Dear Friends,
To those who attended the Rambam Summit on Thursday June 10, 2010,
I send my great appreciation for joining us at our new tradition. To those who were absent, we sincerely missed you and hope you will be able to join us at next year's summit.
As you well know, promoting the value and dignity of human life is central to the Jewish ethos; the Jewish way is also to reach out to one another in friendship and solidarity wherever we, as individuals or community members, may be.
I write with news of that eventful day:
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Lectures and panels by physician-scientists, healthcare policymakers, life-sciences entrepreneurs, and medical ethicists
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A campus tour at a time of dramatic physical transformation
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Launch of the Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal (RMMJ)
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Coincidentally, June 10th publication in Nature announcing landmark mapping of the Jewish genome by a Rambam and Technion-led international research team
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Presentation of the 2010 Rambam Award to humanitarians Mrs. Ruth Rappaport, Mr. Sammy Ofer, Prof. Moshe Revach, and Rabbi Elimelech Firer
I believe that everyone present at the evening event was inspired by Mrs. Rappaport's tribute to her late husband, Baruch ז"ל, for such qualities akin to the RAMBAM'S as "vision, a multidisciplinary approach, love of the future, and charisma; he would not start a project if he didn't see a chance to complete it."
I would welcome your thoughts about what you would like to see at next year's Summit.
Moreover, I look forward to continuing to work with you toward realizing Rambam's Vision of Adam master plan -- or, better yet, any aspect of this imperative project particularly dear to your heart. Let us speak at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Prof. Rafael Beyar, MD, DSc, MPH
Director General