When the Aramean king laid siege to biblical Gath 2,800 years ago, the defenders resorted to desperate measures, including, it seems, making flimsy arrowheads out of bone. An unusual discovery made in the rubble of a house in Gath paints a dramatic picture of the last days in this infamous Philistine city, famed as the hometown of the giant Goliath, Israeli archaeologists say. Read More.

When Bar-Ilan University’s new administration was elected in October 2017, five “Visionary Pillars” – Academic Excellence, Impact-Driven Research, Innovative Teaching, Global University, and Vibrant Judaism – were outlined as the driving forces behind expanding and enhancing the university’s timeless goals of globalization and internationalism. Increasing the university’s competitive edge among institutions of higher education while positioning Bar-Ilan University firmly as a globally-recognized leader in numerous fields were high on the list of priorities. Opening a dedicated International School, a “one-stop-shop” for international students, faculties, and departments, was part of the plan to make sure the university achieved its mission. Prof....

Bar-Ilan University’s central location in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area has put it on the map of the purple line of the new light rail (now under construction), with two stations that will facilitate the commute to campus. Read More.

Israeli professor and historian, Dvora Hacohen, was looking for a comprehensive biography of Hadassah founder, Henrietta Szold. When she couldn’t find one, she decided to write it herself. Ruth Bader Ginsburg penned the foreword to this new biography. Read More.

Healthy people taking aspirin regularly to prevent cardiovascular disease had a 29 percent lower likelihood of Covid-19 infection compared to aspirin non-users, according to an observational epidemiological study from Israel published in The FEBS Journal. Researchers from Leumit Health Services, Bar-Ilan University, and Barzilai Medical Center analyzed data of 10,477 members of the Leumit HMO who had been tested for Covid-19 from February 1, 2020, to June 30, 2020. Read More.

Bar-Ilan University experts weighed in on Israel’s fourth elections in two years. Moments before Israelis cast their ballots in last month’s elections, The Jerusalem Press Club, Israel Government Press Office, and Bar-Ilan University hosted a special webinar briefing featuring analysts commenting on a broad range of issues. Read More.

Prof. Shulamit Michaeli, vice president for research and a faculty member of the Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences at Bar-Ilan University, has made significant strides in understanding the internal functions of trypanosomatids. Now, she and a team of scientists have identified a non-coding RNA (ncRNA) molecule that regulates protein translation in the parasite. Read More.

What began as continuous professional development while pursuing an undergraduate degree at Bar-Ilan University evolved into significant career moves, which even included “wandering” in the desert. Meet BIU alumnus Matan Abramovitz, Deputy CEO of StepUp, a leading marketing agency for B2B brands. Matan, who heads digital marketing for the agency’s clients from leading Israeli industries, holds a Bachelor’s degree with Honors from Bar-Ilan University’s Communication and Political Studies program in the Faculty of Social Sciences. Read More.

Israel’s 24th annual National Biology Olympiad for outstanding high school students was recently held at Bar-Ilan University in cooperation with the Israel Ministry of Education. Despite the challenges facing schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of outstanding students took part in the competition: 2,350 Hebrew speakers and 750 Arab speakers; two-thirds of all participants were girls, four of whom reached the finals along with two boys. Read More.

The Ruth and Emanuel Rackman Center for the Advancement of the Status of Women at Bar-Ilan University celebrates its 20th anniversary in March. The center was founded to promote legal and social change for women in Israeli family law and runs a legal aid clinic, which offers legal advice and representation in family disputes and divorce proceedings. With four full-time lawyers and trained volunteers who run the helpline, the center provides pro bono representation in civil and religious courts, particularly for women in financial distress or those with potential precedent-setting cases. Read More.