A robotics center was established at the Technion with a donation from Bank Leumi in the amount of six million shekels

Bank Leumi donated six million shekels to the Robotics Center at the Technion's Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. The CEO of the bank, Galia Maor, and the president of the Technion, Professor Yitzhak Apluig, launched the center yesterday, Wednesday, which is headed by Professor Moshe Shoham.

Bank Leumi donated six million shekels to the Robotics Center at the Technion's Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. The CEO of the bank, Galia Maor, and the president of the Technion, Professor Yitzhak Apluig, launched the center yesterday, Wednesday, which is headed by Professor Moshe Shoham.

"The Technion and Bank Leumi have for years been entrusted with the responsibility for the development and prosperity of the State of Israel by the giants of the generation," Maor said. "Bank Leumi was established after, in an article published by Dr. Benjamin Ze'ev Herzl in 1897, the Jewish State Treaty stated that the Zionist movement needed a financial instrument to fulfill its goals. Whereas Professor Albert Einstein said that Israel could win the battle for its survival only through the development of technological knowledge and expertise. Both institutions realize the vision of these two giants." She added that the business sector attaches great importance to higher education and its enormous contribution to the State of Israel. "We want to be partners in everything that strengthens the country," she emphasized.

The president of the Technion, Professor Yitzhak Apluig, said that the strong connection between Bank Leumi and the Technion is many years old, and began in 1983 with the establishment of a chair named after Bank Leumi in the Faculty of Computer Science at the Technion. Since then the bank has supported the center for pre-academic education, contributed to the building of the faculty of computer science and helps students through scholarships. "The heads of Bank Leumi understood what, unfortunately, many good people still do not understand - that without science and technology the State of Israel has no future and without tens of thousands of Technion graduates we would not have a modern, developed and advanced country," the Technion president stressed.

Major (res.) Avihu Ben Nun, president of the "First" Israel robotics competition, said that excellence is essential for the country's success, security and prosperity.

Major General (res.) Amos Horev, chairman of the Technion Applicants Association in Israel, said that it is important to arouse curiosity among young Israeli men and women and to encourage them to study engineering and sciences and engage in it.