News

Harnessing the capabilities of two major research institutions, teams from the University of Haifa and the Scripps-Center for Marine Archaeology at UCSD are partnering on underwater excavations in 2020. Teams in Israel excavate and teams in California process the data collected and produce computer models of the site and 3D printers build physical models of objects found (Photo credit: Amir Yurman).

Russ Roberts, American economist and public intellectual, will assume the role of President of Israel’s Shalem College in March 2021. In a country in which higher education has historically emphasized specialization, Shalem College is pursuing a bold alternative: the cultivation of citizens for lives of influence and service, and not merely careers. Roberts plans to focus on enhancing the classroom experience and recruiting more top-level faculty to join Shalem’s community of scholars and teachers.

IsraAid—an Israeli international relief agency that provides aid during crises and natural disasters—is also addressing food insecurity during the coronavirus pandemic. Working locally with Koret grantees Second Harvest of Silicon Valley and the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, IsraAid is organizing volunteers from the Jewish community to assist in various ways from San Francisco down to San Jose.

As people around the globe struggle to cope with COVID-19 lockdowns, humanitarian aid organization IsraAID offers tips on strengthening resilience and reducing stress, based on extensive experience with psycho-social support during crisis situations.

A collaboration between Clalit Health Services, Israel’s largest healthcare organization, and the Stanford Center for Population Health Services has opened doors to studying a genetically and ethnically diverse population, including long-term follow up. Clalit Health Services insures and provides direct patient care to over half of the Israeli population, approximately four million individuals, including many […]

At the beginning of 2020, just weeks before the pandemic season arrived in full force, scientists at the University of Haifa’s Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies (UH) and UC San Diego’s Scripps Center for Marine Archaeology (SCMA)—two seafront institutions half a world apart—formalized a partnership to study the history of human societies in coastal […]

Many modern cities, ever larger and denser, have become complex systems within systems. The partnership between engineers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) and Stanford University on Smart Cities and Digital Living seeks to advance multidisciplinary basic and applied research in data science that enhance the quality of life, safety, and efficiency of cities. The challenges […]

Former US ambassador to Israel and the Israel Institute’s new board chair Daniel B. Shapiro promotes the importance of accessible, high-level courses about Israel to university campuses. In-depth academic engagement about Israel is a critical way to ensure that students are educated and well-prepared for sophisticated discourse on Israel. (Photo credit: The Israel Institute)

Onward Israel was formed in 2012 to provide college students high-quality professional summer internships in Israel while strengthening their Jewish identity. This past summer, the program served 2,806 students and has reached close to 12,000 alumni. Koret grantee Israel21C shares about the Onward Israel’s inception and growth.

Shalem College reflects on 2019, including its annual Peoplehood program in the Bay Area and the inaugural program to Washington DC to learn about the importance of the US Israel Relationship.

Organized by the California Legislative Jewish Caucus Leadership Foundation, members of the California State Legislature visited Jerusalem, Ramallah, Tel Aviv, and Northern Israel. Members met with top Israeli leaders, thinkers, and entrepreneurs to better understand the unique politics, history, geography, and economy of the modern state of Israel.

There is no better way to understand a country’s history, people, and culture than a firsthand visit. Accordingly, sending young American Jews to Israel has been an important investment of the established Jewish community for many years. These experiences have a transformative impact on participants, deepening their Jewish identities and enriching involvement with their local […]