12 Students Complete the Pirchei Refua Excellence Program

Twelve students completed the Pirchei Refua program this year, an excellence program operated in partnership with Galilium, the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee at Bar-Ilan University, Kedem Atidim, and the Ministry of Education’s Department for Gifted and Outstanding Students. The program’s closing ceremony was held on June 22 and was attended by graduating students, their families, first-year participants, and representatives of the Faculty of Medicine, Kedem Atidim, and Galilium.

The ceremony marked the culmination of a meaningful journey that combined scientific study, hands-on research experience, and exposure to the worlds of medicine and biomedical research in the Galilee.

Pirchei Refua is a three-year program for outstanding high school students, beginning in 10th grade and continuing through 12th grade. During the first year, participants attend weekly science courses taught by researchers from Bar-Ilan University’s Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in Safed. Beginning in the second year and continuing through the completion of the program, students take part in laboratory research and complete a five-unit matriculation research project under the supervision of researchers from the Faculty, hospitals throughout the Eastern Galilee region, and the MIGAL Galilee Research Institute.

This year, program participants also took part in the Teddy Bear Hospital event, held in Safed for the sixth consecutive year. Through this unique initiative, children were introduced to the world of medicine in a friendly, hands-on environment designed to reduce anxiety about visits to clinics and hospitals.

Galilium is a regional partnership established to promote science and technology education across the Eastern Galilee region as a means of reducing social gaps and advancing social mobility. As part of its activities, Galilium leads a wide range of educational initiatives, including Pirchei Refua, one of the region’s leading excellence programs for outstanding students.