New accommodation has been inaugurated to house 120 students from World ORT’s Anières Elite Academy program in Israel.

Technion – Israel Institute of Technology opened the Marc Hamon Anières House, named in honor of the academy’s visionary and founder. Anières graduates learn at Technion facilities.

In addition to the residential accommodation, the building includes shared study spaces, a club, a gallery, and more.

Located in Nahalal, northern Israel, the Anières Elite Academy prepares talented children for their future lives. Giving them an educational curriculum that promotes STEM studies, it identifies and trains Israel’s future generation of science and technology leaders.

While studying for degrees in engineering and computer science at the Technion, Anières graduates receive financial, academic, and social support.

The original ORT Institute in Anières, Switzerland, from which Mr Hamon graduated, was the inspiration for the current academy. It operated for more than 30 years after opening in 1949.

Mr Hamon said: “The Technion gives male and female students the best tools to become leading engineers, industry pioneers and technological pioneers, entrepreneurs, and founders of startup companies.

“World ORT gave me the opportunity to study at a leading institution in the town of Anières, an opportunity I grabbed with both hands. Today I wish to give a similar, and even better, opportunity to our students studying at the Technion.”

Jacques Levy, President of the Anières Alumni Association, added: “It is a dream come true. It will become a place where determined students will take responsibility for their lives and fulfil their hopes for the future.”

Professor Uri Sivan, Technion President, said: “Since its inception, the Technion has had an important social role. Academic education is the key to social and economic leadership, and studying at the Technion opens a door to a promising future for its graduates.

“The participants in the Anières Program are outstanding students and we will give them everything they need to reach their full potential. The Technion is grateful to the donor, a graduate of the original program, who is now contributing to these wonderful young people receiving an opportunity for a better future.”

Robert Singer, Chair of World ORT’s Board of Trustees, led the process to establish the Marc Hamon Anières House and said: “The common goal between the project and the Technion is 1,000 graduates who are outstanding engineers who will lead the Israeli economy. Many engineers will continue Marc Hamon’s path both in industry and as a future leadership of the Jewish people.”

Mykola Fedotov, an Anières student at the Wolfson Faculty of Chemical Engineering, is originally from Kharkiv in Ukraine.

He said: “My grandparents immigrated to Israel when I was a child and wanted me to move to Israel, too. My mother also supported me.”

At the age of 15, he moved to Israel as part of the Na’ale program for youths making Aliyah before their parents.

At the end of the 10th grade, he completed the Technion’s “Archimedes” Chemistry program, which awarded him a score of 100 in Chemistry in the matriculation exams.

He will now be a resident at the Marc Hamon Anières House, living together with his friends in the Anières Program. He will take part in the program’s student committee to promote personal and community formation and enrichment. He will also continue to enjoy dancing salsa at the student house.

Another student, Inbar Isso, recently began her second year of study in the Henry and Marilyn Taub Faculty of Computer Science. Her sister is completing a degree in Computer Science and her brother has earned a degree in Electrical and Computer engineering. Inbar studied in the excellence program at high school and went on to join the military service in the Information Technology field.

She said: “Living at the Technion saves on travel and allows us to enjoy the social life here.”

She is even more enthusiastic about the new building: “I’m really grateful for the opportunity to live in it. We’ve already been told about the annual activity plan, and it’s really excellent. There are going to be Shabbat receptions, evenings together, workshops, lectures, and meetings that I’m really looking forward to participating in.”