After endless preparations and concerns that the events might not be able to take place due to the war and the tense situation in Israel, the 87th Board of Governors of the Hebrew University got underway last week.
The feelings were mixed. On the one hand, it was good to be in Jerusalem in particular and in Israel in general. Expressing solidarity with the people of Israel and with our colleagues – faculty, administration, students, alumni and friends from around the world – is of immense importance. Breathing the Jerusalem air atop Mount Scopus and gazing at the breathtaking landscape greatly helped recharge our batteries. However, just a few hours’ drive from Jerusalem, a war is raging on two fronts. The pair of yellow chairs adorned with the images of the abductees Sagui Dekel-Chen, son of HU professor and MA student Carmel Gat, placed permanently on each of the stages, constantly reminded us of the commitment to bring our people back to their borders. The songs and artistic pieces, without exception, expressed solidarity with the situation. The dedication of awards, grants, achievements and recognition to all those affected was deeply moving each time. Particularly, the closing event, where the extraordinary stories of heroism from the university family were shared, left no eye dry.
In separate posts, we will share in detail everything we experienced and saw – the opening night at the magnificent new National Library; the tour to the Gaza envelope where we visited the Nova Party site, Kibbutz Alumim, Ofakim and Sderot in sign of supporting the South; the dedication ceremonies to donors and supporters; the awarding of the Asper and Kaye prizes to groundbreaking researchers and unique inventions; the ceremony of awarding honourary doctorates and honourary fellowships to impressive first-rate individuals; the cocktail event for friends; meetings and lectures where we learned about the University’s achievements; meetings with students and more.
It was a special and unusual Board of Governors, and we are very happy for the UK delegation that represented BFHU’s team, trustees, donors and the entire community in GB. Looking forward, we are starting to plan the centenary celebrations of the University which will be marked in 2025, and the centenary celebrations of BFHU, which will be marked in 2026. L’Shana Haba’ah B’Yerushalayim!