New York Event Reaffirms Support for BGU’s Recovery and Continuity
The A4BGU benefit combined philanthropy, reflection, and forward planning as BGU rebuilds research capacity and reasserts its mission in Israel’s south
More than 300 friends and supporters of BGU gathered in midtown Manhattan in late October for the annual Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU) New York City Benefit.
The event brought together alumni, friends, and longtime partners at a moment of both challenge and renewal for Israel’s leading institution in the south. The program balanced substance with accessibility, opening with remarks from A4BGU leadership and concluding with a performance by Emmy Award–winning comedian Alex Edelman, whose appearance offered a welcome sense of perspective and levity.
At the center of the evening was a significant announcement emphasizing the enduring partnership between BGU and its supporters in the US. Lloyd Goldman, Chairman of BGU’s Board of Governors, announced that the Joyce and Irving Goldman Family Foundation would provide a $2 million matching grant to support the Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School. Prof. Reli Hershkovitz, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at BGU, reminded attendees of the damage sustained during the 12-day war with Iran in mid-June, including a missile strike that hit the Soroka University Medical Center campus in Beer-Sheva. The grant is intended to assist in rebuilding and restoring academic and research facilities damaged during the attack.
The Goldman Medical School, named for Lloyd Goldman’s parents in 1995, plays a central role in BGU’s mission. Closely integrated with Soroka Medical Center, the largest in southern Israel, the school is known for its emphasis on applied “bench-to-bedside” research and for training physicians who serve some of the country’s most diverse communities. Damage to the Soroka campus included multiple classrooms wrecked by the impact, the destruction of six research laboratories, and the loss of years of accumulated scientific materials.
BGU Rector Prof. Chaim Hames noted that while physical repairs are achievable, restoring disrupted research takes time and sustained effort. Rebuilding laboratories is only one part of the task; reestablishing experimental continuity and research momentum is another. The evening in New York highlighted the importance of international engagement in supporting that process.
The program also featured a conversation between BGU President Prof. Daniel Chamovitz and alumnus Sasha Troufanov, who was released earlier this year after being held hostage by Hamas for 498 days. Their discussion focused on personal resilience, education, and the role universities play in shaping leadership and responsibility during uncertain times.
Fourth-year BGU medical student Noa Shuker, who spent more than 400 days in reserve duty as an IDF casualty officer alongside her studies, spoke about the challenges of rehabilitating young soldiers and the long process of physical, mental, and emotional healing. Engaged to be married, she shared, with her fiancé present, that the couple had been waiting for a special wedding guest: their friend and fellow BGU graduate Avinatan Or, who was released on Oct. 13 as part of the hostage deal. “Last week, our dream came true, and Avinatan returned alive,” she said.
The benefit additionally marked a leadership transition for A4BGU. CEO Doug Seserman announced that he will be stepping down after years of service, describing his departure as a “re-wirement.” Ian Benjamin, currently the organization’s interim Chief Financial Officer, will assume the role of interim CEO as the search for permanent leadership begins.
Throughout the evening, speakers emphasized continuity. Despite successive disruptions, Ben-Gurion University remains firmly committed to education, research, and public service. The event underscored the central role of sustained partnerships in enabling the University’s ongoing contribution to Israeli society.
