A new classroom in honor and memory of Prof. Hillel Shuval

12/04/2019 | Environmental Quality Sciences (B.Sc.)

A very emotional ceremony was held recently to dedicate a classroom in honor and memory of the late Prof. Hillel Shuval, founder and former Chair of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Hadassah Academic College. This very special and heart-warming event was attended by his widow Prof. Yehudit Shoval and close family members.

Dr. Tzachi Milgrom, Vice President for Academic Affairs of HAC , spoke of the difficult work that he and Prof. Shuval had been involved in while establishing the Department of Environmental Health Sciences: " ...when I met Prof. Hillel Shuval for the first time I met a professional, very experienced and humble person. I saw that Hillel immediately related to the idea and vision of making higher education accessible to diverse populations that had not yet gained access to it. He was always very bright and at every opportunity expressed confidence in everything done at HAC”

Professor Shuval's daughter, Tamar Meidin, spoke emotionally to her father: "Wherever you came you created a good mood and an uplifting experience. I know that you came to this College after leaving the university and it was extremely important for you to support everyone and to provide each student an opportunity to succeed, and I am sure that whoever comes to study here, in this hall, will draw inspiration from your name."
Prof. Shuval's granddaughter, Racheli spoke for the younger generation and shared her memories as a young girl and spoke about the values of respect for others, and mastering the art of looking at the glass half-full as she had learned from her grandfather.

Dr. Geula Sharf, the current Chair of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, who succeeded him, had been Prof. Shuval’s student and colleague from the very beginning of the Department's establishment. "Until his last moments, Prof. Shuval was interested and closely involved in everything that was happening in the Department during my last visit to his home just days before he passed away," said Dr. Sherf .

Dr. Rami Pedatzur, a faculty member in the Department of Environmental Quality Sciences, also shared his personal memories - both as a graduate student and a doctoral student in Prof. Shuval's labs at the Hebrew University and as a member of the faculty since its establishment.

Prof. Yehuda Bachmet, former Chief of the Israel Meteorological Service and a Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the College, said: "A person who passed away is alive as long as he is remembered living in the heart of all those who had lived with him for a long time in life, loved him, honored him and appreciated him. Such was Hillel for me”.

At the end of the event, new graduates of the Department of Environmental Quality Science briefly presented the findings of their final project on the regulatory barriers in addressing light pollution in Israel.