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Dear Friends,
The past month has tested Israel in ways few could have imagined. Iran's unrelenting attacks have profoundly impacted the Tel Aviv University (TAU) community. Thousands of students are facing financial, academic, and psychological hardship. Blast waves from missile strikes damaged buildings on campus, and almost 3,000 students have again been called to serve in the reserves.
Yet through every siren, every uncertainty, and every heartbreak, we’ve witnessed extraordinary resilience — not just in spirit, but in action.
Tel Aviv University once again has demonstrated that it embodies the very best of Israeli society by being inventive, forward thinking, and resilient in the face of adversity.
In response to the War, TAU reopened the Rising Lions Emergency Fund established after October 7th, to provide immediate support to those most affected in our community. TAU quickly expanded mental health services for students and provided housing assistance for students and faculty who were displaced due to missile hits. Additionally financial aid and academic accommodations are supported by the Fund.
Despite the difficulties, unbelievable optimism abounds on TAU's campus. Professor Tali Ilovitsh, from the school of biomedical engineering, was featured on the cover of Small, a leading medical journal. She and her team developed a nanodroplet-enhanced ultrasound approach to mechanically disrupt tumors and enhance immunotherapy response. Their approach integrates mechanical disruption with immune activation, addressing key barriers in solid tumor treatment.
Professor Ronit Satchi-Fainaro was just named head of the Gray School of Medical Sciences and a few weeks earlier she was awarded 2025 NCK Prize for an Outstanding Medicinal Chemist by Israel Chemical Society (ICS), an organization that advances chemical sciences, industry and education in Israel and the world. She won for her work on developing novel anti-cancer therapeutics based on discovering new molecular targets and mechanisms, immunotherapy, and selective targeting devices.
I met Professor Adi Barzel a few years ago and I was fascinated by his research on gene editing and therapeutic innovation as well as his drive to understand the world and change it for the better. His research has led to the founding of companies pioneering treatments for HIV, cancer, and severe allergies. I encourage you to read this profile, about his journey of translating his science into impact.
It was a proud moment to see director Yariv Mozer, a TAU alumnus and faculty member at the Steve Tisch School of Film and Television, win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary for his film, "We Will Dance Again," at the 46th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards in New York. This is an important documentary that we must support to preserve the truth about what happened at the Nova Music Festival.
Golda Meir once said, "you will never find a better sparring partner than adversity" and Israel and TAU exemplify that daily. It is my honor to share optimistic news and happenings from Tel Aviv University. Supporting Tel Aviv University, which epitomizes our highest values, education and democracy, is crucial – now more than at any time. Please join us!
Shabbat shalom,
Dr. Garry A. Rayant
Chairman, American Friends of Tel Aviv University
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