At Kalaniyot, we’re proud to celebrate the journeys of Israeli scientists who embody our mission — to learn, lead, and give back. Dr. Shai Zilberzwige-Tal, an Honorary Kalaniyot Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT, represents the very heart of that vision: global excellence grounded in connection, community, and commitment to Israel’s scientific future.
When Dr. Shai Zilberzwige-Tal and her family considered where to spend her postdoctoral years, they wanted more than a prestigious lab — they wanted a place to grow, connect, and build bridges between worlds.
Boston offered just that: a thriving hub of discovery and a welcoming community of Israeli and Jewish scholars. At MIT and the Broad Institute, Shai joined the lab of Professor Feng Zhang, one of the world’s leaders in CRISPR and genetic editing research, to study how bacteria defend themselves from viruses.
Her discoveries revealed that some of these bacterial defense systems began as molecular “self-destruct switches” — ways for infected cells to sacrifice themselves to save their neighbors. For Shai, this was more than a biological insight.
“It’s a beautiful reminder that even at the microscopic level, cooperation and sacrifice can emerge as survival strategies,” she says. “The idea that strength grows from connection has shaped how I see both science and community.”
Building Bridges Through Science
At MIT, Shai experienced the power of collaboration and innovation on a global scale. But she also saw the challenges of being an Israeli scientist abroad — especially in moments when calls to isolate or boycott Israel grew louder.
“Those were difficult times,” Shai recalls. “And they haven’t disappeared. But now, we face them as a community with more tools, more support, and a stronger network. Kalaniyot has given us a sense of solidarity that helps us navigate these moments with confidence.”
She remembers one Kalaniyot community gathering during a particularly tense week on campus:
“Everyone was exhausted — juggling research, family, and a sense of uncertainty. I stood up and spoke about the future, about the students who would come after us, and the world we were helping to shape. That moment captured what Kalaniyot means to me: unity, courage, and hope.”
For Shai, Kalaniyot didn’t just provide a network — it cultivated collaborations that sparked meaningful conversations and new scientific possibilities, reinforcing the belief that research can bring people together even in divided times.
Coming Home — and Paying It Forward
Now, Shai is returning home to Israel to begin her assistant professorship at the Weizmann Institute of Science, where she’s launching her new lab, Architectures of Bacterial Immunity. Her team will study how bacteria make life-or-death decisions and how their natural defense systems can be harnessed to develop new technologies for human health — from innovative antibiotics to “living sensors” that can detect disease or pollution.
“To me, science is like assembling a puzzle without a picture on the box,” she says. “Every experiment reveals a new piece of the story. What drives me is the joy of discovery — and the chance to inspire others to keep asking questions.”
Beyond the lab, Shai is eager to mentor the next generation of Israeli scientists and help strengthen global research ties. She emphasizes that Kalaniyot plays a key role in this work by cultivating collaborations that lead to meaningful discoveries and deeper scientific conversations.
A Message to Kalaniyot’s Supporters
“To everyone who supports Kalaniyot — thank you. You’re not only helping scientists like me pursue our dreams; you’re helping Israel’s brightest minds stay connected, supported, and seen. Your support ensures that Israeli scientists abroad never stand alone, and that we bring everything we’ve learned back home.”
As she begins this new chapter at Weizmann, Shai carries that belief forward — that the spirit of community, curiosity, and courage she found through Kalaniyot can help shape the future of Israeli science for generations to come.