Speaking at the sold-out gala, presented by the Dr. Joseph Lebovic and Dr. Wolf Lebovic Foundations, Weizmann Canada CEO Susan Stern expressed deep gratitude for the generosity of the more than 300 supporters who came together from across the country to champion the Weizmann Institute of Science’s groundbreaking research. 

“The theme of tonight’s event is Seeding Hope,” Stern said. “Hope does not begin in a single evening. It builds—through early believers, generous leaders, committed sponsors, and every person who chooses to stand with us. Together, all of these gifts tell one story: a community united by hope.” 

Montreal’s Windsor Station was transformed into an elegant and enchanting backdrop for the joyful celebration. A stunning array of multi-sensory installations brought the vision of a sustainable planet into the grand hall itself. Tables were set with a luscious cascade of local flowers, greenery, and colourful vegetables. The evening’s sustainability theme was woven through all the elements of a vibrant farm-to-table menu. 

Heather Hiscox, former national television morning show host and anchor, hosted the evening. She opened her remarks by showing her true hometown colours. “Incredibly, it has been 25 years since I moved away. Toronto has been my home since, but my heart feels otherwise,” Hiscox said, holding up a Montreal Canadiens jersey. 

Hiscox then led guests through a cinematic presentation that illustrated the urgent need for solutions to climate change and the innovative research underway at Weizmann.  

Guests also heard from Professors Ron Milo and Asaph Aharoni, world-renowned scientists who are on the cutting edge of sustainability research. They talked about revolutionary discoveries that have the potential to change how we approach sustainability.  

In his lab, Prof. Milo was able to genetically engineer bacteria that feed off carbon dioxide rather than sugar. He described how he is now developing new ways to use solar energy to fuel the fermentation process that pulls carbon dioxide out of the air with the goal of improving the efficiency of food and fuel production. Prof. Milo, who leads the Institute for Environmental Sustainability (IES), explained that the sun sends the Earth more energy in one hour than humans use in a year. “In my lab we’re trying to use that energy to pull carbon dioxide from the air, run it through fermenters like you’d make beer or bread, and, with that, produce the future of food,” he said. 

Prof. Aharoni, Head of the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, is engineering plants and microbes to fight world hunger and malnutrition. His work looks for ways to improve crop nutrition and resistance to disease, drought, and other harsh conditions. His discoveries have also led to environmentally sustainable alternatives to the harmful chemicals in food, textiles, and other materials, and the creation of eight startups “This is just the tip of the iceberg. We are doing all kinds of stuff that will make our world more sustainable, healthy, and environmentally friendly,” he said. 

Guests learned that research in support of environmental sustainability at the Weizmann Institute began through the leadership of Canadians. Decades ago, Tom and Mary Beck led the effort to build the iconic Solar Tower in 1988, an undertaking supported by more than 400 Canadian donors long before the urgency of climate change was understood.  This early solar energy research has now expanded into the IES—a multidisciplinary powerhouse of more than 60 labs that encourages collaboration between the brightest and most curious scientific minds.  

This evening also marked the launch of the Institute’s Empower Tomorrow global campaign for the future of humanity. The IES is an important pillar in the mission to shape the future through science. As Weizmann Canada CEO Susan Stern said, “There is clearly much important work to do, and we are grateful for the groundbreaking science that continues to bring us new insights.”  

A highlight of the evening was when members of the Weizmann Canada community were honoured for their exceptional generosity that is shaping a more sustainable future. 

There was a special tribute to the legacy of Tom and Mary Beck, which today continues to drive science forward through a gift that established the Tom and Mary Beck Center for Advanced and Intelligent Materials and the Tom and Mary Beck Center for Renewable Energy, the first pillar of the IES. 

The gala’s honourees, whom Hiscox called up to the stage for recognition, were Nathalie and Laurent Amar; Rochelle Rubinstein, representing the families of H & R; Linda Cherry Soudack, honouring the legacy of Sigmund (Siggy) Soudack; and Darlene Switzer-Foster and Bill Foster, honouring the memory of Sam Switzer.

During an emotional ceremony, Danielle Bitton was presented with the Marvelle Koffler Award for Women of Distinction in recognition of her exceptional dedication to community leadership and philanthropy. She serves as the President of Weizmann Canada’s Montreal Chapter and has been a long-standing supporter of the Institute. Through her events team at Seal Productions, Bitton was also the creative force behind the stunning transformation of Windsor Station for the evening.  Tiana Koffler Boyman, daughter of the late Marvelle Koffler, in whose name the award was created for her lifelong commitment to pushing the boundaries for the betterment of women’s health, the arts, and science; presented the award alongside Francie Klein, President of the Toronto Chapter and inaugural recipient of the award in 2025.

Taking the stage to express her gratitude for the many who made this evening possible, Stern shone a spotlight on Weizmann Canada National Board Member Harry Lebovic. “Your support of this gala, and of so many areas of research at Weizmann, is a testament to the man I have come to know: someone with a kind heart, a generous soul, and the remarkable ability to make everyone around you smile,” she said. 

Stern also gave a heartfelt thank you to the Weizmann Canada team and volunteers, including the National Board, Advisory Council, and chapter members from Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver, as well as to Eclipse, Eventex, Seal Productions, and Vocation for producing and bringing the event to vivid life. 

There was a palpable sense of energy and hope for the future as the evening wrapped up. 

In her opening remarks, Hiscox said, “Only science can light the path forward.” And by the end of the night, everyone could see how Weizmann is poised to do exactly that. 

Explore more moments from the evening by viewing our full photo gallery here.

We are deeply grateful to all the sponsors and research partners who made this night a resounding success.

Sponsors 

Presenting Sponsor: Dr. Joseph Lebovic and Dr. Wolf Lebovic Foundations; Dinner Sponsor: HUB International; Safety and Security Sponsor: Medicom; Visiting Scientist Sponsors: Mia and David Goodman, and Sylvia and Ted Quint; Dessert Experience Sponsor: Laurent and Nathalie Amar; Green Landscape Sponsor: Richter Business | Family Office; Next Gen Sponsors: Canadian Life Settlements and CIBC; Discovery Sponsors: Altium and TD; Entertainment Sponsors: PearTree and Telus; Innovation Sponsors: Andrew J. Lutfy Foundation; BLG: Borden Ladner Gervais; Dr. Daniel C. Andreae; Goldfarb Intelligence Marketing; Julia Corcos and Stephen Simon, Naomi Corcos and Noah Palus, and David Corcos; Laurie and Jeffrey Cohen; Maureen and Jack Dym; and Saryl and Steve Gross; Friends: East West Investment Management, Fasken, Heather and Lev Bukhman, Juliette and David Ezagui, Resnick Partnership LLP, Robin and Mitchell Rosen, Susan and Michael Stern, and Wendy Posluns and Lewis Mitz; In-Kind Sponsors: Eclipse Productions and Seal Productions. 

Research Partners 

Earth Catalysts: Leila & Norman Resnickoff, Weizmann Canada National Board of Directors, and Anonymous; Planetary Health Visionaries: Dr. Adrian Langleben, Ilana & Anton Rabie, Mike & Valeria Rosenbloom Foundation, and The Koffler Foundation; Climate Resilience Leaders:  Eventex, Francie and Dr. Stuart Klein, Marilyn Krelenbaum and Stewart Harris, and Anonymous; Biodiversity Champions: Anne-Marie Boucher, Apricus Foundation, Darlene Switzer-Foster & Bill Foster, Florence Minz, Leah and Jeff Mitelman, Moira Stilwell and Sam Lichtenstein, and The Cyril & Dorothy, Joel & Jill Reitman Foundation. 

Donate to support environmental research