Honorary Doctorates

​​In recognition of a trailblazing researcher and therapist who advanced the field of human sexuality and revolutionized its public discussion; with admiration for her unique and bold media persona as the authority on sex education, advancing the popular understanding of sexuality through groundbreaking radio and television shows, and winning the hearts of her audiences with her unflagging enthusiasm; with respect for an erudite scholar, author of dozens of books, who has given generously of her time and energy to public speaking and educating the next generation of students and researchers; in tribute to a true friend of the State of Israel, who lost her entire family in the Holocaust, made Aliyah, fought fearlessly for the survival of the fledgling state and was severely injured in the War of Independence; with heartfelt appreciation for her generous support of psychology students at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; and with sincere gratitude for speaking publicly, freely and openly about private, often hidden, matters that are nonetheless the bedrock of our existence; and for decades of singular activity that has profoundly affected the lives of people across the globe.​​

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​​​​Dr. Jan Low is the head of the International Potato Center and is a leading authority on international food security. Dr Low's research into bio-fortification of sweet potatoes has led to the breeding of sweet potato strains that are rich in vitamins and minerals. Her work has led directly to the alleviation of hunger for millions of people, the reduction of illness in developing nations, as well as concurrent empowerment of women.

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An Introd​uction to Dr. Low​​
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​​​Ohad Naharin is one of the preeminent choreographers of the modern era. His stage performance, acclaimed choreography and his term as Artistic Director of the acclaimed Batsheva Dance Company have made him a towering figure in Israel's cultural life​.

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​​​​​​​​Prof. Ahmad Natour is an eminent and visionary jurist, an ardent champion of human rights and an erudite Qadi and scholar, who has left an enduring mark on Sharia law (Moslem religious law) in Israel. During his many years as President of the High Sharia Court of Appeals, Prof. Natour worked to develop Israel's Islamic courts by initiating profound reforms and transforming them into a modern legal system accessible to all. In addition to his service to the Islamic Waqf and judicial system, Prof. Natour has served as Chairman of the Public Council for Special Education for Arabs, Honorary President of the Interfaith Council of Israel, and a member of many diverse organizations devoted to civil rights and to fostering Arabic language and culture​.

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An Introduction to Prof. Natour​​

​​​​​​Daniel B. Shapiro is former United States Ambassador to Israel. During the years leading up to his appointment, Daniel B. Shapiro gained renown as a key advisor to Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the National Security Council. As ambassador he was instrumental in negotiating the $38 billion Memorandum of Understanding for US military assistance to Israel, and he has continued to serve the interests of the United States and of Israel since leaving office. Shapiro's sharp mind and engaging personality have enabled him to promote Israel-US trade relations; to advocate for a strong alliance between the two nations and to build bridges of understanding across cultures and continents in order to ensure a brighter future for the people of the Middle East and the entire world.

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​An Introduction to Amb. Shapiro​

​​​​ ​​​​​​Toni Young is the president of American Associates of Ben-Gurion University. She is a prolific author and scholar, a lover of arts and literature and a tireless supporter of Israel and the American Jewish community. Her leadership roles have included service as vice chair of the United Jewish Communities of North America; president of the Jewish Federation of Delaware; Bezalel Art Academy; the Jewish Agency for Israel; American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee; Ben-Gurion Society and the Board of Governors of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

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An Introduction to Toni Young​

​​Prof. Robert Badinter is a French lawyer and politician who acted for decades in efforts on behalf of human rights, civil rights and to assist the transition to democracy in Eastern Europe following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Badinter is best known for having championed the abolition of the death penalty in France in 1981. After receiving his bachelor's degree from the Sorbonne in 1947 and law degree from the Paris School of Law the following year, he was appointed Professor of Law in 1966. At the same time, he co-founded the law firm Badinter, Bredin et partenaires, where acted as defense lawyer in several high-profile death penalty causes in France, eventually serving as Minister of Justice from 1981–1986 under President François Mitterrand.

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​​Elena Dmitrievna Bashkirova is a​ Russian-born pianist and musical director, Bashkirova founded the prestigious Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival in 1998 and she continues to serve as its Artistic Director. Since its establishment, the festival has become an important part of Israel's cultural life. She studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow with her father, the celebrated pianist and teacher, Dmitri Bashkirov. She is a regular guest with well-known orchestras such as the Munich Philharmonic, NDR Hamburg, DSO Berlin, the Vienna Symphony, Orchestre de Paris, the IPO and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She is also the founder of the Metropolis Ensemble in Berlin, Germany.

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An Introduction to Elena Dmitrievna Bashkirova​​

​​​​​Legal scholar Prof. Nili Cohen is a brilliant jurist, who is acclaimed worldwide for her expertise and scholarship in contract law and other legal fields. She is an eminent scholar, who has produced groundbreaking research in private and comparative law, and founded a new interdisciplinary field combining law and literature. She is a prolific author, whose comprehensive and profound treatise on contract law has become a foundational text in

Israeli law and beyond, anticipating issues that have yet to be raised and offering creative solutions. Cohen is an outstanding lecturer who has mentored generations of students, an academic leader who served as rector of Tel Aviv University, elected President of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities and is laureate of the Israel Prize in law.

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An Introduction to Prof. Cohen

​​​​Investigative journalist Dr. Ilana Dayan has for decades turned the spotlight on critical issues at the heart of Israeli and global society with exceptional courage, determination and talent. Dayan is the recipient of honors and awards, and has made a significant contribution to investigative journalism in Israel, and has maintained the unique style and standard on her long-running television show, "Uvda". She is a gifted interviewer, acclaimed for her insightful and sensitive conversations with world leaders as well as ordinary citizens, and her fearless coverage of perilous war zones. 

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An Introduction to Dr. Dayan

​Basketball star Anat Draigor is a former captain of Israel's national team, the first Israeli woman to play on a leading European team and the recipient of the Israel Olympic Committee's Medal of Honor for Lifetime Achievement and whose achievements are an inspiration to all young athletes. She is an exceptional sportswoman who had a thriving career spanning more than two decades who broke the world individual record for points scored in a single game. Draigor is the founder of the "Women's Basketball Truck," providing girls and young women around the country the opportunity to realize their dreams. 

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​An Introduction to Anat Draigor​​

​​​Arno Gerlach has devoted his life to serving the public and building bridges between nations and is a prominent activist on behalf of humanitarian causes in Germany and eastern Europe. He has made a significant contribution over four decades to the development of Beer-Sheva and the furthering of cultural, social and environmental projects in the Negev and made unstinting efforts to promote Israel's image around the world.

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An Introduction to Arno Gerlach​

​​​​​Prof. Edvard I. Moser is a Norwegian neuroscientist best known for his role in the discovery of grid cells in the brain and the identification of their function in generating spatial coordinates used by animals to navigate their environment. Moser's research has important implications for scientists' understanding of spatial representation in the mammalian brain and offers insight into spatial deficits in neurological disease, such as Alzheimer's. For his contributions, he received the 2014 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. He shared the award with his then-wife, Norwegian neuroscientist May-Britt Moser, and their mentor John O'Keefe. He is a member of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters, the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences. He is also an Honorary Professor at the Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems at Edinburgh University Medical School. ​

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An Introduction to Prof. Moser

​Janet Napolitano is an American politician, lawyer, and university leader who served as the 21st Governor of Arizona from 2003 to 2009 and United States Secretary of Homeland Security from 2009 to 2013 in President Barack Obama's administration. She has served as President of the University of California since September 2013. Napolitano is the first woman to serve in several offices, including Attorney General of Arizona, Secretary of Homeland Security, and President of the University of California. Forbes ranked her as the world's ninth most powerful woman in 2012. Under President Napolitano's leadership, the University of California has signed a memorandum of understanding with Israel's National Technological Innovation Authority to increase cooperation between the two entities. ​​

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​ An Introduction to Janet Napolitano​​

​Prof. Cary Nelson ​is a leading figure in the fight against the BDS movement.  He has been fighting the movement since 2007—in public lectures, in books and essays, and through consulting both in the US and Israel. In recent years, he has written and published more than three dozen essays and books about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the two-state solution, and about the BDS movement in Britain, Israel, and the US. In 2014 and 2016 he met with the Ministry of Strategic Affairs in the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem to consult about strategies to counter the BDS movement. Nelson is a professor of English and Jubilee Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Affiliated Professor at the University of Haifa. He was president of the American Association of University Professors from 2006 to 2012.

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An Introduction to Prof. Nelson

​Rona Ramon is an outstanding public activist, whose commitment to fostering youth and promoting Israel's involvement in space has left an indelible mark on the nation's research, industry and ​education. She is a courageous and inspiring woman, who despite profound personal grief found the strength to harness her talents and energies in service of the greater good, and to establish the "Ramon Foundation," dedicated to nurturing excellence, social leadership and values among the next generation and expanding the horizons of hundreds of thousands of children every year. She has a passionate dedication to the establishment of space and science centers, providing scholarships and assistance to scientific, educational and social initiatives across the country and is a spokesperson for the State of Israel across many stages.

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An Introduction to Rona Ramon z"l​​

​​​​Prof. Colin Ratledge is recognized as a world authority on the production of single cell oils, particularly the production of polyunsaturated fats by yeast, fungi and algae. He has worked extensively on the genetic control of key genes involved in lipid accumulation and the biochemistry and regulation of acetyl-CoA in microorganisms. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and a Fellow of the Institute of Biology. He has been a member of the Science Advisory Committee of the European Federation of Biotechnology (1983-87), Vice Chairman of the British Coordinating Committee for Biotechnology (1986-91, including Chairman 1989-91), and a member of the Management Committee of the Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, University College London (1996 to present). 

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An Introduction to Prof. ​​Ratledge​

​​​​​Prof. Dame Carol Robinson is the first female Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oxford and was previously the first female Professor of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge.  She is renowned for pioneering the use of mass spectrometry as an analytical tool and for her ground-breaking research into the 3D structure of proteins. Robinson is a Commander of the Order of the British Empire and in 2015 she received the L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science. In 2017, she was elected a Foreign Associate of the US National Academy of Sciences. ​

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​An Introduction to Prof. Robinson

​​​Imad Telhami is a visionary industrialist and entrepreneur for whom significant social action is an integral part of every endeavor, aspiring to transform Israeli society through its business sector. He is a remarkable businessman who harnessed the managerial experience and unique skills he gained at Delta Galil to establish Babcom Centers, a highly successful technology company providing superior professional services to leading corporations. He is the leader of a company that makes a real contribution to society through the employment of thousands, mostly women, with a commitment to multiculturalism and empowerment of young men and women via their integration into the local and global economies. Telhami is the founder and chairman of Takwin Labs investment fund, aimed at encouraging Arab entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams and succeed in the hi-tech world​.

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An Introduction to Imad Talhami

​​​Winner of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (together with Richard Axel) for " their discoveries of odorant receptors and the organization of the olfactory system." They discovered how hundreds of genes in our DNA code form the odorant sensors located in the olfactory sensory neurons in our noses. Each receptor is a protein that changes when an odorant attaches itself to the receptor. Smells are composed of a large number of different substances and we interpret the varying signals from our receptors as specific scents.

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An Introduction to Prof. Buck​

​​Ruvik Danilovich is the eighth mayor of Beer-Sheva. Born and raised in Beer-Sheva, he began his career at Ben-Gurion University's student union and founded the “Horizon" political group on campus. He was appointed a deputy mayor at just 27 and went on to become the youngest mayor elected in the city's history at 37. Danilovich is a remarkably energetic and forward-thinking mayor who has spearheaded the process of turning Beer-Sheva from a dusty backwater to a modern metropolis. He is a strong proponent of equality between men and women. His party list is half men and half women and a majority of municipal corporations are directed by women.​

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​​An Introduction to Ruvik Danilovich

​Prof. Ruth Gavison is an eminent legal scholar and activist. She is the Haim H. Cohn Professor of Human Rights (Emerita) at Hebrew University. She was awarded the Israel Prize in Law in 2010 and was admitted to the Israel Academy of Science and Humanities in 2015. She is the founder of Metzilah, the Center for Zionist, Jewish, Liberal and Humanist Thought. She is also a co-founder of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI).​

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An Introduction to Prof. Gavison​

​The Hon. Julia Gillard was the 27th Prime Minister of Australia and the first woman ever to serve in that leading role in her country. Her 2012 celebrated speech in Parliament on the treatment of women in professional and public life created a storm and had worldwide impact. She is dedicated to the promotion of quality education worldwide and among other roles, she serves as a Distinguished Fellow with the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institute and as Patron of Camfed, a Campaign which aims to tackle poverty and inequality and to empower young women to step up as leaders of change. Earlier this year Ms. Gillard received the honor of Companion of the Order of Australia. 

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 An Introduction to Hon. Julia Gillard​

​​Prof. Shafi Goldwasser is the RSA Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT and a professor of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics at the Weizmann Institute of Science. She has won the A.M. Turing Award, the Gödel Prize, and the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Computer and Cognitive science. She is one of the pioneers of complexity-based cryptography and the incoming director of the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing at UC Berkeley.

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​​An Introduction to Prof. Goldwasser​

​​​Prof. Elihu Katz is the founder of communication studies in Israel, the founding director of Israeli Television and the founder of the Institute of Communications at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he is a professor emeritus. He is an Israel Prize laureate and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.​

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An Introdcution to Prof. Katz

​​Sigalit Landau is a globally recognized artist in a variety of mediums such as sculpture, painting, video and performance. Her work has been exhibited at international institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art and she represented Israel at the Venice International Art Biennial twice. She is a knight of the French Order of Arts and Letters. Her art touches on personal, historical, political and ecological subjects such as homelessness, banishment, the relationships between East and West, victim and victimizer, and decay and growth.

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An Introduction to Sigalit Landau

​​​Prof. Eric S. Lander is the president and founding director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. A man of tremendous talents and accomplishments -a geneticist, molecular biologist, and mathematician. Dr. Lander has played a pioneering role in all aspects of the human genome project. This groundbreaking international research effort aims to use DNA information to develop new ways to treat, and prevent thousands of diseases that afflict humankind. He has received numerous honors and awards including the Dan David Prize of Israel and was co-chair of U.S. President Barack Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

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An Introduction to Prof. Lander

​​Ellen S. Marcus is a central member of the Ben-Gurion University family. Her connection to BGU, initially fostered by her dear parents, Dr. Howard and Lottie Marcus, of blessed memory, has grown stronger over time. Her faith in the transformative power of the University to change the face of the Negev and to raise a new generation of researchers and leaders, led her to become an active and important part of the non - executive leadership team here. Ellen’s passion for the University and for the Negev is like that which our great founder, David Ben-Gurion, demonstrated. In her work for BGU, she surely carries his torch.

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​An Introduction to Ellen S. Marcus

​​Menahem Pressler is a world-renowned pianist. He is a founder of the Beaux Art Trio and has played on the world's most prestigious stages. He has been nominated for six Grammys, is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been awarded the German Cross of Merit and the rank of Commander in the French Order of Arts and Letters. Hungarian composer György Kurtág wrote three solo piano works especially for him. Pressler teaches at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, where he is Distinguished Professor of Music and the Charles Webb Chair.​

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An Introduction to Menahem Pressler

​​​​Prof. Stanley B. Prusiner is the Director of the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Professor of Neurology and Biochemistry at the University of California. His life’s work and research has focused on trying to understand and so help find cures for currently incurable diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s – diseases which have such a devastating effect on sufferers and their families. In high school he was nicknamed ‘little genius’ for his work on a repellent for Boxelder bugs! From there his path was paved to the groundbreaking research, which led to the remarkable discovery of prions, a class of infectious self-reproducing pathogens, which can cause neurodegenerative diseases. His contribution to scientific research is internationally recognized and he received the Nobel Prize in 1997 for his work. 

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An Introduction to Prof. Prusiner

​​​Moshe Safdie is a preeminent architect, urban planner, educator, theorist and author. His work can be found around the world, from the new terminal at Ben-Gurion Airport, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center at Yad Vashem, Mamilla Mall in Jerusalem, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, The United States Institute of Peace in Washington DC, and the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, to name just a few.

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​An Introduction to Moshe Safdie

​​Carole and Marcus Weinstein are prominent business leaders and philanthropists, dear friends and supporters of Ben-Gurion University and newly appointed members of our Board of Governors. They consider their philanthropy not as charity, but rather as an investment. They are deeply committed to global education, the promotion of Jewish values worldwide and the development and welfare of the State of Israel. Here at BGU, they saw an opportunity to make a momentous contribution to the future of cyber security research and they embraced it whole-heartedly. 

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An Introduction to Carole and Marcus Weinstein​

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​An Introduction to Major General (res.) Doron Almog

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An Introduction to Prof. Fineberg​

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An Introduction to Nurit Hirsh

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An Introduction to Prof. Mizrahi

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​An Introduction to Prof. Nelson

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An Introduction to Prof. Ullman

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​ An Introduction to Prof. Aumann

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An Introduction to Alexander M. Goren

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 An Introduction to James M. Breslauer

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An Introduction to Prof. Friedländer​

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​An Introduction to Prof. Hamilton

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An Introduction to Evgeny Kissin

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An Introduction to Dr. Saban

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​Prof. Ofer Bar-Yosef is a scholar and researcher of the prehistory of the Land of Israel, an outstanding scientist who exposed and documented important facets of the spread of humanity from its birthplace in Africa.​

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Cherie Blair's remarks from Honorary Doctorate Ceremony at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

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​​​Prof. Yakir Aharonov is a scientist and a pioneer in the field of quantum physics. His innovative research brought about revolutionary discoveries in quantum mechanics, including the Aharonov-Bohm effect which showed that an electrically charged particle is affected by an electromagnetic field even if confined to a region in which both the magnetic field and electric field are zero, an effect which has far-reaching repercussions in all areas of physics, including solid state and nanotechnology. He is the recipient of prestigious awards, including the Wolf Prize, the Israel Prize for Physics and the National Medal of Science bestowed by the President of the United States, and the author of numerous publications in fields such as measurement theory, quantum mechanics and quantum field theory.​

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The Ceremony

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​​Prof. Yekutiel Gershoni is a broad-minded scholar, who by virtue of his uncompromising courage and intellect went on to succeed in all his pursuits – from scientific research to the world of sport – despite suffering serious injuries during his army service. He is a learned academic who researched the political history of West Africa and the relationships between Africans and African-Americans, taught many students and researchers, and contributed to the advancement of higher education by filling key positions, including head of the history track in the Israel Science Foundation and President of the Liberian Studies Association in the United States. Gershoni is an inspiring sportsman who participated in dozens of competitions in Israel and around the world, won medals in three Paralympic Games and brought great honor to the State of Israel.

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