Hebrew University of Jerusalem facts for kids
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האוניברסיטה העברית בירושלים
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| Type | Public research |
|---|---|
| Established | 24 July 1918 |
| Endowment | US$515.4 million (2018) |
| Budget | US$802.4 million (2018) |
| President | Asher Cohen |
| Rector | Tamir Sheafer |
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Administrative staff
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250 |
| Students | 23,000 |
| Undergraduates | 12,500 |
| Postgraduates | 5,000 |
| 2,200 | |
| Location |
Jerusalem and Rehovot
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Israel
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| Campus | Urban |
| Nickname | HUJI, Hebrew U |
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| ARWU World | 86 |
|---|---|
| THES World | 301–350 |
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (often called HUJI) is a major public university in Jerusalem, Israel. It's a place where students and professors do a lot of important research. Famous people like Albert Einstein and Chaim Weizmann helped start it in July 1918. The university officially opened its doors in April 1925.
HUJI is one of the oldest universities in Israel. It was founded 30 years before Israel became a country! The university has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. Until recently, the world's largest library for Jewish studies, the National Library of Israel, was located on its Edmond J. Safra campus.
The university has many different parts. It includes five hospitals, seven main academic areas (called faculties), over 100 research centers, and 315 academic departments. In 2018, about one-third of all students working on their PhDs in Israel were studying at HUJI.
Many important people have been part of the Hebrew University. Its first board of governors included Sigmund Freud. Four of Israel's prime ministers studied here. As of 2018, 15 Nobel Prize winners, two Fields Medalists, and three Turing Award winners have been connected to HUJI. It is often ranked among the top universities in the world.
Contents
Discovering the History of Hebrew University
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The idea of creating a Jewish university in the Land of Israel was a big dream for the Zionist movement. People started talking about it as early as 1884. The first step was taken on July 24, 1918, when the first stone for the university was laid.
Seven years later, on April 1, 1925, the Hebrew University officially opened. This happened at a special ceremony on Mount Scopus. Many important leaders and scholars attended, including the Earl of Balfour and Winston Churchill. The university's first leader was Judah Magnes.
One important decision was what language the university would use. Some thought German and Arabic should be used for non-Jewish subjects. But most people wanted Hebrew to be the main language. They believed it was important for the new university to be truly Hebrew. So, Hebrew became the official language for all studies.
By 1947, the university had grown into a large place for teaching and research. New departments were added, like a medical school in 1949 and a law faculty in 1949. An agricultural institute also became a full faculty in 1952.
During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the Mount Scopus campus became cut off from Jerusalem. This happened after an attack on a medical convoy in April 1948. Because of this, a new campus had to be built.
The new campus was built at Givat Ram in western Jerusalem and finished in 1958. While it was being built, classes were held in many different buildings across the city. Another campus for medical sciences was also built in Ein Kerem.
After the Six-Day War in June 1967, Jerusalem was reunited. This meant the university could return to its original Mount Scopus campus. The campus was rebuilt, and by 1981, it became the main campus again.
On July 31, 2002, a sad event occurred. A bomb exploded in the university's cafeteria, causing a lot of harm. Nine people died, and many more were injured. Leaders from around the world condemned this attack.
Exploring the Campuses
The Hebrew University has several campuses, each with its own focus.
Mount Scopus Campus
Mount Scopus is in the north-eastern part of Jerusalem. This is the main campus. It's home to many important faculties, including:
- Humanities (like history and literature)
- Social Sciences (like sociology and political science)
- Law
- Business Administration
- Education
- Social Work
- The Harry S. Truman Research Institute for Peace
- The Rothberg International School, which offers studies for foreign students. It includes a special program to learn Hebrew and Israeli culture.
Student housing on Mount Scopus is available at three dormitories: Maiersdorf, Bronfman, and Kfar HaStudentim (Student Village).
Paul Baerwald School of Social Work
This school was founded in 1958. It was the first place in Israel to offer a Bachelor's degree in Social Work. The school helps train social workers and does research in social work and social policy. It is known as a top school in its field in Israel.
Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram
The Givat Ram campus was renamed after Edmond Safra in 2005. This campus is where you'll find the Faculty of Science. This includes:
- The Einstein Institute of Mathematics
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences
- The Israel Institute for Advanced Studies
- The Center for the Study of Rationality
- The National Library of Israel (JNUL)
Ein Kerem Campus
The Faculties of Medicine and Dental Medicine are located at the Ein Kerem campus. This campus is in south-western Jerusalem, right next to the Hadassah Medical Center. It's a key place for medical research and training.
Rehovot Campus
The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment is in the city of Rehovot. This campus also has the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine. These are the only places in Israel that offer both teaching and research in agriculture and veterinary medicine.
Amazing Libraries
The Hebrew University has many libraries. You can find their catalogs online through the HUJI Library Authority portal.
Jewish National and University Library
This is the main and largest library at the Hebrew University. It has one of the most impressive collections of books and old writings in the world. It started in 1892 to save books about Jewish thought and culture. In 1920, it also became a general university library.
It has the largest collections of Jewish and Hebrew materials anywhere. It collects everything published in Israel and tries to get all materials related to the country from around the world. It holds over five million books and thousands of special items.
One very special collection is the Albert Einstein Archives. In his will, Albert Einstein left all his personal papers and the rights to them to the Hebrew University. These archives contain about 55,000 items, including his personal notes and letters. In 2012, the university made the entire archive digital so more people could access it online.
Other Libraries
Besides the National Library, there are many other libraries on the campuses that focus on specific subjects. These include libraries for science, mathematics, computer science, earth sciences, medicine, agriculture, humanities, social sciences, law, archaeology, social work, education, and international studies. There's even the Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive!
University Rankings
The Hebrew University is often ranked as the top university in Israel. It is also ranked highly among universities worldwide.
For example, in 2021, it was ranked as the 90th best university in the world by Shanghai Ranking. It consistently ranks as Israel's best university in mathematics and among the best worldwide. In 2020, it was ranked as the 25th best institution in mathematics globally.
Friends of the University
The Hebrew University has groups of "Friends" in over 25 countries around the world. These groups help support the university by raising money and spreading awareness. For example, the Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (CFHU) helps create partnerships between Canada and Israel. They also offer scholarships and encourage Canadian students to study at the Rothberg International School.
The American Friends of the Hebrew University (AFHU) is another group that organizes events and raises money for the university. It was founded in 1925 by Felix M. Warburg.
Notable People at the University
Many brilliant people have taught or studied at the Hebrew University.
Faculty Members
- Robert Aumann, Nobel Prize winner for Economics
- Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize winner for Economics
- Hillel Furstenberg, a famous mathematician
- Yuval Noah Harari, a well-known historian
- Ruth Lawrence, a mathematician
- Elon Lindenstrauss, a mathematician who won the Fields Medal
- Michael O. Rabin, a computer scientist who won the Turing Award
Famous Alumni (Former Students)
- Elon Lindenstrauss, Fields Medal laureate (2010)
- Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize laureate for Economics (2002)
- David Gross, Nobel Prize laureate for Physics (2004)
- Avram Hershko, Nobel Prize laureate for Chemistry (2004)
- Aaron Ciechanover, Nobel Prize laureate for Chemistry (2004)
- Robert Aumann, Nobel Prize laureate for Economics (2005)
- Roger D. Kornberg, Nobel Prize laureate for Chemistry (2006)
- Ada Yonath, Nobel Prize laureate for Chemistry (2009)
- Michael O. Rabin, Turing Award laureate (1976)
- Richard E. Stearns, Turing Award laureate (1993)
- Shafi Goldwasser, Turing Award laureate (2012)
Political Leaders
Many important political figures have studied at HUJI, including:
- Presidents of Israel: Ephraim Katzir, Yitzhak Navon, Moshe Katsav, Reuven Rivlin
- Prime Ministers of Israel: Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon, Ehud Olmert, Naftali Bennett
- Supreme Court Justices: Aharon Barak, Dorit Beinisch
- President of Guatemala: Bernardo Arévalo
Other Professions
HUJI alumni have become leaders in many fields:
- Academics: Ada Yonath (Nobel Prize winner), Yuval Noah Harari (historian)
- Archaeologists: Yigael Yadin
- Business: Léo Apotheker (former CEO of Hewlett-Packard), Gil Shwed (CEO of Check Point Software Technologies)
- Film and Show Business: Natalie Portman (actress), Joseph Cedar (film director)
- Journalists: Amira Hass, Tom Segev
- Writers: Yehuda Amichai, Amos Oz, David Grossman
Yissum Research Development Company
Yissum Research Development Company is a special company that helps bring the university's research and inventions to the real world. It was founded in 1964. Yissum handles all the patents and licenses for the university's discoveries.
Since it started, Yissum has helped create over 80 new companies. Some well-known examples include Mobileye (which develops self-driving car technology) and OrCam (which makes devices to help people with visual impairments).
Images for kids
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Lord Balfour Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Mt. Scopus
