EL AL | Atmosphere

Standing together | Academia in wartime

On October 7 th , Hamas terrorists arrived at the gates of Sapir College in the Western Negev. Thankfully they were locked, and the college remained intact, but the Sapir community was deeply shaken. The academic year at Sapir started late, with remote classes held via Zoom and in various locations across the country. Professor Nir Kedar, president of Sapir College, tells us about the challenges he’s dealt with and his commitment to make sure Sapir College stays on the path of academic excellence even in times of war / By Nava Marton “Sapir College will be a game changer in the recovery of the area” Sapir Academic College I Drone photo: Nir Hoffman, PR of Sapir Academic College

Sapir College is situated near the city of Sderot, about three and a half kilometers from the Gaza border. It is Israel’s biggest public college and a major driver of growth in the Negev region. Almost 7,000 students attend Sapir College and its adjacent Sapir Technological College of Practical Engineering, and it is the

region’s biggest employer, with 1,300 employees on its payroll. On October 7 th and to date Sapir has lost 30 members of its community and the partner of one of the college’s employees was kidnapped and taken to Gaza. Since the terror attacks, Professor Nir Kedar, president of Sapir College,

has been working relentlessly, together with the college faculty and staff, to make sure their community gets through these dark times so that Sapir College continues to be a major regional growth engine. What challenges have you been dealing with? “After the attack, our first challenge

22 ATMOSPHERE FEBRUARY 2024