Hebrew University Update
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Orientation Week
In the last week of 2023, students gathered across all Hebrew University campuses for a week of orientation. It gave students the opportunity to ease back into the campus setting.
December 31, The Semester Began
The University opened it's doors on December 31, but the war continues. The University is committed to not leaving any student behind—therefore, even for student reservists who return to studies at a later stage, the teaching staff and the University will do their best so that everyone can complete the year. For this purpose, the University has established a very diverse academic, financial and emotional support system, amounting to many millions of NIS, for the benefit of reservists and members of the security forces, and their family members as well as those evacuated from their homes. This support system will be in place throughout the academic year.
We mourn together with the families of Hebrew University students and our community members, who were murdered or were killed in the battles. We wish a full and speedy recovery to the injured. The University community prays for the release of Carmel Gat, a master's student in the School of Occupational Therapy, who was kidnapped to Gaza. In her honor, her picture was placed on chairs in the large lecture halls on all campuses. The University community also prays for the safe return of Sagi, the son of Prof. Yonatan Dekel-Chen, who was also kidnapped to Gaza.
Hosting Families
The University opened its doors to evacuees from the north and south and hosted many families in all its faculty housing, including the following who were hosted for over one month:
- 85 evacuees
- 10 Hadassah medical staff members
- 8 reservists
- 150 members of the Home Front Command
- 5 evacuated families in Rehovot
- One wounded soldier in Eilat
The University took care of meals, laundry services, and organized cultural and enrichment activities for adults and children.
Food Drives
The University's HR and Worker's Union organized a food and toiletry drive for soldiers and evacuees, as well as organizing barbeque events for soldiers to boost morale at several bases.
The Hebrew University Youth Division
- 50 young evacuees took part in activities, including a 5-day Hannukah camp. In addition computer skills classes were taught.
- Programs featuring unique content in mental resilience and dealing with emergencies were offered to the children.
- The Division also held activities for young children which was open to the public, with priority given to evacuees or children whose parents are in the security service.
Dental Treatment
- The Faculty of Dental Medicine provided first aid services in the field of oral health, to evacuees and to members of the security forces.
- Field clinics were set up in Jerusalem and around the country, where 5 students and 2 faculty members would see hundreds of patients, 30 students and 5 faculty volunteered.
Legal Assistance
The Clinical Legal Education Center at the Faculty of Law has restarted the activities of the Social Security Council which was established during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Council provides assistance, guidance and information to the community on legal issues and information on exercising the rights for victims of the war. The Council is operated by lawyers and social activists, as well as 26 student volunteers.
- 92 inquiries through the Facebook page (which has 4172 members)
- 60 Facebook posts (including 19 in Arabic)
- Site visits to evacuees staying in hotels to make sure the services are accessible.
Assistance to the Families of the Abducted and Missing
The Clinical Legal Education Center represents the Forum of the Families of the Kidnapped and Missing Persons. As part of this representation, the Clinic for International Human Rights submitted an urgent appeal to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced Disappearances, which is under the United Nations Human Rights Council, requesting that it act urgently to obtain information on the abductees and missing persons kidnapped by Hamas and promote efforts for their peaceful release.
Forensic Medicine
A team led by Prof. Gila Kahila Bar-Gal from the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment has been volunteering since the outbreak of war at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir, assisting in the identification of victims.
Student Aid
The University's Division for Advancement and External Relations established The We Are One Campaign - a dedicated fund for students serving in the reserves, and evacuees.
The University (via the Dean of Students) offered substantial aid packages to students serving in reserve duty (in terms of financial aid, psychological and academic support).
Psychological Services
The University operates a hotline for its students, through the psychological services in the Office of the Dean of Students.
Providing Safe Spaces for Education
The University opened it's classroom doors on all campuses to host students from kindergartens, schools, preparatory schools, and IDF units.
At the Safra Campus 12 classrooms were allocated since November to establish an elementary school for children from Sderot.
Volunteering in the Fields
Every week since October 7, university faculty member (both administrative and acadmic), along with students volunteered to work in the fields throughout the country (a service in much need with the large-scale reserve duty callup).
The University also hosted farmers from the Gaza Envelope, and held two fairs to sell their produce on campus.
Business in a New Reality
The Hebrew University Business School established a special project to assist businesses affected by the war. BA and MA students in groups of 3 accompanied participating small businesses that had fallen into crisis, and used all possible ways to help the businesses return to activity in the new reality.
The project included 120 students, 40 graduates who served as mentors, and 80 participating businesses.
Assistance in Hospitals
Students from the Faculty of Medicine initiated, in cooperation with the Faculty's administration, an aid system for departments in the hospitals suffering from a lack of personnel due to the war.
The project included a network of students in health professions (medicine, occupational therapy, nursing, pharmacy and biomedical sciences), who were engaged in mapping the needs of the departments of the hospitals affiliated with the Hebrew University, and providing assistance.
The students placed dozens of volunteers in the departments and served as physician assistants.
Occupational therapy students contributed significantly in rehabilitation and mental health hospitals.
More than 300 students signed up to volunteer and were assigned to 25 departments in 5 hospitals.
Assistance to Ben Gurion University
The Ben Gurion University of the Negev community has been hit particularly hard, and the Hebrew University has made psychological services available as well as making faculty members available to offer support.
Tools for Professionals
The Magid Institute offered a free introductory workshop to treat post-trauma with the help of cognitive processing focusing on the the use of creative tools for stress relief and recovery.
At the Seymour Fox School of Education a group of educational consultants, held a support and assistance meeting for female educators who dealt with the personal upheaval, a meeting attended by 90 educators.
The Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare held numerous enrichment sessions for social workers in the field and for early childhood workers, about 350 women and professionals attended these meetings.
Experts in the Media
Dozens of interviews with Israeli and foreign media with faculty members.
Support for the Military
The University transferred logistical equipment to various military units.
Assistance in identifying bodies - volunteers at the Faculty of Dentistry volunteer in assisting in identifying casualties.
Logistical assistance at the military funerals on Mount Herzl.
Support to the Ministry of Health
Many faculty members and students volunteer in various organizations and provide them with assistance. The activity includes blood donations, volunteering in civilian hospitals throughout the country, content creation and translation of existing outreach materials, and distribution in the world to contacts abroad.
Support the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's We Are One Campaign
About the Campaign
To support those affected by the war, and the aftermath of war, the University has established the We Are One fund. We welcome contributions of any amount, and the Dean of Students will make allocations in consultation with University leadership based upon the changing needs on the ground.
These tragic times remind us of the human cost of war and the true blessings of family and friends. As we mourn those we have lost and prepare for difficult days ahead, we find comfort in community and strength in solidarity. We are grateful for your support.