Prof. Jacob Galil
Founder of the Botanic Garden and Co-Founder of Tel Aviv University
Prof. Jacob Galil (1914–1993)
Prof. Jacob Galil (Glimcher) was a visionary educator and a pioneering researcher in the field of botany. As the founder of the Tel Aviv University Botanic Garden and one of the founding fathers of the university itself, his legacy remains at the heart of our institution.
Early Life and Education
Born in Russia in 1914, Jacob Galil immigrated to Israel as a child in 1922 and grew up in Tel Aviv. He pursued his passion for the natural world at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, studying botany, zoology, and geology. He was a student of the legendary Prof. Alexander Eig, the founder of Israel’s first botany department, whose influence shaped Galil’s scientific approach.
Building a Legacy at Tel Aviv University
In 1940, Galil was invited by Dr. Joshua Margolin to join the staff of the Biological-Pedagogical Institute in Tel Aviv – the cornerstone upon which Tel Aviv University was later built. When the university was officially established, Prof. Galil founded the Department of Botany and served as its chair for nearly twenty years. During this period, he realized his vision of creating a living laboratory for research and education: the Botanic Garden.
A Passion for Research and Education
Prof. Galil believed that scientific research and education were inseparable. He was a firm believer in "inquiry-based learning," advocating that students' natural curiosity should be stimulated through active exploration.
His scientific work focused on two primary fields:
- Geophytes: He pioneered the study of bulb and tuberous plants, exploring their unique biological phenomena.
- Pollination Ecology: His work on the pollination of the Moraceae (fig) family, specifically the Sycamore and the Common Fig, is still considered groundbreaking today. He was the first to explore the complex co-evolutionary relationships between these trees and their pollinating wasps.
Memorial
To honor his immense contribution, a memorial stands in the northwestern corner of the Botanic Garden, overlooking the living legacy he planted for future generations.
