It’s fairly well known – even among non-observant Jews – that of all the Chabad Houses in the world, the most famous is that in Kathmandu, Nepal, where the long-time directors, Rabbi Chezky and Chani Lifshitz, run a kosher restaurant in addition to a variety of educational and other services that are common to nearly all Chabad Houses.
Every year, just before Passover, the Lifshitz family is featured in media outlets in Israel and the Jewish world because they host one of the largest Seders, with as many as 2,000 participants. Theirs is not the only Chabad center in Nepal, but it is the one that excites the most interest and the greatest number of Israeli tourists and mountain climbers, as well as Jewish tourists from all over. But it’s not only Passover that brings a huge crowd to the Chabad House in Kathmandu. They also come for Rosh Hashanah. Despite the current unrest in Nepal, Chezky and Chani Lifshitz are expecting a huge crowd for Rosh Hashanah meals. However, in Israel, Nepalese Ambassador Dhan Prasad Pandit’s Constitution Day reception has been postponed.
Ten years ago, Chezky Lifshitz hired a helicopter to bring supplies to some 40 Israelis who, during a severe blizzard, had been stranded in the mountains without food or water, and then took them to Kathmandu.
■ IDF RESERVISTS have been shortchanged by both the government and the IDF, but various organizations and individuals are engaged in at least minimal compensation to reservists in a show of appreciation for their devotion to duty, their time away from their families, and the losses in their earnings.
Among those who are keen to show appreciation to the reservists are the owners and management of Jerusalem’s Theatron Hotel, which went overboard in making post-October 7 evacuees feel welcome.
That same spirit dominates the way the hotel is run.
In conjunction with the Michael Levin Lone Soldiers Center, the hotel will provide two nights of luxury accommodation during Rosh Hashanah to reservists who have served for long months during the past year. The invitation includes their spouses, entitles them to use all the hotel’s guest facilities, festive Rosh Hashanah meals, a gift of honey cake in each guest room – and more.
The idea is to give the reservists rest and recreation in a happy atmosphere, said Theatron General Manager Irit Daniel.
Lone Soldiers Center President Dorit Nitzani was full of praise for the initiative, which will enable reservists to relax after the tensions they have experienced on the battlefields.
Michael Sela Prize, honorary doctorate recipients
■ THE WEIZMANN Institute of Science has announced the inaugural winners of the annual Michael Sela Prize in Biomedical Sciences, a new international award established to honor the legacy of Prof. Michael Sela (1924-2022), a trailblazing immunologist and the sixth president of the Weizmann Institute. The prize acknowledges pioneers and leaders in biomedical research for their groundbreaking discoveries and contributions to science and humanity.
Sela joined the Weizmann Institute in 1950 and served in several leadership roles, culminating in his presidency from 1975 to 1985. A recipient of numerous honors, including the Israel Prize (1959) and the Wolf Prize in Medicine (1998), he was a passionate advocate of curiosity-driven research,
In its inaugural year, the 2025 Michael Sela Prize awardees are Prof. Francis S. Collins, Prof. Leroy (Lee) Hood, and Prof. Eric S. Lander. Their pioneering work has reshaped our understanding of life and disease and transformed modern medicine, forging a new path for human health.
“We hope that this prize will promote engagement in biomedical sciences by future generations and serve as an inspiration to others,” said Weizmann Institute President Prof. Alon Chen. “It is open to researchers worldwide, underscoring the Weizmann Institute’s commitment to scientific excellence without borders and to fostering a global community of inquiry, discovery, and progress.”
The Michael Sela Prize reflects Prof. Sela’s vision of science in the service of human well-being and his deep commitment to basic research with real-world significance. Each year, it will celebrate up to three outstanding scientists whose discoveries are both transformative in impact and innovative in approach. Totaling $360,000 shared among the selected laureates, the prize is funded by Dr. Avraham and Michal Kadar through the Kadar Foundation.
The three laureates have made seminal contributions to the field of genomics, including the Human Genome Project.
Prof. Francis S. Collins is a physician-geneticist whose scientific leadership has profoundly shaped genetics, genomics, and public health policy over the past four decades. He led the international Human Genome Project to its historic completion in 2003 and served as director of the US National Institutes of Health from 2009 to 2021, spearheading major initiatives in precision medicine, neuroscience, and responses to public health crises, including COVID-19. His research uncovered key genes responsible for cystic fibrosis, neurofibromatosis, Huntington’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions.
Prof. Leroy (Lee) Hood is a pioneering biologist and biotech innovator whose work has transformed biomedical research. He co-founded the Institute for Systems Biology in 2000, serving as its president until 2017, and currently, as its chief strategy officer and professor. He also heads Phenome Health, a nonprofit advancing personalized, preventive medicine. Hood played a leading role in developing automated DNA sequencers and synthesizers – technologies that enabled the Human Genome Project – and contributed foundational insights into antibody diversity.
Prof. Eric S. Lander is a geneticist, molecular biologist, and mathematician widely renowned for his landmark contributions to genomics and biomedical science. He was a principal leader of the international Human Genome Project and founded the Whitehead Institute/MIT Center for Genome Research. The center later evolved into the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, which Lander directed until 2021, when he became science adviser to US president Joe Biden. In 2022, he launched Science for America, a solutions incubator focused on addressing urgent challenges, including the climate and energy crisis, medicine and public health, and STEM equity and education. His research has also deepened the understanding of human population genetics and the 3D structure of the genome.
Sela was a towering figure in Israeli and global science. A pioneer in immunology and drug development, his research laid the groundwork for modern understanding of the immune response and contributed to the development of effective medications for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and cancer. He considered his fundamental research on the genetic control of the immune system among his most meaningful scientific legacies.
■ WHEN YOUR father is a highly respected retired diplomat, and your mother is an experienced public relations professional with a years-long record of working with the international press corps, and is also the founder and president of Kam Global Strategies, you can’t help but inherit their combined talents in your DNA.
Social entrepreneur Ella Issacharoff, who is the daughter of Ambassador Jeremy Issacharoff and strategist Laura Kam, has spent more than a decade advancing civic activism, education, and peace-building. She founded New Way with a clear mission: to end violence, bring hostages home, and unite divided communities in Israel. Under her leadership, what began as a local movement of young activists has grown into a rising international force for human rights, dialogue, and global cooperation – reaching hundreds of thousands across her social media platforms. She has expanded her initiative, which is now called New Way International. With initiatives advancing justice, equality, and opportunity/ Issacharoff has become one of Israel’s most influential young voices for social change. The launch of New Way International, as a social and political movement, marks a new chapter – building a global network committed to combating antisemitism and hate, fostering unity, and creating shared solutions to today’s urgent challenges.
■ SEPTEMBER IS not usually the month for awarding honorary degrees in Israel, but many events were either canceled or postponed following the Iranian attack in June.
That explains why the University of Haifa is awarding honorary doctorates today, Sunday, September 14, to Neri Oxman and Bill Ackman in recognition of their outstanding achievements in innovation, leadership, philanthropy, and commitment to strengthening the State of Israel.
Oxman, founder and CEO of OXMAN and former founder of The Mediated Matter Group at MIT, is acclaimed for shaping a groundbreaking philosophy of design at the intersection of technology and biology – one that unites architectural, product, and urban design with the natural world. Oxman’s two decades of research have been showcased with retrospectives at MoMA and SFMOMA, and her current work advances scalable innovations in bio-based robotic manufacturing and AI-guided ecosystem engineering. Oxman embodies a novel vision of innovation rooted in compassion and responsibility, influencing the next generation of innovators.
Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P., is recognized for bold leadership in business and his deep commitment to public service. Ackman pioneered an innovative activist investment strategy of constructively engaging with management teams and boards of directors to help companies accelerate growth, increase efficiency, improve capital allocation, and manage through challenges. Ackman’s approach has created significant value for shareholders and reshaped corporate strategy in companies in which he has invested, while setting precedents that continue to positively influence boardrooms across corporate America.
As prominent philanthropists, Ackman and Oxman support global initiatives in health, scientific research, education, culture, and economic development through Pershing Square Philanthropies. They also lead influential efforts to fight antisemitism. Beyond philanthropy, Ackman and Oxman’s significant investments in Israel’s economic growth reflect an enduring belief in the country’s future.