Australian Friends of the Hebrew University

Founded in Sydney in May 1936 by Ruby Rich (later Ruby Rich-Schalit MBE), the Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem was established for the benefit of the Hebrew University. Our aims and objectives are:
To bring the name of the Hebrew University to the fore, raising awareness within the Jewish and general Australian community of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and its academic and research excellence

To raise funds and encourage bequests in support of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, both for specific projects and for the general purposes of the University

To provide a medium for the exchange of information and literature between Australia and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

To encourage and assist Australian students wishing to undertake study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

NEWS

Hebrew Uni honours Australians

Two Australians have received honorary fellowships from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Maurice Cohen and Leon Kempler, both frome Melbourne,  received their awards at the 73rd Hebrew University Governors’ meeting in Jerusalem.

Kempler is national president of the Australia Israel Chamber of Commerce. A close friend of Kempler’s told J-Wire: “This award comes as no surprise. He has been an ardent supporter of the university for years and has been responsible for promoting its input into the development of products and ideas which have enhanced trade between Australia and Israel. The Fellowship is well deserved.”

A spokesman for the Australian Friends of the Hebrew University told J-Wire: ”

Leon Kempler has been active in the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce since 1989 when he was appointed its National and State (Victoria) Chairman. Indeed, he is an ambassador of trade for Israel who has created a thriving network of bilateral trade relations between the two countries. Leon Kempler is astutely aware of the Hebrew University’s crucial contributions to Israel’s ongoing advancement and regularly showcases the University’s innovative research through meetings between participants in visiting trade missions and faculty members. In 1998, he was awarded the Order of Australia in recognition of his services to trade.

In tribute to his outstanding contributions to the State of Israel and in appreciation of his warm friendship for the Hebrew University, Leon Kempler is hereby named an Honorary Fellow and welcomed into the ranks of The Hebrew University’s honored friends.

Maurice Cohen, now in his mid-90s, has been a devoted friend of the Hebrew University for over forty years, serving as an inspiring leader of its Australian Friends organisation and a persuasive proponent of its mission.

Maurice Cohen is an honorary governor of the Hebrew University and a former federal president of its Australian Friends who today lives in Tel Aviv. A prominent leader and activist in Melbourne’s Jewish community, he took the helm of the Hebrew University’s Australian Friends in the 1960s and went on to successfully enlist the support of several major donors for the establishment of Australia House, thereby creating firm foundations for the Friends to flourish.

The citations:

Leon Kempler OAM

A prominent leader of the Jewish and general communities and a driving force in forging and strengthening ties between Australia and Israel, Leon Kempler is a devoted friend of Israel and a staunch advocate of the Hebrew University and its strategic role.

Leon Kempler is a highly regarded businessman and civic leader whose outstanding work in the corporate and non-profit arenas is guided by a spirit of innovation and compassion. He has been active in the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce since 1989 when he was appointed its National and State (Victoria) Chairman. Indeed, he is an ambassador of trade for Israel who has successfully enlisted Australia’s leading companies and preeminent business and political leaders in the creation of a thriving network of bilateral trade relations between the two countries. Among his many achievements, he has organised numerous trade missions to Israel, has initiated a joint venture tourism program, and has hosted Israeli trade missions as well as individual visiting businesspeople and academics. Highly cognizant of the Hebrew University’s crucial contributions to Israel’s ongoing advancement, Leon Kempler regularly showcases the University’s innovative research through meetings between mission participants and faculty members. Leon Kempler is a leader of many other civic organisations, including the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation in Melbourne, the Questacon National Science Technology Centre and he serves as Chairman of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. In 1998, he was awarded the Order of Australia in recognition of his services to trade.

In tribute to his outstanding contributions to the State of Israel and in appreciation of his warm friendship for the Hebrew University, Leon Kempler is hereby named an

Honorary Fellow

and welcomed into the ranks of the Hebrew University’s honored friends.

Maurice Cohen

A devoted friend of the Hebrew University for over forty years, Maurice Cohen served as an inspiring leader of its Australian Friends organisation and a persuasive proponent of its mission who gave unconditionally of his time, counsel and resources to the University’s advancement.

Maurice Cohen is an honorary member of the Board of Governors of the Hebrew University and a former federal president of the University’s Australian Friends organization. He today lives in Tel Aviv, where he was born. As a boy, Maurice Cohen migrated with his family to Australia and went on to establish a distinguished career as a lawyer and financial consultant alongside a life of leadership and activism in Melbourne’s Jewish community. Among his numerous roles, he served as chairman of the Jewish National Fund, the United Jewish Education Board and Bialik College, vice president of the United Israel Appeal and vice chairman of the Executive State Council of Victoria. In the 1960s, Maurice Cohen took the helm of the Hebrew University’s Australian Friends. He successfully enlisted the support of several major donors for the establishment of Australia House, creating firm foundations for the Friends to flourish. Acutely aware of the crucial importance of enabling young people to fulfill their academic potential, Maurice Cohen and his late wife, Thelma, endowed several scholarship funds and prizes in Australia and Israel, including student aid endowment funds at the Hebrew University that honor the late Avraham Harman and Bernard Cherrick.

In tribute to his steadfast devotion to the Hebrew University and in appreciation of his many efforts and generous support on its behalf, Maurice Cohen is hereby named an

Honorary Fellow

and welcomed into the ranks of the Hebrew University’s honoured friends.

Shalit movie a success

On Thursday morning February 19, the Australian Friends of The Hebrew University (Vic Div) together with Hagshama, JNF, WIZO and the ZCV hosted a special screening of the 50 minute documentary “Gilad Shalit – 2 years in captivity”.

This extremely poignant film featured Gilad’s mother, Aviva Shalit in a rare public appearance since her son’s kidnapping on June 25, 2006. Beginning on the day of the kidnapping it followed a sequence of events ensuing from the kidnapping and the Shalit family’s efforts to help free Gilad, all the while showing a window into Gilad and his family; a regular Israeli family who have known more than their share of grief as a result of war.

As viewers we were drawn into the complex maze of moral and political issues that make up a possible negotiation with Hamas terrorists for Gilad’s freedom.

Panelists Jennifer Huppert MLC; AUJS Shaliach Tal Dror; Clinical psychologist Dr Hadas Sella and Habonim Shlicha Shibolet Shofet-Edelman presented fascinating insights according to their various perspectives.

Panelists (l-r): Jennifer Huppert,

Tal Dror, Hadas Sella and

Shibolet Shofet-Edelman