NERUSHCUP

"When I was about 12 years old, my father enrolled me in a judo class, because I was a bit of a clumsy kid who knocked down plates and ran into things. I had good grades at school, I loved chess and playing on the electric piano, so my Dad thought sports could balance, and he was right". Says Alex Nerush, who began studying chemistry at the institute this year. "We were looking for a judo class in Rishon LeZion, where we lived, and we found the club of Pavel Musin (the coach and partner of Alice Schlesinger, who represented Israel at the Olympics in London). The meeting with Pavel changed my life. From him, I learned that with persistence and devotion, you can achieve anything. I dreamed of being a real athlete, and I became one".

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At the age of 15, Alex was a member of the National Israel Judo Youth Team, participated in competitions and championships, and in some of them won the gold medal. In 2001 he was Israel's youth champion. "During the vacations, when everyone was at the sea, or in front of the television, we participated in intensive training camps. Even the combat training I underwent during my military service in the Nahal Brigade couldn't compare to what I did in judo before".

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"I'm interested in science and want to be a scientist, but at the same time I'll always want to be active in sports. There is the spirit of ambition in the institute, which I can very relay to. Everyone here are looking forward to discover, research and to benefit humanity".

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Alex was only three years old when he and his family immigrated to Israel from the former Soviet Union. His father is a mathematician, works as a programmer, and his mother is a researcher at the medical research center at Assaf Harofeh Medical Center. He grew up as an Israeli child. Alex became fluent in Russian only at university.

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​"After completing my military service, as part of my studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, I joined the Judo Student Team, which was coached by Sagi Gur. When I was admitted to the institute, I returned to the same club in Rishon LeZion where I practiced as a child. Today I train on regular basis and even compete in championships. We are a cohesive group of people engaged in science, advanced industry and management. I feel that I still have a place to grow in judo. "