Time Tunnel

70 years ago

“Members of the Zionist General Council at the Rehovoth Institute”
Davar, April 10, 1935 (Translated from Hebrew)

Away from the political platform, in the landscaped greenery of a quiet hill, removed from the hustle and bustle, at the chemistry research institute named after Daniel Sieff, a charming spot amidst Rehovoth orchards – that’s where Chaim Weizmann met with members of the Zionist General Council.

Many members belonging to different streams came along, including several members of the executive committee. Dr. Weizmann received the guests at his institute, took them from one lab to another and to the library, showed them around, provided explanations, introduced the scientific workers – all that with a reserved, quiet air special to this place, a place of learning for its own sake. Pointing to the territory around the Institute, he said: Many types of plants are concentrated here – medicinal, aromatic, edible. The Institute studies all these and will one day obtain results. Until now we have published 16 scientific papers. The institution is still young. It has 16 scientific workers. The people are young and they will build their scientific careers here.

65 years ago

“Algae in the Bed of the Dead Sea,” by B. Elazari-Volcani, Daniel Sieff Research Institute, Rehovoth
Nature, Vol. 145, p. 975, June 22, 1940

The presence of living micro-organisms – algae and bacteria – in Dead Sea water was demonstrated by me some time ago. It seemed, therefore, probable that life was also abundant in the sediment bed of the Dead Sea. To throw light on this point, an investigation on a sample of sediment obtained from the sea bottom has been carried out.

Today: See p. 3 of this issue for a story about current research on living organisms in the Dead Sea.

55 years ago

“Two Presidents”
Ha’aretz, July 21, 1950 (Translated from Hebrew)

Presidents of two countries have received a gift from Henry Ford II – one is Harry S Truman, the other is Dr. Chaim Weizmann. The gift is a unique model of a “Lincoln” limousine of which only two copies exist. The car arrived the day before yesterday at the port of Haifa.

45 years ago

“The Rehovoth Conference 1960,” by Abba Eban, Minister of Educa-tion and Culture and President of the Weizmann Institute
Rehovoth magazine, Winter 1960

The Conference was dominated by a realization of the perilous inequality which still exists between advanced and backward communities, despite their equal possession of sovereign rights.

40 years ago

“Geophysicists at Rehovoth,” by Prof. Chaim L. Pekeris, on the Second International Symposium on Geophysical Theory and Computers held at the Weizmann Institute in June 1965

Rehovoth Magazine, Winter 1965-66

One of the results that emerged with the aid of the GOLEM computer is that at a depth of around 150 km. below the surface, there is a hot zone where the density of the rocks decreases downwards. It is of course disconcerting to the scientist to unearth yet another source of possible weakness and instability in this world.

30 years ago

“New Nuclear Accelerator Takes Shape”
Interface, October/November 1975

The most dramatic sight on campus these days is the emerging 60-meter-high Koffler Accelerator Tower, housing the 14 UD Pelletron, whose bulbous pinnacle is now taking shape.

“$1 Million Annual Export of Electronic Instruments”
Interface, October/November 1975

“Over $1 million worth of novel electronic instrumentation based on Institute research is exported annually by Israeli industrial firms,” was reported recently by Dr. Benjamin Salamon, Managing Director of the Yeda Research and Development Company.

“A Harbinger, Perhaps, of Better Days to Come”
Interface, October/November 1975

Young Israelis who attended the London International Youth Science Fortnight in August established contact with Egyptian teenagers who participated in the program. “We exchanged coins and chatted a great deal – but not about politics,” explained Menahem Shoham, an Institute graduate student who led the group.

25 years ago

“New Approach to Multiple Sclerosis”
Interface, No. 1, 1980

Clinical trials for an Institute-developed material which may someday be helpful in arresting the progression of crippling multiple sclerosis are now underway at three hospitals, in the United States, Germany and Israel. The material was developed by Dr. Dvora Teitelbaum, Prof. Ruth Arnon and Prof. Michael Sela.

15 years ago

“Biomedical Research at New Magnetic Resonance Facility”

Interface, No. 2, 1990

A vital new research laboratory that is expected to provide a more accurate picture of what goes wrong when tissues turn malignant and also to facilitate the investigation of the brain and the reproductive system was dedicated on campus this spring. The central instrument in the laboratory is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. Prof. Hadassa Degani, who heads the new laboratory, is using its unique facilities for studying the metabolism of normal and malignant tissues in laboratory animals.

Prof. Ruth Arnon’s research is supported by the Y. Leon Benoziyo Institute for Molecular Medicine; Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Applebaum; Lester and Evelyn Burton; the Milton A. and Charlotte R. Kramer Foundation; Dr. and Mrs. Claude Oster; Dr. and Mrs. Irving Slott; and the Estate of Nathan A. Baily. Prof. Arnon is the incumbent of the Paul Ehrlich Professorial Chair of Immunology.

Prof. Michael Sela is the incumbent of the W. Garfield Weston Chair of Immunology.

Prof. Michel Revel is the incumbent of the Ruth and Jerome A. Siegel and Freda and Edward M. Siegel Chair of Virology.

Prof. Hadassa Degani’s research is supported by the M.D. Moross Institute for Cancer Research; the Willner Center for Vascular Biology; Lord David Alliance CBE; Dr. and Mrs. Leslie Bernstein; the Croscill Home Fashions Charitable Trust; Margaret M. Enoch; Judy and Jerry Felsenthal; Eugenie Fromer; Sophy Goldberg; the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving; the Estate of Mrs. Ilse Katz; Harvey Knell; Mr. and Mrs. Gary Leff; Ed C. Levy; Rita Markus; Lynne Mochon and Edith Degani; Mr. and Mrs. Lon Morton; Mr. and Mrs. James Nathan; the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research-Weizmann Institute of Science Exchange Program; the Estate of Julie Osler; the Pacific Theaters Foundation; the Marit and Hans Rausing Charitable Foundation; the Harry M. Ringel Memorial Foundation; Lois Rosen; Mr. and Mrs. Louis Rosenmayer; Mark Siegel; Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Simms; the Skirball Foundation; Mr. and Mrs. Larry Taylor; the Washington Square Health Foundation; and Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Weiss. Prof. Degani is the incumbent of the Fred and Andrea Fallek Professorial Chair in Breast Cancer Research.