The Casali Foundation
 Alberto
Casali, C.B.E., Cavaliere del Lavoro, was a scion of an Austrian Jewish
family on industrialists from Trieste,
which belonged to the Habsburg Empire. On returning to Trieste,
after World War II, he resurrected the family-held Stock S.A. Company
from the ruins of postwar Italy,
and made it prosperous again. In addition to his contribution to Italy's
recovery, he helped guide the young State of Israel towards an original
science-based industry. He recognized the fact that the human potential
was present, but that it was not exploited sufficiently to the application
of science. It was his wish that some of the Israeli academic tradition
and competence be directed towards this practical goal. That was realized
when Alberto Casali was approached by his old-time friend, Professor Zvi
Enrico Jolles, who conceived the idea of founding an institute for
applied chemistry in one of the Israeli universities.
To implement this idea, the Casali Foundation was set up to establish and
endow an institute for applied chemistry. After discussions with several
Israeli academic institutions, the Casali Foundation signed an agreement
with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to fund the construction of the
Casali Institute of Applied Chemistry situated on the Edmond Safra campus
in Givat Ram. Professor Jolles served as the first director of the Casali
Institute of Applied Chemistry until his untimely passing away in 1971.
The Institute was integrated into the Graduate School of Applied Science
and Technology, which would not have been established without Alberto
Casali's contribution. The Foundation also equipped the Institute and
paid its expenses for the first five years of operation. Alberto and
Kathleen Casali laid the cornerstone on October 28, 1970 and the
Institute began working immediately in the provisional space allotted by
the Institute
of Chemistry. The Casali
Institute building was dedicated on March 12, 1975 – three years after
Alberto's passing.
Kathleen Casali became President of the Casali Foundation after her
husband's death. She fervently continued to support the Institute and
visited Jerusalem
on several occasions. With her encouragement the Foundation has helped
the Institute financially, by offering research grants to its staff and
study scholarships to its students, and by contributing to its
infrastructure. Mrs. Kathleen Casali passed away on June 24, 2000.
To commemorate the name of the Casali family and to perpetuate its
legacy, the Foundation continues its support, thus further enabling the
uninterrupted progress of scientific activities at the Casali Institute.
The Casali Foundation is a non-profit organization limited by guarantee.
Top of Page
|
