Barnard Symposium in Jerusalem

Barnard College recently partnered with Bishvilaych, a comprehensive women's health center in Jerusalem, to host the symposium "Perspectives on Gender Medicine and Women's Health," on Monday, May 23, 2011 at Hebrew University, Givat Ram Campus in Jerusalem.

Forty alumnae and thirty "gap year" students attended a pre-symposium dinner, which featured a campus update from Dorothy Urman Denburg ’70, Vice President for College Relations.  “This event brought a bit of the Barnard experience to Israel’s alumnae community,” said Denburg. “It was a wonderful opportunity to connect and learn about issues that touch the lives of women in every part of the world.”

The symposium was moderated by Dr. Diana Flescher ’76 P'14, Medical Director of Bishvilaych and founding member of The National Council on Women's Health at the Ministry of Health and co-editor of the first data book on women's health in Israel.  Dr. Freya Schnabel ’78, Professor of Surgery at New York University School of Medicine and Director of Breast Surgery at New York University Langone Medical Center, gave a talk titled “Controversies in Breast Cancer Screening.”  Professor Rebecca Jordan-Young, Assistant Professor of Women’s Studies at Barnard College and author of Brain Storm: The Flaws in the Science of Sex Differences, spoke about "The Myth of the Female Brain."  

A thought-provoking Q&A followed.  Attendees were very enthusiastic about future partnerships between Barnard and Bishvilaych.  This program was made possible by the generous support of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.  View photos from the symposium.

The Jerusalem Post also took advantage of this fortuitous opportunity to speak with Professor Rebecca Jordan-Young while she was in Jerusalem.