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University Confers
Honorary Doctorate on Lord Jacobs, Sammy Ofer,
Prof. Bernard Cohen, and Yitzhak Ben-Aharon
The University conferred its highest accolade, the degree of Doctor
of Philosophy, Honoris Causa, on four distinguished personalities
representing three different countries at the opening of its 32nd
Board of Governors Meeting on the last day of May.
The oldest of the conferees and perhaps one of the oldest awardees
anywhere in the world was the veteran Israeli social and labor
activist, Yitzhak Ben-Aharon, who was born in Bukovina in 1906.
Proving in his remarks of thanks that he had lost none of the
feistiness that had caused him to be both revered and sometimes the
opposite for his deeds and his words, Ben-Aharon ended his remarks
with the call to “keep Haifa clean, anti-nationalist, and
multicolored.” That, as he saw it, was “the way to peace and
progress.” The nonagenarian was cited for “his longstanding public
activity in service to society and the State; … his courageous
leadership of the workers’ movement, the Labor movement, and the
kibbutz movement; and his uncompromising devotion to the values of
equality and social dignity….”
Lord Anthony Jacobs, of England, past chairman of the University’s
Board of Governors, received a scroll that stressed “his laudable
public involvement and support of the welfare of society in England
and Israel; … his impressive contribution to the development of the
University of Haifa and to providing it with firm grounding; and …
his sage and resourceful leadership of the Board of Governors of the
University.” Calling for universal respect, Lord Jacobs stated he
found the University to be a “working model of an educational
environment that replaced conflict.” He had begun his relationship
with the University 16 years ago and was “confident that the
University will continue to thrive in peace.”
Sammy Ofer, the Romanian-born, Israeli and world shipping magnate,
received recognition for “his contribution to the development of the
Israeli economy, the Israeli merchant fleet, world shipping, and
international trade; … his longstanding, generous support of
cultural and educational institutions; and … his dedication in
assisting IDF soldier-students ….” Recounting how larger shipping
companies had tried to put small companies out of business back when
he had bought his second ship, a 1,000- ton carrier, he then summed
up the synopsis of his life that he presented. His company’s
purchase this year of Zim – Israel Navigation Co., Israel’s national
carrier and one of the world’s largest containership operators—was,
he commented, “an act of justice.” He also remarked that the
academic faculty bore a heavy responsibility for its preparation of
the leaders of the future.
Saul Bernard Cohen is an American scholar who laid the foundations
for the field of political geography. Some of his students are
themselves now distinguished geographers on the University’s
faculty. He was praised for “his wide-ranging and in-depth
scientific contribution to the study of political geography; … his
educational and public activity to advance the teaching of
geography; … his societal involvement and dedication to the Jewish
community in the United States and his support of academe in
Israel….” Cohen had also served as president of Queens College of
the City University of New York. The city of Haifa, the Boston-area
native said, held a special place in his life, as “it was the study
of Haifa and its port [as a young graduate student] that inspired
me.” He was sure that with peace, the Arab countries would take
advantage of a free port of Haifa.
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In
This Issue:
Prof. Aaron Ben-Ze'ev, a Philosopher, Is
Elected President Says Social Responsibility Should Be a Strategic
Goal for the University
President Hayuth’s Last
Report to Governors: ‘I leave behind me … a University that is well equipped,
financially and academically, to meet the challenges ahead’
Prof. Manfred
Lahnstein Re-Elected Chairman of University’s Board of Governors
Executive
Committee Approves New Vice-Presidents
University Confers
Honorary Doctorate on Lord Jacobs, Sammy Ofer, Prof. Bernard Cohen, and Yitzhak
Ben-Aharon
Jacobs Building
Dedicated
Sammy and Aviva Ofer
Observation Gallery Dedicated
Kluger Building Dedicated
Honorary Fellow
Bestowed on Alex Samuel
Hatter, Fraenkel, and
Recanati Fellowships Awarded
Guy Bar-Oz, a
Zooarcheologist, Awarded Dusty Miller Fellowship
Werner Otto
Fellowships
Beijing and Haifa Cooperate
to Help the Aged Tsinghua University Hosts UH Contingent
Prof. David Kushner:
Expert on Turkey Reflects on His Cairo Assignment
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