Wishing a successful and fruitful academic year to our thousands of students and to our academic and administrative staff!

To the University Community,

Wishing a successful and fruitful academic year to our thousands of students and to our academic and administrative staff!

A special greeting goes out to the students beginning their first year at Tel Aviv University. The University management, academic staff, and administrative staff will do everything in their power to make your study experience both beneficial and enjoyable. You are invited, beyond class attendance, to spend time on the lawns and in the cafeterias, and to enjoy everything our campus has to offer. You will find here a microcosm of Israeli society, where people of all religions and nationalities, from Israel and from around the world, study, teach, research, and meet. This rich human tapestry is what creates the unique community of our University.

The academic year opens after two years of war, which appears to have ended about two weeks ago. The living hostages returned home, and we all experienced a few days of collective uplift. We pray for the swift return of all the fallen hostages and for better and quieter days ahead. The end of the war leaves us with many challenges, first and foremost, providing support for bereaved families and assistance to those who have been physically or emotionally wounded. During the past two years, Tel Aviv University has granted numerous scholarships to support our students who served in the reserves, or whose family members did so, in addition to broad academic assistance. This year, too, we will continue to offer such scholarships. Our debt to the reservists is immense, and the least we can do is help them complete their studies successfully.

Unfortunately, the end of the war does not also end the deep internal rift that has been tearing Israeli society apart since the beginning of the judicial overhaul. This division threatens us to no lesser degree than the external dangers we face. I am sure that each of you holds your own opinions about its causes and about the ways we might overcome this grave social crisis – the most severe one our country has faced since its founding. We expect all members of our University community, including our students, not to hesitate to express their views on this crucial matter, which is vital to our continued existence. We encourage active citizenship, value social engagement in all its forms, and are committed to maintaining a safe and democratic campus where everyone’s freedom of expression is protected.

Finally, I would like to update you about changes in the University’s leadership. A few weeks ago, our Rector, Professor Mark Shtaif, completed a very successful five-year term, during which he led a dramatic transformation in teaching and learning methods. At the same time, Vice Rector Professor Eyal Zisser also concluded his term, after having made an immense contribution to the University’s academic management. Professor Noga Kronfeld-Schor of the Faculty of Life Sciences, who until recently headed the New Environmental School, has succeeded Professor Shtaif as Rector. I wish to express my deep gratitude to Mark and to Eyal for their devoted service to the University, and to extend my best wishes to Noga for much success in her important new role.

Wishing you all a productive academic year and better days ahead,

Yours,

Ariel Porat
President of the University