AFHU_News_Vol.21_9.13.18 Spreads (1)

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AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY
AFHU NEWS VOL. 21 PAGE 29
AFHU President’s Mission to Berlin
and Jerusalem, June 3-13, 2018
The President’s International
Business Leadership Forum
This year’s AFHU President’s Mission brought
a delegation of 32 American Friends to Berlin for
five days prior to traveling to Jerusalem for the 81st
International Board of Governors’ meeting. Participants
followed in the footsteps of Hebrew University
founder, Albert Einstein, exploring the Bavarian quarter
of Berlin and journeying to his summer residence
in Caputh, where they dined in Einstein’s garden. The
trip was enriched by the company of Hebrew University
Professor Hanoch Gutfreund, an eminent physicist
and curator of the Einstein Archives at Hebrew
University, as well as Hebrew University Chancellor
Professor Menahem Ben-Sasson and Dr. Ada
Ben-Sasson.
1.
2.
Among the notable highlights was a private
reception hosted by the Israeli Ambassador to
Germany, Jeremy Issacharoff, and his wife, Laura,
at their residence on the grounds of the embassy.
The group enjoyed city panoramas and dinner at the
exclusive Axel Springer Journalist’s Club, and a tour
of the Jewish Museum included lunch with Margot
Friedlander, a 96 year-old Holocaust survivor who
read from her published memoir, Try to Make Your
Life: A Jewish Girl Hiding in Nazi Berlin. Participants
viewed Berlin’s renowned art and archaeology collections,
steeped themselves in the history and culture
of German Jewry, and visited important sites such
as the House of Wannsee Conference and the Max
Liebermann Villa.
3.
1. L to R: Ben Marandy, Ruth Flinkman-Marandy,
and Professor Hanoch Gutfreund
2. Participants at the Neue Synagogue.
3. Berlin Concert Hall (Konzerthaus Berlin)
The Hebrew University launched an innovative
new program in June as a prelude to the 81st meeting
of the International Board of Governors. HU President,
Professor Asher Cohen, hosted the Business
Leadership Forum which brought together global
entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, enterprising HU
alumni, and founders of unique start-ups in Israel
and the U.S. Panels, presentations, and interactive
investment simulation games enabled participants
to network and discuss high-tech innovation, recent
industry trends, and the commercialization of technology.
Moderating the Business Leadership Forum was
Dr. Yaron Daniely, CEO and President of Yissum.
Engaging “HUJI Talks” were offered by experts such
as Professor Yuval Noah Harari, who described the
Rise of Digital Dictatorships; Professor Idan Segev,
who expounded on the Blue Brain and Beyond; and
Professor Emeritus Raphael Mechoulam, head of the
Multidisciplinary Center for Cannabinoid Research
and internationally recognized as the “father” of
medical marijuana.
The American delegation was led by HU
alumna, Laura Lande-Diner, Senior Associate, Flagship
Pioneering; Rothberg School alumnus Andrew
Shapiro, Founder, Broadscale; and Catherine Wood,
Founder and CEO of Ark Management. Among the
numerous Israeli entrepreneurs were Marius Nacht,
co-founder of Check Point, Zeev Farbman, CEO of
Lightricks, and Oren Shoval, co-founder and Chief
Technology Officer of Via.
HU innovations will take center stage at AFHU’s
second NEXUS:ISRAEL conference, scheduled for
May 6, 2019 in New York City.