The M.D. Katz JLIC program at Tel Aviv University, led by directors Rabbi Eitan and Elana Phillips, launched their new “Come Dine With the Prof” series on the evening of Wednesday, March 19th. The intimate dinner gathering brought students together with Prof. Brian Rosen, Vice Dean for International Affairs at TAU’s Faculty of Engineering, for an engaging discussion on “Science, Judaism and Israel.”
The inaugural event, which took place from 8:00-9:15 PM, marked the beginning of a biweekly series where students can share a meal with different TAU professors every other Wednesday. This format created an informal atmosphere for meaningful conversation about complex topics spanning academic, spiritual, and societal domains.
Science and Faith: Different Lenses for One Reality
During the evening’s discussion, Prof. Rosen addressed the perceived conflict between science and religion. Drawing on Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ “The Great Partnership” and responding to arguments from New Atheists, Prof. Rosen offered a nuanced perspective as both a scientist/engineer and religiously observant individual.
“Science and religion aren’t explaining different realities, but rather different aspects of the same reality,” Prof. Rosen explained. He emphasized that science seeks explanation through observation and evidence, while religion pursues meaning and purpose.
Prof. Rosen highlighted that both fields operate with inherent limitations. Scientific inquiry faces constraints from physical laws like the speed of light (limiting the observable universe) and quantum mechanics (where observation affects outcomes). Similarly, religious understanding is constrained by the finite human lifespan and cognitive capacity compared to the vastness of religious texts and concepts.
This framework reframes the relationship between science and faith not as contradictory paths but as complementary approaches to understanding a multi-dimensional reality.
From Lab to Market: Clean Energy Innovation
The conversation shifted to Prof. Rosen’s recent entrepreneurial venture in the clean energy sector. As a professor of Chemical and Material Science Engineering at TAU, his research focuses on alternative clean energy solutions, particularly hydrogen-based approaches.
Prof. Rosen explained the paradox in current hydrogen production methods. While hydrogen is a clean energy carrier that produces only water when used, conventional production methods from natural gas often release significant carbon dioxide, undermining its environmental benefits.
His startup addresses this challenge with technology developed in his TAU laboratory: an innovative reactor that decomposes methane (the primary component of natural gas) into clean hydrogen gas and valuable solid carbon (graphite) without producing CO2 emissions.
“Our goal is to scale up this technology and demonstrate its commercial viability,” Prof. Rosen shared. The venture aims to utilize Israel’s natural gas resources in an environmentally responsible way, producing both clean fuel and a marketable solid byproduct.
Academic Aliyah and Post-War International Collaboration
The evening’s discussion also covered Prof. Rosen’s experience making Aliyah as an academic, including both challenges and rewards of integrating into Israel’s higher education system. Additionally, students gained insights into how international academic and research collaborations have evolved in the post-war reality.
Rabbi Phillips facilitated the conversation throughout the evening, encouraging students to engage directly with Prof. Rosen through questions and dialogue.
“This inaugural dinner exemplifies what we hope to achieve with the ‘Come Dine With the Prof’ series,” Rabbi Phillips remarked after the event. “Creating spaces where students can engage with faculty outside the classroom leads to deeper connections and more meaningful exchanges.”
The M.D. Katz JLIC program at TAU plans to continue this series biweekly, featuring professors from various disciplines to provide students with diverse perspectives on the intersection of academic pursuits, Jewish values, and Israeli society.
Reach out to any of our Directors to learn more about and to support JLIC programming.
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