Netanyahu Launches New Science Program for Youth at Nuclear Research Center

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with Education Minister Yoav Kisch and Atomic Energy Commission head Moshe Edri, inaugurated a new science education program for teenagers called "Momentum for Science" at the Soreq Nuclear Research Center. The initiative, spearheaded by the Soreq Nuclear Research Center under the auspices of the Israel Atomic Energy Commission, aims to guide students from 7th to 12th grade into the world of science, with a particular focus on physics.

In collaboration with the Yavne municipality and the Schwartz/Reisman Science Education Fund, and with support from the Ministries of Education and Finance, students from Yavne and surrounding local councils will study advanced physics. Some participants will engage in cutting-edge research within the unique laboratories of the Atomic Energy Commission, potentially completing up to 10 units of physics study. This program is designed to increase the number of teenagers pursuing advanced science and technology matriculation exams, recognizing that Israel's scientific and technological superiority begins in schools.

Prime Minister Netanyahu emphasized the program's importance, stating, "This school is the spearhead... We need to double this on a scale... We must be stronger, faster, more sophisticated, more initiative-taking, more resourceful, more capable. Because I wouldn't count on the desires and intentions of our rivals. The stronger we are, the more we forge alliances. The stronger we are, the more we can go with them towards peace. The stronger we are, the better we develop life here for all citizens of Israel. And the opposite is also true. Strength invites alliances and promotes peace, weakness invites abandonment and ultimately defeat." He also highlighted quantum computing as potentially more significant than AI for future development.

Education Minister Kisch described the program as a significant force multiplier, connecting the education system with Israel's leading scientists and researchers to build the future generation of Israeli science and technology. He noted that "Momentum for Science" exposes students to leading scientists and encourages them to pursue physics and STEM fields, aligning with the "Real Israel" program to bridge education, research, and industry.

Moshe Edri, head of the Atomic Energy Commission, expressed pride in opening the center's doors to local youth, calling the program a first-of-its-kind national initiative to increase science studies and expose students to the commission's expertise and infrastructure. Yavne Mayor Roi Gabay added that the program cultivates the young minds who will fill the ranks of Israel's future scientists and engineers, fostering excellence and strengthening the nation's resilience and leadership.