Tel Aviv University’s Dr. Jeffrey M. Hausdorff Discusses His Mobility And Neurological Research By Linda Chase - Jewish Connection News Jan 7, 2025 For nearly 25 years, Dr. Jeffrey M. Hausdorff has been directing a research center that studies gait, cognition and mobility at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. Hausdorff also serves as a professor in the Department of Physical Therapy in the Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences at Tel Aviv University. During our conversation, Professor Hausdorff shared details regarding his background and research. “After completing my formal education in biomedical engineering, I carried out postdoctoral training in aging at Harvard Medical School and carried out research for a number of years at the Margret & H.A. Rey Institute for Nonlinear Dynamics in Physiology and Medicine in Boston. Under the direction of Professor Ary Goldberger, at the Reylab, we investigated research questions, developed and applied innovative research tools based on nonlinear dynamics and fractal physiology. In 2000, I moved to Israel with my family and joined a clinical and research team in the Movement Disorders Unit (MDU) in the Department of Neurology at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. MDU was led by Professor Nir Giladi and it focused on treating and improving the lives of people with Parkinson’s Disease. Professor Giladi and I shared interests in studying gait and patients with Parkinson’s Disease and Nir allowed me to set up my research lab as part of the MDU. A major advantage of this setup was that our research facility was actually integrated into the clinic. We aim to better understand the physiology of a healthy gait. We have also studied the relationship between genetic mutations associated with PD and their impact on gait in healthy people who have an increased risk of developing PD in the future (single neuron firing in patients undergoing surgery for deep brain stimulation.)” “Early studies of gait focused on biomechanics, muscle strength and movement of the joints,” Hausdorff continued. “One of the major insights we learned is that among older adults and many patients with neurological disease, like PD, biomechanics play a role, however, cognitive function is also critically important to safe ambulation and fall risk. We have spent much of the past two decades characterizing and fine-tuning our understanding of everyday walking where there are obstacles, surprises and many challenges that require many specific aspects of cognitive function. This led us to use brain imaging techniques like MRI (and functional MRI) as well as functional near infra-red spectroscopy (fNIRS) and EEG, allowing us to probe brain function during walking.” “The second broad goal of our research is to develop new tools and methods for quantifying gait and mobility,” Hausdorff continued. “This line of work has emerged as a very exciting field on its own with much interest from the FDA and many others. It has the potential to capture not just what a person can do when he or she is tested in a clinic, but also actual, daily living performance. While capacity is necessary for function, we have shown that there are large gaps between the two. Moreover, function may be more relevant to the patient than capacity. From a clinical trial and drug development perspective, many have suggested that long-term, continuous, 24/7 monitoring could save time and money, potentially shortening the time needed to test the value of a new therapy or drug.” Hausdorff shared his further studies on gait. “Gait speed and a closely related measure of step length, are two very powerful and sensitive measures of gait. Among older adults, gait speed predicts morbidity, mortality, disability, fall risk, cognitive decline and the development of Dementia. In the past, a biomechanical model of gait was used to estimate step length and gait speed from a sensor worn on the lower back during real-world, daily living studies. This was helpful and insightful, however, the model was not very accurate. With the help of a graduate student, Assaf Zadka, and Professor Neta Rabin, an expert in machine learning at TAU, we developed a new approach to estimating step length and gait speed from a wearable sensor. The machine learning approach is about four times more accurate than the biomechanical model.” “Another application of machine learning and wearable sensors was in our recent study of freezing of gait (FOG) among people with PD,” Hausdorff added. “FOG is a mysterious, disabling problem that affects many, but not all people with PD. When it happens, typically in an unpredictable manner, the person reports as if her feet are glued to the ground. This problem markedly impairs function, leads to falls, and, ultimately, confines the person to wheelchair use because of safety concerns. We have shown, for example, the key role of anxiety, depression and certain aspects of cognitive function in this problem. However, in the past, our investigations were limited to snapshot assessments in the clinic or home that do not fully reflect daily living FOG. Combining machine learning, with wearable sensor data, enabled us to quantify this problem in the daily living setting. We found (for the first time) time of day affects therapy treatment and prevention.” Hausdorff explained the therapeutic focus of his research. “Our third research direction is therapy, building on insights from our earlier studies. We aim to develop interventions that improve gait, reduce fall risk, and enhance cognitive function. For example, after learning that certain cognitive functions are crucial in safe walking, we tested cognitive-enhancing drugs like Ritalin and found promising results. We’ve also used non-invasive brain stimulation to explore brain-gait interactions with exciting findings that show the brain's ability to adapt positively, even with aging or neurological disease.” “Together with Dr. Brad Manor at Harvard Medical School, we recently received NIH funding to study the effects of six months of home-based, non-invasive brain stimulation on gait, cognitive function, and Dementia risk in older adults,” Hausdorff continued. “Additionally, with Professor Anat Mirelman, we developed a virtual reality approach that enhances traditional treadmill training. By immersing patients in a VR environment with motor and cognitive challenges, they can improve their walking and thinking skills subconsciously through fun, game-like tasks. In a multi-center, randomized study we led, this VR-based method reduced fall risk by 40% more than conventional treadmill walking. The technology was later transferred to a startup, GaitBetter, which is now used in many Israeli HMOs and gaining traction in the US. The (real-world) results have been even more impressive than in our studies. Patients and therapists are enthusiastic, and the system has significantly reduced falls and related costs. This ‘bench-to-bedside’ success has been deeply gratifying, highlighting the practical impact of our research on the health of older adults. We were also among the first to study the link between cognitive function and gait, which is now widely recognized. Our research shows that the ability to walk while performing another task can predict fall risk five years later.” When asked about the secret to his longevity, Hausdorff smiled. Previous Next

Ahead Of Yom HaShoah, Cyberwell Reports Rapid Online Spread Of AI-Driven Holocaust Hate Speech Jewish Connection News Apr 23, 2026 Ahead Of Yom HaShoah, Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day (April 13-14), CyberWell, A NonProfit That Partners With Social Media Platforms To Combat Holocaust Denial And Antisemitism Online, Flags That Holocaust Denial, Distortion And Justification Continues To Circulate Widely Across Social Media, With An Important Twist – Increasingly, Content Is Now Generated By Artificial Intelligence And Surges During Periods Of Geopolitical Crisis. “Generative AI has dramatically lowered the barrier to producing and distributing antisemitic content,” said CyberWell Founder & CEO Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor. “What once required coordination, creativity, basic technical skills and time can now be created instantly and shared at scale. While many platforms already have Holocaust denial removal guidelines and techniques, the emergence of AI-generated content has challenged existing moderation mechanisms. Meanwhile, content creators are also using emojis, the guise of humor, and coded language to avoid detection.” Generative AI systems, such as Sora AI, Suno AI and Veo3, are capable of producing text, images, video, audio and synthetic news-style media, changing the dynamics of online antisemitism. One trend that CyberWell identified was an AI-generated, Pixar-style trailer titled “Caust,” which trivializes the Holocaust by presenting it as child-friendly entertainment, glorifying Hitler, and mocking Holocaust victims. Other AI-produced content has glorified Nazi figures through coded language, animation and parody formats designed to evade detection. Overall, CyberWell’s monitoring has identified a growing volume of AI-generated media that trivializes the Holocaust, glorifies Nazi figures or mocks victims. The content is frequently packaged as memes, parody videos, songs or stylized animation designed to evade automated moderation systems. The material denies, distorts and mocks the Holocaust and remains a persistent component of antisemitic content online, often paired with rhetoric that demonizes Jews. “Content moderation efforts on Social Media Platforms need to adjust to meet the scaling use and abuse of generative AI platforms. This includes expanding integrated partnerships with organizations and technologies that have contextual and subject matter expertise,” Cohen Montemayor added. “Integrating partnerships more deeply can support scalable and effective digital policy enforcement.” CyberWell’s monitoring also shows how quickly Holocaust-related rhetoric can spike during geopolitical crises. During the joint US/Israel war against the Islamic Republic Guard Corps regime, posts containing “Hitler was right” surged dramatically on X, according to social listening tools utilized by CyberWell. In the six months prior to the conflict, the phrase averaged 669 posts per day. However, since the start of the war on February 28th, 2026, usage jumped to a daily average of 847 posts, reflecting a 26 percent increase. The peak occurred on March 1st, the first full day of the war with 3,843 posts, marking a 474 percent increase compared to the prior daily average. Earlier this year, CyberWell documented broader trends in Holocaust-related hate speech in its 2025 annual report on online antisemitism. The research found that Holocaust denial, distortion and mockery remain recurring themes across major Social Media Platforms despite improvements in enforcement against explicit violations. It also noted that antisemitic actors increasingly rely on coded language, irony, and stylized digital media to evade detection. “On Yom HaShoah, remembrance must be matched with vigilance,” Cohen Montemayor said. “As technology evolves and manipulated content becomes increasingly believable, platforms must ensure their policies and Enforcement Infrastructure address the ways this hatred adapts and spreads in the digital age.” CyberWell is an independent, tech-based NonProfit combating the spread of antisemitism online, operating globally. Its AI-technologies monitor Social Media in English and Arabic for posts that promulgate antisemitism, Holocaust denial and promote violence against Jews and their allies based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. Its analysts review and report this content to platform moderators while indexing all verified posts in the first-ever open database of antisemitic social media posts, cataloguing it openly for transparency at app.cyberwell.org. Through partnerships, education and real-time alerts, CyberWell partners with Social Media Platforms and digital service companies to help them enforce their policies more effectively, promoting proactive steps against online Jew-hate. For more information, visit: https://cyberwell.org/ . Previous Next

ICAR Collective Brings Together 500 Government, Clinical, Academic, Tech And NonProfit Leaders To Drive A Unified National Response To Israel’s Trauma Crisis Jewish Connection News Apr 23, 2026 In An Unprecedented Show Of Cross-Sector Collaboration, ICAR Collective, Israel’s Nonprofit Coordinating Body Working To Accelerate Trauma Recovery And Advance Mental Health Resilience, Convened More Than 500 Decision Makers And Professionals From Across Israel’s Trauma, Resilience And Mental Health Ecosystem To Address A Critical National Challenge In The Wake Of The October 7 Attacks And The Wars That Followed. The gathering brought together representatives from over 170 organizations, including nonprofits, technology and corporate organizations, philanthropic foundations and government ministries, spanning clinical care, research, academia, public systems, innovation and community-based services. While Israel is recognized as a leader in trauma care and innovation, participants emphasized that the central challenge is not a lack of expertise or activity, but that the current system is too fragmented to effectively meet the scale and complexity of the growing national need. Leaders outlined a shift from emergency response to long-term Infrastructure, emphasizing that sustained trauma requires a fundamentally different approach than short-term crisis mobilization. This includes building coordinated governance, shared standards, integrated data systems and aligned financing mechanisms to support recovery over years, not months. “Israel has extraordinary professionals and innovators,” said ICAR Collective Co-Founder and Executive Director Gila Tolub. “The challenge now is not capacity, but design. We need to move from emergency response to a system that is intentionally built for long-term recovery and translates commitment into sustained national impact.” A central priority is the development of tiered, population-level care models. Leaders emphasized that only a minority of individuals will require intensive clinical intervention, while the majority can benefit from prevention, early intervention and community-based support. Strengthening frontline capacity and ensuring appropriate triage were identified as critical to preserving specialist resources and improving outcomes. Workforce sustainability emerged as a structural constraint. Participants called for expanded trauma-informed training across professions, stronger supervision frameworks, burnout prevention and long-term national workforce planning to address persistent shortages and growing demand. Leaders also highlighted the importance of community and relational Infrastructure. Family systems, peer networks and local community frameworks were recognized as essential components of recovery, alongside formal care systems. Supporting reintegration into daily life and strengthening meaning-making processes were seen as critical for long-term resilience. Data and research were identified as foundational to system effectiveness. Participants emphasized the need for longitudinal monitoring, shared outcome measures that extend beyond symptom reduction and alignment between research, policy and funding to enable evidence-based implementation at scale. While fragmentation across sectors remains a barrier, the discussion focused on building the connective Infrastructure such as shared language, coordinated pathways and interoperable systems which are required to enable continuity of care and reduce inequities in access. Finally, leaders underscored that innovation must be integrated thoughtfully into the system. Digital tools, emerging technologies and novel therapeutic approaches should complement, not replace, evidence-based care, and must be deployed within coordinated pathways with appropriate ethical and regulatory safeguards. “A national response to trauma must be structured, not improvised,” said ICAR Collective Co-Founder and Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs Prof. Eyal Fruchter. “This means tiered care models, a protected and well-trained workforce and the responsible integration of innovation. Without this foundation, even strong interventions cannot deliver outcomes at scale.” ICAR Collective will continue working with partners across government, healthcare systems, academia, civil society and philanthropy to build this foundation and help translate it into sustained national impact. ICAR Collective (Israel’s Collective Action for Resilience) is working to accelerate trauma recovery and advance mental health resilience through coordinated collaboration across Israel’s public health, NGO, academic and research communities. Founded in response to the national trauma of October 7, ICAR Collective’s mission is to build a national, science-backed roadmap for long-term trauma recovery—aligning efforts and resources to protect the wellbeing, productivity and security of Israeli society. For more information, visit: https://www.icarcollective.org/ . ICAR Collective Co-Founder and Executive Director Gila Tolub. ICAR Collective Co-Founder and Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs Professor Eyal Fruchter. Previous Next

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