MA NISHMA? *

Letter from the President

Dear friends of Oranim,

This is the first issue of our new English-language newsletter. Emerging from the closure and isolation that was forced upon us during the Covid-19 pandemic, Oranim is once again open for international cooperation and indeed much is happening which we would like to share with you. Our exchanges with universities worldwide have resumed, and hosting visitors at our green and welcoming campus is almost back to the old normal. This newsletter provides a peek into the variety of activities that make Oranim so special. Indeed, the uniqueness of Oranim lies in the combination of the degrees it awards in the humanities, social sciences and “hard” sciences, along with degrees in education and a variety of teaching certificates. It is an offering that is not equaled by any peer academic institution in Israel.

To maintain this quality, we need to ensure that our faculty are on the cutting edge of research in their fields of expertise and in pedagogy. When you look at the diverse areas of research of our Academus Program supporting Oranim's faculty, you will understand what I mean. While providing quality education, Oranim also believes in instilling values of good citizenship. As our “Political Week” agenda attests, I am certain you will agree with me how important, especially today, providing a platform for political discussion is. And the natural environment in which Oranim dwells would not be complete were it not for our devotion to the arts through our art institute and gallery. Of course, nothing of Oranim’s academic, social, and artistic work would be possible without our devoted staff, whose leader, CEO Tamar Engel, you can learn more about. We look forward to telling you more about Oranim and the accomplishments of its faculty, staff, and students in our coming newsletters.