Founder of Ethiopian-Israeli scholarship program honored with doctorate

By MICHAL GALANTI JULY 20, 2021 23:30

The The Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya held a festive ceremony on Monday during which it bestowed honorary doctorates to individuals whose life’s work reflects the values of Zionism, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and social responsibility, and who have made impactful contributions to Israel, the Jewish people, and to the university.

The degrees were conferred by IDC’s President and Founder Prof. Uriel Reichman, Chairman of the Board Prof. Amnon Rubinstein, and Chancellor Mr. Oudi Recanati.

One of those to receive an honorary doctorate was businessman and philanthropist Joey Low, a longtime friend of IDC Herzliya who recently made aliyah and moved to Israel from New York.

The philanthropic venture closest to Low’s heart is the scholarships he has provided over the years for Ethiopian Israelis and African asylum seekers who wish to study at IDC.

In 2002, at the height of the second intifada, Low established the Israel at Heart program with the mission of defending Israel on campuses in the United States and around the world. Many Israel at Heart delegates were IDC Herzliya students, which helped establish Low’s connection with the institution and ultimately led him, together with Prof. Uriel Reichman, to form the Israel at Heart Ethiopian Scholarship program at IDC.

IDC’s President and Founder Prof. Uriel Reichman and Joey Low with alumni and current students at the Israel at Heart program. (Credit: Courtesy)

The program offers Israelis of Ethiopian background with strong leadership potential and proven social commitment the opportunity to earn an undergraduate degree at IDC free of charge. The ultimate goal of the program is to prepare these students to take on leadership positions and help them to serve as role models for their community.

Many of the program’s alumni are now serving in key leadership positions, including as Israeli diplomats, and pursuing higher degrees, with two having received the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship and one a Rhodes Scholarship.

In 2010, when he heard from Reichman that there were African refugees and asylum seekers who wanted to study at IDC, Low launched a new scholarship program for them.