The Jerusalem College of Technology (JCT) has a new president-elect. The JCT Board of Trustees has appointed Prof. Avi Domb as the next president of the college. His appointment comes at the conclusion of the 12-year tenure of Prof. Chaim Sukenik, who led JCT through a renewal process, most notably the establishment of the new Tal Campus for women, where construction recently began.
Sukenik is retiring after three terms, and Domb is expected to take office in October.
In recent years, Domb, a chemist and pharmacist by training, has headed the School of Pharmacy in the Faculty of Medicine at The Hebrew University, and served as chief scientist of Israel’s Ministry of Science and Technology. He has extensive experience in academia and industry.
Throughout his career, he has held senior positions at the Hebrew University and leading research institutions in the United States. Previously, Domb headed the Forensic Science Division of the Israel Police and served as president of Azrieli College of Engineering. He has been involved in groundbreaking technological ventures and has led innovative developments in medicine and chemistry.
On receiving the appointment, Domb said that he was privileged and excited to join JCT, “an institution that combines academic and scientific excellence with Torah studies and Jewish values.” One of his own core values, he added, is the connection between Torah and science.
He looks forward to leading the college to continued growth and impact in science, industry, and Israeli society.
Yad Vashem and the European Union
■ THREE WEEKS ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yad Vashem launched a new audio-visual experience set against the backdrop of its Valley of Communities, which contains a series of large and small monuments to Jewish communities decimated during the Holocaust. This groundbreaking initiative, funded by the EU, uses state-of-the-art light projection, animation, and studio surround sound to tell the stories of numerous Jewish communities that flourished throughout Europe and North Africa before their tragic decline or obliteration.
The EU deepened its collaboration with Yad Vashem with a contribution of 10 million euros for the project, finalized in May 2023, calling the project a testimony of Jewish life in Europe before the Holocaust.
The audio-visual experience is designed to bridge generations, fostering a shared understanding of history and its lasting impact. The Valley of Communities, which opened in 1992, was transformed with extensive renovations that include a seating area for 280 visitors, an information center, and accessible pathways for post-show research by Yad Vashem experts and historians.
This immersive historical narrative –available in English and Hebrew – guides visitors through two millennia of Jewish history. The journey begins with the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, traverses the diverse Diaspora communities of Europe and North Africa, and culminates on the eve of the Holocaust.
“This project showcases the enduring values, traditions, and contributions of these vibrant Jewish communities, many of which now remain only as names etched in the bedrock,” reflected Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan. “It presents a unique approach to remembrance, highlighting how these communities maintained their heritage despite unfathomable circumstances throughout history, while also significantly influencing their home nations and leaving an undeniable imprint that the Nazis and their collaborators tried their utmost to eradicate.”
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, stated: “The Valley of Communities stands as a testament to the resilience of the Jewish people and the rich tapestry of communities that once thrived across Europe and North Africa. By supporting this project, the European Union ensures that future generations can reflect upon and learn from the tragedy and loss within these 5,000 Jewish communities.
“Through this initiative, we remember the rich Jewish life that existed on our continent before the Holocaust, honor the memory of those who perished, and reaffirm our collective responsibility to ensure that such atrocities never happen again,” she said. “Together with Israel, the EU stands united in our commitment to remembrance, education, and the fight against antisemitism in all its forms.”
Tourists and marathons in Jerusalem
■ OTHER PARTS of Jerusalem are occasionally bathed in light. It would be more interesting and cause less discomfort to thousands of residents of the capital if the annual Friday marathon was changed to a late night beginning Thursday at midnight, and concluding at 5 a.m. on Friday when runners would be taken in tour buses along the marathon routes to see the same sites that they passed in the wee hours, and to compare the different impressions that they received.
Using the excuse that it’s too late [at nigh] for child participants doesn’t wash because parents bring children to white night festivities in various parts of the country, most notably Tel Aviv.
Mayor Moshe Lion has encouraged the marathon as a means of boosting tourism, but in all honesty, runners don’t really have time to look at the view beyond what’s straight ahead. Some from abroad may stay on to visit certain sites or to wander through the city, but most Israeli participants from outside Jerusalem go straight home afterward.
Tourists who are in Jerusalem on marathon day and need to get to another city have trouble reaching the train or bus station and have to fork out a large sum of money for a taxi to take them on some complicated route because public transportation is unavailable.
This year, happily, public transportation resumed more than two hours earlier than anticipated.
