Ofer Family Expands Leadership Scholarships at Harvard Amidst Political Tensions
The Ofer Family Foundation is expanding its leadership scholarships at Harvard Kennedy School despite political tensions following the October 7 attacks. The scholarships aim to empower Israeli leaders and maintain Israeli presence at a top global institution. A virtual event on September 8 will introduce the program and application details.
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- The Ofer Family Foundation awards up to $82,000 scholarships to 5-8 Harvard Kennedy School candidates annually.
- The scholarship program combines academic excellence with public leadership and strategic branding.
- A September 8 virtual event will present the scholarship and feature Batya Ofer and Harvard representatives.
- The Ofer couple resigned from Harvard’s board after the October 7 attacks but expanded the scholarship to counter anti-Israel sentiment.
- Olympic champion Linoy Ashram supports northern Israeli female entrepreneurs amid wartime challenges.
- A major Tel Aviv real estate project hired a London design firm for luxury communal spaces.
The Idan and Batya Ofer Family Foundation continues to support Israeli leadership at Harvard University by awarding leadership scholarships to the Harvard Kennedy School. These scholarships, valued at up to $82,000 each, will be granted to 5-8 candidates annually, totaling between $400,000 and $650,000. The foundation views the scholarship not merely as philanthropic aid but as a branded leadership program combining academic excellence with public mission, supported by a strategic marketing and storytelling approach.
On September 8, a virtual event will introduce the scholarship program, featuring Batya Ofer, a senior Harvard representative, scholarship recipients, and Yaniv Halili, the foundation's CEO. The event will provide details on the application process and student experiences, including a lecture titled "Thinking Like a Leader." Batya Ofer emphasized the scholarship’s goal to empower curious and courageous leaders to influence society through access to one of the world’s top academic environments.
Following the October 7 attacks, the Ofer couple resigned from Harvard Kennedy School’s board in protest against the university president’s weak response to a student letter blaming Israel exclusively for violence. Despite their resignation, they expanded the scholarship program to counter anti-Israel sentiment and maintain Israeli presence at a key global leadership institution. Halili explained that reducing Israeli representation would mean losing influence at critical decision-making tables worldwide.
Additional news includes Olympic champion Linoy Ashram meeting with female entrepreneurs and reservists in northern Israel to support business growth amid wartime challenges, and real estate developer Israel Brothers hiring a London design firm for a major Tel Aviv residential project. In retail, a shared designer space in Raanana Mall is splitting into three independent stores to enhance customer experience. Lastly, the Pardes Hanna-Karkur Slow Art Festival will take place from September 3-5, featuring 120 artists, exhibitions, live demonstrations, and lectures aimed at promoting a deeper cultural engagement with art.
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