Jessica Feldan, at The Blogs

May 7, 2026, 10:38 PM

Healing the War-Torn North by Building its Future

Bar-Ilan University’s Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in Safed. Photo courtesy of Bar-Ilan University.

For two and a half years, life in Israel’s North has been anything but stable. Families have been uprooted, returned, and uprooted again—forced to live without any real sense of permanence. The latest escalation involving Iran and Hezbollah has...

Apr 7, 2026, 8:12 PM

The Chip Behind Israel’s Security

Modern conflict doesn’t just run on weapons—it runs on computer chips. And that reality carries national security implications we can no longer afford to overlook. As tensions rise between Israel and Iran, global attention is focused on missiles, alliances, and...

Feb 24, 2026, 5:46 PM

From Defensive to Proactive: Shifting the Paradigm for Combating Antisemitism

Prospective students during Open Day at Bar-Ilan University. Photo courtesy of Bar-Ilan University.

In every corner of our global society, a sobering reality is emerging: Antisemitism is no longer a distant or isolated prejudice. It is a pervasive and persistent threat. The American Jewish Committee’s recent survey found that 91% of American Jews...

Jan 22, 2026, 10:47 PM

Where Research Meets Responsibility

Bar-Ilan University students. Photo courtesy of Bar-Ilan University.

At a moment when societies around the world are grappling with uncertainty, trauma, and rapid change, universities are being called upon to do more than educate. They must engage. They must respond. And they must help repair what has...

Dec 23, 2025, 12:14 AM

8 ways Bar-Ilan University is spreading light

The Bar-Ilan University campus. Photo courtesy of Bar-Ilan University.

On Hanukkah, we’re reminded that Jewish light isn’t a metaphor meant for easy times. It’s a mandate for challenging ones. This year, that truth feels painfully immediate. The Jewish community in Sydney is reeling after targeted violence—an attack not only...

Nov 14, 2025, 5:07 AM

When Bar-Ilan University is on the Move, Israel Moves Forward

A class at Bar-Ilan University amid the start of the 2025-2026 academic year. (Photo courtesy of Bar-Ilan University)

The trauma of war has reshaped every aspect of Israeli life. Economic, cultural, and psychological recovery are a collective effort as Israel begins to reimagine its future. In this moment, resilience is not merely a value. It is a...

Oct 27, 2025, 10:01 PM

Israeli Science’s Historic Post-War Opportunity: Health Tech Valley

A simulation of Health Tech Valley. Credit: Dagan Mushli via Bar-Ilan University.

After two years of deep pain and profound uncertainty, Israel and its supporters across the globe are breathing again. While the years that followed the October 7th attacks brought us immense challenges, this new chapter presents historic opportunities. With a...

Sep 17, 2025, 8:34 PM

At Bar-Ilan University, Young Dreamers Become Future Leaders

Dr. Erez Sheiner of Bar-Ilan University's Department of Mathematics with his daughter, Alice. (Photo courtesy of American Friends of Bar-Ilan University via YouTube)

A little girl in a lab coat, peering through a microscope. A boy scribbling formulas on a chalkboard, pretending to crack the code of the universe. Another child carefully adjusting imaginary medical equipment, imitating the work they see a...

Aug 19, 2025, 12:48 AM

Student Profiles in Courage: Bar-Ilan University Shows What True Leadership Looks Like

When a nation is at war, its institutions are tested—not just on their resilience, but on their values. In the face of unprecedented challenges since the October 7th attacks, Bar-Ilan University’s community has done more than endure. The university...

Jul 10, 2025, 9:50 PM

Surging Support for Bar-Ilan University: We’re Just Getting Started

Dr. Zipora Schorr (in front, at right) — a representative of The Haron Dahan Foundation — cuts the ribbon at the recent dedication ceremony for the new Aharon and Rachel Dahan Gate at Bar-Ilan University. Also pictured are Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg (in center), President of The Haron Dahan Foundation, and Bar-Ilan University President Prof. Arie Zaban (at left). Photo by Shlomi Mizrahi.

“Every night, he read letters from students who received his scholarships.” With those words during the recent dedication ceremony of Bar-Ilan University’s new main entrance, The Haron Dahan Foundation’s President Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg did more than deliver a tribute...

About Me

Jessica Feldan is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Friends of Bar-Ilan University. She previously served as the Chief Development Officer at the Birthright Israel Foundation and Associate Vice President of the American Technion Society.

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