Milestone Moment for Rhode Island–Israel Medical Collaboration A truly special night—and a major milestone! A year in the making—this landmark agreement is now a reality.
- Larry Katz
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Local Israeli-American Physicians Honored
Monday, May 4, 2026:
Written by Lawrence Katz, Board Member of the RIIC,
At Brown University Health headquarters at the end of April, three local Israeli-American physicians and a former American-born Board Chair of The Miriam were honored by Rhode Island Israel Collaborative (RIIC). The honorees, along with descriptions of collaborative programs between Israeli and Rhode Island institutions, highlighted the significant influence of Israeli-trained physicians on Rhode Island healthcare. Among the attendees were Mayor Brett Smiley, Representative Mia Ackerman, Dr. Jerry Larkin (Director, Rhode Island Department of Health), Deputy Consul General of Israel to New England Liron Finkelstein, John Fernandez (President and CEO of Brown University Health) and Professor Mukesh K. Jain (current Dean of Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School).
The evening was opened by Avi Nevel, founder and CEO of the Rhode Island Israel Collaborative, who also emceed the event and highlighted its past, present, and future activities.
Professor Eli Adashi, Brown University’s former (5th) Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences, was the first to be honored. He is a graduate of the very first class of Tel Aviv University School of Medicine (MD, 1973) and of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health program in Health Care Management (MS,2005). He is respected nationally for his work in reproductive endocrinology and gynecological and obstetrical research.
Professor Jeffrey M. Borkan serves as the Assistant Dean for Primary Care at the medical school and
directs a program aimed at producing the next generation of leaders in primary care. He has been the Chair of Family Medicine for more than two decades and is engaged in advocacy and education at multiple levels. Earlier in the program, he had discussed the Miriam Hospital - Brown University Leadership Fellowship for Mid-Career Israeli Family Physicians.
Professor Rami Kantor is a physician-scientist who directs the Drug Resistance Laboratory at the Providence-Boston Center for AIDS Research (CFAR). Dr. Kantor’s lab focuses on multidisciplinary clinical and basic science research on HIV drug resistance in children, adolescents and adults, HIV treatment monitoring, and HIV transmission through networks. Earlier that evening, he had presented the Brown University Technion Exchange Program and other collaborations with the Israeli Medical Ecosystem. Professor Kantor is a member of the Rhode Island Israel Collaborative (RIIC) Life Science and Health Care Committee.
All three honoree physicians earned their medical degrees at the Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at Tel Aviv University.
Jeffrey M. Brier was also honored. He is a past Board Chair of The Miriam Hospital and The Miriam Hospital Foundation. Over the past 45 years he has held many leadership positions in the Rhode Island Jewish community including having served as president of the Jewish Community Center and Camp JORI. Professionally he is president of Brier & Brier, an insurance and employee benefit agency. He also made a presentation earlier in the program, about the nearly 30-year history of collaborations between The Miriam Hospital and HaEmek Medical Center in Afula, Israel. Jeffrey is also one of the board members and founders of the Rhode Island Israel Collaborative (RIIC).
Another presenter was Professor Adam Levine, Assistant Dean of Biology and Medicine at Brown Medical School, who spoke about the new student exchange agreement between Brown and Tel Aviv University medical schools. Professor Karen Avraham, Dean of the Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at Tel Aviv University, delivered remarks by video. Dr. May-Tal Sauerbrun Cutler presented on RI–Israel healthcare collaboration, including joint research with an Israeli startup company on AI and infertility, as well as additional collaborations between the Rhode Island and Israel medical ecosystems.
Dr. May-Tal Sauerbrun Cutler also noted that the RIIC hopes to organize another healthcare mission to Israel, similar to the one conducted in 2013 under the leadership of Dr. Michael Fine.
Dr. Mukesh K. Jain, current Dean of Brown’s Medical School, concluded the program, with additional remarks about his predecessor, Professor Adashi, and addressed the value of Israeli-Rhode Island collaborations.
The evening was hosted by the Rhode Island Israel Collaborative (RIIC), with the assistance of Brown University Health, The Miriam Hospital and the Consulate General of Israel to New England. It was organized by the RIIC’s Healthcare & Life Sciences Committee, whose co-chairs are Dr. Alex Cutler & Dr. May-Tal Sauerbrun Cutler. The organizing committee also included Dr. Rami Kantor and Limor Nevel. Avi Nevel serves as the CEO of the RIIC.
The Rhode Island–Israel Collaborative (RIIC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering economic, academic, scientific, and cultural partnerships between Rhode Island and Israel. RIIC promotes mutual growth and innovation by developing programs that link entrepreneurs, investors, educators, and policymakers across both regions. Through its committees, initiatives, and global network, RIIC continues to strengthen the economic and scientific connections that benefit both communities. For more information, visit Rhode Island–Israel Collaborative (RIIC) at www.theriic.org.
Monday, May 4, 2026
From: Lawrence Katz, Board Member of the RIIC, larrykatz1221@gmail.com
Further information, Avi Nevel, info@theriic.org,
Photos taken by Leah Koritz
The Rhode Island–Israel Collaborative (RIIC)
Monday, May 4, 2026:
Written by Lawrence Katz, Board Member of the RIIC, larrykatz1221@gmail.com
Further information, Avi Nevel, anevel@theriic.org
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