Tel Aviv University Canada makes a substantial impact at this year’s Board of Governors meeting.

Tel Aviv University welcomed an especially strong delegation from Canada to campus during the 2025 Board of Governors events. Their presence was marked by active participation, major project ceremonies, and the dedication of two significant new scholarship funds—each aimed at strengthening student access and success, and each carrying deep personal meaning and national resonance for Israeli society.

Supporting Israeli Students of Ethiopian Descent: The Baruch Tegegne Fund

A moving plaque unveiling ceremony was held at the Student Success Center in recognition of the Baruch Tegegne Fund, established by TAU Governor Yaffa Tegegne and her husband Benjamin Ahdoot, from Montreal. Named in memory of Yaffa’s late father, Baruch Tegegne z’l, a pioneer of Ethiopian Aliyah and human rights activist, the fund supports more than 20 students of Ethiopian descent pursuing full-time studies at TAU.

A respected Israeli-Canadian human rights lawyer and the first woman of Ethiopian descent to join the TAU Board of Governors, Yaffa delivered a heartfelt speech emphasizing her family’s commitment to building a leadership cohort of Ethiopian Jews in Israel. “We chose TAU because we wanted to create a space for Ethiopian Jews in Tel Aviv, where unfortunately you do not see many Ethiopian faces,” she said. “Our goal in partnership with the university is to ensure that students from this community can access better academic and professional opportunities.”

The fund evolved from a professional relationship between Yaffa Tegegne and TAU Canada, following her discovery of the challenges Ethiopian graduates face in securing employment in Israel. In response, she created an internship program at her husband’s family company, HyperTech, for TAU students of Ethiopian descent in Engineering—offering them not only valuable work experience but a broader connection to the Jewish world.

Today, the Baruch Tegegne Fund provides tuition and tailored academic and social services to address the unique challenges faced by students of Ethiopian descent, furthering their integration and long-term success. Recognizing Yaffa Tegegne’s outstanding advocacy and leadership, TAU was proud to appoint her co-chair of its Equity and Diversity Committee, alongside TAU Vice President Prof. Neta Ziv.

Responding to Crisis with Opportunity: The Turkienicz Israel Education Fund

Eli and Ellen Turkienicz inaugurate the Turkienicz Israel Education Fund at the 2025 BOG. (Photo: Yuval Yosef)

A second plaque unveiling honored the creation of the Turkienicz Israel Education Fund, endowed by Eli and Ellen Turkienicz of Toronto. The fund was established in the wake of the October 7 attacks as a way to create a lasting, consequential response to tragedy. It supports Israeli graduate students from communities surrounding the Gaza border—students who have completed their national service, demonstrated financial need, and are pursuing MBAs or business-related degrees at TAU.

“I was frustrated that I couldn’t do anything about what was happening to Israel,” said Eli Turkienicz, a real estate developer, lawyer, and founder of Pinemount Developments. “My daughter studied at TAU, and I wanted to do something meaningful in response.”

Supporting Israel’s students—its future—is something I’m deeply proud of.

Eli spoke emotionally about the contrast he observed between his experience in Israel and the atmosphere back home in Canada. “Driving to TAU today, I was so proud to see Israeli flags flying from windows and bridges.”

Dean of Students Prof. Drorit Neumann, who joined the unveiling, noted that TAU serves over 30,000 students, many of whom are navigating increasingly complex realities. “The goal is simple; the doing is more complicated. These new funds allow us to provide the kind of targeted support that makes a real difference.”

A Testament to Canadian Commitment

These new funds are a testament to the enduring and evolving connection between Tel Aviv University and its Canadian friends and supporters. Both the Tegegne and Turkienicz families exemplify a deeply personal and values-driven approach to philanthropy—one that links individual experience with a desire to have a national impact on Israeli society.