Our 2023-2024 honorary MIT-Kalaniyot Fellows cohort consists of leaders who have fostered community and resilience in times of adversity. They stepped up to address local challenges, made personal sacrifices, went beyond what they expected when they first came to MIT, and have impacted many students’ lives. We are proud to recognize these outstanding leaders as the honorary cohort of Kalaniyot fellows.
Dr. Lior Alon
Lior is an instructor in the MIT Mathematics Department and formerly a postdoctoral associate in the same department. He completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at the Technion in Haifa and served seven years as a naval officer in the Israeli Navy. Since October 7, Lior has worked to de-escalate tensions while taking action against attempts to delegitimize Israelis at MIT. He also supported grieving community members and collaborated with the administration to secure mental health and bureaucratic assistance for affected postdocs.
Dr. Dvir Harris
Dvir is currently an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Chemistry, Technion, Israel. Until recently, he was a postdoctoral researcher at MIT, in the Department of Chemistry. Dvir obtained his undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and his PhD in Energy at the Technion as well. He also initiated the Chemistry community under ScienceAbroad organization, helping Israeli chemists around the world to network with each other. Since Oct 7 events, Dvir has been highly engaged in community building, on-campus activism, strategic planning and discussions with senior administration to ensure the best outcome for the Israeli and Jewish community of MIT is achieved. In addition, he is involved in a network of scientists fighting antisemitism in academia, globally.
Dr. Yuval Jacobi
Yuval is currently a Postdoctoral Associate at the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at MIT. He completed his undergraduate studies in Marine Biochemistry at the Ruppin Academic Center and earned his graduate degrees from Tel Aviv University and the Technion. Since October 7, Yuval has been actively involved in community efforts to foster understanding on the MIT campus, focusing on countering the delegitimization of Jews and Israelis. Alongside his scientific work, Yuval continues to advocate against antisemitism and for inclusive environment within and beyond the MIT community.
Dr. Elee Shimshoni
Elee is currently a researcher at a drug repurposing non-profit organization, and until recently was a postdoctoral researcher at MIT, in the Department of Chemistry and the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Biology and Psychology from the Hebrew University and completed her graduate studies at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Elee also serves as Scientific Director for the Israeli Science Communication organization “Little, Big Science”, which produces popular science content for a Hebrew-speaking audience. Since Oct 7, she has been active in the Jewish and Israeli community at MIT—producing graphic content for the Jewish and Israeli group on campus to bring the advocate for the Israeli perspective.
Dr. Shai Zilberzwige-Tal
Shai is a postdoctoral fellow at MIT and a graduate of Tel Aviv University. She previously served as a paramedic in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Over the past year, Shai has actively worked to raise awareness about the rising antisemitism at MIT and to strengthen connections between Israelis and the Jewish community. In response to the aftermath of the October 7th massacre, she co-founded a nationwide organization of Israeli academics, dedicated to supporting Israelis in the United States.