8:30-9:00 am

Morning Registration and Coffee

9:00-9:30 am
University of Haifa – Our DNA 
Speakers:
Dr. Michal Amir Salkin (Chair of the Board of Governors)
Prof. Gur Alroey (President)
Prof. Mouna Maroun (Rector)

Remarks: Benjamin Sharoni, Consul General of the State of Israel to New England

9:30-10:15 am

Raising a New Generation of Doctors Amid Physician Shortage: The University’s Pioneering Medical School
What does it mean to train a generation of doctors while bridging the hospital and community medical care amid Israel’s national physician shortage?
Speakers:
Prof. Bernard S. Chang (Dean for Medical Education, Daniel D. Federman, MD Professor of Neurology and Medical Education, Harvard Medical School)
Prof. Kevin Tabb (President and CEO of Beth Israel Lahey Health)
Prof. Haim Bitterman (Founding Dean of the Herta and Paul Amir School of Medicine)
Moderated by Dr. Michal Amir Salkin (Chair of the Board of Governors, Physician and Medical Educator) 

10:15 – 11:00 am
Wrestling with Antisemitism: Academia, Boycotts, and the Digital Challenge
From American campuses to global academic networks, antisemitism has reemerged as a pressing challenge in scholarly life. At the same time, digital platforms amplify old prejudices in new forms—yet emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence also hold promise as tools for identifying and countering antisemitism. This session brings together leading voices to examine how antisemitism has resurfaced, how academic boycotts and campus climates are shifting, and how data and partnerships can move the needle. The panel will also consider what lessons history offers and how scholars and institutions can act today.
Speakers:
Prof. Jonathan D. Sarna (University Professor and Joseph H. & Belle R Braun Professor of American Jewish History, Brandeis University)
Tara Levine (Chief Partnership Officer, Foundation to Combat Antisemitism)
Prof. Tally Katz-Gerro (Vice President for Global Engagement)
Moderated by Dr. David Barak-Gorodetsky (Director, Elizabeth and Tony Comper for the Study of Antisemitism and Racism, and Ruderman Program for American-Jewish Studies)

11:00-11:30 am

Coffee Break

11:30  -12:15 pm
From Coexistence to Co-Creation: Shaping a Shared Future
Recognizing the profound differences within Israeli society, the University develops practical approaches that foster belonging and cooperation rather than resistance. A panel of researchers, each bringing expertise from their respective fields, will discuss how they address these divides and act as agents of change through their work.
Speakers:
Mark Sokoll (Executive Director of the Frieze Family Foundation) 
Prof. Ahmad Abu-Akel (School of Psychological Sciences)
Dr. Hanin Karawani-Khoury (Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders)
Dr. Maayan Sudai (Faculty of Law)
Moderated by Prof. Uriel Simonsohn (Department of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, Founding Director of the Frieze Center)

12:15 -1:00 pm
Four Women, One  Path to Excellence in Higher Education
A deeply personal conversation celebrating academic firsts including testimonies that illuminate the transformative power of access, mentorship, and resilience.
Speakers:
Prof. Mouna Maroun (Rector)
Prof. Batia Engel-Yeger (Dean of Students)
Dr. Maayan Sudai (Academic Director of the Clinics for Law and Social Change)
Moderated by Dr. Sawsan Kheir (Department of Multidisciplinary Studies)

1:00-2:00 pm
Lunch