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30 Oct, 2015

Hebrew University to Establish Yitzhak Rabin Fellowship to “Create a New Generation of Statesmen”

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–October 29, 2015 – American Friends of Yitzhak Rabin (AFYR) today officially announced a partnership with The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the leading university in Israel, to establish the Yitzhak Rabin Fellowship in Graduate Democracy Studies in the Department of Political Science. Supported by proceeds raised from an Oct. 13 gala in Boston, which recognized Boston Mayor, Martin J. Walsh, along with other fundraising activities in 2015, the fellowship will be dedicated early next year.

“As we approach the 20th anniversary of Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination, we are pleased to announce that we will be supporting new initiatives that reflect the late prime minister’s legacy,” explained Stuart Davidson, AFYR Chairman. “Rabin allocated unprecedented resources to education and believed strongly in a democratic Israel. The Yitzhak Rabin Fellowship in Graduate Democracy Studies at Hebrew University is the perfect way of supporting a living legacy to Rabin. We believe the program will go far in helping to advance democracy and shape future leadership in Israel.”

Over the past decade, AFYR has donated more than $17M to complete construction of the Yitzhak Rabin Center and its Israeli Museum in Tel Aviv. With the Rabin Center built and flourishing, AFYR is pleased to advance the legacy of Yitzhak Rabin by supporting this first-ever Fellowship at Israel’s preeminent institution of higher learning and research.

“It has been nearly 20 years since Rabin was assassinated. His legacy can only continue to thrive if we educate Israel’s youth on democracy,” said Professor Reuven Hazan, chair of the Political Science Department at The Hebrew University. “Rabin’s impact on Israel, particularly on the democratic foundation of our country is indisputable. We are proud to offer a fellowship in graduate democracy studies to our students in his name and look forward to dedicating the Rabin fellowship in early 2016.”

Considered the “Harvard of the Middle East,” Hebrew University is ranked among the top universities in the world. During the 2012-2013 academic year, the University launched the “Advanced Graduate Studies Program (AGSP)” to provide a curriculum for a select group of students accepted to the Political Science Department with the goal of nurturing critical thinking and encouraging analytical academic scholarship. Endowed fellowships are critical to the program’s success and this fellowship will help to educate them about the values of Rabin’s legacy.

“My father valued education above all else and considered it to have a key role for the future of Israel in shaping and maintaining a democratic state,” explained Yuval Rabin, son of the late Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin. “Twenty years after his assassination, my hope is that his legacy will continue to influence future generations of leaders.”

For information on American Friends of Yitzhak Rabin, please visit www.friendsofrabin.org or follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/AmericanFriendsofRabin) and Twitter (@FriendsofRabin).