Israel selects its 2023 Rhodes Scholars-elect

Gal Rubin and Yonatan Gideoni have been selected as Israel's 2023 Rhodes Scholars-elect and have the chance to pursue their studies at Oxford.

 Doron Weber (C), standing with the two Israeli Rhodes Scholars-elect for 2023, Yonatan Gideoni (L) and Gal Rubin. (photo credit: Ye'ara Halevi)
Doron Weber (C), standing with the two Israeli Rhodes Scholars-elect for 2023, Yonatan Gideoni (L) and Gal Rubin.
(photo credit: Ye'ara Halevi)

Israel's two 2023 Rhodes Scholars-elect have finally been chosen, marking the conclusion of an incredibly rigorous and competitive selection process that spanned the entirety of the Jewish state.

Having been selected, the two academics will have the chance to head to the prestigious University of Oxford on a full scholarship in the UK in order to continue charting their path in the academic world.

This marks the seventh year another group of Rhodes Scholars-elect was chosen from among the most promising emerging figures in Israeli academia.

"We're thrilled in our seventh year to see another exceptional group of young Israeli leaders in science, medicine, government, philosophy the arts and political activism," Rhodes Scholarships for Israel national secretary Doron Weber said. 

"At a time when Israel is grappling with so many challenges, it's heartening to encounter such brilliant and idealistic leaders determined to improve their society."

"At a time when Israel is grappling with so many challenges, it's heartening to encounter such brilliant and idealistic leaders determined to improve their society."

Doron Weber

Oxford, All Souls College (credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Oxford, All Souls College (credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Who are Israel's Rhodes Scholars-elect for 2023?

The first Israeli Rhodes Scholar-elect for 2023 is Gal Rubin. With a background in medical studies, Rubin has worked all over the world both as a researcher and in clinics. Her expertise has already seen her having published a number of papers that focus on pregnancy.

Now heading to Oxford, Rubin plans to study international health and tropical medicine as part of her journey to become a leader in the field of public health.

The second Israeli Rhodes Scholar-elect is Yonatan Gideoni. From a young age, Gideoni showed promise in computer sciences, having worked as an algorithm developer in the Israeli hi-tech firm Mobileye when he was still in high school. 

Having gotten his Bachelor's Degree at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a major in physics and astronomy and a minor in computer science, Gideoni went to Europe and began studying advanced computer science at Cambridge University. At Oxford, he plans on continuing this field of study, with a focus on autonomous intelligent machines.