A Dynasty of Engineers
The Halevy Sisters – Pioneers for Women in Higher Education in the 1970s
In 1977, Sarah and Haim Halevy, residents of Kiryat Ata, received a special certificate of appreciation from then-Technion President, Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Horev. The recognition honored their dedication to their children’s education, leading to a rare achievement: four sisters and two brothers, out of their ten children, studying simultaneously at the Technion.
The Halevy family exemplifies academic excellence that broke barriers. Originally from Yemen, they immigrated to Israel during Operation Magic Carpet. Despite their modest backgrounds – Haim was a plumber, and Sarah, who never learned to read or write, was a homemaker – they encouraged their children to pursue education. Their daughter, Hana Hirschfeld-Halevy, recalled in a 2009 Technion magazine interview: “At home, if you didn’t know math, it was better to stay quiet.” Their dedication paid off – six Technion graduates, including four women, one of whom became a doctor.
Research for the documentary Technion 10², directed by Uri Rosenwaks and recently aired on Kan 11, uncovered an archival film from the 1970s by David Perlov about the Halevy family. The four Halevy sisters attended a special Technion screening: Dr. Rachel Halevy-Avgush (Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine), Miri Spiegel (Halevy) (Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences), Hana Hirschfeld-Halevy (Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering), and Elisheva Halevy Hochberg (Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering).
The sisters grew up in a neighborhood where few had even heard of the Technion, let alone attended high school. “Our neighbors started working after eighth grade to support their families,” they shared. “Our mother, who never had the opportunity to study in Yemen or Israel, insisted that we earn a profession rather than become housewives.”
The family’s academic revolution didn’t stop there. Today, more than a dozen Halevy family members, including the next generation, are Technion graduates. Their story is exceptional, as it began in an era when women in science and engineering were rare.
“Living in the Technion dorms was one of the best times of my life,” Hana reminisced. “I sang in the Technion choir, went folk dancing, and spent nights singing on the campus lawn. The Technion gave me my ticket to the professional world.”
One of her strongest memories is attending a Technion leadership event, where Elisheva Rothschild removed her gold necklace and placed it around Hannah’s neck – a gesture of deep encouragement.
Despite excelling in her studies, Hana struggled to find a job in civil engineering because of her gender. Eventually, she was hired at a private firm and later joined the Israel Electric Corporation, where she contributed to power station planning.
