“Israel is dear to me. Many family members and friends live there, and as an observant Jew, Israel is at the heart of our people’s life story. Israeli academics are also dear to me, having been part of the Israeli academic community for 30+ years — as a member and former chair of the Academic Committee of Technion’s Board of Governors, having had two Lady Davis sabbaticals at the Hebrew University, and as a loyal member of the Operations Research Society of Israel.

“The October 7 massacre coupled with the surge in antisemitism and Israel bashing on campus forced me and many of my colleagues to ask what we could do to stand up for Israel as Jews and as academics. The answer came blindingly fast: we had to go to Israel, bear witness and show support at the worst sites of October 7, confer with our colleagues at as many Israeli universities as we could visit, and celebrate Israeli culture, democracy and in particular Israeli academia. 

“We returned invigorated and determined not only to counter the boycott of Israeli universities and academics (and the associated vicious myth of Israeli apartheid), but to vigorously promote Israeli scholarship wherever possible. Two years later, these activities remain my most important work.”

— Ed Kaplan