Six young Israeli researchers, who on the eve of the holiday received awards of excellence in the amount of 10 thousand dollars each, call on the government to increase investment in education and scientific research in Israel
Three female researchers and three young researchers received the Creel Awards for excellence in scientific research in the amount of $10,000 each on Passover Eve. The prizes were awarded by the Wolf Foundation in a special ceremony at Tel Aviv University, which was gracefully moderated by the Acting Chairman of the Foundation's Board, Dina Barniker, and with the participation of Prof. Dani Levithan, Rector of the host Tel Aviv University, Prof. Yehudit Birak and Prof. Avraham Ben-Reuven, The members of the foundation's board, the donor's representative, Yonit Ba'ar-Marabi and the foundation's CEO, Ilan Filo.
The six winners of the award for 2009 are: Dr. Eli Lewis from the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University, Dr. Debi Lindel from the Faculty of Biology at the Technion, Dr. Boaz Tsavan from the Faculty of Exact Sciences at Bar-Ilan University, Dr. Ilan Koren from the Faculty of Chemistry at the Institute Weizman, Dr. Natalie Questembert-Balvan from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Dr. Yulia Kempe from the Faculty of Exact Sciences at Tel Aviv University.
The awards, funded by the Krill family from Uruguay, have been given since 2005 for excellence in scientific research to outstanding academic faculty members from Israeli universities, at the rank of lecturer or senior lecturer, in the fields of exact sciences, life sciences, medicine, agriculture and engineering. The winners are selected by the Wolf Foundation scholarship committee from a list of outstanding candidates submitted by the universities. The selection is made according to criteria of excellence and according to the research topic and its importance.
Dr. Debbie Lindel, who thanked the Wolf Foundation on behalf of the six Kril Prize winners, called on the Israeli government to increase investment in education and scientific research: "The main resource of the State of Israel is human material - there is no dispute about that. That is why it is of the utmost importance to invest in education at all levels - in schools and higher education. It has been said for a long time that education is a top priority - and it's time for it to stop being lip service and become a reality. There is a vital need to invest many resources, in order to realize the potential that lies within us. A tangible example of the recognition of the importance of education and science can be seen in the actions of the President of the United States who recently decided to grant huge sums in scientific research despite the economic difficulties the country is facing. The time has come for the Israeli government to dare to invest in education and scientific research in a real way."
Prof. Danny Levitan, Rector of Tel Aviv University, thanked the Wolf Foundation for its support of the outstanding students and young researchers and said that "the outstanding researchers who are winners of the Kril Prize deserve all the praise and despite the plight of standards in institutions of higher education there is no doubt that they will find a place in universities in Israel."
Prof. Avraham Ben-Reuven, a board member of the Wolf Foundation, emphasized in his words that "the Wolf Foundation is one of the most persistent bodies in supporting higher education in the State of Israel and it strives to foster excellence and encourage outstanding Israeli researchers."
זAv Ables, Chairman of Union Bank, was appointed Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Wolf Foundation and will replace Zeev Schleissner, who is retiring after 33 years, in which he was active in the Foundation
Zev Ables, chairman of Union Bank, has been appointed chairman of the board of trustees of the Wolf Foundation and will replace Zev Schleissner, who is retiring from the board of trustees after 33 years, during which he was active in the fund.
The Wolf Foundation specializes in promoting excellence in the fields of science and art, and awards the five Wolf Prizes of $100,000 each to outstanding scientists and artists from around the world. One in four Wolf Prize winners subsequently also received the Nobel Prize. * Among the winners of the Wolf Prize over the years - the physicist Stephen Hawking, the conductor Zubin Mehta, the violinist Isaac Stern and the painter Marc Chagall.
The incoming Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Ze'ev Ables, warmly thanked outgoing Chairman Ze'ev Schleissner and said that "Karen Wolf and I were privileged to know and work with an honest, decent and humble, wise and wise man with a pleasant demeanor, who never gave up his personal honesty and professional integrity . In his unparalleled dedicated work, Mr. Zeev Schleissner outlined the path of the Wolf Foundation and marched it to the top of the academic world in Israel and around the world."
Ze'ev Ables noted that "I will continue to work, so that the Wolf Foundation will continue to promote scientific research and excellence and continue to bring great honor to the academy and the State of Israel."
Acting Chairman of the Wolf Foundation Board, Dina Berniker, and the Foundation's CEO, Ilan Filo, warmly thanked Zeev Schleissner for the many years in which he worked with dedication and loyalty for the Wolf Foundation. The two also congratulated Zeev Ables on the occasion of his assumption of office, on behalf of all the members of the foundation's council and the board of trustees, and wished him continued success in the joint activities for the foundation.
CPA Zeev Ables, was Zeev Ables the bank supervisor at the Bank of Israel and in the years 1987-1989 as CEO of the Bank of North America on behalf of the Bank of Israel. He is also active in a number of public positions, which he fills voluntarily, including: chairman of the executive committee of the Open University and member of the executive committee of Beit Izzi Shapira.
In its 33 years of activity, the Wolf Foundation has awarded merit scholarships and research grants in a total amount of over 22 million NIS to over 6,000 undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students as well as (post) doctoral students and senior researchers, in a variety of subjects and professions - in the natural sciences, The spiritual and social life operating in institutions of higher education in Israel.
The Wolf Foundation was founded by Ricardo Wolf (1887-1981), a German-born Jew, inventor, philanthropist and diplomat, who lived for many years in Cuba and served as ambassador to Israel. Along with awarding scholarships and merit grants, since 1978 the foundation has been awarding the Wolf Prizes in the amount of $100 in each field, to scientists and artists from all over the world. The award is given "for a unique contribution to humanity and to friendly relations between peoples, without distinctions of citizenship, race, color, religion, gender or political view". In science the fields are: agriculture, chemistry, mathematics, physics, medicine, and in art in annual rotation - architecture, music, painting and sculpture. So far this year, 253 scientists and artists from 23 countries have received the prestigious award, including 18 winners from Israel.
One response
There is no doubt that it is necessary and worthwhile to invest in education.
But if tomorrow the Minister of Finance announces an addition of, say, NIS 300 million to the Ministry of Education (or alternatively a cut by a similar rate), where would it be better to invest it: in the higher education system (ie the universities) or in the schools (elementary and high schools)?
Which investment will give the highest "return"?