Hope has long been viewed as a personal aspiration, but in recent years it has become a serious focus of scientific research. Now, for the first time, it is gaining a dedicated academic home in Israel.
Led by Prof. Ben Corn — a senior physician-scientist in the Faculty of Medicine and a pioneer in clinical hope research — the Institute will operate within the Hebrew University’s Faculty of Medicine. Over the past decade Prof. Corn has explored the measurable mechanisms of hope and their impact on health outcomes, collaborating with leading scholars such as Prof. Dave Feldman (Santa Clara University), Prof. Dan Ariely, and Israel Prize laureate Prof. Malka Margalit.
Prof. Eli Pikarsky, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Hebrew University, commented: “Many people tend to confuse hope with optimism. The late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks explained that optimism is the belief that things will be okay, while hope is the understanding that if we work hard together, we can make things better. Hope transforms our reality. Thank you to Dvora and Professor Ben Corn, who are exploring the science of hope and turning it into tools for healing.”
Founded by Ben and Dvora Corn, the nonprofit Life’s Door was one of the first social service organizations in Israel to recognize hope as a critical factor in coping with trauma, serious illness, and loss. Its work laid key conceptual foundations for the new Institute.
First Scholar and Fellow Grantees
During the ceremony the Institute announced:
Dr. Matthew Farrel (UCLA) as its first Hope Fellow.
Dr. Adir Shaulov — Director of the Hebrew University Center for Dignified End of Life — as the recipient of its inaugural Hope Research Grant.
The Institute for the Study of Hope, Dignity and Wellbeing will collaborate with leading academic centers worldwide, including UCLA, to advance research, education, and public engagement on the science of hope.
We invite you to be part of this exciting initiative as research partners or as part of our Named Donor Investment campaign. Click Here