American Friends of University of Haifa

08/21/2026

One of the founders of the University of Haifa, Prof. Arnon Sofer, has passed away at the age of 90. He began his career at the university in 1965 and, in 1970, became head of the Department of Geography, which he went on to build into one of Israel’s leading geography departments.

Professor Sofer was one of Israel’s most prominent researchers in the field of geostrategy, examining how geographical and demographic changes affect politics, economics, society, and international relations.

By connecting scientific research with broader strategic questions, his work helped shape security and policy thinking in Israel and provided important insights for policymakers.

Sofer leaves behind a research legacy and a profound influence on decision-makers, his students, and the world of Israeli geography.

08/20/2026

University of Haifa’s Dr. Shirit Shali Zondiner has been awarded the ACUM Mark Kopytman Prize for Composition for her work Poems of Jerusalem. 🎶

Inspired by the work of renowned Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai, the composition was selected through a blind judging process, with the jury praising its distinctive musical voice and its blending of Eastern and Western influences.

Dr. Zondiner is a faculty member in the University of Haifa’s School of the Arts, Department of Music.

Congratulations to Dr. Zondiner on this wonderful achievement! 👏

08/19/2026

University of Haifa expertise is helping inform the conversation around liver health in The New York Times.

Prof. Shira Zelber-Sagi, a clinical dietitian and epidemiologist at the University of Haifa, was featured in a recent article examining the habits that can protect or harm liver health. She highlighted the strong evidence linking high sugar consumption, particularly sugary beverages, with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

Prof. Zelber-Sagi also discussed the importance of exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, noting that GLP-1 medications have been a “game-changer,” but should be accompanied by exercise, particularly strength training.

Read more here: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/23/well/liver-health-tips.html

08/18/2026

Northern Israel needs more doctors. But training more physicians is only part of the solution.

At the University of Haifa’s Herta and Paul Amir School of Medicine, the goal is to train exceptional physicians while creating new pathways that encourage them to build their careers in the North and serve its communities for years to come.

The School is also rethinking how future doctors are educated, with clinical exposure beginning from the earliest stages of their studies and training that extends beyond hospitals into primary and specialty care within the community.

By drawing on the University of Haifa’s academic strengths across health, science, technology and other disciplines, the School is building a new model of medical education designed around the needs of northern Israel.

08/17/2026

New research from the University of Haifa is challenging long-standing assumptions about how the Earth’s crust evolves beneath our oceans.

Published in Communications Earth & Environment, the study found that the Earth’s crust off the U.S. East Coast cooled up to 1.6 times faster than conventional geological models predicted, causing the region to sink more rapidly and allowing unusually thick layers of sediment to accumulate.

Researchers from the University’s Charney School of Marine Sciences believe water circulating through porous volcanic rocks may help explain the accelerated cooling by carrying heat from deep within the crust toward the surface. The findings could reshape scientists’ understanding of continental margins, ancient sea-level changes and the geological history of ocean basins.

Read more: https://www.ynetnews.com/environment/article/byu0095pumx

08/14/2026

When your campus sits on top of a mountain, views like this come with the territory 😍

08/13/2026

The University of Haifa and UConn are strengthening ties through their 2026 Joint Research Fund, supporting collaborative research that brings together expertise from both institutions.

This year's fund is supporting two projects. Dr. Tair Ben-Porat of the University of Haifa and Dr. Sherry Pagoto of UConn will examine what happens after patients discontinue incretin-based obesity medications, with the goal of informing future interventions. Prof. Yizhaq Makovsky of the University of Haifa, together with Prof. Tracy Frank and Prof. Christopher Fielding of UConn, will explore critical elements in the Eastern Mediterranean and their potential role in future energy solutions.

By bringing researchers from Haifa and Connecticut together, the initiative is helping build new academic partnerships, advance research on pressing global challenges, and lay the groundwork for continued international collaboration.

08/12/2026

At 46, after years of putting her own creative ambitions on hold, Yifat Mandabi enrolled in the University of Haifa's fashion program to pursue a lifelong dream.

During her studies, Yifat lost both of her parents. As she worked through her grief, fashion became a way to express what she couldn't put into words. For her graduation collection, Yifat created a deeply personal tribute to her mother, incorporating her mother's unfinished embroidery and tapestry work into her own designs using 3D printing techniques.

"My greatest fear is forgetting her, and I never want that to happen," Yifat said. "By dedicating this collection to my mother, I created a way to carry her memory with me every day."

Her collection was showcased at the University of Haifa's Class of 2026 graduate runway show, transforming memory and loss into something that could live on.

Read more: https://afuh.org/news-media/stitching-memory-a-fashion-graduate-turns-grief-into-art/

Yifat Mandabi is a 46-year-old mother of three from Haifa. She moved there from Eilat during her army service in the Navy, fell in love with the city, and has lived there ever since.

08/11/2026

🏆 The University of Haifa has once again been ranked the #1 university in Israel for social and environmental impact in the 2026 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.

Among more than 1,600 participating institutions worldwide, the University ranked #54 globally for Gender Equality and #92 for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, while maintaining its place among the top 10% of participating universities overall.

The recognition reflects what has long been central to the University of Haifa's mission: combining academic excellence with meaningful impact on society, from advancing shared society and gender equality to sustainability and community engagement.

08/10/2026

🪼 Could a tiny sea slug help keep jellyfish blooms in check?

University of Haifa researchers have uncovered an unusual behavior in Caloria militaris, a sea slug that recently migrated to the eastern Mediterranean. The species feeds on jellyfish polyps without incorporating their stinging capsules into its own body, a rare behavior in the animal kingdom.

Researchers found that by targeting jellyfish during the polyp stage, when future populations are produced, the sea slug could potentially help regulate the frequency and intensity of jellyfish blooms in the eastern Mediterranean.

Published in Frontiers in Zoology, the research offers new insights into Mediterranean marine ecology and the surprising role newly arrived species can play.