2017 Honorary Fellowship Recipients

Habima National Theater of Israel 
Habima Theater was the world’s first professional Hebrew theater, established in Moscow in 1917. Founded at a time when study of the Hebrew language was forbidden, the theater’s mission was to revive Hebrew language and culture as a means of giving voice to the spirit of the Jewish People. In 1918, it began operating under the auspices of the Moscow Art Theater. In 1926, Habima left Russia to tour internationally; two years later, some of its members took the company to Mandate Palestine. After several successful productions in Tel Aviv, it gained a reputation as the national Jewish theater and, in 1945, it moved into its permanent home, which was completely refurbished in 2012. Today, Habima comprises a troupe of over 80 actors and 120 theater arts professionals who put on dozens of productions per year and participate in top festivals around the world. This year marks its centennial year.

Shira Shofty, Israel 

An educator for over 40 years, Shira Shofty is the outgoing Director of the Dov Lautman Unit for Science Oriented Youth at Tel Aviv University. The Unit, established in the late 1960s, is dedicated to nurturing excellence and expanding accessibility to higher education among talented youngsters, with an emphasis on the country’s social and geographic periphery. Under Shofty’s stewardship, it was transformed into the largest center of excellence of its kind in Israel. In recent years, she has focused much of her efforts on helping Israelis of Ethiopian origin integrate into Israeli society. She has also worked extensively with NGOs dedicated to advancing the status of women, democratic values and peace in Israel. Shofty completed her BA in economics and political science and her MA in the sociology of education at Tel Aviv University.