Jan 30, 2006 -- President Richard M. Joel was in Israel during Winter Break continuing his goal to strengthen the relationship between America’s premier Jewish university and Israel.

For coverage in the Israeli media see this story from The Jerusalem Post.

Highlights of President Joel’s visit to Israel include:

* Meeting with Israeli President Moshe Katzav.
* Meeting with Jewish Agency Chairman Ze’ev Bielski.
* Meeting with educators to discuss joint efforts and cooperation, including Dr. Menachem Magidor, president of Hebrew University; Elan Ezrachi, director of the Jewish Agency’s MASA program; and educators at the Melton Center.

President Joel also announced YU’s first Israel Colloquium, scheduled for March 2006, as a celebration of Torah U’Madda and its relevance to life in Israel and the Jewish world. The colloquium will include a formal academic convocation at which honorary doctorates will be presented to key individuals who have made a difference in Israel.

President Joel visited with alumna Rabbanit Malke Bina, founder and educational director of Matan, a pioneer institution in women's Torah education in Jerusalem. The other honorees are Victor B. Geller, a Jewish communal administrator, author and lecturer; Prof. Moshe Kaveh, an internationally renowned physicist who serves as president of Bar-Ilan University; and alumnae Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, chief rabbi of the city of Efrat and founder of the Ohr Torah Stone educational institutions.

President Joel was the guest of honor at the Distinguished Scholar Applicant Event for high-achieving students currently studying in Israel. This event included a Model Knesset simulation session and a lecture by Dr. Yitzchak Herzog entitled "Does Israel Need a Constitution?"

YU’s first Town Hall Meeting with alumni in Israel was held on January 23rd. President Joel reported on YU’s increasing involvement in Israel and invited suggestions from alumni as to how their former university can become even more engaged in day-to-day life in Israel.

President Joel also met with students in one-year or two-year Torah study programs (including Midreshet Lindenbaum and Toras Shraga) to help recruit for Yeshiva University’s undergraduate programs in New York.