preparing for an exchange and discovered the numerous benefits associated with such international study experiences.

Giving a Fair Starting Point to Our Reservists

“This year, we faced a complex reality where many individuals interested in studies were recruited to reserves, yet we were delighted to see a campus full of curious individuals.”—Sharon Ariel, Marketing Manager at Tel Aviv University.

(Photo: Shlomi Mizrahi )

Ariel adds: “It was important for us to provide information about admission to Tel Aviv University, inviting everyone to come and gain added value from our campus experience in a maximal way. The tours and meetings in the faculties enabled them to hear about study programs from students, ask the right questions, get a close look at the laboratories, observe leading researchers in their fields conducting experiments, hear from lecturers and academic and administrative staff about all the study options and diverse programs, enter lecture halls for the first time, and stroll through the green paths among the buildings.

The easing plan we developed and are implementing this year for those recruited to reserves or affected during the war will also help new applicants start their studies on the right foot. Our students spend many hours here over several years during their degree, and on Open Day, we allow those considering studying here to feel almost like students”.

(Photo: Shlomi Mizrahi )

We were happy to host them all on our beautiful campus and we hope that together with us, hand in hand, prospective students will start their journey following the discoveries, inventions, and theories awaiting revelation. Hope to see you next year.

Couldn’t make it to Open Day and Interested in TAU’s International Track? All the information about admission pathways and what needs to be done to start studying at Tel Aviv University is available on the TAU International website >

TAU Sets New Standards: Reservists Admitted Without Psychometric Exams

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TAU introduces a new admissions pathway supporting reservists, evacuated citizens and families of fallen soldiers.

Tel Aviv University announced that for the next school year, many hundreds of students who serve in the IDF reserves will be eligible for admission to study for a bachelor’s degree through a new admission route that will be opened for them in all fields of study on campus (excluding medicine), without the need for a psychometric exam. The admission will be available to candidates who served 60 days or more in 2023 (starting from October 7th 2023) or those who served longer than 28 days in 2024 (from January 1st 2024).

The university recognizes and takes the difficulties that arose into consideration regarding the large amount of university candidates whose preparations for the psychometric exams conflicted with their active reserve duty. In addition, the university will also make the new admission route accessible to evacuees from the conflict lines (pending approval from the government).

According to the university’s decision, those eligible for the new admissions route would get accepted based solely on their high school matriculation grades. Each study program on campus will allocate approximately 10% of the total admissions for the upcoming year to students accepted through the new format. This decision, led by the TAU Rector, Prof. Mark Shtaif, was made after a comprehensive examination of these issues.

Boosting Academic Opportunities

TAU emphasizes that the adjustments in admissions to studies are part of the university’s deep commitment to the IDF reservists and to their success in their studies and are a recognition of the difficulty created by their service even during the application phase before they begin their studies. A significant amount of candidates take the psychometric exams in December and April. During this time, the reservists who took part in the war that started in October (and is still continuing over four months later) have encountered difficulties in preparing for, as well as and taking these exams.

In the current academic year, TAU promised to do as much as possible so that all reservists, men and women alike, complete their studies successfully. Prior to the start of the school year, the university approved a special plan for reservists that included a series of concessions and adjustments, including: a reduction in the number of hours required to complete the degree, the right to receive binary pass/fail grading in some of the courses, more flexibility in choosing exam dates and more.

In light of feedback from the campus as part of the ongoing dialogue with reservist students and the cooperation with the Student Union, the university recently approved additional adjustments, including specific ones for students who have served in the reserves for 28 days or more since the beginning of the semester. In addition, discussions are currently taking place at the university regarding the possible continuation of these concessions into second semester of the current school year as well.

Exploring Responses to Challenges and Cultivating Collaborations

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Tel Aviv University hosts a delegation from UCLA.

The Lowy International School hosted the UCLA delegation at Tel Aviv University on February 20 as part of their solidarity trip to Israel. In a substantive round-table discussion, 27 UCLA faculty members spanning diverse research disciplines engaged in insightful conversations surrounding the events of October 7, the ongoing geopolitical situation, and the actions Tel Aviv University has been taking. TAU President Prof Ariel Porat described the wide range of initiatives launched by TAU to support its student reservists, agricultural communities in the south of Israel, and displaced residents of the south and the north.
“We opened the academic semester with a heavy heart as 2000 of our students are still serving in the reserves. To support them, we’ve started a special program that includes group and individual tutoring sessions to help the students who miss classes.”—Prof Ariel Porat, TAU President
Prof Porat also underscored the paramount importance of academic freedom, cautioning against the potential hazards of political intervention on university campuses. Prof Neta Ziv, Vice President for Equity, Diversity, and Community at TAU, spoke about creating a shared space for everybody on campus considering that universities are places where many members of Israeli society meet for the first time, having grown up in their separate communities.
“Any tension in the country is immediately reflected on campus. On the one hand, we want our students to be active citizens and express their views and we view the campus as a democratic sphere, but we have to deal with the boundaries,” — Prof Neta Ziv.
Currently, TAU’s student body is highly diverse, encompassing 16% Arab students, along with significant numbers of Druze students, Christian students of Ethiopian descent, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. The university is committed to ensuring that the campus remains a safe and welcoming space for everyone.

TAU’s Response to Post-October 7 Realities

After October 7, new challenges emerged, including the delineation of free speech boundaries and the need to ensure that there are no incidents on campus amid existing tensions between Jews and Arabs once classes resume. Prof Ziv affirmed the university’s steadfast commitment to safety and inclusion:
“Everyone is welcome here; the campus is a place where everyone belongs.”
According to Ziv, the university was inundated with complaints after October 7, with students allegedly supporting terrorism or inciting against Arabs on social media. Emphasizing the imminent threat to free speech during emergency times, she clarified that, out of over 100 cases brought before the Office for Diversity, only three resulted in disciplinary hearings, leading to the expulsion of students who actively supported the massacre. Prof Neta Ziv, Vice President for Equity, Diversity, and Community at TAU Prior to opening the semester, faculty members received training on how to talk to students about what had happened, what to say and what not to say, how to contain the discourse and controversy in class.
“What do we do to start the school year in a way that would acknowledge that many of our students have gone through trauma, and many of our Arab students are afraid of being targeted?”
As Prof Ziv explained, a lot of of time and resources went into preparing for the school year. Since the start of the semester on December 31, the situation on campus has been quiet despite a small number of isolated incidents because the students really want to have a place where they can study and leave everything else outside the university gate.

Exploring Political and Gender Dimensions of the War

Prof Itamar Rabinovitch Professor Emeritus of Middle Eastern History at Tel Aviv University (Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies,); Israel’s former ambassador to the United States and former Chief Negotiator with Syria in the mid-1990s, and the former President of Tel Aviv University (1999-2007) The expert panel, moderated by Prof Itzhak Friend, featured a talk by Prof Itamar Rabinovitch, former Israel’s Ambassador to the US, addressing the political ramifications of the ongoing conflict and President Biden’s proposed two-state solution. Prof. Daphna Hacker, a distinguished scholar in TAU’s Law and Gender Studies and an Independent Expert to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, provided a compelling analysis of the gender dimensions within the ongoing hostilities. Prof. Daphna Hacker, Full Professor at the Law Faculty and the TAU Women and Gender Studies Program and an Independent Expert to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women

UCLA Delegation’s Perspective on the Visit

Members of the UCLA delegation discussed the challenges faced by Jews within academic institutions and efforts to counteract instances of antisemitism. Reflecting on the visit, Prof Mark Klingman from the UCLA School of Music emphasized the significance of hearing firsthand experiences from Israelis and being at Israeli academic institutions to understand responses and people’s well-being.
“It’s very different than hearing it on the news. Hearing everyone’s experiences on October 7, what they did and how it impacted their families has reminded me of 9/11.” —Prof Mark Klingman from the UCLA School of Music
Prof Klingman also highlighted the determination and unity he observed among people in Israel during the visit. Prof Ariel Porat, TAU President, and Nir N. Hoftman, UCLA Another delegation member, Dr. Tabia Lee, Director of Coalition for Empowered Education and Member of Free Black Thought, expressed her happiness in learning about Israel’s rich history of diversity and inclusion. “I’m very excited to hear the perspectives of professors and to hear them actively engage with questions. Seeing people being able to challenge each other, to adjust positions and perspectives is very inspiring, and I’m going to take that back home as a model,” said Lee. She further stated that one of the primary purposes of the visit was to meet local communities, speak to families, witness the actual sights, and express solidarity with the people of Israel during this time.
“The resilience, the ability to still be open to dialog, compassion and wisdom that is here in the people is something that I admire so much. If we can take it and emulate it where we are, our society will improve.” — Dr. Tabia Lee, Director of Coalition for Empowered Education and Member of Free Black Thought
  During the concluding discussion, the UCLA delegation expressed their commitment to building relationships with TAU faculty underscoring the collective pursuit of fostering meaningful collaborations on faculty and student level.  

Strength in Diversity: 1 Out of Every 3 Reservists on Campus is a Woman

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At TAU, where the highest number of student reservists is found (34% of them being women), we are committed to providing unwavering support to our dedicated students.

Since October 7th, hundreds of thousands of citizens, including students, have answered the call for military duty, setting aside all personal responsibilities to protect civilians from the attacks of Hamas. According to new data concerning the initial months of the war, 6,657 students from TAU were called up for reserve duty, and among them, 2,228 were women (34%).

As of January 24th, after most reservists have been discharged, 2,545 students from Tel Aviv University are still serving in the military reserve duty, with 755 of them being women (29%).

Regarding the breakdown by faculties, out of the total 2,228 women in service, 481 came from the Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, 394 from Engineering, 373 from Life Sciences and Exact Sciences, 308 from Social Sciences, 167 from Law, 100 from Humanities, 96 from Management and others. Further analysis reveals that the majority of male reservists came from the Faculty of Engineering (1,139), followed by Exact Sciences and Life Sciences (804), Medical & Health Sciences (483), Management (333), Social Sciences (301), Law (259), Humanities (238) and others.

Unity in Uniforms

Prof. Neta Ziv, Vice President for Equity, Diversity and Community commended the reservists on campus: “Indeed, the significant contribution of women is evident in all areas of life: military, public, and of course, civilian. Tel Aviv University recognizes and appreciates the contribution of reservists, and does everything to assist all its students who serve in the reserves to successfully integrate their service with the challenging academic year we are in the midst of.”

Shir Shachar, 28, an MA student in the Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences at Tel Aviv University: “I was recruited into the reserves immediately after the outbreak of the war and served as a researcher in the Ground Forces. Our team consisted of both men and women, and the feeling was very touching; each and every one of us contributed immensely to the joint war effort! The commitment, dedication and determination of every reservist in their role, whether in the field or behind the scenes, have a significant impact on success in combat—and only through joint work and commitment from everyone can we win”.

Shir Shachar, MA student in the Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences

Carmel Cohen, a third-year student in the Department of Theatre Arts: “The moment they called me up for reserve duty, I didn’t think twice and immediately reported to Home Front Command and served there for about three months. Every day we assisted civilians affected by the war, and the feeling was incredible; everyone does everything for the sake of the IDF and the country. These are tough times for us, and we try to help as much as we can. Recently, I returned to my studies, and I want to fulfill my dream of becoming an actress and making people smile. And of course, the moment they call me again, I’ll report immediately.”

Supporting Student Soldiers

Tel Aviv University is the largest and most diverse university in Israel with nearly 30,000 students. In recognition of our students’ devotion to their national and military responsibilities, TAU has been implementing many variations of assistance to assure their students’ well-being,  aiming to help students restore their academic, social and financial status.

In addition to postponing the academic year to ease the pressure on reservist students,  TAU has also made sure that all students who have served in the reserves are entitled to a scholarship ranging from 2,000 to 9,000 shekels, depending on their educational and natural needs. The scholarships are given to students as recognition for their service, understanding that they will also need to assign more time and effort to their studies and simultaneously re-adjust themselves back to their daily lives.

Moreover, TAU has arranged a special week for filling academic gaps and helping those who are still serving in the military with catching up on their studies. This is in addition to the ongoing hybrid and recorded studies conducted by the different Faculties.

According to the University President, Prof. Ariel Porat: “Tel Aviv University is committed to assisting its students who experience the hardships of war firsthand. This primarily includes reservists as well as our students from the south or north who have encountered economic and other difficulties as a result of the war. Our assistance and support is not only financial but also academic. None of our reservists, or any affected students, will be left behind”.

Unveiling the Frontiers of Artificial Intelligence at Tel Aviv University AI Day 2024

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From Cybersecurity to Democracy: Challenges and Innovations in AI Research and Applications.

On February 5, Tel Aviv University brought together key figures in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the highly anticipated AI Day 2024. This gathering served as a forum for researchers, industry professionals, and experts to delve into crucial issues in AI research and applications, providing insights into the foundational theories driving this rapidly evolving field. The event specifically highlighted AI’s significance in times of war, featuring discussions on computer vision, NLP, regulation, and the complexities of tackling fake news.   Yorai Fainmesser (Co-Founder, General Partner at Disruptive AI VC), Professor Meir Feder (Tel Aviv University), Major General Isaac Ben Israel (Director of TAU Blavatnik ICRC), Professor Ariel Porat (President of Tel Aviv University), Gili Drob-Heistein (Executive Director of the Blavatnik ICRC). Photo courtesy of Blavatnik ICRC Opening the AI Day 2024, Professor Ariel Porat, President of Tel Aviv University, emphasized that the AI Day embodies the resilient spirit of Tel Aviv University and the country – as Israel does not have the privilege to suspend all activities for a year, nor can the university stop training students and producing research. While a full AI week will take place later in the year, alongside the Cyber Week scheduled for June, a one-day event is a testament to the strength of Israel as a nation in these trying times. Professor Ariel Porat, President of Tel Aviv University (Photo courtesy of Blavatnik ICRC) Prof Porat underscored TAU’s commitment to developing AI and data science expertise through its recently established multidisciplinary center that offers a cluster of AI and data science courses to TAU students from all faculties.  
“Ideally all students should have the opportunity to study AI as it is an engine for the development of all research fields. And in each and every field there are different challenges to be overcome”—Professor Ariel Porat, President of Tel Aviv University
  In 2023, Tel Aviv University enrolled its first cohort of graduate students in a newly launched master’s program in AI, further cementing TAU’s position as the largest AI center in Israel that fosters interdisciplinary collaborations in the field.

Perspectives on Challenges and Security Concerns

TAU Professor Meir Feder, head of the TAU Center for Artificial Intelligence & Data Science (TAD), offered his view of pressing issues in the field of AI. He addressed the exorbitant costs associated with AI, prompting questions about ownership rights and control.   Professor Meir Feder, Tel Aviv University (Photo courtesy of Blavatnik ICRC) Prof. Feder remarked that, presently, AI falls short of true intelligence, characterizing it as a clever ‘cut and paste’ solution devoid of genuine creativity.  
“We know what we built but we do not know why it works,”—Prof. Meir Feder
  Major General (Ret.) Isaac Ben Israel, Chairman of the AI Day and the Director of TAU Blavatnik ICRC, highlighted several challenges associated with the rapid development of AI, emphasizing the escalating vulnerability of various spheres of human activity to cyber attacks. This vulnerability becomes ever more pronounced as our dependence on AI grows. Major General Isaac Ben Israel, Director of TAU Blavatnik ICRC (Photo courtesy of Blavatnik ICRC) Given the critical significance of cybersecurity in light of the rapid proliferation of AI, a dedicated conference track was exclusively focused on security issues. The track centered on exploring the utilization of AI in intelligence gathering and analysis, threat detection, alert investigation, security posture analysis, and other pertinent areas to boost the effectiveness of security teams in their daily operations.

AI at the Service of Democracy and Truth

In the Fake News track, several of the talks focused on the AI tools that can efficiently detect fake images and stories online, identify social media bots and trolls used for commercial and political influence, and uncover deep fakes, which have inundated the social media recently in massive disinformation or influence campaigns.  
“The Russia-Ukraine war was the first war fought on social media,”—Tom Alexandrovitch, Executive Director of the Defense Division, Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD)
  Zachary Elisha Bamberger, from the Technion, presented the AI-powered persuasive argumentation agent developed to combat hate and misinformation online in the wake of October 7. The underlying principles of the agent that posts comments under anti-Israeli content on social media include establishing trust by citing sources and figures of authority, effectively using logic and complex reasoning, and leveraging emotional appeal.   (Photo courtesy of Blavatnik ICRC) The solution can adjust the length and tone of the comments, as well as the level of formality and political and ideological stance to suit the target language and culture. It is also capable of understanding context and captions. Using AI on social media provides for faster and more impactful responses across multiple platforms.  The AI agent can also predict how popular the content will be and estimate confidence in the response. In addition, it can report hateful posts found online.  
By 2026, 90% of media online will be AI-generated —Europol
  Professor Irad Ben Gal, Head of TAU LAMBDA lab, discussed the strategy of unveiling inauthentic synchronized campaigns on social media. Emphasizing the importance of combating the infrastructure rather than individually pursuing posts, he highlighted the value of analyzing bot activity.  This approach makes it possible to detect coordination of fake users, model their behavior, and make recommendations for exposing and mitigating their impact. Prof. Ben Gal (Photo courtesy of Blavatnik ICRC) Prof. Ben Gal illustrated this approach with the example of the Gaza hospital attack, where an immediate surge in coordinated activity by a significant number of bots was observed.
$78 bln lost each year due to narrative attacks +400% antisemitic incidents in the USA 88% of investors consider narrative attacks on corporations a serious issue
Michael Matias, CEO of Clarity, stressed that the staggering growth in the number of deepfakes online and AI disinformation in general poses the foremost threat to democracy on a global scale. Therefore, the critical task of detecting deepfakes is of paramount importance at the moment.  
“There has been a 900% yearly increase in the number of deepfakes online,”—Michael Matias, CEO of Clarity
  In the arms race of generative AI vs detector AI, another major task is protecting the integrity of history, so Clarity has been actively involved in the authentication of media from October 7 massacre. Danny Bickson, CEO of Visual Layer (Photo courtesy of Blavatnik ICRC) Computer vision experts have also been working with war footage, managing, exploring and visualizing war crime videos. Danny Bickson, CEO of Visual Layer, a startup creating & maintaining the popular open source fastdup for managing large-scale visual data, detailed the pro bono work the company has been doing for the Ministry of Diaspora and Ministry of Defense.  
“The Iron Swords War is one of the first wars where critical visual information is found on millions of social network videos released daily.”— Danny Bickson, CEO of Visual Layer
  Professor Karine Nahon, Head of Data, Government and Democracy program at Reichman University, emphasized in her talk about the work of the missing and hostages war room that technology alone is not sufficient. It is ultimately down to the people to not only develop new algorithms, but also to create an environment conducive to nurturing ideas. Professor Karine Nahon, Reichman University, and Gili Drob-Heistein, Executive Director of the Blavatnik ICRC and Yuval Ne’eman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security (Photo courtesy of Blavatnik ICRC) The volunteer initiative spearheaded by Nahon brought together 1500 people from academia and industry. They collaborated to pool data from diverse online sources, including Hamas’s telegram channels, content uploaded by individuals on the ground, and footage from Hamas terrorists. The goal of the team was to devise effective strategies for identifying hostages and kidnappers.  
“You can’t use the usual face recognition AI when the face is bleeding. There is also a lot of human intelligence and social network analysis,”— Professor Karine Nahon, Reichman University
  This concentrated effort has yielded at least six algorithms that can be helpful in the event of future multi-casualty incidents.

Becoming Stronger with AI

AI has the potential to enhance resilience across various sectors, spanning public services, education, health, defense, economics, emergency response, transportation, science, and climate. In the field of education, AI can assist teachers in crafting personalized learning content tailored to individual student needs. However, it is imperative to consider crucial issues such as responsible AI usage, privacy protection, and ensuring equitable access to these technologies.  
“Our goal is to understand how education can use AI in a smart and fair way, helping to create a strong and adaptable learning environment,”— Merav Mofaz, Microsoft Education
  In the realm of medicine, AI plays a pivotal role, especially in diagnostics and DNA testing. It proves invaluable in forensic DNA analysis for identification purposes. Professor Noam Shomron, Head of the Functional Genomic Team at the TAU Faculty of Medicine, detailed the work undertaken post-October 7 to identify victims of the massacre using very small or damaged DNA fragments recovered from severely burnt bodies. Additionally, AI can aid in identifying soldiers potentially prone to PTSD, enabling preventive treatment. Professor Noam Shomron, TAU ( (Photo courtesy of Blavatnik ICRC) Professor Erez Shmueli, Head of the Big Data Lab and Co-Head of the Data Science undergraduate program at Tel Aviv University, presented findings from a study monitoring early signs of PTSD in individuals indirectly exposed to the October 7 events. The results reveal unprecedented levels of stress and PTSD among participants.  
“News consumption and the number of gory videos watched significantly correlate with PTSD prevalence,”—Professor Erez Shmueli, Tel Aviv University
  Continuous monitoring through smartwatches and daily questionnaires highlighted significant variations in stress, mood, step counts, sleep quality, and duration in the first week post-October 7 events, particularly among those who later developed PTSD.

What the Future Holds

In the fireside chat discussion, Professor Yoav Shoham, Co-founder and Co-CEO at AI21 Labs, shared insights on AI and natural language processing in 2024. He anticipates the continued emergence of new language models, with smaller specialized models potentially remaining open source, while larger models are likely to remain proprietary. Language models will be incorporated in larger, more comprehensive AI tools. Mor Geva, Assistant Professor at the Blavatnik School of Computer Science, Tel Aviv University and Professor Yoav Shoham, Co-founder and Co-CEO at AI21 Labs (Photo courtesy of Blavatnik ICRC) Shoham emphasized that the relationship with machines will be transformative for humanity rather than destructive. He envisions a future where machines and humans coexist and collaborate.  
“We’ll control the potential downside. I’m more concerned that AI won’t be powerful enough than that it will be too powerful,”—Professor Yoav Shoham
  Prof. Lior Wolf, in the Computer Vision track, noted that major AI tasks have been solved, leading to the next challenge of building and training general-purpose robots. Dr. Ziv Katzir, head of the national AI program, highlighted global trends toward legal regulation of AI, including a proposed global treaty. Despite an overall decline in funding, there’s exponential growth in generative AI investment.  Dr. Ziv Katzir, head of the National AI program (Photo courtesy of Blavatnik ICRC) Locally, the National AI program shifted focus to practical solutions, emphasizing natural language processing for Hebrew and spoken Arabic, AI talent development through scholarships at all levels of higher education, investment in computer infrastructure, wider AI application in the public sector, and the development of a legal framework for trustworthy AI.  
Israel consistently ranks in the top ten overall and is second in terms of per capita investment in AI
  Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, the Israeli Investment Authority has launched a new fast-track fund to fund local high-tech companies in the product development phase to strengthen the sector and national economy as a whole.  (Photo courtesy of Blavatnik ICRC) AI Day 2024, held at Tel Aviv University in cooperation with the Israel Innovation Authority and Israel National Cyber Directorate, captured the collaborative spirit of experts and industry leaders, emphasizing AI’s role in driving positive change. Beyond a gathering, AI Day 2024 embodied a commitment to a future where AI propels innovation and progress in tangible ways.

TAU’s Academic Term Officially Begins

Written by AUFTAU on . Posted in Newsroom.

After Waiting Months, Students Share Their Experiences of Being Back on Campus.

On December 31, 2023, while many around the world celebrated the close of a year, Tel Aviv University (TAU) marked a new beginning, albeit one that was originally supposed to occur two and a half months before on October 15: the official start of the academic term (for those not in international programs). Classrooms filled up, campus coffee shops were full of chatter, and TAU’s green lawns once again welcomed scores of friends taking in the sunshine between classes. In many ways, the campus is back to normal. And yet, posters advocating for the return of hostages still hang prominently; many of TAU’s reserve students have not yet fully returned to class; and a shadow is cast by October 7 and the Israel-Hamas war. Nevertheless, for those students who have returned, there is something they can all agree on: having classes to go to again, being with their peers again, is something for which they are entirely grateful.  
“People are really excited to see one another and have a bit of a normal life.” — third-year political science and gender studies student Noa Ilona Joffe.
  “We’re all trying to see the positive of it, to feel something positive again after a long time,” says Joffe.

Finding Connection After October 7

Joffe, who is a recent immigrant to Israel from Germany, was in South America when October 7 happened, as she had been volunteering in Guatemala with AMRIS, an organization that supports local Indigenous women. When her flight back to Israel on October 12 was canceled, she decided she would stay on in South America and continue volunteering at a hostel. For those students not in the military reserves, Joffe says the months before the academic term have mainly been a waiting period, with most people trying to volunteer or fill up their time in other ways. And that, in some ways, the return to campus feels like the return after COVID-19 lockdowns. For instance, while classes are currently offered in a hybrid format and can be watched online, Joffe notes that attending in person at TAU is far more popular.  
“If you have the possibility to come to class, you come to class. Everyone is extra engaged and really wants to have that connection.”
  She also says her instructors have been very accommodating: “They are all wanting to know what we want and trying to adjust everything to us and how we emotionally feel.” Nevertheless, she does at times find class difficult, especially given that she is majoring in political science. “I have a class called ‘Morality and Terror’ and while there are lots of topics to discuss, it always comes back to October 7,” she shares. “Because it is still very fresh and very emotional, it is sometimes a little bit hard to be analyzing from an academic point of view.” Joffe emphasizes that every Israeli has been impacted significantly by October 7; for her, a girl in her program was murdered and she had two family friends taken hostage (they have since been released). Yet, despite difficult emotions, Joffe emphasizes that being back in university is the right move for her: “I’m a new immigrant and everyone I know in Israel is from university,” she says. “I don’t know what I would do in Israel without university right now, so I’m very happy it started again.”

A New Start for International Students

International student Ma Zengyu is also excited to finally be on campus at TAU. Zengyu received her offer from the university one week before October 7 to begin a PhD track with TAU’s Department of East Asian Studies.  Once she got her visa, she kept waiting until she could book her ticket from China to Israel to begin her studies. She arrived on December 28 and said she’s been enjoying classes since the start of the term and is focused on setting up her life here. “I’m just trying to make some connections with my new friends, new classmates,” she said. Zengyu also previously completed her MA in Ancient Israel Studies at TAU and admits that she does feel like the atmosphere has changed a bit since then; however, her biggest impression is that most people at the university are trying to get a bit of normalcy back.  
“Everyone is trying to focus on what they’re doing right now and trying to get everything back on track.”
  “I think they are doing all the right things to make sure they can keep going,” — says Zengyu.

From the Reserves to the Classroom

At the same time, many TAU students who are or have been in the military reserves are still very much in a period of transition; while some have returned to campus, more are expected to return in the coming weeks. And for some reserve students, such as Ido Gazit, the feeling of being in transition is especially strong. Gazit, who is a double major at TAU in engineering and the humanities, should have graduated by now; he completed his courses last term and was working with a group to submit their final engineering project on October 15. However, he got called up for duty the evening of October 7 and had to report to a base in the south of Israel the next morning. “I’m stuck in my third year,” says Gazit. While Gazit continues to work full-time in the military, he was recently restationed somewhere in central Israel and at that point, he approached his commander and got special permission to take a German course through TAU.  
“I wanted to do something that made me feel like a person and not a soldier.”
  “It makes me feel good – like a student again,” says Gazit, who has taken two German language courses at TAU previously. “And I think it’s something good for me after three months of only doing things for the country.” Concurrently, Gazit is also working to finally defend his project. “It’s already not that fresh in my brain – I had to read everything again and I don’t want to drag it to next year.” While Gazit knows he will not be able to leave his position in the reserves yet, he has asked his commander if his current language-class arrangement could be made permanent. And he is thinking about what his next steps could be after his military service and is seriously considering graduate school. “If I’m going to do it in engineering, I’d do a master’s in electrical engineering; if I do it in humanities, it would probably be something in history,” says Gazit. “However, I also might take some time to work or maybe just be a citizen for a while.

Tel Aviv University Helps Make Case Before International Court of Justice

Written by AUFTAU on . Posted in Newsroom.

Legal Delegation in Israel vs. South Africa Hearing included Alumni and Former Faculty.

On January 12, 2024, before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), a legal team representing Israel argued why a case by South Africa accusing the Jewish state of genocide in Gaza was not only unfounded and out of context, but dangerous to both Israel and the integrity and intent of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (aka the Genocide Convention). And, both before the court and behind the scenes at the ICJ hearing in The Hague that day, Tel Aviv University (TAU) was present in a significant way. One key contributor to Israel’s legal team is Prof. Eyal Benvenisti, who is the former head of the Parasol Foundation International L.L.M. Program at TAU and is currently appointed to the University of Cambridge. And while Benvenisti has been working behind the scenes, two TAU alumni were front and center on January 12, speaking before the court: Dr. Galit Raguan and Dr. Omri Sender.   Dr. Galit Raguan, an alumna of Tel Aviv University and a member of Israel’s legal delegation. (Image courtesy of the ICJ. All rights reserved) While a final resolution on the case is expected to take years, South Africa has requested that, in the interim, the ICJ make nine provisional/immediate orders, including ceasing all military action by Israel in the Gaza Strip. The outcome of the public hearings, which took place on January 11-12, will be a ruling related to these requested provisional measures.

Evidence Against South Africa’s Claims of Genocide

Both Raguan and Sender presented significant evidence contradicting the accusations made by South Africa. Raguan questioned the plausibility that Israel is committing genocide by outlining Israel Defense Forces (IDF) efforts both to protect civilian lives and to coordinate the delivery of humanitarian aid, and by demonstrating how Hamas contributes to the civilian death count in Gaza. Regarding Hamas’ role in civilian harm, Raguan stated that 2,000 rockets have thus far been misfired by Hamas within Gaza. She also presented evidence, including photos of weapons caches found by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), demonstrating Hamas’ embeddedness in civilian infrastructure, such as schools, places of worship and medical facilities. “In every single hospital that the IDF has searched in Gaza, it has found evidence of Hamas military use,” Raguan said.  
As for efforts made by the IDF to temporarily evacuate civilians and provide advance warnings, Raguan pointed to the establishment of humanitarian corridors, the millions of leaflets physically dropped into Gaza with instructions on how to evacuate, and the more than 70,000 individual phone calls made to Gazans.
  “While temporary evacuation undoubtedly involves hardship and suffering, it is preferable to remaining in areas of intensive hostilities,” said Raguan, who confirmed that temporary evacuation is a tool promoted under international humanitarian law. As presented by Israel’s legal team in court, the IDF found Hamas intelligence information and multiple weapons caches at Gaza’s Shifa Hospital, including in the MRI Center. (Image courtesy of the ICJ. All rights reserved) Raguan also outlined the role of the IDF’s dedicated military unit Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), which oversees border crossings from Israel and works with the United Nations (UN) and other international organizations to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Despite an attack on COGAT on October 7, Raguan said the unit has extended its operating hours at both the Kerem Shalom and Rafah crossings to receive more humanitarian goods. Raguan also said the unit has assisted with establishing four field hospitals and two floating hospitals, getting new ambulances into Gaza and the coordination of air drops. She highlighted how humanitarian assistance continues and that no limitations have been posed, even though “Hamas is regularly stealing aid at the expense of its own population.”

The Rights of Palestinians in Gaza to Exist

Following Raguan, Sender refuted South Africa’s accusation that there was an urgent risk of irreparable harm to Gazans for which Israel was responsible. He demonstrated instead how Israel supports the right to exist for Palestinians in Gaza. To establish this, Sender provided further illumination of how Israel assists with the delivery of humanitarian aid, which was continuing to increase: “when pressing needs are identified, solutions are soon coordinated” said Sender, also pointing to a dedicated operations room for humanitarian assistance made up of Israeli, Egyptian, American and UN representatives. Dr. Omri Sender, an alumnus of Tel Aviv University and a member of Israel’s legal delegation. (Image courtesy of the ICJ. All rights reserved) Sender noted that, before the war, approximately 70 trucks carrying food entered Gaza every day, whereas in the first two weeks of January 109 trucks entered each day. He also highlighted that the amount of cooking gas entering Gaza had doubled to 90 tons per day since December 21; moreover, since December 8, the amount of fuel entering Gaza had also doubled and now meets the target requested by the UN: 180,000 liters per day. Sender also pointed to the fact that the hostilities in Gaza are winding down, and he stated that Israel has already started to transition to a phase with fewer ground troops and less intense fighting. Furthermore, as argued by team lead Prof. Malcolm Shaw KC, South Africa also failed to effectively illustrate Israel’s intent to commit genocide. Given the case is at the provisional measures phase, genocidal acts do not have to be proven; demonstrating plausible intent would be enough for the court to intervene. However, as Shaw contended, to do this one must directly link any potential utterance or statement to on-the-ground policy. In this, South Africa failed, Shaw argued. A map of evacuation zones created by the IDF to assist with civilian safety was shared in court, along with a screenshot of an instructional video in Arab of how to use the map (Image courtesy of the ICJ. All rights reserved) To further support this claim, Shaw also provided evidence of daily IDF operational directives that, in accordance with international law and contradicting South Africa’s case, prioritize mitigating harm to and punishment of civilians.

The Legal Unfoundedness of the Case

A repeated statement made throughout the public hearing by Sender, Shaw and others was that, should the measures proposed by South Africa be upheld by the court, then Israel and its citizens would face irreparable harm given Hamas’ continued commitment (as additionally stated by Hamas leadership after October 7) to the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people. As Shaw argued, were the court to uphold South Africa’s requested provisional measures, then this would contradict the Genocide Convention itself, which protects the rights not only of the applicant (or who the applicant is representing), but the respondent. “Chief amongst these rights,” said Shaw, regarding Israel, “is the right and obligation to act, to defend itself and its citizens.” Members of Israel’s legal delegation at the International Court of Justice. (credit: UN Photo/ICJ-CIJ/Frank van Beek. Courtesy of the ICJ. All rights reserved) Moreover, the general omission of Hamas from South Africa’s case was something, the Israel team argued, that demonstrated a high level of prejudice:  
“The nightmarish environment created by Hamas has been concealed by the applicant, but it is the environment in which Israel is compelled to operate. What Israel seeks in operating in Gaza is not to destroy a people, but to protect a people – its people – who are under attack on multiple fronts.” —  Dr. Tal Becker, a member of Israel’s legal team
  Additionally, given that the Jewish state has had the right, as recognized by the international community, to defend itself after October 7, Israel’s legal team argued that events relating to the Israel-Hamas war should not even be evaluated under the Genocide Convention, but that the proper mechanism was the legal framework for war as guided by international humanitarian law. Finally, Shaw emphasized that Genocide Convention cases must be between two states in dispute. He argued that South Africa was in contravention of this and referenced an exchange of notes before the case was filed that demonstrated Israel’s willingness to meet and discuss South Africa’s concerns.

A Dangerous Precedent Could Be Set

While a ruling in support of South Africa’s provisional measures would pose a great danger to Israel, it would also pose significant harm to the integrity of the Genocide Convention: “Entertaining the applicant’s request will not strengthen the commitment to prevent the punishment of genocide but weaken it,” said Dr. Gilad Noam, who concluded the public hearing and Israel’s arguments.  
“It will turn an instrument adopted by the international community to prevent horrors of the kind that shocked the conscience of humanity during the Holocaust into a weapon in the hands of terrorist groups who have no regard for humanity or for the law.” — Dr. Gilad Noam, a member of Israel’s legal delegation
  At the end of the session on January 12, elected ICJ Judge and President Joan E. Donoghue said the court would make a deliberation “as soon as possible” on the provisional measures brought forward by South Africa. A decision is expected to be made in the coming weeks.

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