HEMDA Centre for Science Education
HEMDA was established In January 1988 by Yad Hanadiv as a regional centre for high school science education in Tel Aviv. The initiative came in the wake of conclusions of an expert Committee chaired by Professor Haim Harari, then President of the Weizmann Institute, which warned of an impending shortage of high level scientists in academia, high-tech and in the security services, if science studies at the high school level were not improved. The Centre was designed to offer advanced level physics and chemistry, drawing on teaching and laboratories at a standard not available in all schools. Led by the Tel Aviv Municipality and the Tel Aviv Foundation, HEMDA currently attracts students from a broad social spectrum, including Arabs and Jews, religious and secular students, new immigrants and native born Israelis. HEMDA's outstanding teaching staff is made up primarily of holders of PhDs in chemistry and physics. Emphasis is placed on experimentation and lab work. In 2008 HEMDA served 1,300 students in grades 8-12 from 18 schools.
