BGU & YOU

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The BGU community celebrated the seven winners of the 2022 Ben-Gurion Award at a moving ceremony on the Marcus Family Campus in Beer-Sheva in November. The award is given on Ben-Gurion Day, which is marked on the 6th of the Hebrew month of Kislev, the anniversary of David Ben-Gurion’s death, commemorating his leadership and heritage as one of the architects of modern Israel. "You, the recipients of the Ben Gurion Award, [are] Israelis who spark admiration, who are the extraordinary fulfillment of a deep devotion to contributing to the country over many years, of real caring for our future as a state and a society. You are the beautiful Israel, a symbol of notable excellence, each in their field," said President Isaac Herzog in a video address.

many decades to aid students and support research and teaching at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev," and admiration "for his unstinting commitment to the development of the Negev and the resilience of the State of Israel." Shortly before handing over leadership of the IDF, Lt.-Gen. Kochavi was honored for his historic contribution to the future of Israel as the Chief of Staff who signed off on moving the IDF's communications and intelligence branches south to the Negev. During the ceremony, he spoke about the IDF's morality. "The IDF teaches professionalism and values," Kochavi said. "Israeli citizens can sleep peacefully most nights of the year because of our success, which derives from our professionalism. I said we also teach values… I say this with full confidence from meeting my counterparts worldwide and my deep understanding of the IDF: The IDF is an exceedingly moral army!" "Ben-Gurion would be happy to discover that his vision for the University, which he defined with the words 'a beacon of information and knowledge to the Negev, to Israel and the nations of the world,' is the one guiding the academic, scientific, and societal activities of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev," Herzog concluded.

the Weizmann Institute of Science and a graduate of

Ben-Gurion University; Lester Crown, a philanthropist and businessperson from Chicago; Eran Doron, head of the Ramat Negev Regional Council; Prof. Nachum Finger, former Rector of BGU and one of the founders of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management; Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi, former IDF Chief of Staff; and Hanna Rado, a social and business entrepreneur. Lester Crown was recognized for his deep commitment to the State of Israel and his understanding of the roles of education and research in strengthening the Israeli nation and society. Crown’s representative in Israel attended the ceremony on his behalf. The award scroll included appreciation for Crown’s “magnanimous contributions to countless worthy causes around the world," gratitude "for everything the Crown Family Philanthropies have done over

The seven winners included Gila Bellaish, a former high school principal; Prof. Alon Chen, President of