About MIT-Kalaniyot

MIT-Kalaniyot is a faculty-driven effort to advance knowledge through the contributions of scholars and students without regard to national, religious or ethnic origin. We focus on two main goals that are mutually reinforcing: building a stronger MIT campus community and deepening ties with Israeli researchers.

Supporting Jewish community on campus: Following October 7th committed faculty members came together to build an open and inclusive campus community. The focus of this vibrant community is fostering a welcoming environment for Jews and others with ties to Israel on campus. In coordination with MISTI-Israel, Hillel, Chabad, and national peers, the faculty are developing programs to support affected students and communicate on their behalf with the MIT administration.

Strengthening MIT-Israel research collaborations: Through fellowships and seed grants, MIT-Kalaniyot brings the brightest researchers from Israel to MIT as postdoctoral fellows, sabbatical visitors and visiting students, empowering them to get involved in collaborative cutting-edge research, deepening academic ties and showcasing the brilliance of the startup nation. MIT-Kalaniyot also supports MIT ‘s institutional efforts to foster collaborative research with Israel and student exchange programs such as MISTI-Israel.

The MIT-Kalaniyot program embraces the diversity of Israel and strongly encourages applications from men and women, Jews, Arabs and other minority communities, from all parts of the state and all its academic institutions.

Our Mission

To strengthen MIT’s Jewish community, deepen MIT’s ties with Israeli researchers and work with university administration to ensure an inclusive campus.

Our Vision

MIT researchers cooperate to advance knowledge without regard to their national, ethnic or religious background.

Our Values

Respectful co-existence: Living, learning, and working together undeterred by differences of perspective and disagreements,
Mission focus: Focusing on the university mission of research, education, and entrepreneurship,
Excellence: Focusing on academic accomplishments and academic entrepreneurship,
Open collaboration: international open academic collaborations with leading institutions around the world.

History of MIT-Kalaniyot

MIT-Kalaniyot was created in the aftermath of October 7th by Jewish faculty at MIT who realized their roles at the university had to expand.

As the nation faces an unprecedented wave of protests, a sense of unease is spreading in the American Jewish community. The protests have also started to threaten routine interactions with Israeli scientists. Research groups, some with only tangential ties to Israel, have been disrupted by turmoil and harassment. Israeli students and scholars, who used to come in large numbers to elite US universities, cultivating long lasting mutually beneficial collaborations, are finding those doors starting to close.

A group of approximately 60 MIT faculty members have risen to the occasion, working with the Institute to support students, parents, staff and alumni. In addition, they are helping to protect and deepen the rich research ties MIT has long enjoyed with Israeli institutions – ties that over the years have contributed to numerous scientific breakthroughs.

They formed MIT-Kalaniyot, which aims to support MIT’s core mission of advancing knowledge through the contributions of scholars and students without regard to national, religious or ethnic origin. This positive approach is designed to have a long-term impact and has been formally embraced by the MIT administration.

MIT-Kalaniyot is focused on community and consists of two primary, self-reinforcing goals: building a stronger campus community and deepening ties with Israeli researchers.