Faculty News

It's graduation season!

This year we were proud to confer 16 MSc degrees at the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine campus in Safed on June 29, 2022, and 11 PhD degrees at the main Bar-Ilan University campus in Ramat Gan on June 28, 2022.

In Safed, the ceremony was introduced by Hadas Hasidim, the graduate degree coordinator. After the academic procession and then procession of degree recipients, a short video describing the Faculty was shown. Greeting the participants next, was Prof. Karl Skorecki, Dean; Prof. Chaim Putterman, Associate Dean Research; and Prof. Meital Gal Tanamy, chairperson of the graduate degree committee at Azrieli. 

Ohad Malka then performed a musical interlude.

Dr. Ron Piran, a Faculty principal investigator, presented his research, after which the students were invited one by one to receive their degrees by Prof. Skorecki, Prof. Putterman, Prof. Tzipora C. Falik-Zaccai (Vice Dean, Medical Research) and Prof. Gal Tanamy. Academic Advisor names are in parenthesis:

With distinction:

Levin Varda Roza (Prof. Offer Amir, Dr. Natalya Volinsky)
Aias Meral (Dr. Avi Peretz)
Mesika Avraham Aviv (Prof. David Karasik, Prof. Tzipora C. Falik-Zaccai)
Anwar Dakwar (Dr. Ronit Ilouz)
Tel Paz Shahar (Dr. Shai Bel)

Jiryis Mervat (Dr. Nir Qvit)
Ghanayem Nasreen (Prof. Evan Elliott)
David Yehuda (Prof. David Karasik)
Verbner Nir (Prof. Omry Koren)
Houshan Esawi Kholoud (Dr. Hava Gil Henn)
Hijaze Manar (Dr. Ron Piran)
London Ania
Sawaied Yasmin (Dr. Shai Bel)
Saad Gewa (Dr. Avi Peretz)
Kadry Balqees (Prof. Omry Koren)
Kuc Martin (Prof. Omry Koren)

At the main Bar-Ilan campus, Azrieli doctoral students joined all BIU recipients at the conferment ceremony. Read more here.

Medical Sciences PhD recipients, from the Bar-Ilan list of doctoral recipients 2022:

Congratulations!

Pictured above: MSc graduation ceremony (credit: Dror Miller)

More pictures here.

The Forum of Azrieli Faculty of Medicine and Affiliate Medical Centers and District HMO management was held on Jun2 27, 2022. The forum meets every few months, each time hosted by a different medical center. This time the Haifa and Western Galilee District of Clalit Health Services had the honor.

Issues related to the activities of the Faculty and affiliate medical centers and health funds were discussed.

The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine was pleased to host some 40 laboratory managers from the Bar-Ilan University main campus in Ramat Gan, on June 23, 2022.

The lab managers came to Safed to learn about and tour the facilities as well as meet fellow researchers.

Following registration and light refreshments (after the beautiful commute up North) the group was greeted by Prof. Chaim Putterman, Associate Dean Research and Noam David Reshelbach, Administrative Head of Faculty, as well as BIU's Deputy Director General of Administration and Human Resources, Maor Pinko. Accompanying the group on the tour were Dr. Moshe Dessau, Dr. Ella Maoz, Prof. Omry Koren, Prof. Michael Edelstein, and Prof. Chaim Putterman. Special thanks to Dr. Dorith Raviv Shay for making sure all progressed smoothly.

Pictured above (thanks to Dr. Dorith Raviv Shay): The group being introduced to the Anatomage Table

Once a year the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine publicly thanks and expresses its appreciation to its clinical lecturers.

On June 15, 2022 a ceremony was held at the Ziv Medical Center, and the next day, on June 16, at the Galilee Medical Center (GMC) in Nahariya.

Sharon Mines, Administrative Deputy to the Associate Dean of Medical Education, emceed each ceremony, opening by explaining that when we convene to grant certificates of appreciation for excellence, we are highlighting personal and organizational qualities of perseverance, patience, curiosity, leadership, self-improvement, and constant learning - so that we in turn, can train excellent medical professionals.

The following were invited to the podium to share a few words:

• Prof. Karl Skorecki, Dean
• Prof. Eric Shinwell, Associate Dean Medical Education
• Dr. Nomy Dickman, Head of Unit, Evaluation and Advancement of Education
• At Ziv, Prof. Salman Zarka, director of Ziv Medical Center and Chief Covid-19 Officer; at GMC, Prof. Masad Barhoum, General Director of GMC

At Ziv a few short musical interludes were led by sixteen year old Efrat Ohana of Safed and at GMC by Salwa Shluten

A full list of the Certificate recipients appears on the Hebrew version, here.

Pictured above, left to right: Dr. Amir Kuperman, Prof. Karl Skorecki, Prof. Masad Barhoum, and Hila Kuperman

Pictured below, clockwise from top left: Sharon Mines, Prof. Karl Skorecki, Prof. Eric Shinwell, Efrat Ohana, Prof. Salman Zarka, Dr. Nomy Dickman (photo credit: Simon Hadad)

Congratulations to two of our graduate students upon being chosen for the prestigious Rector's Honor Roll. Ceremony was held at the Ramat Gan campus on June 13, 2022.

We are proud of Tal Avitan, a masters degree student from Prof. Orly Avni's lab, and Wisal Sawaed (pictured above), a PhD student from Dr. Ron Piran's lab who received the honor by the Rector, Prof. Amnon Albeck.

The prize encourages academic excellence and advances the next generation of Israeli researchers.

The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine appreciates the dedication of the second-year students who diligently filled out end-of-year feedback surveys. As a gesture of thanks, the class was awarded a monetary stipend.

The Faculty awards a symbolic cash prize for the class with the highest and most consistent response rate.

Last year this class also won.

Dr. Nomy Dickman,  head of the unit for Development and Evaluation of Education , was pleased to hear about the constructive use of the gift - in addition to covering the costs for a group outing, the class chose to purchase helpful equipment for class recording, a tablet, camera, and microphone. Graduate degree students who also received a stipend were able to purchase vouchers for Golda ice cream. She added, "The Faculty hopes that response rates will remain high." This feedback is also important for faculty advancement.

The students add: "We would like to give our thanks, and express our gratitude and appreciation for receiving an award for completing teaching surveys. We were able to hold a class evening attended by over 40 class members. The evening contributed greatly to our bonding, and was a great end to two pre-clinical years of study. Our thanks and appreciation also to all who assisted in receiving the grant: the Dean, Prof. Karl Skorecki; the Vice Rector, Prof. Arie Reich; Associate Dean of Medical Education, Prof. Eric Shinwell; Vice Dean for Pre-Clinical Studies, Prof. Daniel Glikman; Vice Dean of Clinical Education, Prof. Johnny Younis; Chair of the Graduate Committee, Prof. Meital Gal Tanami; Faculty Development Coordinator and Teaching Advocate, Ms. Shlomit Yosef; Mr. Bassem Hijazi, Ilana Bar Sabag; and Administrative Head of the Faculty, Mr. Noam David Reshelbach.

Pictured: The class during their outing

Seventy-five Azrieli Faculty of Medicine medical students from the four-year track received their coveted White Coats at a very exciting in-person ceremony at the Yigal Allon Cultural Center in Safed, on June 1, 2022. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, previous ceremonies were much smaller and had taken place on campus. This is the tenth cohort of the four-year track -  meaning, students who are pursuing the MD degree after having been awarded their bachelors degree. They commenced their studies at the height of the Covid-19 challenge.

Sharon Mines, Administrative Deputy to the Associate Dean of Medical Education, opened by explaining that the White Coat ceremony signifies the transition from the two-year pre-clinical (largely classroom) studies to the two-year clinical (hospital-based) bedside component.

Shira and Ateret Schwartz, the wife and young daughter of student Haggai Schwartz, gave a moving dvar Torah from the podium, after which the Dean, Prof. Karl Skorecki, greeted the crowd by recorded message, as he was unable to attend due to quarantine restrictions.

Up next to share very warm words to the full-house crowd, were Prof. Eric Shinwell, Associate Dean, Medical Education, and Prof. Daniel Glikman, Vice Dean, Pre-Clinical Studies. Their presentations were warm, educational, and enjoyable as always.

At this point, a student-prepared video clip encapsulating the student experience in pictures and short vignettes, was projected.

Returning to the podium, Professors Shinwell and Glikman, accompanied by coordinator Bat-El Menachem, called upon the three merit-based scholarship recipients of the Paul and Edwina Heller Memorial Fund: Aya Binenbaum, Hani Makhoul, and Gal Raz (pictured below).

The remaining 72 students were then called to the stage by name, one by one, per class, by their HILA (Professional Foundations for the Future Doctor) course instructors.

After all students donned their white coats, the father of student Netta Sorek, Dr. Motti Sorek, shared a few words, and two student representative - Hana Abu Rabia and Inbar Yorish Zur - were also invited as class representatives to speak.

Class picture, singing of Hatikva, then lots of hugs and kisses!

Pictures (credit to Dror Miller) can be seen here.

Researchers from the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine were honored to present their research at a daylong conference hosted by Bar-Ilan's Leslie and Susan Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center on May 30, 2022.

After opening remarks by the head of the Center, Prof. Alon Korngreen, who blessed the initiative, stressing the importance of cross-cultivation of scientific ideas and gathering among researchers from different departments and faculties who may not be aware of many of the labs at BIU (pointing out that geographic distance should not be a hindrance!) - eleven researchers presented their ideas, including posters by others for breaktime discussions.

From Azrieli, short lectures were given by Dr. Hava Gil Henn, Dr. Hanna Keren, Dr. Ronit Ilouz, Dr. Liron Rozenkrantz, and Prof. Evan Elliott.

Pictured below, the Gonda Brain Center. Pictured above, Dr. Keren and Dr. Rozenkrantz.

A ceremony was held today on the Bar-Ilan Ramat Gan campus, honoring recipients of the Vice Rector's Outstanding Teacher Award for the 2021-22 academic year.

Congratulations to Prof. Meital Gal-Tanami, Dr. Fadi Hassan, and Dr. Zaid abu Zaid of the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine.

Congratulations to Prof. Masad Barhoum, General Director of the Galilee Medical Center, upon his receipt of the Movement for Quality Government in Israel Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Dean of the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Karl Skorecki: "The Faculty of Medicine and Bar-Ilan University are proud that a person with your stature stands at the head of one of the medical institutions working in close and mutual connection with the Faculty, as partners in education training the future generation of physicians in the State of Israel."

Diabetes, as well as pre-diabetes, is growing worldwide; every year, 6-8% of people with pre-diabetes develop diabetes and in the periphery, the situation is particularly serious and intervention is crucial. The Russell Berry Galilee Diabetes SPHERE Initiative is determined to make a positive change.

On May 10, 2002, SPHERE, in collaboration with Clalit Health Services, Maccabi Health Services, and the Nazareth and Nof Hagalil Municipalities, launched an important project in  Nazareth to treat pre-diabetics and in so doing, fight the transition from pre-diabetes to the full-blown disease.

Clinical staff including some 50 family doctors, nurses, dietitians and social workers from Maccabi and Clalit - those at the forefront in the battle against diabetes - convened to learn about this intervention program that aims to reduce the transition from diabetes to diabetes by 50% via online measures and promoting healthy lifestyle changes.

The professionals will receive support and advice from an endocrinologist regarding pre-diabetes and obesity and a clinical pharmacist who will advise and accompany the course of treatment. Patients who will be eligible to join the program will receive an individualized and customized treatment package by a multi-professional team that includes a diabetes counselor, nurse, dietitian, and exercise counselor.

Prof. Naim Shehadeh, Director of SPHERE explains: "In order to reduce the number of diabetics, pre-diabetes is the most important risk group that we have chosen to focus on as a first intervention step by changing lifestyle and adding simple and inexpensive medications."

This important launch was also attended by Dr. Sivan Spitzer, Deputy Director of SPHERE; Dr. Rizan Sakhnini, Deputy director and district Pediatrician, Maccabi HealthCare, Northern District; and Dr. Yousef Awni, Deputy Director Northern Region and Director of Nazareth Towers, Clalit Health Services.

Visit the SPHERE Facebook page here.

The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine today commemorated the Israeli Memorial Day for Israel's Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Hostile Acts. Yom Hazikaron falls this year on May 4, 2022.

The Faculty Student Union prepared a moving ceremony that was held in the Esther & Haim Carasso Auditorium, as well as broadcast via Zoom.

After reciting the "Yizkor" and "El Maleh Rahamim" prayers, students presented short biographies of soldiers who had fallen:

סמ"ר ליאל גדעוני ז"ל

סמ"ר ראובן מגן ז"ל

סגן הילה בצלאל ז"ל

סגן משנה בר רהב ז"ל

סמ"ר טוביה ינאי ויסמן ז"ל

רב סמל מתקדם יוסף (יוסי) קירמה ז"ל

סמ"ר יקיר שושי ז"ל

The ceremony included short musical interludes by students as well as the reading of written pieces by known authors Natan Yonatan, Avraham Halfi, and Nathan Alterman.

The Dean, Prof. Karl Skorecki, shared a few thoughtful words, and the ceremony concluded with the singing of the national anthem, HaTikvah.

יהי זכרם ברוך may their memories be for a blessing.

The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine Teddy Bear Hospital was back live, this year, celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Last year, due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine annual Teddy Bear Hospital took place via Zoom but this year, on May 2, 2022, approximately 500 children from Safed and the Galilee visited the campus with their teddy bears and stuffed animals to learn about medical treatments and intervention in a fun, relaxed environment.

With thanks to the dedicated and active support of Freddy Zinger, the festive event this year included not only ER, imaging, surgery, cardiology, neurology, orthopedic, ENT, ophthalmology, lab, family medicine, dentistry, healthy living, vaccination, and pharmaceutical stations for the children, their dolls and parents - but also the opportunity to explore an ambulance and police car. In addition, a BeTerem booth was set up, to teach parents about child safety.

The "doctors" stationed at the "departments" were current Azrieli medical students, organized by medical student Amit Gabbay.

Pictured above, Freddy Zinger and the Dean, Prof. Karl Skorecki.

Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) coverage here.

A few additional photos of the fun and educational day follow and can be seen here (photo credit Dror Miller):

A delegation of researchers and physician-scientists from the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine (Prof. Meital Gal-Tanamy, Prof. Orly Avni, Dr. Meir Shamay, Prof. Lior Lewenstein [Galilee Medical Center] and Dr. Khalaf Kridin [Baruch Padeh  Medical Center in Poria], led by Prof. Tzippi Falik-Zaccai the Vice Dean for biomedical research) were invited by Prof. Martin Procházka, the Rector of Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic for a series of lectures and meetings with the goal of promoting mutual academic collaboration.

The delegation visited the Czech Republic on April 24-27, 2022, accompanied by Ofer Dahan, Director of the BIU international School, and Dr. Dorith Raviv Shay, coordinator of international affair at the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine.

The group visited the Faculty of Medicine at UPOL and CATRIN, the Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute. Meetings were held with Prof. Milan Raska, Vice-Dean for Foreign Relations and General Medicine; Jiří Stavovčík, Vice Rector for Internationalization; Dr. Dalibor Mikulas, Head of the Department of Internationalization.

Potential projects for submission to EU grants were discussed, clinical knowledge was shared, and the ground was set for future collaboration.

Pictured above (L to R): Dr. Dalibor Milkulas, Dr. Meir Shamay, Dr. Lior Lewenstein, Mrs. Eva Kalusova, Jiří Stavovčík, Prof. Meital Gal-Tanamy, Dr. Khalaf Kridin, Prof. Martin Prochzka, Ofer Dahan, Prof. Tzippi Falik-Zaccai, Prof. Orly Avni, Dr. Dorith Raviv-Shay

The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine Student Union prepared a thought-provoking ceremony in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day on April 28, 2022. The ceremony was dedicated to medical professionals during the Holocaust. Six memorial candles were lit to honor Dr. Mark Dvorzhetski, Dr. Israel Milejkowski, Dr. Anna Braude Heller, the clandestine medical school in the Warsaw Ghetto, the Jewish students who defied the prohibition and learned medicine during the Holocaust, and Professor Witold Orlowski.

In addition, the Dean, Prof. Karl Skorecki spoke and there was a moving vocal and guitar musical interlude by students.

The event concluded with the singing of HaTikva.