In a wide-ranging and candid conversation with The Jerusalem Post editor-in-chief Zvika Klein, Prof. Uriel Reichman, Founding President of Reichman University, reflects on a three-decade journey that transformed Israel’s academic landscape and strengthened global Jewish connections.
When Reichman launched his bold plan to establish Israel’s first private university in the early 1990s, few believed it could succeed. “People told me to take a vacation – or see a psychologist,” he recalls.
Yet Reichman’s determination to challenge Israel’s elitist and bureaucratic academic system never wavered. Built on the grounds of an abandoned military base in Herzliya, Reichman University is now a symbol of academic excellence, modern Zionism, and social entrepreneurship.
Today, the university is home to over 2,500 students from more than 90 countries at its Raphael Recanati International School, with 70% making aliyah after graduation.
Meeting challenges head-on
Amid rising antisemitism and academic boycotts, Reichman University is meeting challenges head-on. Rather than retreating, it is expanding international programs, deepening ties with Jewish communities worldwide, and advancing cutting-edge research. This year, it launched the Dina Recanati School of Medicine to address Israel’s physician shortage, drawing students from Israel and abroad.
Prof. Reichman stressed that academic institutions must play a central role in confronting antisemitism and advancing the Zionist vision. “Some believe universities shouldn’t serve as a platform for nationalistic views, as academia is inherently global. However, we must be prepared to defend our freedom and our very existence.”
Reichman outlined an ambitious path forward, championing academic excellence, entrepreneurship, and collaboration between Israeli and Diaspora students. Despite facing challenges, the university has thrived, and when looking to the future, Reichman envisions it as a premier academic center grounded in Zionist principles and global Jewish solidarity.
“Our university is meant to be a home for students and scholars from around the world,” says Prof. Reichman. “Now more than ever, we must strengthen these bonds, defend our values, and cultivate the next generation of Jewish and Israeli leadership.”
The full interview will be featured this June in the Jerusalem Post Magazine.