Tag: Tel Aviv University

Issued on March 1st, 2023

Since its founding, Tel Aviv University has upheld the core principles of academic excellence, improving Israeli society, and nurturing critical and creative thinking. We, the members of the Tel Aviv University Senate, are committed to the foundational values of the State of Israel as they were put forth in the Declaration of Independence, including fostering the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants, adhering to the foundations of freedom, justice, and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel, ensuring the complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex, and guaranteeing freedom of religion, conscience, language, education, and culture. Like other leading academic institutions around the world, the academic community at Tel Aviv University is committed to freedom of thought and expression, recognizing that these principles are the necessary conditions for research, academic thought, innovation, and scientific achievements.

In the past weeks it has become increasingly clear that these foundational values have been put in real and immediate danger by the accelerating legislative moves led by the current government coalition. The violations should concern every Israeli citizen who aspires to live in a free and democratic society.  We are adamantly opposed to any and all steps that would change the very basis of Israel’s system of governance.

The legislative measures led by the coalition go against the opinions and positions expressed by thousands of experts in Israel and worldwide, including Nobel Prize laureates, legal scholars, economists, and public intellectuals, who have stated in clear and unequivocal terms the dangers that will result from such legislation, and the real damages that Israel will likely suffer due to the legislative measures and their attending processes.

We are deeply concerned as well that these unprecedented attacks on the judicial branch are not the endpoint, but rather the preface to violations of other institutions including civil service, free media, and academia.  The legislative proposal to displace control over the National Library, which has long rested with academic experts, to the rule of political appointees, is an explicit example of inappropriate political intervention in academia, that threatens both autonomy in academic content, and research independence crucial to academic freedom.  The essential tasks of academia cannot, and must not, be conducted under political control.

­­­We call upon the government of Israel and the Knesset to halt legislation that fundamentally alters the democratic system of governance in Israel. We call upon the government of Israel to heed the voices of mass protests coming from all parts of the country and all sectors of Israeli society, and not to promote the destructive processes that are currently taking place. We call upon the government to stop legislation intended to fundamentally harm the autonomy of the legal system and to bring to a halt the dangerous trends of the past few weeks, which subvert the values of democracy, exclude populations and minorities, and lead the State of Israel into a disastrous abyss.

We are determined to struggle to preserve and protect the essential character of the State of Israel, for the autonomy of the legal system, and for the freedom of expression and research, and to take all action necessary, using all tools at our disposal permitted by law, to protect Israeli democracy and the rights of minorities.

In 2012, the German Federal Ministry of Justice tasked an independent academic commission with investigating the Ministry’s national-socialist past during the early years of the newly founded Federal Republic of Germany. The commission was given unrestricted access to the Ministry‘s files. In 2016/17, the commission published its concluding report in a book titled “The Rosenburg Files” (following World War II the Ministry’s offices were in the Rosenburg Castle in Bonn), which generated considerable interest among the German public and was widely covered in the media. 

The results were also made available to a wider audience through an illuminating and memorable travelling exhibition, now being displayed for the first time in Israel. 

Ministry of Justice Faces Up to its Past

The findings of the report cast a dark shadow on the first decades in the history of the Federal Ministry of Justice. Numerous members of the Ministry‘s executive staff had been involved in the power apparatus of the “Third Reich”: Of the 170 lawyers who held senior positions in the Ministry between 1949-1973, 90 had been members of the Nazi Party and 34 of the SA [short for ‘Sturmabteilung’ in German, the original paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party). This had far-reaching consequences with regard to the Federal Republic’s dealing with the aftermath of Nazism: Nazi laws were corrected only in a superficial manner, there was ongoing discrimination against former victims, and the prosecution of Nazi criminals was thwarted.

From the Rosenburg Exhibition at Tel Aviv University

Today, the German Federal Ministry of Justice is facing up to its history: The report from 2016/17 did not mark the end of the Rosenburg Project – the results have since been made available to a wider audience with an illuminating and memorable travelling exhibition, which seeks to raise awareness among a large audience of the historical injustice that took place post World War II at the hands of the Ministry itself. The exhibition, which seeks to shine light on what was previously in the shadows, has already been displayed in Germany, Poland and the USA and is now being displayed for the first time in Israel, coordinated by Minerva Center for Human Rights at Tel Aviv University.

The exhibition opening for “The Rosenburg – The Federal Ministry of Justice in the Shadow of the Nazi Past” took place at The Buchmann Faculty of Law at Tel Aviv University on February 20, 2023, in the presence of Dr. Marco Buschmann, German Federal Minister of Justice. Greetings were held by Prof. Yishai Blank, Dean, Buchmann Faculty of Law at Tel Aviv University, and Prof. Yoram Danziger, Justice (ret.) of the Supreme Court of Israel. The introductory lecture was held by Prof. Roni Stauber, Director of the Goldstein-Goren Diaspora Research Center at Tel Aviv University. 

Visit the Exhibition

Visit the exhibition at the University’s Buchmann Faculty of Law & the David J. Light Law Library in the Trubowicz Building from February 20th, 2023 through May 14th, 2023.

Featured image: From the exhibition opening. Left to right: Steffen Seibert, German Ambassador to Israel, Prof. Yishai Blank, Dean Buchmann Faculty of Law at Tel Aviv University, Prof. Mark Shtaif Rector of Tel Aviv University & Dr. Marco Buschmann, German Federal Minister of Justice (Photo: Yael Zur, Tel Aviv University)(Photo Credit: TAU)

On the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2023, The Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University published its annual report entitled ‘For a Righteous Cause’, focusing on initiatives of governments and citizens around the world to preserve Jewish heritage, teach about the Holocaust, and combat antisemitism and racism in general. The report aims to express appreciation for inspiring initiatives, encourage other similar activities, and propose ways for further improvement.

The findings presented in the Report indicate that recognizing the Holocaust and teaching lessons derived from it have recently expanded, even in countries where Holocaust education was uncommon, including in Africa and the Arab World.

Alongside this positive trend, many educational, social, and legal initiatives for combating Holocaust denial and antisemitism have been advanced in Western Europe, America, and Australia, indicating broad recognition of the problem and its severity.

“Regretfully, it must be admitted that despite global support for the fight against antisemitism, being a Jew has become less safe almost everywhere in the world,” said Prof. Uriya Shavit, Head of the Center. “But giving up the struggle is not the solution. We must learn systematically, in a comparative manner, what has been done and what can be improved.”

Prof. Shavit added that “While our purpose was to highlight positive initiatives for combating antisemitism all over the world, we also noted at the beginning of the Report that this fight must not become the only identity-definer of Jewish intellectuals and organizations, that the Jewish moral compass must not be limited to this issue alone, and that the study of Jewish history should not focus solely on the Holocaust. Israel cannot express reservations about European political parties with roots in fascism and expect to find a different attitude in Europe toward Israeli parties with fascist roots.”

The Report was authored by eight experts from different disciplines, including: Dr. Carl Yonker, Project Manager and Senior Researcher at the Center; the Center’s Founder, Prof. Dina Porat; Dr. Ofir Winter; Adv. Talia Naamat; and researcher Fabian Spengler.

Selected Highlights from the Report:

Holocaust education is spreading beyond Western Europe and America to countries in Africa and the Arab World

The Report’s findings indicate that recognition and teaching of the Holocaust have spread – even to countries where it was previously uncommon:

• The Report includes an extensive discussion about Cyprus, presenting it as a model to be emulated: even though no antisemitic incidents have been recorded in the country in recent years, its government has emphasized teaching the history of the Holocaust and the lessons derived from it in the education system, in law enforcement organizations, and in sports clubs. This approach is based on a proactive view, an overall commitment to combating racism and xenophobia, and an understanding that learning about the Holocaust and fighting antisemitism is critical for a society that aims to strengthen its democratic and liberal values.
• The Report analyzes the emerging interest in Jewish history and the Holocaust in several African countries, which see a resemblance between the tragedies experienced by the Jewish people and crimes against humanity perpetrated on the African continent. This sentiment is expressed, for example, in the Genocide Memorial National Museum in Rwanda, which commemorates the genocide of the country’s Tutsi minority that occurred four decades after the Holocaust while the world looked on in silence.
• According to the Report, an encouraging trend was observed this year in several Arab countries, with rising recognition of the history of antisemitism and the crimes of the Nazis. For example, in January 2022, Egypt took part in a session of the UN General Assembly that adopted a resolution condemning Holocaust denial. The Egyptian Ambassador to the UN conveyed the Arab consensus on the resolution. This positive trend reflects a significant turnaround in Arab discourse on Jewish history. This was displayed in quite a few new initiatives, some in the literary sphere, promoting the preservation of Jewish heritage in several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Morocco. These projects are described extensively in the Report.
• Significant positive developments were also observed in formerly Communist countries. In December 2021, the Elie Wiesel National Institute for the Study of the Holocaust in Romania launched the project “Stories from the Holocaust – Local Histories.” This initiative aimed to educate Romanians about the history of their communities from the perspective of Jews and Roma persecuted during the Holocaust. In 2022 the project included street exhibitions featuring the life stories of Jews and Roma and their tribulations during this dark period.
• In November 2022, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry organized an international conference on combating antisemitism and preserving Jewish heritage.
• A significant step forward in combating antisemitism was also recorded in Ukraine. In February 2022, just a week before the fascist Russian invasion, the Ukrainian Parliament approved strict sentencing measures for antisemitic hate crimes: five to eight years in prison for antisemitic violence and a substantial fine for anti-Jewish incitement.

Wave of educational and legislative initiatives in Europe, America, and Australia

The Report documents many initiatives introduced over the past year in the Western World for preserving Jewish heritage, teaching about the Holocaust, and combating antisemitism. The initiatives indicate a growing awareness of the dangers posed by antisemitic propaganda on the internet, as well as increasing recognition of the importance of educating younger generations about the Holocaust.

Notable initiatives included:

• In October 2022, the European Commission marked the first anniversary of the “European Union Strategy on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life (2021-2030)”. Actions during the first year included: combating antisemitism on the internet; the signing of the Vienna Declaration by 11 EU member states and several international organizations which committed to developing a common, standard methodology for recording antisemitic incidents; and launching a project to protect Jewish cemeteries in Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.
• Following discussions held in 2022, the European Parliament and European Commission are expected to pass the Digital Services Act, requiring online platforms to remove hate speech, provide information on their use of algorithms, and have clear rules to address complaints related to hate speech.
• In January 2022, the Austrian Parliament was presented with the first annual implementation report detailing actions to advance the country’s National Strategy to prevent and combat all forms of antisemitism. Actions included: safeguarding Jewish life in the country and ensuring the Jewish community’s future; adoption of the IHRA Working Definition by Austria’s top football league, the Bundesliga; holding seminars on antisemitism for police officers; and initiating a declaration against antisemitism at the UN Human Rights Council.
• In March 2022, the United States Senate appointed the country’s first special ambassador for monitoring and combating antisemitism, historian Prof. Deborah Lipstadt. In the summer, Lipstadt traveled to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. In March, President Biden signed the 2022 federal government funding package of US$2M to implement the Never Again Education Act. These funds will be used for training teachers by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, as well as special activities for monitoring and combating global antisemitism. New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed three bills to ensure that schools in the state provide high-quality Holocaust education, that museums acknowledge art stolen by the Nazi regime, and that Holocaust survivors receive their reparation payments from Germany in full. Several states in the US, including New York, Iowa, New Mexico, and Arizona, adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism.
• In April, Canada introduced a federal bill that defines punishments for denying, condoning, or downplaying the Holocaust, and earmarks $70M for funding Jewish community initiatives. The city of Toronto launched a new public education campaign to raise awareness about antisemitism under the title “Toronto for All”. The campaign calls upon local citizens to become educated about the Jewish community and antisemitism, create inclusive spaces, and make their voices heard when they witness acts of bias and hate – offering support to victims, and reporting hate crimes to the authorities. The Canadian Provinces British Columbia and Alberta adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism.
• In July, the Organization of American States (OAS), in cooperation with the American Jewish Committee (AJC), co-published a Spanish-language handbook entitled “Handbook for the Practical Use of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism”. Guatemala and Colombia adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism, joining the United States, Canada, and Argentina in the pledge to confront antisemitism throughout the Western Hemisphere.
• Several positive initiatives were also seen in Australia. New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism. Victoria and NSW passed legislation banning public displays of Nazi symbols, specifically the swastika, with a maximum punishment of a year in jail and/or a substantial fine. Queensland and Tasmania also introduced legislation to ban Nazi symbols.

Borussia Dortmund, the major German football club, gets off the bench

The Report presents a detailed case study on the transformation of the German football club Borussia Dortmund – as a model of commitment to the fight against antisemitism, setting an example for other European sports clubs and organizations. The club, which in the past served as fertile ground for the activities of neo-Nazi pseudo-fans, now takes an active and firm stand against antisemitism. Among other actions, the club conducts educational tours for young fans to concentration camps and works closely with Yad Vashem.

Findings for 2022 Include:

Read the full report >>

The Israel Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology (MOST), the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria, and Tel Aviv University (TAU) are proud to announce the establishment of a new national Research Center for Applied Systems Analysis, called the Israel Center for Applied Systems Analysis or ICASA for short.

Focus on Sustainability

ICASA will be focused on the topic of sustainability and cooperate with research organizations from around the world, especially with IIASA, aiming to connect research teams from different institutions, foster research innovation, and serve as a hub for science-based policy making at the national and local government levels. Israel has recently renewed its IIASA membership for the next five years, and the institute will use IIASA’s existing integrated assessment models and research framework to localize it for the unique conditions of the Israeli economy.

Israel’s Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology will fund the institute at NIS 3 million for its first five years, with an additional 3 million shekels matched by TAU and other external resources, over this period, following which the center will become an independent national research center.

A multidisciplinary team of TAU researchers will be leading the four main study topics of the center including

• Prof. Asher Tishler (Energy and Climate)
• Prof. Hadas Mamane (Technology and Innovation)
• Prof. Itzik Sasson (Demography and Resiliency) and
• Dr. Vered Blass (Resource Management)

The topics will include a variety of disciplines such as water, energy, climate change, circular economy, transportation systems, agriculture and food systems, health, biodiversity, economics, demography, and policymaking.

The prioritized research areas of ICASA will be aligned, where appropriate, to the strategic research areas of IIASA. Research areas at IIASA include the following programs: Economic Frontiers; Biodiversity and Natural Resources; Advancing Systems Analysis; Energy, Climate and Environment; Population and Just Societies and Strategic Initiatives.

“IIASA is a world-renowned organization whose trust in our brilliant researchers is evident in their decision to invest in Tel Aviv University researchers and Israel at large.” Hilla Haddad Chmelnik, Israel’s Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology

Driving Israeli Research Forward

Hilla Haddad Chmelnik, Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, said: “The establishment of the Israel Center for Applied Systems Analysis is of major significance to Israel. We are honored to fund the center, thereby driving Israeli research forward and maintaining its long-held status as the ‘startup nation’ and as an ideal ecosystem for scientific endeavors. IIASA is a world-renowned organization whose trust in our brilliant researchers is evident in their decision to invest in Tel Aviv University researchers and Israel at large. Furthermore, this decision reaffirms Israel’s potential for leadership in some of the most pressing fields of science today. The center will be a force multiplier for Israeli research in terms of its funding, the extent of its research and its subsequent contribution. That is a huge step in bringing Israeli research to the fore and strengthening international collaborations, all at the same time.”

Prof. Itai Sened, the head of the new center and Dean of TAU’s Gershon H. Gordon Faculty of Social Sciences, added: “The aim of the Israeli Center for Applied Systems Analysis is to be a focal point for applied systems analysis to serve the Israeli academia, government and industry in developing and applying integrated models into decision making. Applied systems analysis is a new research theme in Israel and we hope to make Israel a world leader in the field by fostering international collaboration with the next generation of researchers.”

Dr. Vered Blass of the Porter School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, who led the proposal team, added: “If Israel is to meet its goals for preparing for climate change risks, reducing greenhouse emissions and air pollution, while maximizing the efficiency of natural resources use and their associated environmental impacts, it will need to adopt mid to long term planning and policy practices, taking, amongst other innovative planning methodologies, a systems analysis approach. The center will bring together the academic, governmental and private sectors to work on the most pressing challenges facing humanity at this point. Our goal is to find the most sustainable and innovative ways to reduce our ecological footprint while strengthening our natural, economic and social ecosystems.”