American Friends of Bar-Ilan University

08/20/2026

🦄 Bar-Ilan University Ranks Among the World’s Top Universities for Producing Unicorn Founders 🚀

What do some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs have in common? Their journey started at Bar-Ilan.

A new analysis from Stanford Graduate School of Business ranks Bar-Ilan University 6th worldwide among universities outside the U.S. for producing founders of U.S. unicorn companies — startups valued at more than $1 billion.

The analysis examined the academic backgrounds of thousands of founders and measured how strongly graduates of each university are represented among unicorn founders, taking the size of each institution into account.

The result places Bar-Ilan among an elite group of universities whose graduates are disproportionately likely to go on to build billion-dollar companies.

08/18/2026

🧠 Understanding the Brain, Building the Future 💫

Los Angeles native Eliana Waghalter is spending her summer conducting research in the Neuropsychology Lab of Prof. David Anaki at Bar-Ilan University's Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center. Her research explores whether highly creative individuals differ from others in the way they organize and connect concepts in semantic memory.

Waghalter is part of the 16th annual Bar-Ilan University-Yeshiva University (BIU-YU) Summer Science Research Internship Program, which has brought nearly 500 undergraduates to Israel since its inception.

“The opportunity to actively participate in running experiments has deepened my understanding of neurocognitive psychology research, and I’ve especially appreciated the chance to contribute to meaningful research in Israel while being part of such a wonderful group of like-minded students,” said Waghalter, a junior majoring in Psychology and Judaic Studies at Stern College.

We’re proud that through this initiative and many others, Bar-Ilan continues to cultivate the next generation of researchers who are poised to make game-changing scientific discoveries for the benefit of humanity.

Read more: https://www.sdjewishworld.com/2026/08/10/do-highly-creative-people-organize-information-differently-from-the-rest-of-us/

08/17/2026

🇮🇱 Israel’s next generation of AI talent is already making its mark on the global stage.

In Israel’s first-ever appearance at the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI), high school student Ido Kfir earned a bronze medal, while Daniel Vorbyov and Itai Karni received honorable mentions.

Behind the team was Bar-Ilan University.

Israel’s four-member national team trained at Bar-Ilan under the academic direction of Dr. Avshalom Elmalech of the Department of Information Science and Applied Artificial Intelligence and head coach Oren Ganon of the Alexander Kofkin Faculty of Engineering.

We’re proud to see Bar-Ilan helping nurture the young minds who will shape the future of AI in Israel and beyond.

Congratulations to the entire team! 🇮🇱👏

08/14/2026

As another week comes to a close, wishing our Bar-Ilan University community a peaceful Shabbat filled with rest and reflection.

Shabbat Shalom 💚

08/13/2026

🎓 What will this generation bring to the workforce? More than a degree.

In her latest commentary for The Times of Israel, AFBIU CEO Jessica Feldan considers what Israel’s newest generation of graduates will bring to the workplaces, institutions, and communities they are now entering.

For employers, their value extends far beyond academic credentials. Years shaped by war, military and reserve service, and extraordinary responsibility have demanded adaptability, leadership, empathy, and the ability to perform under pressure, qualities that will now follow them into their professional lives.

Jessica argues that this generation has the potential to make an extraordinary contribution not only to Israel’s workforce, but to the country’s future.

After so much uncertainty, that is a future worth believing in.

🔗 Read Jessica's full commentary here: https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-generation-of-leaders-enters-the-workforce/

From the blog of Jessica Feldan at The Times of Israel

08/11/2026

📚 Born in the Classroom: A Future Worth Believing In 🙏🇮🇱

Universities are often judged by the knowledge they impart. This year's graduating class at Bar-Ilan University reminds us that they also shape characters, our CEO Jessica Feldan writes in her latest commentary for The Times of Israel.

Bar-Ilan’s graduates enter hospitals, laboratories, technology companies, schools, government agencies, and startups with qualities no syllabus could fully teach: resilience, adaptability, discipline, empathy, and the ability to lead through uncertainty.

As these students were willing to put their lives on hold to serve Israel during a prolonged war, Bar-Ilan did everything possible to ensure they did not have to sacrifice their futures as well. After so much uncertainty, that is a future worth believing in.

Read more: https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-generation-of-leaders-enters-the-workforce/

From the blog of Jessica Feldan at The Times of Israel

08/10/2026

🔬🧪 The Next Generation of Scientific Discovery Begins at Bar-Ilan 🇮🇱 📚

Florida undergraduates Zohar Ben Simon and Olivia Kahane are spending their summer in Israel conducting cutting-edge research as part of the 16th annual Bar-Ilan University-Yeshiva University Summer Science Research Internship Program.

Zohar is applying her computer science expertise to research on how aging affects thyroid tissue. Olivia is studying genetic mutations associated with a neurological disorder, gaining hands-on experience that is helping shape her aspirations in medicine and research.

They’re among 24 students from the U.S. and U.K. participating in this year’s seven-week program, joining nearly 500 undergraduates since the program began 16 years ago. Supported by the generosity of Drs. Mordecai z"l and Monique Katz, the Irving I. Stone Foundation, and the Zoltan Erenyi Charitable Fund, the BIU-YU Summer Science Research Internship Program reflects Dr. Mordechai Katz's belief that "the best investment you can make is in people."

We’re proud to see the next generation of scientists learning, collaborating, and making meaningful contributions at Bar-Ilan.

Read more from Heritage Florida Jewish News: https://www.heritagefl.com/story/2026/08/07/news/florida-undergraduates-join-bar-ilan-university-for-summer-science-research-program/23767.html

08/07/2026

👣 Small Steps With a Major Global Impact 🌍

What if your daily commute could make you healthier?

New research from Bar-Ilan University has helped inspire a new feature in the Moovit app that encourages commuters to choose routes with a little more walking when it doesn't increase travel time. The innovation shows how academic research can translate into real-world solutions that improve public health, reduce congestion, and promote more sustainable cities.

"It’s a win-win: more physical activity without spending any extra time," says Prof. Jonathan Rabinowitz, a wellness researcher at Bar-Ilan’s Weisfeld School of Social Work.

It's yet another example of Bar-Ilan's commitment to research that, going beyond advancing knowledge, improves everyday life.

🔗 Read more: https://themedialine.org/headlines/bar-ilan-research-inspires-new-moovit-feature-to-get-commuters-walking-more/

08/05/2026

🚀 Inspiring Tomorrow's STEM Leaders 🔬

Innovation starts long before college.

Bar-Ilan University is investing in Israel's next generation of scientists, engineers, and technology pioneers through hands-on STEM education for talented young students.

Highlights include:

▪️ 575 youth participated in University Youth Center programs in 2025
▪️ A 98% increase in gifted high school participants over the past two years
▪️ Israel's only university to host national Youth Science Olympiads in biology, robotics, and computer science
▪️ Seven gold medals won at the International Olympiad in Informatics over the last four years
▪️ New training programs preparing students for international competitions in cybersecurity and AI

By nurturing curiosity, excellence, and innovation from an early age, Bar-Ilan is helping shape the scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs who will solve tomorrow's biggest challenges.

08/04/2026

🧠 The Science Behind Your Best Ideas 💡

In a world that prizes constant focus and productivity, Bar-Ilan University brain researcher Prof. Moshe Bar is challenging conventional wisdom.

According to Prof. Bar, moments of "mind-wandering" aren't distractions. They're essential for creativity, problem-solving, emotional understanding, and better decision-making. As he explains, "There's a time for focus and a time for wandering."

His latest book explores how allowing our brains to make unexpected connections can spark innovation and help us think more creatively. It serves as a reminder that sometimes, staring out the window isn't wasting time after all.

Read more in ynet: https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/s1slqnpvme