The Technion is a Miracle

The Technion celebrated 100 years since its opening with a festive event at its historic building in the Hadar neighborhood, in the presence of President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, and his wife, Michal. The event marked the opening of the Technion Board of Governors meeting. During the event, Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan presented the Technion Alumni Medal, awarded to alumni who have achieved exceptional accomplishments, to Major General (Res.) Nitsan Alon, head of the intelligence system for locating hostages and missing persons, and Izhar Shay, former Minister of Science and Technology and cofounder of Next October.

Among the attendees were Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav, Chairman of the Board of Governors Scott Leemaster, Chairman of the Executive Council Gideon Frank, Chairman of the National Museum of Science – MadaTech – Leon Recanati, former Technion presidents, members of the Technion and Board of Governors leadership, faculty deans, and many prominent guests from Israel’s economic sector.

Speaking at the event, President Isaac Herzog reflected on the Technion’s legacy and its place in Israeli and Zionist history: “This moment is a defining moment for the Technion but also for Zionism as a whole, because we are celebrating tonight – the bold spirit of Zionism’s dreamers. Their spirit is not only the story of this single institution, but the story of restoring the moral weight and the voice of the heart and soul of an entire nation. From only 17 students in the opening cohort, the Technion became a bustling center of research and learning for thousands, a symbol of academic excellence and international cooperation. An institution that produces Nobel Prize winners and is a magnet for the best and brightest talents. The Technion became the best version of who we are as a nation. And I believe it still whispers to us – everything we can still become. We all still live in the shadow of the October 7 tragedy. Our hostages are still in Gaza, leaving an open and bleeding wound in the heart of our society. We cannot be whole until they all return home. And we cannot allow our voice to be silenced – until the last hostage returns.”

After thanking President Herzog for his support of the Technion and Israeli academia, Technion President Prof. Sivan said: “On this special evening, and in this special place – the historic building of the Technion, the walls echo tales of a century of remarkable history.

Right in this very spot, thirty-six years before the establishment of the State of Israel, as four hundred years of Ottoman Empire rule over the Land of Israel were nearing their end, the cornerstone was laid for the institution that played a crucial role in the return of the Jewish People to their Homeland and the establishment and existence of the State of Israel.

David Ben-Gurion used to say that in the State of Israel; to be a realist, one must believe in miracles. The very fact that we are standing here today proves that claim.

We’ve come a long way since that humble beginning of 17 students in a single building, to becoming a leading research university positioned at the international forefront with Nobel laureates and campuses in the U.S< and China and all these accomplishments in just a century, under extremely challenging circumstances.

The Technion is the sum of all the men and women who touched it, each leaving their unique mark. We are all links in a long chain that began in 1901, at the Fifth Zionist Congress in Basel, where the vision of establishing a technological higher education institution in this region was first presented – and where it continues to unfold.”

Later, Chairman of the Board of Governors Scott Leemaster added: “While the Technion is always looking forward, we must reflect on our past to understand and appreciate how we got here. I hope you’ve seen the documentary Technion 10². The film makes the extraordinary case that without the Technion, there would probably be no Israel. It’s a fact that a small group of visionaries defied the odds to create this hub of creativity, technological innovation, and science, for Israel and for the world.”

The Technion’s Historic Building is now the site of the National Museum of Science – MadaTech. The Chairman of its Executive Board, Mr. Leon Recanati, said: “Over the past four decades, MadaTech has become a magnet for millions of visitors of all ages from across the country. They have passed through the museum’s gates to enjoy exhibitions, hundreds of interactive displays, lectures, and science activities. Tens of thousands of students visit its halls and laboratories annually conducting experiments, exploring, and discovering the wonders of science through engaging, hands-on learning experiences. MadaTech has become the third most visited museum in Israel.

Since its founding, the museum has benefited from the ongoing support of the Technion in fulfilling our shared mission: To be a vital institution that stimulates scientific knowledge and curiosity. I deeply cherish the partnership between the Technion and MadaTech.”

At the festive ceremony, Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan awarded the Technion Alumni Medal to Major General (Res.) Nitsan Alon and former Minister of Science and Technology Izhar Shay, co-founder of Next October. The medal is awarded to alumni who have achieved extraordinary accomplishments in the fields of science, medicine, engineering, technology, and architecture; who have made significant contributions to the advancement of the economy, industry, and education; and who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment through public service to the State of Israel and the Technion.

Major General (Res.) Nitsan Alon, born in 1965, began his impressive military career in a special forces unit, received the Chief of Staff Citation, and became the unit’s commander. After studying in the U.S., he commanded elite units and, following the Second Lebanon War, established the Operational Activation Division in the Intelligence Directorate. In 2012, he was promoted to Major General and appointed Central Command Commander, later becoming the project coordinator for countering the Iranian threat – a role in which he led strategic initiatives against Iran until his retirement from the IDF in 2019. After the October 7 massacre, he volunteered for reserve duty, established the intelligence unit for locating hostages and missing persons, and joined Israel’s negotiation team on the hostage issue. He holds a degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the Technion and studied in Washington. He received the Alumni Medal “in appreciation of his outstanding contribution to Israel’s security over decades; for his determination in facing complex challenges and varied threats; for leading efforts to release hostages and missing persons; and for being a leader and a man of action – a role model for Technion alumni.”

“Receiving the Alumni Medal from the Technion, my academic home, is an especially moving moment for me,” said Major General (Res.) Nitsan Alon at the ceremony. “The foundations of my career were laid here. The days that we studied engineering and science here became a critical component of my ability to serve our country. I served the State of Israel in various roles, but after October 7, I found myself with a difficult and painful mission: Establishing and commanding the Hostages’ Headquarters and being part of the negotiation team for their return. This is a mission that is at the core of our pain as a nation and has crucial importance for our future.

I see this medal as a medal for everyone who has acted day and night and continues to act on their behalf. This medal honors all the hostages’ families who continue to fight with endless courage and pain.”

Izhar Shay, born in 1963, is a graduate of the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Shay served as a Knesset member from 2019 to 2021, as Minister of Science and Technology, and as a member of the Coronavirus Cabinet. He is currently a partner in the venture capital fund Disruptive AI, advises high-tech companies, and serves on the investment committees of Iron Nation and Phoenix Financial. He led two high-tech companies – Business Layers and V-Secure – to successful exits and was a partner for 15 years at Canaan Partners, based in Silicon Valley.

Following the death of his son Yaron Ori (Noni), who died defending Kibbutz Kerem Shalom on October 7, Shay founded the Next October initiative, which promotes the establishment of Israeli startups in memory of the war’s victims. He is involved in efforts to heal and unite Israeli society following the events of October 7. He received the Alumni Medal “in recognition of his significant contribution to Israeli society and its economy; in appreciation of his outstanding achievements in the tech sector and public service; and for being a visionary leader and a role model for Technion alumni.”

“Since its founding, the Technion has been much more than an academic institution,” said former Minister Izhar Shay, at the ceremony. “It has been a home of inspiration, a source of groundbreaking innovation, and a beacon of Israeli entrepreneurship. Many of the leading technological innovations that protect the country’s security — those that continue to secure our future — were invented and developed within its walls by its graduates. As a Technion graduate, I feel the need to express my gratitude to this institution, which is not only a home for engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs, but also one of the supporting pillars of the State of Israel.”

Previous recipients of the Alumni Medal include David (Dadi) Perlmutter (2018), Avi Natan (2019), Guido Pardo Roques (2019), Aharon Aharon (2023), Johny Srouji (2023), and Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis (2024).