Shabbat Shalom from Paris!
I am writing this from Paris, where the annual gathering of the Global Development Committee is taking place under the leadership of our Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Governors, Toni Young. It has been a meaningful few days surrounded by supporters and partners who remind me how broad and how deep the BGU community truly is.
Two days ago, we held the inaugural gala of the renewed BGU France, where we honored the memory of Maurice Bidermann z"l. More than two hundred guests came together for an evening that was as moving as it was elegant. They were treated to French hospitality at its finest and were introduced, many for the first time, to the remarkable mission of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. On Sunday, a similar gathering awaits in Berlin. And only last month, we held equally inspiring events in Toronto and New York.
These events are impressive on their own, but together they represent something much greater. They reflect our commitment to expanding and strengthening BGU’s global community. The more we grow this circle of partners, the better prepared we are to meet the challenges of our mission as the most important institution for the long-term development of Israel.
Many of you have heard me share the “simple math,” but I believe it is worth repeating:
- For Israel to succeed in the decades ahead, we must bring to life David Ben-Gurion’s vision of the future rising from the Negev.
- For the Negev to be a place where my children’s generation will choose to build their lives, Beersheva must thrive as a dynamic and cosmopolitan city.
- And for Beersheva to thrive, BGU must continue to serve as the engine of growth for the entire region, providing the innovation, the engineers, the scientists, and the health professionals who will shape Israel’s next chapter.
- Supporting BGU is, in a very real sense, supporting Israel’s future.
Today in Paris, representatives from nine countries gathered around one table: long-time supporters, graduates of our Halutz Leadership Program, second and third generation families, and those who have discovered BGU only recently. All were participating as members of the Global Development Committee. Together we discussed elements of our global campaign, raised concerns with openness, offered creative solutions, and learned from one another with a shared spirit of generosity and purpose. This is what a global university community looks like. It grows, it questions, it adapts, it builds.
As president, I left these meetings deeply energized. Your dedication, expressed both through philanthropy and through the gift of your time, is what enables BGU not only to function, but to flourish. The spirit I felt here in Paris is the same pioneering spirit that Ben-Gurion himself called for: a commitment to take responsibility, to step forward, and to build a future worthy of this country and its people.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
Shabbat Shalom,
Danny
