Menachem Ben-Sasson

Menahem Ben-Sasson (; born 7 July 1951) is an Israeli politician, historian, and former member of the Knesset for Kadima. Between 2009 and 2017 he served as the thirteenth President of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, succeeding Menachem Magidor. He has since served as Chancellor of the university.

Biography Born in Jerusalem, Israel, Ben-Sasson served in a Nahal unit in Ein Tzurim and in the artillery section during his national service in the Israel Defense Forces. He went on to study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he gained a BA in History and philosophy and a PhD in the History of the Jewish People in the Islamic Lands.

Ben-Sasson lives in Jerusalem, and is married with three children. In addition to Hebrew, he speaks Arabic, English, French, and German.

Academic career After completing his PhD in Jewish History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ben-Sasson undertook post-doctoral research as a Rothschild Fellow at the Genizah Research Unit at the University of Cambridge. He subsequently became a professor of the History of the Jewish People at the Hebrew University, where he also served as Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Humanities. He has also taught at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Bar-Ilan University, and LMU Munich.

Between 1997 and 2001 he served as rector of the Hebrew University, and represented the Association of University Heads at Knesset committees.

Between 2009 and 2017 he served as the thirteenth President of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, succeeding Menachem Magidor. He was succeeded as president by Asher Cohen. From 2012 to 2015 he served as chairman of the Council of Presidents of the Universities in Israel (VERA). He has also conducted extensive research on Maimonides, Geonic responsa and texts, the works and leadership of Saadia Gaon, and the Cairo Genizah. He has authored approximately forty books and scholarly articles. Feher Prize for Jewish History (1997) Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2017), awarded for contributions to German-Israeli scientific relations Honorary Fellowship, Israel Museum International Council