World screening of the exciting docu-film as part of the Technion's 100th anniversary celebrations

On a personal note

About two years ago, just before her 100th birthday, I interviewed Mira (Cherniavsky) Cohen. During our meetings, Mira revealed to me her family roots, her father's acquaintance with Haim Weizman, the family's move to Haifa following her father's invitation to teach physics at the Technion and later, as the first director of the respected institution. About the volunteering of the sisters Sarah and Mira in the Women's Corps in the British Army in World War II and more...   

Shortly after the publication of the article, the director Uri Rosenvaks contacted me. That's how I learned that at about the same time, he was preparing a documentary to mark the 100th anniversary of the Technion, directed by him, and after Roni the investigator drew his attention to the article, he asked for my assistance in connecting to Mira. A week later, the camera crew "took over" her apartment. The day of filming, long and exhausting even for many decades younger than her, Mira passed in an amazing way, alongside Danny, her relative. For me it was an interesting opportunity to watch the work of the team of professionals.           

The interview segments with Mira are included in the fascinating film that was screened last night in front of an excited invited audience that I had the privilege of being a part of with my mother alongside Mira (soon to be 102!) and her relatives, Danny and Tali Levin. But first, a moment of history.

1912 - Laying of the cornerstone for the Technion, first steps

On April 11, 1912, just a few years before the end of the Ottoman rule in the Land of Israel and 36 before the establishment of the State of Israel, the cornerstone was laid for the "Technicum" building on the "bald Bald Mountain" on the slopes of Carmel. In 1924, 12 years after the modest ceremony of laying the cornerstone, the first class of 17 students was opened at Technion (as it was written as the proposal of Haim Nachman Bialik), then in Hadar HaCarmel: 16 male students and one female student. About two decades later, at the end of a heated discussion, it was decided to change the spelling of the name of the institution fromתMall toטa shopping mall Another challenge that accompanied the establishment was the "language war" against the "Ezra" company that demanded that the language of instruction in the technical school and the real school that would be built next to it be German.     

Today it is hard to believe that that classroom at the back of the British Empire was the beginning of the Technion, one of the leading technological research institutions in the world. About 100 students study in the 2,100th cohort of the Technion, which was recently launched, of which about 48% are women. The story of the hundred years of this institution on Mount Carmel provides a fascinating prism for describing the events of the State of Israel, which the Technion grew alongside and for. The establishment of the Technion was a defining cultural event for the Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel of those days and of enormous importance to the city of Haifa - then and now.

Today, it is hard to imagine Israel's 75-year-old strong economy and its scientific and technological achievements without the Technion. With 18 faculties and academic departments, 52 research centers and over 13,000 students, the Technion stands at the forefront of groundbreaking research in a variety of fields. From the country on the way, in the dramatic moments during wartime, through the birth of the startup nation and research breakthroughs on a global scale - the Technion was always there.

The movie Technion 10² - world premiere

Dozens of Technion graduates, from the leaders of the Israeli economy, joined the Technion president yesterday (Tuesday) evening. Prof. Uri Sion, for the premiere of the special docu-film in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Israel Institute of Technology, directed by Uri Rosenwax. The name of the film, Technion 10²" is the brainchild of the president of the Technion, Prof. Uri Sivan.

Among the invitees and participants in the screening held last night at the Taub Faculty of Computer Science on the Technion campus were:

Former Minister of Science and Technology and high-tech entrepreneur, Yizhar Shay; The mayor of Haifa, Mr Yona Yahav; the high-tech entrepreneur, Dr. Yossi Vardi; CEO of "Intel" Israel, Karin Eybshitz-staff; CEO of Insightek, Dr. Kobi Wortman; Director of the Amazon AWS R&D Center, Billik (Billie) the multitude; Former CEO of Intel Israel, Rafi Neve; The founders of the "Alpha Omega" company, rim וImad Younes; Former CEO of "Applied Materials" Israel, Dan Wilensky; The entrepreneur and former vice president of "Intel" worldwide, Dedi Perlmutter; The former presidents of the Technion, members of the Technion's management, members of the Technion's executive committee, the participants of the film as well as other graduates of the Technion.

Among the interviewees in the film, as mentioned, also Mira Cohen The 102-year-old, daughter of Aharon Cherniavsky, a physics lecturer who served as the director of the Technion in the 20s, and his character is played by an actor in the opening scene of the film.

"The only university in the world that is protected by technology developed by its graduate students"

"The story of the Technion is a wonderful story," said Prof. Sivan, the president of the Technion. "It is no less than a miracle how from 17 students in one building grew a university that is among the ten best technological universities in the world, Nobel Prizes, amazing contributions to the State of Israel and humanity...  

And in the spirit of these days: from my office there is a view of the "Iron Dome" intercepts. I thought that we are probably the only university in the world that is protected by technology developed by its graduate students..."

Some of the photos were taken in the history class at Medatech. I sat there on the wooden benches (which are very uncomfortable) and thought of my parents, who fled Europe before the war and were sent here to study in Palestine with a student certificate. They came to Haifa and studied at the Technion in 1936. I sat on the wooden benches and saw them sitting on these benches more than 80 years earlier. I realized how great the significance of this institution, which was present throughout my life, was great. And then as the president of the Technion you also understand how great this means for the State of Israel and the entire Jewish people. The way in which Uri managed to capture the interweaving of the history of the Jewish people in the 20th century and the history of the Technion is miraculous."

The words of Prof. Uri Sivan, president of the Technion ► Watch

Greetings from the Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav on the evening of the premiere ► Watch

The film will be broadcast on TV - you are welcome to watch

The film will be broadcast on Saturday, 21.12.24, at 08:30 on Kan 11 and also at the annual film festival that opens its doors in Haifa in about two weeks. It will also be available for viewing here digital - on the YouTube channel of "Kaan" as well as in the Kaan BOX app.