cover 2006

4 BGU NOW
MK Prof. Avishay Braverman; and Chairman of Union
Bancaire Privée of Geneva, Edgar D. de Picciotto;
and special guest participant, Vice Prime Minister
Shimon Peres.
A panel discussion in honor of Prof. Avishay
Braverman was held by the architects who planned
the buildings on the Marcus Family Campus in Beer-
Sheva and the Sede Boqer Campus between 1990
and 2006. They gave a visual presentation of the
existing and newly-completed buildings as well as
those under construction, all of which have been
continually enhancing the aesthetic look of the BGU
campuses.
The outgoing president was also
honored at a special session at which
renowned Israeli writers, most of whom
are members of BGU’s Department of
Hebrew Literature, read from
their works. These included
Department Chairman Prof. Yigal
Schwartz, Department members
Prof. Amos Oz, Professor
Emeritus Aharon
Appelfeld, Prof. Haim
Be’er, Prof. Ori Bernstein,
Dr. Tal Frenkel Alroy, Nidaa
Khoury, Orit Meital and Motti
Perry, as well as the popular writer Etgar
Keret, who also teaches a course at the University.
The final and most moving farewell to Prof. Avishay
Braverman was held at a nearby events center
together with his close friends and acquaintances.
The visibly moved outgoing President noted that
although he was leaving Beer-Sheva to pursue his
political career, the city and the region and in
particular, the University, would always hold a special
place in his heart and he would do his utmost to
advance its development as long as he was able.
Honorary Doctoral Degrees were conferred upon
eight prominent figures who have made distinguished
contributions to science, humanity and culture
through their scholarship and concern for others.
André Azoulay, Counsellor to His Majesty King
Mohammed VI of Morocco, was honored for his
efforts toward coexistence between Jews and Arabs
in the Middle East and Northern Africa as founder
of the “Identity and Dialogue” organization and for
his insight in recognizing the importance of a stable
economy for the advancement of peace in the Middle
East and of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev as
an academic partner in this process. Azoulay initiated
the Casablanca Conference and pursues all efforts
for peace in the region by bringing together leaders
and building bridges of trust between nations and
states.
President of the Supreme Court of Israel, Justice
Aharon Barak, was a child survivor of the Kovno
Roberta and Ernest Scheller, Jr. from Villanova PA, proudly
point to their names on the Ben-Gurion Wall
Ghetto in Lithuania who rose to become the highest
judge in the State of Israel and an award-winning
academician, who received the Israel Prize in Legal
Sciences in 1975. He is a member of the Israel
Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a teacher
of prominent legalists and writer of basic texts on
teaching law. He was honored for his support of the
study of law in the Negev and for being one of the
leaders of Israel’s constitutional revolution, who
champions human rights and ethics, justice and
equality.
Jewish philanthropist and community leader
Stephen K. Breslauer was honored for his leadership
in Jewish and Zionist organizations in the United