Congratulations to the graduates of LEAD Cohort II.

American Friends of the Hebrew University is delighted to welcome fourteen new members to the formal AFHU family. In April 2024, LEAD Cohort II participants graduated from the 18-month leadership program in Austin, Texas. These young men and women will now join the ranks of the AFHU Board of Regents and will continue to engage in regional and national efforts.

Over the course of the LEAD program, members experienced all aspects of AFHU and HU life. From the Palm Beach Board Weekend in 2023 to the 2024 Scopus Weekend in Las Vegas, LEAD participants met with a variety of HU and AFHU dignitaries, such as HU President Professor Asher Cohen and Chancellor Menahan Ben-Sasson, AFHU CEO Josh Rednik, Professor Tomer Broude from the Faculty of Law, Professor Ori Adam from the Institute of Earth Sciences, and so much more. During the LEAD mission to Israel in June 2023, participants received a behind-the-scenes look at the Hebrew University, visited labs and met with professors and students, participated in the Board of Governors and connected with international supporters, and bonded over the shared love of the Hebrew University. The final LEAD seminar, held at the Miraval Resort in Austin, Texas, provided LEAD participants a variety of leadership opportunities such Heartfelt Leadership: Herding with Horses, hiking through the local Balcones canyonland preserve, and a special LEAD graduation ceremony.

In addition to the amazing experience and friendships formed, LEAD members also demonstrated their commitment to AFHU by pledging a joint $75,000 gift to AFHU. After careful discussion and deliberation, LEAD Cohort II members elected to support HU support scholarships at the International School of Agricultural Sciences and the Clinical Legal Education Center’s Emergency Hotline, providing immediate advice, information, and useful links on subjects related to the current war. These generous gifts show LEAD’s commitment to AFHU, now and into the future.

As LEAD Cohort II graduates now enter the ranks of AFHU, we are thrilled for their continued journey. In combination with LEAD Cohort I graduates, this next generation of leaders is the future and the hope of the Hebrew University. We look forward to their leadership, philanthropic support, and commitment to our enduring mission.