2018 Honorary Fellowship Recipients
The Batsheva Dance Company, Israel
Batsheva Dance Company is one of the world’s foremost contemporary dance companies. It was founded in 1964 by the Baroness Batsheva de Rothschild, who engaged Martha Graham as the first Artistic Advisor. Together with the Young Ensemble, Batsheva comprises 40 dancers drawn from Israel and abroad. It gives over 250 performances to 100,000 spectators in Israel and abroad annually. Ohad Naharin, hailed as one of the world's leading contemporary choreographers, assumed the role of Artistic Director in 1990, propelling the company into a new era with his adventurous curatorial vision and distinctive choreographic voice. Naharin is also the originator of the movement language Gaga, which has revolutionized the company’s training and emerged as a growing international force in the larger field of movement practices.
Lili Peyser-Racine, Israel
Born in Paris in 1939, Lili Peyser-Racine is an Israeli philanthropist, TAU Governor and an active member of the World WIZO leadership. Lili and her family fled to the south of France during the Nazi occupation; her parents joined the Jewish underground, forged documents and smuggled Jewish children into Switzerland. In 1952 the family immigrated to Israel where Lili’s father established the Delek oil company. In the 1990s, Lili and her sister took over management of the family charity established by their father. Lili joined TAU’s Israeli Friends Association and has since supported numerous projects advancing needy students, young researchers, lab equipment and, most recently, the Entrance Plaza at the TAU Botanic Garden. Lili is a committee member of the Knesset Speakers` Quality of Life Prize and the Azrieli College in Jerusalem.
