Page 9 - Perspective 2022 - 11.9.22

THE MAN BEHIND A PIONEERING WOMEN’S CAMPUS
IS READY FOR HIS NEXT CHAPTER

JCT Vice President Stuart Hershkowitz, who is retiring from the college later this year,
has tirelessly promoted the $100 million Tal Campus for Women, “You have to dream.
Set high goals for yourself and don’t be scared to reach them,” he says.

The sun sets over Jerusalem’s majestic hills, and a drone facility in the industrial area of Jerusalem. It was not
appears overhead. As it begins its descent, it is greeted suitable or appealing in any way to students. It was also
by dozens of staff, faculty, and friends of the Jerusalem very cramped. We needed to do something. This was clear
College of Technology (JCT) who are celebrating the to us and the government 20 years ago,” he says.
groundbreaking of its new Tal Campus for women.
On paper, the ambitious $100 million project seems nigh
The drone, operated by FlyTech (a start-up launched by impossible. That’s why when Hershkowitz had a meeting
two JCT alums), contains a foundation scroll celebrating scheduled with then-newly elected Mayor of Jerusalem
the new building— a facility that has been over two Moshe Lion, he was warned to not mention the sky-high
decades in the making. figure.

The emcee for the evening was one of the primary figures Hershkowitz refused to heed the advice and, fortunately,
responsible for making this dream of a state-of-the-art Lion was undeterred by sheer sticker shock. JCT has been
high-tech campus for women a reality. When he sat on working closely with the mayor’s office and Ze’ev Elkin,
the school’s Board of Trustees, Hershkowitz had become now Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Minister of Housing
increasingly concerned that although the Tal Campus and Construction, to speed up the building process.
project was brought up at nearly every meeting, little
progress was being achieved. The new facility is set to accommodate 3,000 students
and will span 14 dunam. Sleek floor-to-ceiling windows
“The Tal Campus is something we’ve been talking about for will house the Helmsley Center for Life and Health Sciences
20 years. As a board member, I felt I was limited in what I which will include a cutting-edge simulation center so
could do and I realized that only by getting involved on a nursing students can recreate the environment present
day-to-day basis full time would things change,” he says. in an actual hospital. It will also feature the Beren Center
for Engineering and the Friedman Center for Business and
As such, in 2012, Hershkowitz accepted the role of vice Mangement Studies.
president at JCT, where he wears many hats. A regular day
can see him conduct policy work and liaise with government
officials in addition to fundraising, research, international
programs, public relations, and development efforts.

Which is precisely why when he retires from JCT later
this year, Hershkowitz plans to remain involved with an
institution that has played a major role in his life, especially
with regard to the Tal Campus — which is slated to open its
doors by 2025.

Currently, Machon Tal sits in a crowded rented building in
Givat Shaul. Hershkowitz believes JCT’s female students
deserve better.

“From day one they were in a very inappropriate, rented

FlyTech’s drone delivering the
Foundation Scroll

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