One of the many innovations developed by The Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa Israel is in the area of food technology, where Technion has developed hamburgers made out of meat, that are not made from animals, “The hamburgers are made from protein grown in a vat, and do not require lots of land to feed animals, and do not involve the slaughtering of cows… Our challenge was how to replicate the cells of animals in a vat,” Prof. Wayne Kaplan, explained to an audience at Shaarey Zedek synagogue at a breakfast meeting ( As an aside, at the breakfast people ate bagels and muffins that were not developed in a vat!). Kaplan, the Vice President for External Relations and Resource Development at the Technion, who gave a very interesting  talk,  indicated that “We have launched three companies for this  non-animal meat, and there’s fish produced in a vat as well…and the Rabbis approve of.”

Kaplan, who began his term in Oct. 2022 and was brought to Winnipeg by Technion Canada, examined how the history of  Technion is intertwined with the history of Israel. After noting that Jews were held back from technical education in Europe, the Technion “was established to train engineers” a hundred years ago in order to have the needed skills to build the infrastructure for the nascent state.” We knew we needed engineers to build roads, water lines, schools…,”Kaplan noted, indicating that 16 men and one woman formed the first students of the institute.

According to Kaplan, when France, which had armed Israel, stopped supporting Israel, Technion “became a research university.” The challenge at the time was that “Israel needed night vision equipment and we didn’t have it and couldn’t get it, so Technion developed it” in the 1960’s.  Kaplan added “We built ‘clean rooms’ to develop night vision and without this Israel would have been defeated in the 1973 Yom Kippur war. The development of night vision equipment led to a new micro-electronics industry for us.” Kaplan  pointed out that Intel Research and Development is “run by Technion grads, almost exclusively.”

As Kaplan who referred to himself as a “nerd” explained, Technion’s impact is due to its interdisciplinary research.” We influence society by developing new science,” and we launch 15 companies per year. He said that when the current war ceases, “we have to continue to reboot Israel with technology, and new companies , which are needed for our economy. Kaplan indicated that when it launches a new company, “there is a generous revenue sharing model”, where the students get 50% of the revenue and the Technion gets 50 % of the revenue. It is important, however, to ensure that not only is a company technology ready but investor ready,” said  Kaplan, who is the Karl Stoll Chair in Advanced Materials in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and is affiliated with the Russell Barrie Nanotechnology.

Kaplan also spoke about how Technion students are coping with the war in the North with Hezbollah. Haifa has been hit with missiles, but far fewer than in the first war with Hezbollah in 2006, before Israel had developed the Iron Dome. . Because of Hezbollah launching missiles, Technion “rented a conference centre in Tel Aviv with bomb shelters” where students could write their exams, but “Hezbollah bombed Tel-Aviv that day.” Students hit the floor and then finished their exams.

‘It is not simple to run a university during war,” Kaplan noted, and the situation “is a little bit surreal,” according to Kaplan. On October 7, the management of the Technion congregated because we thought Hezbollah wouldlaunch missiles at the north and at Technion.”They had 200,000 missiles,” and had they been able to launch them, the Technion campus could have been closed down.

Kaplan explained that the Israeli government subsidizes tuition which is $3,300 US, but everything else is raised through private philanthropy. Technion has built more dormitories for students than other universities in Israel such that more students can have affordable housing. “Technion has put up temporary external bomb shelters around the campus, “for students and faculty to use.

‘’Kaplan pointed out that 3000 of the 5000 undergraduates at Technion were called up to reserves after Oct 7, as well as 500 of Technion’s staff, and “we were worried about how we deal with this. “The army asked us to delay the academic year to wait for soldiers from the reserves.”

Additionally, Technion expanded psychological and counselling services to help students returning from war.” We tried to alleviate their stress as they returned to civilian life,” Kaplan noted. The academic year began in January and Technion provided extra tutoring sessions.

Elysa Greisman, National Executive Director of Technion from Toronto gave opening remarks, and noted how Technion is pleased to be expanding its footprint in Winnipeg. Co-sponsors of the event were Congregation Shaarey Zedek and the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg. Technion, founded in 1924, is marking its centennial year.

Anyone interested in learning more about Technion, or in making a donation to Technion Canada may contact Technion’s Winnipeg representative Sharon Zalik at sharon@technioncanada.org