Jewish Ozzies' Inter.Net
The electronic voice of the Australian Jewish Community


Gilbert and Valerie Herbert
during their recent trip 
to Australia

LETTER FROM JEWISH AUSTRALIA No.61
17th November 1998 

TECHNION SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA
Professor Gilbert Herbert, M.Arch, Dip.T.P.D. Litt.et Phil., the former Dean of Architecture at the Technion, recently addressed the Technion Society of Australia with a talk titled "Whodunnit? Architectural History as a detective story". The professor's tale began with his search to authenticate the architectural birthright of a building imported to Australia from Britain but which had no shipping papers. Thus began an interest in architechtural sleuthing which currently centres on Israeli power stations.

Professor Herbert came to Australia in 1961 when he took up an appointment with Adelaide University (South Australia). His career was already well established in his native South Africa but he and his wife, Valerie, were determined that their children should not grow up in, and come to accept, such an unfair political system.

 It was not only his interest in Architectural history which started and grew during the seven years in Adelaide. Almost as soon as they arrived the family became active participants in the tiny (compared with Johannesburg) Adelaide Jewish community. Valerie became President of a WIZO group and Gilbert was soon President of J.N.F.(S.Aust) and had a great claim to fame as a member of the victorious South Australian debating team which participated in the 29th Maccabi Carnival in Melbourne. While they enjoyed life in Australia they wanted a richer Jewish life for their children and came to a decision that their future belonged with Israel.

Professor Herbert took up his position at the Technion just after the Six-Day War. This latest visit to Australia followed on from a lecturing engagement in Osaka, Japan. His publications and achievements are too numerous to quote here but a visit to the Technion's web page should help those wishing to obtain more information. His talk was part of a regular speaking program organised by The Technion Society of Australia which supports the Technion - The Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel.

 The Technion was established in l924 and is Israel's premier technical University with a student body of over 12,000 both undergraduate and graduate students. The Technion Academic Faculties and Departments cover all the recognized fields of Architecture, Education, Engineering, Management, Medicine and Science.

 Complete information can be accessed through the Internet at:http://www.technion.ac.il.

 Australia has been part of an international team of Technion Societies since the l960's with chapters in NSW and Victoria. Over this period considerable co-operation has occurred between Australia and the Technion in the form of academic and student exchange programs. A number of collaborative projects have and are currently being pursued.

 The main objectives of the Technion Society are:

If you are interested in finding out more please contact the Executive Secretary, Heather Levy on 0413 737 757/9361-9999 or write to The Technion Society 4 Hill Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010 Fax No: 9332 1294. All our members receive newsletters from the Technion and are thereby kept up to date on all new developments and discoveries.

 We also have regular speakers, some of whom are visiting Professors from the Technion and others speaking on topics of interest. These talks are followed by supper and are social as well as being very informative.

 The Technion Society has recently established a Student Exchange Fund and offers financial assistance to students in Australia and Israel participating in the Student Exchange Program with the Technion. Tuition and some other fees may be waived if an exchange agreement exists with your University. At present the Technion has an exchange agreement with the University of New South Wales.

 For full information on the Student Exchange Program contact Heather Levy at the Technion Society (NSW) or check the Technion's Home Pages on the Internet at: http://www.technion.ac.il/technion/studies/exchange or send an e-mail at: studex@techunix.technion.ac.il, or use Fax: 972-4-8230487 You could also contact Sandra Fox at the International student exchange centre, University of NSW.

 Any donations are tax deductable and are used for Student Exchange purposes. Our membership fee is $25-00 per annum or $120-00 for corporate membership.

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