Please join us for a conversation with Prof. Ariela Gordon-Shaag, President of Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College. She will discuss how her college is forging relationships with Israel’s Arab and Haredi communities and supporting reservists after October 7th.

Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College (formerly Hadassah Academic College) is one of Israel’s leading colleges. It trains students from an array of backgrounds—many first-generation college students—for high-demand fields like computer science, healthcare, and social work, which have become even more critical in the past year. Jewish and Arab students study and work in clinics side by side at the college, while Haredim earn degrees at its Strauss Campus. The college has also been a national leader in supporting the educational, career, and emotional needs of students who serve as IDF reservists.

About President Gordon-Shaag: A Chicago native, Ariela earned her BA in Chemistry from Columbia and a PhD in genetics and molecular biology from Hebrew University. Before becoming president in 2024, she founded Hadassah Academic College’s Master’s program in Optometry and chaired the Optometry Department.